Boondockers thread! Tells us about your equip, tales etc

[eagle55]

Been wanting to start a thread about camping without hookups, and especially without campground fees.. What special features do you have that makes your rig work well for this type of "off grid" camping? Do you seek this type of camping experience or is it just a fill in until you get to the next campground? Which type of rig works best for boondocking for you, travel trailers, 5th wheel, or Class A, B, or C?

I do like to camp in campgrounds too, as I like the socializing aspect of meeting new fellow travelers but this year it has been difficult for us in my local area as we can't hit the road due to the fact that the only road out of my town (Haines, Alaska) goes strait to Canada 40 miles away and that is strictly prohibited for the time being.

On our rig, one of the things that makes it versatile for off the road camping has been the high ground clearance (due to the flipped axles) and that it is a fairly short travel trailer. I have towed it out over sandbars where dried up channels would make a lower and longer trailer drag bottom. So far I have not come near dragging bottom..

We have over the summer developed a local "camper group" that we organize based on weather reports mostly. It is mostly small campers, trailers, camper vans, and even sometimes just people sleeping in their vehicles. When not camping, I have been going out with our Jeep and scouting possible new areas, and we have kept a fair amount of variety that way. We have managed to get out about once a week, and stay for 2 to 4 nights before going back home. Have gotten to know quite a few locals, and sitting around the fire at night, and this probably never would have happened had it been a normal year.

[NewBlackDak]

Mine is a fifth wheel toy hauler. Big tanks, onboard generator, fuel station, and room for the toys!

[Woodworker]

12-15 weekends a yr. Some are 2-1/2 day trips some 3 or 4.
Jayco 285BHS. Wish it was a tick higher off the ground or our road into hunt camp was smoother. Every weekend draggin it in an out I cringe in a few spots.

[eagle55]

Originally Posted by NewBlackDak

Mine is a fifth wheel toy hauler. Big tanks, onboard generator, fuel station, and room for the toys!

Yes, toys are important!! My main toy is a boat to go fishing and exploring the many lakes in the area.. Before I bought the travel trailer last year I always figured I would tow a boat behind a smallish motorhome or even our pickup camper but had to rethink that.. Since I weld some I made a platform over the bed of my tow vehicle. I rigged up a small davit to raise and lower it from the platform, and that has worked out well (see pictures)

Originally Posted by Woodworker

12-15 weekends a yr. Some are 2-1/2 day trips some 3 or 4.
Jayco 285BHS. Wish it was a tick higher off the ground or our road into hunt camp was smoother. Every weekend draggin it in an out I cringe in a few spots.

Hmm, I wonder if you could flip the axles so they sit on the bottom of the leaf springs like they did from the factory with mine? It raises the trailer about 7 inches..

[gladecreekwy]

Until I got on these sites I never knew it had a name. We just call it camping

[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by eagle55

Yes, toys are important!! My main toy is a boat to go fishing and exploring the many lakes in the area.. Before I bought the travel trailer last year I always figured I would tow a boat behind a smallish motorhome or even our pickup camper but had to rethink that.. Since I weld some I made a platform over the bed of my tow vehicle. I rigged up a small davit to raise and lower it from the platform, and that has worked out well (see pictures)




Hmm, I wonder if you could flip the axles so they sit on the bottom of the leaf springs like they did from the factory with mine? It raises the trailer about 7 inches..

That’s a nifty setup. We fish from the kayaks that we always take along when there is water.

[Colorado]

I made a LOT of upgrades and modifications to it to make it work for our style of camping. I added a large folding rack to the back, added a 40 gallon fresh water tank, solar, upgraded springs etc

[eagle55]

Originally Posted by gladecreekwy

Until I got on these sites I never knew it had a name. We just call it camping

That is beautiful country! Would love to go there someday.. The high desert country certainly offers more boondocking areas than around here due to the vegetation that grows in along the back country roads. Nothing like overhanging alder and willow to rip your awning right off! But there are areas up here if you know where to look too.. I carry a small saw and sometimes do a bit of tree removal to get into that choice spot..

Originally Posted by NewBlackDak

That’s a nifty setup. We fish from the kayaks that we always take along when there is water.

Thanks, would love to have a kayak but my sciatica wont allow me to sit in one for very long.. Even my canoe is painful after a few hours.. And our beloved Aussie dog can't do the canoe because it tips too much, but he relaxes fine in the inflatable!

Originally Posted by Colorado

I made a LOT of upgrades and modifications to it to make it work for our style of camping. I added a large folding rack to the back, added a 40 gallon fresh water tank, solar, upgraded springs etc

Sounds similar to my mods. I carry a 55 gal poly drum in the back of my pickup bed which is positioned all the way to the front of the box. I have it plumbed with pex back to the tailgate so I can fill it easily and pump the water into the trailer tank, so I have about 85 gallons when first heading out. I also have an extra portable grey water tank in the back of the pickup with another pump to take grey water from the trailer to the back of the pickup.. Gives me about 40 gallons of grey water. The trailer came with an outside shower so I made a home made shower stall so we can take a bit longer showers if we want without using up the grey water cap..

[DanNJanice]

We probably boondock about 70+ percent of the time.

We purchased a TT as opposed to a 5vr, because of the height of many 5vrs now. We live in the NW, so lots of trees. We still have to climb up on ladders and push branches out of the way every once in a while.

One of the selling points of our Jayco was the large water tank (80gal).

We have a homemade mobile solar setup consisting of 2-100W panels, a Morningstar PWM controller and 2-deep cycle batteries. Because of all the trees in the NW, being able to move the panels with the sun is critical. If it was not for that, we could not get away with just 200W of solar. The mobile solar panels also mean we can park in the shade and keep the trailer cooler.

Yamaha 2000W genny for the long winter rainy season where the sun does not shine very much. I rigged up a mechanical bathroom timer(the kind that you turn a knob to start), this shuts the genny off automatically so I do not have to get dressed, go outside and turn it off.

500W inverter to run the telly and DVR. We use the DVR is because we rarely has good cell coverage where we camp. We record some things we want to watch at night on the DVR before we leave home.

All inside lights are LED.

We cook, refrigerate, heat, etc always on propane.

This year we installed a Micro-air easy start, so we can run the air conditioner off of the 2000W genny if needed.

Another new item was an outdoor shower, so we don't have to use trailer water or gray tanks for showering.

Other things that we have,
2 kayaks
2 mountain bikes
chainsaw, axe, and bow saw
Every tool you can reasonably carry, including replacement bearings for the TT wheels.