BEST GADGET'S For CAMPING

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Rdogg

That's such a good idea we ate going to use it we use the oven all the time to especially for hunting season in Northern Michigan we always use the oven its no fun cooking outside when it's 0 degrees out

A friend told us about it years ago and every RV we have had since we bought a set. My wife bakes cheese cake, biscuits, etc and it works great.

[TANDREW]

TPMS, never know when you'll have a blowout.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by TANDREW

TPMS, never know when you'll have a blowout.

X2

[Stever71]

My latest toy.
This is great tool to have especially if you are already on the Ridgid Platform. Accepts my 18v batteries.
Will also run off of your 12v access point (cig lighter).
Very accurate and will inflate higher psi with ease.
Don't be stuck without one at the side of the road

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by mrmom

Anderson Levelers! To make them really easy to use on all surfaces, I apply traction tape to both surfaces to keep them from slipping.
https://www.amazon.com/Leveler-Ander...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I have similar levelers that I use most often on unimproved sites when boondocking. I carry 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood cut to 12" x 24". And I replaced the flimsy rubber pads with semi-truck/trailer RUBBER mudflaps. I cut one mudflap in half, and place it over the two pieces of plywood...under the levelers. The plywood prevents ANY sinking, and the mudflap provides excellent grip between the leveler and the plywood. Plus you gain almost an inch of additional lift. This is a fool-proof system for using cam-shaped levelers of any brand, because it prevents any sinking, and it protects the levelers from punctures by stones, etc.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by LuckyDuck

I just keep thinking of stuff… You’ll get various opinions on brand, type etc, but one of the best things I’ve gotten was a Viair portable compressor. The 88P model is perfect for my TT and truck (80 psi) tires. Great product. https://www.viaircorp.com/portables/88p/

X-2. I have the 90.
Cool tip. A set of jumper cables can serve as an extension cord. Just clamp one clamp to the jacket of the wire for the other wire in the pair to keep them from shorting, then attach the Viair clamps to the end of the jumper cable. Instant extension cord with wire gauge suitable for 25 amps or more.

[jimmoore13]

Invariably, things fall apart going down the road due to vibration...especially if you boondock. One occasionally finds a stray screw on the floor.

The bad news is that just replacing the screw is not enough. The hole is sometimes stripped out a bit, so you need a larger screw. I carry a small parts box with an assortment of STAINLESS STEEL screws, bolts, washers and nylock nuts. Why stainless? It's good inside or out, and it's compatible with aluminum.

I also use Gorilla Glue to hold the replacement screw in place. It acts like LocTite on screws in wood or fiberglass. Get the minis so you don't open a bottle and then watch it dry out.

Note that Gorilla Glue expands much like Great Stuff insulating foam. Apply sparingly. If some squeezes out, DO NOT WIPE IT OFF. It will just smear and make a mess. Let it dry and scrape off the excess.

Fussy about appearances? Screw your replacement screw into an old cardboard box and spray paint the head a matching color. Let it dry overnight so the paint is fully cured. Install. If you do a field repair and want to paint the screw head, install it in the field without the glue, then remove, paint, glue and reinstall it when you get home.

[rebeccahinson]

If you're like us, even though you have a camper, you'll spend most of your time outside... invest in a good oscilating fan, a plastic straw rug, and a blue-tooth speaker. We sit outside, fire or no fire, every evening that we camp!

[jimmoore13]

OK, I may have missed it, but I didn't see that anyone mentioned solar. If you want to camp off the grid, this will be a great addition to your rig. If you intend to always camp in RV parks, skip it. Brace yourself. I'm gonna go off the deep end.

Budget about a grand.

My recommended solar kit: https://smile.amazon.com/Renogy-Sola...4583029&sr=8-3

In addition to the kit, I recommend at least 2 x 6-volt golf cart batteries - known as GC-2 - wired in series to make 12 volts. https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sligc115 Also buy plastic battery boxes to fit these...they won't fit in the puny box for your 12 volt marine battery. Most RVs have battery racks behind the propane tanks that are big enough to accommodate two of these with ease.

If you're prewired for solar, that factory wiring can handle this kit. If not, it's easy to run the wire through the supplied gland, down into one of the wardrobe closets near your bed, connect to the charge controller, and then down through the floor and straight on to the battery. There is no trick to hooking up solar. Just wire it straight to the battery bank...same as using jumper cables on your car.

The gland makes a water-tight penetration through the roof (or side wall)...at least as good as any of the factory roof penetrations.

Additional things you'll need:

• Butyl tape for under the panel brackets and gland.
• Dicor self leveling sealant.
• Perhaps a bit more wire and a few more connectors...but don't go overboard, because the kits are pretty complete.
• If you want to flush mount the charge controller, one of these saws...any brand will do, and corded is just fine.
• Battery cable to connect your 2 batteries in series...one of these will do to connect positve on one battery to negative on the other, because your RV cables will connect to the other two lugs.
• Perhaps a small inverter to run a CPAP and charge phones. I hard-wired mine in, but that's another discussion I'd be happy to have if you're interested.

I installed my system on a weekend...about 6 to 8 hours of work altogether, and I was 70 when I did it.

If you want to go off grid and not listen to a generator drone on and on for hours to charge your RV battery, solar is the way to go. If you run the furnace or use much other energy, the puny 12 volt battery supplied by the dealer will need to be charged every day. My system is robust enough that I could camp essentially indefinitely throughout the summer with NO worries about 12 volt power. In fact, mine will run a CPAP all night, every night, with power to spare, and in sunny Colorado, the solar array will have the batteries topped off by about 1 pm or so.

With the exception of the solar kit, all other links are illustrations, not recommendations.

Again, this makes sense if you plan to boondock. If you're going to "camp" at RV parks (not that there's anything wrong with that ), you won't need it. BUT...most national forest service campgrounds and ALL national forest and BLM lands have no hookups. We camp lakeside at various waterfront NSF campgrounds and Lake Wellington - and there ain't no hookups to be had. Precious few RV parks offer genuine waterfront camping.
Last summer, I moored (pun intended) right offshore from our campsite!

P.S. I did mention a generator. We have one to run major 120 volt loads like the microwave and the espresso machine (after all, we aren't savages ). Right now, this is what we have-a GP 3000i...a nice balance of power, size and weight. It runs a grand total of about 30 minutes a day to make lattes morning and evening.

[Mike-NM]

I keep a handy electric air blower, works great to blow out the sand and dirt out of the coach and around the steps.

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-...48061913&psc=1

[Teammuir1]

ITS getting closer... thursday of next week...we will be setting up I performed a test set and took my time... worked out fine.... someone mentioned speaker bluetooth... we have two big one and smaller jbl
Very good to have for evenings sitting outside....

[mharrison]

Originally Posted by Stever71

My latest toy.
This is great tool to have especially if you are already on the Ridgid Platform. Accepts my 18v batteries.
Will also run off of your 12v access point (cig lighter).
Very accurate and will inflate higher psi with ease.
Don't be stuck without one at the side of the road

I have the same one, works great!

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

Spend as much time camping as you can. Your needs will become evident very quickly. Buy stuff as you need it or you will fill your space with clutter you don’t use.

X2

Keep a list - keep thinking, analyzing, planning

[HAL9001]

Here is my list of the best items I purchased:

JF.EGWO 4000Amp Lithium Car Jump Starter with Air Compressor - Much smaller and lighter than lead-acid units.

Panasonic HomeHawk Window Home Monitoring Camera for Outdoor Monitoring - Excellent, low-cost security for RV's. Sticks to any window. Receive reports on your smartphone when you're away.

Solar Light Outdoor 4 Pack Wall Light Night Lights Security Flood Light - These inexpensive stand-alone, stick-on lights are perfect as outdoor security lighting for RV's. No one can approach your RV without a bright light turning on. No external wiring is needed. Just attach with double-sided 3M tape.

AP Products 015-201512 Slim Shade Upgrading Your Door Window - Easily replace those awful translucent RV door windows with clear windows with built-in shades. This was my favorite mod. It made my RV so much more livable.

Valterra Flush King 45 Degree Reverse Flush Valve Attachment for RV, Camper, Trailer - Everyone should have one of these.

Ambient Weather WS-3000-X5 Thermo-Hygrometer Wireless Monitor w/ 5 Remote Sensors - Great for monitoring the temperature and humidity of your RV in many locations inside or out.

AP Products 1212.13 024-1000 Tank Check LP with Monitor Kit - Propane level monitors. Another must-have.

Tobfit 6 Pack LED Road Flares Emergency Lights Roadside Safety Beacon - Electric road flares

WolfWise Aluminum Telescopic Extension Multi-Purpose Ladder, 12.5FT, 330lbs Capacity - Perfect portable, stowable ladder for servicing RV's away from home.

[CAG]

Originally Posted by HAL9001

Here is my list of the best items I purchased:

JF.EGWO 4000Amp Lithium Car Jump Starter with Air Compressor - Much smaller and lighter than lead-acid units.

Panasonic HomeHawk Window Home Monitoring Camera for Outdoor Monitoring - Excellent, low-cost security for RV's. Sticks to any window. Receive reports on your smartphone when you're away.

Solar Light Outdoor 4 Pack Wall Light Night Lights Security Flood Light - These inexpensive stand-alone, stick-on lights are perfect as outdoor security lighting for RV's. No one can approach your RV without a bright light turning on. No external wiring is needed. Just attach with double-sided 3M tape.

AP Products 015-201512 Slim Shade Upgrading Your Door Window - Easily replace those awful translucent RV door windows with clear windows with built-in shades. This was my favorite mod. It made my RV so much more livable.

Valterra Flush King 45 Degree Reverse Flush Valve Attachment for RV, Camper, Trailer - Everyone should have one of these.

Ambient Weather WS-3000-X5 Thermo-Hygrometer Wireless Monitor w/ 5 Remote Sensors - Great for monitoring the temperature and humidity of your RV in many locations inside or out.

AP Products 1212.13 024-1000 Tank Check LP with Monitor Kit - Propane level monitors. Another must-have.

Tobfit 6 Pack LED Road Flares Emergency Lights Roadside Safety Beacon - Electric road flares

WolfWise Aluminum Telescopic Extension Multi-Purpose Ladder, 12.5FT, 330lbs Capacity - Perfect portable, stowable ladder for servicing RV's away from home.

LOL. Good thing you are not a backpacker.

I have found over the last 30 years of RVing that much of this stuff that we think we need we really do not need. It adds clutter to the RV and weight that becomes a serious problem at some point. For every new item you buy, throw out an old one.



You will learn as time goes on.

[CAG]

Here is the other view. If you are dry camping you may need a bunch of the "repair" items but generally I found that those that I had were not what I needed at the time something went wrong.



If you are not dry camping, there is a Walmart less than 5 miles away that will have what you need. Less is more.

[HAL9001]

Originally Posted by CAG

LOL. Good thing you are not a backpacker.

I have found over the last 30 years of RVing that much of this stuff that we think we need we really do not need. It adds clutter to the RV and weight that becomes a serious problem at some point. For every new item you buy, throw out an old one.

You will learn as time goes on.

That's your opinion and I completely disagree. I very carefully selected each and every one of those items and I've been very happy with them all. They all well serve the important purpose that I intended. Sorry if you don't agree, but to each his own. I only listed nine items, what do you carry, nothing? I don't think so.

No one, and I mean no one, is more weight conscience than me. I measured the weight of every single item I've added to my trailer down to the ounce and I have a spreadsheet showing exactly how much everything weighs and exactly where all the cargo is located for proper balance. I know the exact trailer GVW and the tongue weight. I chose all cargo items wisely, in fact, I have a great deal of storage space and cargo weight to spare. If anything, I'm underloaded.

The OP asked for a list and I was just trying to help. The items I listed will serve him well.

[cadman_ks]

It's been mentioned in the thread that you need a good surge protector / guard.

It might not be a big deal for the OP, but for units with 50A service, it's nice to have a surge guard that also tells you how many amps you're drawing. That's really only important when you're tyring to run 2 A/C's on a 30A circuit. You need to know how much each of those is pulling to figure out the total load, and what needs to be turned off. I use our remote display unit all the time when we are on 30A to see where we are at...

[CAG]

Originally Posted by HAL9001

That's your opinion and I completely disagree. I very carefully selected each and every one of those items and I've been very happy with them all. They all well serve the important purpose that I intended. Sorry if you don't agree, but to each his own. I only listed nine items, what do you carry, nothing? I don't think so.

No one, and I mean no one, is more weight conscience than me. I measured the weight of every single item I've added to my trailer down to the ounce and I have a spreadsheet showing exactly how much everything weighs and exactly where all the cargo is located for proper balance. I know the exact trailer GVW and the tongue weight. I chose all cargo items wisely, in fact, I have a great deal of storage space and cargo weight to spare. If anything, I'm underloaded.

The OP asked for a list and I was just trying to help. The items I listed will serve him well.

Sorry I ruffled your feathers. Yes that is my opinion and you have yours.

[DogwoodLynx]

Originally Posted by us71na

Some bungee ball cords will keep your water hoses and electrical cables from becoming spaghetti during transits.

This is awesome! Just today I was wondering how the hoses go in looking decent and come out looking like baked spaghetti!

Originally Posted by RogerR

If you don't have a WDH yet the Andersen is great! Less weight and easier on and off and no heavy bars to lift or pry into place. Can't see your tongue but assume you have an electric tongue jack. Since yours is used make sure you have the emergency tool for when the jack dies and you need to manually jack up the tongue till you get a new one.
I hate it when pull up to a site, get all set up and find the power pole is a few feet to far, thats when a extra 30 or 50 amp extension cord pays for itself, just like an extra 25 feet of hose.
Last, on the hose, love my Zero G hose, so much easier to deal with than the white monster everyone sells.

Zero G's for the win. I have a blue Camco hose as a back up to my 2 Zero G's. I use it at questionable spots. At my home base I use my good Zero G's.

Originally Posted by LuckyDuck

Like TaftCoach said, the more you camp, the more things you’ll think of. Here a few of mine with photos of some:
— “Y” fitting to put on the hose bib. Allows you to shut off RV water with a quarter turn when you leave and have a second hookup for a utility hose.
— Water meter to gauge how much is going in when you fill your FW tank or using the black tank flush.
— Screen door handle
— Command hooks, towel bars and shelf baskets
— Small foldable step stool.
— Flip-up Camco shelf
— Flexible hose blowout plug with shutoff for blowing out water lines.
— Filler tube with shutoff for filling FW tank or flushing WH.
— An EMS, chain and padlock. This is a must to protect your electric system.
There are plenty more — you’ll discover them.

I had no idea there was such a thing as that screen door handle! Thanks!