5 Tips to Take the Weight off of Caravanning
It’s quite a task when packing your Caravan for a trip away, it’s a fine balance between taking more than you need for ‘ just in case ‘ instances and not taking enough!
Here are some simple tips and tricks for taking the weight off:
1. Empty those water tanks!
If you’re heading to a local campsite with town water supply, there’s no need to load the tanks unless it’s completely necessary. Also, remember that the tanks can be used as a counterweight, so check that you’re loading your van appropriately and that the weight is low down in the van when the tanks are empty.
Tip: Avoid driving with water tanks half full – this causes the water to slosh around and instability when driving!
2. Don’t Bring the Whole Wardrobe
The original idea of camping is living off of the basics – so consider how many outfits you’ll actually need, and avoid packing heavy jeans, puffy coats and bulky shoes if you know the weather will be warm. This sounds obvious, but when you’re packing for a whole family, these items are extremely weighty!
Tip: The same goes for clothes hangers; try and fold and place your clothes in drawers rather than bringing the hangers too!
3. Think Plastic & Recyclables
There’s a reason they make caravan accessories such as handles, cupboard door knobs and roof hatches out of plastic. If too many were made out of metal the kilograms would add up quickly. Think of this when packing knives and forks, kitchen utensils and storage tubs. Plastic (or Melamine) & single-use wooden cutlery utensils are much lighter, and consider using lightweight, collapsible space-saving buckets & boxes as they tend the weigh much less, and save on a tonne of storage room.
Tip: Paper plates are also very popular when camping as they save the washing up, and you also wouldn’t have to worry about them moving around in the cupboard when towing! If you’re environmentally conscious, melamine plates and bowls are a great alternative.
4. Swap the Batteries
Replace your AGM batteries with Lithium. Lithium batteries are smaller, more lightweight, charge faster and if they’re properly maintained, they will last much longer than the AGMs’ ( Some around 10years! )
Tip: A 120AH Lithium battery provides around 60% more useable power than their AGM cousins, and would save you around 20KG on your caravan weights!
5. Get Your Set-Up Weighed
Towing a caravan that is overweight is like playing Russian Roulette on the highway.
It is definitely illegal, a terrible idea, and it can be very costly!
Not sure about your weights? Take a trip over our scales at Aussie Escape Caravans for that piece of mind.
Book in today (07) 3205 7738