Rake it Up

Rake it Up

Person raking leaves on small lawn in RV park

Cleaning leaves and gravel around a campsite can be an exercise in futility. This folding rake takes little storage space — but gets the job done.

By Bob Livingston / Photos by author

hile nicer parks may have concrete or brick patios, most campgrounds are on the rustic side — meaning that you’ll probably be parked on dirt or gravel, which will extend into the patio area along with maybe a little grass. Park operators normally tidy up the space before you get there, but the weather and environment might counter any of these efforts. Trying to clean the patio and surrounding areas with a broom has its limitations, but for the most part it’s better than nothing.

Using a rake is better, but a bulky full-size rake isn’t something you’re apt to pack. Fortunately, I found a take-apart “deciduous rake” that helps make short work of cleaning up any RV site — and its diminutive size understates its functional ability.

Eleven tines make up the work end. These tines are large and extra heavy, so they will not bend easily. Wide spacing makes it easy to clean between the tines for storage.

The Garden Rake Leaf is made by Ihomepark and is available on Amazon for only $14.99, which is a great buy for such a high-quality tool. You’ll have to do some chasing to find this rake, but Google “Ihomepark Garden Rake Leaf” and you’ll be directed to the Amazon listings, which you’ll probably need to comb through.

Rake head and disassembled handle sections

Inserting metal pole section onto plastic grip

This compact rake has four pole sections that connect to extend to 6 feet; each section is 16 ½ inches. Poles are made of sturdy stainless-steel metal and have threaded ends and plastic hand grips, which make it easy to connect each section by simply twisting together. The last pole has a loop for hanging on a hook.

This rake has 11 heavy tines that are large, fairly stiff and stout, which adds some weight, but you’ll be impressed with the quality; the extra wide spacing allows for easy cleaning. Four threaded, stainless-steel poles can be connected to make a 6-foot-long combined tool to mitigate too much back bending. Handling this rake will make you wonder how the company can produce such a good product for the price. Plus, a printout that came with the rake recommends contacting the company upon receipt of the product if anything is missing or damaged. There’s also an option to register the purchase for a free three-year replacement warranty.

I’ve used this rake numerous times to clear fallen leaves off the patio area and “sweep” rocks from concrete pads. It’s a workhorse tool that’s indispensable for keeping any RV space neat and clean.

When folded, the rake takes up only a small amount of space in a storage compartment. A hook-and-loop strap can be used to keep the pole sections together, but they still seem a little unwieldy. It may take some experimentation to find a better way to keep the poles contained.

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