The potential damage that can be caused by leaving a vehicle outside in bad weather is well known. Few people with garages take such a risk with their car during the winter months. You protect your car from the elements as much as possible, so it makes good sense to do the same with your caravan. Just like your car, your caravan needs care and attention, to reward you with many years of pleasurable caravanning and, when you come to replace it, keep depreciation to a minimum.
Even finding somewhere to store your caravan during the winter months is not sufficient though, as the rain that falls in April contains the same acids as the rain that falls in December. Leave that rain water to build up on your caravan for too long and the deterioration soon starts, along with a probable development of sludge and green algae on the roof.
It is not just the wet weather that is a problem either, the powerful UV rays of the sun can damage the paintwork, tires and upholstery. Then, in addition to the weather, there is also bird droppings, scratches, and thieves to worry about.
So, what can you do about this? Well, if you do not have space in your garage, and do not fancy paying extortionate storage fees all year, then a good caravan cover is just what you need. It can save you a lot of both hassle and expense, and leave you to spend your time enjoying your caravan rather than cleaning and repairing it.
Caravan covers these days have come a long way from being simply a plastic sheet. Now they are made from polypropylene, which is a versatile material that is both tough and resistant to chemicals, oil, grease and heat. As well as being strong, they are also flexible and totally waterproof. They will literally cling to the outside of your caravan, and stop even an absolute downpour from getting even a single drop of water on it.
So, if you consider yourself to be a wise caravanner, is a caravan cover something that you can really afford not to have? Add covering your caravan to your standard hibernation checklist of emptying the contents, leaving the fridge door open, and securing locking it up, and you will then have all the angles covered, and you will be giving your caravan (which is a far from cheap investment), the sound protection that it deserves.
Personally speaking, the biggest discomforts I have had with RV camping in the past has been the fact that RVs have had only one toilet. I know, an article about using the toilet in your RV may not be the most comfortable topics, however, for my family it has become and important one. Most people enjoy camping with other people. This usually makes toilet and shower usage inconvenient to say the least. You know what I mean if you have ever been camping with a group of friends or even family.
Let me tell you how the folks at Keystone RV have fixed this issue. Many travel trailers have bunk beds for the kids. Many now even have an entertainment center and a door that closes so you can shut the little curtain climbers up in the back and enjoy a little privacy for yourself. This goes a long way if your kids were anything like mine. I love my kids, but when it is time to go to bed, I want to go to bed without having to listen to video games going all night. That however did not settle the issue with only one toilet in the trailer.
So the kids do not bother us in the middle of the night, Keystone RV has begun putting a second bathroom and even a second shower in the rear of the coach next to the bunk beds. The convenience of that second toilet goes without saying. What a country!!
This becomes and issue for your family as well if you use your RV for more than just an overnight trip. We usually go for a week or two when we use our RV. Having two toilets means a lot especially with teenagers if you know what I mean? Some may ask, “Why did it take RV manufacturers so long to come up with this amazing innovation?” The answer is that it has only been in the last few years that advancements in construction techniques have made it so that RVs are being made lighter and stronger than ever before. A second bathroom adds a lot of weight to a trailer and greater weight usually translates into less control when towing. That is no longer an issue. As trailers get lighter, more conveniences can be added and towability is improved.
Many RVs still come with a single bath and if the kids ever grow up and leave, my wife and I will once again return to one bedroom and one bath and not tell anyone where we are going. But for now, I am thankful for the innovation Keystone RV has shown to the RV world. Get to your nearest Keystone RV Dealer and see for yourself all the innovations in travel trailers then get out and go RVing.
There was a time in the RV business when travel trailers were made with 1×2 wood studs and covered in tin with a little bit of paint slapped on the outside. They were heavy, ugly and were not much more than a metal sided camper. How things have changed!
New technologies have brought RVs to an entirely new level of quality and comfort unheard of before. Aluminum framing, laminated fiberglass side walls and one piece roofs have made RV much lighter and more durable than they have even been. Advances in sealers and construction techniques have virtually eliminated the typical problems camper trailers have had with leaking and inefficient use of space.
Lighter weight construction coupled with advancements in suspension systems and hitches make towing so much easier than ever before. RV enthusiasts have so much more control over their trailers when towing than they have ever had. Family camping trips are now safer and a lot more enjoyable.
There was a time when RV manufacturers used the lightest and cheapest furniture and interior appointments they could get. The result was even expensive trailers looked cheap. Dinettes used to be so uncomfortable no one wanted to eat there much less sleep on one. You could feel every spring all night long in the middle of your back because mattresses were paper thin. You could not wait to get back home after your vacation it was so bad.
Now manufacturers have begun using quality furniture and appliances. Many have gourmet kitchens, pillow top mattresses and air beds sleeper sofas. You can even get a recliner to sit in while you watch you 50in LCD TV in the comfort of ducted air conditioning. RVs have definitely changed a lot.
The biggest change however, has come with the advent of the Internet. Gone are the days of trudging to one RV Dealer after another, listening to one sales pitch after another just to see different floor plans and prices. You can now do it all in your underwear sitting at your computer. You are able to views different options, visualize different floor plans and compare prices and find that one that floats your boat.
For proof of this, all you have to do is look in the mirror. You are reading this article about RVs on your computer rather than going to your local Keystone RV Dealer and looking at RVs for yourself. A-HA!! I do know what I am talking about after all. No matter how you shop for the RV you want, just remember they are not your grandparents camper trailer any more. You can now see our great country the way it was mant to be seen in an RV. Go RVing today. You will be glad you did.
All travel trailers on the market today, and there are a lot of them, have some good features. However, according to RVIA, the Keystone Outback is the #1 selling travel trailer in the country. Here are three reasons why this is true.
The first reason is the towability of the Outback. With 1 ½” box welded aluminum frame and a fully laminated fiberglass sidewall, The Outback by Keystone is the lite-weight giant of the RV industry. The construction features combined with the one piece enclosed and heated under-belly means that Outback is the most aerodynamic RV on the road. This translates into the fact that even the largest Outback Travel Trailer can be towed safely by your standard half ton pickup or full size SUV. The Keystone Outback is truly the easiest towing travel trailer in the country.
Interior appointments is the second reason why Outback is number one. There is not another travel trailer in this class that offers the luxury of LCD TVs, real wood cabinets, flush floor slide-outs and optional King Sized Beds. You will never run out of room because every Outback has a full kitchen and lots of storage. Your guests will never again have to sleep with a metal bar in their back because the sleeper sofa has a full queen size air mattress. Combined with the u shaped dinette, Outback provides much more comfort and living space than all other trailers in its class. The Keystone Outback is the most livable lite weight RV you can own. It’s just that simple.
The third reason the Outback Travel Trailer is the best is the affordability of the Outback. There are cheaper trailers out there to be honest. No other trailer has all the features of the Keystone Outback. Other manufacturers save money by scrimping on the construction and interior luxuries and claim to be just as good as the Outback. Other trailers just cannot compete pound for pound and dollar for dollar. When you compare apples to apples in terms of construction, aerodynamics and interior luxuries, there is no other travel trailer on the road that you can pull with a half ton vehicle that offers the amenities of the Outback. The Outback is a lite-weight travel trailer that is truly affordable for every family and every budget. But don’t just take my word for it, stop your local Keystone Outback RV Dealer and see for yourself why the Outback is number one and will stay there for many years to come.
Ask and RV service tech what are the most frequent problems people have when their RV needs service, he will tell you three things. Anyone who owns an RV can save money by doing these simple little things themselves.
First of all, one of the biggest problems people have is their batteries going dead. Batteries are the key to the electrical system on your RV so they need to be maintained. Even maintenance free batteries need maintenance insoite if what the manufactuer says. This is what you can do. Check the water in your batteries every three to four weeks. Water evaporates even inside the battery shell. Pull the caps on top of the battery off and refill the cells to about a half an inch below the top of the cell with plain tap water. Nothing will kill a cell in your battery faster than being low on water. This is such a simple thing, yet so many RV owners have the same problem. It can be avoided just by keeping the right water level in the batteries.
Secondly, inspect the roof on your Travel Trailer at least once every two to three months. Check to see if there are any cracks in the seals or if any seals are rolled up on the edges or even if the roof is dirty. Inspect the seams on the roofing material for cracks or deterioration. Fill any cracks you find with a silicone sealant. You cannot hurt anything so be generous with the sealant. Check the seams on the edge of the roof and make sure there are no visible issues with cracking or seals rolling up. If so coat the area with sealant. Stop by your RV Dealer and pick up a tube of RV sealant if you do not want to use plain silicone.
Sunlight, heat and all weather conditions will deteriorate the materials that are in contact with the weather most often. When some complains of the roof on their RV leaking, 99% of the time it is because they failed to inspect their roof. You will save so many problem by doing this every so often. Do this once every three months as it will take less than one hour. The third thing to do that will save you time and headaches is to check your tires and bearings every three months as well. Most new Travel Trailers come with EZ Lube axles, or what they call “buddy bearings,” that allow you to lubricate your axles without pulling the wheels. Just plug a grease gun to grease insert in the center of the wheel and pump two or three times. If you still need help, ask a mechanic to help you out.
Check your tires for proper inflation and inspect to check for dry rot. Dry rot will affect every tire at some point and is indicated by hairline cracks in the sidewalls of the tire. Replace the tires if you see any of these cracks. It will save you lots of time and headaches and you will not get stranded by the side of the road with a flat tire.
The issues mentioned here are the things that cause the most service problems for RVers. By taking a little bit of time to properly service your RV yourself, you will save time and money, not to mention you will cut down on the problems you have at the campsite or on the road. Take the time to look at these things, and enjoy your RV for many years to come.
RV camping is fun but many are choosing to live in their RV full time as it has many benefits besides a relaxing lifestyle. There is little activity more relaxing than spending a weekend, a week off, or every single day, with the majesty of mother nature and RV camping.
An RV is quite literally a recreational vehicle that has four wheels and is used for recreational activites. Regardless of the size, be it a small 20 foot vehicle or a huge well equipted motorhome, if it is your home while camping then it is an RV.
RV Camping and Your Trips
If you are seriously thinking of RV camping, narrow down the exact type of trip you will take. You may just want a quick weekend excursion to the river, or you may decide to take a month long trek across the nation. You may also be looking at RV full time living. Regardless of your lifestyle or type of trip you want to take, there is an RV perfect for you. The best way to find which one is for you is to choose a specific sort of trip you will be taking most often and do some research on it.
When you do decide to get your RV for RV Camping, have the general model in mind when you go shopping, but don’t be too specific. You have to look around and walk through several RVs to really know what is best for your needs. Play around with all the amenities that RVs offer, including flicking the light switches and checking the cabinets. If you are not certain about which RV is best for you, consider taking one for a test drive by renting the model for a weekend. There is no better way to get to know how an RV works than by seeing for yourself. Your decision will provide you with RV freedom now. Once you pinpoint the perfect one for you and your family, then you can begin planning the adventure you have been waiting to begin.
When you are finally ready to pack for your RV trip, remember to pack appropriately. If you are going for a couple of days on the lake and really want to make use of your RV’s DVD player, remember you are only staying for a couple of days, so you don’t need to bring your entire video library. Keep in mind that RV’s are for fun and relaxation, therefore adding too much clutter will surely take away from the relaxing atmosphere. To help you with your packing you can always use an RV check list. Making a list not only saves time but helps you begin your trip with all the essentials that you will need.
Jumping in your RV and leaving the rat race for the weekend is an American tradition. Did you know you can provide power to your RV with the sun while getting away from it all?
The Sun Shines Everywhere!
One of the biggest misconceptions regarding solar power is that it is limited to large panel systems on roofs. I beg to differ! There is a new nano-technology being tested with solar chips embedded in paint that you can apply to your house. That’s still two or three years away, so what about now?
If you like camping in your Open Range RV away from the crowds, then solar power is able to provide all your electrical needs. Whether you are going camping or to a NASCAR race, it is an exceedingly simple process.
If there are no electrical hook-ups, it is hard to keep your batteries charged when camping in your Open Range RV. Open Range RVs use direct current electricity unlike your home. This makes them perfect for solar electricity since solar systems produce direct current electricity and not alternating current. Recharge your batteries directly using the sun’s radiation. You will even be able to use your power converter to run your AC system if enough watts are being generated by your solar panels.
Portable solar systems consist of pop-up solar modules with four or five panels. They resemble small ladders essentially only with solar panels instead of steps. You just pop them up on the roof of the RV or in an area where the sun hits them. The systems tie directly into your batteries and power them up during the day. Extremely clean and extremely easy.
Reducing the noise level is a real advantage to using solar RV systems. Using a generator to charge your batteries is the traditional way but that generator can be extremely loud. Even those so called quiet generators make a lot of noise. Solar power makes no noise. There are no moving parts, just the sun beating down on the panels. They are so quiet, you wont even realize they are there.
panels] are worth looking at if you love RVing. Today, with the high cost of fuel, you need to save as much as you can.
The freedom to travel and go where we want when we want to go is one of the greatest liberties we have in this great country. The reason more people do not travel with their families as much as they would like is the hassle and the cost of traveling. With air travel and hotels getting more expensive and restaurants increasing their prices, traveling is becoming more and more difficult. Airlines don’t always fly to where you want to go and if they do the cost of renting a car to get around is extremely high. If you want to travel but have not won the lottery, what do you do? Travel in an RV.
This is the best way to see and truly enjoy this great country we live in. When you own a RV you get to go where you want without the hassle of checking luggage or going through security checks. Instead of seeing little squares our country from over 25,000ft in the air, you get to experience the country at eye level. There is nothing better than this for viewing the purple mountains majesty from sea to shining sea.
When you travel in an RV, you meet the best people. You meet people who are not angry and stressed out because they were 1 minute late for a flight that wouldn’t wait, their rental car wasn’t ready on time or their hotel was over booked. Rather the people you meet are happy to be there. You meet people who are friendly and considerate and more importantly, relaxed. Couple this with the fact that when you travel in an travel trailer with your family, you strengthen your relationships and create lasting memories for your children.
Traveling in an travel trailer is less expensive. No smelly hotels rooms, no sleeping in a strange bed in a strange place or eating expensive restaurant food. In your RV you sleep in your own bed and eat your own food and you are on your own time table. You have all the comforts of home and none of the hassles of being in a strange place. No matter where you travel to, from Disney World to the Grand Canyon, you can always find a space in a good RV park at a good rate. Even with the cost of fuel today, when you factor in the price of air travel, hotel expenses, car rental fees and time wasted stranded in airport lines, it is still cheaper to “Go RVing.”
There is no better time than now to to buy a travel trailer and begin to create your own family memories. Give your kids something to talk about for years to come that you both will laugh at and enjoy. Find an RV and get on the road. I guarantee you will love it like I do.
There has been a revolution in the RV industry over the last few years. For years RV owners have wanted to take scooters, ATVs and even motorcycles along when they went camping. In order to take their toys along, most people had to add an additionl hitch for another trailer on the back of their camper for everything they wanted to take. To say the least, it is not very safe to pull a third trailer.
Several years ago, many RV manufacturers began making travel trailers and 5th wheel trailers with a built in garage area in the back of RVs just to enable RV owners to take along their motorized toys when they hit the outdoors. RVs like this are called toy haulers.
Toy haulers come in almost every size from a small 23ft camper, to a 39ft, totally decked out 5th wheel that has all the comforts of home. Many toy haulers include many luxuries like a full kitchen with solid surfsce counter tops, full baths with garden tubs, kingsize beds and flat screen TVs.
Toy haulers have a fold down ramp for loading and unloading your toys and equipment. They are extremely well built with the garage area being lined with diamond plate and tie down racks. A toy hauler will allow you to take along a lot of stuff to where you want go. Being totally self contained in now a reality because most toy haulers are wired for an optional added generator.
When you are finished your outdoor activities, you will be able to relax on the inside in air conditioned comfort as you watch for favorite show, cook a great meal and sleep in total comfort. You have all the comforts of home while living all the excitement of your outdoor adventures.
Toy haulers are comparably priced with other types of RVs. When buying a toy hauler it all depends on what toys you want to take long and where you want to go and how much you want to spend. There are new ad used toy haulers that will fit every budget. You will need at least a ¾ ton truck to pull most toy haulers safely as they are heavier than most RVs because of the extra construction needed for sturdiness.
Toy haulers provide RV owners with many more options for fun and adventure exploring the great outdoors as they travel this great land of ours. Ask questions and look at some of the different models at an RV dealership in your area. You will be impressed.
Have you recently driven past a RV dealership and saw all of the RVs that they had for sale? You have seen RVs advertised for sale in your local paper or while driving around town? If you have, did you stop and wonder what it would be like to own a RV? You are definitely not alone if you have.
One of the many reasons why Keystone RVs come so highly rated and recommend is because of all that they can be used for. Keystone RVs give you the freedom to basically do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do so. For instance, if you were to buy a Keystone RV, you could use your Keystone RV to travel across the country, to go camping, or to live in permanently.
In addition to the large number of uses, Keystone RVs are also popular because many of their features. While it is important to remember that RVs come in a number of different size, shapes, and styles, there are many common RV features that can be found in a wide range of models, both ones that are large and small in size. Below are outlined a few of the many features you will find in Keystone RVs you come across as you shop for the right one for your family.
Most Keystone RVs come equipped with bathrooms. These bathrooms are often functioning working bathrooms, with toilets that flush. A large number of RVs are also equipped with small shower stalls. While showers are standard in many medium to large sized Keystone RVs, the smaller sized Keystone RVs may not have shower stalls. Having a bathroom on a Keystone RV is important, especially if you are planning on traveling or going camping.
Keystone RVs are also regularly equipped with kitchens. As with bathrooms, the size of the kitchen in question will all depend on the RV in question. Most RVs will have small ovens, stoves, microwaves, cupboards, and sinks. The size of these kitchen items will all depend on the size of the RV. For instance, smaller sized RVs may have smaller sized refrigerators, sinks, and so forth. If you are looking for a lot of room in your RV, you may want to think about purchasing a full sized travel trailer or 5th Wheel, which may have a full sized or at least a more spacious kitchen.
Sleeping areas are also common fixtures in Keystone RVs. Most RVs come equipped with at least two or three sleeping areas. In all honesty, you will find that it depends, once again, on the size of the RV in question. Many smaller sized RVs may have areas that double as couches and beds or double as kitchen tables and beds. In most full sized RVs, you may find yourself presented with rooms. Most RVs have rooms that actually have doors on them! This is great if you are looking for privacy.
The above mentioned features are just a few of the many that you may find in Keystone RVs that are available for sale. If you are looking for something in particular, like a RV equipped with an entertainment system, you will want to keep that in mind when you start your shopping.