How To Become A Better Dry Camper

In our last post, we reviewed why you should become a better dry camper. In this post, we are going to look at how to become a better dry camper.

Now, if you have never extensively dry camped or you’re just looking to join the RV lifestyle, here is the list of resources that you will need to learn to manage to become a better dry camper.

With rare exceptions, the order of importance for most RVs and RVers is as follows:

1. Conserving and recharging your house batteries – managing power needs
2. Conserving/maximizing your potable water supply
3. Minimizing the amount of grey water that enters your grey tank
4. Obtaining potable water when you run dry
5. Finding somewhere to dump your tanks when full (black & grey)

A very distant 6th is conserving propane, which is rarely an issue for most RVers, so it won’t be addressed in this entry.

Become a better dry camper and enjoy campsites like this. Photos via author

I have covered most of these subjects in previous blogs, so to save you the time and trouble of going back through the past 12 years of entries, I have gathered together the links by topic for your convenience.

Please keep in mind these were written for those just learning to dry camp/boondock for short periods of time. Seasoned dry campers that stay somewhere for weeks or months employ more advanced techniques than I am sharing here.

Conserving and recharging your house batteries, along with other electrical tips:

• Conserving your house batteries
• Using a generator or solar system to recharge your batteries – Please note this entry was written many years ago, and since then, most manufacturers have been installing converter chargers with beefed up charge capacity, so know the charge rate of your converter charger and plan accordingly.
• Determining your power needs
• How long will your batteries last?
• Batteries and Winter Camping
• A convenient item to power low wattage 120-volt electricity while dry camping
• Useful items in place of 120-volt items while dry camping

Conserving your potable water supply:

• Conserving your potable water
• How to determine your daily water consumption

Minimizing the amount of grey water that enters your grey tank:

• Maximize your grey tank
• Maximize holding tanks

Obtaining potable water when you run dry:

• Where to find potable water
• Don’t be afraid to ask for water

Addition useful dry camping tips from past blogs:

• If you are looking to buy an RV and plan on doing a lot of dry camping, here are 5 important features you should consider.
• Have a backup plan for when systems fail

By employing and practicing the tips shared above, you will become a better dry camper and can start enjoying the freedom that comes with it. Becoming free from hookups, just another adventure of RVing!

Dave Helgeson

Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.