Essentials for Off-Grid Camping in Your RV​

What is needed for a boondocking backroad trip? 

Planning for an off-grid camping trip involves close attention to the essentials. Everyone’s definition of ‘essential’ varies, but we consider them to be those that keep you warm, fed, and most importantly, alive. We’ll cover the essentials in the next few segments.

What is the right amount of water?

Water, the foundation for all life, is the most important resource to bring on an off-grid trip. Because you won’t be hooked up to service, you will need to fill your fresh tank before you arrive at your off-grid oasis. Additionally, a 12V water pump (which comes in most RVs) is required for water access throughout the RV (shower, sink, toilet, etc.).

Aside from drinking water, you will need water for your shower (both inside and outside your RV), sink, and toilet (if you don’t have a composting toilet). Since it is so widely used, water is the key resource that dictates how long you can camp off-grid. Through its use in showers, toilets, and drinking, it can be easy to misjudge how much you need and use. 

As such, it is a good idea to separate your drinking water from that used for your shower, sink, and toilet. An easy way to accomplish this is to drink primarily from water bottles or an auxiliary water source.

Using a separate water source for your drinking water has a few benefits. First, by having a dedicated amount of drinking water, you ensure that you don’t accidentally run out after a long shower. Second, by using water bottles or water storage, you can keep the water cool in your fridge. But what should you use?

Consider going green by ditching disposable water bottles. There are many cheap and durable reusable water bottles that are ideal for filling in advance of your camping trip. 

Additionally, you could fill a water reservoir and keep it inside the trailer for use. The average person should drink 3-4 liters of water a day, so ensure that you have enough water for each day of camping (and bring a little extra just in case). A two-person trip for 3 days would need at least 24 liters of drinking water, for example. 

Further, you can collect drinking water from your off-grid surroundings! If you have a stream or river nearby you can get more water and easily filter it using a filter, like the Berkey. Berkey filters are among the most popular water filters on the market and can remove well over 200+ contaminants.