Why New Caravans Feel Heavier Than the Brochure

You tow home a shiny new caravan, load it like a normal human (kettle, bedding, a couple of chairs, awning if you’re feeling optimistic), then glance at the numbers and suddenly you’re apparently one tin of beans away from disaster. Welcome to The Great Payload Puzzle: Why New Caravans Are Heavier Than They Claim - not because manufacturers are necessarily fibbing, but because the way weights are defined (and the way we actually use caravans) don’t line up neatly.

The payload puzzle: it’s usually the definitions

The word that causes most of the grief is payload. Payload is simply the difference between the caravan’s maximum allowed weight (MTPLM) and its empty running weight (MIRO). In theory, that difference is what you can add as your belongings.

The sting in the tail is that MIRO isn’t “the caravan as you will own it”. MIRO is a standardised figure based on what’s fitted and what’s assumed to be on board at the point it leaves the factory - and those assumptions can be surprisingly optimistic.

If you want the calm, UK-specific version of the terminology (without the forum shouting), it’s worth reading Caravan weights in the UK, explained calmly.

So why does a new caravan seem heavier than claimed?

There are a few common reasons, and they tend to stack up.

1) MIRO isn’t “empty” in the way most of us mean it

MIRO is meant to be a consistent benchmark, not a promise that your caravan will weigh exactly that on a weighbridge. It typically includes things like a basic allowance for petrol, water in the heater or pipes (depending on the standard used), and certain essential fluids. It may also include the mass of the mover if it’s classed as standard equipment on a particular model - but not if it’s an option.

Even if every definition is followed perfectly, MIRO is still a type-approval style figure. Real production tolerances, dealer-fit extras, and the fact that not all caravans are identical can mean your particular van starts life a bit heavier.

2) “Optional extras” aren’t optional in real life

This is the big one. The brochure weight often relates to a base spec that looks lovely on paper and slightly imaginary on a UK pitch.

A mover, air conditioning, a second battery, a larger fridge, a solar panel, a TV bracket, a different axle rating, an upgraded upholstery pack - any one of these can nibble away at payload. Combine a few and you’ve quietly burned through a big chunk before you’ve packed a single sock.

And it isn’t just the big-ticket kit. A decent leisure battery is not light. Neither is an awning. Nor is that “small” generator you bought after one rainy weekend of low-voltage misery.

3) Marketing highlights MTPLM, but your pain lives in payload

Manufacturers love quoting a healthy MTPLM because it makes the caravan sound capable and substantial. The problem is that MTPLM on its own doesn’t tell you how much usable carrying capacity you’ll have once the caravan is configured the way you actually want it.

If the MIRO is high (because the van is well equipped from the factory), and the MTPLM isn’t raised accordingly, the payload can end up feeling comically tight. The caravan isn’t “heavier than it claims” so much as “already closer to its limit than you expected”.

4) UK touring habits have changed

Modern caravans are designed for comfort: bigger lounges, fixed beds, heavier furniture, bigger fridges, larger washrooms, more insulation, stronger chassis. That’s great for living in, but it raises the baseline weight.

Then we add modern touring habits: extra tech, extra leisure gear, e-bikes, bigger awnings, thicker mattresses, levelling gadgets, security devices. None of this is wrong - it’s just weight you didn’t have in 1998 when a caravan holiday meant two deckchairs and a packet of Rich Tea.

5) Noseweight and load distribution make it feel worse

Even if you’re under MTPLM overall, you can still get caught out by noseweight and where the mass ends up. Heavy items stored far forward (or all in one front locker because it’s easy) can push noseweight over your car’s limit.

That’s when owners start saying, “It can’t be right - I’ve hardly packed anything.” What they really mean is, “I’ve packed normally, but the van is sensitive to where the weight sits.” Both can be true.

How to sanity-check your real payload (without spiralling)

You don’t need to turn caravanning into an accountancy hobby, but you do need one honest baseline.

The simplest confidence-builder is to weigh the caravan in touring trim, ideally with the usual kit loaded and the water situation matching how you travel (some tow with the Aquaroll empty, others don’t). A weighbridge ticket replaces guesswork with reality very quickly.

Then compare that figure to your MTPLM. If you’ve got plenty in hand, great - you can stop doomscrolling weight threads. If you’re tight, you’ve got choices: reduce kit, redistribute it, or look at whether your caravan has a legitimate uprating option (where permitted and correctly plated).

If you’re new to towing and all of this feels like too much at once, pair the numbers work with actual driving confidence. It’s amazing how much calmer you feel when the outfit feels stable and predictable. Towing a Caravan for Beginners: Calm, Confident Starts is a good companion read.

A quick word on “they’re lying”

Sometimes published figures are wrong, or a dealer-fit option hasn’t been accounted for properly. It happens. But most of the time, what looks like dishonesty is really a mismatch between standardised definitions and real-world ownership.

The practical takeaway is this: treat brochure weights as a starting point for comparison, not the final truth about your specific caravan. Your caravan’s real-world payload is personal - it depends on spec, extras, and how you tour.

If you want more calm, experience-led help untangling weights and towing confidence without the scare tactics, that’s the sort of thing we do at CaravanVlogger.

The helpful closing thought is simple: weigh it once, properly, and you’ll spend far more time enjoying the trip than arguing with a brochure.