List of necessities?

[ontheroadwego]

We will be picking up our first camper next Tuesday, a used 2015 Keystone Laredo 291TG. It has a sewer hose and electric cord with it, but that's it. Is there a handy list of things that we will need for the camper? I've been reading about surge protectors, leveling blocks, wheel chocks, and water filters but what else will we need to set the camper up? We are brand new to this and so excited, yet a little nervous too! Thank you for your help!

[Veebyes]

You don't know what you need until you need it. It is real easy to overthink what is needed & wind up carrying a whole lot of stuff that never gets used.

[doxiemom11]

A water pressure regulator so you don't end up with 120 lbs pressure on your lines. Some places do have that much pressure. We would also consider a water filter and surge protector/electrical management system like from progressive industries to be a must. Our surge protector has shut things down for both low and high voltage and warned when 1 power pole at a campground was incorrectly wired,before we plugged our rig in.

[countrykids]

There are several you tube videos that offer suggestions. They will give you both the what and the why.

Our experience has been "half of what you bring you will not need and one thing you need you will not have".

[gmw_photos]

Lots of good tips above. One necessity maybe not mentioned is you'll need to clean off a rather largish spot on a shelf in your garage. It'll be where you store all the stuff you buy in the next couple years that you figure you really didn't need after all ! 🙂

Enjoy your new adventure !

[Wavesprite]

I think one thing that's helpful when you head out the first time, is to put a pad of paper near the door, and every time you say "Oh I wish I had brought: " write it down.

[SoundGuy]

Effy wrote:
There are necessities to operate your camper and then there are personal necessities that no one but you can figure out.

The most useful reply so far. 🙂 What every trailer owner "needs" is a plan for safely setting up their rig and the accessories needed to effectively put this plan into action. I call this Park & Power.

A means to properly level the trailer side-to-side by parking the low side tire(s) on "something".

A means to safely chock the trailer so it can't inadvertently roll away.

Sufficient length(s) of appropriately sized main service cable to feed the trailer 120 vac shore power when on an electric site.

Sufficient battery reserve capacity for those times you may camp without shore power and a means to recharge that battery reserve.

Sufficient length(s) of potable water hose, along with a water pressure regulator, for those times you may be on a site offering water under pressure.

For those times you may be on a site not offering potable water under pressure a means to collect more of it and transfer it into the trailer's fresh water holding tank.

A means to off load grey and/or black water while you're still camping, which for many may mean a wheeled tote tank.

Not absolutely necessary but HIGHLY recommended - a poly weave type of under awning ground mat that will sweep clean easily, allow any water to drain through, but most importantly will dramatically reduce the amount of sand / dirt tracked into the camper.

Beyond this list, anything else is IMO optional and certainly personal preference.

Pics of my own preferred methods are in my gallery. 🙂

[kellertx5er]

For the first 2-3 years you will always need something that you don't have onboard. :S

[Veebyes]

Pencil & notepad to go with the beer & TP. Close proximity to a Walmart for the first few trips.

[LJAZ]

RedRocket204 wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Beer n toilet paper are necessities. Everything else is a luxury.....

I disagree. A minimal set of tools are a necessity as well for when things start breaking. With addition of some tools, your list is complete.

Correct: beer, toilet paper and a bottle opener!

[Allworth]

A sense of humor, a flashlight, and a high-limit credit card.

[RedRocket204]

Grit dog wrote:
Beer n toilet paper are necessities. Everything else is a luxury.....

I disagree. A minimal set of tools are a necessity as well for when things start breaking. With addition of some tools, your list is complete.

[SusanDallas]

The best purchase I have made is a book titled "Idiot's Guide to RVing" Third Edition. You can buy it on Amazon for less than $10. This book gives instructions for every type of travel trailer, fifth wheel, truck camper and class A, B, C. The book has checklists you could print out and use like a pilot in a cockpit. It lists everything you will need including lists for bathroom, sleeping,cooking,clothing,outside gear, etc. It also has a step by step checklist for hitching and unhitching and also for hooking up at the campground and unhooking. The book covers everything you need to know about your propane, plumbing, electrical and troubleshooting. I don't leave home without this book.

[mgirardo]

You will need a fresh water hose for city water connection. It would be a good idea to get a water filter as well, if you camper doesn't have one built in. Our last two campers had inline filters inside the camper. Our Motorhome only filtered the cold line on the kitchen faucet, so we added a filter to the fresh water hose.

Our last two campers came with a sewer hose with a fitting on only one end. We do have a rubber donut for the ground port, but I don't really like to use it unless I have no other option. It was a cheap sewer hose and we didn't use them. I really like the RhinoFlex system. On our last camper, 15' of hose was sufficient so we just bought the 15' complete kit from Walmart for less than $30. You can also piece it together to get exactly what you need.

I would follow K3WE's advise and spend a night in the driveway or backyard if possible, then camp near a Walmart or at campground with camping supplies. Every Walmart stocks different camping/RV supplies. Some have more than others, but most carry the basics.

-Michael

[Effy]

There are necessities to operate your camper and then there are personal necessities that no one but you can figure out. There are lists of things you'll need to operate your camper, then there is food, clothes, bug spray, entertainment, etc are all things you'll figure out after a trip or 2. I can tell you I have 4 can openers and 6 corkscrews because darned if I don't forget one every single time we go camping and have to buy one. After years of camping I still occasionally forget the coffee maker but remember coffee or vice versa. I have a list I check off, sometimes I forget the list and "think" I know what I am doing. But fuel, food, water, food, beer, toiletries, the rest I can get by if I forget. the awesome thing about RVing vs other forms of travel, is that it's easy to take something along just in case. My motto; "better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it".