What is an "RV"?

"RV" typically stands for "Recreational Vehicle" but after the Northridge Earthquake in California our "RV" became a "DRV": Disaster Recovery Vehicle. Just about any type of Recreational Vehicle can provide much needed shelter and facilities in an emergency situation if they are properly maintained and kept stocked. With our motor home ready to roll, we were the only house on the block with power to run refrigerators, freezers, and TVs for several days following the quake.  Sometimes people refer to off highway toys as "recreational vehicles" but more commonly, and the way the term is used in this blog, it refers to a kind of home on wheels, with features for basic living.  Most often it is synonomous with "motorhome", with towable RVs usually being called "travel trailers" or just "trailers".  Here you will see wheeled off highway recreational motor vehicles referred to as OHVs.  Snowmobiles and Jetskis might also be considered motorized off highway vehicles but are usually thought of as each being in its own class.  BTW, Jetski is a trademarked name owned by Kawasaki.  A more generic term might be "wet bike".

While the term "recreational vehicle" can and sometimes is technically applied to personal motorized vehicles such as dirt bikes, ATVs, and side-by-sides, is more often refers to a motorhome, travel trailer, or camper.  That is how it is used primarily in this blog.  Here we refer to personal toys as "OHVs":  Off Highway Vehicles.

There are many types of recreational vehicles, ranging from pick up trucks or SUVs fitted with special tents to high-end, luxury motor homes. If you are in the market for an RV for your family, there are several important things to consider, such as:

•       Number of people in your family
•       Camping style (developed campgrounds versus boondocking, tent camping)
•       Geographic Location/weather considerations
•       Access to appropriate recreational facilities
•       Budget
•       Personal preferences
•       Interests and activities
•       Any medical or physical limitations or special needs
•       Where/how you will store your RV or camping equipment
•       Where/how you will use your RV or camping equipment

If your activities include the use of OHVs, boats, snowmobiles, horses, or personal watercraft, you will also need to consider how you are going to transport your toys and choose an RV,  tow vehicle, or supplemental transportation to accommodate them. In some cases, such as boats, you may be able to keep your recreational equipment in a facility near where you will be using it.

The number of people in your family (or number of other usual companions) will dictate some of the major factors in choosing your RV or camping style, such as the number of sleeping accommodations and how much food, water, and other supplies you will need to transport. The number of people will determine how many beds you need in an RV or how big a tent you need for tent camping.  For OHV outings it will determine how big a truck or trailer (or how many) you need to get you and all your toys and equipment there and back.

Your preferred camping style may be something that evolves over time. But you may have some initial ideas about where you want to start. Whether you plan to stay only in developed campgrounds or plan to camp in more primitive, remote locations will affect you choice of RVs and other camping equipment.  Once you get out and experience the camping life style you may want to explore alternate destinations and styles of camping.  If you plan only to stay in full service  campgrounds your RV won't need to be self contained, but if you prefer boondocking or camping in remote locations, it will.  Most, but not all, RVs are self contained.  I find it interesting that something like 3/4 of all RV owners say they mostly stay in full service campgrounds with hookups but almost all prefer an RV that is self contained.

Where you plan to go camping and what time of year you plan to go camping will determine what kind of weather protection you need to bring along. If you live in a moderate climate and don't plan to do any cold weather camping you won't need cold weather sleeping bags or have to worry so much about RV furnaces or tent heaters. If you plan to use an RV for winter excursions like skiing, ice fishing, or snowmobiling, you will need an RV that has freeze protected water and sanitation systems and most RVs made in the United States are not factory equipped for winter camping. Canadian units are more likely to be all-season capable. Regardless of whether you're camping in a tent or an RV, your needs will vary depending on whether your destination is a developed campground or a primitive location. Developed campgrounds usually have approved fire pits, picnic tables, restrooms, and community water faucets. Some have full hookups for RVs (water, electricity and sewer).  When camping in primitive areas you, as if often necessary for OHV or equestrian outings, will not find these facilities and will have to make your own arrangements -- which means bring it all with you; which in turn means you'll need to be self sufficient.

How much you have to spend may be a determining factor on how and when you start your camping lifestyle. You can often begin tent camping with a very small investment in some basic camping equipment. Most of us don't have the budget to start off in a large, luxury motorhome, but sometimes you can pick up a cheap used truck camper or travel trailer or tent trailer if you don't want to sleep in a tent.

A primary factor, of course, are your personal preferences.   Do you and your family have a kind of "back to nature" feeling that draws you to tent camping?  Or would you be more comfortable having some of the conveniences of an RV?  One of my friend's wives refused to go dirt biking with her husband and sons because they were camping in a tent in the desert, but when he bought a small motorhome, she was willing to sometimes join their adventures (at least the camping part, she still didn't ride dirt bikes).  On the other hand, another friend thought he was roughing it if he had to ring twice to get room service!  It is unlikely he would have been comfortable in even the most luxurious RV.

If you or anyone in your party has special medical or physical limitations or needs it may affect your choice of camping style and/or type of RV.  Some common problems may include allergies, mobility issues, or simply a bad back.  Sometimes allergies are less worrisome or at least easier to deal with when camping in an RV than in a tent.  Mobility issues may affect your choice of transportation and recreational vehicles.  People with bad backs often find sleeping on the ground in a tent unacceptable.  Physical disabilities may affect your options and choices, but should not exclude anyone from an RV/OHV/camping lifestyle.  I met an ATV activist who is in a wheel chair when he's not 4-wheeling.  And, no, it was NOT an OHV accident that put him there.

Your personal interests and activities may be more compatible with certain types of camping. Hiking, fishing, and hunting can usually be supported by both RV and tent camping but motorized recreation (like dirt bikes, ATVs, jet skis, and snowmobiles) usually benefit from having the kind of stable base camp provided by an RV. I've certainly seen dirt bikers use a tent or just their car for base camp, but by and large, RVs are more popular and more convenient. It is really nice to have a comfortable place to come home to after a long ride, especially if you've encountered any adverse weather.  RVs may also provide storage for riding gear and the tools and spare parts you may need to keep your OHV on the trail over a weekend outing.  Over the years I've developed a real appreciation for a few power tools, like an air compressor, a grinder, and an electric impact wrench, that are made possible by my RV generator.  Of course, battery powered cordless tools are perfect for off grid  use too.

Where and how you will store your equipment may put certain restrictions on your choices. If you live an an apartment you probably don't have a place to park an RV unless you rent space in an RV storage yard somewhere. Available storage in an apartment may also limit the amount and size of tent camping equipment. You need to consider this before going out and buying an RV you have no place to park or stocking up a pile of tent camping equipment that you have to stack in your living room or bedroom!

There are several different types of RVs, generally divided into motorized and towables. Motorized RVs come in three "classes". The classes do not necessarily designate levels of size or superiority.  Class "A" is the big, boxy vehicle like a motorized trailer house or bus conversion. Class "B" is a van conversion. These sometimes have bubble tops or pop tops for extra headroom but usually use the manufacturer's standard or extended van body. Class "C" motor homes are built on a "cutaway" chassis where the cab is retained and the back of the van or truck cut away to make room to build the coach body. Traditionally these have been van chassis but there were a few built on a standard U.S. pickup chassis and for a while "micro-mini" motor homes were built on a Toyota pickup chassis. More recently, huge, luxury Class C motor homes built on commercial truck chassis (the kind that pull semi-trailers) also have come on the market. These large Class C's are known as Super Cs are very comfortable to drive and have plenty of power to tow your toys.  These days you might see some labeled "RUV".  That stands for Recreational Utility Vehicle.  Besides being a marketing ploy, it represents a trend by manufacturers to make motorhomes that can have many uses other than camping (see Getting The Most Our of Your RV for some suggested alternate uses).

Towables also come in a variety of configurations. The least expensive to purchase and operate is the tent trailer. As the name implies, these units are part tent, part camping trailer. They are light in weight, easy to tow, and typically have a very low profile in travel mode yet provide nearly all the amenities required for comfortable camping. Next come the "tow behind" or "bumper hitch" travel trailers, which as the description implies are towed behind your vehicle and attached via a hitch at the rear bumper.  Another popular light weight trailer is a tear drop trailer.  From there they go up from small camping trailers to monster, multi-axle rigs that rival a mobile home in size, comfort, and luxury.  Fifth wheel trailers use a hitch similar to those used by big-rig semi-trailers and require a sturdy pickup truck with a fifth wheel hitch mounted in the bed for towing. Another variation similar to a fifth wheel is a "gooseneck" trailer. It has an extended hitch that connects to a ball mount in the bed of a pickup truck.

Many people start off by "car camping" -- using the family car to get to a destination and then sleeping in their car or "roughing it" in a tent. For this approach, you will need a vehicle with a large cargo capacity or may need to add a "pod" to the roof of your car or tow a small trailer to hold your equipment and supplies. Minimum essential items will include shelter (tent), sleeping bags (air mattresses or sleeping pads add a great deal of comfort), portable stove, and an ice chest. As for any kind of outdoor activity, you should also carry a first aid kit -- and know how to use it.

You many be able to forgo using a tent if your family vehicle is a van or large SUV or a pickup with a shell. These vehicles provide shelter without the hassle of wrestling with a tent in the dark or in high winds upon arriving at your camp site. Just rolling out the sleeping bags on our first trip in an old (1951) Chevy suburban was delightful and we giggled for at least a half an hour all snugly warm in our sleeping bags while fellow tent-campers were still unrolling tents, fighting the wind and driving stakes in the dark. Some adventurous folks will just sleep in their car or truck, but most cars aren't very comfortable to sleep in.  But there are, or have been, some exceptions:  notably, now defunct Hudson and Nash sedans from the late 1950s offered "sleeper seats" where the front backrest folded down between the front and rear cushions to make a continuous bed.  I remember touring Yellowstone Park with my mom and and dad and little brother in a 1957 Hudson and the 4 of us sleeping quiet comfortably in the car.

As you observe other campers you will soon begin to recognize what additional equipment and supplies will enhance your outings.

In upcoming posts we'll talk a little about each type of RV.

RV ready?