Pulling your RV or camper trailer out of storage is exciting. The anticipation of summer fun makes it one of the best times of the year. It’s always enough to get us excited about good weather, good times, and hitting the road. Although we’d love nothing more than to drop everything, pack up the RV, connect it to the truck, and take off, It’s never that simple. There are things that you’re going to need to remember to pack and plenty to do before you hitch up and head out.
What to Pack in Your Camper Trailer
Basics
The basics are, well basic. The things you don’t think about until you absolutely need them. Things you can’t get easily for your camper van or trailer once your on your campsite. Like a sewer hose that’s in good condition – try a hose support for even better drainage and a fresh water hose that isn’t leaking. Some nitrile gloves are great if you’re squeamish about that hookup.
Check your power cords and make sure you have plenty of toilet paper, or you might be making a lot of extra trips back into town.
RV Essentials
Light & Power
- Battery-powered lantern – Portable and provides bright light for connections and bathroom runs in the dark.
- Battery booster pack – If you’re camping, it’s an easy to leave your truck’s power running and drain your batteries by mistake. To avoid being stranded, a jumper pack in your RV is essential.
Comfort
- Folding chairs – Unless you’re planning on spending your whole day either standing up outside or sitting on the couch inside, you’ll want some chairs. Collapsible camp chairs are easy to store, easy to move, and easy to relax in.
- Gloves – A pair of mechanic’s gloves are great for when you’re chocking wheels, adjusting leveling blocks, and doing anything else that puts your hands at risk. Disposable nitrile gloves are for sewer connection time, protecting you from the black and grey water mess.
Safety
- Straps – Everything you bring needs to be held in place. A wide variety of straps will keep everything where it should be as you move down the road.
- First-aid kit – Accidents happen. Need we say more?
- Fire extinguisher – It’s better to be safe than sorry. Add a vehicle bracket to keep it in place.
Tires
- Truck tire gauge – RV and truck tires run higher pressures than standard car tires. Plus the inner tire of a dual rear wheel setup can be tough to reach. This long gauge solves both problems, running up to 150 psi.
- Spare Tire – your truck has a spare, so why not your camper? A spare tire can turn a flat from a wasted day into an extended lunch break. Make sure you have a service jack that can support the trailer and lug wrench to match.
Roadside Assistance Makes Life Easier
There are some items you might not think about until you need them that can make camping life easier. A roadside assistance membership, for example. Your standard roadside assistance probably doesn’t cover a tow for your trailer, pop-up camper, or RV, so you’ll need an RV-specific membership to make sure you’ll get home. Some will even put you in a hotel for the night while you wait for repairs to help save your vacation.
Don't Forget
- Your camper is your house, but on wheels. Think about how much stuff in your house you use every day and then make a list of what the things that you absolutely need. And take note of the things you haven’t used in years.
- Extension cords
- Surge protector – these can protect your electronics from surges coming from shore power
- Wheel chocks
- Cutting board/knives
- Soap (for you and your dishes)
- Towels (for you and your dishes, plus the beach)
- Pillows, sheets, and blankets
- Food (don’t forget spices and condiments unless you like plain hot dogs and bland chicken)
- Rain gear – because the more gear you have, the less it will rain
- Bug spray and sunblock – the only thing worse than itchy bites is an even itchier burn
- Board games (things can get dull in a hurry when a rain front rolls in)
And of course, don’t forget to bring the fun! Ok, it’s hard to bring fun, but you can absolutely bring a fun attitude. Just remember that “stuff” happens, no matter how much you prepare. Relax, breathe, and take everything one step at a time. Enjoy that camping trip even if it goes a little sideways and make sure the memories are the problem and the solution, not the meltdown. That applies double when you’re backing into a tricky site but a hitch camera can help.
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