The open road is calling more and more boomers, who now have the highest recreational vehicle ownership rate of any age group in the U.S. The RV industry has even created a name for these target customers: "Nature Lovers." These are typically empty nesters, ages 50-64, bent on strengthening their relationship while camping in comfort in remote scenic areas.
If there is a "Nature Lover" on your gift list this holiday season, keep in mind that RVs come in many shapes and sizes, from towable folding camping trailers and campers that fit in the back of a truck, to conventional trailers and luxurious motor homes. If you don't already know what variety of vehicle they have, it's a good idea to ask -- to avoid giving something that might not fit. Then, check out these gift ideas, designed to please a range of roving RVers.
1. GPS
No matter what road you're on or what turns you take, you can know exactly where you are and where you're heading with a Global Positioning System. Garmin offers a line of GPS navigators starting at $250. The StreetPilot C330 features a 3.5-inch diagonal screen with a suction cup to mount on the dashboard and comes preloaded with CityNavigator street data for North America. StreetPilot will automatically calculate your route to a selected destination and talk you through the turns. Free software allows you to upload customized points of interest from a third party. The C330 runs about $430. Pay three times that for the StreetPilot 7200, with many more bells and whistles.
2. Satellite radio
Drivers never have to risk their safety fiddling with the radio dial to find their kind of talk or music station when they have XM or Sirius satellite radio. You can also give gift cards for monthly service.
3. Walkie-talkie
When you're out of range of a cell phone tower, nothing works better than a walkie-talkie for staying in touch. It's crucial for jobs like helping a driver back a 40-foot class A motor home into a tight spot. Plus, there's no worry about monthly contracts or per call charges. Family Radio Service (FRS) devices have a range of about a mile and don't require operating licenses. (Many walkie talkies are also General Mobile Radio Service-capable, but using GMRS channels requires a license from the Federal Communications Commission.) Prices for a pair of walkie-talkies range from $25 to $82 at Best Buy and other online electronics stores..
4. Road guide
Want to help your favorite RVer figure out what's available at the next highway off ramp? A nifty paperback called The Next Exit by Mark T. Watson ($15 at Amazon.com) will help them find the closest bathroom, restaurant, or Wal-Mart with an RV-friendly parking lot. Or, they can venture off the interstate to discover the weird and wacky, using Eccentric America by Jan Friedman ($13.50 at Amazon.com) as their guide. It'll lead them to gems like the closest cornfield maze or the Great Fruitcake Toss, held in January in Manitou Springs, Colo.
5. Lounge chairs
No RVers want to spend all their time inside, since the whole idea of mobile camping is to get outdoors. Lafuma makes a zero gravity recliner that allows you to lay back with perfect ease. Padded, removable headrests and contoured armrests add to the comfort of these folding French patio chairs, which come in 15 colors and two sizes. The basic mesh recliner is $130 at The Comfort Store.
6. Indoor/outdoor thermometer
If its comfy inside your RV, you may not want to venture outside without some idea of how hot or cold it is. Oregon Scientific makes a battery-powered, $30 wireless indoor/outdoor thermometer that comes with a remote sensor that can be attached outside the RV. The indoor monitor includes the added convenience of a self-setting atomic clock that keeps accurate time wherever you roam.
7. Gas cards
No matter where RVers wander, they're going to need gas. And given today's prices, a little help will surely be welcome. SVM offers one-stop shopping for prepaid gas gift cards. Choose from 10 companies, and select the amount to load on your gift card. They're good at thousands of service stations around the nation.
8. Bug zapper
RVers can get rid of bothersome bugs at their campsite with an electronic fly swatter shaped like a tennis racket. The power bug zapper swatter from Itouchless costs about $23 and includes a rechargeable battery.
9. Decorative lights
A new campground setup isn't complete until you plug in a string of lights to set the mood. Cheesylights.com has tons of patio lights to choose from. How about a string of smiling Grinches, snowmen, menorahs and stars of David, or holly leaves for the holidays? The price for such elegance is reasonable: about $13 for 10 indoor-outdoor lights on a 12-foot cord that plugs in end-to-end.
10. Portable garden
One of the drawbacks of RVing is that you can't stay home and cultivate your garden. However, thanks to technology borrowed from rocket scientists, you can give a garden to those with green thumbs who take to the road. The AeroGarden is a dirt-free garden in a dish with built-in lighting. It comes with free seed kits and nutrient tablets. The $150 unit is about the size of a breadbox and produces lush salad greens on a kitchen counter.
With all these gift suggestions to work with, the most challenging part of the holiday may be tracking down your favorite RVer to deliver the presents.
