RV Camping | The easy way to enjoy nature

A friend of mine had a nice 26 foot pull behind camper that he stored all his camping gear and bedding in. All it took to head out was get your groceries, hook up the camper and set out for the campsite. This greatly appealed to me but I wondered about the expense.

If you used to think that the only way to go camping was with a backpack and basic equipment. As I got older, the backpack and hiking equipment made way to truck camping with a bigger tent, campstove, tarps, and every manner of gear to make camping a bit more enjoyable. Finally time restraints and the problem of rounding up all the gear made it necessary to find a better solution. That's when I discovered the conveniences of RV camping.

A friend of mine had a nice 26 foot pull behind camper that he stored all his camping gear and bedding in. All it took to head out was get your groceries, hook up the camper and set out for the campsite. This greatly appealed to me but I wondered about the expense.

As with most big ticket items, there is always the choice of new versus pre-owned (a nice way of saying 'used'). I quickly found that new campers and motorcoaches are out of reach for us normal people. I would recommend looking at a used pull behind or a popup as reasonable choices.

The cost of course is relative to what you expect as far as features, cleanliness and the general shape the RV is in. Beware of "cheap" campers. RV camping is about comfort and ease, not worrying about a leaky roof or rotting floors so make sure you inspect closely the flooring and roof of any option. If you see mold inside the camper theres a safe bet it leaks or draws moisture. It is possible to rehab an older camper but if the frame and body are not in good shape, it may not be 'cheaper'.

Check that the tires are not dry rotted especially if its been in someone's yard for a few years. The bearings also need to be checked for excess grease leaking out of the seals. The axle should be free of damage and rust.

RV camping tip - Good tires are essential to getting there and a spare tire is a good idea

So what are the necessary features for an rv to make rv camping fun and easy. Most RVs have propane tanks for cooking but some also have refrigerators that work on AC or DC power as well as propane. I find that most camper fridges are marginally helpful unless its full size. Another nice to have feature is a camper with wiring for AC and DC. Most newer campers have wiring and a place for 12v battery.

RV camping tip - A portable fridge is a great idea for campgrounds with power hookups.

Cooking is always important for rv camping or any camping for that matter. Most RV's have a stove and larger pull behinds have ovens but few have a full size oven. I would also consider taking along your trusty Coleman stove for any heavy duty cooking outside your RV. Just about all rv's have propane tanks for cooking and some even have a grill attachment that is especially handy.

RV camping tip - A small toaster oven is an inexpensive and very useful addition for RV camping

If you're a summer camper then an Air Conditioner is a must. Of course if you are primitive camping, no power could be a problem but most good campgrounds have power hookups. If an A/C seems a little too much, then a good fan is a good alternative.

RV camping tip - A generator is nice to have but some primitive campgrounds don't allow noisy generators.

Comfy beds are an absolute essential. Most modern rv campers have a decent layout for maximizing beds but more than 4 people in anything under a 30 footer can be cramped. The main advantage of any camper is storage and portability. It needs to have some cabinet space and if its a popup make sure there is some places to stack things when folded.

RV camping tip - A set of plastic drawers or bins are a great idea for packing in your RV.

Finally, knowing where to camp is another essential for enjoyable RV camping. Most state parks have excellent facilities as to Army Corps facilities as well as most KOA's and other chain campgrounds. Consider joining a camping club (Click here) for great tips and information. So if you camping in tents, sleeping on the ground, and toting around a ton of gear, consider RV camping to bring back the fun to the great outdoors.