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Why Your Caravan Needs A Cover!

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We all know the potential damage caused by leaving a vehicle outside in all weathers. Few people with garages take such a risk with their car during the winter months. You protect your car from the elements as much as possible, so it makes good sense to do the same with your caravan. Just like your car, your caravan needs care and attention, to reward you with many years of pleasurable caravanning and, when you come to replace it, keep depreciation to a minimum.

It’s not only the hail, storms and snow of a harsh winter that can cause damage. Rain contains the same acids all year round, from a light April shower to a torrential downpour, and a build-up of sludge and green algae on your caravan roof is not only unsightly but very time-consuming to remove.

It is not just the wet weather that is a problem either, the powerful UV rays of the sun can damage the paintwork, tires and upholstery. Then, in addition to the weather, there is also bird droppings, scratches, and thieves to worry about.

So, what can you do about this? Well, if you do not have space in your garage, and do not fancy paying extortionate storage fees all year, then a good caravan cover is just what you need. It can save you a lot of both hassle and expense, and leave you to spend your time enjoying your caravan rather than cleaning and repairing it.

The well-fitting cover, especially one made to fit your own particular caravan, is a microporous barrier. Just as our own skin is waterproof and ‘breathable’, exhaling condensation, so the caravan’s weather resistant cover can protect it from damp as well as all other environmental damage. Most covers are made from polypropylene, a versatile material well known for its toughness, strength and its powerful resistance to chemicals, grease, oil and heat.

So, if you consider yourself to be a wise caravanner, is a caravan cover something that you can really afford not to have? Add covering your caravan to your standard hibernation checklist of emptying the contents, leaving the fridge door open, and securing locking it up, and you will then have all the angles covered, and you will be giving your caravan (which is a far from cheap investment), the sound protection that it deserves.

‘Specialised Accessories’ are the original innovators of bespoke, protective caravan covers, motorhome covers and caravan trailer covers.

How to Save Money: Maintain Your Own RV

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Ask and RV service tech what are the most frequent problems people have when their RV needs service, he will tell you three things. Anyone who owns an RV can save money by doing these simple little things themselves.

First of all, one of the biggest problems people have is their batteries going dead. The key to your RV’s electrical system is the batteries, so keep them maintained. Do not be fooled, even maintenance free batteries need maintenance. Here is what to do. Check the water in your batteries every three to four weeks. Water evaporates even inside the battery shell. Pull the caps on top of the battery off and refill the cells to about a half an inch below the top of the cell with plain tap water. Nothing will kill a cell in your battery faster than being low on water. This is such a simple thing, yet so many RV owners have the same problem. Keeping the correct water level in the batteries will avoid most of your electrical problems.

Secondly, inspect the roof on your Travel Trailer at least once every two to three months. Inspect the roof for dirt and the seals for cracks and make sure they are not rolled up on the edges. Inspect the seams on the roofing material for cracks or deterioration. If you find any small cracks, fill with a silicone sealant. It is ok to be generous with the sealant as it can not hurt anything. Check the seams on the edge of the roof and make sure there are no visible issues with cracking or seals rolling up. If so coat the area with sealant. Stop by your RV Dealer and pick up a tube of RV sealant if you do not want to use plain silicone.

Sunlight, heat and all weather conditions will deteriorate the materials that are in contact with the weather most often. When some complains of the roof on their RV leaking, 99% of the time it is because they failed to inspect their roof. Doing this every so often will save you so many problems. Do this once every three months as it will take less than one hour. 
The third thing to do that will save you time and headaches is to check your tires and bearings every three months as well. Most new Travel Trailers come with EZ Lube axles, or what they call “buddy bearings,” that allow you to lubricate your axles without pulling the wheels. Just plug a grease gun to grease insert in the center of the wheel and pump two or three times. If you still need help, ask a mechanic to help you out.

Check your tires for proper inflation and inspect to check for dry rot. Dry rot will affect every tire at some point and is indicated by hairline cracks in the sidewalls of the tire. Replace the tires if you see any of these cracks. It will save you lots of time and headaches and you will not get stranded by the side of the road with a flat tire.

The issues mentioned here are the things that cause the most service problems for RVers. By taking a little bit of time to properly service your RV yourself, you will save time and money, not to mention you will cut down on the problems you have at the campsite or on the road. Take the time to look at these things, and enjoy your RV for many years to come.

Respective Pros and cons of Cast Iron Stove and Steel Stove

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When choosing a camping stove, its benefit and drawback including the materials used must be weighed carefully to determine, which is best.

Camping stoves may vary according to the component used, which may either be a cast iron or a steel. Both proved to be beneficial; however, they have their own advantages and disadvantages, which are as follows:

Comparison between a Cast iron stove and a steel stove

Characteristics of cast iron stove

A stove that is made of cast iron is composed of iron and alloys. Here are some of its pros and cons namely:

Low melting point

It can easily be melted even with low temperature; therefore, it allows easy and fast molding of iron. It has also good fluidity, which facilitates ease in casting. Due to less energy required when making a tool, it guarantees affordability and precision of work.

Castable

From the word cast iron, castability means the ability to assume desired shape after it has solidified. This property provides convenience in molding the stove into a particular shape.

Resistant to deformation

Despite its brittleness, cast irons are resistant to deformation because of the alloying elements such as silicon and carbon are added into it make it harder. The change in composition like the incorporation of manganese is also added to increase its density and strength.

Brittle

It is less tensile and not so resistant as compared to steel. When subject to stress, it can either be deformed or possibility of breaking may occur.

Characteristics of a steel stove

Steel is mostly iron with a little composition of carbon, tungsten and manganese, which are referred to as alloying elements. They contribute to the hardness and strength of steel. However, the most obvious disadvantage of steel over the other materials is its weight. It tends to be heavier, which makes it impractical to transport. The following are the most distinguishing properties of steel namely:

Weldability

Most metals can be welded; however, not all permits ease when welding. The ability of the steel to be joined at any point is an advantage in times where breaks are present.

Resistant to rust

Rust is formed when iron and oxygen react with each other in the presence of air or water. With the added alloy contents, rust formation is diminished.

Conclusion

With the recent technology that we have, lots of innovations are done to improve every camping stove that is invented. Manufacturers compete with each other by formulating new concepts to make it advantageous over the other units. However, based on the comparison, each stove has their respective downside. The choice as to the best kind of stove would still depend on the consumers’ preference. These are just provided to help you decide what suits your needs.

For more tips on how to choose the best camping stove, kindly visit Summit Camping Gear. You can find variety of units that you might find useful for comparison.

How About Rv Camping In Florida?

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The nickname Sunshine State was given to Florida for a reason. Even with hot, steamy Summers, there are twelve months of terrific RV camping in Florida. With over 150 RV parks and many more spots that on the beach, Florida offers folks that like to be in the outdoors many things to do.

When you come to Florida, whatever outdoor activity you wish to participate in, the suggestions for places to stay are only based on how much of a good thing you wish for you and your family. On Florida’s Atlantic coast, you will have great fishing, boating, snorkeling, world class golf, romantic sunsets and more.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection manages over 150 destinations and offer some of the best locations for you do all of your outdoor activities. Listed below are just a few:

A. The Florida Keys are only 90 miles from Cuba. This most southern tip of the United States has some of the best views available anywhere. Located just 12 miles from Marathon, FL, you will find Bahia Honda. This resort gives you access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Florida Gulf. Fishing and boating are outstanding, as is the snorkeling throughout the Keys. Pets are welcome, but the spots sell out early, so book as soon as you know where you are headed.

B. With bookings coming in over a year in advance, Curry Hammock Park is a true favorite and a delight. However, from October to April spots are very limited so book early or get on the waiting list and hope for a cancellation. Beach activities define this beautiful spot. With grills on the beach, millions of shell to sort through and fine white sands, this is the place to just crash and relax. When you depart, your tan will be the talk of the town and your attitude will be the calmest it has been in years.

C. Gamble Rogers State Park is located in Flagler County, in the mid northern part of the state. This resort is situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway. With the beach being the most important feature of this resort, all beach activities are happening all day, every day. During low tide, make it a point to walk the beach to catch sea turtles laying their eggs and collect some beautiful shells to remind you of your trip.

D. About 50 miles west of Jacksonville, off of the water, you will find a true gem of a location. The Gold Head Branch Resort is situated on Little Lake Johnson. Here you will find Bald Eagles, Fox squirrels, the occasional Fox and more animals indigenous to Florida. If you like to golf, there are over 30 courses within a hour of this location and should offer you a nice day trip to the links. If you can plan a late fall visit, you will see the wildflowers in bloom and it will be a delight and highlight of your trip.

This is just a sampling of the many choices you have when you head to Florida in your RV. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection manages over 150 parks and each one will offer you a great location to do whatever you have chosen to do for your RV vacation. The many other locations are located all over the state, so chooses carefully and assure yourself and your family a wonderful time getting to know Florida, up close and personal.

3 Basic Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Backpacking Stove

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In choosing which backpacking stove to bring, consider the size, portability, fuel to be use, and the design.

Camping is not complete without the food. To make hot and fresh meals possible, you need the perfect stove to bring during your backpacking experience. Here are some guidelines to consider when choosing the right backpacking stove to bring.

Size and portability

Before choosing the desired backpacking stove, think on which kind of trip you are planning to go to. Try to estimate where would you most likely be cooking your meals and for how many people you will be cooking for. Also take note on the level of difficulty of the dishes to be prepared. Backpacking stove are available in different sizes fit for various occasions from lightweight stoves to multi-burner platforms. If you are going on a rugged hiking trip, better bring a compact and easy to carry stoves. For a short backpacking trip, you can consider bringing the larger stoves. For convenience during the whole trip choose a stove that is easy to store and can be disconnected from the fuel supply. Also consider the ones that needs assembling or collapsible for easily storage in the vehicle and while hiking.

Fuel to be used

Focus also on the different fuels used for backpacking stoves. Propane and Butane gases are clean-burning and easily ignited. Flames produced can be adjusted easily but are more expensive than other fuel types. Kerosene are cheaper and easier to find than Propane gases. It yields a higher temperature output however it emits gaseous odor that might affect the taste and smell of you dish. White gas is another fuel that burns easily, it’s clean and the spilled fuel evaporates quickly. It’s effect for any weather conditions, but it not always easily available in contrast to Kerosene and Propane. Denatured alcohol is a renewable fuel source which has low volatility. It burns silently and steadily but has minimal heat production and cooking time make longer requiring more fuel. It’s environment-friendly but it’s not recommended when cooking for many.

Design

For convenience, also select which design is the most comfortable for you. Once you’ve decided on the size and fuel type to be used consider the features of the stove. Take into consideration the difficulty of it’s set-up. Check for the durability of the design whether it can endure any type of location. Pay attention on the knobs and switch whether they are easy to use or cannot be easily broken. Choose also the ones that are easily to clean and has basic maintenance procedures that you can do by yourself.

On a camping trip, always go for efficiency and practicality in choosing what to bring. With that, you can avoid minor problems while enjoying your camping experience.

To check for different camping stoves online, please visit Summit Camping Gear and choose from a wide variety of models.

Cookware Sets

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One of the most enjoyable things to do in the world is cooking. There is, after all, a saying that goes “we eat to live and we live to eat”. This statement is true, in several respects, as eating is truly one of our largest pleasures in life. The making of food, therefore, is something that can easily be considered as sacred. That is why you deserve only the greatest cookware sets, especially if cooking is one of your passions. However, there are things that you should consider when you choose the cookware set that is perfect for you, especially since there are so many existing choices now in the market. Here are the factors that you should take note of.

Material

One of the factors that you will first notice when you buy a cookware set is that there are so many various materials to choose from. You will almost surely have a hard time deciding which one is the one for you, as they will all swear to be the “best”. So, know this here and now, there is no “best”. Various materials work for different cooking styles, so determine first which one is right for you. The various materials available now are aluminum, cast iron, copper, enamel, stainless steel, anodized, and non-stick. All of them have their own advantages and disadvantages, but all of them can be suited to a particular type of cooking style.

Completeness

Another thing that you have to consider is the completeness of the set. You will be cooking many different of dishes, and various dishes will require different types of cookware. Do not settle for those that only have only a few options available. Make sure that there are at least 3 various sized pots, all of them with lids. Furthermore, make sure that there is a skillet, a medium roasting pan, and of course, their corresponding lids. You could also want to add the utensils to the set. Stirring spoons with lengthy handles are particularly practical. Baking sets might also come in handy too, so that you will be able to bake cookies or cakes whenever you feel like it.

Price

Lastly, when you’recontented with the material and the completeness of the cooking set, take note of the price of the item you are going to buy. Cheap cooking sets might not serve you as well as they promise. So it’s better if you do not skimp on the prices for your cookware set, as you will be using them for a long time.

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