These 5 inexpensive products should be among your first purchases when stocking your brand new RV.
As exciting as it is to prep a new RV for your first camping trip, it can also be a bit overwhelming. There is a fine line between being prepared and over packing, and you just might find yourself asking, do I really need this?
There are thousands of camping gadgets and gizmos that you might never actually use. But here are 5 pieces of gear that every newbie RVer should purchase before heading out to the campground.
- Tire Pressure Gauge
RV safety experts recommend checking your tire pressure on every single traveling day, but many RVers don’t do this until they experience a tire blow out. Adopt this simple but important safety habit from day one. Tire pressure gauges are inexpensive, so you don’t have to bust the budget to stay safe. Our own gauge cost under $20 and has been working well for years.
- Extra Water Hose
We were shocked the first time we showed up at a campground and couldn’t reach the water hookup with one hose. We were even more shocked at the price we had to pay to purchase an extra hose in the camp store. Although this doesn’t happen regularly, experienced RVers know to always have an extra hose for those campgrounds that have the water hookup across the campsite from the sewer. Go figure.
- Water Pressure Regulator
You don’t want to figure out the hard way that there is a water pressure problem at a campground. This rather inexpensive product can save you a tremendous amount of money by protecting your RV plumbing. It can also save you a lot of aggravation from uneven water pressure. The fancy ones come with a gauge and will run you about $50 or so. But if you are on a tight budget, get one of the simple ones for under $10. It will do the job.
- Firewood Splitter
While you won’t be cutting down any trees at the campground, you will be buying your fair share of firewood at camp stores. A small splitter can be a lifesaver when the firewood is just too big to burn properly. Don’t let a bum campfire get you down. Be prepared to do a little chopping. As an added benefit, you will feel way more outdoorsy.
- Fire Starters
You may have finely tuned Scout abilities, but most people don’t want to rub two sticks together until a campfire sparks. Keep it simple by always stocking a box of fire starters in your storage bin. You can buy them commercially, or make your own using one of the many ‘recipes’ found on the Internet. Our favorite DIY method is to buy candles at the dollar store, break them into one-inch pieces, and wrap the candles in wax paper. Place one in your fire ring, and watch the magic happen.
These five inexpensive items will help keep you safe, keep your RV working, and get your campfire roaring. Because at the end of the day, that is why we RV– to make wonderful memories with our loved ones at the campground.
See you there.
Jeremy and Stephanie Puglisi are the co hosts of the weekly RV Family Travel Atlas and Campground of the Week podcasts, as well as the creators of the RVFTA Podcast Network. They are also the authors of The Idiots Guide to RV Vacations and the Acadia National Park Adventure Guide. After buying their very first pop up camper six years ago, Jeremy and Stephanie caught the RV bug in a big way, and now spend over 70 nights a year in their travel trailer with their three sons, Theo, Max, and Wes, and sweet Maggie the pup. You can follow along on their adventures (and misadventures) at rvfamilytravelatlas.com.
