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.

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 freshwater 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 rated 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.

We chose 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 Dehumidifier 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 ones).  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 setup.

Other Outdoor Items

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

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

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

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.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

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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