New hw276 must haves?

[Alake]

Hi all. I am new to pop up camping. We are picking up our new hw276 next weekend and heading straight for a week at Fort Wilderness at Disney with 3 kids 5 and under. Does anyone have any tips on any must haves I should get for my hw276 since I am heading straight from pick up to camp? Besides the obvious, bedding, etc...thanks! We are excited!!!

[davido_]

Brake controller and 7-way plug on the tow vehicle.
Flashlight.
Pots/pans for cooking.
Plates, bowls, utensils (durable or disposable)
Garbage sacks.
Food.
Potable water hose.
Shore power cord.
Sewer line.
Water pressure regulator.
Matches/Lighter.
Bedding.
Pillows.
Warm clothing.
Paper towels.
Washclothes / Bath Towels.
Utility knife.
Kitchen knife.
Electrical tape.
Basic tools (screw driver, pliers, wrench, needle-nose, wirecutters)
Door mat for outside.
Door mat for inside.
Whisk broom and dustpan.
Sponge, detergent, dish towels.
Inline water filter.
Two chocks for each wheel.
Leveling blocks.
Potable water jug.
Gray water jug (unless your HW has a gray water tank).
Chemical for the toilet.
Cleaning rags (everything will be dusty from the factory).
Notepad for writing down questions and for jotting down flaws that turn up on that first trip (we had a few minor things to be repaired).

Preparations:

Make sure the water system has been flushed (unless you're in a freezing zone, in which case, leave the RV fluid in it, and don't use the water system).

Propane filled.

Batteries charged.

Fridge should be started up on 110v AC 36-48 hours ahead of time, and switched to Propane the day you leave. (You may be able to tow with the fridge in 12v mode, but that's a whole 'nother topic.)

You may need to install a filter cartridge into the onboard water filter. Also verify all plumbing is drip free. I had to tighten a few things here and there.

Know how to take it up and down, and how to handle the slider if so equipped.

Know that the stabilizers are not for leveling.

Ask the dealer to weigh the tongue so you know where you're at with respect to your tow vehicle.



Have fun!

[HONDAMAN174]

Bring extra fuses!


2014 Stealth Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7 "Clifford"

[cabranch47]

Install battery disconnect switch.

[davido_]

Originally Posted by cabranch47

Install battery disconnect switch.

Why is that a "must have" for someone towing a new High Wall Pop-Up trailer directly from the dealership to the campground?

[cabranch47]

Misread op's question. Would put disconnect on future mod's list.

[hotzfamily]

With small kids - in our pop up (back in the day), we put a sheet over the material on the pop-up bed mattress & let the kids sleep in their sleeping bags on top of that sheet. Made for much easier arranging. If you have any that are having trouble making it thru the night fully DRY, bring a crib/bed wetness protector to put under that child (beneath the sheet, so it won't wiggle).

We found that using a portable toddler bed guard bar (example -- 16 Terrific Kids Bed Rails Picture Ideas : Souali Kids Room Decoration Ideas) kept the kids from "rolling" out of the bed & helped keep their "STUFF" contained . But was short enough to allow a 'doorway' into their end of the pop-up.


I would add a few items:
Drain board that fits in the sink.
Cutting Board (I use the flexible VERY thin ones & leave it on the counter to protect it, even when I'm not using it for cutting on)
Coffee Mugs
Small containers for leftovers
Ziploc bags
Foil
Grilling? Grill tools (fork, flipper, etc)
Griddle (much easier for breakfasts than using pans/skillets on stove)
Cookie sheet/bakeware (SMALL!!) if you're planning on using the oven.
Velcro Strips 6-8"
Extra Bungie cords
Hot Pads & Trivets
Table Cloth for picnic table
Tray - to carry stuff in/out easier.
TP!

Enjoy -- know you'll forget something! It happens to all of us!

Good luck!

[Alake]

Thank you these are very helpful so far!

[Maris]

Check out Pinterest too. There are all kinds of great camping checklists. Lots of suggestions for camping with kids too. Some of the trailer dealers sites have printable checklists as well.

Maris
2010 Shamrock 23SS

[kinma13]

Broom n dust pan
Bonfire poker
Rubber disposal gloves for dumping
Chem for toilet
Step stool the ceiling is high!

[kinma13]

Drill with special socket for the stabilizers

[f5moab]

I carry a Dewalt power drill for the stabilizers, but I have the screw type stabs. It also has come in handy when the batteries went suddenly dead.

[HONDAMAN174]

Paper plates and cups- toss in the fire for easy cleaning!

1 inch felt pads- use on bathroom where panels touch each other when folded down & where the front door handle may touch ceiling if you eventually get mattress toppers.



My design for adapting the grey tank to slinky- camco hose rinser and valterra 90 elbow. Just remove the valve from hose rinser, seal said valve hole with silicon and maybe trim a little inside plastic to improve flow. It's a must have.


2014 Stealth Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7 "Clifford"

[daverobenolt]

I keep a small bottle of propane with a Burnsamatic torch tip for starting fires. It's great! Don't need to bring paper just a box of starter wood.


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[catseye]

Hahaaaa! All I can say is you are one brave individual (and your spouse). Be sure to pack extra tylenol...or alcohol....

Seriously, these are great tips, we are setting up our new 276hw as well. Good choice!!

Take pictures and tell us how it goes! Safe travels.

[Alake]

Thanks we are brave and maybe a little crazy but we like to be on the go and the kids are great travelers. Can't wait!

[rockfordroo]

We had our popup for 20 years with 2 kids. 1st one was 9mos old on first trip. After about 10 years, I saw a bunk storage shelf in a popup. I don't know if they still supply them as OEM, but I made my own. I don't have pics, but see attached PDF sketch.

I got some wire shelving at Home Depot. You need a piece that's longer than the distance between the upright tubes that hold up the canvas. You want to cut down the shelves, but leave the end wire long enough to go into holes you've drilled in the uprights. At the front of the shelf, cut it so the end wire sticks out a bit. Note that these shelves usually have a section at the front that bends down 90 degrees to provide stiffness to the shelf. Remember this.

Then you drill two holes in your uprights at the height above the bunk that you'd like the shelf, disconnect one of the uprights from the bunk, then slide the end wire of the shelf into the holes and reconnect the upright that you removed. The shelf will now swing up and down. Remember that section at the front that bends down 90 degrees? In my case, I installed the shelf with the 90 degree section pointing up, so that stuff on the shelf won't fall onto the bunk.

Get a couple pieces of wood or metal, drill a hole in one end, then cut them to a length that will make the shelf level. (These are shown in black in the PDF.) These are installed on the extra wire sticking out at the "front" of the shelf, and they go down along the side of the mattress and sit on top of the bunk. Note also that depending on whether you want the 90 degree section sticking up or down may influence which front wire you want to cut longer, either the one at the end of the 90 degree section or the one at the bend itself.

Works great for putting your clothing bags, etc up out of the way. I had mine about 18" above the bunk, but if you'll have 2 kids in the bunk, you may have to go higher.

The other concern is whether the bunk will still fold up with the shelf installed. In my case it did, but I won't guarantee it. Putting the 90 degree part down would help here as it can press into the bunk.

Two other comments: 1) Make sure you file down any sharp edges. They make plastic things you can stick over bare wires, too. Also, be careful you don't make holes in your tenting with the wires sticking out. I never had any trouble, but you never know. 2) The pieces that hold the shelf level can get kicked out by the kids pretty easily. I never did figure out how to prevent this. A nut on the end of the wire would work, but the wire's too thin to thread.

I installed one of these on each bunk.

[hshan]

Have fun! We just started camping with our four year old and six month old. We're having a blast in our Flagstaff HW.
Our biggest challenge is breaking down camp while the baby is fussing and the four year wants us to play.

[AshnJim]

I would take some kind of rubber mat for the kids to stand on while using the outside shower. There are some that are about 18' wide and maybe 4' long, and they might work for making a clean path to the door. (Sorry, don't have a URL for such, but they're easy to find, I think.)

[Packncycle]

Cassette toilet question. Not sure how to post a question.
I heard that you can dump the cassette contents in your own home toilet if you can't get to a dumping station. Is that true? I don't want that solution you put in the cassette to cause plumbing issues. Does anyone know?


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