• Airstream camper trailers can be purchased used as well as new.  The values for the Airstream will vary according to the age, model, and wear and tear on the camper.  The Airstream camper value is well documented in severa l different websites.  If you’re looking to buy an Airstream trailer, try checking with your local credit union or bank to check the blue book value.  The KBB (Kelly Blue Book) is issued (as a book!) several times per year, and is available by subscription.  Although it’s nice to have a brand new copy, you can sometimes find a used copy for sale.  You can also check your library to see if they have any in the reference section to sit down with.  You can bring your laptop to the library if they have an internet connection, and sit down and calculate camper values using the Kelley Blue Book for Campers.  These are the categories that KBB values covers:  Folding Trailer values, Fifth Wheel Trailer values, Travel Trailer values, Van Conversion values, camper blue book values, and motor home rv values.  You can find more info on the KBB website (Kelley Blue Book Value.)
• Teardrop campers, or tiny campers, are very popular.  They’re easy to tow, and generally lightweight, and a good camper value.  Check the tow capacity of your vehicle – and don’t forget to estimate the amount of luggage and household (camping) items that need to be stored inside the camper.  The teardrop camper will be of a good value to climb in out of the weather,  Next time you’re tent camping in the rain, visualize the great camper value of a tiny teardrop trailer!  Dry sleeping bags!  Cozy mattress!
• The VW or Camper van has been a great camper value and  popular way to travel and camp for decades.  My Grandparents picked up a Volkswagen Camper in Europe in the early 70’s and traveled in style and comfort all over Europe. 
• RV’s range in value from several thousand dollars for a vintage Winnebago to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new luxury RV.  If you’re looking for rv values, you can find a handy resource on the Nada website.  This online camper blue book value website is easy to use, and includes thousands of camper model values.  Just use Nada’s handy A to Z camper value matrix to look up the precise model and year camper you’re looking for, plug in the features, the mileage (if applicable) and you can estimate the used value.  They also have some telephone numbers on their website for cash for RV’s.  Nada is a great resource for establishing camper blue book value if you know specifically the model camper you need the values for.  Nada isn’t helpful if you want to just browse and get an idea of what you need, you’d have to click links endlessly to calculate camper values, and the pictures and reviews just arent’ there.  It’s a lot more helpful to browse eBay if you’re just looking to kick some tires!
• Last but not least, Sunset recommends a pop-up trailer.  This should be lighter weight and easier to tow than a full length camper trailer, less weight for better gas mileage, easier to park, and less expensive.  If you’re looking to buy a pop-up trailer used, you can check your local Craigslist site for pop-up campers,  folding trailer values, fold down camper values and so on.  Basically what you’re looking for is a trailer that changes size when you set it up.  Most pop-up campers have extensions that pull out or fold out, giving you room to place your mattress for a good night’s sleep.  I’m partial to the pop up camper system that cranks or uses hydraulics to open, because a single adult can set up the pop-up camper.  For an idea of pop-up camper values you can also check your local newspaper to see if they’re running any ads for camper lots.  If so, stop by and let them know which mode l you’d like, and if you don’t see it on the lot they’ll keep you in mind for any trade-ins that come in.  eBay is a great site to search also, just to see what’s on the market and how much it’s selling for.

Macabee Folding Camping Chairs

The camp chair is a key piece of equipment.  This is the spot for eating, taking a break, roasting marshmallows from, and enjoying the campfire at night.  There are several great models to choose from, including the maccabee folding director’s chair for an extra high perch above the ground.

For less than thirty dollars, it is engineered for comfort and long term durability.  The ‘Highback Camp Chair’ is provides a relaxing, simple seat for a low price.  Although it has a cheap cup holder and no place to rest your feet, this is a rugged, collapsible, and cozy chair for the money.  For a few dollars more, invest in the maccabee armchair with ‘textiline’ fabric.  This is a weatherproof mesh fabric allowing air to flow to keep the seat comfortable, and it is resistant to mildewing caused by extended outdoor use.  This foldable, powder-coated steel unit is an excellent choice for your next trip.

A popular model, the ‘Captain’s Armchair’ is a relaxed frame, foldable seat made of lightweight steel and textilene fabric.  It is fitted with additional body support through the maccabee ‘SideSupport Technology’ and like most of the products in this line, is a bargain at $30.

At these prices, it can’t hurt to have an extra chair or two.  At the least, make sure everyone has their own, or you might lose your seat.  Choose quality camping gear and it will last for years of outdoor journeys into the wild. Buy Folding Camping Chairs on eBay!

If you’re shopping for camping chairs, here’s the link to eBay camping chairs: Check out Camping Chairs on eBay! Camp folding chairs are easy to find, and great to bring along camping!

Check Amazon.com for rocking camping chair availability:

Time was that rocking chairs were solid wooden things that were used in the living room or the porch. For the comfort that they offered, they were mostly a pain to move. Nonetheless, they were treasured furniture, used to while away the restless hours. A child would sit on his grand father’s lap, amused by the rocking, and probably fall to sleep in the process. It’s a common picture. Even as adults, one continues to find these chairs a soothing place to sit. Being on such chairs is always a treat. Very few can resist wanting to sit on a wooden rocker, when it is unoccupied and in plain view. The one thing that would make it perfect would be if you were able to bring it with you when you go on excursions.

Rocking camping chairs offer the perks of a traditional rocker, only it is portable enough for you to bring with you to the great outdoors. Rocking camp chairs are collapsible. They fold into manageable sizes (often with its own carry bag) that allow you to take them with you in the same manner as you would, say, a folding umbrella. The best thing about these foldable rockers is that you can bring them anywhere, making your camping trip more comfortable.

Imagine sitting on your camping rocking chair while enjoying a fresh cup of coffee under the shade of a majestic oak tree, or watching the stars at night on one of your reclining camping chairs. Even at home, when you feel like spending some time in the garden and think that your traditional chair is just to heavy to lug around. It is also great when you are traveling out of town on a budget, and staying in a single-bed hotel. Just prop your portable rocker by the window and watch the clouds move.

Replacing aluminum or fiberglass poles is less confusing if you purchase or order each replacement pole as a separate kit. Again, this depends on the brand name of your tent. Popular brands that have tents for sale nationwide will have replacement kits easily available, while specialty products may mean more online searching for manufacturer websites or buying each individual part needed to build a replacement pole separately.  Nationally known brands such as Coleman, have become so popular that most replacement Coleman tent poles can be readily purchased in any store that sells camping equipment.

Aluminum poles for larger tents and canopies can frequently be found and purchased online. These poles are not as difficult to assemble and can be found in many different widths and lengths.  These poles can sometimes be found locally in specialty store that sell awnings and large tents for special events.

When deciding on a new tent, researching the ease of finding and assembling replacement parts should be an integral part of your search for the best product; having the lightest or most waterproof tent available on the market, will do you no good if it has to be left at home because of an broken pole that cannot be replaced. Once you have decided on the new tent and purchase it, also purchase several tent pole repair sleeves. These sleeves are just slipped over the pole to cover a week or damaged area and then crimped in place. Using one of these sleeves before the pole is irreversibly damaged can save time and expense and allow you to keep using your tent for long periods of time without needing to replace entire tent poles.

All in all it is important to be able to find replacement tent poles for your tent. Usually the higher quality tents will have more replacement poles available. Other manufactures will offer upgraded poles for more specialized camping trips. Perhaps you got a tent that you like a lot but the poles are too heavy. You may be able to upgrade to a lighter pole. The same goes if you are going to a place with very high wind speeds. You will need a higher quality pole for that region.

List of 12 Things to Consider for Camper and Travel Trailer Values

1. If you’re going to purchase a camper or travel trailer, are you looking for new or used travel trailer values? Just like new and used car prices, there’s a difference in price for the trailer sitting on the new RV lot, and the same travel trailer once it’s been purchased and removed from the lot. It’s lots of fun to visit new RV lots, and really fun to look at the floor plans and order a new travel trailer.  On a budget?  If you’re looking to save some money on the purchase of your travel trailer, buying used may be a good choice. 
2. Are you buying or selling a camper or travel trailer?  If you’re buying a camper or travel trailer, have you narrowed down the model you need?  When you visit a lot it’s exciting, and you may end up choosing a travel trailer that’s a bit more pricey than you need.  When you’re buying a travel trailer first make a checklist of what you really need, in the way of size and features.  And don’t forget to consider the weight and towing requirements that your tow vehicle will handle.  When you’re looking to buy a travel trailer please remember that when you tow it you will have your items stored inside, so consider this when selecting your travel trailer.
3. If you are trying to determine the travel trailer value for an rv you already own, a good starting point would be to make a complete appraisal checklist.  Your travel trailer value will consist of the model and year of the travel trailer, the year and overall condition, and any extra features you may have installed.  Take pictures inside and out, and note the condition of electrical, plumbing, storage, canvas, appliances, etc.  Be honest about any mold, mildew or other damage.
4. Ready to compare travel trailer values?  Some good places to look are Nada for some lookup tables of general info, Craigslist and eBay for actual sales.  Nada is a good starting point, it’s free, easy to use, and will help you to think about all the features of the travel trailer you’re trying to get the values for.  Craigslist is great for travel trailer values too, you can see listings that are today’s prices.  You won’t be able to get any historical data from Craigslist, just current info.  eBay is fantastic for both current and historical travel trailer values.  Just go to eBay Motors and you’ll be able to search travel trailer values, and if you click on the advanced search feature (you have to be logged in, and have an account to use this) you can see what the travel trailer values for closed listings are.
5. If you just need quick info for travel trailer values, and you know your model number, Google and other search engines are great for finding used travel trailer values.  It’s kind of the luck of the draw, but if you enter your exact camper name and model number in the search engine you’ll be amazed at what you can come up with in the way of info for travel trailer values.
6. What makes up travel trailer prices?  If you’re looking at new travel trailer prices, there is dealer overhead.  The dealer pays rent and utilities, and salaries or commissions to salespeople.  The dealer may own or might have financed the travel trailers on the lot.  The day of the month may be a factor in travel trailer prices – there’s always hope at the beginning of the month for the dealer, and by the time the end of the month is upon them, there may be room for negotiation for travel trailer prices!
7. When you buy a used travel trailer from a private party, you have to consider that what you see is what you get.  If something is wrong with the travel trailer, it’s generally your problem once you pay for the travel trailer and take it with you.  When you’re buying a used travel trailer first make sure the party selling it to you is really the owner.  If there is any doubt, walk away.  Make sure the ownership papers and registration is in order.  Check regulations of sale with your local Department of Motor Vehicles to see what you’ll need to do when you purchase a used travel trailer.  If this first priority checks out, then proceed to a complete inspection.  If you’re able to bring along someone with experience in this area, all the better.  Safety is a top priority, both with the towing of the used travel trailer and the use of the used travel trailer.  If it’s not safe, and you can’t fix it, walk away.  If the owner is telling you something about the used travel trailer that doesn’t make sense, or is pressuring you in any way, just walk away.  It’ not worth it to buy someone else’s problem when you buy a used travel trailer.  Once you’ve determined that the title and safety considerations are in order, then inspect the used travel trailer features.  If it’s what you need, and will satisfy your requirements today and for the next several years, you may have a good match for your needs in a used travel trailer.
8. How do you find a travel trailer for sale?  Once you’ve narrowed down your requirements to the type of travel trailer you need, what you can tow safely, and your price range, where can you look for a travel trailer for sale in your area?  Start with your local RV dealer.  They may take in used travel trailers on trade when they sell a new rv, camper or travel trailer.  Let them know what you’re looking for, and they can be on the lookout for it.  Next, you can find your travel trailer for sale on Craigslist or eBay.  There are also quite a few websites that have classified sales for rvs and travel trailers for sale. 
9. What’s the best time to find used travel trailers for sale?  Probably the off season.  If someone has been considering putting their used travel trailer up for sale, that means they don’t need it anymore.  Nothing speaks louder for a lack of need for a travel trailer then a yard full of snow!  Use the winter months to your advantage when you’re looking for used travel trailers for sale!
10. How do you know if travel trailer pricing is good?  Before you buy, give yourself a few days to research the travel trailer pricing you’ve found.  Check the resources mentioned above, and do some comparisons.
11. Is the economy affecting travel trailer sales?  There are several different ways to look at this.  Yes, if you ask different rv dealers if their sales are up or down, you will get current info on travel trailer sales.  Look into this enough and you’ll probably find that there are still buyers, and there is travel trailer sales data to back this up.  The more interesting question is this;  which travel trailers have strong sales?  What are people buying, and why?  Value for the dollar is important, and travel trailers that provide enough features for comfort and safety, without going overboard in luxury, will be a good value, and probably reflect in the travel trailer sales data.
12. How do you know if you’ve found the right travel trailer at the best travel trailer price?  By the time you get to this question, you’ve no doubt done your research.  You know what you want and why, you know the pricerange you’re comfortable with, and what you can safely tow.  Once you’ve arrived a the travel trailer price question, give youself the time to document the details of the purchase, and take a few minutes to look on Nada, look at Craigslist and go to eBay Motors.  (Be sure to open an eBay account a few days before you need to look something up, and do a few practice searches to make sure you’ve got the hang of the advanced search feature.

Have we covered the bases for you on the topic of new and used travel trailer prices?  Hope so!  Please leave a comment to add to the conversation – what helped – or – what did we leave out?  Thanks!

*Please enjoy the 100 year Anniversary of RV’s video!

Camper blue book is established by evaluating the current condition of the camper, and comparing that condition to the camper blue book of other similar campers that have recently sold in the same geographical area.  Feeling overwhelmed with the process of establishing blue book for your camper?  Let’s break down the steps to better understand the camper blue book process.

1. Make a detailed list of the condition of the interior and exterior of the camper to establish the the camper blue book.  Do this whether you’re buying or selling a new or used camper.  (Obviously this step will be easier with a brand new camper on the sales lot, but take the time to do this step anyway.)  Keep yourself organized and on track with an expert kit of checklists for inspecting campers, trailers, 5th wheels, and RV’s.  Use these checklists for inspecting both the exterior and interior of the camper.  Click Here!  CHECKLIST FOR CAMPER BLUE BOOK
2. The camper book value is an estimate of the value the camper would sell for in the current market at the time of the sale.  It’s good to look up the current camper blue book with the Nada online site.  (This is useful for setting camper blue book for newer models only, not older or vintage camper blue book.)  This is an estimate only, but it’s a really good starting point.  Kelly blue book is helpful also, it’s just not as easy to access.  You can purchase the kelly blue book manuals quarterly, or ask your local librarian to see if a copy is available locally or if the library can borrow a copy.  (They’re moderately expensive.) You can also ask your motorhome or camper dealer to show you their copy, they need it too to help set the camper blue book.
3. A test drive for a motorhome is recommended. It can be a challenge when you’re buying a motorhome to look objectively at the motorhome when you evaluate the book value. Here again is where it’s handy to have an impartial checklist to use. Imagine yourself as a professional inspector with clipboard and list handy! This will help you to see things clearly as they are, not as you would have them! Interested in more info about camper inspection checklists? Click Here!.
4. Check the camper blue book on eBay.  By researching eBay Motors for sales of similar campers you can get a good idea of the blue book.  Here’s the trick with eBay Motors – don’t search the current listings!  The current eBay Motors current listings for campers show the seller’s desired sales price, which isn’t necessarily the benchmark for blue book for campers!  To get current realistic market camper blue book from eBay Mortors, look at the upper right hand corner of the screen for eBay Motors and click on “Advanced Search.” You’ll be able to fill in the boxes for the type of camper you need to evaluate the blue book for. And – very important! – select “completed listings” only. This is the gold nugget of information you’re looking for – how much have they actually sold for? Here’s a link to eBay Motors, and the page for “completed listings” is already selected for you. Just fill in the information from the menus and you’ll see the searches of the completed listings.

eBay Motors Screen for Camper Blue Book

Dyna Glo Tag-A-Long portable propane heaters are very useful little heaters that can, with a source of propane, provide you with a source of portable heat on any sort of outdoor adventure.  Portable propane heaters have long been popular with campers and RVers.  I will briefly discuss the merits of this particular model line.

Similar to the famed Mr. Buddy heaters, Dyna-Glo propane heaters are powered – naturally enough – by propane.  More specifically, they utilize the commonly available 16oz Coleman propane canisters which can be easily found in many stores.  This means you will always be able to find fuel for these heaters.

One neat feature of these Dyna-glo heaters is their method of stowing the propane canister.  The incorporate a swiveling valve to allow for attachment of the canister at a convenient angle.  Once attached the canister is swiveled down and stored within the heater itself.  This is a very neat and clean setup!

Another great thing about these portable heaters is the safety features. They incorporate sensors that can detect both low oxygen, or if the heater has fallen over. If either of these conditions is detected the heater will automatically shut-off to prevent asphyxiation or fire.

These heaters, depending on the model chosen, can produce anywhere from 4500 to 16000 BTU.  They run on either one or two – based on the model – propane canisters.  The base model can run for 6 hours, while the larger two canister model can produce 10 hours’ worth of heat.  With a few spare canisters kept in reserve, one of these devices can provide sufficient heat for an extended trip.

Whatever your application – camping, RV use, caravan or travel trailer – Dyna Glo heaters are definitely worth looking into.  They could well be the ideal match for your portable heating needs.  Enjoy your next camping trip!

Shopping for a portable propane heater? eBay is the best source of information and selection of portable propane heaters! Click Here: Portable Propane Heaters on eBay! Browse eBay today!

You don’t need to wait to go camping until you have the perfect camper, trailer or motorhome!  It’s easy to assemble your camping needs with basic, easy to afford caming supplies.  To start your camping list, decide how many people will regularly go camping as a group, and in what type of weather.  Will you just use your tent once or twice while you’re looking to buy the perfect camper?  This will help you set the budget for your family tent. 

Camping is a very popular activity among people for family vacations or trips.  In order to go camping with a large group or family, you will need to have family tents.  There are many different types of camping tents to choose from and it is important to keep size in mind when choosing a tent so that you have enough room to comfortably house everyone on your next camping trip. 

There are large and small tents with varieties to each size.  You should decide what is best for your family and also best for you pocket because some of these tents can get pretty expensive.  There are tents that have different compartments, or rooms, so that each person can still have privacy; however, they also have tents that are just as large that contain just one single opening that can fit four people or more.

Two main different types of styles to choose from when choosing a family style tent are dome tents and cabin tents.  Each of these come in different varieties and has numerous sizes to decide between.  However, you must remember that if a tent does not have the word “family” on it, it does not mean that your family cannot fit in it because a large tent will work just as well.

These types of tents are different from beach tents.  Tents intended for use on the beach are generally much smaller and more lightweight, and the main purpose of them is to provide protection from the sun rather than protection from the wilderness and shelter to sleep in.  Beach Tents are easy to assemble because they usually just pop up or push up.  Once again, there are many different sizes to choose from, but all of them are easy to assemble and lightweight compared to a family tent.  Sizes range from baby and kid sized tents all the way up to larger tents to shield a whole family from the sun.  The tents can be fully enclosed or have just a canopy with a roof shield.

With the increase of awareness of sun damage, this kind of tent is being seen more and more often on the beach because it is an easy and lightweight way to protect you from the harmful UV rays that the sun shines down on us at every second.  The way that these tents protect us is that the fabric blocks the UV rays from hitting us.  The more UV protection a tent provides, the more it is going to cost, but it could be worth it if it can protect future health problems.

Backpacking tents are practical if you are walking to your camp site.  These tents are lightweight and conserve space while stored.  Usually great for one person, and a squeeze for two, backpacking tents shouldn’t be considered family tents, although they would probably make great beach tents.  While you might think that a backpacking tent would be inexpensive due to it’s small size, you might be surprised by how expensive it turns out to be!

Be sure to put a tent on your camping supplies list!

We knew that we did not have a ton of money to spend and therefore, we knew that we could not purchase a top of the line RV with all the amenities. Since I was handy, I was convinced that we could modify any RV to meet our lifestyle needs. Since we already had a 1 ton truck, we used that as a base line for our decision and decided on purchasing a 5^th wheel that we could tow. The next few pieces of the puzzle were not as clear. Since my wife was teaching online, we knew that we needed Internet access. That meant that we needed to be able to have internet connectivity from our RV, power a laptop, and a printer while on the road. Additionally, we also knew that we wanted to stay connected to the world and have satellite TV, Sirius satellite radio as well as other amenities.

As we began to figure out how we were going to do all of this, one thing became clear. We needed power and lots of it. The challenge of full time rving for us was that we were also travelling with two dogs.  For most this would not be much of a challenge, however, our dogs were Rottweilers. Upon researching the best ways to travel with dogs we quickly found out that most RV parks would not allow us to stay with our dogs. Apparently Rottweilers have bad reputations and are considered an insurance risk. Traveling without our dogs was not an option for us so things became even more complicated. If we were not going to be able to stay at RV parks, where were we going to get the power we needed for all of our required amenities? Thus began my research for a solution to our power problem.

I immediately though that RV solar panels could be the solution. I was right, but the problem was a bit more complicated than just bolting on a few solar panels. In order to make the solution work, I needed to know how much power I was going to use on a daily basis so that I could properly size not only my solar panels, but also the battery bank that I would need to store the energy collected, as well as the inverter that I would need to convert that energy from DC to AC power. Each system was a part of the overall solution.

Ultimately, I ended up modifying my entire RV. I added a large bank of 6 Volt AGM batteries properly wired to output 12 Volts for the RV. Attached to the batteries and wired into the RV electrical outlets was an inverter that transformed the DC battery power to AC for all the appliances that I needed and also charged the batteries when we were plugged in at an RV park. Lastly, and most importantly, I utilized solar panels to charge the batteries. For the most part, we did not stay at RV parks. The solar panels once properly sized for our needs kept us going and allowed us enough power to live the lifestyle that we wanted while on the road.

Today I consider the solar panels that we purchased the best investment that I ever made. They allowed us to camp in style wherever we wanted without having to rely on costly RV parks. They constantly keep my batteries charged and maintained as long as there is sun available. Additionally, they allowed us to live the lifestyle that we wanted to live while on the road without compromise.

 If you are interested in accomplishing a similar project and would like more information on how to accomplish the same tasks, please visit us at http://www.solarrvpanels.com.