Boondocking also know as Dry Camping or Dispersed Camping is RV camping with no water, power or sewage hookups. You can boondock in a Walmart parking lot but most RVers would considered real boondocking out in the wild, out in the boondocks. Now we’ve put together some resources for boondocking that will not only help the newbie but also the more experienced.
Apps and or Websites
Who doesn’t love smartphone apps?
We do! Here is a selection of our favourite apps and or websites.
Campendium - Database of places to camp Availability: Website and IOS App (they are working on an Android version) Price: Free Created by campers for campers, Campendium has tens of thousands of places to camp, from swanky RV parks to free remote destinations, vetted by our team of full-time travellers and reviewed by our 350,000 plus members. - National Parks, National Forests, BLM, State Parks, County & City Park Campgrounds - RV Parks - Free Dispersed Camping - Boondocking - Campground photos & reviews - Cell service reports - Actively maintained database - US, Canada & Mexico
RV Parky - RV Listings, Planner & Reviews Availability: Website, IOS, Android Price: Free RV Parky is an RV Park directory built by a full-time RVer to help fellow RVers on the road. Get information, view pictures, and get directions to where you are headed to next. Find over 25,000 listings n USA, Canada, and Mexico. - RV Parks - Campgrounds - Rest areas, Walmarts Camping Worlds, Cabella's, Cracker Barrels, and Truck Stops - Trip Planer
Free Roam - Helpful tools and a community for boondockers, all for free! Availability: Website, IOS, Android Price: Free Find the best free campsites to stay at: - BLM, USFS and cell coverage map overlays - Search for Walmarts, Casinos and Rest Areas that allow overnight parking - Filter by road difficulty, safety, cell signal, weather, crowdedness and more - Find nearby dump sites, fresh water, groceries, propane, gyms, showers, cell towers, etc... - Overlay USFS motor vehicle use maps (MVUMs) on the main map - View low clearance bridges and tunnels, for tall motorhomes and 5th wheels - Review campsites, add photos and videos - Chat with other boondockers. Meet new people and keep in touch with those you've met - Find upcoming van and RV events - Log your travels. Keep a travel journal of the places you've been - Plan out future trips and find stops along your route - Find products. Get information on helpful products for boondocking and general camping
Experts
So don’t take our word for it. We’ve got a list here of some Boondocking experts that know what they are talking about.
Drivin’ & Vibin’ https://www.youtube.com/c/drivinandvibin https://drivinvibin.com An amazing resource for RV & Camping in the USA with Kyle and Olivia. Their Youtube channel features a ton of videos on RV life and specifically Boondocking. Probably the #1 reference for the Best Boondocking Campsites and Campsite Reviews. Who wants to pay for camping, right? Check out their how-to and best of videos to get started Boondocking! If that's not enough, they started a website. If you’d rather read then watch go there for articles about anything to do with RVing. In addition, they have RV News & Opinion section. Letting you know about updates to government bans on Boondocking or mobile RV scams you should know and avoid. Check them
The Long Long Honeymoon (LOLOHO) https://www.youtube.com/user/walkaboutgroup http://longlonghoneymoon.com Sean and Kristy are a couple of world traveller spending most of their time in their Airstream. They have a lot of practical down to earth information. What we like most are their RV gear review videos, however, their Boondocking Basics video is a great introduction to “What the heck is Boondocking?” Just remember always buy environmentally safe soap.
Creativity RV https://www.youtube.com/c/CreativityRV/about https://www.creativityrv.com Robin is a full-time American nomad her channel, blog and books are dedicated to showing why, how and where all kinds of people can take control of their life. We like her spirit and advice. There are of course a million more videos by a plethora of amazing people who are out there RVing and sharing their wisdom with you. We suggest Youtube (pretty sure you’ve heard of it and tried it at least once).
Gear
What should you use for Boondocking?
Well, your RV actually already has everything it needs (at least it should) to go Boondocking. The key here is for how long you can stay out away from hookups, i.e. power, fresh water and waste dumps before you need to race back to civilisation.
Here are some gear suggestions that can prolong your stay in the boondocks.
These are not affiliate links.
Power
Now, most RVs have enough power to get you from point A to B, but if you want to stay off-grid longer, you will have to look into other power sources. Typically RVers will start with a generator and depending on budget work their way up to solar panels. Here are our budget-friendly and more expensive suggestions.
Generator: Honda EU2200IC 2200-Watt Companion Super Quiet Portable Inverter Generator
Solar Panels. Two types are suitable for RVers: Rigid and Flexible. Parked In Paradis has a great reference which you can read here: Solar Panel Basics. Solar is a larger investment but can really pay off if you are Boondocking longer.
Water How much water you can take with you and how to get more is a key factor in Boondocking. While your RV will probably have a water tank, increasing your water capacity for Boondocking will immediately give you an advantage - you might even afford the occasional wash! Expandable water containers. Check out these Jug Style, Accordian Style, Cube Style. Water filters.
The External Camco Waterfilter is a favourite of Boondockers Drivin’ &Vibin’.
Lifestraws. They protect against bacteria, parasites, micro-plastics, chlorine, organic chemical matter, dirt, sand, and cloudiness - oh and it improves taste. Even better, every purchase provides safe drinking water to one child for one whole year! Buy two.
GPS Garmin RV Specific GPS. This stand-alone GPS unit is made specifically for RV travel. It includes RV destinations and resource info. Cell Signal
WeBoost Drive Reach boosts your signal while on the move (suitable for work calls in the traffic)
WeBoost Connect RV lets you connect to the farthest towers when you're parked up.
NETGEAR Nighthawk Mobile Hotspot If you’re serious about working from the road, you’ll need a powerful hot spot. The Netgear Nighthawk is one of the best available.
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