Touring in a caravan is truly an adventure. It is journey where some of life’s’ best memories are made. There are some who enjoy touring alone and some would rather share the experience with family or friends. However, there are some basic features and accessories that everyone will need in their van. Then there are some that serve as an extra benefit or convenience.
Choosing the right accessories largely depends on how you are going to use your trailer van.
Hence the ideal questions to ask yourself are:
- What is the destination?
- How many other people will stay in the van or will it only be you?
- What will be the duration of the tour?
Once you have the above facts clear; then you can go about choosing and installing various facilities and accessories. For example, the duration, weather and the destination will determine your decision on whether to install an air conditioner or not. The number of people travelling in the van will determine water and food supplies, bedding and other similar things.
Regardless of the answers to the above questions, let’s look at the top 10 accessories that you must include in your caravan for a wonderful and memorable journey.
Top 10 Accessories
- Fresh Water Carrier – ideally a 40 liter container should be sufficient. This carrier is installed outside the trailer and the water pump draws as much water as required. This is the same water that you will use for your kitchen taps and shower.
- Water Pump – Now along with the above, it becomes mandatory to also have a water pump. A lot of caravans come fitted with it but there some models that do not have it. Hence, you will need to ask your dealer for the right type and size to use.
- A 12V Leisure Battery – now do not confuse this with the car battery. One thing you must understand is that there can be serious consequences if you do not use a battery that is designed for use in a caravan. This battery will be used to power various appliances like the fridge. 85ah and 110ah are the often used types. If you have a large van then you can always opt for a larger battery to power more appliances.
- Gas Bottle – It is also important to have an alternate source of power for the fridge especially if you are going on long trips. Hence, you can use a gas bottle to power your oven, heating system or your fridge when in gas mode. It is important to also have the proper fittings to use the gas bottle.
- Toilet Chemicals – when one is travelling for a long time especially with a few other people; it is common for the caravan to develop a bad odor. The source of this odor is almost always the toilet. However, if one uses proper chemicals to flush the toilet then this problem will not arise and the vehicle will remain fresh till the end of the journey. There are basically two types of chemicals that you will need to buy. You can ask the dealer for help. There is a blue one that is used to flush and the pink is used in the cassette that helps in breaking down the waste.
- Locks – Now, you are not going to be stuck inside the caravan for the entire tour. There are bound to be places where you will get done and explore. During this time, the safety and security of your caravan and your belongings inside it take paramount importance. Hence, what you will need is a wheel clamp or lock and or a hitch lock. The latter will prevent anyone else form hitching on to your van and towing it away. The wheel lock will of curse make the van immovable. Just make sure that the locks are size appropriate!
- Mains Lead – you will need this to connect to the mains pint on site. This is called as being “hooked up”.
- Leveling Aid– this is a must for vey obvious reasons. The ground will not always be leveled where you park the vehicle. This will mean things can com toppling down, even children can fall off from their bunkers, the fridge and other appliances may also tilt or fall which needless to say can be dangerous. At times, one may even need to park on slopes. This is why a spirit level is a must on tour.
- Weight Gauge – there is no way to judge visually whether the amount of load you are carrying is within the prescribed safe limits or not; it is here that a weight gauge can come to your rescue and let you know whether you have added on any extra weight on tour that may be dangerous. It is advisable to start out as light as possible because people tend to shop and add extra weight during travelling.
- Awning – you are likely to experience varied weather conditions while on tour and an awning will come in handy to protect you against heavy rain. It is important that you use it while parked so that electrical equipment inside the van is well protected and any accidents can be prevented. There are different types of awnings available such as a midi awning, simple sunshade or a full length type. An awning annex can help create extra space outside the van for sleeping and for privacy.
Now, apart from the above 10 must haves, one can always add on a few other important facilities into their caravan such as a gas indicator that will let you know the level so that you are not caught off guard when it gets exhausted. Then one can always carry some extra bedding that come in a huge variety nowadays for any surprise guests! If any passenger ahs problems climbing into the caravan then there are portable step available too.
The above list is important but is by no means a complete one. Hence, you should browse online for more facilities and features that you would like while touring.