Everything We Bought to Set Up Our Travel Trailer (and What We Paid)
When we picked up the Brinkley, I had no idea how much stuff a travel trailer needs before it’s ready to camp. So here’s our real list, grouped by what each thing is for, with what we actually paid. Some of it we use every single day, and some of it I’d skip if I did it again. All in, the setup came to $16,260.42: 148 Amazon items ($11,226.50) and five bigger things from other places ($5,033.92). Amazon prices move, so yours will be different.
As Amazon associates we may earn a little from the Amazon links below. It keeps the gas tank honest.
The yearly running costs are in What a Year on the Road Actually Cost Us. This is the one-time part.
Power and electrical
This is where the most money went. The single biggest purchase of the whole setup didn’t come from Amazon: a 460Ah lithium battery from Epoch Batteries, $2,286.40 with tax. That’s 5.89 kWh of storage, and it’s heated, so it can charge in the cold. The next two biggest are backup power, an Anker Solix power station and a dual fuel generator. When that generator quit in the rain near Mesa Verde, we added a second one from Walmart. The one that protects everything else is the surge protector. It sits between the campground pedestal and the trailer and cuts the power when what’s coming in is bad. The rest is adapters and cords, because campgrounds don’t agree on plugs. All in, that category was 19 items and $6,006.79.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Epoch 12V 460Ah Elite lithium battery | $2,286.40 |
| Hughes Power Watchdog 50 amp surge protector | $439.19 |
| Anker Solix F2000 power station | $1,298.46 |
Show the other 16 itemsShow less
Cameras, navigation and sensors
Backing a trailer is easier when you can see behind it. We went with a Haloview wireless backup camera. The Garmin RV GPS routes around low bridges and roads that aren’t built for a truck and trailer. The smaller sensors keep an eye on the trailer while we’re away from it, including a Waggle monitor that tells us the temperature inside when the dog stays behind. All in, that category was 11 items and $1,629.70.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Haloview BT7 wireless backup camera | $431.83 |
| Garmin RV 895 GPS | $701.73 |
| Waggle RV pet temperature monitor | $75.57 |
Show the other 8 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Waggle 4G LTE security camera | $106.88 |
| SwitchBot indoor/outdoor thermometers, 3 pack | $68.20 |
| SwitchBot 2K wireless security camera | $64.94 |
| SwitchBot Hub 2 | $54.11 |
| SwitchBot water leak detector | $48.57 |
| SwitchBot WiFi water sensor | $43.17 |
| Portable gas leak detector | $23.91 |
| Haloview backup camera bracket | $10.79 |
Leveling, hitch and towing
No campsite is flat. Every site asks for leveling blocks and chocks, and stabilizers keep the trailer from rocking when you walk around inside. We also added a lock for the hitch and a tool box that rides on the trailer tongue. All in, that category was 14 items and $839.73.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Camco Fasten leveling blocks | $119.80 |
| Rubber wheel chocks, 2 pairs | $41.97 |
| X-Chock wheel stabilizers | $62.49 |
Show the other 11 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| SnapPad Xtra jack pads | $134.90 |
| ANTUKO 30 inch tongue tool box | $112.59 |
| Beech Lane wireless leveling system | $97.15 |
| CARMTEK curved levelers with chocks | $89.50 |
| Master Lock trailer coupler lock | $35.19 |
| SnapPad Mini jack pad | $34.64 |
| HitchGrip hitch coupling tool | $32.38 |
| Rhino USA locking hitch pin | $30.12 |
| Franklin Sensors digital level | $26.98 |
| Hitch ball grease | $11.23 |
| BougeRV tongue jack cover | $10.79 |
Tires, tools and repairs
A good chunk of this came right after a flat tire in Texas that we didn’t have the gear to fix ourselves. Within a week we had a tire plug kit and a cordless impact wrench, plus torque-limiting extensions that fit on the wrench. A bottle jack came the week after. We’ve had a flat since, and I fixed it myself. All in, that category was 21 items and $1,437.65.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Rhino USA tire plug kit | $37.68 |
| DeWalt 20V cordless impact wrench | $286.08 |
| Torin 4 ton bottle jack | $38.85 |
Show the other 18 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| DeWalt jump starter and power station (bought 2) | $440.48 |
| DeWalt 20V drill and impact driver kit | $160.86 |
| RIMKOLO torque-limiting extensions for the impact wrench | $75.56 |
| Cobalt drill bit set, 29 piece | $70.14 |
| Klein Tools electrical test kit | $43.15 |
| Rechargeable tactical flashlights | $35.60 |
| Eternabond RV roof repair tape | $34.32 |
| UV flashlight (bought 2) | $33.53 |
| NEIKO 24 inch breaker bar | $30.22 |
| Torin 2 ton bottle jack | $26.86 |
| Impact lug nut sockets | $25.68 |
| JACO tire pressure gauge | $24.72 |
| Rechargeable LED flashlights, 2 pack | $22.66 |
| Strap wrench set | $21.58 |
| Flex Caulk sealant | $21.05 |
| Rubber mallet | $8.63 |
Fresh water
The basic hookup for campground water is a drinking water hose with a pressure regulator. An inline filter goes on the hose too. The regulator matters because campground water pressure can run higher than a trailer’s plumbing is built for. All in, that category was 13 items and $424.17.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Camco EvoFlex2 25 ft drinking water hose | $29.12 |
| Renator brass water pressure regulator | $29.20 |
| Camco Tastepure XL inline water filter | $33.42 |
Show the other 10 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Water flow meters, 2 pack | $77.70 |
| Camco EvoFlex2 50 ft drinking water hose | $46.73 |
| Portable water storage bladder | $43.17 |
| Replacement water filter | $34.54 |
| Camco Tastepure RV water filter | $33.01 |
| Brass hose quick connectors | $30.76 |
| Lightweight garden hose | $25.90 |
| Brass hose splitter | $21.96 |
| Hose splitter | $9.71 |
| Camco Water Bandit | $8.95 |
Sewer and tanks
Nobody’s favorite category, and one you can’t skip. Start with a good sewer hose kit. Then add a support so it drains downhill and a clear elbow so you can see when you’re done. All in, that category was 11 items and $366.52.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Camco RhinoEXTREME 20 ft sewer hose kit | $88.60 |
| Camco Sidewinder sewer hose support | $39.88 |
| Camco Rhino clear sewer elbow | $32.36 |
Show the other 8 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Camco RhinoFLEX 10 ft sewer hose extension | $39.93 |
| RV toilet paper | $32.38 |
| Camco gate valve | $32.38 |
| Sewer valve cap | $30.22 |
| Camco Rhino sewer hose extender | $30.21 |
| RV toilet tank treatment | $19.42 |
| Camco RhinoFLEX sewer hose wrenches | $11.43 |
| Camco RhinoFLEX clear 45 degree fitting | $9.71 |
Outdoor living
The campsite is half of the living space, so this is the stuff that makes it a place to sit. A propane fire pit and folding tables did most of the work. Quick-connect propane hoses let the fire pit and griddle run off the trailer’s tanks. All in, that category was 14 items and $1,510.65.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Outland Living propane fire pit | $166.40 |
| Coleman aluminum folding tables (we have three) | $60.50 to $62.61 each |
| Iococee quick-connect propane hose | $32.05 |
Show the other 10 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Rumpl puffy camping blanket (bought 2) | $215.82 |
| CGEAR sand-free outdoor mat | $70.16 |
| Tabletop griddle carry bag | $51.81 |
| Collapsible wagon | $43.71 |
| SABRE bear spray | $43.12 |
| Kohree 9×12 outdoor rug | $42.09 |
| Quick-connect propane hose, 18 ft | $28.17 |
| Quick-connect propane hose, 12 ft | $26.22 |
| Brightech USB string lights | $20.23 |
Bed and inside
RV beds come in odd sizes. Ours is an Olympic Queen, which is wider than a normal queen, so the mattress had to be specific, and so did the bedding. The mattress came from RV Mattress, not Amazon, and at $1,267.23 it’s one of the three biggest single purchases on this list. Our favorite addition is the GlowRight Halo Lux sconces, battery-powered lights we stuck on the walls. They’re almost the only lights we use. We also put screens over the furnace vents. All in, that category was 16 items and $2,350.68.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| RV Mattress Signature Hybrid | $1,267.23 |
| GlowRight Halo Lux sconces, plus a few other GlowRight lights | $366.26 |
| ELEMUSE Olympic Queen mattress topper | $151.13 |
Show the other 13 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| SwitchBot LED strip lights | $103.62 |
| Olympic Queen percale sheets | $86.36 |
| Twinkly LED line, starter kit | $84.20 |
| Battery heated blanket | $64.77 |
| Luma Cove cable channel kit | $53.97 |
| Rechargeable flameless tea lights | $35.62 |
| RV hanging shoe pockets | $29.12 |
| Moisture absorbers, 6 pack | $21.58 |
| Collapsible salad spinner | $21.56 |
| Suction cup hooks | $20.75 |
| Twinkly LED line, extension | $20.51 |
| RVGUARD furnace vent screen | $15.37 |
| TONDA furnace vent screen | $8.63 |
Bikes, dog and hauling
Straps and cable locks keep the e-bikes put, and a cover keeps them dry. Then a ramp, and dog stairs for getting into the truck. All in, that category was 19 items and $710.94.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Rhino USA retractable ratchet straps | $71.70 |
| Topcrown cover for two bikes | $34.96 |
| Folding dog stairs for the truck | $75.76 |
Show the other 16 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Folding aluminum loading ramp | $103.63 |
| Rhino USA retractable ratchet straps | $71.69 |
| Folding dog stairs | $64.77 |
| Elevated outdoor dog bed | $60.45 |
| Master Lock combination cable lock (bought 2) | $49.20 |
| PowerTye endless ratchet strap (bought 2) | $38.07 |
| Master Lock Python cable lock | $37.19 |
| Bike tail lights, 2 pack | $32.28 |
| Cam buckle lashing straps | $14.02 |
| Master Lock combination cable lock | $13.95 |
| Cargo net | $11.01 |
| Cam buckle lashing straps | $10.79 |
| Cam buckle lashing straps, 4 pack | $10.79 |
| Stanley ratchet tie-down straps | $10.68 |
Internet
The Starlink Mini itself was $539 from Starlink, and the service runs $165 to $175 a month. The rest is mounts and cables for it, plus a travel router. All in, that category was 6 items and $697.10.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Starlink Mini kit | $539.00 |
| Starlink Mini suction cup mount | $26.97 |
| TP-Link Roam 6 travel router | $53.97 |
Show the other 3 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Starlink Mini 16 ft ethernet and power cable | $30.76 |
| Starlink Mini USB-C to DC power cable | $29.14 |
| Starlink Mini tripod adapter mount | $17.26 |
Safety
Reflective warning triangles ride in the truck for roadside stops. The first aid kit came first, along with refills to keep it stocked. All in, that category was 6 items and $224.03.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Reflective warning triangles, 3 pack | $25.63 |
| 330 piece first aid kit | $29.79 |
Show the other 4 itemsShow less
| Everything else | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Lightning X trauma bag | $140.34 |
| CURAD bandages, 320 count | $17.26 |
| Triple antibiotic ointment packets | $5.74 |
| Neosporin ointment | $5.27 |
Trip planning
Three paper campground directories, one for each kind of land we camp on most. Paper still works when there’s no signal. All in, that category was 3 items and $62.46.
| What we bought | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Bureau of Land Management Camping (book) | $18.30 |
| National Forest Camping (book) | $24.78 |
| Camping in State Parks: Western USA (book) | $19.38 |
What we’d skip
A year in, here’s what I’d leave in the cart if I were starting over.
- The 12 watt solar battery maintainer. The solar panels on the roof already do that job.
- The Waggle security camera. I’d get the SwitchBot camera instead.
- The Camco gate valve.
- The RhinoFlex sewer hose wrenches. Honestly, they sucked.
- The 12 foot quick-connect propane hose.
- The Lightning X trauma bag. That one was a mistake. I don’t need it.
- The 2 ton bottle jack. I would have skipped it, but I bought it, so it is what it is.
The ones with a catch
Then there’s the stuff that’s fine, with a footnote.
- The Coleman folding tables. I love mine, but be careful with the bag. The way it’s designed, the little poles that hold the whole table up slide right out. That’s why we have three. Only two of them work.
- The outdoor rug. The $42 one on this list is already replaced.
- The salad spinner. We ended up replacing it too.
- The collapsible wagon. We don’t use it at the campsite, but we use it all the time to haul stuff out to the RV.
- The Water Bandit. It hasn’t come in handy yet. I think it will eventually.
- The Topcrown bike cover. We never use it, but it was nice to have the one time we did.
- The Master Lock cable locks. We don’t use them much, but we might now that we’re riding the bikes more.
What I’d buy again in a heartbeat
The Garmin RV GPS has been critical. I know you’ve got CarPlay on your phone. But in our truck, the moment you make a turn the turning camera pops up and covers the map. Same thing if somebody calls or you change the music. It’s so nice having a screen that’s always on and focused on just one thing, which is getting us there. I love it, and I highly recommend it.
I also love the Beech Lane wireless leveling system. It does have one issue. If it gets jostled at all, it reads wrong. So I use the Franklin Sensors level constantly, and that’s my favorite of the two.
If you’re starting from zero
Buy the boring stuff first. This is what the first campsite asks for:
- A surge protector
- A drinking water hose with a pressure regulator
- A sewer kit
- Leveling blocks and chocks
Everything else can wait until you’ve camped enough to know what you’re missing. The rest of what we travel with is on our gear page.
The whole list by category
And here is every category on one table, if you want the totals side by side.
| Category | Items | Spent |
|---|---|---|
| Power and electrical | 19 | $6,006.79 |
| Bed and inside | 16 | $2,350.68 |
| Cameras, navigation and sensors | 11 | $1,629.70 |
| Outdoor living | 14 | $1,510.65 |
| Tires, tools and repairs | 21 | $1,437.65 |
| Leveling, hitch and towing | 14 | $839.73 |
| Bikes, dog and hauling | 19 | $710.94 |
| Internet | 6 | $697.10 |
| Fresh water | 13 | $424.17 |
| Sewer and tanks | 11 | $366.52 |
| Safety | 6 | $224.03 |
| Trip planning | 3 | $62.46 |
| Total | 153 | $16,260.42 |
See you down the road,
Matt