So you just bought a new RV and you’re ready to head out on your first RV road trip.
If you’re like most new RVers, however, you’re probably wondering what you need to bring to help make sure your first RV trip goes well.
So to help with this, I created this list of 20 must-have RV accessories that every RV owner should have.
And the best part is, they’re all under 20 bucks.
1. RV Toilet Paper
I figured the best item to start this must-have RV accessories list off with is the most basic RV accessory, RV toilet paper.
It’s essential that you use RV toilet paper in your camper, as it breaks down much faster compared to regular toilet paper, helping to prevent clogs in your black tank as well as your sewer hose.
And we all can agree that no one wants a clog in their black tank or sewer hose.
My favorite RV toilet paper is Aqua-Soft Toilet Tissue because it’s specifically designed to work with RV and marine waste systems, and it’s two-ply.
2. Leveling Blocks
Another must-have RV accessory is leveling blocks because while we all might wish that every RV campsite was perfectly level, the reality is that pretty much none are.
This is why it’s so important to have a set of leveling blocks with you so that you can accommodate and adjust for the uneven campsite.
My favorite leveling blocks, which pretty much every RVer uses are Camco’s Heavy-Duty Leveling Blocks.
As they are available in a variety of quantities, interlock with each other for easy and safe leveling, are super durable and strong, and have a solid bottom, which helps to prevent them from sinking into soft ground.
For more information on RV leveling blocks, check out our blog post “10 Things You Need to Know About RV Leveling Blocks“.
3. RV Inline Water Filter
Sometimes the water coming out of the campsite’s water hook-up is not always the best, as the water can often have a bad taste or odor.
So for better tasting and smelling water, it’s always good to have an inline water filter on your water hose leading into the camper.
As it will help to filter out impurities and make the water taste and smell a lot better.
One of my favorite inline water filters for RVs is the Camco 40043 TastePure RV/Marine Water Filter, as it protects against bacteria and reduces bad taste, odor, chlorine, and sediment, thanks to its built-in charcoal and 20-micron sediment filters.
4. RV Toilet Treatment Drops
Another essential RV accessory to keep your RV black tank in tip-top shape is RV toilet treatment drops, as they help to reduce odors from the black tank and help to break down waste and tissue faster.
This helps to ensure your black tank and sewer hose stay clog-free and trouble-free.
While there are many choices for RV toilet treatment drops, one of the most popular is Camco’s TST Ultra-Concentrated Citris RV Toilet Treatment Drops.
As they have a nice citrus smell, do not contain bronopol, which can release toxic formaldehyde, and can treat 40 gallons with just one treatment drop.
5. Inline Water Pressure Regulator
Water pressure at RV campsites can often be unreliable and prone to pressure drops or even worse pressure spikes, which can damage your RV’s plumbing.
Most RV experts recommend that water pressure never exceeds 50 psi coming into the RV.
So to help prevent damage to your RV plumbing you should always have an inline water pressure regulator installed on the water hose coming into the RV, like this one from Camco, which reduces water pressure to a safe and consistent 40 to 50 psi.
6. RV Refrigerator Bar
While all RV refrigerators have some sort of latch or clasp that prevents the fridge door from flying open while traveling, that doesn’t prevent all your food from rolling around and crashing into each other inside the fridge.
Which can create a very unpleasant and messy surprise when you go to open your fridge at the campsite for the first time.
Especially if breakable glass jars or containers were inside the refrigerator.
So to prevent this unfortunate mess inside your fridge, you should consider getting some RV refrigerator bars that help to secure and keep your food in place while traveling.
Like the Camco 28-inch Double RV Refrigerator Bar, which can be adjusted from 16 to 28 inches to fit any size RV fridge.
7. RV Scissor Jack Socket Drill Adapter
While your travel trailer more than likely came with a manual scissor jack handle to raise and lower the scissor jacks around the camper.
Raising your scissor jacks manually can be a very tedious and time-consuming job.
To make things easier and faster, consider getting a scissor jack socket drill adapter. It fits any standard power drill, allowing you to raise and lower your RV jacks in seconds rather than minutes.
8. RV 15 Amp to 30 Amp Electrical Adapter
Unless there are two air conditioners on top of your RV, your camper is more than likely equipped with a 30 Amp plug, which is great, as almost every RV campsite will have a 30 Amp outlet.
But if you want to plug your RV in at home and don’t have a 30 Amp outlet or at a campsite that only has a 15 or 20 Amp outlet, what do you do?
The answer is the next must-have RV accessory on our list, which is the RV electrical adaptor that has a 15 Amp male on one end and a 30 Amp female on the other.
Allowing you to plug your 30 Amp RV cord into a 15 or 20 Amp outlet.
Just be mindful not to overload the breaker that the 15 or 20 Amp outlet is tied to, by using too much electricity inside the RV.
9. RV Freshwater Hose
One of the best purchases you can make for the safety and wellness of you and your family while RVing is a quality RV water hose, such as the Camco Tastepure Freshwater Hose.
As you should never use a standard garden hose for your fresh water, as they are not rated for drinking water, and can transmit lead, mold, mildew, and other contaminants into the RV’s water supply.
For more information on RV water hoses, check out our blog post “8 Things To Know About RV Water Hoses Before Buying“.
10. RV Disposable Sanitation Gloves
Let’s face it, emptying the grey and especially the black tank of an RV is something no one enjoys.
However, it’s a necessary evil to enjoy all the wonderful things that RVing has to offer.
So any product that helps to make this task a little more pleasant is always welcome as far as I’m concerned.
And that’s exactly what Camco’s RV Disposable Sanitation Gloves help to do.
As the gloves provide a nice layer of latex-free protection between your hands and everything you might be touching while emptying your RV tanks.
Plus, once you’re done, you can quickly and easily dispose of them and any germs that might be attached to them.
11. RV Grey Water Odor Control
While I’ve already talked about the importance of maintaining your black tank, it’s also important to maintain your grey tank.
One of the best ways to do this is by using a bottle of RV grey water odor control, which eliminates odors coming from the grey tank and removes grease build-up inside the tank.
A great option for grey water odor eliminators is Camco’s TST Lemon Scented RV Grey Water Odor Control.
12. RV Sewer Hose Extension
Even though your RV more than likely came with an RV sewer hose, it’s still a good idea to always have an RV sewer hose extension.
Just in case the dump station or the sewer hook-up at your campsite is too far for your sewer hose to reach.
Because it doesn’t do you any good to have full hookups at your campsite, including a sewer hook-up, if your sewer hose won’t reach the connection.
13. 90-Degree Hose Elbow
While the 90-degree hose elbow is not absolutely necessary when setting up your RV campsite and connecting your water hose, it does make it easier and helps to prevent unwanted strain and kinks in your hose.
It accomplishes this by creating a 90-degree coupler that goes between the horizontal water hook-up on the RV and the water hose that is coming up vertically from the ground.
Thereby eliminating any kinking or pinching that might happen if you hook the freshwater hose directly to the water hook-up on the side of the RV.
14. RV Wheel Chocks
Probably the most important RV safety accessory on this list is RV wheel chocks, which help make sure your trailer or camper stays where you put it.
While there are many different kinds of wheel chocks out there, my favorites are from Camco, which can be bought with or without ropes, are made from durable hard plastic with UV protection, and can be used with tires up to 26 inches in diameter.
15. RV Sewer Hose Elbow Adapter
A product that simplifies connecting your sewer hose to a dump station or your campsite sewer connection is the RV sewer hose elbow adapter.
It allows you to easily and securely connect your RV sewer hose to the onsite sewer connection.
In my opinion, the best RV sewer hose elbow adapter on the market today is the Camco RhinoFlex RV Bayonet Elbow Adapter.
Thanks to all its built-in features, which makes emptying your black and grey tank as easy as possible.
By including an adapter that fits securely into four different sewer inlets, a clear elbow so you can see when the sewer hose is finished draining, a 360-degree swivel operation, and a built-in gasket that provides a tight odor-free connection.
16. RV Tire Covers
RV tires are one of the most expensive items you will ever have to replace on your RV.
So it makes sense to do everything you can to protect them, which is why RV tire covers made this list of essential RV accessories, as they do a great job protecting them.
By providing protection from harmful UV damage, moisture, dirt, corrosion, frost, bad weather, and pet urine which can all greatly reduce the life of your RV tires.
17. Electric Tongue Jack Cover
Considering how expensive it can be to repair or replace a faulty electric tongue jack, you definitely want to protect it from the elements, especially during long-term storage.
And one of the best ways to do this is to use an electric tongue jack cover, like this one from BougeRV pictured above, which is made from durable 600D polyester, comes in both gray and black, is universal, waterproof, and has an adjustable drawstring for a secure fit.
18. RV Storage Straps
You will be amazed at how quickly you accumulate different power cords and hoses once you start RVing.
So it’s important to develop a good way to store and organize all these different power cords and hoses, so you don’t end up with a jumbled mess in your RV storage compartments.
One of the best quality products I’ve found for this is these 22-inch Easy-Carry-Wrap-It Storage Straps that keep all your various RV cords and hoses nice and neat.
19. Stabilizer Jack Pads
It can be difficult to stabilize your RV at the campsite, even if you have stabilizer jacks, as the metal feet on the jacks often sink into the ground.
Especially if it’s been raining and the ground is soft.
So to help with this and to provide the resistance needed to adequately stabilize your RV, Camco came up with a product called stabilizer jack flex pads.
These pads are meant to go under the feet of your stabilizing jacks to create more surface area and prevent them from sinking into the ground.
20. Hitch Ball Lubricant
The constant movement and articulation between the hitch ball and coupler can cause a lot of friction as well as wear and tear, which is why it’s a good idea to add a good hitch ball lubricant.
Hitch ball lubricant extends the hitch ball and coupler life by reducing friction, wear and tear, rust, and water corrosion.
For a list of RV tips to help you avoid mistakes as a RV beginner, check out our blog post “25 Important RV Tips No One Tells You“.
To see other must-have RV accessories, check out our blog post “Top 25 Amazon RV Must-Haves (Every RVer Needs)“.
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