The RV is gassed up and ready to go and you’ve double, triple, even quadrupled your checklist of necessities for the voyage.
You’ve got everything you need to travel, but do you have everything you need to travel comfortably? Before you grab your keys, grab our list and indulge in some of these 7 creature comforts that will make your camping or road trip extra enjoyable!
Pillow
Bring your favorite pillow on your road trip and that little bit of home will come along for the ride! If packing a large pillow into your already cramped luggage is not an option, consider a smaller travel one to stay comfortable on those long stretches of road. If you’re one of those people who can’t get comfortable enough to nap on the ride, you should know just how far the travel pillow game has come. Gone are the days of the one-size-fits-all neck pillow or the tiny airline snoozer, options for sleepers of every variety are plentiful, so get cozy and take a short snooze.
Comfy socks
It’s a fact that your feet, with all of their surface area and vascularity, are hugely responsible for regulating your body temperature. The feet are our temperature sensors, used to regulate our core temperature by dumping excess degrees when it’s hot, and pulling heat back from the extremities when it’s cold. For a real-world example of this thermoregulation in action, think of the relief that comes on those hot summer nights by simply kicking your feet out from under the sheets, or conversely, what a warm dry pair of socks do for you after a day out in the snow. That’s why packing some thick fleece socks for your trip, either for the voyage or for the campsite, will keep you feeling snug and cozy all over and make those long rides, or chilly nights in the RV, feel like a fireside siesta. We’re big fans of keeping our toesies cozy with Smartwool and Darn Tough socks (such big fans that we carry them in our Amsterdam and Clifton Park Ski Shops).
YETI Tumbler
Nothing like a hot cup of coffee to get the trip started, right? But what happens when you get distracted by the excitement of the trip and leave your java to cool after just a few sips? Normally, you’d be pulling off the highway to grab a fresh refill to keep you motivated for the drive, but not with the YETI 20 oz. Travel Tumbler. This miracle of modern engineering is built with double-wall vacuum insulation, which works overtime to keep your beverage at the desired temperature for a LONG time.
How long? While Yeti won’t guarantee a specific time range for the product, we’ve seen these tumblers keep coffee warm for 5 hours+ and keep ice for up to 24! That’s a lot of miles with a perfectly temperate drink to help keep you rolling.
Snacks 
When you’re making good time and the traffic is light, the last thing you want to do is take a break. Sometimes these respites can’t be avoided, but a snack attack doesn’t need to be a reason to halt the progress and hit the rest stop. Pack up plenty of delicious, easy to eat treats to get you through the in-between meal times such as string cheese, nuts, and grapes. High protein snacks like beef jerky and (pre-shelled) hard-boiled eggs will keep your road tripper’s tanks full between fuel fill-ups. It’s also a good idea to avoid messy snacks such as popcorn and sunflower seeds. While they’re inarguably delicious (That salt fix really hits the spot, doesn’t it?), you may still be vacuuming up the remnants from your camper’s carpet before next years trip.
Newspapers/Magazines
Sure, your phone is the ultimate news and distraction machine, with news and social apps to keep you occupied (some would say too occupied) for hours and hours on end. This level of diversion can really take the sting out of a leg crampingly epic ride, but what happens when you’ve got a lot of miles ahead and zero bars on your device? You can almost guarantee that at some point, on a long enough road trip, you’re going to hit the dreaded cell service dead zone, but rest assured that, as long as you don’t get motion sickness from reading while on the move, there is hope! Hit the racks and grab a few of the daily papers (the really thick ones) and a few fun magazines to flip through! They’re great ways to keep busy while simultaneously catching up on current events, plus there’s usually a crossword puzzle and comics buried in the pages, for the big kids in all of us.
Power Inverter
You’ve got your cell phone covered, but what about the other devices that you want to keep powered up for the ride that don’t fit into the standard USB charging ports? A power inverter uses the power from your vehicle’s battery, coverts it from DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current) and provides juice to what needs it. Keep your laptop, camera, battery chargers, or whatever you need (within reason) all topped off and ready to go. Beware, however, that not all power inverters are created equally. Field and Stream has put together a list of things to keep in mind while shopping to make sure that you pick up the right piece of gear for your power needs
Portable Grill
Bring all the comfort (foods) of home on the road with a portable grill! We love the Weber Q Series for their functionality and portability, which translates to not sacrificing your menu choices for size. With features such as built-in thermometer, propane tank adapter for a 20-pound tank (for 18-20 hours of cook time), and a giant cooking surface, the Weber Q Series will make your campsite feel a lot like your kitchen.
You’re going to have a great time on your trip regardless, but these easy to pick-up little comforts of home will make your ride, and your whole vacation for that matter, that much better. Get out there and have fun, and keep an eye on our blog for more travel tips, tricks, recipes, and more!
