Your favorite camping or RV'ing gadget/tip/thought, etc

[Higgy]

I like to take my Mapgas blowtorch for starting the fire. even damp wood surrenders to that thing
A multi screwdriver and pliers and even more tools depending on how handy you are. Duct tape is mans best friend too.
Keurig machine for sure.
One thing i have to take is the larger size muffin baking tray for making "Mcmuffins". I cook the the bacon in the frying pan first. Then crack an egg into as many of the muffin separations as you want to make for people. Put bits of bacon on top of the egg and any other garnishes you like. Then a nice layer of cheese. Put tinfoil over the top to keep the heat in and put the whole thing into the bbq or oven (which should already have been on getting toasty hot) for 5 1/2 mins. Took a few tries to get that time right lol. Then when you take it out you have a perfect setup for a muffin or even just a pretty clean way to make a breakfast sandwich

[BCx213]

We bring a canopy for the picnic table and hang our Coleman lantern on a small bungee cord from the centre frame foe a dining light. 8" galvanized steel tent pegs for anchoring the canopy on sites that typically have gravel pads, Coleman propane drip coffee maker, Outland propane fire pit (campfire bans, seems to happen more frequently), cribbage game, since we mostly dry camp I bring a champion 3100 invertor generator. Thought about solar but we camp where it mostly shady.

[Jopopsy]

I had one of those Coleman propane drip coffee makers. It was awesome. I now use a regular Mr. Coffee in the motorhome though.

I wouldn't be w/o my Hughes Autoformer. Everybody always worries about surge (I also have a Surge Guard), but its low voltage that'll probably get you before a surge will.

I wouldn't trade my Strongback Elite camp chairs for anything.

Oh, a 28" fire poker. I got so tired of looking for an adequate stick when making a fire.

Thanks to this thread I'm jonsing for an ice maker now to keep refilling the cooler (we keep the Daddy Sodas in a cooler so we don't have to keep opening the fridge). I don't really want to eat up counter space inside the rig for the ice maker though; I'm assuming they aren't too good outside in the heat?

[need-a-vacation]

Our ice maker does pretty good, but we are in Mi were it isn't 100*+ a lot when we are camping.

Biggest thing is to stay on top of it keeping the water full and ice bin empty.

[SawBuck]

Polk, I love the Flintstone's wheel covers. :-)

[gozagswoohoo]

Wow. So many awesome ideas here, some of which had never even crossed my mind. THANKS GUYS!!

I'm going to print this thread out at the end of the week. I love these.

[Camper_bob]

Here's what I use for ice:

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-44100-Mi...+ice+cube+tray

I run 4 of them across the bottom of my freezer and they fit perfectly. They're A LOT cheaper than an ice maker, but I think they're slower too depending on the maker's batch size. I will make ice at least twice a day the week before we leave so I have a reserve built up (I also have a plastic ice bin in the freezer), and if I continue to make it twice a day while we're camping, we rarely run out. My ice is solid too; I hear the ice that comes from the ice makers is hollow.

If I decide to use a small cooler for "adult beverages", I'll use ice packs and just switch them out periodically to keep the beverages cold. But I haven't had that need yet ...

[dhinkle57]

We bought a couple of these
Cabela's Fabric Camp Table : Cabela's
and use them for everything, tables,stools for small people, and foot stools. We also like the muffin tin for mcmuffin sandwiches, we picked up a silicone muffin "tin" so we can use in the microwave.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

I'll take the hot bacon grease and pour it on to a couple split logs and a few paper towels. That evening, the fire starts right up with no other fire starters...

That would not be a good idea in bear country. Even after burning the grease, it would still be a platinum plated invitation for them.

[Edd505]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

I had one of those Coleman propane drip coffee makers. It was awesome. I now use a regular Mr. Coffee in the motorhome though.

I wouldn't be w/o my Hughes Autoformer. Everybody always worries about surge (I also have a Surge Guard), but its low voltage that'll probably get you before a surge will.

I wouldn't trade my Strongback Elite camp chairs for anything.

Oh, a 28" fire poker. I got so tired of looking for an adequate stick when making a fire.

Thanks to this thread I'm jonsing for an ice maker now to keep refilling the cooler (we keep the Daddy Sodas in a cooler so we don't have to keep opening the fridge). I don't really want to eat up counter space inside the rig for the ice maker though; I'm assuming they aren't too good outside in the heat?

They work fine out side even at 100+. I set a camp table out under the awning during the day and leave it sit next to the trailer outside power. They are not freezers so the ice will melt in the ice maker BUT the water recycles and it just makes new ice. I move it inside at night so the squirrels don't get any ideas. I continue the process inside if I need more ice. It makes about 25lbs a day just keep adding water.

[utbgcamper mom]

I agree with the roll top tables, we have two, one of which is adjustable in length- also can't do without our wine glass stakes, that let us have our wine glasses next to us anywhere on the site.

[secal48]

We also carry an old fireplace poker, it's awesome. The other must have for us is a copy of Hoyle's Rules. We enjoy card games but our old memories need a little boost every now and then. You can't argue with Hoyle.

[certified106]

I always have the same little folding tables that were shown in a post on the first page but the most important thing to me is making sure my Cabelas zero gravity chairs are in the camper!

[Murphie]

Some great ideas here, thanks for sharing. I'm surprised at how many of you use ice. One thing that I started using lately was a small aluminum platform ladder. It is only two feet high a foot wide and about three and a half feet long. I put this beside the outside shower. I put greasy dishes on it when I wash them with the outside shower. I have also used it to lean the solar panels against when boon docking.

[Bassdogs]

x2 on many of the suggested items. One of my favorites is a wireless light switch that can be stuck on a wall near the entry that will switch on a lite on the dining table or counter. Don't have to fuddle in the dark to find the switch for the ceiling lites located in the main switch box. Cheap at less than $15. Also have one in the bedroom so DW can turn on a lite without climbing on the bed to reach the overhead lite.

#2 is a 600w ps inverter to power up the entertainment center [tv/sat/blueray] for overnites at Wmart and in "no hookups" after gen hours.

#3 is led headlamp and FMS walkie talkies for use when parking the TT.

#4 cordless drill with socket attachment for setting the leg supports. Also useful for a dozen things around the RV with a few bits and nutdriver sockets.

#5 Dish sat / tripod w/ 2 50' lengths of coax. Enough to find a signal on just about any site and with practice easy enough to set up and be watching in minutes [Its kind of my thing].

Many more~

[secal48]

The sidewinder sewer hose support is good, but they all seem to be too tall for our x17z. The dump valve is only about 8 or 9 inches off the ground to start with. Does anyone know who makes a shorter version. Thanks.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by secal48

The sidewinder sewer hose support is good, but they all seem to be too tall for our x17z. The dump valve is only about 8 or 9 inches off the ground to start with. Does anyone know who makes a shorter version. Thanks.

Well that's weird.. I have a 2015 x17z and use the sidewinder, which is 7 1/4 inches at tallest point and did not have any issues with the height.
( 15' side winder with 15' rhino flex)

[DebKen]

Also bought a little fold up stool at Big Lots so I can reach things in the back of the pantry on the top shelf. It came in VERY handy on our last trip because we had to raise the hitch up very high to level the camper and it made the bottom step pretty high off the ground. I placed the step stool as the bottom step and it was perfect!

[Hattie]

Space-saving kitchen items:
1) Magma Non-Stick Nesting Cookware
2) Collapsible kitchenware (dish tubs, salad spinner/colander, tea pot, storage, measures, etc.)

[Hattie]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

That would not be a good idea in bear country. Even after burning the grease, it would still be a platinum plated invitation for them.

WooooHoooo - apparently those bears can smell for up to 3 miles! Here is the Yosemite warning: Bears and Food Storage - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service)