When we first started RV Life 2 years ago, we found ourselves stopping at various camping stores every week to pick up more gear. Every time we would set up at a campground, we would notice some cool gear that other RV’ers in the park would have set up.
We soon realized that having some great gear would make RV Life much easier for us and our family. We found ourselves hitting up the sports and outdoor stores (and Wal-Mart and Amazon) quite frequently.
So, we wanted to share with you the must-have Gear for RV Life that’s made RVing much easier for us – and in our video, we walk you through what exactly we carry with us in our basement storage compartments in our Class A Fleetwood Discovery motorhome.
Tow Vehicle for behind the RV
The first thing we have is our towing vehicle set up. We like to be able to explore as we go, so having a tow vehicle is a must for us. We used to tow a 4 door sedan on a car dolly, but found finding a place to park the car dolly was a pain in the behind! Towing a jeep that easily and quickly disconnects has been MUCH easier. So, we use Blue Ox products (Tow bar, braking system, and baseplate) to set up our vehicle for towing.
The next thing we learned this trip out, was the bike setup we were using with putting two bikes on the RV (with a ladder rack) and two bikes on the Jeep was a PAIN! What we found was we could not access the rear cargo area of the Jeep with the bikes on the back. So, this made getting groceries, etc. a difficult task.
Best Bicycle and set up for RVs
We purchased a double hitch extender so we could put the bikes on the BACK of the RV (Instead of the jeep) and have ALL the bikes on the RV instead. This made life much easier. We also got a motorcycle cover on Amazon to cover the two bikes on the back of the RV while we’re parked to protect them from rain, sun, etc.
Cooking on the Road Living the RV Life
Last year we used a Coleman road trip grill and while it worked “okay” it was hard to keep clean and was difficult to transport. We switched to a Blackstone Griddle this year and we’ve been able to cook all sorts of things like veggies and shrimp without having to use a grill mat or pan. Plus it’s easier to transport.
Some items we’ve found that make life much easier while RVing are:
- Patio Mat/Rug
- Portable air compressor for airing up tires, etc
- Lantern
- Shop towels
- BG DFC (diesel fuel treatment/additive)
- Extra Extension cord
- Fan for use outside
- Soft-sided cooler (for packing lunches, drinks, etc)
- Hammock
- Side table for outside
Campfire or Fire Pit Essential
Our all-natural, bamboo roasting sticks keep kids a safe distance away from the fire AND since they are wood and not metal are much safer for children than the metal forks that get hot. (Plus, who thinks it’s a good idea to have kiddos running around with a pointed, hot, metal stick!?!) They are also environmentally friendly and biodegradable.
Travel Map with State Stickers
One of the things we are asked about is our map. Many RVers have different “rules” around their maps. We put up a new sticker for any state that we’ve been in with our RV (this rig and our previous rig – because if RVed in that state – that counts!)
Once we fill up our map, we will switch to adding national park stickers to our rig instead 🙂
One of the things we learned THIS year was to have two sewer hoses. We stayed at an RV park where the sewer drain was several yards away from the rig and our hose would not reach! We needed an additional hose to double up the hoses to reach the sewer hook-up. So, we ended up buying one in the RV park shop for WAY more than it costs on Amazon. Lesson learned – and now we have two hoses!
That about wraps up our list of what we carry with us. What are we missing? Let us know in the comments! You can also watch a video with us opening up our basement compartments and showing you everything we travel within our RV camper.
Trying to get name of upgrade mattress
rvmattress.com/grateful