You’ve purchased your new home on wheels. As itchy as your feet may be to head off on a trip, you need to pack. So where do you start? Apart from the standard travel items such as clothes, food, toiletries and linen there are a number of campervan essentials that will make your RV travels run smoothly. We share our insights into some important items that you should include in your pack list.
Here are 15 caravan accessories we recommend you include in your campervan essentials pack list for when it comes time to finalising your travel plans.
An Ampfibian power adaptor is a must. It helps you to connect your campervan safely to power at home or while you are visiting friends. It works by connecting your campervan or caravan 15A to any domestic 10A power supply. It is certified to Australian electrical standards, preventing fire & shock as well as protecting from power surges. The Ampfibian can safely be used outdoors and is manufactured in Australia.
You cannot use a power lead from your house with your caravan, campervan or motorhome. When it comes to connecting your caravan to power in a caravan park, you will need a 15A power lead. If you were to use a 10A lead, you have a higher chance of causing electrical damage to your van or even starting a fire. Hence why we recommend the Ampfibian power adaptor (above) for when you want to connect power from a house to your van.
You will need a water hose and a sullage hose for connecting water to your van, and taking water away from your van. A hose bag is great to keep your hoses neat and tidy. It is easy to grab and stow.
If you have a water tank in your setup, than a water tank filler is a must have item. It will make filling your tanks quick, easy and will also keep you dry. Easily connect your hose to the water filler and use the on/off switch to control the flow. The Stand At Ease water filler has a narrow head that easily fits into the hole to fill your tanks.
You will find that at most campgrounds and caravan parks the ground is anything but level. Even a slight incline can be noticeable once set up, and you will definitely notice when you sleep, or start prepping food. If you carry levels or chocks, you can easily rectify and setup on any site. There are lots of videos out there with tips on how to level your campervan.
Having a bucket as part of your setup is a must. These can be used for a variety of purposes and you will thank us when you find yourself looking for a bucket on your travels. If you are worried about the size a bucket will take up, consider a pop up bucket that pushes down to save you space when not in use.
It is always a good idea to carry a few tent pegs while you travel. These can be used to peg down the legs on your awning, or a camping mat.
Make sure you grab yourself a mat for outside your van. There are a lot of different sizes and types available to suit any budget. From a basic Kings 3m x 3m or 6m x 3m to more stylish and fun designs in a variety of sizes such as those from Mats by Design.
Using a camping mat will help keep the inside of your van cleaner. It is especially handy when there is a lot of dirt in the campground. Whichever mat you decide to go with, ensure that it has eyelets so you can peg it down so that it doesn’t move from use, and for those windy days.
Fusion-loc are a range of products featuring suction technology. The Fusion-loc range are primarily for your bathroom or kitchen including shower caddies, hooks, towel rails and shelves. What we love about these is that you can install on most surfaces without damaging the surface, plus they have a 10 year rust free replacement warranty. They are easy to install and move if you find it isn’t quiet where you want it. The hooks are ideal for keeping your towels, hats, bags and jackets within reach.
Road life is not always smooth. While you drive items can move about, especially when you hit a few bumps or take some sharp corners. You don’t want to pull up ready to set up and open your cupboards to find that your cups and or plates are broken or smashed to pieces. So, when it comes to buying cups, plates and bowls you will want to look for unbreakable options. Below are a few options to consider.
Tritan- When it comes to cups, look for Tritan. It has the look and feel of glass without the breakage. They are eco-friendly and available in a variety of styles including tumblers, wine glasses, stemless wine glasses, champagne glasses, high ball and whiskey glasses.
Double Walled Insulated- Another favourite is the insulated drinkware with many sizes, styles and colours now available. Insulated drinkware is great for keeping your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold. Choose from tumblers with a straw, brink bottles- so your water won’t get hot sitting in the car or in your backpack while you are out and about, coffee cups, wine cups and loads more. Want to know where to start looking? Why not take a look at Yeti, Alcoholder or Brumate . Bunnings, Big W and even Woolworths and Coles now have a range of insulated drinkware available if you need to grab something on the go.
When it comes to dinnerware there are a lot more options and styles available.
Melamine– a popular choice due to their durability, there is a wide variety of colours and styles available available in melamine dinner sets. However, it is not microwave safe, and depending on what you purchase you should check the label as to whether it is dishwasher safe.
Palm Unbreakable range– are a favourite in the caravanning industry. They have non-slip bases. They are microwave safe, dishwasher safe and scratch resistant.
Corelle- (Vitrelle gass) Corelle is favourite amongst the caravanning community due to the feel of it. It is light weight, stacks compactly, is microwave safe and dishwasher safe, however, they are still breakable and when they do, they shatter into small pieces.
Bamboo- Sustainably sourced and very durable, bamboo dinnerware sets are generally dishwasher safe, but are not microwave safe. They do also have a limited lifespan.
Having some games on hand to have a social game with fellow travellers, or you may just want to have something to pass the time on your own. Many games these days don’t take up a lot of space, with travel, or compact versions available. You can’t go past a deck of cards, original or Uno. Throw in some dice for a game of Yahtzee- you can download a score sheet on your phone or tablet-called 13 rounds. Sequence is a great option for those wanting a bit more of a challenge.
Use rubber matting to line cupboards. You can buy large rolls of rubber matting which you then cut back to size to line all of your cupboards and drawers in your Rv and even at home. It not only acts to protect your cupboard surfaces, but it is also non-slip so things are more secure in your van while you travel.
Another space saving idea. When it comes to saucepans and frypans, they can be heavy and bulky, especially with the handles. Designed for boating and caravanning, there are a few options available on the market. You want saucepans/frypans that are light weight and can not only stack, but have a removeable handle that ensures they take up minimum space in your cupboard. You want to look for sets that include a protective layer between the pots when stacked to extend the life of the pans. Why not take a look at Smartspace or the Tefal Ingenio range with a removeable handle.
Having folding chairs that you can place outside and move around is a must. However, when you have limited space to store items, your folding chairs may be one of the items you re-consider packing. With so many chairs available on the market we are sure you will find something that suits your needs. When you are doing your camp chair research, we highly recommend you check out Front Runner.
We have had a play and sit and we love them. They fold down compactly, are light weight (4kg). The best part is that despite their compactness, they fold out to a full size chair. And you may ask how comfortable they are to sit in? Well we give them the thumbs up for comfort.
A travel journal is a must to keep track of your travels. It can help you to remember where you have been, what you liked, what you want to do next time. There are a few possibilities when it comes to doing a travel journal.
This list is a good base pack list for those items that you may not have considered as part of your campervan setup. If you think we have missed any important items, please share with us so we can help all our fellow adventurers.