Regardless of the type of caravan camping you enjoy, whether it is a family getaway, a music festival, or cooking in the middle of the desert, there are certain things that are simply a must-have and they are not included when you buy a new caravan. Now, as you go on camping trips, you will eventually learn what all the caravan camping essentials are, but that’s the hard way and you will go through a lot of “we should have brought” conversations.
The whole point of caravans is to simply hop in and drive to wherever you want and have a fully functional living space with you. Otherwise, you might as well sleep in a tent and go full survival mode, Bear Grylls style. But that’s a completely different type of camping. Caravans are all about mobility, convenience, and comfort. So, here is a small list with some of the essential caravan gear that will help you get the most of your camping experience.
First things first – sanitation or waste management. Keeping your caravan clean is very important. You don’t want spending your weekend or holiday in a stinky caravan. When you buy a new caravan you will notice that the sewer hose included is very short, which means you have to park the caravan next to the dump site and you want to be as far as possible from it. So getting an extension hose is a simple solution for that problem. Make sure it’s a quality hose and you the seal is air-tight to prevent any leakage or bad smells. You should also get a separate hose for cleaning the sewage tank and a pair of rubber gloves.
Now that you’ve made sure your caravan is clean and odorless, it’s time for some power management. Electricity is essential for running all your appliances and entertainment system. Aside from portable generators and solar panels, you need to protect your electrical system with surge protectors. Having power adapters in various amps will come in quite handy. For charging your laptops, tablets, and cell phones a cigarette power adapter is a must. Another thing that must not be overlooked are caravan socket outlets since they are necessary for plugging in electrical appliances into the caravan. You can find caravan socket outlets that are designed to fit most modern caravans.
Next, you will need some kitchen accessories for obvious reasons (to avoid starving to death). You will need a portable stove which you can use to cook both inside and outside of your caravan. Also get all the essential utensils, plates, cookware and so on. Get a camper refrigerator along with some lid containers for food storage and some extras like a small coffee machine, a microwave, or a blender for even more convenience.
The rest of the caravan gear mostly depends on the type of camping you plan on doing. If you are going to a festival for example, entertainment is pretty much covered, but if you plan on spending a holiday at a caravan park, you should get a TV, a DVD player, or a sound system. Bringing a couple of bicycles along is an awesome way to explore your surrounding. Overall, you should use your imagination, consider how you will be spending your time camping, and base your decision on that.
