Editor’s Note: This post is written by a member of LTV’s sponsored content team, The Leisure Explorers. Do you own a Leisure Travel Van and enjoy writing? Learn more about joining the team.
More You May Want To Bring On Your Next Adventure
Planning a summer road trip? This edition of my annual products list covers a few things you may want to bring along.
They may not appeal to you, but others may find them useful or necessary. We’ve tried most of these, but I’ll pass along some in no particular order.
Talkin’ Trash
I don’t like plastic, and I like plastic, so therein lies the issue many of us face. There are plenty of reasons it’s convenient and plenty that make it an environmental headache. Here’s one way to feel better using plastic trash bags: by ones by Dailygood. They’re made with 97% certified post-consumer plastic, and they buy from sources including America’s farms. Are you a big plastic user? They’ll buy your waste, so this forever product is used in as large a sustainable loop as possible. Sizes range from 30-gallon biggies to 13-gallon kitchen trash size.
Keep Those Pesky Pesties Off Pets
Are you bringing the pooch or kitty along on your trip like we do? Guard them—and you—against Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and other maladies with Pestie’s all-natural spray. It kills and keeps those blood-suckers off your pet, and that also means off you, too. It’s made with plant-based ingredients.
A Beach Towel That Stays Put
Want a beach towel that will stay straight instead of curling up with the breeze? Lay & Stay could be for you. Put the small pegs at each corner into the sand, and it’ll stay put. They also make one for beach chairs.
Shampoo Bars? Sure!
Here’s another space and plastic-saving idea. Barbers used soap bars to lather and shave customers, so why not shampoo? Here it is, from J.R. Liggett, based in New Hampshire. It also sells a plant-based body oil bar. It’s all biodegradable.
Charge It!
Here’s an easy way to keep your electronics charged while traveling. The EZQuest charger fits into any 12v outlet on your LTV, produces 66 watts of recharge power, and features both USB-C and legacy USB connectors. The company says their units charge up to 1-1/2 hours faster than others.
Shade It!
Here’s one we’ve featured a few years ago, and it deserves another. The folks at MagneShade say their windshield and front door shades will significantly reduce sun load on your vehicle, and after buying ours, we agree.
Attach the magnets to the inside of your windshield, and your shade attaches to them, cutting the heat that enters your RV before it does by as much as 90%.
Sauce It!
This is, in my opinion, the Goldilocks of hot sauces—just enough heat to be interesting, with plenty of taste. I’m already on my third bottle of The Pepper Plant sauce. It’s available at Amazon in several varieties, and next order, I’m tempted to buy the gallon size.
Autside Pickleball
We all know how popular pickleball has become at many RV resorts and campgrounds. If you want to get in on the fun or replace your well-used racket, here’s one maker to consider. Buy from Autside, and it will donate a portion to nonprofits supporting families with children on the autism spectrum. The company also makes portable nets.
Crossing The Bar
Here’s a simple addition to your screen door to simplify closing. With the Camco Screen Cross Bar, grab and close your RV’s screen door by giving you something to hang on to rather than reaching into the slide opening and holding it. Do it gently, and you can close it and the solid side door. Follow the directions to fit the space and secure it with the supplied screws. It’s available on Amazon.
A Pillow You Can Adjust
The most comfortable sleeping pillow for one person may feel like a rock or too soft for the next. Enter the folks at Parallel Sleep. Their pillows, designed and made in the U.S., are infinitely adjustable because you unzip the cover and add or remove the filler support to make your sleep the best. The outer cover is washable, and the inner cover is infused with antimicrobials, which the seller says keeps it smelling fresh.
Zip’em On
If you want the ability to add an extra layer quickly, ZipONs from Befree may be just your thing. Initially designed for caregivers, those who have a family member needing adaptive clothing, or someone who’s just had surgery, they’re also great for morning or evening lounge-around-the-campsite wear and can be used to layer up. They do what the name implies: zip on.
Do you Want Crumbles Or Patties?
Rather than working on a frozen brick of ground beef, Pound of Ground Beef Crumbles is a new way to keep ground beef in both the crumbled and patty varieties ready to go when you’re on the go or after a day in the “saddle” of your LTV.
Because it’s already crumbled, it browns up in 7 to 10 minutes and is ready to mix in your favorite pasta sauce to make a great, uniform dish. It also comes in a version with chopped onions pre-mixed.
Rear View Cam, Dash Cam, EV Charging
Like it or not, at least two of these items are in your future. For some reason, Ford and Mercedes models from the late teens to the early 2020s do not have installed rearview cameras. Why that happened, I’d love to know, as driving with a rearview cam on an LTV is safer than not and is about as distracting as a rearview mirror.
We’re trying a wireless and semi-solar powered version from Type S, and sold online including where we’ve found the best price, Costco. Its camera comes in the shape of a license plate holder. It’s adjustable for angle and features a very wide-angle lens. The Bluetooth-enabled camera connects to a screen you can mount or carry on the front window. A wave of your hand activates it after it’s paired. I say semi-solar because the camera must first be fully charged and powered by the tiny solar panels on the mount. It and the lightweight screen are already paired, and the screen is activated with a wave of your hand. If you’re not happy, Costco has an excellent return policy.
One possible issue is that if you carry bikes, the camera may be blocked. You can solve that by simply using removable zip ties and tying them onto a ladder or even on one of those bikes.
If you’re brave and want to drill, a fellow LTV owner highly recommends VisionWorks from TechnoRV. It is also wireless but is powered by your LTV and involves tapping into a marker light. Costco has an excellent return policy.
Wolfbox also sells rearview and dashcams. The rearview attaches to your now useless rearview mirror, and the dash cam goes on the dash. It also sells 40—and 50-amp vehicle home charging systems compatible with all current EVs. Many states and utility companies offer rebates to make buying one free, but in many cases, you’ve already got to own an EV or PHEV or have one ordered.
A ‘Fabulyss’ Dangle
If you love wearing baubles on wrist straps, this one covers it all and offers some personal protection. The pom pom is just for fun, I’m told, but this one also comes with pepper spray, an AirPods holder, a loud personal safety alarm and a menacing kubotan. All this may not stop a charging grizzly, but could come in handy at an overnight stop. Find it here.
Okay, enough to explore until my next edition.
Editor’s Note: The views, recommendations and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Leisure Travel Vans.
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