What to Pack for an Rv Trip to Alaska
One of the biggest questions we become nearly our Go N trip is about packing for Alaska. For this trip, we downsized from a 33ft fifthwheel to a Lance 1172 truck camper, meaning less space and weight carrying chapters. This fabricated it even more critical for u.s. to narrow in on the essential packing list we needed for our RV trip to Alaska.
In Get N Episode 3, we have you through our packing process and the gear we took for our Alaska.
RV Downsizing: Packing the Lance 1172 Truck Camper & Hitting the Road! | Go North Ep 3
(Note: This article contains affiliate links.)
Downsizing to a Truck Camper
Fortunately, dissimilar when we first hit the road and had to downsize from our house, the change isn't quite every bit drastic and we are downsizing temporarily vs. permanently. We but have to live without some things for half dozen-9 months instead of getting rid of all the things nosotros won't be taking.
Strategies for Creating Our Alaska Packing List
Alaska take a long fourth dimension to bulldoze to in very remote areas, then we wanted to be certain nosotros could exist as cocky-sufficient as we could be. We as well wanted to be prepared beforehand rather than rely on finding essential supplies locally when nosotros needed them (although in that location are enough of stops along the way where you lot can go pretty much annihilation you lot'd need.)
The climate and expected activities helped to narrow down a few things: I don't wait I'll be doing much sewing on this trip, and so the heavy sewing automobile can stay! "Yes" to the hiking boots, "no" to the sun dresses.
➡ Click here to cheque out the list of Our Recommended Alaska Gear ⬅
Hither are some strategies we used for packing for our RV Trip to Alaska by category:
We were anticipating existence down some long, remote roads. If something happened to the truck or camper, we wanted to exist able to ready 90% of problems. This meant bringing some essential tools.
Downsizing the tool collection was very challenging for Tom. Simply somehow he narrowed his collection downwardly to one tool-bag and two small plastic containers of hand-tools, electrical tools, and fasteners that should help with our most common needs.
On the roof, we strapped 2 traction boards and a shovel in case we needed some aid getting out of a sticky situation.
Here are some more tools that made our Alaska Packing Listing:
- Viair Compressor
- Tire Repair Kit
- Windsheild Fissure Repair Kit
- Folding Manus Saw
- Soldering Iron Kit – Nosotros were glad we had one of these particularly afterward running into some wire-hungry porcupines in the Yukon!
- OBDII Scanner – to self-diagnose problems when you're far from a mechanic
- 100 Watt Lightweight Portable Flexible Solar Panel Kit from Lensun – since we only had 200 watts on the roof, bringing this thin, lightweight solar panel kit along would requite united states of america half once more as much solar power charge to the bombardment arrangement. (Production review beneath)
100 Watt Lightweight Portable Flexible Solar Panel Kit from Lensun | Product Review
If we needed additional tools, nosotros hoped to detect a friendly neighbor, purchase the tool nosotros need for the fix, or utilizing tool rental programs if they are available.
Packing the Truck
The truck is a big component to consider in the packing for this trip. Although, unlike with our fifth cycle RV, we can't actually use the bed for storing anything else other than the camper. (And fifty-fifty with the camper off, there is no tailgate.)
So, we took some actress effort to brand the back seat of the truck extremely usable.
A disquisitional piece to our Alaska packing strategy was getting a Pet Bridge – this is a platform that extends the back seat to the back of the front seats, covering the gap. (We put some cream under the dorsum to level it out some then the dogs and cooler weren't on a camber)
This allows us to fit our electricalDometic CFX Libation (we'll talk more about this in the Food department below) at 1 finish of the back seat while leaving enough of room for the dogs when nosotros travel. It besides allows u.s.a. to more than finer utilise the infinite under the bridge and seat for storage.
Dress & Shoes
Since infinite was express in the Lance camper, we were going to mostly be in a cooler climate, and clothes are pretty heavy, nosotros only picked our favorites and focused on long-sleeves and clothes skilful for layering.
The Lance 1172 truck camper has a decent closet, and a few cubbies in the bed area for non-hanging wearing apparel. We got some packing cubes to aid keep our clothes orderly (and easy to tell autonomously) in the condensed space. You lot're going to accept to assess your RV'south capabilities.
Shoes are likewise important gear for Alaska, and we selected our shoes based on functionality. We each packed pair of:
- sneakers
- hiking boots
- flip flops
- Teva sandals
- …and I snuck some other pair in at that place that is a sneaker/sandal hybrid 😉
We too packed our L.L. Bean slippers, considering common cold feet when editing video is miserable!
Gear for Alaska
When you're thinking of RVing through the Canadian Rockies and Alaska, remember of the outdoor activities we want to exercise there: Hiking, Camping ground, Biking, Line-fishing?
We packed the gear we had/needed to practice the things we wanted to do, so we can partake when the opportunities arise:
- Hiking Poles
- Salomon Hiking Boots (Tom)
- Oboz Hiking Boots (Cait)
- Backpacks
- Bear SPRAY – SUPER IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS!
- Bikes
- Wheel rack (for the ladder)
- Climbing Gear
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Cook stove
- Backyard chairs
Mosquito Gear for Alaska
We've also heard about the awful mosquitoes in the northward during the summertime, so nosotros packed:
- Mosquito caput nets
- Exofficio problems repellant-infused clothes – GREAT INVESTMENT – nosotros wore these all the time.
- ExOfficio Women's BugsAway Damselfly Jacket
- ExOfficio Women's BugsAway Damselfly Pant
- ExOfficio Mens BugsAway Jacket
- ExOfficio Men's BugsAway Convertible Pant
- ExOfficio BugsAway Bandanas
- LOTS of bug spray!
Kitchen Packing
For this long of a trip, you're going to want to bring kitchenware that allows you lot to melt meals in the RV. So you're going to want to add the essentials plus your favorite kitchen gadgets to your Alaska packing list.
For us, nosotros had to majorly cutting downwards on our dishware. We merely brought 2 of following:
- Medium plates
- Saucers
- Small plates
- Bowls
All of these fit on a plate rack to continue them organized in the cabinet.
Instead of heavy spectacles and coffee mugs nosotros packed:
- calorie-free-weight plastic Govino cups
- stainless steel mugs (which work simply every bit good for things other than vino and coffee).
We besides brought limited silverware – enough to get through about 3 meals earlier needing to wash. This was to reduce weight and accept upwards less space.
Pots, pans, and appliances were similar – we only brought our about-used cookware for our most common meals. We ended up with:
- two pots – 1 small, one medium
- 2 frying pans – i minor, ane big
- Instant Pot – brought the iii Qt version instead of my massive viii Qt 1
- Magic Bullet blender Collapsible colander
- three Pyrex cooking dishes (double as storage containers for leftovers)
This overall reduced dish situation does arrive so that nosotros have to wash our dishes more frequently, and we might have to get creative if nosotros accept guests, merely this fit in the camper nicely and we realized the weight and infinite savings!
Packing Food
Whatsoever fridge and pantry situation you have in your RV yous're going to have to work with it for your Alaska Packing Listing. Nevertheless, keep in listen that you will have longer distances between grocery stores. Information technology might even be further to find 1 with a good produce option.
In the Lance Truck Camper, we had a smaller refrigerator than nosotros were used to in our fifth bicycle RV. Nosotros got a Dometic CFX 50W electric cooler paired with theDometic Portable Lithium Bombardment pack (the PLB40) in the truck that can act every bit a second fridge or freezer for us on this journey. We expect that this will be very handy for a number of situations:
- Traveling long distances between boondocks with good fresh produce selections,
- Boondocking in remote areas for long periods of time,
- Catching Alaskan Salmon and needing a place to shop them for travel dorsum to the United states.
Camera Gear for Alaska
For the production of our Go North series, a big section of our storage infinite has gone to the camera gear. But even if you're not shooting a docuseries, you're going to want to make certain you add your good cameras to your Alaska packing list! You'll be glad yous did as you certificate this bucket-list take chances!
Check out our Photographic camera Gear Kit for the full details on our camera gear.
Storing The Fifth Wheel & Truck
Whether you're leaving behind your home or larger abode-on-wheels for this trip, there are some additional training activities you'll need to do to.
In our case, we had several tasks to make our fifth wheel & truck set up for storage for the 6-ix months we were going to be away:
1. Solar and Electric System Close-Downwards.
Because we run a custom lithium ion bombardment system, information technology was critical that nosotros ran the battery level downwardly to 50%, balanced the cells, and asunder the battery for storage. Nosotros also disconnected our solar panels from the accuse controller so the electrical system would completely shut downwardly.
Read more than about our Tesla Battery Module electrical system and solar set up here
2. Winterize our Truma AquaGo Water Heater.
While we don't expect freezing temps while nosotros are away, we winterized our Truma AquaGo just to be safe, and considering it is super easy to practise with but the pull of a lever.
Read more almost Why We Love Our Truma AquaGo here!
3. Composting Toilet.
In our fifth wheel we too utilise an Air Head composting toilet that had to be close down. The toilet requires power to compost and without ability in the rv nosotros had to empty the toilet and install a lid to terminate the composting process.
iv. Final RV Cleaning.
Who wants to come up abode to a dirty house?
5. Damp-Rid Dehumidifiers.
Put i in each room and storage compartment.
half-dozen. Shut Off Propane at the Bottles.
7. Prop open RV fridge door.
8. Elevation off the truck's fuel tank and add diesel stabilizer.
This volition assist prevent fungus and algae growth in the tank.
9. Put covers on truck and RV.
Information technology was really hard to notice an RV cover with a practiced review online…hither are the ones we went with: Leader Accessories Fifth Bike RV Cover & 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually Encompass
Note: This would be very difficult to practice in the wind!
It was bittersweet seeing our home of nearly 4 years all wrapped upwards, but we knew we had an astonishing take chances alee of us in the new Lance Camper!
Keep reading!: The Gamble Begins | Go North Episode four
The Become North Expedition is fabricated possible by Lance Camper Manufacturing, Battle Born Batteries, Truma North America, Dometic, LivinLite.internet, Hellwig Intermission Products, and viewers like you through Patreon. Thank you!
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