RV Must Haves: RV Essentials for Camping

April 01, 2024

 

 

6 MINUTE READ

Live the good life, pack up your camping rig and hit the road less explored. But first, make sure you have all the essentials ready to go. There are a few must-haves that will make for the ultimate RV’ing experience. We’ve come up with our top items to have in your RV camper from different categories such as kitchen accessories, gadgets that guide you to a safer camping adventure, and a few comfort picks for the ultimate relaxation mode.

 

So, if you’re ready, we’d like to lead you to an internet-free zone, where the portable coffee is just as good and the smell of the campfire is lingering in the RV park.

Kitchen Supplies

Narrowing down your camping kitchen essentials is very important to have a comfortable RV experience. Turn your camper into a home with the perfect cup of coffee in the morning and a home-cooked meal in the evening, all while keeping your RV kitchen as decluttered as possible!

• AeroPress – There’s something unmatched about a sunrise cup of coffee next to a fire while you’re camping. This Press is known for it’s incredible flavor, low acidity, and ease of use.

 

 

• Nesting Pots and Pans – Whether you love cooking, or just prefer to boil water and add it to one of these delicious Mountain House meals, it’s important to have pots and pans. Designed to save space, this nesting set is a must-have! The Magma 7 Piece Nesting Set is practical and efficient. While the name is deceiving (there’s not 7 pots/pans) it does come with the essential pieces you need to make a delicious camp dinner.
• Silipint Set – Packable, stackable, and unbreakable- what more could you ask for in a set of dishware? Your RV kitchen needs a 16 oz Pint and a Travel Lid XL to hold your morning coffee, afternoon cold one, and water before bed.
• Silipint products for one and all! Kid-friendly Half Pints are available and pair perfectly with our Silicone Travel Lid and Sili-Straw for the ultimate camping kids’ cup. Our 18 oz Squeeze-a-Bowl is the perfect size serving dish for everything you need at camp. Enjoy the no-heat-transfer benefits with this microwavable bowl for snacks, meals, and more! If you bring your furry friend along, you won’t regret having a dog food & water bowl that can tuck away and double up on hikes.

 

 

• Dish Rack – Whether or not you have counter space, cleanup is easier with a dish rack. It will keep your dishes stable and out of the way while they dry, making this a must-have for our list. If it fits inside the sink, all the better for traveling.
• Instant Pot – Whether you’re looking to save space, save propane, or just have an easier time preparing your meals while camping, an Instant Pot is a must-have in your RV kitchen! Cooking is quick and painless, and its versatility is unbeatable. It’s a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, saute/browning, yogurt maker, steamer, and warmer, all in one!

Comfort Essentials

While these items may not actually be essential for RV camping, they are nice to have for quality relaxation, and isn’t that why we’re hitting the road in the first place?

• Folding Table and Chairs – Your RV probably has a small bench to sit on and a table big enough to play cards, so isn’t that enough? Well, sometimes it’s nice to get outside of your compact home. That’s why a set of folding chairs and table are on our list of must-haves. Take the set down to the beach or near your fire. They don’t have to be the most expensive either, this set on Amazon comes with table attachments for less than $70!

• Hammock – When you’re RV camping it can be nice to step away from the rig and spend time deeper in nature. There is something so serene about setting up a hammock under some trees, enjoying a good book and a little red wine. ENO hammocks are built to last, check them out! 

• Bug Repellant – If you have ever experienced mosquitoes at dusk near warm water then you know this is essential to your RV cabinet. We looked into more natural remedies for those of us on the cautious side of chemicals on our skin. We found two great blog posts with a few different homemade bug sprays to try.
• One excellent resource is from Morning Chores. She has sprays and balms, all of which can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your cupboards at home.
• If you’re more into the DIY essential oil bug sprays, Wellness Mama has a 5-minute essential oil recipe you can make at home.

• Bicycles – Bringing along bicycles on your RV trips is a great way to explore the area, especially when you’re ready to stretch your legs after a long drive. While walking is a great alternative, kids especially get a kick out of cycling around campgrounds, that’s why this is a must-have on our list.

 

Safety Must-Haves

Avid campers or not, problems will arise during your RV adventures. There are a few must-have items that RV owners should be equipped with to help avoid Murphy’s Law.

• First-aid Kit – This is absolutely essential to equip your RV with before any adventure. You might find yourself camping in unfamiliar places or boondocking, and you never know when you’re going to need some sort of medical attention. These are some great suggestions for what you should include in your kit.

• Maps or GPS – Whether or not you know where you’re going, have some sort of map, atlas, or GPS. The upside to a GPS is that it’s one device that holds a multitude of areas, whereas if you prefer paper maps you might need to acquire quite a few throughout your travels. Either way, just have something (including a compass!) that can get you on the road back to civilization when you need it.

• Two-Way Radios or Walkie-Talkies – Not only do they make the kids feel pretty cool, but they’re handy too. Meeting up with other RVers who don’t travel quite as timely as you can be difficult when there’s no cell service and a vast range of campgrounds in the area unless you have walkies! Also, if for some reason you need to separate from your fellow campers, it’s a must-have to carry one with you in case you get lost.

• Leveling blocks – There are many things that can go wrong if you park your RV unleveled, that’s why this is an essential item to have packed away. Don’t forget a small bubble level to see if you’re actually level!

Tools That Make Life Easier

While we hope for the best during your RV travels, we also know that it’s better to be prepared with a few tools for if things go wrong.

• Portable Vacuum – Okay, raise your hand if you’ve forgotten to fasten the cupboards on a bumpy ride? Coffee grounds are down! It might be a refreshing smell when you open up the RV, but that type of mess is a pain to clean unless you have a vacuum handy. From personal experience, this is a must-have-item for us!

• Tankless Air Compressor – This will come in handy more than you think. You might find yourself daring into areas that require deflated tires. However, as soon as you hit pavement again, the tankless air compressor is essential for getting your tire pressure back up to safe settings. Plus, it’s versatile enough to use on bicycle tires too!

• Assorted Tool Kit – Traveling can cause your RV and its accessories to incur some damages, that is why a toolkit is a must-have on our list. Some suggestions are a cordless drill, duct tape, a multi-tool, a shovel, solar batteries with a charger.

 

It’s Time to Plan Your Trip

Pull the rig around, grab your guides, and make a checklist for the must-have RV accessories that suit your travel needs best. Besides safety gadgets, the most important thing to remember when you’re camping is to have fun and even if the first trip isn’t perfect, the experience gets better every time!