Camping can be an excellent way to vacation within your budget. However, there are plenty of camper must haves that are worth the investment to prolong the life of your camper and make camping the most enjoyable experience it can be!
We’ve rounded up some of our must-have camper must haves that we couldn’t live without. Also, some we just plain wish we had!
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Have you seen our other camper posts?
Pop Up Camper Remodel: An introduction to my new baby! Pop Up Camper Remodel: Getting the Smell Out Pop up Camper Remodel: Painting and Flooring Pop Up Camper Remodel: New Cushions Pop Up Camper Remodel: Progress to date and a new season! Fun Pop Up Camper Products on Amazon Pop Up Camper Replacement Parts Camper Spare Tire Covers Camper Must Haves Pop Up Camper Must Haves 1999 Viking Pop Up Camper Before and After!
Before and After Slide Show
When we first bought our 1999 Viking Popup Camper, we broke the bank at $2000.
We got an amazing deal, but it was a big deal because I had to convince my husband that we would love camping. I rarely splurge on anything, but I just had to have a camper!
I have the best memories of camping as a family in our pop up camper, and I wanted our kids to have the same experiences.
Ready to get out camping? These camper must haves are an investment that will pay off big time! #camper #camping
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Camper Must Haves
Both products we love and products we wish we had make this list of our camper must haves and investments you won’t regret for your camper!
If you’re still looking for more of our camper favorites and to see which made the list TWICE check out our Pop Up Camper Must Haves. These are for any campers, but they are our favorites for us and our pop up.
Honda Generator
Since I had to convince my husband to buy the camper, I was shocked when he told me we now needed to spend almost as much on a generator!
I didn’t understand why we couldn’t save some money and get one of the larger, cheaper models. I found out very quickly why we got the Honda generator we did…
After camping in a field with no power for Watercross– our favorite camping trip every year in Grantsburg, WI– I realized EXACTLY why it is important to splurge on a good generator…
Not only is it more efficient, the difference in sound is incredible! I don’t know how we would have slept or been tolerated by our neighbors with one of the noisy ones other campers had.
Our friends that we camp with have a much larger 5th wheel toy hauler and they have the Honda companion generator so they can run two together which is really nice!
You won’t ever be sorry to have invested in these generators! They are amazing and at the absolute top of our list for camper must haves! We have hauled our generator around for 4 years now and it’s the best! It’s also so quiet and work great to power our a/c in the popup!
Surge Protector
A product I kept seeing come up again and again in my search was a surge protector for your camper electrical outlets.
We don’t have one ourselves. In fact, we have yet to camp in a traditional campground with electrical hookups! We have used our generator each time we’ve camped.
I was reading the reviews, and this product seems to be such a lifesaver and a very smart investment!
From reviewer:One of my friends suffered an unfortunate incident where he sustained permanent damage to his RV because of a bad wired power supply at a campsite. After speaking with him about his misfortune I knew that I needed to investigate whether a power surge protector even existed for RVs. Luckily, they do. I researched for about a week and found this particular unit. I was impressed with the reviews as well as the design and overall ease of use of this particular product.
Brake Controller
When I first saw the brake controller in our truck, I had no idea what it was or that we needed one when we were working on our popup camper.
I have never driven the truck when we pulled the trailer, but my husband assures me he wouldn’t pull it without the brake control. It helps stop everything in unison and makes for a much smoother and safer ride.
When you’re pulling something heavier than your vehicle, this is a must!
From reviewer of this highly rated brake controller: Consider this… The combine cost of your tow vehicle and trailer… The combine weight of your tow vehicle and trailer… The fact that your trailer may well weigh more than your tow vehicle… And that moron that just jumped in your lane then slammed on his brakes… This is NOT the time to think to yourself, “maybe I should’ve gotten a better brake controller.” Seriously, when the difference in cost is under $100, is it really not worth buying the best?
Screen porch add-a-room
One of my favorite things that came with our 1999 Viking Pop Up is the screen room that attaches to the awning!
My husband can be a grump setting it up, but it goes pretty quick and it sooo nice to have.
It feels like we double our living space when we have the screen room attached. Also, you can’t beat having the shaded area at least on one side of the camper.
What makes it worth it’s weight in gold is having that extra barrier between the bugs and the camper.
The screen room gives you a place to enter, remove your shoes and some gear, and then rush in the camper door.
If my husband’s camper must haves are a good generator and brake control, then the screen room is at the top of my list of camper must haves!
I found quite a few options for add-on-rooms on Amazon. It looks like it depends on the size of your awning, or maybe you could even get a free standing screen room and place it outside the door.
Bluetooth leveling system
One of the biggest pains of camping is setting up camp and getting the camper level.
We’ve posted about different camper levels you can find in our post about Pop Up Camper Replacement Parts. Many of you have found some to purchase for your own camper.
So, what if you didn’t need those little levels at all!
When every review says, “I wish I had bought one sooner” you know it’s the way to go. Itworks with RVs, trailers, and 5th wheels and enables dynamic site evaluation before you park; accurate to 0.1 degrees.
Now if only we could get it to pull out the bunks and pop the camper up for us too… Just having this to level the camper would knock quite a bit of time off our setup.
Wheel Stabilizers
Now, you know we only have a pop up, but I kept seeing these wheel stabilizers come up again and again in my search. This is another product I couldn’t ignore because the reviews were raving and there were so many of them!
Reviewer of X-Chock Wheel Stabilizers:Best investment yet wish I would of bought these when I first got my trailer. My axles sit about as close together as you can get and the x-chock still fit in between. Can’t believe how much “bounce” it took out of the trailer when people are walking around. Don’t hesitate to purchase they won’t disappoint!
It looks like, if you have a larger camper, these wheel stabilizers are an investment worth having.
Slide out stabilizers
If you’re lucky enough to have slide outs on your pop up camper or camper – we do not, maybe someday… (update: we do now!!!) – you may want to invest in some slide out stabilizers.
That added sense of security is always good, and will likely prevent some wear and tear on your camper in the long run.
Any product that is going to add some extra stability to the camper is good to have in my book.
Camper covers
I can tell you from experience that you can cover a camper with a tarp to protect it from the elements…
However, I can also tell you it is a major pain, looks like junk, and doesn’t hold up very well.
We have been fortunate to store our camper inside my parents garage the majority of the time, but we do have a couple project campers tucked away with just tarps for protection.
The are hard to put on and secure tightly. The rain still sneaks in certain spots. Eventually they get so weathered and worn you’re afraid they’ll disintegrate.
A nice camper cover that fits well is such a good investment. It will go on more easily, protect better, and keep your camper looking like new.
Honorable mentions for Camper Investments
I want to know about your experience! Is there an investment you made for your camper that you can’t live without?
Have you seen our camper other posts? Pop Up Camper Remodel: An introduction to my new baby! Pop Up Camper Remodel: Getting the Smell Out Pop up Camper Remodel: Painting and Flooring Pop Up Camper Remodel: New Cushions Pop Up Camper Remodel: Progress to date and a new season! Fun Pop Up Camper Products on Amazon Pop Up Camper Replacement Parts Camper Spare Tire Covers Camper Must Haves Pop Up Camper Must Haves
While this may sound harsh, the depreciation rates of an RV aren't that much different from those of cars. You can expect the average car to depreciate 20% within the first year and around 40% after five years. That means an RV can hold its value better than a personal use car five years later.
Living in an RV can be cheaper than traditional home ownership because RVs require less space and utility usage, resulting in lower costs for heating, cooling, and maintenance. Additionally, RV living encourages a simpler and more minimalist lifestyle that can lead to fewer expenses related to possessions.
Depreciation, fuel expenses, maintenance, insurance, campsite fees, and taxes/registration are all factors that can significantly impact your RV ownership experience.
It's wise to make a down payment to reduce the amount of money you finance for the RV purchase, and some lenders may even require it. Depending on the vehicle type and the loan size, you may be required to have the RV inspected and appraised before the lender can approve financing.
Since they collapse into smaller units for transit and storage, they require some setup once you're parked and ready to use them. This is a major turn-off for a lot of people because it can be a headache having to do so much tedious work every time you want to park your camper in a new place or pack it back up.
While having an AC is essential, you need to maximize it by parking the trailer in the shade. You may need to insulate the inside and add a fan to keep air moving.
One of the biggest drawbacks of living full time in an RV is the lack of storage space. Most RVs try to include as many cabinets and closets as possible, but there's only a certain amount of space available. By necessity, most full time RVers need to embrace a minimalistic lifestyle.
Whether you live in an RV full-time, sometimes, or just call yourself a “weekend warrior,” your RV will require maintenance. Some types of maintenance need to be done regularly, and some need to be done before each trip.
Brand-new RVs start losing value as soon as they're driven off the lot and continue to lose value throughout the first year rapidly. The RV depreciation rate increases at a steady rate after that until your RV hits double digits in age. Once an RV is ten years old or older, its value drops more rapidly.
With that in mind, there's a high risk of owing more in your loan cost than you'll be able to earn back when the time comes to sell your RV. The larger a down payment you make, the less you'll owe in loans, and the better chance you'll have at getting your money's worth.
Disadvantages. Owning an RV means you are responsible for all the costs, maintenance and storage, which can add significant expense to your budget. Getting an RV loan also means dealing with an extra monthly payment for up to 15 years, depending on your RV loan term. High cost: Even small RVs have a hefty price tag.
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Introduction: My name is Tuan Roob DDS, I am a friendly, good, energetic, faithful, fantastic, gentle, enchanting person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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