Camper Must Haves: Top Camping Essentials for Your Next Trip
The freedom of RV travel – it’s liberating to trade the suffocating walls of work and home for the endless wilderness and woodsy campground.
When some people think “campground”, they think “bare-bones”. But hitting the open road doesn’t mean you have to go without creature comforts. There are so many amazing products out there designed to make your camping experience comfortable, safe, and enjoyable. So check out these camper must haves, plus some of the coolest RV gadgets below!
Levelers
These are absolute camper must haves, unless you want to sleep with your feet tilted up above your head. Ok, that’s a bit extreme. But the fact is, you won’t find perfectly level ground everywhere. So levelers are necessary if you want to be able to park your rig where you want. You’ll also need them to keep your absorption fridge on an even plane.
Surge Protector/Water Pressure Regulator
Thinking about hooking your camper up to electricity and water at a campground? If you are, make sure to have both or either one of these camper must haves.
- A surge protector will keep any “events” from frying your electronic devices.
- A water pressure regulator has a similar job, but with water instead of electrical current. You don’t want sudden pressure from a park hookup bursting your pipes and causing the Great RV Flood.
Shore Power Cord
Did you know that some RVs don’t come with an electrical cord? If you’ve just purchased a new (or used) camper and want to connect to grid power, you should pay attention to this. You can’t use a regular extension cord, unless you want sparks to fly. You may also need an RV plug adapter. This allows you to plug into an outlet designed for different amperage.
Bluetooth Equipped RV Batteries
This is by far one of the most useful camper must haves–especially for boondocking/dry camping. If you want to camp off grid, you need reliable RV batteries to power your lights, pumps, and electronics. But even if you stay on the grid, power outages happen. Lithium batteries to the rescue! These can get you through a few days of camping without needing a charge. Unlike lead acid batteries, you don’t need to “water” or maintain them. And when they’re Bluetooth capable, you won’t need to worry how much power you have left either. Just check battery status/charge with just a few taps on your smartphone.
Emergency Starter
Speaking of batteries, they’re just ugly square decorations if they won’t start. But an emergency starter eliminates that problem. No more awkwardly asking a complete stranger to jump your battery. This handy Emergency Start device allows you to jumpstart your vehicle using your phone (via Bluetooth), without ever leaving the driver’s seat. Make sure to include this in your list of camping essentials!
Holding Tank Treatment
Gotta go, on the go? Unfortunately, the norm of RV bathrooms is that all the waste has to go wherever you do. That’s why odor-banishing holding tank treatment is one of our top camper must haves. It does your nose a favor, and prevents clogs too.
Coolest RV Gadgets & Camping Essentials
A few extras can take your RV trips from ho-hum to awesome! But there are so many camping products out there. How will you know which ones are actually useful, and won’t end up stashed in the garage collecting dust? Luckily for you, we’ve eliminated the guesswork. Here’s a list of the coolest RV gadgets, according to avid RVers!
- Cell signal booster. Maybe you shouldn’t be glued to your phone while camping. But you never know when you’ll need to make an important call.
- Two-way radio. Speaking of cell phone service, it could be scarce out in the woods. Keep tabs on your kids, or communicate with friends using two-way radios.
- Motion security lights. Stumbling through the dark on your way to the campground bathroom? Put up some RV motion lights to shed some light on your path. These also help spot anyone (or any creature) headed toward your camper.
- Portable solar panels. Don’t want to splurge for a full solar setup, but want an alternate power source? Try these lightweight, easy to use portable solar panels.
- RV GPS. A regular GPS can guide you to your destination. But the roads may not be passable for RVs. That’s where an RV-specific GPS comes in handy.
- Instant Pot. Because you can’t survive on S’mores! An instant pot is a pressure cooker, slow cooker, and rice cooker all in one.
- Pop-up porch tent. Need some more space but don’t want to deal with bugs? Set up a porch tent. Fully enclosed with mesh screens, they function like an extension to your camper.
- Countertop ice maker. This is one of the coolest RV gadgets because, well, it keeps you cool. Plus it saves you from taking constant trips to town to buy ice.
- Collapsible dishware. Save space and the environment. Instead of breakable dishware or disposables, try collapsible dishes. There’s also collapsible cookware, from collanders to cutting boards and even foldable tea kettles.
Got your camper must haves yet? You can never read too many RV tips. Check out Eco Friendly RV Tips: RV Solar Panels, Energy Efficient Batteries, and More.
