We get messages like this all the time: “I’m buying an RV soon and was wondering if you could tell me what items I should buy for it?” In this post, I am going to go over our list of 5 RV essentials we think every RVer should own.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think there are way more than five things that are important for RVers, but these five are the core items that I think every RV owner should buy no matter what else they choose. Let’s jump in!
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1. ClearSource Water Filtration System
When we first started RVing, we used a standard Camco water hose filter. Little did we know that it was doing next to no good, especially for our drinking water!
We performed some water filter tests and decided to upgrade to a much better water filtration system for our health and the protection of our RV.
You would be shocked at how bad the fresh water is at some RV parks, which is horrible for your RV pipes and water tanks!
We went with the Clearsource Ultra triple canister water filtration system, which uses NASA-developed technology to remove/reduce bacteria, cysts, and viruses.
Pretty impressive! You can use our affiliate code “TUCKNAE25” to take $25 off any of their water filtration systems and code “TUCKNAE” for 10% off replacement filters.
If you’ve read our post about RV hot water heater maintenance, then you know this system has helped incredibly with keeping the inside of our RV clean and safe from harsh water elements.
See below for the incredible before and after pictures of when we recently replaced our filters!
You should also make sure you have a water pressure regulator attached to your drinking water hose on your travel trailer.
We believe one of the top RV essentials is a high-quality water filtration system, and we highly recommend Clearsource to everyone we know!
- Protection against viruses, bacteria, & cysts
- 0.2-micron filtering
- Three stage filtration
2. Keyless Entry RV Lock
Did you know that most RVs have standard locks that can be opened with almost any RV key? Yikes!
When we learned this, we immediately chose to replace our standard RV entry lock with a keyless RV entry lock.
We chose to go with the Latch.It RV lock, but the RV Lock brand is another popular one amongst other RVers.
It is easy to install a new RV lock on your RV. Simply remove the old lock, install the new lock, and program it with any code of your choosing.
It also comes with keys unique to your lock and wireless keyfobs that you can use as well.
For us, a keyless RV entry lock is one of the top RV essentials. It adds an extra level of protection to your home, and it’s also easy to get back inside if you accidentally forget your keys or get locked outside while you’re camping!
We frequently go boondocking and leave our RV in the middle of nowhere to explore National Parks, so having this lock on our RV provides extra peace of mind while we are exploring on outdoor adventures.
We have a short, helpful video about how to install a Latch.It RV lock on our YouTube channel that you can watch by clicking here.
- Easy-to-use keypad with buttons
- New & improved design
- Thousands of unique key patterns
3. RV SnapPads
SnapPads are one of our favorite RV essentials! They are basically “shoes” for your RV jacks and make life so much easier.
You snap them on your leveling jacks, and then they stay there permanently – even while you are traveling.
No more lugging around leveling blocks and wood bricks; these do all the work for you! They are hands down one of the best investments you can make for your RV and will save you a lot of time and headaches.
They are made with material from recycled tires and are extremely durable.
Once, an RVer had his leveling jacks malfunction and lower while he was driving on the interstate. His SnapPads took all of the damage and protected his RV completely!
RV SnapPads come in multiple shapes and sizes to fit your rig’s specific needs, so be sure to measure to see which kind you will need.
They also come in both four-packs and six-packs.
- Heavy-duty stabilizers
- Weather-proof design
- Made in the USA with recycled tires
4. A High-Quality TPMS System
A TPMS or tire pressure monitoring system is critical to your safety and your RV’s safety.
They can quite literally be life-saving and should be one of the very first purchases you make after buying your RV!
We have owned two different TPMS systems and can vouch for the fact that they are not all made with the same quality.
Our first TPMS system was basically worthless and left us with multiple flat tires and blowouts without any warning! (See pictures below)
We quickly realized that we needed to find one that would actually work.
Shortly after our first tire fiasco, we started working with a company called Lippert, which makes a lot of after-market RV accessories.
They offered to send us their new Tire Linc TPMS system, and we jumped at the opportunity! To say it’s been a lifesaver would be an understatement!
You can watch our entire nightmare tire story on our YouTube channel here, but in short, the Tire Linc saved us from disaster literally the very first trip we had it installed on!
You can monitor the tire pressure on your trailer right from your phone and receive alerts any time something is wrong.
We also have an onboard air compressor that we can use anytime our tires are getting low on air, and we are alerted by our Tire Linc pressure gauge system.
Do yourself a huge favor and install a Lippert Tire Linc TPMS system on your RV from day one…you’ll thank us later!
- Constant pressure/temperature monitoring
- Repeater tech boosts signal
- Simple installation process
5. A Portable Dehumidifier
It’s no secret that two of the biggest enemies of RVs are mold issues and water damage. They are very common in the RV industry and are no fun to deal with!
One of the best ways to battle these issues is to invest in a good dehumidifier. There are tons of brands and models on Amazon, but we personally chose to go with a GE 50-quart dehumidifier.
Not only can it hold a lot of water (even though it still fills up really fast), but it also has a convenient digital display that you can check and it shows you what the humidity level in your RV currently is.
If you are not ready to invest in a dehumidifier yet, you should at least consider adding multiple Damp Rid containers throughout your RV.
We like to place them under our bed, in our closet, under our sinks, and next to our washer/dryer combo unit. Although they don’t collect nearly as much as a dehumidifier does, they still do a great job keeping moisture out of trouble areas.
If you do not already have a dehumidifier, we strongly suggest purchasing one, especially if you are located in an area with high levels of humidity.
The initial investment will be cheaper than repairing water issues or dealing with mold problems! We are even able to run ours off of solar power with our solar setup!
- Removes 50 pints of water every day
- Worry-free operation
- Clean filter alert
In closing
I hope that you have found this list of RV essentials helpful. Two honorable mentions are a good first aid kit and a surge protector for your RV.
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What other RV essentials and products would you add to our list?
Safe travels!
