Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
      • RV Roofs – What You Need to Know
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • RV Travelers: How to Read Books While Saving Space and Weight in Your RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

Essential RV Gear Guide

We compiled a list of the items we consider “must haves” for full-time RVing. In the beginning, we wasted a lot of money on things we didn’t need. Here we only share those items that we are still using 6 years later.

Note: This article contains affiliate links meaning if you purchase something using a link, we will get a small commission (and no additional cost to you). However, we only recommend products that we use.

Learn how to pay off debt, earn an income, and save money all while traveling full-time.

  • Water Systems
  • Electricity
  • Dehumidifier
  • Mattress
  • Kitchen
  • Other Outdoor Items
  •  

Water Systems

Fresh Water Hose – Having a hose that is rated “drinking water safe” is critical for your RV. After using a very bulky water hose, we changed to this Zero-G Marine/RV Drinking Water Hose for its ease of storage on moving day. The flexible material allows is to fold up much smaller than a traditional water hose.

Water Pressure Regulator – A water pressure regulator is an insurance policy for your RV’s fresh water plumbing system.  Connect it to the campground’s city water connection to ensure you don’t exceed the recommended pressure (between 45 and 50 psi) and damage your RV water lines.

Water Filter System – If you want to protect your water lines from sediment that can create blockages, as well as filter your water for bacteria and other impurities, check out this simple DIY Water Filtration System.

Back Flush Hose – We use a collapsible garden hose for your back flush. You don’t need to waste money on one that is rating drinking water safe. This one compresses for easy storage.

 Sewer Hose – We use the RhinoFlex hose and the only piece we had to replace was the one we lost on the highway when Julie accidentally left it in the truck bed! We are glad we got the 20′ because not every campsite and dump station is created equal. Some are placed quite far from where you’d expect. The clear elbow and 4-in-1 dump station fitting will make life much simpler too.

Sewer Hose Support – This sewer hose support ramp keeps your hose off the ground, and assists in drainage. We actually have two for the occasions that we need the entire 20′ sewer hose.

Shower Head – One of the first things we changed in our RV was to this Oxygenics Shower Head. There are five different settings and we think it has terrific water pressure.

Electricity

The Surge Guard is much more than a surge protector. It provides total electrical protection for your RV. While we purchased the external model, you can also choose to hard wire one into your system. 

Click here for a free Electrical Information Guide to help you decide which protection system is best for you.

Power Cord – The original power cord that came with our RV was so big and bulky, Julie had a hard time wrangling it into the basement storage. Since switching to this power cord, moving day is much simpler.

Lithium Batteries & Solar Panels – We finally upgraded our power system to lithium batteries and solar last year. Before we upgraded from lead acid to lithium batteries we were constantly worried about keeping our residential refrigerator powered overnight without damaging the batteries or

We choose Battle Born Batteries after we met the founders and some of their team at a rally last year. They are terrific folks and really care about their product and their customers.

Dehumidifier

It is not just those RVing in humid climates that need this inexpensive preventive maintenance tool. If you shower, wash clothes, cook, or even breathe in your RV, you increase the relative humidity in the air and can create excessive condensation and moisture.  We use four dehumidifiers in our 44-foot fifth wheel.

In the bedroom and in the kitchen, we have an Eva-dry Electric Petite Portable Dehumidifier. These are small, but hard working. They are also very, very quiet. We had to replace one because it quit working about 3 years in. The other one is still going strong after 5 years. These are very quiet and easy to empty.

 

We also use a Damp Rid Disposable Dehumidifiers in the bathroom. Although it says it is disposable, you can actually reuse it by just buying replacement pellets.

Mattress

Our RV mattress was so uncomfortable something had to be done about it right away. We tried the less expensive method first, and purchased a foam mattress topper and cut it to size (RV mattresses aren’t the same size as residential).  While this wasn’t a perfect fix, it was an improvement. After about six months full-time, we purchased a new custom mattress and couldn’t be happier.

Kitchen

Click here to see our kitchen set up.

Other Outdoor Items

Wheel covers – To protect our RV tires from the damaging rays of the sun, we purchased these triple axel tire covers. They also come in double and single.

Wheel chocks – We use this inexpensive set every time we park!

Satellite TV Wineguard – We use this Winegard Playmaker portable satellite antenna on a tripod to get our satellite signal.

 

Outdoor RV SignSign – We love our outdoor sign we purchased from Craft Village two years ago. It has been outside in the elements since and we’ve noticed no sign of wear.

 

 

RV SnapPad XTRA

RV SnapPads are a leveling and stability solution for RVs. The pads increase our rig's surface area/footprint and therefore stability. In addition, the SnapPads help dampen vibrations and the "rock" of the rig when you are inside, makes for a better RVing experience and lessens the chances of slippage or tilt. Perhaps the most often ignored reason to have a good set of SnapPads for your rig is jack foot protection. The metal leveling jacks on your automatic system are absolutely integral to how your levelers function.RV SnapPads are a leveling and stability solution for RVs. The pads increase our rig’s surface area/footprint and therefore stability. In addition, the SnapPads help dampen vibrations and the “rock” of the rig when you are inside, makes for a better RVing experience and lessens the chances of slippage or tilt. Perhaps the most often ignored reason to have a good set of SnapPads for your rig is jack foot protection. The metal leveling jacks on your automatic system are absolutely integral to how your levelers function.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

The TPMS alerts the driver if a tire gets too hot or has pressure outside the desired range (too high or too low). This gives you time to pull over safely before a blowout occurs.You know the saying, you have a lot riding on your tires. A tire pressure monitoring system, or TPMS, consists of a series of sensors that screw onto each tire’s valve stem to monitor tire air pressure and temperature. We have the sensors installed on the Fifth Wheel and truck tires. The TPMS alerts the driver if a tire gets too hot or has pressure outside the desired range (too high or too low). This gives you time to pull over safely before a blowout occurs. We personally recommend the TST 507 purchased from TechnoRV.

Internet – We work remotely so we need reliable access to the internet. We use cellular data plans and hotspots from two different carriers, but the real game-changer is our Pepwave router. We tried campground WiFi and another cellular signal booster before the Pepwave and we think the Pepwave is worth every cent.     

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We share all the RV gear we still use after 5 years of Full-Time travel in hopes it will save you from wasting money on things you don't need for your motorhome, Fifth Wheel, trailer, or camper. Critical items include Tire Pressure Monitoring System and water filtration.
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