Hi everybody. I finally bought my first tent trailer on Sunday. Purchased 2008 Starcraft 3612. Picking it up on Thursday. I can't wait to go camping. Anybody have any suggestions for things I must have for my trailer? Also does anyone have a Starcraft Centennial 3612 who got permanent trailer identification (PTI) from California DMV? Curious if I will be issued one automatically on new purchase. By the way, this a great forum.
Things you must have? How about a better tow vehicle! Ha! Kidding with the newbie. : )
Welcome to PUT and to the wonderful world of popup camping. Everyones needs are different as to what is a "must have"
1) outdoor mat
2) gray water tote
3) tire chaulks
4) leveling wood or lynx levelers
5) pot, pans, bed linens, towels etc. (it is a lot easier if you get these items
and leave them in the camper
6) if you have a pottie/shower combo--toilet chemical
Also, I noticed you live in So Cal. Checkout the regional forum for Southern California (SC Campers) This is a super group of people who camp together quite often. We moved up to northern California 3 years ago and still drive 400 miles to camp with these people every year. My kids are always asking when they are going to see their camping friends again.
I am not sure how the PTI tags work. We bought our camper before PTI tags started so we were issued the PTI tag directly from the DMV.
Jacqui
Welcome! I'm sure you'll be issued a PTI plate.
Must haves?
1)BAL leveler (RV dealer in so. cal has them for $52) and some plastic wheel chocks.....Walmart, etc.
2)Popup Gizmos bunk end covers, or make your own out of the silver sided hunter/outdoorsman blankets sold by REI, Cabala's, Campmor, etc.
3)Battery powered 12" electric fan(s).....Walmart
4)Weber's gas "Go-Anywhere" portable grill makes a perfect RVQ/BBQ
5)Digital weather station with a couple of remote temp sensors.....Walmart. Get the big tall one. You can keep a sensor in the fridge while towing and be able to monitor the fridge temps that way.
6)Fridge cube fan that runs on 2 D-cells keeps the fridge temp even top to bottom.
7)2" Memory Foam mattress toppers! Costco/Target/Walmart
8)12v battery charger to charge the camper's battery fully a couple days before you leave, and when you get back.
9)Enough gear to pack and keep in the camper so that it's always ready to go and all you guys have to do is throw food in the fridge, clothes in the drawers, and head off.....you don't have to remember, "did we pack the silverware, plates, glasses, towels, cooking utensils, cleaners, soaps, etc."
10) Digital tire pressure gauge
11) Infrared temp gun...for fun measuring tire, bearing, transmission, and radiator temps.
12) Better brakes for your TV
13) Brake controller for your PUP
14) Huge trans cooler for your TV
15) Sway controller for your TV
Quote from: DrayThings you must have? How about a better tow vehicle! Ha! Kidding with the newbie. : )
Whats wrong with my Toyota Taco V6? It does have 6500 towing capacity. I do have a 2006 Toyota 4Runner V8 for backup.
Quote from: austinado16Welcome! I'm sure you'll be issued a PTI plate.
Must haves?
1)BAL leveler (RV dealer in so. cal has them for $52) and some plastic wheel chocks.....Walmart, etc.
2)Popup Gizmos bunk end covers, or make your own out of the silver sided hunter/outdoorsman blankets sold by REI, Cabala's, Campmor, etc.
3)Battery powered 12" electric fan(s).....Walmart
4)Weber's gas "Go-Anywhere" portable grill makes a perfect RVQ/BBQ
5)Digital weather station with a couple of remote temp sensors.....Walmart. Get the big tall one. You can keep a sensor in the fridge while towing and be able to monitor the fridge temps that way.
6)Fridge cube fan that runs on 2 D-cells keeps the fridge temp even top to bottom.
7)2" Memory Foam mattress toppers! Costco/Target/Walmart
8)12v battery charger to charge the camper's battery fully a couple days before you leave, and when you get back.
9)Enough gear to pack and keep in the camper so that it's always ready to go and all you guys have to do is throw food in the fridge, clothes in the drawers, and head off.....you don't have to remember, "did we pack the silverware, plates, glasses, towels, cooking utensils, cleaners, soaps, etc."
10) Digital tire pressure gauge
11) Infrared temp gun...for fun measuring tire, bearing, transmission, and radiator temps.
12) Better brakes for your TV
13) Brake controller for your PUP
14) Huge trans cooler for your TV
15) Sway controller for your TV
Thanks , you gave some great ideas. I could spend hours reading peoples threads.
1.A pad of paper and a pen to write down all the things that you will think of bringing the next time you go camping.
2. Tools
3. A desire to relax and have fun!
I see that a few people have mentioned Wal Mart. I was surprised to see how much they have in the camping section. I never had a reason to look there before I got my pup.
Good luck with your pup and have fun. Now get out there and camp!
Welcome from Las Vegas!! Here's a checklist for you
http://www.paushe.com/popuppackinglist
Fishing pole.
Quote from: handfixerWhats wrong with my Toyota Taco V6? It does have 6500 towing capacity. I do have a 2006 Toyota 4Runner V8 for backup.
You're fine!
Some people are just jealous of your TV's! :p
Quote from: handfixerWhats wrong with my Toyota Taco V6? It does have 6500 towing capacity. I do have a 2006 Toyota 4Runner V8 for backup.
Your tv is fine. Look at what I'm using.
As far as your question that I never answered. My short list for a newcomer would be:
BAL Leveler
plastic storage bins
An inverter
A good potable water container (if you're going to dry camp)
Quote from: DrayYour tv is fine. Look at what I'm using.
As far as your question that I never answered. My short list for a newcomer would be:
BAL Leveler
plastic storage bins
An inverter
A good potable water container (if you're going to dry camp)
Thanks! What exactly is "an inverter" (a power converter?) and in what situations would I be using it? Any particular type you recommend?
I am really enjoying really people's comments and advice to me. I feel like I am making a whole new set of friends. Thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome!
Yep, he's talking about the goodie that plugs into your 12v socket (cigarette lighter socket in your car)in your camper and converts 12v DC into 120v A/C.
Forgot all about those handy little guys. Nice for powering certain things.
Oh...has anyone mentioned a nice soft bristle broom with dust pan? I'm not a clean freak, but I swear, I sweep the vinyl floor about every 30min because so much crud....twigs, dirt, sand, grass, leaves.....gets tracked in.
In fact, I know someone else mentioned an outdoor mat. We tried a big one on our last outing and that was nice. It's one of those woven plastic ones that folds up to be about 3" thick and maybe 18" square but opens up to maybe 4x6. Nice improvement to the amount of organic material on the floor.
Everyone's had great suggestions so far. Here's some of my own:
An indoor mat (like right inside the door) to compliment the outdoor mat and the whisk broom
Wasp/bee killer (why do they always choose MY camper & site to build on?)
A good laundry stain remover
Extra clothesline - 1001 uses, but especially useful when combined with an extra sheet for an emergency 'privacy fence'
Happy camping!
Quote from: handfixerThanks! What exactly is "an inverter" (a power converter?) and in what situations would I be using it? Any particular type you recommend? QUOTE]
I got my inverter from //www.walmart.com. Great prices there. I bought a smaller one to run my laptop.
Quote from: handfixerThanks! What exactly is "an inverter" (a power converter?) and in what situations would I be using it? Any particular type you recommend?
I am really enjoying really people's comments and advice to me. I feel like I am making a whole new set of friends. Thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome!
An inverter converts your 12v battery power to 110v so that you can use home appliances like microwave, coffee maker, TV etc.
I think that an inverter is a little more complicated than you may want to deal with, starting out. A decent size inverter would be about 2000w. In order to use it, you would need 2 large batteries. A microwave can drain the batteries pretty fast.
We have a 2500w inverter. We use it to run the coffee pot and/or microwave early in the :AM (before generator hours). With 2, 29 series batteries, we can go a weekend without charging the batteries and using the coffee pot and microwave each morning.
Here is a link to pics of our set-up:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/558141557SmJjBm
Take a good camera to take some nice pics.......
Handfixer,
All that we have added to our 3612 is lynx levelers (Wal-Mart 30.00)
and the cube fan for the frig. You should already have the bunk fans and lights as they should have come with your unit.
We did replace that heavy shower curtain with two vinyl curtains and it works much better.
As stated before make sure that you take along paper and pencil,
for your "We forget that list"
Quote from: flyfishermanFishing pole ...
and cold beer.
Quote from: 'tiredTeacherand cold beer.
Thank you everybody for great ideas. I thought I knew everything about camping. PUP camping is whole different ball of wax.
Quote from: handfixerThank you everybody for great ideas. I thought I knew everything about camping. PUP camping is whole different ball of wax.
You are right about that. After I found this forum I told my wife that it seemed like I had discovered a whole new world. I find that pup campers seem more passionate about their campers and camping in general.
Before we bought ours I always heard from people and salesman that pop up camping was a great way to get into camping before moving up to something else. I have since discovered that that is not the case and there are many people that don't want do move away from a pup and I have seen some on this forum that are getting rid of motor homes and hardsides to get back into a pup.
It's funny but now when I go camping I always look to see how many pups are there. It's almost like we have a kind of kinship.
My one concern when getting a pup was space or rather lack of. I got some great suggestions from this forum about space management and it's no longer a big concern of mine. I found through this forum that pup camping is almost a world unto itself.
Along with all the great suggestions you will undoubtedly come up with some of your own that in time you will pass along to the rest of us.
I found it interesting when taking our first long road trip with our PUP. I was stopped several times by people asking where we were going etc.; then with a wistful sigh tell how they missed their PUP since trading it in for a larger Trailer. It "sorta" affirmed my choice in RV.
Quote from: ClarabelleI found it interesting when taking our first long road trip with our PUP. I was stopped several times by people asking where we were going etc.; then with a wistful sigh tell how they missed their PUP since trading it in for a larger Trailer. It "sorta" affirmed my choice in RV.
Clarabelle,
I was planning on buying a tt this spring before we bought the pup. My wife kept suggesting a pup but I resisted mainly due to the fact that I thought our family of 6 would be too crowded in a pup. I relented and told her that it would at least need to have a toilet for me to consider it. When we were offered the pup we have now for only $500 I had to jump at it. It had a new canvas that was used twice, new tires, new axle and springs, a new water pump a toilet and a shower. When we bought it my intention was to keep it for a year or two and then get a tt. My thinking has now changed. If I do buy something else it will most likely be another pup. It would be nice to have one with a slide out and a hard sided bathroom. But I may just invest money into keeping mine in good shape. (It's an 88) I like the ease of towing, the fact that we don't have to pay to store it and the feeling I get when camping in it, being able to look in any direction and see what's around us instead of peering through a window.
I have stated in other posts that I was very surprised to see how passionate people are about their pups. I have three neighbors with toy haulers and the reason they go camping is to ride their quads. What they talk about and are more passionate about are their quads. The toy haulers are a means to get them there and a place to stay so they can ride. Pups in my opinion add to the experience of camping and enjoying the beautiful outdoors which is the reason we camp. I may be a pup'er for life due largely in part to the people on this forum. Because of them I have gotten more enjoyment out of my pup than I think I would have had I not found this forum.
I posted this a few months ago, here is a copy of some easy little things we do. All of the following items have made our tripe much easier. Enjoy the new camper.
1) Towel rack:
I went to Home Depot and got everything I needed for a simple storable towel rack that does not leave your camp site looking like the local laundry-mat. First stop inside garden where they sell the tiki oil and torches they sell a small steel steak that hammers into the ground $3.00 it will accept the PVC pipe and screw down to secure it (best part when you store it just loosen the screw and slide the steak up on the pipe)
Quote from: wavemakerTake a good camera to take some nice pics.......
Yeah, don't do like I did on our last trip. We went to James Island County Park in Charleston, SC for 3 nights over New Year's weekend. We took the digital camera AND the digital video camera. During the 3 days we were there, I failed to get either camera out once. How stupid! My two nieces, who live in Charleston, camped with us, and we never even took one picture of the 4 cousins together.
What was I thinking?? :yikes:
We also take a good set of walkie talkies with us. We have enough so that each kid can have one. They have stated range of 12 miles so hopefully even in wooded terrain we won't be out of contact with any of them should they wander off too far.
Not that this is something you need but today at a yard sale I picked up a Kabob Basket for cooking Kabob's with that I will keep in the pup.
One thing no one has mentioned so far is that you will need a good since of humor. At some point something will go wrong and laughing about it is much better for everyone than #$&@ about it.
Don't feel that you have to go out and buy every gadget someone tells you about. Over the years I have purchased or received many camping items. Some I still use and others didn't even last a camping season. My philosophy is buy slowly.
Things you will need to have are:
1. Something to block the wheels of the camper with. It can be some scrap wood or plastic wheel chocks. After unhitching an unchocked camper will roll away if there is any slope to the campsite.
2. To be comfortable you need to level the camper. Front to back is easy. You do it with the tongue jack after you are unhitched and level side to side. To level the camper side to side (believe it or not many campsites are not level :D) you need to raise the lower side of the camper. There are several ways to do this. Scrap wood can be piled up and then you back or pull the camper onto it. Lynx Leveling blocks (Lego like plastic blocks) can be used the same way. The third way is to use a BAL single axle trailer leveler. You slide the BAL Leveler around the low side tire, then crank the leveler up until the trailer is level side to side. You can eye ball how level you are or use a level to be more accurate. There are small levels that you can attach to the outside of the trailer. If you use these make sure the trailer is level when you install them.
3. You will need a fresh water hose to either fill your tank or if you have water hookups to connect the faucet to your city water intake on the camper. If you are using the city water connection you should consider using a water pressure regulator. It limits the water pressure going into your hose (it you attach it to the faucet) and camper. If the campground has high pressure it can cause leaks in your camper's plumbing. You will also need a "grey water" container and a grey water hose to drain your sink/shower into. If you have a sewer connection you will need the proper connection for that. A foam donut and a hose fitting (it depends on what type of hose).
4. Take a pad and pen/pencil along to write down everything you forgot to pack in the camper.
5. You will need bedding, cooking supplies, a first aid kit, lighter, etc.
Good luck and have a great time camping. :)
I don't think anyone mentioned a first aid kit. Don't forget any meds that anyone may be taking and bring some aspirin in the first aid kit.
A cork-screw and something to use it on......... :sombraro:
Quote from: waveryA cork-screw and something to use it on......... :sombraro:
Thanks everybody. Great ideas. I can' t wait to go camping.
2 things to add to all these good ideas.
1. When we got our pup last summer the DW would chock the tounge wheel before I un-hitched it, but it would still want to cant around some, even with the rear wheels chockked. I found a "Dock Chock" in the towing section at Wally world for about $5.00. It's a hard plastic donut that the tounge wheel sits in. Works great!
2. If you're going to be camping at the beach, add a small bottle of meat tenderizer to your first-aid kit. Mix it with a little water to make a paste and apply to jellyfish/nettle stings. Works almost immediately.
Mick
Batteries for the flashlights and other battery powered goodies,duct tape(it fixes every thing :) ) canvas and roof repair stuff, a bugle for playing revilie :yikes: