How to Work Remotely While Boondocking

by | Apr 28, 2025 | Resources | 0 comments

Work Camping

Power, Connectivity, and Success Strategies

About the Author

Chuck Price has been RVing alongside his wife Cindy since their journey began 30+ years ago. They’ve explored 38 states in their 1988 Class C Gulfstream and 2018 Hymer Aktiv Class B while working remotely from national forests, BLM land, and off-grid locations. With over 5 years of documenting their power consumption patterns, the Prices bring practical, field-tested advice to the RV community through their blog, Boondock or Bust.

Introduction

Imagine waking up to a breathtaking sunrise over red rock formations, brewing your morning coffee, and then sitting down to a productive workday—all while completely off-grid and on your own terms. That’s the dream of remote work while boondocking, and it represents the ultimate freedom many of us RVers are seeking.

When Cindy and I first hit the road full-time, we quickly realized that the standard advice on boondocking just didn’t cut it for professionals trying to maintain reliable 8-hour workdays. Most guides were written for weekend warriors who only needed enough power for lights and a water pump, not someone running a laptop, a second monitor, and Wi-Fi equipment all day long.

If you’re new to our blog, we focus on data-driven solutions for RVers seeking to maximize independence while maintaining professional reliability. This article bridges the gap between theoretical boondocking capabilities and the real-world demands of daily professional work—lessons we’ve learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

Remote Work vs. Traditional Workcamping

The Remote Work vs. Traditional Workcamping Paradigm Shift

I’ll never forget meeting Jim and Sarah at a campground in Arizona. They spent 20 hours a week cleaning bathrooms and mowing lawns in exchange for a free campsite. They looked exhausted, and when we started chatting about remote work possibilities, their eyes lit up—they had no idea they could leverage their existing professional skills instead.

What Most Workcamping Articles Miss

While traditional workcamping provides reliable accommodations, our survey of over 300 RVers (people we’ve met at rallies and through our online community) reveals a concerning pattern: workcampers average just $8-12/hour in equivalent compensation when factoring the market value of their campsite against hours worked.

Here’s what the numbers really look like:

  • Average campsite value: $600-800/month

  • Typical workcamping commitment: 20-25 hours/week

  • Equivalent hourly rate: $7.50-10/hour (often without benefits)

By contrast, remote workers maintaining their professional careers while boondocking typically earn:

  • Average remote work salary: $25-75+/hour

  • Monthly camping costs when boondocking: $0-200

  • Net financial advantage: $3,000-10,000+ monthly

It was eye-opening for us to run these numbers for ourselves. We’d been paying $900/month for an oceanside campground in Maine before we discovered the financial freedom of combining remote work with boondocking. The difference in our bank account at the end of the month was staggering!

Power Management

Power Management: The Foundation of Remote Work Freedom

Let me tell you a story about our first attempt at working remotely while boondocking. We were in the gorgeous Coconino National Forest outside Sedona, and I had three important client calls scheduled. By noon, my laptop battery warning was flashing, our inverter was beeping, and I ended up finishing my workday from the front seat of our tow vehicle with the engine running. Not exactly the peaceful, productive experience I’d imagined!

Understanding Your Power Needs

Before diving into solutions, you’ve got to know what you’re using. I spent a week meticulously tracking our power consumption and was shocked at how quickly those watts add up. Here’s what a typical workday looks like for us:

Common Remote Work Power Requirements:

  • Laptop: 45-100W (400-800Wh daily)

  • Portable monitor: 15-30W (120-240Wh daily)

  • Internet equipment: 10-25W (80-200Wh daily)

  • Phone charging: 5-10W (40-80Wh daily)

  • LED lighting: 5W per light (20-40Wh daily)

  • Coffee maker: 900W for 5 minutes (75Wh)

For a detailed breakdown of how to calculate your power needs, check out this guide on how much solar power you need or this helpful article on powering remote work on the road.

Total daily power budget: 815-1595Wh for a standard 8-hour workday

Understanding these numbers was a game-changer for us and helped us design a power system that could handle our needs without relying on noisy generators or draining our vehicle’s battery.

Power Generation Options

Solar Power Solutions:

After three years of experimenting with different setups, we’ve found that solar panels are the most reliable choice for consistent off-grid energy (NASA’s solar energy overview). But be realistic—a 200-watt setup is the bare minimum for a professional remote worker. We started there and quickly upgraded.

Remember when that unexpected week of cloudy weather hit us in Oregon? That’s when I learned that solar panels charge your batteries; they don’t directly power your devices (Solar Energy Storage Explained). The distinction might seem obvious now, but it makes your energy storage system crucial.

Battery Storage Options:

Your batteries store the energy harnessed by solar panels. We’ve tried them all:

  • Lead-Acid Batteries: We started here because they’re cheaper upfront. Big mistake! The maintenance and shorter lifespan made them more expensive in the long run (Battery University Guide).
  • AGM Batteries: A step up, but still heavy and with limited usable capacity (AGM vs. Lithium Comparison).
  • Lithium-Ion Batteries: We finally upgraded to these in 2020, and the difference was night and day—lighter, more efficient, and you can actually use most of their stated capacity without damaging them (Why Lithium-Ion?).

For those building a system, use a solar battery calculator to estimate your needs.

Our Real-Life Power Setup That Actually Works

After painful trial and error, here’s the setup that reliably powers our 8-hour workdays:

Equipment:

Daily Consumption Breakdown:

  • Two laptops: 75W × 8 hours = 600Wh (Laptop Energy Calculator)
  • Wi-Fi router/hotspot: 15W × 8 hours = 120Wh
  • Portable monitor: 25W × 8 hours = 200Wh
  • LED lighting: 5W × 4 hours = 20Wh
  • Coffee maker: 900W × 5 minutes = 75Wh (Energy-Saving Alternatives)
    Total: ~1,015Wh per day

Power Generation:
With 300W of solar panels under optimal conditions (approximately 5 peak sun hours), we generate about 1,500Wh daily. Factoring in system losses and cloudy days, this gives us the buffer we need.

Pro Tip: Use a solar panel angle calculator to maximize efficiency based on your latitude.

Trust me on this one—while 200W can work in perfect conditions in Arizona during summer (Arizona Solar Insolation Data), those cloudy days or northern latitudes will have you wishing for just a little more juice. We’d rather have a bit extra than not enough when an important deadline is looming.

Power Conservation Strategies

Now, let’s talk about stretching every precious watt. Becoming a power conservation ninja is key to thriving off-grid.

One of the first things I learned was to be ruthless with device settings—dimming that screen even a little makes a surprising difference over a long workday (Screen Brightness Impact Study). And you’d be surprised how many sneaky “phantom loads” are sucking power even when devices are turned off! That little red light on your charger when nothing’s plugged in? That’s a power vampire!

I highly recommend installing a battery monitor; it’s like having a fuel gauge for your RV’s electrical system. We use a Victron BMV-712, and being able to see exactly what’s coming in from solar and going out to our devices has transformed how we manage power.

Finally, we try to schedule any power-hungry tasks, like video editing or running the blender for afternoon smoothies, for those sunny mid-day hours when our solar panels are working their hardest (Solar Production Timing Guide).

starlink mini

Connectivity Solutions That Actually Work Off-Grid

Oh, the hours I’ve spent driving around trying to find that elusive single bar of service! Nothing is more frustrating than losing connection in the middle of a client call or missing a deadline because you can’t upload your work.

Despite what many digital nomad guides suggest, connectivity remains the biggest challenge for remote boondockers. We’ve personally tested our setup across 118 boondocking locations (yes, I keep a spreadsheet!) and discovered significant gaps in conventional wisdom:

Key Lesson: Don’t rely on carrier coverage maps—they’re often wildly optimistic. Test your setup locally before committing to a location!

What Makes Connectivity Different for Remote Workers

Unlike casual internet users, remote workers require:

There’s a world of difference between checking emails occasionally and needing to maintain a stable video call with your team for an hour.

Our Field-Tested Connectivity Stack

After testing configurations and spending too much on failures, we found a layered approach:

Primary Connection:

  • Starlink RV (599equipment+150/month – Starlink for RVs) revolutionizes boondocking. Before, we were limited to cellular range; now we go truly off-grid. A significant investment, but worth expanded location freedom.

Backup Cellular:

  • Visible (40/month–[VisibleUnlimitedPlans](https://www.visible.com/plans))+∗∗WeBoostamplifier∗∗(499 – WeBoost Drive Reach RV) provides redundancy. Saved us during Starlink storm outages.

Emergency Option:

  • WiFi Map Pro (App Store) maps public Wi-Fi. Once drove 30 minutes to a library to upload a critical project when all systems failed.

Surprise Finding:

  • Multiple cellular carriers often add little coverage in remote areas. Signal strength varies more by location and amplification than carrier (FCC Coverage Maps). We wasted money on three carriers before sticking with one + a quality booster.

Redundancy Planning

Nothing’s worse than a dying connection mid-call. Backups are non-negotiable:

 

remote work

Practical Daily Schedule: Working with Nature, Not Against It

There’s something incredibly satisfying about aligning your workday with natural circadian rhythms. After years of cubicle life under fluorescent lights, structuring around natural light and energy patterns has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this lifestyle.

Our typical remote work boondocking schedule:

7:00-9:00am:

9:00am-12:00pm:

12:00-1:00pm:

1:00-5:00pm:

5:00-7:00pm:

The beauty of this schedule is that it maximizes both energy collection and professional productivity. On days when weather or technical issues arise, we have the flexibility to adjust—something that was hard to appreciate until we experienced it firsthand.

RV Work Station

Beyond the Basics: Workspace Optimization

Creating a comfortable workspace within your RV makes a massive difference in productivity (RV Workspace Tips). When we first started, I was just working from whatever surface was available—the dinette, the bed, even a lawn chair outside. After a few weeks of backaches and frustration, we realized we needed a dedicated solution.

Our RV Workspace Evolution

My own RV workspace is simple, but having a dedicated corner with a full-sized keyboard and collapsible laptop stand has made a world of difference for productivity and back health! Here’s what works best:

Fixed Workspace:

We modified the rear lounge to create a permanent desk space. The game-changer? A wall-mounted articulating monitor arm that swings away when unused.

Climate Control Strategy:

Ergonomics:

The biggest lesson here: don’t treat your RV workspace as temporary, even if you move locations frequently. Your body and productivity will thank you for creating a proper setup.

Work Camping vs Remote Woirking

Contrasting Traditional Workcamping vs. Remote Boondocking

Let me tell you about our friends Mike and Lisa, who we met at a campground in Florida. They were typical workcampers—spending 20 hours weekly at the campground office and maintaining grounds (Workamping Jobs Explained). Meanwhile, we were boondocking just 30 minutes away on free public land (Bureau of Land Management), working remotely at our regular jobs.

By the end of the month, they had earned their “free” campsite (valued at $750 – RVParkCostCalculator), while we had earned our regular salaries and spent $0 on camping.. The financial difference was stark (Remote Work Salary Survey), but even more noticeable was the lifestyle contrast. They were tied to a rigid schedule and location, while we had the freedom to move whenever we wanted (Digital Nomad Flexibility Study).

Here’s how the two lifestyles really compare:

Factor Traditional Workcamping Remote Work While Boondocking
Income Potential $8-12/hour equivalent $25-75+/hour
Schedule Control Fixed by campground Self-determined
Location Options Limited to participating campgrounds Unlimited public lands
Career Advancement Limited Continues with primary career
Social Environment Campground community Independence (pro or con)
Financial Investment Minimal $1,500-3,000 for power/connectivity
Lifestyle Structured roles in communal settings Autonomous work in varied locations

The choice between these options really depends on what you value most—structure and community or freedom and earning potential.

Key Comparisons:

Common Misconceptions About Remote Work While Boondocking

When I mention our lifestyle to other RVers, I often hear the same concerns. Let me address the biggest myths we’ve encountered:

“You need to be a tech guru”

While some technical knowledge helps, the basics of power and connectivity are manageable for most people. If you can operate your smartphone and RV systems, you can learn what you need (Beginner’s Guide to RV Solar). I was an English major, not an electrical engineer, and figured it out through trial and error!

“You can only boondock in areas with no cell service”

Many beautiful boondocking locations offer decent cellular coverage. With tools like Campendium’s Coverage Maps and Starlink (Starlink for RVs), our options have expanded tremendously.

“It’s too expensive to set up”

Yes, while there’s an initial power/connectivity investment ($2,000–$3,000), the math speaks for itself: $800-$1,000 in monthly campground fee savings means it pays for itself in just 3-4 months (Boondocking Cost-Benefit Analysis). Our only regret? Not upgrading sooner!

Frustrated Man working on Laptop

Common Pitfalls and Practical Solutions

Hard-won lessons from our experiences and other remote boondockers:

For more community insights, see the iRV2 Boondocking Forum.

Power Management Misconceptions

Pitfall: Underestimating winter power needs

I’ll never forget our first winter boondocking in northern Arizona. The shorter days and low sun angle meant our solar panels were producing less than half their rated capacity. We thought we were prepared, but by 4:00pm we were running on fumes.

Solution:

Pitfall: Battery drain from phantom loads

We once returned from a weekend hiking trip to find our batteries nearly depleted—despite not using our RV! The culprit? Small phantom loads from our inverter, propane detector, and other always-on devices.

Solution:

Work-Life Balance Challenges

Pitfall: Boundary issues when your home is your office

When your desk is ten feet from your bed, it’s tempting to check emails at all hours or let work spill into personal time (Remote Work Burnout Study).

Solution:

Conclusion: Is Remote Boondocking Right for Your Career?

If freedom and earning a living in nature excites you, it’s worth considering. While setup requires effort, the rewards are immeasurable:

Successful boondockers prioritize:

By mastering power management and connectivity, your RV becomes a mobile office with views people vacation to see (Find Public Lands).

For us, the freedom to work anywhere—Yellowstone’s geysers one month, Utah’s red rocks the next—has been worth every challenge.

Your Next Steps

Ready to take the leap? Here’s how to start:

  1. Calculate daily power requirements (Renogy Solar Calculator)
  2. Research connectivity options (FCC Broadband Map)
  3. Test your setup on short trips (Boondocking Trial Guide)
  4. Join communities (iRV2 Remote Work Forum)

Questions? Drop them below—Cindy or I will respond!

Safe travels & happy boondocking,
Chuck & Cindy

References:

 

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