Over the years we have accumulated so many items to our camping list. At some point we needed to streamline the essentials for our camper since space is always a limiting factor.
Below we have listed the 25 top essentials the we take with us on our camping trips. These 25 items are ones we never leave home with out.
1. Sewer Hose
When your number 1 priority is getting rid of your number 2, a good sewer hose is a necessity for your travel trailer.
Don’t cheap out on this one and get a good quality hose that you can rely on.
We recommend the Rhino Flex Camper Sewer Hose for a good quality hose that will last for good amount of time.
We also recommend you get a hose that is at least 20 feet in length, since you may never know how far you may need to stretch it.
2. Hose Support
Getting all that unpleasant waste to where it needs to be is pretty…well…important wouldn’t you say.
When we visit our favorite RV park in northern MI we can get a camping lot that is not always down hill to the drain pipe they have on there spots.
This means we need to use a hose support to help with the flow of the waste. This is why we recommend something like the Camco 20ft Sidewinder RV Sewer Hose Support to help slope the hose so it can drain easily with any worries for fussing around with it on a daily basis.
3. Fresh Water Hose
A fresh water hose is essential to have the you only use for fresh water and nothing else.
We have always used the white hoses so we know without a doubt that that is and has only been used for fresh water.
You don’t have to opt for white and purchase one of a different color.
But with that being said, make sure you know that you choose is only used for that purpose. We like the Camco 50ft TastePURE hose.
4. Level
When boondocking or visiting a place that has less than level ground you want to insure your rig is nice and level.
In order to make sure you are nice and level from front to back and side to side before you want to use a bubble level like the Dowell 9″ magnet level.
Its important to have it good to go before you start deploying your stabilizers.
5. Outdoor Patio Mat
Outdoor patio mats like the Ming’s Mark GC1 Reversible Graphic Patio Mat is a nice large mat measuring at 8′ x 20′.
Camping mats are great and we never leave with out it.
They are nice any where but especially if your on grass or dirt which will help with tracking in dirt into the camper.
They are easy to sweep and keep clean giving you nice lading area in front of the trailer.
6. First Aid Kit
When your camping and having a grand old time, accidents are bound to happen.
We have kids so its seems like it never fails that someone get hurt. Having a first aid kit is pretty much essential for camping trips.
With fires being built, trailers to setup and level, its bound that cuts and bumps will inevitably happen. We recommend a good first aid kit to have on hand to treat these mishaps.
7. Leveling Blocks
Its important to get your travel trailer leveled before settling in for a camping trip.
Back in the day we would use block of wood to get everything good and level.
Now you can find great leveling block on the market that work much better. We really like the blocks made by Tri-lynx.
They come in a 10 pack which is plenty to get the job done.
8. Disposable Gloves
When setting up your sewer hose, it is always nice to have a fresh pair of disposable gloves.
It isn’t the most pleasant job, especially after a week long camping trip in hot weather.
You want to keep yourself clean and sanitized when pulling the black water valve and packing up the hose after the trip is over.
9. RV Mattress Pad
Travel trailer mattresses are not always the greatest.
A lot of individuals, including ourselves, use a good RV mattress pad to help with the not so great mattresses that come standard in most campers.
The only thing that really makes them an RV pad is they are usually a short mattress pad.
Make sure to measure your mattress in insure it will be a proper fit.
10. Outdoor Folding Table
As your getting things organized at your campsite you will want a nice table to keep things on and off the ground.
A good folder table is such a nice thing to have for the outside of the trailer.
They are also great to have when you are cooking outside and need some real estate to prep and prepare food.
We have a Blackstone table top griddle that we place on ours and it works perfectly
11. Folding Chairs
Folding chairs are a staple on our packing list. They are great because they are compact and fold for easy storage and transport.
Now, there are many types of folding chairs that are great for camping but we found these chairs from Timber Ridge to be amazing!
They have a tray and even a cooler to keep your beverages cold during those warm camping days.
12. Extension Cords
We never leave home with out them. We use extension cords to feed power to our outside fridge.
They are also useful to provide power to any kids that may be sleeping on tents on our lot.
We usually bring 3 cords with us on every outing just incase we need to power things outdoors and always get the AmazonBasic extension cords that are rated as outdoor use for this purpose.
13. Power Strip
With all the gadgets we all have now a days, it is always nice to have extra power outlets.
It’s convenient to have a couple so you always have extra outlets inside the trailer as well as outside.
We really like the style of these AmazonBasic power strips ones that offer two USB charging ports which always come in handy.
14. Tool Bag With Tools
When you out camping you will eventually need to do find the right tool for a project or a fix.
It is always nice to have a good tool bag with all the necessary tool you may need to get a job done.
Scrambling for tools you know you have much not sure where they may have been left can be frustrating to say the least. We recommend a nice bag like the WORKPRO 16-inch Wide Mouth Tool Bag to keep all your tools in one convenient place.
15. Socket Set
It’s always nice to have a socket set in your camper.
You may find yourself needing them more often than not.
Rather your fixing a flat tire and in need of a standard wheel lug nut socket or looking to snug up your hot water heater plug.
Having the correct sockets in your arsenal is a sure way to get the job done easy and with less stress. Something like DEWALT Mechanics Tools Kit and Socket Set will do the trick.
16. Cast Iron Skillet
A good cast iron skillet is a great must have for cooking while camping.
If your cooking eggs or browning meat for dinner, it’s always nice to have a good quality skillet in your arsenal.
They come in different sizes and weight, so find one that will suit your needs.
17. Battery Charger For Devices
When your heading to the beach or take a day trip from your camper, it is nice to have a battery charger for your mobile devices.
We like this 88.8Wh|65Watts Portable Laptop Charger that can charge your phones and tablets along with your laptops.
Its a bit on the larger side but it works great if you want provide power to multiple devices at once.
18. Trailer Jack
A good jack for your travel trailer is diffidently a must. It’s not if you will need it but when.
We would recommend you find a designated jack for your trailer instead of using your vehicles.
A good bottle jack is best for this situation as they are more compact and stronger that your usual scissor jack.
I use the BIG RED T91003B Torin Hydraulic Welded Bottle Jack and its AMAZING!
19. Generator
If your boondocking or camping in an area that does not have power, you should look into a good generator.
The Honda 663520 EU2200i 120V 2200-Watt generator is a great choice.
They are well made, popular, and can be ran in parallel if you want to run two of them together.
20. Grill
A grill is one of those things we don’t leave home without. When it comes to cooking while camping, we almost always use a grill or a griddle.
We have and love the Weber 54060001 Q2200 Liquid Propane Grill. It will last for ever with its amazing build quality.
They are very portable and convenient to stow away when no in use.
21. Griddle
The Blackstone griddle has become our go to device to do a lot of our cooking on it while out camping. They are in one word “AMAZING”.
They are not only great for cooking breakfast food, but also so much more.
We have made smash burgers, pizzas, and even experimented with making spaghetti on this nifty thing.
Oh… the possibilities are endless with these griddles and we never leave for any camping trip with out it.
22. Propane
You may need propane for your grill or griddle. For our grill we use these Bernzomatic 16.4 oz. Camping Propane Gas Cylinders.
We actually hook up the Blackstone griddle to our larger propane tank but the small 16oz ones also work great if needed.
23. Coax Cable
What do you do when you have inclement weather and you are forced to hang out in the camper.
Well… watch some TV of course.
You may wan to pack a coax cable if you are in a spot that has TV hook up. A simple 25′ Feet, White RG6 Coaxial Cable should do the trick.
24. RV Surge Protector
A good quality surge protector is a great investment for your camper.
You really want a good quality one so it wont melt or malfunction on you.
The Hughes Autoformers PWD50-EPO Power Watchdog are a great choice for a 50 amp and the Hughes Autoformers PWD30-EPO Power Watchdog is a good choice if your looking for a 30 amp.
25. Camping Lanterns
A few camping lanterns are a great addition for your camper.
They always come in handy when you need some extra light.
If you need to investigate something in the middle of the night, these things are great.
Conclusion
This list can go on and on, but this list of 25 items are the ones we picked because they are the items we have and use ourselves.
We hope you find this article helpful and as always.
Good luck, and happy camping!
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