Backup Plans / Just in Case Equipment

[FreeStipule]

Been thinking lately about what items I should bring along “just in case.” Thinking in particular about those trips planned well in advance and far enough away where turning around or finding other accommodations would be a very last, and extremely disappointing result. Family of 4 (2 kids age 5 and 8) and a puppy to account for here. So for starters I have on multiple occasions brought 2 small or 1 large tent, in part because some former Pup (since crossed to DARK SIDE) friends had the cable-pulley system break or fail on site and they ultimately learned how to fix, and bring backup, cable. And I was just reading other trip thread about setting up in rain and not being level enough to safely use LP stove, and or unable to start or cook on fire, where a backup stove (or peanut butter lol) was suggested by multiple commenters.

What are some other essential backup items that folks bring to avoid the worse case scenario?

Apologies if this is a well covered topic elsewhere (probably), my searches didnt turn up much.

 

[Sjm9911]

First, i have never had a spot i couldn't get level. Even in the rain. So, your good there. Having a grill or something else to cook with is a good idea though. Basicly , bring what you think you need. So some rain gear, evwn if its not supost to rain. Just in case stuff for me, is a good spare , jack, and make sure your tire wrench fits on the spare and the pups wheels. Maybe a compressor, fix a flat, some tools. Always a tarp and some tape or something to fix a hole if you get one. Always good tp have dry good just in case. Remember, you can always go somewhere in the tv if you have real problems.

 

[generok]

I keep enough blankets/sleeping bags to tough out a night if the furnace stops blowing... depending on the season, it's not unreasonable for me to expect low 30's.

 

[Dingit]

Enough sleeping gear/clothing to not freeze.
Spare unrefrigerated food/water in case you break down in the back country.
Tarp.
Towels.
Matches.
Tools & Things.

Why does your camper have to be level to use the stove?

Some emergency supplies are to keep you from being dead if you camp in more remote areas. Those are the important ones.

 

[gladecreekwy]

all great suggestions. I never go anywhere without my emergency jump battery pack. Make sure whatever jack you've got can handle the trailer and TV. Lug wrenches for both as well

 

[Snow]

Everything mentioned above and at least 3 rolls of toilet paper..

 

[jmkay1]

Tarp, duck tape, tool kit and paracord are my emergancy equipment for the camper. My car always has rain ponchos, blanket, jumping pack, and emergency road lights. In all the years I’ve camped only once did I run out of lynx blocks to level the camper but I had enough for the tires but not for the stabilizers so just found something around the site.

 

[FreeStipule]

Why does your camper have to be level to use the stove?

Yeah I misspoke here - that person got to s site after dark, it was raining, the lp pressure regulator leaked (not a leveling issue which which wouldnt effect cooking) and they didnt have backup stove or supplies/time to get a wet fire going).

Lots of good suggestions here but I should have worded the OP better. I’m thinking beyond essentials and emergency supplies for if I breakdown on the road or away from a town, or if unexpected weather hits, or tools should I need to make a more common repair, since all that can almost be expected at some point and I feel pretty well equipped and prepared to “survive” or get home, and would like to think I have those items already on my check lists. I’m more wondering about less common (?) potential pup or appliance failure at a campsite that thought might cancel the camping part altogether if I havent brought a backup. I’m probably going to make it a habit to being tents and bed rolls (and enough warm bedding and clothes like suggested) to be able to revert to a tent camping adventure. I will always have an independent stove and fuel along as well as some charcoal, and headlamps for all should the battery die. A power pack with jumper cables, water filtration/purification.

What else has gone wrong for you all or someone you know that beforehand you might chalk up to “didnt see that coming” category ?

 

[Sjm9911]

Some have an extra handle to raise the pup. Or extra key for the door. Other then that, you xan make do. I dont think you xan plan for catastrophic failure. Some stuff you xan make do, some you have back ups for, but you can not think of everything. I have lots of redundent stuff, hoses, electrical cords, adapters , etc for just in case. Some i have lent to others that didnt have back ups. Hell , i even lent my tire patch kit and compresser to someone else camping. Lol. Roll with it , you'll find out what you need and want shortly.

 

[Mark CASTELLANI]

I mean... are you prepared for a Zombie apocalypse?...

Serriously... sounds like you're prepared... you could drive yourself nuts trying to figure out every possible scenario... what's possible is not the same as probable...

One thing, though... an extra fire extinguisher... we used ours putting out a fire on the site next to ours... I was uncomfortable for the rest of trip not having one... we now keep two

Happy Trails!

 

[Mark CASTELLANI]

One more thing I forgot to pass on...above all else...

Bring a sense of fun, enjoyment and a sense of awe for the great outdoors

HAVE FUN!!!!... ENJOY!!!...



Happy Trails!

 

[IndyRick]

This device let's you use 1 lb bottles if you empty your 20 lb tank in the middle of grilling your steak, or potentially freezing your but off. Search steak saver on Amazon.

 

[FreeStipule]

One more thing I forgot to pass on...above all else...

Bring a sense of fun, enjoyment and a sense of awe for the great outdoors

HAVE FUN!!!!... ENJOY!!!...



Happy Trails!

Cheers. These pretty well sum up my life and what I hope for in my kids.

“Always bring and extra pair of shoes and you can never have too many socks” is what my grandma told me about 40 years ago and that has served me well.

(Still want to hear other people’s zombie apocolypse pup stories though)

 

[Zephyr]

spare fuses

 

[jmkay1]

“Don’t worry be happy”. You can prepare for only so much, anything that happens you step back, breath, and think through the problem. Can you live without it? if it’s an easy fix, perhaps take a long trip to the store for what you need. If it’s a hard fix, can you rig something up to work in the intim, or is it best to go home early. Well going home early is the lowest of the low on my list. Then again I was a tenter so I pretty much always determine I can make do without or rig something up. Case in point. I was camping once. When on my old 1990 Jayco one of the lift cables broke. Well on the Jayco it was only one of four cables so it wasn’t catastrophic, it just meant one side was lower than the others. So went out to the woods and found a dead tree branch to support the partially fallen side. We can still use the camper without issue. That branch was bungied on the lift post so it’s not going anywhere. On another trip I wasn’t thinking clearly and set up the camper without making sure my electric cable can reach the post, oops. I refused to close everything rehook the car just to move the camper 2 feet for a two night trip. Also discovered my 12v side wasn’t working that day. Bummer, but Oh well, we treated the camper as if it was a tent on wheels. Lanterns served our light, filled a bucket with water and boiled water to wash dishes. That evening my little side kick and I took advantage of the lantern light and did shadow puppets on the wall. Later on the last night my side kick said to me with a big smile on her face that she felt like a pioneer. She realized we can live without power and it can still be fun. To me, it’s those moments that count the most. If anything you are given a memory and some very interesting stories for over the campfire. You will laugh about it later, and you can learn from it.

 

[kitphantom]

We've been camping in tents though TT for 30+ years. We're not prepared for every eventuality, but we have learned a few things over the years.
With the popup that needed a crank to raise and lower it, we did have a second crank with us at all times - I had read too many reports on here of people forgetting or losing one. Made it handy if weather was threatening, since we could each take one and raise or lower the stabs, for example.
Extra footwear and clothing : not as much of an issue on longer trips, but we were reminded of needing this on a long weekend a 3 or 4 years ago. We'd decided to just toss a the minimum of clothing into the trailer when we packed Arrived at our destination (Grand Canyon) and went out walking along the Rim. Had a humongous rainstorm hit (it washed out a portion of the main road running north of Flagstaff). Shoes soaked for both of us, that was when we discovered that one raincoat wasn't long enough to protect in that storm, and the other was no longer waterproof. It turned out to be a rainy weekend, the clothing wouldn't dry, so we had to put it in a plastic bag in the truck bed. Our athletic shoes (I still want to call them sneakers) did not dry - the good thing is I could manages with my wool socks.
Extra food: we always have enough food for a couple of extra days. We still had to eat out and buy a bit when we had a bearing go on the TT a couple of years ago, since the trailer was in one place and we were in another, awaiting repairs.
Extra medications, if you need them. I learned this a long time ago, when I went to visit friends in Tucson, taking just enough for my trip. Had an issue with my vehicle, and got stuck for a week. My husband was at home, and sent more meds to their house by FedEx, but it would not have been good if I'd been somewhere else.

 

[Groomporter]

Some have an extra handle to raise the pup.

Oh... Grandpa made two cranks for lifting the roof. It's not likely anyone would steal them, much less know what they were, but I'm going to move one to the tool box in the tow vehicle rather than have both in the tool hatch of the trailer...

 

[Groomporter]

Since we don't have a galley in the trailer all the cooking is done outside, but just in case I bought a small butane stove so if it's really nasty outside we can at least make some coffee/tea or warm something in the trailer. I went with one of the flat styles since it would be less tippy than a backpacker's stove.

Also, we have a 6-foot plastic folding table to use outside, but it also can be opened, or closed with the legs folded and placed on one of the beds if we need temporary table space. -say, for the the butane stove...

 

[Snow]

I also carry 3 or 4 tarps and about 150ft of rope and about 50 binder clips in the trailer. If need be I can tarp in the awning area, or if possible tarp part of the site..

 

[Tonya Harding]

Some emergency supplies are to keep you from being dead if you camp in more remote areas. Those are the important ones.

This^^^ Keep an emergency med kit w/ you & know how to use it; crap can go south fast even in a crowded campground, maintaining calm will lessen a situation for all concerned...