Reference chart
Trailer Weight Chart by Type
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Quick answer
Dry weight is what the trailer weighed when it left the factory: no water, propane, batteries or cargo, and often no dealer-installed options. GVWR is the most it may weigh loaded. The difference, the cargo carrying capacity, is how much loading is allowed to add: 750 lb on a Jayco Jay Flight 170BH (3,000 lb dry, 3,750 lb GVWR), 1,475 lb on a Jay Feather 27BH, and 4,050 lb on a Grand Design Momentum 22MAV toy hauler. If you have not weighed the trailer, plan against its GVWR.
Published weights, one or two trailers per category
| Trailer | Category | Empty / dry | GVWR | Tongue or pin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SylvanSport GO | Pop-up / expandable | 840 lb | 1,650 lb | 85 lb |
| Scamp 13' Standard | Small fiberglass | 1,600 lb (starting) | 2,200 lb | 180 lb (starting) |
| Aliner Classic Twin Bed | A-frame folding | 1,810 lb | 3,000 lb | 160 lb |
| nuCamp TAB 320 Classic | Teardrop | 2,047 lb | not published | 215 lb |
| Jayco Jay Flight 170BH | Small travel trailer | 3,000 lb | 3,750 lb | 325 lb |
| Jayco Jay Feather 21MML | Mid travel trailer | 5,095 lb | 6,500 lb | 580 lb |
| Jayco Jay Feather 27BH | Large travel trailer | 6,725 lb | 8,200 lb | 860 lb |
| Grand Design Momentum 22MAV | Toy hauler | 5,900 lb | 9,950 lb | 943 lb |
| Grand Design Reflection 303RLS | Fifth wheel | 10,325 lb | 11,995 lb | 1,985 lb pin |
| Grand Design Reflection 367BHS | Large fifth wheel | 13,275 lb | 14,995 lb | 2,770 lb pin |
| Big Tex 35SA-12 | Single-axle utility | 983 lb | 2,995 lb | — |
| Big Tex 70CH-18 | Open car hauler | 1,910 lb | 7,000 lb | — |
| Big Tex 90SR-12 | Dump trailer | 2,930 lb | 9,990 lb | — |
| Big Tex 14PI-20 | Equipment trailer | 3,040 lb | 14,000 lb | — |
| Exiss 720 BP | 2-horse bumper pull | 2,900 lb | 7,000 lb | — |
| Exiss 7300 GN | 3-horse gooseneck | 4,400 lb | 10,400 lb | — |
| Bayliner VR6 Bowrider | Boat with trailer | 3,797 lb with engine | — | 4,739 lb with trailer |
Each row is taken from that product's own manufacturer page. Where a cell reads "not published" the manufacturer does not publish that figure; nuCamp gives a GAWR rather than a GVWR. Scamp publishes "starting" weights, so a specific build weighs more. Published tongue and pin weights are measured at dry weight and rise as the trailer is loaded. The Bayliner row shows a common trap: the same page publishes 3,797 lb with the engine and 4,739 lb with the trailer, so the trailer alone is 942 lb.
Dry weight, GVWR, and the number in between
Three figures appear on a trailer's labels and specification sheet. Dry or unloaded vehicle weight is the factory number. GVWR is the maximum the trailer is built to weigh loaded, and it is on the certification label on the front left side. Cargo carrying capacity is the difference. Your real trip weight sits somewhere between dry weight and GVWR, and if you cannot weigh it, planning against GVWR is the conservative choice.
What loading actually adds
Fresh water weighs 8.34 lb per US gallon, so a 40-gallon tank is 334 lb. A propane cylinder weighs its stamped tare weight plus its fill: a 30 lb cylinder holds 30 lb of propane on top of the cylinder itself. Batteries, bedding, kitchen gear, tools, chairs and a generator all count, and grey and black tanks add weight on the way home. The only way to know the total is a scale ticket.
Weight is not the only variable
A tall, flat-fronted travel trailer pushes far more air than a low boat trailer of the same weight. Some manufacturers publish a maximum frontal area alongside the tow rating: Ford's 2025 towing guide limits F-150 trailers to 55 sq ft for ratings of 7,700 lb or less and 65 sq ft above that. Length matters too: longer trailers swing wider in turns.
Using these figures
Each row is one real trailer, not an average for its category. Use the chart to see how the figures relate to each other and how wide the spread is, then read the specification sheet and certification label for the actual trailer you are considering, and weigh it loaded before a long trip.
Worked example
Worked example (hypothetical): dry weight to trip weight on a travel trailer
A 26-foot travel trailer advertised at 5,600 lb dry with a 7,600 lb GVWR, loaded for a week away with a family of four. Every item weight below is an assumption for illustration.
| Line item | Weight | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Advertised dry weight | 5,600 lb | Brochure figure, before dealer options |
| Dealer-installed options | +180 lb | Awning upgrade and second battery tray |
| Fresh water, 40 gallons | +334 lb | 8.34 lb per gallon |
| Two propane cylinders, filled | +120 lb | 30 lb cylinders |
| Two batteries | +120 lb | Lead-acid pair |
| Food, bedding, kitchen, tools | +450 lb | Family of four, one week |
| Chairs, mats, generator | +230 lb | Outdoor gear |
| Trip weight | 7,034 lb | 566 lb under the 7,600 lb GVWR |
The trailer gained 1,434 lb, 26% over its advertised dry weight, and its tongue weight at 13% rose with it, from about 730 lb to about 915 lb. Planning against the dry figure would have understated the payload needed by nearly 190 lb.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a travel trailer weigh loaded?
Anywhere between its dry weight and its GVWR, depending on how you load it. The gap is the cargo carrying capacity: 750 lb on a Jayco Jay Flight 170BH and 1,475 lb on a Jay Feather 27BH. Weigh it loaded, or plan against GVWR.
What is the difference between dry weight and GVWR?
Dry weight is the factory empty weight. GVWR is the maximum the trailer is built to weigh when loaded. The difference is the cargo carrying capacity.
Should I plan against dry weight or GVWR?
GVWR, unless you have a scale ticket. Dry weight leaves out everything you load and leads to underestimating tongue weight and payload.
How much does a horse trailer weigh?
Exiss lists its 720 BP two-horse bumper pull at 2,900 lb empty with a 7,000 lb GVWR, and its 7300 GN three-horse gooseneck at 4,400 lb empty with a 10,400 lb GVWR. The horses are usually the largest part of the load, so use their real weights plus tack, feed and water, and check the total against the trailer's GVWR.
Does a boat's listed weight include the trailer?
Usually not, and manufacturers are inconsistent about saying so. Some publish a bare hull weight, some include the engine, and only some publish a with-trailer figure. Bayliner publishes both for the VR6 Bowrider: 3,797 lb with the standard engine and 4,739 lb with the trailer, so the trailer accounts for 942 lb. Fuel, gear and water in the bilge come on top.