Top RV Roadtrip Essentials
Take your RV experience to the next level with these top roadtrip essentials.
Heading out on your next roadtrip and looking to create an experience with more ease, comfort, and convenience? We’ve got you covered. In this post we are sharing our top RV roadtrip essentials that have helped us, how they work, and why we like them.
This post is best for the traveler who has been RVing for awhile and knows there preferences for camping.
If you are just starting out I recommend starting with our RV Camping Checklist 8 Essential Items For Your First Trip.
This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
#1. VIAIR PORTABLE AIR COMPRESSOR
VIAIR is an automatic portable air compressor for RV, Truck, SUV, Jeep, and Off Road tires. It can deliver up to 150 psi for tires up to 35”. Connect the alligator clips to your car or RV battery, set your desired pressure, and pump away. It comes in a compact canvas carrying case for easy storage in the cab of your truck or car so you can carry it with you everywhere you go.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
Very nice to have to check your tires before you hit the road or leave a campsite. No moving your RV to a busy gas station to fill your tires. Do it from the comfortable of your home or current campsite.
Before we head to our next campsite Mike always checks the tires to make sure they are good to go. Works great for your truck or tow vehicle tires as well. We’ve had this from the beginning and can’t imagine not having it while on the road.
#2. TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM
TYMATE RV Tire Pressure Monitoring System monitors the temperature and pressure of your trailer tires from the cab of your truck. It contains five alarm modes to alert you of high pressure, low pressure, high temperature, low temperature, rapid air leakage, and low battery. Powered by solar or USB.
Place the sensors on your trailer tires, set the monitoring system to your desired tire pressure and temperature and monitor as you drive. If changes occur in tires it will notify you on the screen.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
This allows you to always know what’s going on with your tires while on the road. If you see a progressive change in a tire you're able to pull over before a possible blow out happens.
#3. CHAMPION ULTRALIGHT GENERATOR
Whether you are just starting out or have been RVing for awhile, we think a generator is an extremely valuable item to have while traveling. A generator allows you to camp in places where there are no hookups or have a backup power source in the case of an emergency.
While we were out working at Lajitas Golf Resort near Big Bend National Park, the power when out a couple times in the summer and having a generator saved us from suffering through the dry hot days.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
We have the Ultralight Champion 2,500 Watt Portable Inverter Generator to run the ac, mostly. You don’t necessarily need to have one that can run your whole RV if you don’t want to, just enough for the things most important. This slim fit generator fits easily in the bed of our truck and takes gas which we store in our extra fuel tank. The Champion Generators can also be connected in series allowing you to start with one and add on if you feel necessary.
#4. TELESCOPING LADDER
While many RVs come with a ladder attached to the rear for accessing the roof, a telescoping ladder is also an extremely convenient item to have for accessing the rest of the RV. These can extend up to 12.5 feet, hold up to 330 pounds and collapse down for easy storage and transporting.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW IT’S HELPFUL
We use our telescoping ladder mostly for cleaning the trailer using Wash N Wax. It also came in handy when we got 3 feet of snow in Flagstaff Arizona this winter. We didn’t feel comfortable getting on the roof with all the snow so Mike was able to clear the slides with the telescoping ladder.
#5. FUEL CAN
When you’re driving across the country in places you’ve never been before it is very helpful to have an extra fuel can with you in case of an emergency. Sometimes you miss a gas station or miscalculate the fuel left in your tank from steep roads or high wind. This is an easy and must have item to have with you on the road.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
Not only have we used this on really remote drive days, it has also come in handy to fill up our generator during power outages.
#6. WATER TOTE
A 5 Gallon Water Jug is another handy item to carry with you as you travel the country. This allows you to carry extra water with you in the bed of your truck or fill your fresh tank when there is no water connection at the site. A 5 Gallon Water Jug paired with a Camco Waste Water Tote make a dream team for camping in some of the most epic places.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
There are many amazing campsites around the U.S that don’t have water connections at the site, such Gilbert Ray in Tucson Arizona or Watchman Campground in Zion National Park.
#7. WASTE WATER TOTE
The Camco Rhino Heavy Duty 36 Gallon Tote is a portable waste water tote to transfer your grey or black water from your RV to the dump station at a campground. It comes in different two different sizes, 28 or 36 gallon, and easily attaches to the bumper or ladder at the rear of your RV.
Once your waste tank on your RV is full, set up the waste water tote next to your outside sewer connection. Connect the hose and empty the contents into your tote as you would at a dump station. Use the steel tow adapter to attach the tote to your tow vehicle and drive over to the dump station, empty tote and head back to your site.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
Super easy and very nice to have if you enjoy state park or national park camping where there is no sewer connection at the site. This allows you to empty your grey or black tank without moving your RV. We’ve had this from the beginning and it’s been very handy while camping all around Florida.
#8. WIRELESS DRILL
A wireless drill, such as, the Dewalt 20V Max Cordless Drill is very convenient to have for handling most nuts and bolts inside and outside the RV. Not every project or mishap that occurs needs an RV tech to deal with so it’s nice to have a wireless drill to tackle what you can on your own.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
We use our wireless drill for handling the stabilizers so we don’t have to manually wind them up an down every time we get to a campground. Mike also handles most of our DIY projects we do on the RV so this has been essential in accomplishing them in a timely and effectively manor. It’s also great to have in case another camper needs some help and doesn’t have a tool with them.
#9. RV LOCK
RVLock is a keyless entry for your RV door. It replaces the current door handle and lock with a keypad, fob key, or key to use to lock and unlock your door. It’s made with 100% metal creating a durable and secure lock.
To install, remove the old door handle and install RV Lock using the screws provided. Create a passcode on the keypad and that’s it. Enter code to lock and unlock door without a key.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
We like the RVLock for its convenience of going keyless. Our travel trailer has 3 doors, all with a different key so having this on the main door makes it easy when we take our dogs for walks or head out for the day. We also find it easier to use than the stock door handle that came on the trailer.
#10. MAXXAIR VENT COVERS
The MAXXAIR is a vent cover that mounts to the vents located on the roof of your RV. It reduces wind resistance when your vents are open, allowing constant airflow and prevents heat buildup. They fit on the standard 14” x 14” RV roof vent and screws into the frame of the vent so no holes have to be drilled into your roof.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL?
Some areas are prone to more wind than others and being able to get the moisture out of the rv after you shower or the heat when you are cooking is pretty essential. The vents can shake pretty bad in the wind so having a vent cover to place over and still allow circulation is nice. They come in black or white so if you are looking to create more darkness or keep the natural light you can.
#11. FUSE KIT
A Fuse Kit that comes with the 14 most common fuses is a key item to have on any RV trip. These are compatible with RV, marine, car, and truck vehicles and range from 5AMPS all the way to 30AMPS.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL?
Change a fuse easily without needing to call in reinforcements for a simple fix. When we got to our storage unit to go on our first camping trip we popped the fuse on the tongue jack and we’re pretty clueless about it for awhile. Knowing to check for a popped fuse and having the kit on hand to replace it right away makes for an quick & easy fix and doesn’t have to ruin your trip. For how inexpensive and small it is, it’s definitely worth keeping on you when you travel.
#12. MULTIMETER
A Multimeter is a digital manual ranging tester that measures ac/dc voltage up to 600v, current, resistance, continuity, diode, and batteries.
To use, place the test leads from the multimeter to test the voltage of a fuse or electrical appliance to learn if it’s operating correctly.
WHY WE LIKE IT / HOW ITS HELPFUL?
This is great to have if you are having trouble with an electrical appliance or want to simply rule out a problem. When Mike was installing our tankless water heater he noticed that it wouldn’t turn on. So he grabbed the multimeter and saw that the fuse needed to be replaced. He put in a new fuse and bam, power. No need to pay a tech to come out for something easily fixable.
#13. iCRIMP RATCHET PEX CLINCH TOOL KIT
The iCrimp Ratchet Pex Clinch Tool Kit secures & removes the clamps on the pex pipes found in your RV. This kit comes with a pex cutter, clamp tool, and a set of stainless steel clamps ranging from 3/8 to 1 inch in size.
WHY WE LIKE IT/ HOW ITS HELPFUL
This kit is great to have for taking care of a sudden leak in your rig. With these tools you’ll be able to remove the current pipe fitting and replace with a tighter fit.
Let us know in the comments the items that changed RVing for you!
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HEY THERE!
WE’RE MIKE & DEANDRA.
Two adventure seekers traveling the U.S in our 37 FT. travel trailer with our two companions, Griffin & Lucy. We share our life on the road and travel guides to our favorite destinations.
This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
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