We knew we were taking a road trip this summer but had originally planned on truck camping. Mike had built a platform for the back of the truck that allowed for a queen size mattress with storage underneath and we had purchased a truck tent to extend the space a tad and be able to allow more air in the back of the truck. We truck camped twice at nearby state parks to test it out before embarking on a longer trip. Our set up seemed to work really well for what we were wanting, or so I thought.
Mike began to read up on and research teardrop type campers and four weeks before we were to leave on our trip, we drove three hours to Sherman, Mississippi and bought a 2020 T@g Boondock Edge XL from Sherman RV. https://www.shermanrv.com
Our 4,000 mile road trip will be our first trip in our T@g. Since we were unable to do a practice run at a nearby campground, we are trying to make sure we take everything we need for a two week road trip without over packing. This is not our first camper, we have had seven others over the years, so a lot of the basics we have down pat. We have read articles and looked at pics of other T@g owners social media to help us make the best use of our space. Hopefully, over the course of our trip, we will have our own helpful list of dos & don’ts. Personalization of the T@g was one of the first things we did. I added compasses and mountain bikes to both sides, a tree line on both sides of the star gazer window, and our own little logo to the back of the galley.
We were concerned that the mattress that came with the camper may not be comfortable enough on its own for a trip of this length so we placed the short queen mattress topper we had bought to use for truck camping on top of the one that came with the camper. By doing this, it created a smaller sleeping area but it gave us each approximately 7 1/2" of side space to use for storage. This worked out really well for placing baskets I had bought at The Dollar Tree to keep things in like phone chargers, glasses, etc. I had purchased a small tote to put my shower items in and it stored perfectly at the foot and I could grab it and go with no problem.
After a few instances of hitting our heads on the corner of the shelf above the head of the bed, I purchased corner guards at Walmart from the infant department. They were a little less than $7 for four but they worked perfectly and matched inside the camper well. I covered the two corners over the head of the bed and the two at the foot where the air conditioner sticks out. https://www.walmart.com/ip/KidKusion-Corner-Cushions-4-0-CT/45144840
We had read some people thought that too much light could still show through the door windows even when the shade was closed if you were camping in a bright area. We had some extra Reflectix from when we made shades for the truck camper so I cut two circles just a little larger than the door window and they stay in nicely on their own. We store them in the netting underneath the window when we don't need them.
We also purchased a HDMI splitter so that we can keep the radio hooked to the TV and use our Amazon Fire Stick without having to swap them out because the space behind the TV is small. The splitter tucks up behind the TV and the button to switch between devices is easily reachable. https://www.amazon.com/HDMI-Switch-4K-Splitter-Bi-Directional/dp/B079JQ9XXV/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2ISETC2AN864K&dchild=1&keywords=hdmi+splitter+2+inputs+1+output&qid=1595267694&sprefix=HDMI+s%2Caps%2C287&sr=8-3
One last thing we did was add a lockable toolbox/step stool to the front of the camper. It was an item we already had and Mike couldn't find exactly what he was wanting so he went with this until he figures out what he really needs for that space. It is bolted down but is easily removed if we have an occasion to need a step stool. Always be prepared, right.
I'm sure the more we use the camper and the more ideas we see from others, the more changes we will make. Right now I am ready to use it and figure out what those things may be.....
