We don’t go caravanning to graft, but there are numerous essential chores that cannot be avoided.
Manoeuvring and reversing a caravan, pitching, cleaning, and that daily trek to the chemical waste disposal are just some of the tasks that might take the shine off a weekend away, or even bring a premature end to your touring aspirations, when all the bending and exertion becomes a bit too much.
However, the good news is that there are some useful accessories and gadgets you could consider that are sure to make a big difference to your time spent on tour and are well worth packing a caravan with.
To help you make caravanning that bit easier, I’m sharing what I think are 12 of the best caravan gadgets and accessories for taking the strain out of a tour and maximising leisure time.
So, put your feet up and read on!
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1. Corner-steady winding
Even young, agile caravanners find lowering all four corner steadies a pain in the behind. So, for older and less supple touring fans, it really can be an impediment to happy caravanning.
However, there is a simple and cost-effective solution which you can add to your caravan tool kit, in the form of a cordless drill or driver. These tools cost from around £25 with a single rechargeable battery. You’ll also need a 19mm extension to fit onto the winder bolt. A 150mm extension costs from £6.49 online, but you may want a longer one to minimise the bending.
Make sure you keep the cordless driver fully-charged and close to hand in a locker, especially if you use it for other DIY jobs too.
2. Screw-in tent pegs
Hammering in and removing awning pegs can be an exhausting and frustrating task. Consider using your power driver/drill for screwing threaded tent pegs into the ground. They’ll be more secure than hammered-in standard pegs, and they’re a doddle to remove, too.
3. Get a 360° view
Minimise the need for getting out and checking all around your caravan every time you manoeuvre, by fitting a good-quality, rear-view camera. The best options give a crystal clear, wide-angle view of what’s going on out of sight of your extension mirrors – both on the road and on site – and some can even act as security cameras, so you’ll sleep better at night too.
A relaxation double-whammy! I like Falcon Technology’s HD Wireless magnetic camera system. It can be moved off or around the caravan with ease, is rechargeable and links easily to a seven-inch rear-view mirror monitor, which also acts as a DVR recorder.
4. Auto-levelling
If even a powered corner-steady set-up seems like too much effort, you could go the whole hog and treat yourself to a caravan self-levelling system.
Some of you may prefer to use the best caravan levelling ramps, but with the press of a button, these brilliant systems can level the van in both directions, then automatically lower the steadies to maintain that perfectly flat stance.
No messing with ramps or jockey wheels, and no relationship stress as you shout instructions at each other!
The best systems have your tourer flat in just two minutes, giving you more time to relax. Various ‘levels’ of system are available, ranging in price from around £1500 to over £4000.
5. Motor mover
Take the strain out of pitching and parking your tourer by investing in the best caravan motor mover. Prices vary wildly from about £400 to well over £2000, but the sweet spot sits right in the middle – which is why we’d go straight for the superb, best-selling Powrtouch Evolution.
The single-axle model starts at around £1000 online and comes with auto-engaging rollers – for minimum-effort caravanning – a handy remote control and enough muscle to nudge even heavy twin-axle caravans into the tightest, most awkward pitch without breaking sweat.
6. Keep your caravan clean with paint protection
Paint protectants make cleaning a caravan easier by creating a resilient, invisible barrier to dirt, grime, bird poo and tree sap.
The latest versions are ceramic based and bond to the leisure vehicle’s original paint at a nano level. Most are applied by the selling dealership when the vehicle is new, but finishes can be applied retrospectively, once any existing polish, wax and dirt has been carefully removed.
When applied, the coating lasts for years, resisting dirt and acidic attacks, and it often just takes a good hosing to get the shine back.
If buying new, seek a significant discount on the paint protection process as you haggle over the price of the van.
7. Air not poles
Awnings are a brilliant addition to any caravan outfit, and modern advancements in air-beam technology mean that you no longer have to bother storing, moving and building heavy pole structures.
The best caravan air awnings are robust in high winds and take a fraction of the time to put up compared to a pole awning. Simply plug in the pump, and a dozen or so actions later, the awning has taken shape. They’re also lighter… and there are fewer parts to lose.
Cut the exertion even further, by investing in an electric pump.
For those of you who do have a poled awning, don’t miss our tips on how to put up a full caravan awning, either.
8. Gas level monitoring
In the old days (2010), to work out how much gas you had left, you had to unstrap your gas bottle, lift it out and weigh it… or just shake it around a bit. What a hassle! These days, you can do it easily using Truma’s excellent Gas Level Control Monitor or LevelCheck devices. These measure the level of gas in your van’s gas bottles.
Truma’s neat Gas Level Control Monitor device costs from £130 online, while LevelCheck costs from £73. The former feeds information straight from your gas locker to your smartphone app.
Truma says its Gas Level Monitor works with all current steel or aluminium European cylinders, but not plastic or refillable bottles.
9. Gazebo living
Go one better/lazier than an awning, and plump for an instant pop-up gazebo. These sturdy and portable shelters cost from £100 for a decent brand that will last, and can be erected in a minute (literally!). The best ones are about the same weight as an air awning and measure around 5ft x 1ft x 1ft (150cm x 30cm x 30cm) when packed.
We have a Quest Screen House 4 Pro Gazebo that cost around £300. It’s brilliant.
10. Easy TV and web
Caravan Wi-Fi has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, which can negate the need for faffing around with satellite dishes or TV aerials.
With decent Wi-Fi, you can simply log into all your domestic streaming services for TV and music, without worrying about the weather outside, or trees and hills.
Multiple devices can be used at the same time, and the 4G/5G Wi-Fi antenna, booster and router can even be removed from the van and used elsewhere. Systems cost from around £350.
11. Full-service pitches
On a full-service pitch each pitch features its own tap and drain, so a Truma Ultraflow mains waterline connects the tap directly to your water inlet. Likewise, a grey-waste extension pipe takes all your caravan’s plug-hole water straight to the pitch drain. Easy!
Ultraflow costs from around £80 on eBay, while a waste extension costs from around £10.
12. Remote heating control
Not graft exactly, but how nice is it to return to a toasty tourer, rather than waiting 30 minutes for it to heat up when you get back?
You can get your ‘relax’ on much quicker with remote controls, like Truma’s iNet X app. This system gives you the ability to power-up the heating, hot water boiler and lighting in your caravan, from anywhere with a signal.
A hot shower as soon as you get in from your winter walk… sounds good to us!
Future Publishing Limited, the publisher of Practical Caravan, provides the information in this article in good faith and makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in determining the appropriateness of the advice to their circumstances and skill level. Individuals should take appropriate safety precautions and be aware of the risk of electrocution when dealing with electrical products. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future nor its employees or agents shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information. You should check that any van warranty will not be affected before proceeding with DIY projects.
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