Ten Essentials for Your First Campervan Trip

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Google ‘campervan packing list’ and you’ll come up with dozens of options.

Food, clothing, cooking utensils, camp furniture, and the like are all covered in detail, and making your own packing list (and checking it twice) is a grand idea.

However, if it’s your first holiday in an RV (recreational vehicle) — such as a campervan, caravan, or motorhome — there are some less obvious but very significant pieces of gear that may fly under your radar.

With that in mind, here are ten campervan essentials that you should have on hand for your first trip.

1. Portable solar panels

Ensuring that you have sufficient energy to power your life on the road is crucial — especially if you plan to camp ‘off grid’ and not plug into an external power supply (a powered site at a caravan park for example). And you’ll want to do it cost effectively, so getting free power from the sun is ideal!

Your RV will likely have a solar power system on board, with rooftop solar panels, a battery storage system, and an inverter (which changes DC power from a battery into conventional AC power). Even so, it’s well worth investing in some easy portable solar panels to boost your solar intake when you need to. You’ll have the flexibility to position the panels directly in the sun’s path, and you may be able to plug them straight into your onboard system. If not, you’ll need an external solar generator to store and utilise the power.

2. Insulation screens

Living in an RV involves going to considerable effort to keep heat out and cool air in, and vice versa depending on the season. Most caravans and motorhomes are insulated and have insulation screens fitted to the windows. However, if you have a motorhome or van where the driving cabin is interconnected with the living and sleeping quarters, you’ll want to invest in insulation screens for the windscreen and side windows. Glass conducts heat — so those windows will either be letting heat from the sun into your vehicle, or heat that you’ve generated inside, out. Put the insulation screens up when you park to keep the temperature inside your vehicle more stable and give you some added privacy.

3. Ground sheet

Most RVs come with an awning, which is great for expanding your living space and shading the door side of your vehicle. But don’t forget to pack a ground sheet to put under it. You’ll no doubt be setting up camp on a variety of surfaces, including grass, gravel, sand, and sometimes, even mud. A quality ground sheet will reduce the amount of debris that gets transferred into your vehicle under foot. Choose a durable option with an open weave (mandated by many caravan parks) that lets excess moisture pass through and grass beneath to breathe. If you’re travelling with pets, this is an invaluable piece of kit. Don’t forget the pegs to keep it in place and a soft broom to give it a sweep.

4. Back-up fuel

If you plan to travel through outback Australia, there will be times when access to fuel will be limited; in extreme circumstances it may possibly be non-existent. It’s therefore essential to have sufficient fuel with you or have a rock-solid plan for where you’ll be able to fill up. If you’re towing a caravan or camper trailer, fitting a long-range fuel tank to your vehicle is one option. You can also legally carry up to 250 litres of spare fuel for personal use, but there are strict laws in place for how and where you can store it. Research these carefully.

In general, never pass up the opportunity to fill up in remote areas. This is the outback, and the next petrol station you come to may have run out of diesel just before you arrive. It does happen!

5. Tyre maintenance kit/air compressor

One thing you quickly learn when leaving metropolitan Australia behind is that our regional roads can be very ropey — and detrimental to your tyres. Being able to get yourself out of a tyre-related pickle is paramount, so know the ropes. Firstly, ensure you can change a tyre on your RV. Learn where the jack points are etc. Next, invest in a tyre repair kit and get some instruction on how to use it. And finally, patching up a tyre in the middle of nowhere is one thing; pumping it up is quite another. In that case, a portable air compressor will come in mighty handy. You can opt for a model that draws power from your car, or one that utilises a rechargeable lithium battery.

6. UHF CB radio

Many rookie road trippers heading for remote parts of the country don’t devote enough thought to communications, and it’s something we were guilty of on our first big trip. The outback can be a lonely place and being able to communicate with the outside world in an emergency is extraordinarily important. Start by choosing a mobile phone provider that offers maximum coverage. We’re not going to name to them, but you know who they are.

But that’s far from full-proof. You should also download the Australian Government’s Emergency Plus app, which utilises a mobile phone’s GPS functionality and ‘what3words’ technology to pinpoint your position in a remote location (even if you have no data coverage). Finally, invest in a hand-held UHF CB radio. Channels 5 and 35 on the UHF CB Band are reserved for emergency use.

7. Offline maps

Physical map reading is all but a thing of the past and most of us rely on the GPS receiver built into our phones to get from A to B. But with mobile data patchy across much of regional Australia, and most of the outback, you won’t always be able use that nifty maps functionality in your RV. Google Maps allows you to download an offline map of the area you’ll be travelling through in advance (while you do have data coverage) and use it when data coverage is not available. Your offline map will get you to your destination, but only if the whole route is within the downloaded map. Generally, offline maps last for 15 days and must be updated after that point. Keep in mind, that you won’t have access to services like traffic updates or alternative route suggestions while using an offline map.

8. Levelling tools

Ever tried sleeping on a slope? Not fun. The blood either rushes to your head or your feet, and you’ll wake up feeling the worse for wear. Having a way to level your ride will see you sleeping easy. Airbag suspension systems can come with a self-levelling function that allows you to raise and lower either side of your RV independently at the touch of a button. It makes levelling a breeze and we couldn’t live without it. Various types of automated levelling systems can also be retrofitted to caravans and motorhomes, but they’re not cheap. Manual levelling ramps are the most cost effective option. Have a small spirit level handy.

9. External water filter

While tap water is drinkable across most of Australia, it’s still advisable to filter the water going into your RV. The idea is to remove sediment, rust, chemicals, and parasites from the water to reduce their build-up in your water tanks. In all probability, you’ll have a filtration system built into your vehicle. Even so, fitting an external inline water filter between the tap and your vehicle is good practice and will act as an additional line of defence for keeping your water supply free of nasties. There are various options available. An activated carbon filter can absorb chlorine, organic compounds, and sediment from your water and leave it tasting much nicer.

10. Cleaning vinegar

The use of chemicals when cleaning your RV is a no-no. Not only can they harm the materials used in the construction of your van or motorhome, but dumping them in your grey water can be very damaging to the environment. The catch-all solution is to have a spray bottle of diluted cleaning vinegar on hand. It can cut through grease and grime, remove soap scum, and flush out your vehicle’s plumbing at the same time. Cleaning vinegar can be used on most surfaces (excluding aluminium, natural stone, waxed wood, and rubber), but check with your vehicle manufacturer to be sure.

This post was published thanks to Eco Flow.

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Do you have any tips for campervan essentials? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.

The information contained in this story is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice in any way. We make every effort to ensure this content is accurate, but we do not guarantee it. You should do your own research and seek the advice of professionals before acting or relying on any of the information provided in this story.

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