Looking for a terrific gift or a product to fill a specific truck camper adventure need? You’re in luck. Over the years we’ve been exposed to countless items and have tried out many, some good, some bad. In fact, some of these products were so bad that they didn’t even warrant a full-fledged review. Rather than have you sort through our voluminous archives on what we liked, we thought we would present 10 of our favorites. In fact, if you were to look in our truck and camper right now, you would find every one of these items in it! Yes, it’s true that some of these items are a little expensive, but the quality and workmanship can’t be beat. All of these products are winners. So without further adieu, here our is our top 10 gear for truck camper adventurers.
1. Raingler Back Seat Cargo Net
Safety, safety, safety. It all starts here in the backseat where most of us store our belongings. Things like folding chairs, tables, portable solar panels, bottled water, and storage totes are commonplace, but can become a real danger in the event of a mishap. The best way to protect yourself and others riding with you is some kind of restraining net and one of the best is made by Washington-based Raingler. Raingler’s Back Seat Cargo Net is easy to install and only takes about an hour with minimal drilling required for the top fastener loops. The standard net is built with 10-year UV rated 1-inch wide webbing rated to 800 psi with 4-inch openings and can be upgraded to MILPSEC zero-stretch materials or full MILSPEC mesh screening and hybrid combinations for maximum containment. Custom stitching color, material type, and material color is available. An optional doggie door can also be ordered for extra. A must-have safety item for those who own truck camper rigs, retails for $264.
2. Thermarest Ramble Down Blanket
For those who like to camp in the winter or camp at high elevations, having a warm and reliable blanket is important. Over the years we’ve tried everything from simple wool blankets to expensive sleeping bags and nothing works as well as the Thermarest Ramble Down Blanket. This ultra-lightweight, yet exceptionally warm blanket features what Thermarest calls 650-fill Nikwax Hydrophobic Down. According to the company, Nikwax-treated down staves off morning dew and other moisture to keep you cozy and warm better than those made by competitors. Measuring 88 x 88 inches, and soft to the touch, this blanket is just as spacious as your comforter at home with queen-sized coverage for two campers with room to spare. Weighs only 2 pounds 14 ounces and is “Responsible Down Standard Certified.” The Thermarest Ramble Down Blanket retails for $260.
3. MACA Coba Travel Hammock
There is a reason why these handwoven hammocks can be found in almost every bedroom in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. They’re exceptionally comfortable and cool to sleep or relax in. The MACA Coba Travel Hammock is made in Mexico using a fair trade certified hammock supplier network with over 900 weavers. The hammock is 13 feet long and capable of supporting up to 450 pounds. Each is a one-of-a-kind cotton woven hammock with a combination of cool colors chosen by the weaver. Comes with a waterproof Robin Egg Shell protective sleeve with an attached bag and includes two 6.25-foot rock-climbing-grade straps to hang between two trees. Weighs only 2.5 pounds. Another must-have truck camper accessory for hot summers and warm summer nights, the MACA Coba Travel Hammock sells for $99.
4. Yorktown Tool Roll
The one emergency nearly all of us will face at one time or another is a roadside vehicle breakdown. Unfortunately, many truck camper owners are woefully unprepared for such emergencies and have only a vehicle jack and a lug wrench to change a flat tire and perhaps a set of jumper cables. These are important items, but comprise only a tiny fraction of the items that should be in every vehicle’s emergency roadside kit. A key component of a good emergency roadside kit, is a good set of hand tools organized in a high-quality tool roll. The Yorktown Tool Roll by Atlas-46 is the best. Consisting of two sides, the front has four large, zippered front pockets, each measuring 16 x 2.5 x 3 inches, while the back side is lined with 11 wrench slots and seven multipurpose tool slots. These slots can accommodate wrenches of various sizes with the smallest slot measuring 5.5 x 1.375 inches and the largest, 8.875 x 2.375 inches. Retails for $159.
5. Scrubba Wash Bag
Touted as the “world’s smallest washing machine,” the Scrubba is a high-quality product. Made of a durable denier nylon fabric with a polyurethane coating, the wash bag features a see-through window with an air relief twist nozzle on the front side and a super grip surface on the back. The bag measures 21 inches long and 12 inches wide and comes in three colors: black, neon green, and tactical (brown). Cleaning is accomplished by rubbing your clothes against the bag’s internal washboard consisting of hundreds of tiny polyurethane knobs. As opposed to an old-fashion washboard, which is large, bulky, and heavy, the Scrubba is lightweight (it weighs only 5.3 ounces), compact, and self-contained, meaning you no longer need a bucket or a basin to wash and rinse your clothes. Perfect for truck campers with little storage space. The Scrubba Tactical Wash Bag retails for $54.95 on Amazon.com Prime (when ordering make sure you purchase the Scrubba Tactical Wash Bag with the new and improved twist nozzle that releases air much better than the pre-2017 version). Check out our full-length Scrubba review by clicking here.
6. Omnia Stovetop Oven
Wish you had an oven in your truck camper? No problem. The Omnia Stovetop Oven is the perfect fill-in replacement. Resembling a bundt pan with a lid, the Omnia consists of a stainless steel base plate, an aluminum baking pan, and a red aluminum lid. How the Omnia works is pretty ingenious. The stovetop directly heats the Omnia base plate, which in turn heats the air trapped in between the base plate and the baking pan. At the same time, the baking pan’s wide, circular “chimney” and lid allows heat from the stove to rise up and circulate back down onto the food. Thus, the Omnia Oven creates hot air both under and above the baking pan just like a traditional oven. A few air holes in the lid allow steam to escape, so that foods bake rather than steam. With the exception of a Thanksgiving turkey, the Omnia can bake just about anything, including casseroles, breads, cakes, cobblers, quiche, biscuits, pot pies, vegetables, baked potatoes, and cookies. The Omnia can be purchased on Amazon.com for $67.00. Click here to read our full-length review.
7. TemboTusk Skottle
If you enjoy creating tasty dishes away from home, then you know that creating those dishes can be a challenge without the right grill. Enter the Skottle by TemboTusk. Popularized in Africa, the Skottle’s unique, wok-like design provides hot and warm zones to cook and keep already cooked food warm. Each TemboTusk Skottle kit includes a wok or cooking disk, a portable Coleman burner that attaches underneath, three mounting legs, five locking pins, and a two-piece carry bag. All you need is a propane tank that screws directly into the burner and a lighter. The TemboTusk disk measures 18-inches, while the entire unit is 28 inches high fully assembled. Works great either at home or on the road. The TemboTusk kit sells for $325.
8. ALPS Mountaineering Table
If you camp exclusively at campgrounds, then having a portable camping table like this one might not meet a specific need. But if you prefer dispersed camping or boondocking instead, then having a quality camping table like the ALPS Mountaineering Table is a must. This lightweight, aluminum table collapses into a size smaller than a folding camping chair and is great for cooking, eating, and game playing. Putting the table together for the first time can be a little time consuming, but once you do it a few times, it becomes pretty easy. Measures 28 x 43 inches with a height of 28 inches. Weighs only 12 pounds. If you’re in need of an even larger, aluminum camping table, then the ALPS Mountaineering Dining Table is definitely worth checking out. This one sells for about $90.
9. Endless Breeze 12 Volt Fan
If you’re looking for an effective way to keep cool without having to run the air conditioner, the Endless Breeze is it! When used with open windows and other roof vents, a good 12 volt fan like the Endless Breeze can make a HUGE difference in the temperature of your camper. We like to pull cool air in to our camper by using a combination of open windows and this portable fan (windy days, of course, can also help keep the camper cool, but a good wind isn’t always available). We especially like to use our Endless Breeze fan in the cabover of our camper on hot summer nights when the air is stagnant. The fan is exceptionally quiet, has a low amp draw (only 1.2 to 2.6 amps), and comes with a 5-foot-long cord for easy positioning inside the camper. The Endless Breeze fan measures 3.75 x 14.5 x 15.25 inches and weighs only 2 pounds. A must-have item for those who like to camp in summer.
10. Trasharoo Spare Tire Trash Bag
Looking for a way to store all of that nasty-smelling garbage that you’ve accumulated on your trip? The Trasharoo Spare Tire Trash bag is a great way to do it. The Trasharoo comes in three colors—black, tan, and green and is made from high quality, water resistant 900 denier canvas. It can haul up to 50 pounds of garbage and fits tires from 29 to 40 inches in diameter. The bag features heavy duty stitching, drain holes in the bottom of bag in case of leaks, an X-strap design for added strength, and Molle straps on the side for extra storage. Even though the trash bag is made to mount on a spare tire, you can also mount it on a rear ladder, which is what we do. A must-have accessory. The Trasharoo comes with a standard 1-year warranty on buckles and general failures.
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