Best RV Essentials For Beginners: The Guide Every RVer Needs

When it comes to RV travel and camping, there are certain basic essentials all RVers need to have on hand. Whether you are a weekend warrior, a full-time traveling RVer, or an occasional vacationer, we are breaking down all the RV camping essentials you need for any successful RV adventure. Spend less time worrying about what you need for your RV and more time adventuring outdoors with this helpful guide from two full-time RVers who have traveled to over 25 states and 4 Canadian Provinces while living and working in their RV!

Must-Have RV Camping Essentials

A Trusty Water Hose

One of the perks of traveling in an RV is having access to amenities like showers and running water. To be set up for success, an RV essential is a quality water hose. This will be used to hook up to city water if you have a water hook-up at your site or fill your fresh tank if you are boondocking without hookups.

We have had problems with stiff hoses being cumbersome and cracking, so we recommend flexible hoses like this one:

Heated Water Hose

While we tend to be fair-weather RVers, it is hard to follow the weather perfectly. If you will ever find yourself RVing in winter conditions, an insulated and heated water hose will help you avoid running into frozen hoses and losing access to water.

This is an RV camping essential if you live in a colder climate or plan to camp in freezing temperatures. A nice warm shower would be nice during those skiing or snowboarding trips!

A Quality Water Filter

Water quality plays a big role in your health and well-being and is not something to take a chance on. Our RV has a whole house filter, and we also have a Berkey Water Filter to ensure we can count on high-quality water, no matter where we go.

Depending on your RV, how often you camp, and what kind of RVing you do, an RV camping essential will be some form of in-line water filter for your water hose:

If you are looking for a more comprehensive filtration system, you might consider a countertop solution like the Berkey

Or you might consider a system that filters the water as it enters your RV like the Clearsource Water Filtration System:

A Surge Protector for safety

An RV camping essential if you ever plan to plug your RV into an electric pedestal is a high-quality surge protector. Surge protectors protect all electrical components in your RV from damage or fire should there be a spike in voltage coming from your AC power source.

Some RVs may come with surge protectors or an EMS permanently installed. If that is not the case for your RV or camper, a separate surge protector will be one of your RV essentials.

Below are two basic surge protectors. Read about RV surge protectors vs EMS to learn more about which is best for you.

Tank Treatment to keep things fresh and clean

A big pro of traveling in an RV is typically having access to your own restroom! With this comes great responsibility to take care of your tanks and avoid any waste backups that can lead to a gross and smelly disaster.

For this reason, having a high-quality tank treatment is an RV camping essential. Not only for superficial reasons to keep things smelling fresh but also to keep your tanks from getting clogged or backing up.

Our favorite tank treatment is Happy Campers Holding Tank Treatment. Through the use we have found that our tank sensors perform better, we have had no clogging, and no smells in our RV – even in extreme heat.

Keeping your RV tanks in peak working order is an important part of setting yourself up for success with camping and boondocking.

Read More: How to Clean RV Tank Sensors (for more information on keeping your sensors working accurately and your tanks clear of sludge)

RV Friendly Toilet Paper

Hand in hand with a good tank treatment option, another RV essential is RV-friendly toilet paper. Using toilet paper that is not RV-friendly is the quickest way to find yourself with build-up and clogs that make it really hard to appropriately empty your black tank.

RV toilet paper is one of those RV camping essentials you always want to have on hand, and it is worth the bit of added price compared to normal toilet paper in the long run.

We like the Scott brand rapid dissolving toilet paper. We have often sometimes found great deals at big box stores like Walmart!

Blocks & Chocks

While campgrounds are many things, unless you are at an RV resort, most times one thing they are not is flat. If you plan to visit state parks, family-run campgrounds, harvest hosts, or boondock on public lands, you can almost guarantee you will require some help from blocks for leveling and chocks to help keep your rig sturdy.

Getting a set of stackable blocks is an RV essential as they can help you when leveling out on a site that is very uneven, as well as help with stability by preventing your jacks from having to extend too far.

In addition, chocks are an RV camping essential as they help to keep your RV more stable by limiting the movement of the tires, and can also help with security when unhooking from a tow vehicle. X Chocks are a quality choice among RVers and we also have a large chock that was actually once used by fire engines!

If you own a fifth wheel like us, you will also need something to prop up your front jacks, as this helps limit the strain on the jacks and helps make the RV more stable You can create DIY blocks using wood or consider a popular option like the Andersen Jackstands:

Many RVers also choose to install RV snap pads to their jacks to further protect them from damage, the elements, and rust:

Sewer Hose Kit & Holder

If you plan to use your RV’s bathroom or kitchen sink, you will be collecting both gray and black water in your RV’s holding tanks. When you fill them up, you also have to dump them and you need a way to do so in an orderly fashion.

A sewer hose kit is without a doubt a must-have RV camping essential. The features of our sewer hose kit that we love are the interlocking head to avoid any spraying disasters, a clear elbow to check for clogs, and our sewer hose support which is an RV essential for getting your sewer hose at the proper angle to keep things flowing downhill to the sewer connection or dump site.

Water Pressure Regulator

Different RVs can handle different amounts of water pressure coming into the rig. When water pressure is not regulated, this can occasionally lead to water pipes bursting in your RV. This can make for a costly fix when you account for repairs and potential water damage, not to mention time missed exploring in your RV.

A water pressure regulator is an RV camping essential that will give you peace of mind.

A Power Cord Adapter for if you’re in a pinch

As an RVer who plans to spend time on the grid at campgrounds, having a way to get power to your rig will be an RV camping essential. You never want to find yourself in a position where you show up at a campground and are unable to plug in your RV. This can happen if the electric service you have at your site does not match what you have from your rig.

For example, our RV is a 50-amp rig. We need an adapter when plugging into sites with 30 amp or 20 amp service.

Especially if you have a 50amp RV, having a power cord adaptor is an RV essential as it ensures you will never be without power no matter what service your campsite has.

Sanitation Gloves

Something easily overlooked, but an RV camping essential nonetheless. Disposable gloves protect you when handling the RV sewer hoses and anything you might need to touch at the dump station.

We also have a separate set of work gloves on hand for filling diesel, which can be a messy venture, especially at truck stops.

Portable Air Compressor

One of the biggest concerns for RVers on travel days is the dreaded tire blowout. That is why the first two products on our must-have RV accessories list are dedicated to helping you avoid the hassle and damages of a blowout or having to wait around for a tow truck or AAA.

The Viair portable air compressor has helped us to keep all of our 6 truck tires appropriately inflated, as well as the 4 tires on our fifth wheel. With frequent changes in pressures associated with fluctuations in temperature or altitude, we find ourselves using this reliable compressor almost every time we move the RV.

TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)

Did you know that one of the leading causes of the dreaded tire blowout is low tire pressure? Having a tire pressure monitoring system allows you to monitor your RV tires at all times while towing (and your tow vehicle tires as well if not built-in). A TPMS system is one of the must-have RV accessories because it provides real-time updates and alerts so you can constantly know each of your tire pressures and temperatures and make proactive decisions before it’s too late.

We chose the EEZ Tire TPMS system due to recommendations from fellow full-time RVers. It was easy to install and connects remotely through a display we take with us in the truck. With its alerts and feedback, we have been able to pull over and use our Viair portable air compressor to keep our tire pressures within the recommended ranges while towing. Thankfully using our TPMS and Viair, we have avoided a blowout or any major tire issues on the truck or the RV.

In addition to using a TPMS system, it is also important to choose the proper truck tires for towing your RV.

READ MORE: Best Truck Tires For Towing

Little Giant Ladder

Having an expandable ladder can really come in handy for times when you need to fix things on the outside of your RV that are just out of reach. For example, we had an emergency exit window get stuck open in the upstairs portion of our fifth wheel that was out of reach.

It also comes in handy for places that are hard to reach to clean or caulk. It can also help you with cleaning off slide roofs if you prefer to do so with a leaf blower rather than climbing onto the roof.

We think an extendable ladder is one of the must-have RV accessories because you always want to be able to access all parts of your RV for maintenance, repairs, or emergencies. We love our Little Giant Ladder because it is small enough to fit nicely in our fifth wheel’s basement and is able to extend into a 13ft ladder when fully extended.

RV Safe GPS

There is no worse feeling than hitting the open road with your RV and suddenly thinking…this doesn’t look right. Whether it’s a bridge that’s a bit too low, a road that says no trailers, or a few sharp turns that make your hair stand on end, there are plenty of ways to end up in a sticky situation when traveling with an RV or camper.

Using an RV-specific GPS helps relieve some of the stress of driving an RV or towing a trailer or fifth wheel by helping you feel more confident that you are navigating along a route that is RV-friendly.

RV Life

We love RV Life as it works as an app directly on our phones and can provide tailored routes based on our RV specifications for height and length. As rookie RVers, we got ourselves into our fair share of wrong turns and sticky situations which required a bit of stressful maneuvering. While no technology is perfect (always use your best judgment as well), having the right tools at your disposal can make a big difference.

Check out our in-depth guide to RV LIFE, what we consider to be the best RV travel app for planning, GPS, and finding campgrounds in one place, as well a complete list of best RVing apps to help you set yourself up for many fulfilling adventures!

If you would prefer an RV Safe GPS that is not an app, Garmin is a popular choice among RVers

Tools for RV Maintenance

If one thing is for sure, RVing means RV maintenance. Whether it is your home on your wheels or your vacation vehicle, it is well-known that RVs are rolling earthquakes when they are traveling down the road. Long story short, things break. RVs require consistent maintenance to help avoid costly repairs.

That is why we invested in compact, lightweight tools to have on hand for any job we might need to do while traveling.

We opted for the Milwaukee M12 line as it offers high-quality, powerful 12V tools that are perfect for those with limited space. They are also a great option for RVing as they are lighter weight than standard 18V tools. These are the tools we have found to be must-have RV accessories throughout our travels:

In our RV “basement”:

• Drill – to tighten loose screws, drill holes for installations (such as solar)
• Impact Driver – drive larger screws and bolts
• Impact Wrench – key for pulling lug nuts off (for checking hubs, bearings, brakes, seals)
• Torque Wrench – for tightening lugs between travels (tires or fifth wheel)
• Tape measure – dimensions for furniture, projects, and installations
• Gloves – For filling diesel at truck stops, electrical work, running power tools, etc.

In our truck’s toolbox:

• Deep Impact Socket set – help reach nuts on longer bolts
• Ratcheting Wrench Set – allow for much quicker turning
• Socket Set – handy to have a large assortment of socket sizes
• Grease gun – for bearings, suspension, fifth wheel hitch

READ MORE: Ultimate RV Maintenance Checklist

Extra/Spare RV Parts

Did we mention things break? To avoid some large RV headaches or finding yourself in a bind while waiting for a specific RV part, we believe must-have RV accessories are some form of spare RV parts. You will pay much more for repairs at an RV shop, which also potentially means not having your RV for a little while.

Many RV repairs or simple part replacements can be done on your own. Zach has become quite the RV handyman throughout our time RVing. Data science didn’t prepare him for this, but he learned as we traveled and you can too. Don’t sell yourself short.

Here are some of the spare parts we think are must-have RV accessories to have on hand:

• Slide Cable Repair Kit
• Brake pads and bearings
• Remco water pump (or other brand depending on your RV)
• Assortment of Solvents, Sealants, and Lubricants – water intrusion is a real risk when RVing. Be sure to keep up with your RV caulking! We recommend Lexel
• Electrical connectors, butt connectors, heat shrink, zip ties, spare screws, and hardware
• Large bottle jack
• Pex crimper for RV plumbing

RV Camping Essentials Overall

RVing is an investment in experiences. You can travel with the comforts of home, bring along your beloved pets, and create the adventure you dream of. Whether that is luxury RV resorts with all the amenities or getting into remote areas and living off-grid, the choice is yours. These RV essentials for beginners will help you to spend more time having fun and experience fewer headaches.

RVing has allowed us to camp and enjoy outdoor adventures all over the U.S. and soon Canada as well! It allows us to travel, spend more time in nature, and have our home with us wherever we go. While you could set up your RV with lots of different RV accessories and luxury gadgets, this list is a breakdown of some of the basic RV essentials we have found most important in our day to day travels. Happy adventuring!

Ready to dive headfirst into the world of RV travel? We think you’ll love these articles:

• RV Tips 101: A Beginner’s Guide To RVing
• The Best Apps for RVing: Proven Reliable Resources
• 33+ Best Camper Hacks
• Ultimate 1 Year RV Road Trip Itinerary

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