17 Pieces of Camping and RVing Gear Every RVer Actually Needs If You Like Nice Things

There are two ways to RV. You can pull into a full-hookup campground, plug in to shore power, connect the water and sewer, and have everything you need at your fingertips for the whole trip. Or you can head out to public land, find a dispersed site with no neighbors and no hookups, and make everything work on your own resources for as long as your power, water, and good vibes hold out. Most RVers do both at some point. That's what camping and RVing really means: not two different hobbies, but two different modes of the same one.

The gear that earns a permanent home in your rig is the kind that handles both modes well. This list covers 17 of the most essential pieces of camping and RVing gear, the ones that make your rig more capable, more comfortable, and less likely to leave you dealing with a problem you could have prevented before you left the driveway. Some of these you'll need before your first trip. Most of the others, you'll wish you had before your second.

Power and Energy

1. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) House Batteries

Yes, this one matters most if you boondock. More usable power means more nights off-grid without stress. But here's a reason every RVer can relate to regardless of how they camp: not everyone can plug their rig in at home while they pack and prep for a trip. If you want to pre-cool your fridge the night before you leave so it's cold enough to stock with food in the morning before you hit the road, your factory battery may not hold up overnight without shore power. A good lithium battery upgrade solves that quietly and completely. LiFePO4 batteries give you dramatically more usable power at a fraction of the weight of lead-acid or AGM, with no maintenance and a lifespan that will likely outlast the rig itself. Look for a reputable lithium battery in the 100Ah range as your baseline. If you do boondock regularly, plan to run two to four in parallel. This is one of those purchases you make once and never think about again.

If you're not sure whether your current battery situation is the root cause of repeated power issues, our guide to why RV batteries keep dying walks through the most common culprits and how to diagnose them before you spend money on the wrong fix.

2. Solar System — Panels, Charge Controller, and Inverter

Think of these three components as a team with very specific jobs. The solar panels are the collectors: they sit on your roof, soak up sunlight, and generate electricity all day whether you're home or out on a hike. That electricity flows into your battery bank, which is essentially your rig's savings account — storing power now so you can spend it later.

But here's the catch: solar panels produce a kind of raw, variable electricity that batteries can't just absorb directly. That's where the charge controller comes in. It sits between the panels and the batteries and regulates the flow, making sure power gets stored efficiently and your batteries don't get overcharged or damaged. You'll see two types: MPPT and PWM. MPPT controllers are smarter and recover significantly more energy from your panels, especially in cloudy conditions or when your panels aren't aimed perfectly at the sun. PWM controllers are cheaper and slower. Get the MPPT.

The last piece of the puzzle is the inverter. Your batteries store power as 12V DC, which is great for RV-specific things like lights and fans, but useless for anything with a standard household plug. The inverter translates that 12V power into the 120V AC that your coffee maker, laptop, and air fryer understand. When shopping, you'll see "pure sine wave" and "modified sine wave" inverters. Always buy pure sine wave. Modified sine wave inverters work on simple devices but will quietly degrade or destroy sensitive electronics like laptops, TV sets, and anything with a variable speed motor — which includes your RV's own fans and compressors. It's not worth the savings.

Most rigs need at least 400 watts of solar panels to cover everyday basics comfortably. The more time you spend off-grid, the more that number matters. For a deeper look at sizing your system correctly — panels, batteries, and inverter together — our RV solar setup guide covers every budget tier from starter to full off-grid capable.

And what about a generator, you ask? The honest answer is that most people don't need one if they have a solid battery bank and solar setup. The exception is if you're boondocking in low-sun conditions for extended stretches: think heavy tree canopy, overcast climates, or week-long stays without a sunny day in sight. In that case, a quiet inverter generator is worth having on the rig. But it's a tool for committed boondockers, not a baseline requirement for every camper.

Water Management

3. Water Pressure Regulator

This is a twenty-dollar purchase that protects thousands of dollars of plumbing. Campground water spigots can push way more pressure than your rig's system is designed to handle, and there's no warning before something gives out — burst lines, blown fittings, a flooded underbelly, and a repair bill that will ruin your trip and your week. A brass inline pressure regulator screws onto your city water hose connection and lives there permanently. You won't think about it again, which is exactly the point. Don't skip it.

4. Inline Water Filter

Campground water quality is all over the map. Some sites have great water. Others have water that smells like it came out of a garden hose that's been sitting in the sun since 2008. Boondocking water sources — even maintained tanks at trailheads and forest service roads — can introduce sediment, bacteria, and taste issues into your fresh tank if you're not filtering. A basic inline filter at your hose connection is the minimum and costs almost nothing. If you want to step up the filtration quality without permanent installation, a gravity-fed countertop filter requires no electricity and no plumbing and has become a staple in full-timer setups for exactly that reason. For a full breakdown of filtration options that actually perform in the field, our portable water filter guide covers nine systems tested in remote conditions.

5. A Full Hose Setup — Not Just One

Most new RVers show up with one hose. Experienced RVers show up with three, labeled, stored separately, and are very clear about which one goes where, because at some point early in their RV life they learned the hard way. A dedicated drinking water hose for city water connections — not a garden hose, which is not rated for potable water and will make everything taste like a sprinkler. A separate black tank flush hose for rinsing after dumping. This one never touches anything else, ever, and it should be labeled in a way that makes that impossible to forget (permanent marker, a colored cap, a small prayer — whatever works for you). A tank rinser wand pairs perfectly with it for a more thorough clean. And a general utility hose for washing gear, rinsing the rig, or running water to an outdoor shower. Three hoses, three jobs, zero crossover, and zero conversations you never want to have with your travel partner about what hose touched what.

Understanding why each tank works the way it does makes hose management make a lot more sense. Our RV plumbing explainer covers all three tanks and how the system connects from fresh water in to black water out.

6. Portable Waste Tank

If you're parking at full-hookup sites exclusively, you can probably skip this one. You're dumping at the pedestal anyway. But the moment you ever plan to boondock, dry camp, or stay at a site without a sewer hookup, your gray tank will become the thing that decides when your trip ends. A portable waste tank lets you drain your tanks into a rolling container and haul it to a dump station without breaking camp or moving the rig. Most RVers who get one wish they'd bought it at the start. Consider it your ticket to staying somewhere great for one more day.

7. Tankless Water Heater

This one's for the hooked-up crowd, and it's one of the best quality-of-life upgrades you can make if full-hookup campgrounds are your happy place. Factory RV water heaters are typically 6-gallon tank units, and six gallons sounds like enough until you're mid-shampoo, still trying to warm up from the hike you just did, and the water goes cold without warning. Upgrading to an on-demand tankless RV water heater system means the hot water lasts as long as you need it to. No more rationing. No more speed-showering. Just a normal shower, like a normal person, in your house on wheels. Now, if you're boondocking and conserving water, you're still taking navy showers no matter what; tankless doesn't change that math. But there's a secondary argument worth making: a tankless heater uses roughly half the propane of a standard tank unit, which can meaningfully extend how long your supply lasts on an off-grid stretch even when you're keeping showers short. Budget for a professional installation if needbe — this one isn't always a Saturday afternoon project.

Gear decisions like this are part of the bigger picture when you're planning what full-time life actually costs. Our breakdown of what full-time RV living really costs puts these upgrades in context alongside campground fees, fuel, and insurance — useful reading before you commit to a build list.

Setup, Leveling, and Safety

8. Leveling Blocks and Wheel Chocks

Level ground is a myth at most campgrounds. Leveling blocks let you drive your rig up to a point where everything inside functions the way it's supposed to, including your refrigerator, your slides, and your lower back after sleeping on a mattress that's been tilted all night. Interlocking block systems are the most flexible option since you can stack them to whatever height you need. The Andersen Leveling Blocks Duffel Kit uses curved drive-up ramps that are easier and faster to use if you'd rather not guess how many blocks you need. Either way, you'll need a level to know when you're actually there. Old-school bubble levels stuck to the side of your rig or on a countertop get the job done for a few dollars and zero setup. If you want to step it up, a digital or app-connected smart level gives you exact readings in real time and takes the guesswork out of getting dialed in. Both work; the smart version just means fewer trips in and out of the truck to check. Always chock your wheels before you open slides or unhitch. Every time. Without exception.

Leveling is one of the steps in our RV setup checklist, which walks through every task from arrival to fully settled — in the right order — so nothing gets missed or done out of sequence.

9. Surge Protector and Electrical Management System

The electricity at campground pedestals is not always what it claims to be. Faulty wiring, reversed polarity, voltage drops, and surges are all real hazards that can quietly wreck your appliances and electrical system. An Electrical Management System goes beyond a standard surge protector: it checks incoming power for wiring faults and voltage issues, and cuts the connection before anything bad reaches your rig. A 50-amp EMS is the standard recommendation for most rigs; look for both hardwired and plug-in versions depending on your preference. And while you're at it, keep a 30-to-50 amp dogbone adapter and a 50-to-30 amp dogbone adapter in your kit. Campground pedestals don't always match your rig's plug, and showing up without the right adapter on a full weekend is a lesson you only want to learn once.

For a complete walkthrough of how to connect shore power safely — including what to check before you plug in and the mistakes that cause the most damage — our RV shore power hookup guide covers all of it.

10. Sewer Hose Kit with Supports

Not glamorous. Completely unavoidable. A sewer hose that fails mid-dump is a story nobody wants to tell and nobody forgets. Get a quality sewer hose with durable fittings and enough length to reach a pedestal that's farther away than you'd expect; 20 feet is the practical minimum. While you're at it, get sewer hose supports too. A hose that sags in the middle doesn't drain properly, and the results of that are exactly as unpleasant as you're imagining. Supports prop everything at a consistent downward angle from your dump valve to the pedestal. They're inexpensive, collapse flat for storage, and make every hookup cleaner in every sense of the word.

11. RV Tool Kit and Roadside Emergency Kit

RVs break. Not constantly, not always dramatically, but with enough regularity that being unprepared for a roadside situation is genuinely risky, especially when you're hours from the nearest service center. A solid RV tool kit covers the mechanical basics: a multi-tool, socket set, electrical tape, zip ties, fuses, wire connectors, duct tape, and a headlamp for working in the dark. Pair that with a dedicated roadside emergency kit that includes jumper cables heavy-duty enough for an RV, a high-strength tow strap, reflective triangles, a first aid kit, and a portable air compressor. That last one isn't just for emergencies. Checking tire pressure when the tires are cold, before every single time you hit the road, is one of the most important habits in RVing. Most pre-assembled kits are a good starting point; just verify that the tow strap has a break strength rated for your rig's weight, because standard car kits often don't.

Keeping your rig road-ready between trips is a separate discipline. Our RV maintenance checklist covers all rig types and every seasonal task so you're not discovering deferred problems in the driveway the morning you planned to leave.

12. Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Tire blowouts are one of the leading causes of serious RV accidents, and the frustrating part is that most of them are preventable. Tires don't typically fail without warning; they lose pressure first. A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) gives you real-time readouts for every tire on the rig and alerts you before a pressure drop turns into an emergency at highway speed. For a vehicle the size of an RV, that's not optional safety theater. It's the kind of thing that makes you genuinely calmer on the highway. Look for a system that covers all your axles and, if applicable, your tow vehicle or toad.

Towing Gear

13. Weight Distribution Hitch with Sway Control

If you're towing a bumper-pull travel trailer, this is non-negotiable. Without weight distribution, the tongue weight of a loaded trailer transfers to the rear axle of your tow vehicle, lifting the front wheels, reducing steering and braking control, and creating a setup that's actively unsafe at highway speeds. A weight distribution hitch redistributes that load across all axles and, with integrated sway control, actively resists the kind of trailer sway that turns a windy stretch of interstate into a white-knuckle experience. The Equal-i-zer 4-Point Sway Control Hitch is the most consistently recommended option in travel trailer communities for its integrated four-point sway resistance with no separate friction bar required. If you're in a motorhome towing a toad, you don't need a weight distribution hitch; you need a properly rated tow bar and base plate system sized for your towed vehicle. And if you're not towing anything at all? Skip this one entirely and put that money toward a nicer camp chair and a better bottle of whiskey or wine. You've earned both.

If you're still learning the mechanics of hitching, mirrors, and highway driving with a trailer behind you, our first-time towing guide covers everything you need to know before you pull out of the driveway.

Connectivity

14. Starlink Roam or Dedicated Mobile Internet Setup

For weekend warriors who mostly camp at developed sites, your phone's hotspot and decent campground WiFi covers most needs. But for anyone traveling for extended stretches, working remotely from the rig, or spending real time in remote locations, hoping your carrier has coverage at your next site gets old fast. Starlink Roam has become the go-to for full-timers and serious travelers who need reliable internet in places where cellular is weak or completely absent. It delivers fast satellite connectivity from virtually anywhere in North America without any dependency on cell towers. The hardware and monthly subscription are real costs — but for anyone whose work or sanity depends on a working connection, most find it pays for itself quickly. Pair it with a permanent roof or ladder mount so it's not a setup ritual at every site.

For a full comparison of Starlink against cellular routers, carrier plans, and hybrid setups — including what actually works for remote workers on the road — our RV internet guide for remote work lays out the options by use case and budget.

Kitchen and Outdoor Cooking

15. A Blackstone Griddle — If Your Rig Doesn't Already Have One

A lot of newer RVs — particularly larger travel trailers and fifth wheels — now come with a built-in outdoor kitchen that includes a griddle. If yours does, you're already ahead; skip this one. If it doesn't, a Blackstone tabletop griddle is the most popular outdoor cooking upgrade in RV setups right now. The flat-top surface handles eggs, bacon, smash burgers, stir fry, and pancakes without switching tools or losing anything through the grates. It runs on propane, cooks evenly, and cleans up faster than a traditional grill. The 22-inch tabletop version travels well, stores flat, and gives you a legitimate outdoor kitchen wherever you park. Cooking outside also keeps the heat and smell out of your rig in the summer, which on a July afternoon with the AC working overtime is its own kind of luxury.

16. A Countertop All-in-One Appliance for Hooked-Up Sites

RV ovens have a reputation, and it is not good. Uneven heat, tiny interiors, finicky ignition, and a cooking experience that makes most RVers stop using them entirely after a few attempts. When you're hooked up to shore power, a countertop appliance that actually works can completely replace your built-in oven for most meals. The Ninja Digital Air Fry Oven has become one of the most talked-about kitchen upgrades in the RV world for exactly this reason. Air fry, bake, roast, and broil in one unit that cooks faster than a conventional oven. One important note: this draws significant wattage and is strictly a shore-power appliance. Don't try to run it off your inverter on a boondocking night.

For everything that belongs in an RV kitchen beyond the big appliances, our RV kitchen essentials guide covers the space-saving tools, cookware, and organization systems that make cooking in a small galley actually workable.

Outdoor Living and Comfort

17. Camp Chairs Worth Actually Sitting In

Every RVer has camp chairs. Not every RVer has camp chairs they want to sit in for three hours around a fire without getting up to go find something more comfortable. A genuinely good camp chair is one of those purchases that sounds trivial until you're on night four of a trip and it's the thing you look forward to at the end of the day. The Kelty Essential is a well-regarded, approachably priced classic that travels well and holds up to regular use. If you're somewhere cold and want to stay outside longer than the temperature would normally allow, a heated rocking chair runs on a battery pack and keeps you warm enough to actually finish your drink. And if your back has opinions about standard camp chairs, a zero gravity recliner that fully reclines and takes the pressure off your spine entirely is worth every inch of storage space it takes up. Get two of whatever you choose. One per person is not an excessive ask.

BONUS: An outdoor awning mat or rug. Nobody likes dirty feet, and nobody likes watching campsite dirt migrate straight into the rig every time someone walks in. An outdoor awning mat under your awning defines your living space, gives you something comfortable to stand on while you cook or pour a drink, and keeps the worst of the debris outside where it belongs. Look for a reversible woven polypropylene mat that shakes out easily, dries fast, and doesn't hold mildew. Measure your awning length before you buy. Small purchase, big difference.

The Bottom Line

A few of these items can wait until your second or third trip. But most of them — the water management basics, the electrical protection, the power setup, the safety gear — belong in your rig before you leave the driveway. The good news is you don't have to figure it all out at once. Start with the things that protect you and the rig, add the comfort and cooking upgrades as you go, and let your travel style tell you what's next. The list will take care of itself.

If you're still in the decision phase on what kind of rig to build this list around, our RV buying guide covers everything from rig types to financing to the inspection process — so you're not building out a travel trailer kitchen only to realize you wanted a Class C.

FAQs

What camping and RVing gear do I actually need before my first trip?

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What size solar system does an RV need?

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