Every activity has its hard-core practitioners and casual enthusiasts. Take camping, for example. On the one hand are the serious RVers who go all out. On the other are weekend warriors who know just enough to get by. How do you tell them apart?
It is all in the equipment they own and how they use it. The serious RV owner invests in equipment that makes camping safer, more comfortable, and more efficient. The casual weekend warrior buys things that seem fun. When it comes to using what they have purchased, a serious owner knows what they are doing.
Trailer and RV Skirting
Skirting is an example of something just about every hard-core RV owner invests in. Weekend warriors, not so much. According to Connecticut-based AirSkirts, the point of surrounding a motorhome or trailer with skirting is to protect the underside from cold air, critters, and debris. It is a must-have for anyone who takes their RV out in cold weather.
Your weekend warriors are not as likely to spend the money on skirting. By their very nature, they tend to go camping only when the weather is agreeable. Weekend warriors are not likely to spend weeks in their trailers or motorhomes when temperatures fall below freezing.
Golf Carts and ATVs
Another piece of equipment serious RV owners tend to invest in is the golf cart or ATV. Why? Because they spend weeks at each campground they visit. During a two or three week stay, they do not want to have to walk 20 minutes to the pool or across the park to visit friends. A golf cart or ATV is a way to get around quick and easily.
Do not expect weekend warriors to follow suit. Golf carts and ATVs cost too much if you only take your motorhome or RV out for one or two weeks per year.
Screened Patio Awnings
To the serious RVer, spending time outside is important. That’s why hard-core campers invest in screened patio awnings. A screened awning extends your living space outside without exposing you to the hot sun, pouring rain, and every insect known to man. As for your weekend warriors, they tend only have screened patio awnings if they came with the motorhome or trailer at the time of purchase.
Patio Lights
As long as you are going to invest in a screened patio awning, you might just as well decorate it with some taillights. Serious RVers do this all the time. Patio lighting is one way to give a motorhome or trailer some individual appeal. And of course, the most hard-core among them really up the ante during the Christmas holidays. Some of their light set-ups rival anything you would see on a standard home.
Auxiliary Generators
The one piece of equipment that truly separates serious RVers from casual weekend warriors is the auxiliary generator. Why would you need one? To provide power in the event you want to camp in the middle of nowhere. Hard-core RV owners do that from time to time. Weekend warriors, not so much.
An auxiliary generator provides power when there are no electrical hookups available. You need that power to keep the refrigerator, water heater, and television running. Without it you might just as well go tent camping. That’s not a bad thing, by the way.
The RV world has both its hard-core campers and its weekend warriors. You can tell the difference by paying attention to the equipment they own and how they use it. Next time you are out camping, take a look. You’ll know it when you see it.
