What I learned on my first boondocking trip

Does the thought of boondocking make you nervous? I’m a newbie, and it made me nervous too. 

Since buying a new Airstream last summer, we’ve been staying only in places with full hookups. But last weekend, I boondocked for the first time, and – spoiler alert! – I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

First, let me say that I’ve never considered myself a “camper.” After a few tenting trips to northern Arizona and Yosemite, I realized it just wasn’t for me. With an olfactory system like a bloodhound, I’m not so big on unwashed body (or other) smells, which admittedly, I equate with “roughing it.” A hot shower and shampoo with blow-dry are my daily requirements. 

So, my vacation preference has historically been to travel by airplane and stay in boutique hotels with lots of amenities. I always thought Airstreams were cool, but I had never dreamed of owning one. 

Then I met Rich Luhr, publisher of Airstream Life magazine. And as soon as I became an Airstreamer by injection, I eagerly awaited the chance to travel in one. 

When we bought a 2020 Globetrotter 23 FB this summer, I fell in love with everything about it – the cozy shape, the interior design style, and sleek cabinetry, the fact that everything is so adorably little. I affectionately refer to it as The Fort and I’m really getting the hang of traveling in it.

But up until mid-January, all of our trips in The Fort had included full hookups. From Prescott and Patagonia, Arizona to Silver City, New Mexico, and Borrego Springs, CA, each adventure involved staying in a national park or private campground with water, sewer, and power. Meanwhile, Rich kept telling me how much fun boondocking would be, as it afforded the opportunity to stay in certain places that we couldn’t otherwise enjoy.

So in early January, I decided to throw caution to the wind – along with my high heels, a going-out dress, and my blow dryer – and head out for a sans hookup weekend in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, just north of the Arizona border. 

Our unhooked campsite at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

I can honestly say that this no hookups campground ended up being my favorite of all those we’ve stayed in. The lush vegetation in and around the campground, spectacular vistas, and starry skies allowed us to unplug and relax for two days and two nights with our little dog Mickey. 

Here are 9 things I learned on this first boondocking trip.  

1. The prep is a little different than if you are heading toward hookups

Do these things before you leave:

• • Top off everything. Although we never leave with completely empty tanks or batteries, in the case of boondocking you want to be sure everything is full. Fill the water tanks to overflow, make sure you’ve plugged in overnight so your batteries are fully charged, and fill both propane tanks.
  • Plan ahead for coffee. Important to anyone like me who is adamant about having an excellent morning brew. More on that in a moment.
  • Take note of what you won’t (or shouldn’t) use while boondocking. When you are only using batteries, things that have a heating element or need a surge of power to operate, either won’t work or shouldn’t be used. Common items include: blow dryer, microwave, air conditioner, drip coffee maker, laptop charger. Plan accordingly.
  • Buy a bunch of fresh drinking water in gallon jugs. We took 6 gallons and used about 3 for drinking and cooking. Tip: Make sure at least one of the jugs has a screw-on top so you can lay it down in the refrigerator without risking the top popping off during towing.
  • Take a power source with you. This allows you to keep the batteries charged so you can run the lights, sound system, TV, and furnace without worry. We have a portable solar system. Rooftop solar or a generator are other options.
  • Pack easy to make foods and snacks. When you have a limited amount of water and can’t use the microwave, you’ll appreciate this. We took things like instant oatmeal, mixed nuts, dried fruit, cereals, cut up veggies, hummus, cold cuts, bread, etc.
  • Take a few rolls of paper towels. A tidy boondocker’s best friend, I found these to be useful for many things. 

2. Set up is so easy!

Normally, it’s my job to hook up water, electric, and sewer hose at arrival. It had been two months since our last trip so I was reviewing how to do these things in my head while we were driving, and mentioned to Rich that I might need a refresher from him about the sewer hose connection. He gently reminded me that there would be no place to hook it up. I had not quite clued into the fact that no hookups = no sewer hose. And no electricity plug or need for the EMS power protector or water spigot either. Just pull in, unhitch, and flip on the water pump and you’re good to go. 

3. You need a good coffee solution because you can’t use a coffee maker

Coffee lovers, pay attention! When you’re drawing from the battery, you can’t use anything that has a heating element that draws a lot of power quickly. That means, no drip coffee maker. Mon Dieu.

I have taken my Bialetti stovetop coffee maker on previous Airstream trips, and I do love the coffee it makes. But to plan for this trip, I had been testing a stainless steel pour over that doesn’t require a filter. I wanted a bit of a “slow coffee” experience. On this trip, I heated the drinking water we carried with us in a collapsible kettle and poured it over ground coffee. 

I love the simplicity of this pour-over method and the aroma is spectacular. Plus, you make it one cup at a time so it’s always hot and fresh and doesn’t have that burned taste you get when it sits on the electric warming burner too long. 

4. You have to check the fresh and grey water tank levels throughout your stay

All you experienced Airstreamers are thinking “well, duh,” but I had truly not thought about this kind of diligent monitoring until Rich mentioned it during the trip.

The level data is available on the Tank Monitor panel. In our 2020 Globetrotter, it’s in the bathroom. In your model, it might be in the kitchen.

• Push the FRESH button to see the percent of freshwater you have left. Most Airstream trailers carry 30 gallons in a full tank. If you are experienced you can run it down to 25% or even 10%. This helps you know how long you can stay put without going to dump and refill. If you plan to stay longer, you’ll need to plan for using the campground dump station and refilling the tanks.
• Push the GREY button to see the percentage of space that’s been used in the grey water tank. In other words, at the beginning of a trip it will start at 0% and gradually go up as you use water. After a day, ours was reading 20% full, and Rich gave me props for that since I’m the primary cook and dishwasher.
• Push the BLACK button to see the percentage of space that’s been used in the black water tank. There was no need for me to monitor this tank level because there are only two of us and our trip was only two days long. 

Note that the level on the panel is approximate. There are a whole bunch of reasons why the data cannot be completely accurate (for example, the black tank includes toilet paper, which impacts the level reading), but I won’t go into that kind of detail here. Mostly, because I still don’t understand it well enough to explain it.

Bottom line: The more you boondock and monitor your levels while doing it, the more you’ll understand your usage.

Check the levels of your fresh and grey tank regularly when boondocking. If you’re
planning to stay unplugged for more than about five days, check the black tank level too.

5. Solar power makes a huge difference

We used this Portable Solar Kit throughout our trip and it performed beautifully. I plugged it into the solar charge port on the A-Frame and connected the two cables, then unfolded the three solar panels in the morning sun. Super easy. Because it’s portable, we moved the panels with the sun throughout the day to optimize our solar “catch.” 

The result was that we never worried about our batteries draining. The sun kept them charged all day long. So we used electricity as if we were plugged in, save for one thing:

You can’t use the microwave or A/C when you are using the batteries. And it did get into the 80s during the day, with west-facing exposure. This is where you have to roll with it when boondocking. Sure, it wasn’t an icy 65 degrees in the trailer. But we put the awning out and the fans on and it was fine.

If you are wondering, you can plug in your laptop charger, but boondocker beware. Without getting technical, doing so requires that you turn on the inverter, which switches the power supplied directly from the battery, to the type of power that is required to run things like a laptop power cord, television, DVD player, and other electronics. 

But just because you can do this doesn’t necessarily mean you should. At least, not too frequently. That’s because overuse of an inverter ultimately can lead to it failing, and that’s an expensive thing to replace. So if you must bring your laptop, don’t keep it plugged in the entire trip.

If you’re looking for more technical details about solar, Rich has written multiple blogs on the topic, including Solar – simplified: a guide to the basics!, The inverter – simplified!, and Why your solar panels are doing less than you think.

We used a portable solar system to charge our batteries during the day.
The panels weigh only 18 lbs which made it easy for me to move them as the sun moved.

6. Yes, hot (albeit short) showers are possible!  

Full disclosure, I showered both days but didn’t wash my hair on the first morning of the trip. It’s medium length and thick and I didn’t want to use too much water. I’d say this was the only real drawback of boondocking for me. (I realize this may cue eye-rolling for some of you.)  

Here’s what I learned is the best way to take a boondocking shower:

• • Turn on the propane switch in the bathroom to heat the water. It takes about 20 minutes, so plan ahead. 
  • Turn the shower full on to HOT. That will get the shower-ready water faster and you’ll use the least amount of water. 
  • Turn the water on to rinse, and off to suds up. This will be familiar to some as a ‘military shower.’
  • Use the water saver button on the showerhead. I had not noticed this little gem but Rich showed it to me on day two. There is a black button on the side of the showerhead that shuts on and off the water. So, get the temperature right, then use the button to turn the water on and off – saves more water than turning it on/off at the faucet each time.
  • Shower during the warmest part of the day. This will make your shower infinitely more comfortable. Especially if you boondock during colder weather.

7. Paper towels are a great all-purpose solution for cleaning and water savings

Great for wiping out the pour-over coffee filter (read: no water was used to clean it each day), wiping out the sink, and wiping off countertops. I used, dried, and reused paper towels throughout the trip. I also brought a plate scraper, but we didn’t eat anything that required me to use it. I found the paper towel to be much easier and more versatile. 

Yes, there is the sustainability issue of more waste, but for convenience and the fact many of the paper towels could be used multiple times after drying them, I think paper towels are the way to go. And, you can purchase a brand made from recycled material. We used about a third of a roll during the entire trip. 

8. You can rinse dishes and wash your face with surprisingly little water

To wash dishes: Dampen a sponge and put dish soap in it, then suds up each dish or utensil with the water off and put it in the sink. When everything has suds, turn on the sink to a small drizzle, and using your hands and moving the plate, rinse quickly.

To wash your face/brush your teeth: Similar to showering, turn the water on only when rinsing, and keep the flow low. Turn it off when brushing or washing. 

9. Propane is really efficient and seems to last forever

Kudos to Airstream for including so many gas-run appliances in the trailer. They are incredibly energy efficient. We didn’t skimp on running the stove, refrigerator, or furnace, and there was still plenty of propane left when we got home. 

My overall take on boondocking? It requires a little practice and mindset modification, but I didn’t feel we sacrificed anything. Sure the showers were short, but we ran the furnace, cooked, listened to music, and even watched Gone With the Wind one night. I just had to be mindful of and monitor my water usage. And frankly, that’s a conservation mindset I should adopt at home anyway. The boondocking experience kept me mindful about how we were using our resources.

If you have long, thick hair you may have to go without washing it for a day. And no, you can’t use the microwave or leave the faucet running while you wash dishes. But in the end, these aren’t the reasons you bought an Airstream anyway. So, don’t be nervous about boondocking. Embrace it as an opportunity for simpler travel, and an excuse to leave your blow dryer at home.