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(The products you’d actually see if you walked into our RV right now.)
We’ve been doing this RV thing for quite a while now, and we’ve had the chance to try out a LOT of RV products along the way. Some seem really cool at first, but then when we use them we discover some flaw we hadn’t thought of. Or sometimes, we pack something and schlep it around and it never gets used. (That’s almost worse!) But every once in a while, we land upon a product that just works for us and the way we RV. Those are the products I’m sharing in this list.
If we gave out a “Fit RV Seal of Approval”, these products would have it. These are the things that we carry in the RV and really do use. They’re the real deal – if you were to walk into our RV, you’d see them. And if we ran an RV accessories store, we’d sell them. I’ve limited this list to products that don’t have to be “modded in” to your RV. The most you’ll have to do to use one of these products is turn a screwdriver – don’t worry if you’re not mechanically inclined!
So, if you have an RVing issue and you want to know if we’ve solved it with an off-the-shelf product – read on! If you just got yourself a new RV and you’re wondering what else you need to get – this is your guide! And if you know an RVer, and you want to get them a gift that won’t turn out to be junk – consider the products below. This list is as close as we can get to an in-person, look you in the eye and shake your hand recommendation. The links you see below are affiliate links, which won’t cost you anything extra, but will earn us a small commission. Since we’re personally recommending these products, we’re OK with that.
Also, I intend to keep this list updated at least yearly. So if you check back, you might see something new. And without further ado, here we go!
Outdoor/Camping Products
These are products you don’t even need an RV to use. Most of these would work for backpacking or car camping as well.
 | CGear Sand Free Mat | We first encountered this product at the Outdoor Retailer show, and have carried one in our RV ever since. When spread outside your door, it does a great job of keeping sand and dirt out of your RV. You can see our initial impressions of the CGear in this video. |
 | Helinox Chair One | These are the smallest, lightest camp chairs we've found, which means they don't take up much space in our RV. They're easy to assemble and disassemble. We've had ours for a couple of years now and they're still going strong. |
 | Helinox Table One Hard Top | Well what good are chairs if you don't have a table to put your coffee on? We got the Table One Hard Top as soon as it came out, and we've carried it ever since. We even did a review of this table over on Winnebago's blog. You can read that here. |
 | meori Outdoor Box | This is a relatively recent addition, but it really helps having this thing always near the RV. It also helps me keep my sanity when Stef "helps" pack and unpack. You can read our review of the box here. |
 | CampGuard LED Security Lantern | This was another find at the Outdoor Retailer show. I'll confess that this lantern isn't in the RV ALL of the time... when we're home, we use it to warn us if our cat Mel goes somewhere he's not supposed to! You can see our initial video of the CampGuard in this post. |
 | LED Lenser Headlamps | Another product we reviewed and adopted after seeing it at the Outdoor Retailer show. These headlamps are the bomb! I don't think we actually carry a flashlight in the RV anymore - we just use these for everything. We currently have two of the SEO7R, and you can see our review of them in this video. |
 | Motorola MH230R 2-way Radios | Walkie Talkies! Feel like a kid again... or, be able to talk to your spouse when you're on opposite sides of a fairground in Iowa that somehow made it into the 21st century without having cell service. (Ahem... Forest City...) When your cell doesn't work, these things can be a life saver! |
 | UCO Sweetfire Fire Starter | It's pretty much always windy wherever we are. (Maybe we're cursed.) If you're trying to start a fire in those conditions, something that can burn for several minutes will do the trick a lot better than 35 matches that keep going out. These fit the bill. |
 | Bushnell Compact Folding Binoculars | Sometimes, you just gotta see what that is way over there... Admittedly, I didn't buy these initially for the RV, I bought them for hiking. But since we usually take the RV to hikes these days, they live in the rig permanently. We have the 12x25. |
 | ShooAway Fly Repellent | Another find from Outdoor Retailer that earned a spot in our rig - because it works! You can see our initial video of the ShooAway here. And since then, several of our readers have purchased them and liked them too. Weird, but it works! |
 | UCO Flatpack Mini Portable Grill | We don't have the space for a bulky propane grill, and we don't carry any propane other than that for our heater. So this little grill fits the bill nicely. It runs on about 6 charcoal briquettes! When we first saw this one (at the Outdoor Retailer show, where else?) we made this little video about it. |
RV Products
These are the things that make using your RV easier, safer, and more convenient. And that’s why we carry them. You might be able to use some of them without an RV, but why would you do that? Put these in your rig and hit the road.
 | TireTraker Tire Monitor | Yes, modern vehicles will tell you if a tire is dangerously low, but by then it could be too late! There are several of these products that simply screw onto the valve stem caps and monitor your tire pressure. The one we use is the TireTraker. They've updated it since we bought ours, but our original one is still working - even after I busted the antenna off! |
 | Quad Lock Car Mount | Though we have another GPS we use mostly, sometimes, we use our phones. This is what I use to mount a phone to the window. It does require you to have a matching case on your phone, but both Stef and I have those cases. They also make mounts for bikes, tripods, arm bands, etc. That means we can move our phone from mount to mount while leaving it in the case! We shared our initial impressions of the Quad Lock products in this post. |
 | Garmin nuviCam LMTHD | We use this instead of the built in navigation system in our ProMaster because it's better, it has traffic, and the updates are free for life. It also has a dash-cam that is continuously recording in case there are any incidents on the road. (Thankfully, we've never needed that!) There are probably newer versions these days, but this one still rides proud on our dash. |
 | Garmin Friction Mount | Well, this keeps the nuviCam in place and easily reachable by the both of us. It also hasn't left any residue on the dash in the two years it's been sitting there, and it's never flown off while driving. |
 | Camco TastePURE Water Filter | We drink a lot of water. Bottled just isn't practical, so we drink the water from our RV's fresh water holding tank. I keep the tank clean, and the water is filtered twice before we drink it. This is the first filter, and I use it when filling up the RV. Get yourself a new one each season. |
 | 3M Under Sink Water Filter | This is our second layer of water filtration, and it connects directly to the galley sink. Our RV came with a water filtration system, and these are the cartridges we use. If your RV didn't come with a filtration system, they're not that hard to install. And if you plan to drink the water from your rig, you really owe it to yourself to get it filtered and get some good tasting water. Again, change filters once per season. |
 | Handi Hose Reel | One look at this hose and you'll know why we love it. It packs down flat. It squeezes all the water out when you roll it up. It takes up very little space. It's drinking water safe. What's not to like? The only caveat here is that we do NOT use this hose to leave outside hooked up to city water. (We never do that anyway, and always use the water from our fresh tank.) |
 | Valterra Stainless Steel Water Regulator | I got this as part of a water pressure regulator test I did over on Winnebago's blog and I liked it so much, this is the one I kept. Even though we don't hook up to city water, I use this to protect my hose and other accessories whenever I use them. |
 | Camco Water Bandit | If you use this just once, you'll be glad you bought it. You can use this to attach a hose in places you wouldn't otherwise be able to - like a sink, or a hose with stripped ends. Won't hold much pressure, but if you've ever needed to fill your tanks and not been able to find a proper hose bib, this comes in handy! |
 | Garden Hose Washers | I HATE leaky hose connections! Enough said. Carry some extras around so you can stop leaks when you see them. As a bonus, these are made out of rubber, and made in the USA. |
 | Camco Water Tank Filler | I've mentioned that we don't hook up to city water. In fact, our city water is disconnected most of the time as you can read in this post. So we fill our water tank through the gravity fill. This little device is how I do it a: by myself, and b: without getting water everywhere. |
 | EZ-Stor Bag | Since we drink the water from our fresh tank, it's important to me that I keep the hose and all my water accessories clean and free of debris, bugs, etc. This is the bag that I store them in. |
 | Electrical Adapters (dog bones) | We all need them. Ours is a 30 amp coach, so we have this one, which I use to plug in at home or at a friend's place (paying attention to not overload the circuit). I'm also still carrying a 30 amp to 50 amp adapter, which we use when we're confronted with a pedestal that is setup only for big rigs. But since that has happened to us exactly once, I'm considering not carrying that one anymore. |
 | Progressive Industries EMS/Surge Protector | You actually won't see this if you walk into our RV. But that's because we have the hard-wired version. Since I wanted to keep this list "mod-free", I included this one, which you can plug and unplug and take with you. If this works for you just once, it will save you a big headache and a ton of money. With all the electrical mods I've done to our rig, I think this is really important. |
 | Indoor-Outdoor Thermometer | I actually couldn't find the one we have in the RV, so this is the one we have in our sticks and stucco home. We have the receiver up near the bed, where it always seems to be about 5 degrees hotter, and leave the transmitter on the outside of the van. (Actually, we just always forget to bring it in when we drive and it just happens to stay put.) *Don't* get one with a clock, because who needs another clock to set when you move time zones? |
 | Cell Booster - weBoost Drive | This is how we work from the road. It's far simpler than every "RV internet" site would have you believe. We just hot-spot our phones. That's it. End of story. This is the cell booster we use to make sure that we can usually pull in a cell phone signal enough to work with. Ours is permanently installed, but you could do this with Velcro or Command tape if you wanted to. This is the only product we have for internet on the road. |
 | Hoss Pads | Another cheat. You technically won't find these in our RV, but that's only because we installed automatic leveling jacks! But for years, when we had to level the RV, these are the leveling pads I used. I still have them, and I can't bring myself to sell or give them away. |
 | The RV Toolkit | I wrote this post years ago, and every once in a while I think I should update it. But when I check the contents of the toolkit, they haven't changed much! The toolkit you see described in the video is still pretty much what we roll with today. That post has links to all the items in the toolkit, so I won't repeat them all here. |
 | Figure 9 Rope Tightener | If you're a sailor with a large vocabulary of knots, you can skip this one. For the 99.9% of us that aren't, this thing can be a game changer when it comes to tying, lashing or securing anything with rope. I've been using these things for years, and there's on in our RV, and one in my truck. |
 | An Actual Paper Road Atlas | Yes, most of the time, we'll use a phone or a GPS. But sometimes, you want to see exactly where you are in relation to the whole state of Montana. That doesn't work so well on a 4 inch screen. Plus, paper always works. So while I got this originally as a backup, I find myself using it more than just that. |
 | California Car Duster | I'm a bit of a neat freak, and a dash with dust and crumbs and cat hair all over it will drive me over the edge pretty quickly. A quick swipe of this over the dash, the console, seats, whatever, and it picks up most of the dust and debris. I keep this in the driver's side door pocket so I can grab it every time Stef isn't looking. |
 | Tiny Dustpan and Brush | This isn't the exact one we have in our rig, but it's close. Continuing with the "neat freak" theme, this is what I use to sweep the floor, because I can't stand "crunchy" floors. Since I'm battling Stef, I have to sweep several times a day. (Remember, we have a van, so it's small.) This one doesn't take up much space, and it gets into all the corners where I don't know how someone could possibly get dirt there but she does. |
 | Nucharger Travel Charger | Yes, our rig has USB outlets, but sometimes, you need a whole butt-ton of them right now, and in one place. So yes, we do travel with this in our rig. We also traveled with it when we took an RV out across Europe - because we didn't know how many USB outlets our rental rig would have (it had zero). This thing travels with us in hotels and planes when we're not traveling in the RV. |
 | Pacsafe Travel Safe | We did a video review on this product when we first saw it at Outdoor Retailer. We liked it so much, we got one for ourselves. If you can find something to lock it to - in your RV or not - this is a good deterrent from "smash and grab" thieves. It's certainly not theft-PROOF, but it will keep someone from making off with its contents easily. |
 | Retractable Cable Lock | Another product from Pacsafe. This one doesn't have a designated use in our rig. But we always take it along and keep it handy for occasions when we need to lock something up quickly and easily. Again, not a high-security solution, but one that's come in handy for us on multiple occasions. |
Fitness Stuff
You’ll be surprised at how little we actually bring with us in the way of fitness products. But that’s kind of our whole point about it – you don’t have to bring along an entire gym worth of stuff to take care of your fitness on the road! So these are the few things we actually do take with us in the RV. Every time. If you want more details on them, Stef has written about them before.
 | Bodylastics Resistance Bands | We bring a rather large set of resistance bands with us on every RV trip. They're the best thing for simulating a workout with "weights" while you're on the road because they pack down to, and weigh, almost nothing! Stef lists more benefits in her posts, but these are my #1 go-to piece of RV fitness equipment. |
 | TRX Suspension Trainer | I'm not as good at it or as creative with it as Stef is; but even I can appreciate that it's good to have different exercise options available when you're traveling. The TRX is a good alternative to resistance bands, and it will involve a lot of core muscles, and a lot more compound movements than the traditional weight lifting stuff I gravitate towards. It's good to switch things up! |
 | Jump Rope | Stef's got several posts on exercises you can do with a jump rope. Me - I find it's a good alternative cardio option, and it's endlessly frustrating as I'm never as good at jumping rope as I feel like I should be. (I imagine that's how golf feels...) Anyway, they're cheap and small, so why not give yourself another option? |
 | Yoga Mats (with slings) | Given my neat-freak thing, you can imagine that laying down in the dirt to exercise isn't high on my list of favorites. Yoga mats keep me from having to do that. Also - be sure to get yourself the straps to go with them. They make the mats easy to carry, and they keep them from unrolling while they're stored in your rig. (And I guess you can use the mat and straps for some yoga stuff too, but you'd have to ask Stef about that.) |
 | Massage Roller | Post exercise massage can be an important part of your recovery (which is just as important as the working out). Stef uses this more than I do, but since the vast majority of professional cyclists get massages after a race, maybe I should start using it more? |
Bike Stuff… Well, RV Bike Stuff
I could go on for days about bike stuff, but most of that wouldn’t have anything to do with RVs, and you probably don’t really care what tubes we use, or which brands of power meters we run on what bikes. So instead, I’m going to just look at products we keep in the RV that make cycling easier, safer, or more convenient. You’ll find those here:
 | Topeak Mega Morph Pump | This is the smallest, most full featured portable version of a track pump I could find. It stows away to basically nothing, and ours lives in the RV full time. The price they have on Amazon now is utterly ridiculous. I didn't pay that much. Topeak has a Turbo Morph Bike Pump with Gauge that's probably a good (and much cheaper) substitute. It's just a bit shorter. |
 | Portable Red Tool Box | Yeah. Eventually, I just gave up and got a second set of most of my bike tools, and these now live full-time in this box, which itself lives full-time in the RV. This was ultimately easier than sorting through tools every trip and deciding which ones to take. I've got it down to my bare minimum, and they all fit inside the box. (I lined the box with cork so it doesn't clank while I drive!) |
 | Lockless Monster Anti Theft Cable | This is another one we saw first at the Outdoor Retailer show, and it's earned a spot in our RV. It's another one of those things that just keeps honest people honest, but we're glad to have it. It's super easy to just run it through some bikes, chuck the ball into the RV and lock the door. Keeps things from walking away. This lives in a cubby in our back wall. |
 | OnGuard Mastiff Chain Lock | When I want to bring out the big guns to lock bikes up, this is what I use. Most thieves wouldn't even want to bother *lifting* this chain. Let alone cut through it. It's insanely heavy, but insanely secure. We actually have two, and if you see our bikes locked up outside the rig, you can bet this is on them. |
 | Chain Johnny | This is a condom for your bicycle's drive train. Kinda weird, but hear me out. If you travel with your bikes inside your rig like we do, then you're going to want something to keep the greasy bits covered up. This keeps grease off our pants as we walk about the RV, and it keeps grease off the cat... who has white fur. See... smart! |
 | Garmin Edge 520 Cycling GPS | In a lot of ways, this is just a typical bike computer, and so it might not belong on this list. But unlike my older ones, this one links up with a Garmin app on my iPhone. No big deal, except that every time I head out on a ride, it automatically sends an email with a tracking link to Stef, so she can see exactly where I am. This gives us both a little peace of mind, and this Garmin means I don't have to remember anything for Stef to get that message and tracking info. We both like it! |
 | Nulock Keyless Bluetooth Bike Lock with Alarm | I wrote a detailed review of this lock over on Winnebagolife, and this is another layer in our bike locking strategy. This one requires no keys, so it's easy to bring along, and the alarm will get their attention if someone tries to lift your bike while you're in getting a coffee! |
Galley Products
We’ve gone through several iterations of kitchen appliances/pots/pans/and gizmos over the years. Some of them were cool for like 10 minutes, and some of them have managed to stay longer than that. Our galley products have stayed constant for the last season, so we’ve pretty much settled on this set of things that always roll along with us. Some of these won’t be a surprise, but maybe some of them will.
 | Handpresso Auto Hybrid | We found the Handpresso a while ago, and did a video review of two versions of it. This one, the 12 volt model, is the one that seems to be hanging around in the van over a year later. It's not an every day thing, but when you want an espresso, this is an easy way to get one. As long as you have pods. We travel with both regular pods, and decaf pods. |
 | Magic Bullet | So yes, we got this whole giant set, but we don't take all those pieces with us in the RV. Two of the mugs are enough, and the colored rims are completely unnecessary. Mostly we use them to make smoothies, like Stef's Coffee Peanut Butter Smoothie. But a lot of times, it's the "whatever we have in the refrigerator smoothie". This thing only uses about 250 watts, so it could work just fine off of a portable inverter. |
 | Cuisinart Mini Prep | Since Stef tries to make me eat as much “raw” food as she can, a food processor is pretty much required in the RV. We use it for chopping veggies and fruits, and we also make lots of raw energy bars with it. Or really, Stef makes them. Some of those, like the Carrot Cake Energy Bars, I actually really dig - in spite of their being basically raw. This one also uses only about 250 watts, so it would also run off a portable inverter. |
 | Silipint Glasses | These are the "glasses" we take on road trips, and they live in the RV full time. They're made of silicone, so they're completely safe, and can take anything we throw at them. They can also take it if we actually throw them! They bend, and don't break. Nor do they rattle inside a cabinet! We also got a couple of lids and straws to go with them. |
 | Nordicware Dinnerware | Again - something that won't break while living in the RV. They're not the most attractive plates we've ever used, to be sure. But they can go from freezer to microwave to table, and we haven't been able to break or stain one yet. They're also lighter than regular dinnerware. Get some and just leave them in your rig. |
 | Nordicware Egg Cooker | For years, we were all told that eggs were unhealthy. Turns out, that's a load of junk. Done correctly, eggs can be a part of a healthy diet. And there's no easier way to cook them in the RV than in this gizmo. Stef can whip out a breakfast sandwich in record time. I don't know how she does it. Except I do know she uses this thing. |
 | Cali Bowls | The Nordicware bowls are nice and all, but they're a little on the small side. And sometimes, I just want to eat an entire freaking box of cereal with a half gallon of milk. These are the bowls that I grab when the "hungry for cereal beyond reason" urge strikes. Like most of our RV kitchen stuff, they won't break. These also have a silicone ring on the bottom that keeps them from sliding around on the table and helps keep them quiet while rolling down the road. |
 | Nordicware Nesting Prep Bowls | So you really do need larger bowls to mix things in from time to time. Or to toss a salad. Or whatever. Nesting is the way to go here, for the obvious space savings. These bowls also will not break, and they have a silicone ring on the bottom to keep them in place and quiet. We've actually had these bowls for about 5 years now and they're still going strong! |
 | Magma Nesting Induction Cookware | This is the second set of Magma Nesting Cookware we've owned. The first set we had was not induction-ready. So when I switched over our cooktop from gas to induction, we needed a new set of cookware. I didn't even browse. I just immediately went and bought the Magma induction set. They're that good. They nest - which is awesome. And this little set has included pretty much everything we've ever wanted in the RV. |
 | Magma Nesting Stainless Steel Collander | We used to travel with a different collander. But when I was buying our second set of Magma pans, I noticed this accessory that nests in with them. SOLD! One more thing in the nest of pans means one less thing taking up space in the cabinets. Brilliant! |
 | Rival Toaster | This toaster doesn't really do anything special. It makes toast, that's about it. But what it DOES do is to only use about 750 watts to do it. That means it runs great off the inverter in our RV, without sucking up too much of the battery power. If you're really into toast, you could splurge, and get this totally bad ass version instead. |
 | Silicone Kitchen Utensils | Stef thinks they're "fun". But I think they're quiet! They can't possibly rattle in a drawer! You may have noticed a theme by now where we'll opt for silicone items when we can. That's no mistake. They don't break. They're quiet. They don't absorb funk. What's not to like? |
 | Wusthof 8-Inch Chef's Knife | Here's something you may not know. Years ago, I worked in a restaurant kitchen. I had another job as an IT consultant where I traveled all the time. But on Sundays, I would pull one shift a week in a commercial kitchen, just to get the chance to cook. This is my personal knife that I brought to and from the kitchen each shift. I've kept it all these years, and now it lives in the RV. I have to be careful to keep Stef from using it though, because she would use it to open cans or drive screws. Moral of the story? Buy a good knife. 30 years later, you won't regret it. |
 | Chefmate Kitchen Shears | You'll always have need for a good set of scissors, and if those scissors can handle some kitchen tasks too, then you only have to bring one pair. We've used these shears for everything from trimming race numbers to opening cardboard boxes to cutting meat and herbs. So yeah. You know how many times a day you reach for scissors. Get some good ones. |
 | Bamboo Cutting Board | I'm guessing on this one. Stef bought this small bamboo cutting board from I don't know where, and we have used the heck out of it. It looks about like this, and it's about this size, but I can't say if this is the exact one or not. Anyway, it's small enough that it straps in with the nesting Magma pans, so it doesn't take up any extra space. Also, since it's small, it leaves enough space to work on our small galley counter top. |
 | Copco Stainless Tea Kettle | The smaller kettle you get, the faster the water boils. We thought we were going to have to give up this kettle when we moved to an induction cooktop, but it still seems to work - and very quickly at that. Plus, small is good for storing in the galley. If it ever dies, we'll probably look for an induction specific kettle. |
 | Paper Towel Holder with No Moving Parts | We used to have a "perfect tear" paper towel holder in Das Bus. We both liked it, and when we got our latest RV, we got another. But then it started rattling while driving. That's pretty much a death sentence in my world. So away it went, and now we have this one which has no moving parts whatsoever. Therefore... no rattles. |
 | Go Sun Sport Solar Cooker | We don't have an oven in our RV, but this thing will get us pretty close. We recently did a review of sorts on it, and yes, we actually do travel with it in the RV. We also have the bag, and an extra tray. They ride in the back. |
Bed and Bath Products
A lot of what you use in the bed and bath of your RV is pretty much the same stuff you would use in a “regular” home. But there are a few things we’ve found over the years that make the day-to-day in the RV a little easier. Here they are.
 | Kleenex Perfect Fit Tissues | This may seem like a small thing, but we were SO HAPPY when we found these. A box of tissues that fits in a cup holder! Securely! Since we seem to have about 14 cup holders in the cab of our Ram ProMaster, these make perfect sense for us. They're a bit spendy for tissues, but we love the convenience. |
 | Purell Hand Sanitizer | RV or not, pretty much every day I wind up touching something I really wish I hadn't. That's why it's always a good idea to have some of this stuff around. But here's what I found out: The hand sanitizer with the pump top isn't so great in the RV because I'm not always where I can find a flat steady surface to pump it on. So look a little longer and get a flip top squeeze bottle. It works in more places. |
 | Ram Mounts - All Kinds | I saw this idea in the Winnebago Revel and I liked it so I did it in our RV. We don't have a TV anymore, but on occasion, we do like to watch a movie or something. We'll try to do this from an iPad, but lying in bed, it's kinda difficult. So, I cobbled together an assortment of Ram Mount accessories, and now our iPad is perfectly positioned on the ceiling while we're in bed. |
 | Showaflops | These are yet another Outdoor Retailer find, and both Stef and I have a pair now. They're perfect for a campground or RV Park shower house! They have holes. They're anti microbial. And you can walk to and from your RV with them. Ours live in the RV permanently. |
 | Toilet Paper Canister with Lid | We got this because we have a wet bath in our RV and it seemed like a good way to store multiple rolls of toilet paper in a small space without it getting wet. In practice though, we remove it from the bath before showering to give us more room. But we like it, so we've kept it. And now we have a cat, Mel, who attacks toilet paper rolls on sight! So keeping them covered is pretty important. |
 | World's Smallest Hair Dryer | Not that I'm an expert on hair dryers any more, but trust me on this one. You won't find a smaller hair dryer that works worth a damn. The BaBylissPRO Tourmaline Titanium Travel Dryer is pretty much a real hair dryer - but it takes up almost no space in the RV. It still uses 1500 watts though. It's good enough that Stef no longer tries to take her home hair dryer which takes up like a whole cabinet. Nuff said. |
 | Stacking Organizer Bins | We have a few of these because they fit perfectly in a small cabinet in our bathroom. Stacking bins like these, by the way, are a great way to gain more space in your cabinets. |
 | Packtowl Microfiber Towels | We went through several RV towels before we settled on these. Yes, they're microfiber, so they absorb well and dry quickly. But the important thing is that they *feel* more like a regular towel than any other space age towel we've tried. |
 | Bathroom Trash Can | The description actually calls this a "Feminine Hygiene Receptacle", but I try to ignore that. It's the trash can we use in the bathroom. It's really small, mounts on the wall, and has these wax paper liners that are super cheap and are very easy to store. Plus it has a lid and seems to be waterproof in our wet bath! Just don't pay attention to the name. |
 | Retractable Clothesline | Those microfiber towels will last a lot longer between washes if we can dry them out between uses. That's what this clothesline is for. We just string it across our wet bath and hang the towels. |
 | The Scrubba Wash Bag | We travel in a class B, and bringing along a washer and dryer just isn't a priority for us. But sometimes, you just gotta wash stuff. That's when we use the Scrubba Wash Bag. It takes just a little water and soap, and about 5 minutes of time, and you can have 5 items or so washed. This was one of our very first Outdoor Retailer finds, and we've been really happy to see the Scrubba grow in popularity. |
 | Dr. Bronners Peppermint Castille Soap | We've started using this soap for hand washing and showers in our RV. Both Stef and I dig the mint. And it's completely plant based so it's safe for pretty much anything it may get dumped on. |
 | 3M Command Products | No surprises here! In just about every size and configuration available, we're used 3M's Command products to hang, fix, and secure things all over our RV. These things are a hit with RVers everywhere, and for good reason. |
 | simplehuman Trash Can | Since we RV with a pet now, we've had to make sure to get a trash can that closes securely to reduce mischief. This one fits the bill. It also doesn't take up too much space, and the butterfly top doesn't require a lot of room above to open. |
 | Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag | This little bag sits in our bathroom. We have a composting toilet... but typically you won't smell that. I don't know if it's due to this little bag or not, but I'm sure as heck not removing the bag to find out! |
So there you have it! Like I said, I plan to keep this list current, so as we adopt new things, and stop using old ones, you may see some changes. If you have a favorite product you’d like to suggest to us, sound off in the comments below! (Except don’t tell us about an Instant Pot. We’ve heard enough about those.)
Hi Stefany and James, It’s that time of year, so we’ve been re-visiting your product lists and your previous Black Friday post. As always, you have great recommendations based on practical experience. Hope you still get a little back from Amazon using these links!
Thank you for this!
Perhaps it’s time for us to issue an updated list?
That would be great!
Hello,
Do you have any recommendations for a two-bike cover for MTB’s that fits the Fiamma Carry Bike rack for a Promaster? I see that Fiamma has one that has mixed reviews. Not sure if that is the best option.
Thanks,
Cameron
Not really… and that’s kind of sad.
I tried wrapping things up in a tarp once. It didn’t go well.
Our mountain bikes live a harsh life… uncovered…
Enjoyed your video about the 5 e-bikes (for RV life) you focused on… but am looking for your written list of Brand and Model. Where can I find it?
Thanks
We always include a link to a related post in the YouTube description of each video.
https://www.thefitrv.com/fitness-tips/5-ebikes-for-rvers/
When we bought our RV in May, I looked at every item on this list and subsequently bought most of them. Thank you for providing insight and rational on a very comprehensive list. My favorites are the Helinox chairs, we bought larger models at REI, and the Magma cookware. Both high quality additions that we use every trip.
One critical thing I found missing was a knee pad. I quickly found that dumping the black/grey tanks, turning on/off the propane, getting things from storage under the sofa and draining the water tank all involved getting on my knees. I found a $5 foam seat cushion at my local home improvement store that stored easily right inside the rear doors. I started with one and quickly added a second because they also work great when the ever present picnic table at most camp sites are damp.
Hey that’s actually an EXCELLENT idea. Glad you shared this!
Love the lists. We just bought a 59G. I’ve not had time to comb through all of the videos, but now that I see this list, do you have a video of how your RV is organized? I’ve seen the walk through, but I want to see where everything is stuffed? Blender, Food Processor, yoga mats, etc etc. Is there such a video? I know your rig is highly modified, but I still think there would be some cool tips in there. Thanks! Love watching/reading.
Hey that’s a good idea! We don’t have anything like that! We will add it to our list of potential vids… thanks Robyn!
Have you ever thought about skirting your RV when going somewhere that got into the 10 degree temperature range? What are your thoughts about skirting a class B or B+ RV? Have you looked into the Ceramic Heaters (200 Watt) that some people have put under their skirted RVs? I enjoyed your blog about insulation of your RV, that was a lot of good work. Thank you, Roger
I have thought about it, and yes, I believe it would work. BUT… we don’t stay in one place for very long.
So setting up the skirting and heater, and then tearing it down the next day, and finding someplace to store it… over and over again.
It just didn’t appeal to us.
I have a mountain bike which I plan on bring along on most of my RV trips. I just bought a Pleasure Way XLTD model and would like to have a bike rack which mounts to the back of the RV not the trailer hitch. Have you seen any locking models like that on your travels in bike shops? Thank you
Well, most bike locks from traditional makers like Yakima and Thule will have a provision for locking the bikes. That won’t be a problem.
Where you will have difficulty is in anchoring the bike rack to the back wall of the XLTD. You’ll probably need some bracing, or to go all the way through the wall, or something like that.
I recommend contacting Pleasure-Way to find out what the construction of the back wall is, and what would be a good strategy for mounting a (potentially heavy) bike rack to it.
It looks like in the Pleasure Way video that the walls are made using 2×2 steel with fiberglass over them. I guess I’ll see what my bike would weight and add on the bracket and see what Pleasure Way has to say. I remember asking them before about having a ladder added to the back and they said that if I wanted one to order the unit and Pleasure Way would reinforce the back to support the weight of a ladder and somebody climbing it. Thank you
Sounds like a good plan. Maybe you’ll get lucky and the studs are the correct width for your rack? Good Luck!
First : Big thanks to both of you ! I just retired Sept. 2017, yea. I m seriously considering a stealthy Class B. I will be our only vehicle, no car or mini-van.
I have a small wish list: Diesel Ford Transit ( not duel rear wheels) , Maximum Solar, Compressor Fridge, Induction Cooker, Convection Microwave, Casset Toilet, Front Grill Bush Bar, Volt Start. And the other usual / normal equipment
Would you please give me a few pointers / recommendations.
PS . I live in Canada and hope to tour all over Canada and America ( hence the diesel ). Thanks , love you guys.
Hey Tony! So cool you’ve got some things narrowed down on your wish list! James wrote a pretty thorough post called the “8-Step Program for Choosing Your First RV” … you should check it out; might help you narrow things down even further. Best of luck! https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/8-step-program-for-choosing-your-first-rv/
My class C does not have a TPMS so I bought one and really like it as it has dual rear wheels which are hard to check the pressure manually. I now also have a 2018 Travato 59G and thought it would have factory TPMS as it is a new vehicle but I am not sure and should check. If not the tire pressure is really easy to check on the single tire Travato manually..
The Travato does have a factory TPMS, but it’s just like the one in your car. It’s an idiot light if a tire is *really* low. Won’t tell you which tire. Won’t tell you how low.
Would like to no how the new Refrigerator is doing, And how long can you stay with out 110. Doe’s your Solar take care of it. Its a nove kool what modal#
New refrigerator is a champ. No spoiled food yet!
We can stay out indefinitely without plugging in. We usually drive. There is solar. Heck, half the time, even when we stay in RV parks with 110 available, we just skip it because it’s a hassle.
Model info is in this post.
Do those walkies charge on 12v?
Ahhh… Good question.
Ours do not, but they would charge just fine off a small portable inverter.
Thanks for the list. We are taking delivery of a class B in a week or two and very much appreciate you folks sharing what works for you. Quick question: do you carry any additional heater for winter trips? Either a small electric heater if plugged in or one of the small propane heaters. If so, brand that has worked for you. Thanks in advance.
Nope – no extra heater for us.
Regardless of what anyone tells you – DO NOT use a fuel-burning portable heater inside your RV.
Great list, printing it now! The one thing I didn’t know existed was the tire monitor. Although expensive – it certainly seems like a must have time saver and piece of mind device (one less thing to worry about). Vehicle installed monitoring systems are exactly what you described …often too late in responding to fluctuations. Thank you for the putting this together!
The tire monitor has been helpful to us on several occasions. Usually I notice it when we have a rapid temperature change which alters the pressure in the tires.
This is a fantastic resource–thank you! I’ve seen several of the products you’ve reviewed but it’s super handy to have all of these items in one convenient place in which to access.
Glad you like it! I’m totally not kidding that those are actually out in our RV with us, so I expect the list will change over time.
Love your list! Thanks for sharing!
You’re most welcome, Toni! 🙂
Great Ideas! Thanks!
Glad you liked them, Paul!
Wow, great list! Thank you so much for sharing. I think I saw in one of your videos that you mounted your retractable clothesline in the bathroom cupboard. What kind of fastener did you use? Screws into the back of the cabinet? VHB tape? Other? Thanks!
HI Kelli! Yep, we screwed it right in to the back of the cabinet in our bathroom. 🙂
I find a sleeping mask and earplugs indispensable when staying in crowded parks situated close to busy freeways with residents rolling by with their high beams on.
A Kindle E-Reader is handy for crawling into a corner to escape the DW complaining about the lack of a sufficient mobile or wifi signal to feed her web browsing addiction. Hence, the earplugs again prove their usefulness.
I love my Wusthof knives, but have trouble convincing my wife that they are sharp enough to lop off her fingers when she tries to cut fruit in her hand.
Your wife sounds like she’s been spending time with Stef! lol.