Roadtrip essentials: Part I

The campervan and motorhome essentials - these are some of the really crucial stuff to buy for your camper or motorhome before you get on the road, or even before you collect the van!

Needless to say, there is a lot that you'll need but this is what we consider to the be some of critical stuff.

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Some of the must-haves (for us, anyway)....

• Storm straps for your awning: To ensure that you avoid suuuuuper expensive damage to your awning (and reduce noise from movement.) You would be surprised how little wind it takes to get lift-off and cause damage. Be sure to buy straps that will fit your awning - Not all awnings are created equal! We have a Thule Omnistor awning (an older model for our old motorhome) but we were on a budget so we didn’t buy Thule storm straps but, instead, opted for a more universal option in these ones and they're great. Quick and easy to put up and have held up well in high winds.

  
  

  You can obviously ignore this as an essential if your campervan doesn't have an awning!

• Legally required emergency/breakdown kit: This will vary so do check the RAC website (or other resources) for the rules in the country you’re travelling to. We bought high-visibility vests (including one for our dog!), a first aid kit, and an emergency triangle. We also bought other bits to comply with the law in France and Spain (like UK stickers and our a raft of doggo related paperwork etc) but you can read more about that here.
  

• Lightweight, unbreakable BPA free dishes or tableware: We chose these ones as they almost look like stoneware (from a distance at least) and, because they're melamine, they're worry-free as we venture around Europe including on some not so great roads! To be completely honest, we don't love the plasticky feel of this but you have to make compromises on weight and we are really pleased that we did so with these as it meant we could keep our lovely burgundy wine glasses (this is how we keep them safe).
  

• Levelling ramps: An absolute necessity as it means you keep your campervan / motorhome / RV level when you land somewhere (on or off grid, where it's allowed). It's important for more than comfort as some LPG appliances (like your fridge) will not play nicely when the van isn't level! We tried two types of levelling ramps but ended up preferring the larger ones with several clear different levels. They're not cheap but they get a lot pricier than this and they are SUPER important to get right. Ours are similar to these ones and take up a little more space than some but they are just more versatile which was what we really cared about. We store ours separately with the LPG which is why we didn't go with a bag (i.e. we use them where we see fit to stabilise other stuff on the move.)
  

• Long EHU extension cable: This probably should be first on the list as it provides power when you’re at a site. To be honest, even if you’re mostly off-grid and set up with solar etc, you may need one at times so just ensure that you choose the most appropriate length - 25metres has proved a very wise choice for us! We started with a 10m which came with the van but it just wasn't long enough (not even close) for some sites, especially in France/Europe so we would definitely say to go longer. as there's nothing worse than not being able to access the EHU you so desperately need and have paid for!
  

• Arguably, this isn't an essential but, if you're anything like us, you may want something to keep the cables tidy as it's a constant source of frustration when you're on grid. You could grab a cheap cable bag but ours busted very early on as the new cables aren't particularly malleable and can be awkward so that didn't help us much at all. Or, you could get what we now have - a super budget-friendly cable tidy almost identical to this, which we found a game-changer for keeping the cable in check and reducing storage space (believe it or not)! We actually bought ours from https://www.mohow.co.uk/ who have a ton of fab little bits for your van.
  

• Don't forget that not all campsite or 'aire' EHU power sources are created equal so, if you're planning to visit Europe (and why the heckers wouldn't you?), you will defo want an EU two pin adaptor if you have, for example. a British three pin EHU/hookup cable like we do. We bought this one to ensure that we're ok across most of France and Spain. To complete the set, you will probs also want something like this to hook up and charge at home or in other residential settings before you hit the road. To be honest, it's helpful to buy a set of adaptors as it's awful being caught without it when you need that electricity (especially for a fan in summer or heater in winter.)

• It's probably super obvious and you may well already have a selection of them but we had a chat and agreed unanimously (between two of us although Gracie seemed to nod in agreement too) that packing cells/cubes needed to feature here. Not only do we use our packing cells (two to each cupboard shelf - roughly four per cupboard except when we use the really big ones) but we also label the shelves so we know what we're pulling out!

  
  

  It sounds insane but it's prevented arguments, saved time and just generally helped keep our limited space clear and organised. We have tried many cells over the years and, without spending tons of money on them. these are our preferred (budget-ish-friendly) ones. Get plenty of shapes and sizes!!

  
  

The list is almost never-ending but, for now, you might also want to check out our 'essentials' part II and then part III lists too - or there's tons more on roadtrippin' here!