Hi, think8ng of getting a caravan again but getting put off by the low payloads. How does anyone cope? Our first caravan eldis was 201kg then 170kg payload with the sprite now looking at 123kg . A motor mover is 30 to40 kg the battery is around 30 then water and waste 10kg don't know if spare tire and jack are included. Then there is pots n pans cutlery clothes food washbasin ect. We don't even bother with awning ground sheet chairs windbreakers barbecue. What does everyone else do?
Everything that came with the caravan as new is included in the MIRO, if you read the user manual for the caravan it should tell you what else is included in the MIRO weight (could be a hookup cable, allowance for a gas bottle, solar panels etc).
Water and waste aren’t generally included and is probably best not to travel anyway with water.
Motor movers and batteries are a big hit on payloads.
Ours has a payload of around 160kgs and it is a struggle trying to keep below this, we generally travel with chairs, cadac and awning in the car just to keep the caravan weight below the limit.
We never use the freestanding table so that is taken out. Always use full service pitches so no need for a waste hog. Don’t use awning nowadays. Only carry one gas bottle as over 50+ years of caravanning, know roughly what we will use whilst away. If not enough gas left when weighed, fit new bottle and use up what is left in old bottle on BBQ at home.Anything of weight put in collapsible plastic boxes and in car whilst travelling.
My MIRA/MTPLM stated payload is 171Kg, but after optional MM and HD battery fitted, and substituting the normal 6Kg Calor steel cylinder for a lightweight Flowgas Gaslight 5Kg (just under 7Kg saving), I have a working payload of 137Kg.
I also have convertible bunk beds in the side dinette area which are NEVER used as beds (I use the bed bases as storage shelves), nor do I use the dinette seats/table, so the bunk/dinette cushions, ladder, upper bunk side boards and curtain are removed from the van and stored at home, that gives me an extra 14.5Kg on the MIRO figure, making 151.5Kg payload.
How do I cope? - Absolutely fine! Can't really think of anything extra I'd want to take with me that is omitted because of weight limitations.
I have a detailed inventory spreadsheet of everything that goes in the van with individual item weights, and I also weigh the loaded van to ensure it's not exceeding the MTPLM figure. Usually there's a good few Kg going spare, but I leave that for loading soaking wet awnings etc. on the return trip, which are much heavier than dry ones!
It's hardly 'minimalist' loading, everything needed in the van is stashed in the van, including, TV, Satellite dish, DVDs, books etc., and the boot space in the car is reserved for clothing, camera equipment, food (including a full 40L camping freezer running off car 12v) which I generally take sufficient to last my stay as often remote from shops, and of course my Collie dog who tends to fill the back seat and has a 'baggage allowance' that seems to match mine! Either my lightweight small awning, or my larger heavy airbeam awning are in the van. If only the lightweight awning onboard, I can even put the domestic portable A/C unit in the van for the hot summer periods.
The toilet has sufficient water/fluid in it to be functional on the journey/on arrival prior to full set up. I don't have any onboard fresh/waste water tanks to worry about, but I do carry 5L of fresh water for a cold drink/brew should I want one before properly set up.
It takes detailed planning keeping track of what you load, choosing lightweight equipment - chairs and appliances etc., and good packing weight distribution, I really don't do without anything. So 150Kg or so payload is perfectly workable, I could probably make 130Kg work if pushed.
And it should be said, I achieve my modest 70Kg nose weight limit with some load juggling, and the van tows like a dream at the speed limit (and above on some accidental occasions!) despite it's near capacity weight loading.
I don't weigh it every time I use it (nose weight excepted), as the 'set up' is standard and should not vary much from one trip to the next, but I do weigh it from time to time just to keep 'creepage' of acquired extras in check! Been doing that for 9 years now on multiple trips each year, so no one off fluke, it is perfectly achievable!
I do look at some caravanning friends who stuff their vans with 'everything' with seemingly no thought to weight, nor much to good load distribution, and it makes me shudder!
We have the bare essentials permanently in the caravan and are within the weight limit. Everything else we need for a trip travels in the car.
However, I occasionally do a bit of a clear out and remove anything we haven’t used for a while. I did the front top lockers yesterday and got rid of a bit and I noticed the bathroom cabinet was looking a bit too full so I’m going to clear it out over the next few days. It is amazing what you accumulate without realising.
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Topic: Low payloads
via mobile 17/5/2026 at 8:13pm
