This is one of the most common and frequently asked questions by new RVers, especially those who are preparing to make the transition from living in a traditional home, known as "sticks and bricks" in the RV community, to downsizing and living fulltime in an RV, whether they plan to be stationary or travel. And this same question arises from people buying their first RV for occasional use as well.
So you're about to buy an RV, or you've just bought an RV and you're wondering what you need. Or do you need anything? For what you just paid, especially if you bought new, shouldn't it include everything necessary to hit the road and spend at least a weekend in a campground? Well, the answer is maybe, or maybe not! But we have compiled a list of items that are "must-haves" for those first few camping trips. As well, we've provided links to the brands and models that we personally use after much research, some trial and error, some epic failures, and some recommendations from other fulltime RVers we've met along the way.
Here is a list of those must-have items you don't want to go on your first camping trip without and the specific ones we use and highly recommend.
1. Sewer Hose with Connectors
We use and recommend the Camco RhinoExtreme 20' Sewer Hose as it is actually two 10' hoses that are very durable, all of the caps necessary for storage, a clear swivel 90 degree elbow making dumping easier. Having two separate 10' hoses is very convenient and there have been many campgrounds where we only needed one section. That just makes travel day that much easier to pack up with less to put away. And if you haven't dealt with a sewer hose before and you're old enough to remember what a Slinky is, imagine trying to neatly stow a 20' Slinky that's 3" in diameter and weighted heavier on both ends!
The other great feature about this particular sewer hose is that it comes with end caps for both sections of hoses and a cap for the 90 degree elbow. It took me a while to figure this out, but with a cap on one end you can compress the hose into it's non-stretched form (which is approximately 5' per section) and then put the cap on the other end. By doing this and keeping air from entering the hose it will maintain it's compressed version of itself while you put it away. It would have been nice if they had included that somewhere in the documentation (or maybe they did...I probably didn't read the instructions for a sewer hose.)
So let's talk warranty! We can tell you that Camco's warranty on this item is for crap, no pun intended. It's a whopping 90 days from date of purchase, that's it. BUT!!! If you buy this from Amazon directly, Amazon provides a full 1-Year Warranty! You read that right! Buy it from any RV dealer or Camco directly and not only will you likely pay more, but you'll only get a 90 warranty OR spend less on Amazon and get a full year warranty!! How do we know? One of the flanges started weeping where it attaches to the hose. We contacted Amazon and had a replacement on the way the same day, and we were WELL past 90 days since purchase. Now the really gross part...Amazon sent a UPS call tag and wanted us to ship the defective one back! Yuck!! All I could think was "that poor, unsuspecting warranty processing guy at Amazon the day this shows up!"
Get your Camco RhinoExtreme 20' Sewer Hose here: https://amzn.to/3354fk6
To look at other RV sewer hose options, click here: https://amzn.to/2Q3C5At
2. Drinking Water Safe Hose
There are as many water hose options out there are there are RV options, and we've tried several different ones of the years, but the Zero-G RV/Marine hose is drinking water safe, weights approximately 40% less than a traditional hose, is kink-free, and packs up very easily in a small space. Better yet, we noticed that the rubbery hose flavor in the water that you always get with a new hose dissipated after the first day of use, where we have experienced traditional water hoses maintain that rubber taste for days, sometimes even a week or more. The other great thing about the Zero-G water hose is that it's very durable, something that helps with longevity when it's being stowed, attached, unattached, and stowed again over and over. This hose is available in both a 25' and a 50' option. We have both, just in case we need the extra reach, but we've only used the 50' hose once or twice so far. But if you only want to purchase and carry one hose we would highly recommend going with the 50' option to ensure you always have enough length to hook up.
Get your Zero-G 25' Water Hose here: https://amzn.to/38ETENN
Get your Zero-G 50' Water Hose here: https://amzn.to/2vUGGhH
To look at other RV water hoses, click here: https://amzn.to/2veojUE
3. RV Power Protection/Surge Guard
While you may get a water hose and sewer hose with the purchase of your RV, you likely will not get any kind of surge guard unless you're buying used and the previous owner feels so inclined to include one. This is something every RVer should have before they ever consider plugging their RV into power at any campground!
While we have been fortunate and not had any power spikes, I can't count the number of times we've had brown-outs, where the power has dropped below an acceptable level. Brown-outs can do just as much damage to electric appliances and accessories in your RV as power spikes, so you need a device that protects both ends of the power spectrum and will disconnect power to your RV should shore power fluctuate outside of acceptable tolerances.
We did a great deal of research and chose the Southwire 50A Surge Guard. It has performed exceptionally and we highly recommend it. There is also a 30A version of this same surge guard available. An option available with either of these models is a wireless remote to monitor shore power from the comfort of your RV.
Get your Southwire 34951 50A Surge Guard click here: https://amzn.to/2Q2er7w
Get your Southwire 34931 30A Surge Guard click here: https://amzn.to/2TFsMcd
Get your Southwire Wireless LCD Display click here: https://amzn.to/2TCvfEl
To look at other RV Surge Guard options, click here: https://amzn.to/2TCmOce
4. Water Pressure Regulator
A water pressure regulator is another must-have item before your first camping trip, because water pressure, specifically high water pressure, is something that is common at many RV parks and campgrounds and the results can be disastrous! RV plumbing is not designed to handle high water pressure, far less than a traditional home like you are probably used to. To protect against one of the fastest and most destructive things that can happen to your RV make sure you have a water pressure regulator. Like the surge guard, we never hook up our RV to water without a regulator. We were provided an inexpensive Camco Plastic Water Pressure Regulator with the purchase of our new RV which is supposedly preset to 40-50psi, but regulators can go bad and we simply didn't trust it without having a gauge to show us what the actual pressure was. That said, we did use it for our two overnight stops getting the RV home from the dealership since it's all we had and it was better than nothing.
After much research we went with the Renator Water Pressure Regulator with Gauge and it has worked great...until one day recently the gauge read 22psi before I attached it to the hose bib. Like anything else, things can break. The question when they do is, how good is their customer service and warranty? Well, they were exceptional! We emailed the company on a Friday morning explaining the issue. They asked for a picture of the gauge unattached from any water source and our address. I complied and received an email back within 30 minutes stating that the issue appeared to be a faulty gauge and that a new one was in the mail to us and should arrive on Monday, along with a USPS tracking number provided. And just as they said, the new gauge arrived on Monday and resolved the problem. You can't ask for much better service than that!
Get your Renator Water Pressure Regulator here: https://amzn.to/2Q3Qb53
To look at other water pressure regulator options, click here: https://amzn.to/338UXDF
5. Leveling Blocks
Leveling blocks are often one of those things that are overlooked, or not thought about on your first RV outing. You're all excited, you've got everything you need to have all the comforts of home and provide all the necessary protection to your rig in the RV park or campground you're destined for. You've got a water hose, water pressure regulator, surge guard, and sewer hose. You've stocked the refrigerator with all of your favorite camping meals, you've got a grill to cook that steak to perfection, you've got DVD's to entertain the kids or grandkids, you've thought of everything!
And you have thought of everything, well almost everything. But when you parked your RV and noticed it was "just a little off level" you figured it would be fine. And it was, right up until you crawl into bed and realized that the headboard side of the RV was 4" lower than the other side. To the eye, a 4" difference across a 8' wide RV isn't very noticeable. And walking in an RV that's 4" lower to one side isn't that noticeable either. But having your head 4" or more lower than your feet when you're laying in bed is VERY noticeable, and for many it will absolutely ruin a good night's sleep, which ultimately ruins what would have been the perfect first camping trip.
Also, having an unleveled RV is one of the worst things you can do to an RV style refrigerator, if that's what you have. However, many of the newer RVs are coming with residential refrigerators which have a compressor to move the refrigerant making them far less susceptible to tilt.
For motorhomes with dual rear tires like ours we recommend the Camco 4x2 Leveling Blocks. For other RVs including travel trailers, 5th wheels, Class B's, and truck campers we recommend the Camco 2x2 Leveling Blocks. They are virtually the same thing without the need to accommodate dual rear tires.
Get your Camco 4x2 Leveling Blocks here: https://amzn.to/2TFODAA
Get your Camco 2x2 Leveling Blocks here: https://amzn.to/2xjWBq3
To look at other leveling block options, click here: https://amzn.to/2Q67mmm
6. RV Toilet Treatment
Toilet treatment for the black tank in your RV is something you don't want to skip, not even for one night. The gases and odors that form in these tanks within hours of their first use will have your entire RV smelling very, shall we say undesirable. Even potentially worse than the foul smell is the risk of solids and toilet paper not being broken down which can result in blockages, tank sensor false readings, and sometimes what is known as a "poop pyramid," though the more common cause of this is dumping the black tank and not adding any water (which is also when the toilet treatment should be added) after emptying.
None of the toilet treatments are perfect, but we have found the Valterra Pure Power Blue Bio-Pouch to be very effective for both waste breakdown and odor, even in 90+ degree weather when odors become much harder to control. If you use a sewer hose with a clear elbow, like the Camco RhinoExtreme sewer hose we recommended earlier in this post, it provides visibility when dumping and gives a good indication of the amount of breakdown that occurred. Not something you necessarily want to watch while you're eating your breakfast bagel, but important nonetheless.
There are many, many different options for toilet treatment on the market and we have tried several. One of the most popular is a product called Happy Camper Holding Tank Treatment. We personally have not tried it as we much prefer the storage and use of the drop-in style pouches of the Valterra Pure Power Blue Bio-Pouches over a container and lid that is far more susceptible to being knocked over during travel, accidentally spilled when getting it out, etc.
Get your Valterra Pure Power Blue Bio-Pouches here: https://amzn.to/2IAFO4r
To look at other RV toilet treatment options, click here: https://amzn.to/2Q5ebVj
7. RV Toilet Paper
Unlike your household toilet paper, your RV toilet paper is unique. It must be able to dissolve quickly when introduced to liquid and holding tank treatment products. You cannot use that Ultra Soft Cushiony Touch Charmin that's thicker than the blankets you had in college with your RV toilet and holding tank. If you do it will not break down sufficiently to evacuate the holding tank and you will eventually end up with buildup that will lead to some really stinky problems. The only way you can continue to use your favorite household toilet paper is if you prefer (or are willing) to put your used paper in a bag or can rather than putting it in the toilet. Many people do this to eliminate any potential holding tank issues as well as to not have to use the more expensive RV toilet paper.
There have been countless studies and reviews done on RV/Marine, Septic-Safe, and regular household toilet paper. These studies have compared the amount of time for them to each break down, the thickness and softness of each paper, etc. Interestingly, in one test that we saw the toilet paper that actually broke down the fastest was a household (septic-safe) toilet paper called Great Value Long Lasting Roll Premium Bath Tissue. If you're looking for the most economical solution this is a great option, far less expensive than even some of the cheapest RV toilet paper.
We personally haven't tried this yet as we have been extremely pleased with the Thetford Aqua-Soft Toilet Tissue. It is a little more expensive, but after trying a few different products we felt this was the best for softness, strength and breakdown and we've stuck with it ever since. So know that you're getting a quality RV toilet paper to start with if you choose the Thetford Aqua-Soft, but try others and see what you prefer. Just make sure that you stick with either RV/Marine toilet paper or septic-safe toilet paper and you should be good to go.
Get your Thetford Aqua-Soft RV Toilet Paper here: https://amzn.to/2TTz3jF
To look at other RV toilet paper options, click here: https://amzn.to/2U2u5Tb
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