3 Pieces of Boondocking Gear Every Dry Camper Needs

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Wade Thiel

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Wade divides his time among various outdoor activities in both urban and rural environments. An adventurer by nature, he is always up for a challenging hike, fun hunt, or day out on the water with friends and family. When he isn’t enjoying the outdoors, he’s writing, reading, or tinkering with motorcycles and cars.

You can boondock in any RV. It might take a little preparation, and you have to be ready to not have hookups, but you don’t need much special equipment to make it happen. That said, if you plan to boondock often or you want to boondock in more remote locations, then you should probably have boondocking gear that makess things easier.

Avid boondockers will tell you that they’ve made some additions or changes to their RV to make boondocking as enjoyable as possible. Choose your campsite with the knowledge of your rig’s capabilities, and you’ll have a better experience. You don’t need much to take your boondocking to the next level. Here are three things that can really help.

1. Solar Power Setup

Camping with solar panels for converting energy from the sun to electricity.

When boondocking you obviously don’t have access to the power grid. That means you’ll need to find another way to charge up the batteries in your RV. Solar power is most people’s go-to solution. You have a few options when it comes to a solar power setup, too.

You can either add solar panels to the roof of your RV or you can get a portable solar panel kit. Both work well, and it really depends on your personal preference and your RV to determine what will work best. In addition to your solar panels, you’ll need a controller and an inverter. These things help make that power harvested by your solar panels usable.

When shopping for solar panel equipment, I suggest trying to find a kit that includes everything you’ll need. This makes it easier to install. Also, you can’t just go out and buy any kit. You need to ensure the kit you buy will supply enough power.

Do some basic power calculations based on the power draws of your RV’s appliances and electronics and get a solar setup that will provide enough power for your needs.

2. A Portable Generator

Portable Generators for Travel Trailers

Solar power is fantastic, but it’s not always going to be enough. That’s where a portable generator comes in. There are a wide variety of portable generators. They come in different price points, sizes, weights, and power outputs.

Once you determine the power needs for your rig, you can then determine the size of generator you’ll need. Keep in mind that you want to buy an inverter generator. Inverter generators will provide you with the power your RV can actually use.

If you purchase a conventional open frame generator you’ll get power that’s unsuitable for sensitive electronics. Those types of generators are also extremely loud. They’re not suitable for a campsite even one far off away from others.

3. 4G Cell Signal Booster

Cell booster

Boondocking is a great way to get away from it all, but I still recommend having a cell booster to stay connected. Staying connected is as important for your personal safety as it is for anything else. If you’re like me and need to be connected for work and other purposes, then a cell signal booster is a must.

It’s important to note that a cell signal booster won’t give you service everywhere. In many remote locations, you’ll not be able to get a signal even with a booster. So, if you absolutely must have a cell signal at all times, then you’ll need to stay in an area where your booster will be enough.


What equipment or accessories would you recommend for boondocking? Leave a comment below.

  • Comment (1)
  • Colleen says:

    I agree with all of the above , also would add plan ahead for water. We can go for two weeks in our rig. 1) we have a bucket in our shower to catch the water while adjusting the temp 2) we then dump this into a container to use in toilet 3) we have a container with a spigot that sets on a foldable step in the shower for hand washing 4) also an extra 5 gal jug outside for hand washing, fill the pooch water bowl and to make coffee.
    The weboost really works ! Boondocka boondocka boondocka

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