5 Must Haves to Buy Before Launching

Every RVer has their favorite things that help make life easier on the road. When asking others what their top 5 must haves are, answers have ranged from gourmet coffee pots and bidet to a good can opener and warm blanket. The five items that rose to the top of the list are (in no particular order):

• Good mattress

  • Mama always said to invest money in good shoes because they carry you through life everyday and a good mattress because you need good sleep for happiness. We agree to both! The mattress you get with your RV usually is very thin and doesn’t offer a lot of support. The challenge is finding a great mattress that works for you without weighing a ton. If your bed is on a slide, you have to consider the weight your slide is trying to support as it goes in and out. There are many brands out there that other RVers love and a quick search will get your head spinning. If you can, go to a bed store and lay on a few- just like you would do if purchasing one for your home. Consider the size you can fit in your rig. A “RV” size will be shorter and/or narrower than your typical house mattress. Measure carefully as a traditional size may fit your space. We have a traditional queen that fits just fine. It replaced the RV queen. Some researched produced the average queen RV mattress weighs between 50-90 pounds. Ours is a standard queen at 60 lbs. Please note, the average standard queen mattress weigh between 120-160 pounds. Be cautious of the weight of the mattress you are adding to your rig as it reduces the weight you can add in other supplies. Also, if your bed is on a slide, you will want to refer to the weight guidelines for your particular rig.

• Surge Protector

  • Not all campgrounds have reliable power sources. If a surge occurs, usually due to a sudden spike in voltage due to a lightning strike, faulty wiring, or big equipment turning on or off, it could significantly damage your rig. The surge, like in your home, can fry your electronics including your microwave, fridge, AC unit, inverter or anything else you have plugged in. This could cost you thousands in repairs or replacements.

  • The Surge protector can also protect against low voltage. In older parks or on busy weekends, the draw from the electrical system can drop the voltage below safe levels. Low levels cause everything in your rig to work harder causing overheating and can permanently damage your electrical items.

  • Finally, if you stay at enough campgrounds, you will run into bad wiring at your pedestal. The pedestal could be mis-wired (campers sometimes try to fix the pedestal themselves or wired it for something they specially need- yikes!), grounds may be missing, or reversed polarity.

  • Your surge protector plugs into the pedestal before your electric cable and will tell you immediately if the pedestal is safe. You then plug in your electric cable and the surge protector will shut down the power to your rig if something happens that is unsafe. This will protect your expense electrical items as well as help prevent a fire. It is a good investment that could save you thousands!

• Water pressure regulator

  • Water pressure at campgrounds vary. Sometimes from one end of the campground to the other. Plumbing for RV’s are usually designed for 40-60 PSI. Spiking water pressure, sometimes even up to 100 PSI can cause damage. Too much pressure and you could be dealing with burst hoses, leaky fittings, and damage to faucets, appliances and toilets. Adding an inexpensive water pressure regulator to your external campground faucet will prevent surges and keep your water pressure at safe levels. Remember to unhook your water pressure regulator and bring it inside if temperatures dip below freezing. We ruined one when it froze.

• Water filters

  • Wherever you wander, safe, clean water is a must. Even if you choose to buy water to drink, you may still need water to bathe, wash dishes, flush, and wash your hands. Good filters will help protect you and your water system from harmful bacteria, sediment, and metals. We have a multi-filter system to protect our rig. We added a cheaper, standard filter to the hose before the water goes into the regulator. Then, the water goes into a three stage filter system before it runs through our portable water softener. We have tested this water multiple times and it is safe to drink however we still choose to buy large bottles of water for drinking and use the filtered water for cooking, bathing, and washing. (It’s a mental hurdle.) At the very least, make sure to have at least one filter before the water enters your rig and change that filter regularly. One campground was so bad that we only got a week out of the filter. Normally, we change the first filter out every month and the three stage filter out every three months. We do check it every month though.

• Dehumidifier

  • Excess moisture can cause mold and mildew in your RV. This is not good for your RV or your health. Humid environments are not the only culprit to excess moisture. Using propane (furnace and stove) builds up moisture quickly inside. Your showers will also add moisture to your rig especially if you do not vent the bathroom during the shower. A good dehumidifier will help keep your camper dry and mold/mildew free. Some people leave it running all day and let it drain in the shower. Others have dehumidifiers that monitor the humidity so it turns on and off as needed. Consider a good dehumidifier for the size of your rig. You can also add some containers or bags specifically designed to remove moisture from smaller areas such as closets and bedrooms. The overall goal is for a drier inside of your camper.

Any other “must haves” to add to the list?