An RV is the perfect thing to own if you enjoy outdoor adventures. Whether you prefer hiking, four-wheeling, or kayaking, there are some awesome campsites for you out there, and owning an RV allows you to take full advantage of them.
Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’re well prepared for your adventure road trip, especially if you plan on more intense camping. In this case, you will need everything you’d normally need for an RV camping trip plus all your adventure and safety gear.
Not sure where to begin packing for hiking and other outdoor adventures? These tips and the packing list at the bottom of this article should help.
Tips for Packing for a Hiking Trip and Adventure Camping
Let’s start with a few tips for packing for adventures. These simple tips and tricks could save you a whole lot of hassle during your adventure camping trip, helping to ensure you have an amazing and stress-free time.
Use Waterproof Bags
First, we highly recommend investing in some waterproof bags and containers. You never know what the weather might be like, and adventure camping can be particularly wet and muddy.
Waterproof boxes and bags for your clothes can be a lifesaver, and a waterproof backpack will work perfectly as an adventure day bag. Lastly, we highly recommend a waterproof container to carry your phone in so you can have it with you without worry.
Always Carry Water
Yes, you will want to prevent your things from getting wet, but that doesn’t mean you’ll want to avoid water entirely. In fact, staying hydrated is incredibly important and can be easy to forget when having a blast. On top of that, it’s not hard to become dehydrated when you’re outside in sunny weather.
Make sure you always carry a full water bottle, and ensure you have a gallon of water per day per person on hand.
Restock Your First Aid Kit
Outdoor adventures often go hand in hand with injuries. Most of these injuries are minor and can be taken care of without a trip to the doctor. That said, you will need to have a fully stocked first aid kit in order to properly care for minor injuries at your campsite. Be sure to check your kit before every trip and make sure you have all the essentials.
Read Reviews and Trust Locals
Finding hiking trails, biking trails, open spaces for things like four-wheeling, and other adventure spots often requires a bit of research. Before deciding on a place, make sure to read reviews and take note what the locals who frequent the spot have to say. If they give a tip that applies to that specific trail, heed it—it might make or break the adventure day for you.
Learn Rules and Obtain Permits
Another thing you’ll want to look into before landing on a spot to do your adventuring are the rules that apply to the place you have in mind. Make sure you understand what is expected of you as a visitor, and acquire any licenses or permits you may need beforehand if at all possible so you can start having fun right away.
Expect the Unexpected
When it comes to RVing, you never know what kinds of surprises might pop up. This is even more true when going on an adventure road trip.
For this reason, it’s always a good idea to prepare for the worst-case scenario and be ready to roll with the punches. Pack extra clothes and supplies, anticipate equipment breaking and pack repair kits if possible, and go in with a positive attitude.
This way, if everything goes according to plan that’s great!—but if it doesn’t, that’s okay too, and you’ll still have a good time.
Prepare Snacks Ahead of Time
Lastly, because adventure activities require so much energy, you will definitely want to have healthy, filling, and energizing snacks on hand while out and about. Because you won’t want to waste precious vacation time getting those snacks together, it’s best to prep your snacks in advance, packaging them individually so you can grab and go as you’re headed out the door.
Road Trip Adventure Camping Packing List
Now that you know the tips and tricks for packing for a perfect adventure road trip, let’s talk a bit about what exactly you’ll need to put in the RV.
As mentioned before, you’ll need all the regular RV camping essentials. You can use this list for packing for a one-week RV trip to help you ensure you have all of those things. Once you have the essentials gathered, use the list below to fill out your gear and make sure you have all the things you need for your outdoor adventures.
General Safety and Comfort Items
- Permits and Licenses
- First Aid Kit
- Flashlight
- Compass
- Map of Area
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Lip Balm
- Refillable Water Bottle
- Hat with a Brim
- Sunglasses
- Swiss Army Knife
- Solar Charger
- Quick-Dry Towel
- Venture Wipes
- Quick and Filling Healthy Snacks
- Weather and Activity-Appropriate Clothing (dri-fit Clothes, layers, wool socks, swimming attire, etc)
Tools, Toys, and Gear
- Helmets
- Life Jackets
- High Quality Backpack
- Hiking Boots
- Binoculars
- Bear Spray
- Water Cleaning Method
- Hiking Sticks
- Kayak/Canoe/SUP/Surf Board
- Rock Climbing Gear
- Fishing Gear
- Motorized Toys
There you have it, friends; the perfect tips and suggestions for packing for hiking and other outdoor adventures. Gather these things (keeping our tips in mind as you do), put them into an awesome rental RV, and head out on the adventure road trip of a lifetime!
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