Out West Survival helps everyday RV owners understand the systems that make travel safer, more reliable, and more independent: electrical power, mobile internet, communications, towing electronics, and emergency preparedness.
This is not another generic RV travel diary. Real trips provide the setting, but the focus is on the equipment, decisions, and lessons that make an RV work better on the road and when normal services are unavailable.
Why I Built Out West Survival
My name is Daven Edwards. I am a U.S. Air Force veteran, web professional, and Extra Class amateur radio operator. Those experiences taught me to value dependable systems, clear information, and the ability to stay connected when circumstances change quickly.
Out West Survival began with a broader survival focus. As my own RV experience grew, the most useful direction became clear: help RV owners solve practical power, connectivity, communications, and preparedness problems without unnecessary complication.
Why RV Systems?
RV travel brings several systems together in a very small space. Shore power, surge protection, batteries, solar, cellular internet, Wi-Fi, radios, brake controllers, seven-way wiring, weather, and emergency planning all affect whether a trip feels easy or frustrating.
My wife and I travel with a compact travel trailer. Our trips are where these systems get planned, installed, used, and evaluated. I share what works, what does not, and what I would do differently so readers can avoid expensive mistakes.
What You Will Find Here
- RV electrical and power: shore-power safety, surge protection, power monitoring, batteries, portable power stations, solar, and off-grid planning.
- RV connectivity and internet: cellular service, hotspots, routers, antennas, campground Wi-Fi, and reliable remote-work connections.
- Mobile and emergency communications: FRS, GMRS, amateur radio, weather information, and backup communication plans.
- RV preparedness and safety: practical plans and equipment for outages, severe weather, breakdowns, and unexpected delays.
- Useful RV gear: recommendations based on system fit, specifications, and real travel needs—not lists of random products.
- Real-world RV travel: trips used to demonstrate what these systems do outside a showroom.
How Recommendations Work
I distinguish between products I have personally used and recommendations based on published specifications, compatibility, and research. When a product has not been personally tested, I say so.
Some links may be affiliate links. Out West Survival may earn a commission from a qualifying purchase at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not change the standards used to evaluate a product.
Who This Site Is For
Out West Survival is for RV owners who want practical answers without turning every trip into a complicated engineering project. Whether you are setting up your first trailer, improving mobile internet, planning for power outages, or building a better emergency communication plan, the goal is to help you make confident decisions.
Start Here
Out West Survival will continue to grow through real trips, real installations, and honest lessons learned along the way.
— Daven Edwards
Founder, Out West Survival