If you follow our Grateful Glamper YouTube channel, you might have seen a video that we posted recently discussing what we consider to be “must haves” for any RVers, campers, or outdoor lovers. These are all products we use ourselves, and we spent some time in the video showcasing each one of them.
We decided to put together this blog post in order to discuss each one of the products a bit more, as well as to provide you with an easy-to-navigate resource if you were thinking of getting any of these items for yourself or as a gift. We’ve had a great time using these products, and we’re sure you will too!
Set Power Portable Fridge
This portable refrigerator for camping and RVing was the first item we showcased in the video, and with good reason! It’s a great unit. What makes it ideal for travel is its “bump tolerance,” which is up to 30°.
This means that the compressor in the unit won’t have any problems due to traveling over a bumpy road or steep inclines, which is a feature often overlooked when purchasing a travel fridge. Temperatures in this unit range from 0℉ to 50℉, so yes, you can use it to keep your ice cold on the road!
Bamboo Roasting Sticks
Visit the Grateful Glamper shop to purchase your set now.
Of course, we never leave home without our very own Grateful Glamper brand roasting sticks! These sticks are perfect for marshmallow s’mores, shish kebabs, hot dogs, or any other campfire treats you can think of.
And at 36 inches, you’ll get to enjoy safer handling and easier control. And since the skewers are made of eco-friendly bamboo, all you have to do when you’re done is toss the skewers into the fire—no cleanup!
Happy Camper Mug
This is such a fun mug! But more than simply being fun, this mug is also really great at keeping your beverages warm. It’s made of stainless steel, has double-wall vacuum insulation, and even has a clear lid. The BPA-free lid is a phenomenal touch because it prevents spills and keeps your coffee or cocoa hot even longer. We have several of these and I’ll sometimes even break them out at home during the winter months.
OneTrail 30L Capacity Hiking Day Pack
Our favorite day pack by far! This day pack is durable and lightweight. By itself, it only has a weight of 12 oz. While I wouldn’t recommend it for any serious abuse, the RipStop fabric is stronger than it looks. The dual zippers are convenient. With a 30L capacity, we’ve always had more than enough room in this bag for short hikes or walks away from the rest of our gear.
Adhesive Utility Hooks
The main feature of these adhesive hooks by 3M is the fact that they can be removed later without damaging the surface you originally put them on. The strong adhesive strips allow each hook to hold up to 5 pounds, more than enough to hold a coat or other light accessories. And yes, I have removed one of these before, and the claims about not leaving a sticky residue or damaging the surface appear to be true.
Folding Bucket
This is one of those pieces of gear that you don’t really think about until the moment comes that you say, “Gosh, I sure wish I had a bucket or something.” It’s decently made, cheap and collapses for easy storage, and just works. Good for storing kindling, water for pets, or for filling with ice.
Telescoping Ladder
Now, this is a truly must-have piece of gear. If you’re out in the middle of nowhere but need to get on top of your rig for some reason, you’ll be so glad you have it. In the video, we show how we use ours, and it’s been such a boon on the road. It’s easy to store and very sturdy.
Inflatable Kayak
Another item worth referencing the video for, is we show the setup process for these inflatable kayaks. We love ours! For the price, it’s actually an amazing piece of equipment, and it includes a set of aluminum oars and a pump. Ours holds air quite well even after quite a while on the water. While this isn’t what you’d want to use to go down a whitewater river, it’s perfect for mild rivers and lakes.
Solaray PVC Dry Bag
You know, when we first started getting into the RV lifestyle, I’m not even sure I knew what a dry bag was—but boy is this a great invention. Basically, it’s a bag, and anything you put in it stays dry. Absolutely a must-have for boating, kayaking, or hiking during rainy weather. The bag even comes with a waterproof phone case to keep your mobile safe and sound no matter what kind of adventure you’re on. An excellent product.
USA Sticker Map
This is such a fun idea. Before buying it I was concerned that it wouldn’t be big enough, but it’s plenty large and visible—see the video for a better view of it. We’ve enjoyed putting together this map of the United States with stickers for each state we’ve been in. Someday we’ll reach all 50!
Blackstone Griddle
Yum. That’s all I can say about this. We haven’t, but I’ve been very tempted to pull this out even while we’re at home! This cooking griddle by Blackstone has 330 square inches of cooking surface and works wonderfully. Great for those times when you don’t feel like cooking over the fire. We’ve made some great meals with this and it’s just a real joy to use. If you want the real “glamorous camping” (glamping) experience, you need to have one of these!
50 Amp Surge Protector
Ben describes this surge protector at about the 7:30 mark of the video, where he discusses how this product can help protect your RV from voltage fluctuations and power surges. You might think that this isn’t the most exciting RV gift out there, but if you’re accessing power from somewhere that happens to have bad wiring for whatever reason, this puppy will prevent your stuff from being fried (those being the technical terms, of course).
RV Life Book
The excellent book Living the RV Life: Your Ultimate Guide to Life on the Road by Marc and Julie Bennett is packed with tips and fun anecdotes for the practical RVer who wants to learn more about the lifestyle from true road-hardened experts. It’s a great way to determine if longer multi-week or multi-month trips like we’ve done are really something you’re up for—and if so, this book will help you get prepared.
National Park Sticker Set
This sticker set is similar to the USA sticker set mentioned earlier (#11). It’s awesome! This set of vinyl stickers are 1.5 by 2 inches each. There are 61 stickers in total, one for each of the national parks. If you’re into visiting national parks, this is a must-have.
Speaking of which…
National Park Pass
Visit the official National Park Service site now to purchase your park pass now.
Annual passes for the national parks are so affordable—at the time of this writing, they’re only $80. The parks service offers a number of other passes as well, such as for military members and seniors. Don’t forget to pick up your pass before you get on the road!
40 Ounce Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle
These water bottles are great. Since they’re vacuum insulated, you can keep cold beverages cold for a full day (24 hours) and hot beverages hot for up to 12 hours. They’re BPA-free too, which is important to me. They’re also available in a ton of different colors, so everyone in your family can have their own and know which one belongs to them. Overall, we’ve been very pleased with these bottles.
Wine Tumblers
These tumblers are another one of those “glamping” items—using them is so much fun. They’re great for wine or any other kind of beverage that you want to keep cool. They’re made of stainless steel and have a BPA-free plastic lid. There are two sizes available, 8oz and 12oz.
#20 – Coleman Camp Chair
Can you say plenty of pockets? This camping chair by Coleman is our favorite. There’s just so much room for drinks, books, magazines, or whatever else you want to have on hand while you lounge. They’re comfortable and sturdy too. We’ve spent many hours in ours around the campfire or looking out over a gorgeous view. Unlike a lot of other camping chairs out there, the seat and back have cushions (albeit small ones, but they do make a difference).
Camping Life Hat
All right, so this is just a fun one—but these are actually really nice hats. Show off your love of the camping lifestyle while keeping cool and looking good! These hats are made of 80% cotton and 20% polyester, so they’re going to last a long time. I also really like that it’s a velcro strap (and not the snap-and-lock thing that most other baseball caps have). It’s a great hat and a great gift!
Looking for More RVing, Camping, and Travel Advice From Real RVers?
We hope you enjoyed all the products we highlighted today!
As we mentioned at the beginning, we actually use every single product mentioned here—because we’re real RVers. If you’re interested in learning more about the RVing lifestyle, there’s plenty more information to be found on the Grateful Glamper blog. Whether you’re looking for campground reviews or tips on RV living, we’ve probably (literally) “been there, done that.”
We also carry an assortment of awesome RVing and camping gear in the Grateful Glamper shop. As a small, family-owned business, your support is truly appreciated.
Best wishes on your travels… and, as we like to say, enjoy the journey!
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