Greetings! Thank you for joining us on our RV gadget adventure. This month’s newsletter sort of has a theme but there are a number of nifty things we’ve tried that we hope you enjoy.
RV gadgets seem to come in as many shapes and sizes as the RVs themselves, from tiny little add-ons and hacks to gigantic and expensive stuff.
But do you have a hack or idea that you’d like to share? While so much of the space on the Internet is full of anger for some reason (probably not enough camping), we have established a terrific forum where you can ask questions and share ideas. You can find the Gadget-specific forum here. I hope to hear from you and wish you happy camping.
Edited By Tony Barthel
Page Contents
Toilets, toilets, and more toilets!
Somehow this month I got to review two camping toilets and several friends who read my articles here on RVtravel.com have noticed. So, now there is a bit of teasing going on. Here are a couple of toilets for you to ponder—one I liked, one I didn’t.
- The Go Anywhere portable toilet. Not exactly my favorite.
- The Camco Travel Toilet. This one could be a solid contender but with a few things that could use improvement. While I didn’t do a video of the Go Anywhere, this month’s featured video (below) is of the Camco.
I hope you’re flushed with enthusiasm over this!
Moved by movies
There has been some commenting here on RVtravel.com about outdoor movies. Very specifically, those of us who enjoy movies while camping. In fact, Nanci Dixon wrote an opinion piece about the behavior of some camping movie enthusiasts and has some valid points.
But I got a projector sent to me by a company called XGIMI that I absolutely loved and I am, in fact, someone who regularly brings a projector and screen camping with me. Check out my review of the XGIMI projector as a camping essential (at least to me).
Editor Emily Woodbury, too, weighed in on obnoxious outdoor screens. So, now I feel like I’m an outlier. No surprise there. But plenty of you did weigh in on your favorite flicks.
More gadgets worth noting
One of the things I see quite a bit on all those various RV forums I troll are questions about ice machines. Our own Dale Wade did a chilling (hehe) look into the things and came up with an article about the best portable ice makers for RVs.
If you’re just getting into RVing or you’re a long-timer, one of the things that makes RVing easier, if you don’t have an automatic leveling system, are wedge-shaped levelers. So I wrote a piece about my own personal favorite wedgie levelers.
Another essential, in my opinion, is a portable jump starter. Here’s a piece on that.
Is this an essential? It depends on if your allergies are like mine, but I did really like the Dreo Air Purifier that was sent to me.
Finally, we’ve been using the heck out of the Relax Sauna both on the road and back at the home base. Would this be the kind of thing you pack in your own RV? Let me know over in my gadget forum – and thank you!
Gadgets + Hobbies = Adventure
Have you been enjoying Randall Brink’s articles about prospecting as much as I have? My wife and I love spending time in the desert so we have run into quite a few RVers that also enjoy prospecting. If you haven’t caught these yet, here are some of the nifty prospecting tools in Randall’s coverage:
Getting started
To get the shiny gold ball rolling, Randall started with the basic tools you’ll need as an RVer to begin prospecting.
Once you’re hooked, let’s check out Randall’s favorite prospecting tool.
Of course, you can’t prospect without your trusty pan and Randall has this one he likes.
With the basics he mentioned, now you can get even fancier and there’s a tool Randall likes to help automate the prospecting process.
RVs as gadgets – Whaaaaaaaat?!
You may notice that this newsletter is three days late and I apologize, but there was an RV that also might be considered a gadget that I wanted to share with you all.
The first of these is the Eventure trailer, which is truly one of the more unique RVs I’ve seen in more than 600 reviews of RVs here. The Eventure trailer is actually a reality created by inventor Jon Rhodes. It is both a great tailgating rig and a rather legit RV.
But probably wackier and less realistic, but fun to read about, is the Z-Triton tricycle, a pedal-powered contraption created by Aigars Zausis. Not only is this a human-powered RV, but it is also a boat. And a bicycle. See it to believe it!
So you’re telling me …
Lots of companies send us lots of information about lots of stuff. Here is one we haven’t tried, but seems interesting:
I do plenty of stuff to create plenty of injuries and while I didn’t do one badly enough to try these, I really thought the DrySee bandage that was sent to us was intriguing. These see-through bandages can also tell you if the affected area is exposed to water. I hope all of you have a good first aid kit in your RVs. (Do you?)
Featured video
Read today’s RV Daily Tips Newsletter—don’t miss it!
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Editor: Tony Barthel
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Ok, I get the “if they build it I gotta try it” thing but really? Why do people go to the park, lake, woods?
It was supposed to be to relax, commune with nature, -GET AWAY FROM ALL THE NOISE AND DISTRACTIONS OF THE CITY-
If you can’t leave the noisy gadgets and distracting toys at home then don’t leave home!
Leave camping to those who enjoy the quiet and solitude!
That’s my two cents worth.
I decided last year to get a movie projector and screen. The biggest problem was two things. One was getting the screen to stay up and the other is that the project is a wi fi gadget. You have to stream from your phone or tablet or lap top to get it to project on to the screen. And if the phone or tablet or lap top does not blue tooth now you can spend hours working on it. Especially if you cannot get a good wi fi connection. Which we have on our phones. So good luck with it. We need to work on this one. The other thing I have had for years is the cuisinart toaster air fryer oven. But the size was too big for the trailer until they came out with the mini which I got on qvc for around 126. It is perfect size and fit for the trailer. Especially if it is just the two or one of you. So I am thrilled with it. And I got a mini kureg that does one cup. So I am all set for appliances in my trailer heading to Maine next month. Otherwise as for the projector? Its a work in progress.
I’ve only had one experience with a big screen in a campground. It was last fall in a state park so each campsite has plenty of room between neighbors & trees & shrubs. Lots of annoying light spread across the side of a massive class A, with the volume maxed. We were camped 3 sites away & it was too close. I’m not sure how many participants there were but they were very loud also probably in an attempt to hear each other over the movie/sports volume. It was noisy and extremely bright. Not a fan!
To those who need all these amenities on a vacation, perhaps staying home is a better option.
My folks when they were alive use to camp with a group that had a big screen t.v. on the outside of their motor home. In the fall and winter they would watch basketball games. My dad would say that some people would complain, then sit down and start watching also. This was in the early 90’s. To each their own.
Hi Tony,
I am interested in the projector specs but not really for RV use.
I do not use my outside TV (ever), and would not use a projector outdoors at a campground.
I am a tech geek and I would like to know the max screen size & throw distance (projector to screen). I am surprised the maker does not give any info or even a disclaimer. Seems suspect to me.
So your real world test would be helpful. Also whats your opinion on whether the 2200 lumen model would be better than the 900?
Thanks!
Whenever projectors are involved more lumens is always a plus.
My personal experience is that it worked great outdoors at night with a screen that’s basically a giant sheet of Spandex. I was really surprised by the brightness and image quality from this unit, especially since I haven’t upgraded projectors in quite some time.
The company says a 200″ screen is ideal but I would bet you could go larger. There are also some controls if you really want to get fiddly with the adjustments but the auto adjustments are kind of impressive to watch them work.
Boy, I don’t want to be the unlucky sap camped beside the {bleeped} with a big projection screen and camper lights on at night.
Why are these types of behaviour even tolerated in a newsletter such as yours? I guess you are now part of the me, me, me, generation. Where is the consideration for your neighbours?
Right on!
This has been a huge bone of contention and I completely agree with you.
I didn’t mean to advocate that we ever use the projector unless we have a large group with all the spots around us being taken and we don’t annoy others. At no point do I want my own activities to infringe on others’ enjoyment of the space.
You can’t hear my music, I don’t leave lights on if I’m not outside and never after 10 or whatever the “quiet/dark” hours are, and I don’t bring a generator either. A lot of RVers who complain about light and sound also have noisy, stinky generators and that annoys me.
I agree. Part of being a good camper means not infringing on how others wish to enjoy their camping experience. Projectors are great for groups, gatherings and other circumstances where being away from others is part of the equation.