Gift recs to kit out a small travel trailer?
December 3, 2018 1:05 PM Subscribe
You are an experienced car camper/backpacker/light traveler. You have decided to up your camping game by purchasing a small travel trailer with (tiny) kitchen and bathroom. What is the coolest gift I could get you to help accessorize, that you haven't already bought yourself?
Assume dishes, cleaning supplies, basic cookware is taken care of and that literally every possible thermos or cooler configuration has already been purchased as well. The recipient is outdoorsy and loves anything made of natural wood, leather, wool, etc. Weight is a major consideration as the trailer is being towed.
Assume dishes, cleaning supplies, basic cookware is taken care of and that literally every possible thermos or cooler configuration has already been purchased as well. The recipient is outdoorsy and loves anything made of natural wood, leather, wool, etc. Weight is a major consideration as the trailer is being towed.
Sugru packets are tiny and so useful
Luci Solar light. Even if they have one, two is better, it's really nice to have cozy lighting around a campsite
Pendleton wood blanket if you want to spend more
posted by veery at 1:18 PM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
Luci Solar light. Even if they have one, two is better, it's really nice to have cozy lighting around a campsite
Pendleton wood blanket if you want to spend more
posted by veery at 1:18 PM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
A small, lightweight, weatherproof entry rug. I have a trailer similar to that, and having a small rug or big doormat that you can put out in front of the door keeps it so much cleaner and makes it feel more like home.
posted by true at 1:27 PM on December 3, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by true at 1:27 PM on December 3, 2018 [7 favorites]
Seconding Luci lights and you can't have too many of them. I recently picked up this rechargeable headlamp and I love it much more than others I've had; it's lighter and it doesn't take weird batteries you can't find when you need them.
Beyond that I'd take seanmpuckett's advice and go with a gift card. People are very particular about their gear.
posted by headnsouth at 1:48 PM on December 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
Beyond that I'd take seanmpuckett's advice and go with a gift card. People are very particular about their gear.
posted by headnsouth at 1:48 PM on December 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
A pie iron. Or a set of card games (two sets of playing cards, skip Bo, uno, Milles Bornes). A cool set of solar fairy lights. Some kind of wooden plaque with their name (or better yet- the camper's name)
posted by Ftsqg at 1:56 PM on December 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Ftsqg at 1:56 PM on December 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
+1 to a cool pack of cards -- in my group, even the lightest packers don't mind carrying the extra 100g for a pack.
+1 to gift cards and not an actual piece of gear, because unless they've told you the explicit model they need, they will have gripes about it.
I think light-weight decorations, like stickers or magnets, would be nice.
Also, perhaps food? They've got the kitchen, so you can help them stock it! You could splurge for nice things that they maybe wouldn't purchase for themselves. Like an indulgently good set of spices or chocolate.
And depending on what type of hiking they do, perhaps a subscription to a map service, like Gaia GPS? (It includes all of Nat Geo's maps) Finding/buying/printing nice maps can be a pain depending on where they are, so a subscription service may be worth it. YMMV though, for most folks it would be completely unneccessary.
posted by matrixclown at 2:13 PM on December 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
+1 to gift cards and not an actual piece of gear, because unless they've told you the explicit model they need, they will have gripes about it.
I think light-weight decorations, like stickers or magnets, would be nice.
Also, perhaps food? They've got the kitchen, so you can help them stock it! You could splurge for nice things that they maybe wouldn't purchase for themselves. Like an indulgently good set of spices or chocolate.
And depending on what type of hiking they do, perhaps a subscription to a map service, like Gaia GPS? (It includes all of Nat Geo's maps) Finding/buying/printing nice maps can be a pain depending on where they are, so a subscription service may be worth it. YMMV though, for most folks it would be completely unneccessary.
posted by matrixclown at 2:13 PM on December 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: They may already have one, but I consider my Kindle a crucial part of my lightweight backpacking setup. Save weight and carry thousands of books!
posted by stinkfoot at 3:56 PM on December 3, 2018
posted by stinkfoot at 3:56 PM on December 3, 2018
You didn't mention a price limit, so how about a cell phone booster? It's pretty nice to watch Netflix in your trailer out in the boonies.
posted by ottereroticist at 4:21 PM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ottereroticist at 4:21 PM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
1st aid kit
smoke & carbon monoxide alarm
solar charging mat for phone
LED headlamps, flashlights, solar lanterns, solar string lights
multitool - I keep a cheap one in the car and it's useful
I have a solar/ crank/ rechargeable radio/ flashlight/ USB charger for emergency use, and I take it car camping.
bungee cords & extra shock cord (elastic cord)
the door mat is a great suggestion, it helps keep the camper cleaner
posted by theora55 at 5:19 PM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
smoke & carbon monoxide alarm
solar charging mat for phone
LED headlamps, flashlights, solar lanterns, solar string lights
multitool - I keep a cheap one in the car and it's useful
I have a solar/ crank/ rechargeable radio/ flashlight/ USB charger for emergency use, and I take it car camping.
bungee cords & extra shock cord (elastic cord)
the door mat is a great suggestion, it helps keep the camper cleaner
posted by theora55 at 5:19 PM on December 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
I have several strings of solar fairy lights in my garden and they are really great.
I was also thinking a large set of LED candles, like a dozen or more. Obviously you should never burn real candles in a trailer, but the light is so sweet and cozy (and if you're going to be stargazing/moving around outside at night, a couple of them will let you see around without blowing out your night vision). Also, so many parks have fire restrictions these days, but a cool tray or container with 6-12 (or more!) LED candles in it would be lovely for sitting around on a nice night, or you could line a walkway/sitting area with them.
Ones that are non-flickering or have a non-flicker setting are probably more ideal for a) being able to see consistently by b) not scaring passersby/rangers that you've got a real fire indoors or outside.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:33 PM on December 3, 2018 [3 favorites]
I was also thinking a large set of LED candles, like a dozen or more. Obviously you should never burn real candles in a trailer, but the light is so sweet and cozy (and if you're going to be stargazing/moving around outside at night, a couple of them will let you see around without blowing out your night vision). Also, so many parks have fire restrictions these days, but a cool tray or container with 6-12 (or more!) LED candles in it would be lovely for sitting around on a nice night, or you could line a walkway/sitting area with them.
Ones that are non-flickering or have a non-flicker setting are probably more ideal for a) being able to see consistently by b) not scaring passersby/rangers that you've got a real fire indoors or outside.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:33 PM on December 3, 2018 [3 favorites]
A gift card to Snow Peak or Best Made Company would not be amiss. That said, CGear sand-free mats really help keep a campsite tidy.
posted by evoque at 6:51 PM on December 3, 2018
posted by evoque at 6:51 PM on December 3, 2018
gift certificate to Walls need Love so they can get some fun vinyl wall decals to decorate it with
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 7:45 PM on December 3, 2018
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 7:45 PM on December 3, 2018
A weather radio that can be reset for the local forecast (I live in Tornado Alley).
Seconding any type of LED battery or solar lights, including something to hang outdoors.
A hammock. Not only are they comfortable to sleep in (Brazilian-style at a diagonal) but they make a nice chair between two trees. Don't bother with the self-supporting frames -- they are heavy and take up a lot of space.
A small waterproof tarp (silnylon or waterproof ripstop nylon) will make a good outdoor porch in rain and sunshine. Cheap tarps leak at the most inconvenient times. All tarps suffer from sun damage and must be replaced eventually.
posted by TrishaU at 11:54 PM on December 3, 2018
Seconding any type of LED battery or solar lights, including something to hang outdoors.
A hammock. Not only are they comfortable to sleep in (Brazilian-style at a diagonal) but they make a nice chair between two trees. Don't bother with the self-supporting frames -- they are heavy and take up a lot of space.
A small waterproof tarp (silnylon or waterproof ripstop nylon) will make a good outdoor porch in rain and sunshine. Cheap tarps leak at the most inconvenient times. All tarps suffer from sun damage and must be replaced eventually.
posted by TrishaU at 11:54 PM on December 3, 2018
A Cocoon Grid-It organizer in a suitable (of many) size and configuration. They really are working as advertised.
posted by Harald74 at 6:55 AM on December 4, 2018
posted by Harald74 at 6:55 AM on December 4, 2018
Camp a toaster off of amazon. I have an antique 4 slice toaster that goes over a flame, it is shaped like a louvered Mexican pyramid, with a one inch or so foot around the base. It will hold a piece of toast each side. Toast is nice anytime, with peanut or other nut butter and homemade jam. The amazon one is the first I saw.
posted by Oyéah at 8:43 AM on December 4, 2018
posted by Oyéah at 8:43 AM on December 4, 2018
Try antique over flame toaster, pinterest. They have a couple.
posted by Oyéah at 8:59 AM on December 4, 2018
posted by Oyéah at 8:59 AM on December 4, 2018
Oh yeah - I watch a lot of UK/EU-based vanlife/caravan/narrowboat/live-aboard youtube and the Ridge Monkey is really popular with them, in part because the clamshell design holds in heat and makes it a sort of oven, so more efficient for things like burgers, chicken, dry-fried potatoes, vegetables etc as well as toast and toasted sandwiches, and will work over a gas/alcohol flame, woodstove, grill, campfire etc.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:39 PM on December 4, 2018
posted by Lyn Never at 5:39 PM on December 4, 2018
Best answer: As a recent tiny trailer owner, the suggestions above are spot on, especially the door mat, Luci light, and toaster. In fact those are the three things we got after spending a few days out on the road.
One thing not mentioned is a nice set of levelling blocks. We got the Lynx levelers and the matching wheel stops. You can get by with scraps of wood or what ever, but these make setup quick and painless.
posted by snoboy at 5:47 PM on December 4, 2018
One thing not mentioned is a nice set of levelling blocks. We got the Lynx levelers and the matching wheel stops. You can get by with scraps of wood or what ever, but these make setup quick and painless.
posted by snoboy at 5:47 PM on December 4, 2018
Response by poster: Thanks all for the great suggestions! Will pick up a few of these and anticipate coming back to this Ask for future gifting.
posted by assenav at 9:32 AM on December 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by assenav at 9:32 AM on December 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:10 PM on December 3, 2018 [5 favorites]