Upsizing from PUP to TT - What do we need?

Place to store it. Place to dump the tanks? Sufficient tow vehicle? The rest is pretty easy stuff you will pick up quickly

Brake controller?
Additional wheel chocks if tandem axle.
equalizer hitch?

chezmoose wrote:
The DH and I are getting ready to pull the trigger on a new TT. We've been pop-up camping for years, so already know what we'll need as far as dishes, cookware, paper products, etc.

But what are the must-have items that we don't know we need yet? Like for leveling, towing, dump stations, etc. Most of our camping is done at rustic campgrounds with no water or electric, occasional boondocking trip. Maybe once a year at a campground with electric.

See if this post helps you, I tried to cover the bare essentials needed for a first trip. I also talk about a handful of "maybe laters" that are nice to have.

chezmoose wrote:
The DH and I are getting ready to pull the trigger on a new TT. We've been pop-up camping for years, so already know what we'll need as far as dishes, cookware, paper products, etc.

But what are the must-have items that we don't know we need yet? Like for leveling, towing, dump stations, etc. Most of our camping is done at rustic campgrounds with no water or electric, occasional boondocking trip. Maybe once a year at a campground with electric.

IF you have been pup camping for years. You already have "most" of what you will need as you mentioned. IF you are buying new. Most of the rest of what you "need" should come with it. You should get a WDH with the TT, a brake controller, and a "starter kit" Which includes a sewer hose, a water hose, a table level, RV toilet paper, and Black tank chemicals.

But you will need more leveling blocks, and more wheel chocks, plus a larger awning matt.

However for us. When we camp in a rustic CG with no hookups. We still use the campground bath, and restroom facilities, and so, we don't have to use the dump station.


BTW, You will miss your pup. But you will get use to it in a few years. After 10 years of having a TT, We still miss the more simple camping of the pup.

1. An extra 30 amp heavy duty extension power cord. You may not need it for quite a few trips, but at some point, you will need it, and you can find the best price by searching for it ahead of time.
2. Extra sewer hose, unless you already have about 25' or so.
3. Whatever product you want to use to in the black tanks. I suggest the stuff that is formaldehyde free.
4. You may want to consider getting a really good surge protector that will protect you against low or high voltage, improperly grounded power supply and power surges. Expensive....over $200 but cheaper than replacing/repairing your AC unit, refridgerator circuit board, television, etc. I'll confess that I just bought one this year and have been camping since 1984. However if you research the topic, quite a few people have had bad experiences with poor power supplies at campgrounds.

I bought the Progressive 30 amp portable model:
http://www.dyersonline.com/progressive-industries-30-amp-portable-electrical-management-system.html

As for the rest of what you may need, make your first trip out to a place near a shopping area where you could get anything you really need to continue that campout. Some stuff you will discover will be things that you would like to have, but not need immediately.

A list of Wal Mart locations and a good credit card. Oh, you already knew that!

Thanks for all the good advice so far. Yes, we will be purchasing a WDH and brake controller with the camper. I have no idea what type of sewer and fresh water hoses come with the camper but I'll put that on the list of things to ask the dealer.

So looks like first on the list is chocks and levelers. Our pup has an assortment of wood blocks and plywood chunks, I'm assuming we'll want something a little nicer for the new camper. Are the between-the-wheel chocks a necessity or something we should wait and see if we need? It's a 19 ft camper with dual axles.

Oh yes, definitely a new awning mat also. Our old one is starting to curl up on the edges and is becoming a trip hazard.

Thank you for the link ependydad, it is helpful even for somewhat seasoned campers.

Terryallan, I don't doubt we'll miss some things about the pup but we're not planning to kick her to the curb just yet. I will miss lying in my bunk and listening to owls and whippoorwills at night. Plus the pup is like one big screen room so you can almost always find a breeze from one direction or another. We do have a large screen tent with rain flys on all 4 sides so will probably use more often when space permits. We don't really spend a lot of time indoors

Most of the campgrounds we stay at do not have bath houses, only vault toilets. But I imagine we'll still use those at least once a day, at least in the beginning. ;)

How was your battery life when dry camping? On our PUP we could get 3 days out of a standard G24 battery. The HTT got dual batteries since it had more electrical "stuff." When we got the current TT I converted to LED lighting, added dual batteries, and upgraded the converter. YMMV.

chezmoose wrote:
.

. Are the between-the-wheel chocks a necessity or something we should wait and see if we need? It's a 19 ft camper with dual axles.


)

No not really, Especially with a shorter TT. You may not need them. They do help slow down rocking movement. But are not a "Have to have" We didn't get any for 4 or 5 years after we went to a TT.

We've never used a battery in our PUP. We just used lanterns and battery lamps for light, and coolers for food and drink. Ours did not have a water pump or a fan on the furnace (40 years old!), so never really needed power. I'm assuming we'll need a battery upgrade for the new TT just to run the water pump and fridge(?). Am I correct in understanding that the fridge still uses a little power even when running on propane?

What about under the stabilizer jacks? Do we need any type of pads on soft ground? We just used chunks of 2x4 on the PUP.