Have you ever seen one of those episodes of Cribs when they expose what’s residing inside a country music star’s refrigerator? There’s always a gallon of milk, some old Chinese takeout, and a tub of potato salad gone bad. This topic is a little like that, albeit without the cowboy boots and withered spinach. Here the prevailing question is “Hey dude, what’s in your truck?”

The answer is a lot longer than one might expect. I thought it might be fun to see what typically resides inside SEEMORE. Why? Because most of these items have been selected over the course of a few years. They serve a purpose. We didn’t start our travels with all of these items on board. We gathered them over time. For the video, in keeping with the “surprise inspection” element, I didn’t do a lot of prep or staging. We just opened the doors and started shooting. That’s why everything is a mess. What you see is what you get.

The driving point behind this video, of course, is the old Boy Scout mantra: BE PREPARED. Pretty much everything in our truck is there for a reason. We have a lot of tools, gadgets, and tech devices that are not used daily. But they are ready for times that we need ’em. Perhaps a peek at our stuff will give YOU some ideas.

When you RV camp, you need to plan ahead. Expect the unexpected. Problems will find you on the road. Pack stuff that solves problems.

Here’s a partial list (in no particular order) of what’s inside our truck, with comments where appropriate:

Sunscreen lotion

Spare batteries

Swiss Army knife
I’ve had the same knife since 1992, and it’s traveled the world with me.

Swiss Army hammer
This thing is incredibly useful. It’s not an “official” Swiss Army product, but I’ve never regretted buying it.

Excedrin (or pain reliever of your choice)

Spare digital camera
Because when the aliens finally land, you’ll want to capture the moment.

Umbrella
No one likes the smell of wet husband.

Tire gauge
You should check your tire pressures before (and during) every major trip.

Walkie-talkies
If you plan to go off the beaten path, you can’t always count on cellphones. These walkie talkies have an excellent 2-mile range, and have proven useful time and again. You may not use them every day or even every week, but someday you will be glad you have them.

Fix-a-flat
This stuff won’t fix all flat tires, but someday it will probably save your bacon. At the very least, it can give you enough boost to limp to the nearest tire center for a proper repair.

400W power inverter
This is useful for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is charging portable electronic devices as we hurtle along the highway. You can get by with a less powerful inverter, but the 400W version will charge your devices more quickly.

Reusable trash bag
Our truck has a built-in hook designed to hold just such a bag.

12V splitter thingy
We have two 12V “cigarette lighter outlets” in our truck, but these splitter thingys (that’s a technical term) double our outlet capacity.

Color coding tape
This is one of those incredibly simple but useful organizational tips. For $5 you can buy a four-pack of red, green, blue, and yellow tape. I use the tape, for example, to distinguish amongst the mass of black cords and wires that come with all of my camera gear. A little organization will make your life a lot easier.

Belkin Mini Surge Protector with Dual USB Charger
This allows us to charge two iPhones at once, with additional outlets to spare. Pairs nicely with the 400W inverter.

Toolkit (hammers, screwdrivers, socket wrench, tape measure, saw, etc.)
Our toolkit has a smattering of every tool under the sun. The quality of the tools is good enough – they have gotten us out of several jams. The basic toolkit has been supplemented with a basic ratchet set and a power screwdriver.

Valentine One radar detector
Simply the best such “safety device” on the market. We’ve owned our Valentine One for more than a decade and it’s still going strong. These detectors are well designed and built like tanks.

Garmin GPS
We have a portable GPS that we transfer from vehicle to vehicle. On rare occasions we have taken it with us on hikes (both rural and urban).

Tilly hats
These Canadian-made safari-style hats are awesome. They are waterproof. They float. They are lightweight and airy. They offer protection from sun and rain. They even have a secret pocket! Once you own a Tilly, you will begin receiving knowing nods from other members of the Tilly Club. They are guaranteed FOR LIFE.

Locking chains
These keep our generator locked safely in place.

Wheel chocks
Wheel chocks are useful for the camper, obviously. But they are also useful for securing loose items (boxes, etc.) that you may be carrying in the bed of your truck.

Rubber mallets
It pays to have at least one rubber mallet handy at all times. Don’t batter your own hands extending the camper step, or coaxing hitch gear into place. Use the rubber mallet!

Fire extinguisher
We always carry a fire extinguisher in our truck. Once we used it to save a burning golf cart!

Duct tape
The utility of duct tape has become a national joke. But seriously, you want to have a roll of this stuff handy at all times.

I’m sure there’s more in our truck than is outlined here, but you’ve seen the highlights. Again, most of these items serve a purpose. Life is much more enjoyable when we’ve got what we need – especially when we are camping.