Essential RV Extras: The Top Upgrades Real RVers Want!

This week on Episode 515 of the RV Podcast: Essential RV Extras: The Top Upgrades Real RVers Want!

You can watch the video version from our RV Lifestyle YouTube Channel by clicking the player below.

If you prefer an audio-only podcast, you can hear us through your favorite podcast app or listen now through the player below. Click the CC logo on the right side of the player, and you can follow along in a word-for-word transcript of the podcast as it plays.

We are in celebration mode this week. We are so excited to share that RVLifestyle won TWO SEPARATE Campers' Choice awards (also called the Campies) sponsored by RV Share. You can see the rest of the winners here.

One for Best RV and Camping YouTube Channel and one for Best RV and Camping Blog! Whoo hoo!!!!!

What makes this extra exciting is we won because of YOU. You nominated us and voted for us and we are so thankful. Thank you for giving us your trust and support. And thank you RVShare!

For those who didn't know, The RVLifestyle YouTube Channel has over a thousand videos on every RV topic imaginable. (If you haven't already, please check us out and subscribe https://www.youtube.com/rvlifestyle!)

And our blog https://rvlifestyle.com/ contains more than a dozen years of stories and so much information offering everything from practical help to campground info to RV inspiration and more.

Once again, thank you everyone!

Win Free Stuff!

We have a new giveaway. We’re giving away to two lucky winners:

First Prize: Waggle Pet Monitor PRO+, which keeps track of the temperature inside your rig and sends alerts via SMS, email, and in-app notifications when it exceeds your set threshold.

Second Prize: The RV Mini AI Cam lets you monitor your pet virtually with its 360-degree camera, two-way audio, and real-time motion tracking.

These are the best in safety for RVing pet owners. To enter, just go to https://rvlifestyle.com/sweepstakes

Enter using all the 14 different ways, and the lucky winner will be announced Sept. 29.

Join us during Meetup Week!

From Sept. 27- Oct. 4 the RVLifestyle Community is organizing the first of what we hope will be many regional meet ups!  Details can be found on the Events Tab at https://community.rvlifestyle.com

We have volunteers in five states who have offered to organize a get-together at a fun location near them so we can gather, meet each other and just have a great time. 

Each state will have a separate announcement and way to RSVP. 

Locations include: Southwest Michigan; Tucson, AZ; San Antonio, Texas; Northfield, MI; Fairfield, IA; and a north-central Ohio winery. 

We know it is impossible to have a spot where everyone can make it (we wish we could!), but we hope many will do all they can to come, have a great time and connect. And look for more regional meet-up spots in the months ahead!

RV CONVERSATION OF THE WEEK

Today’s RVs seem to come so barebones. 

Basic things you think would be there aren’t. Some things don’t cost that much. But as manufacturers have tried to cut costs in these inflationary days of high interest rates, they sure leave a lot out.

We recently asked our RV Lifestyle Community what items they thought should be standard.

MISC. Suggestions from folks: 

Better latch on the screen door

Better latches on the cupboards

Paper towel holder  (many said this)

Toilet paper holder (many said this)

Deeper medicine cabinet

Better shower head

Towel rods (many said this)

Shoe storage near the door (many said this – need a place for shoes)

Factory-installed GPS system

A proper trash can

Sufficient sway control

Softstart built-in

Tire pressure monitoring system

Rearview camera for driving

Place to hang keys

Towel rod in the kitchen

Place to put your broom and Swifter

Snappads

Surge protector

Minimum 200-watt convertor

If you are going to eliminate gas refrigerators, then full lithium/solar package so can do 2-3 days of boondocking

Exterior ladders are securely attached to access the roof. (But another member, who saw this comment, said federal regulations recently changed, increasing the weight-bearing capacity of RV ladders – so they cost more – and that is why so many new RVs don’t have one at all.

Here are a couple of comments from people that really explain the shortcomings of essential RV extras:

Burt: I wish all manufacturers OMITTED crappy mattresses! We all end up buying a quality replacement anyway; why not shave those pennies off the price and put in better faucets and shower heads?

Susan: We are a month in, and the amount of things we felt necessary to purchase is crazy! Why don't RVs come with all of this stuff… personalized door locks (I guess I can understand that), a surge protector, water pressure regulator, snap pads, back up cameras should be standard, hoses for this – hoses for that 😂. We were given the tour of our new rig and where did it end? The store, that's where!  With a very helpful store manager that took us up and down every aisle and showed us all the must haves and things that could wait, $780 later and there's still so much more we felt compelled to buy.

Walter says: A bathroom sink faucet that you can actually fit your hands under.

Claude: Better instructions in layman's words for a regular person to understand how things work!

Karen: Most RVers travel with at least one other person, so 2 hooks, 2 towel racks, a place by the door (inside) for 2 pair of shoes, equal amount of drawers for clothing for 2 people & an outside compartment that will hold 2 reasonably sized camp chairs.

Patty: Not so much an accessory but maybe a full schematic of the rv- electrical and plumbing lines. It would help us to diagnose problems and possibly fix them without having to take them to a dealer. Example- a few years ago I had a leak in a bay, couldn’t find the issue. Took it to 2 dealers neither knew anything about the rig and one wanted to take out my entire bathroom!! The leak turned out to be the connector at the water pump with a panel in the hallway. A guy at our rv park we were staying about 2 months later knew where to look and fixed it on the spot! We rely too much on the dealer’s technicians to know every rv they come across.

SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ – Wendy Bowyer

Wendy Bowyer reports on the hot issues most talked about this past week on social media and our RV Lifestyle Community group.

In our RVLifestyle Community, in the Mods & DIY Tweaks Space, we asked what is the most impactful modification you've made to your RV and why. 

Burt said without a doubt, it  was their lithium battery bank, 3000 watt inverter, and solar panels. Now he says their only limitation on how long they can dry camp out in the middle of nowhere is their fresh and waste water tank capacities. 

Peter said he and his wife bought Sumo shocks to add to their Sprinter chassis and it is a MUCH smoother ride. 

And Julie said it was “adding more towel hooks. RVs and TT never seem to have enough for all the towels my family uses.” Have to agree there!

This post had dozens and dozens of comments with so many excellent suggestions – worth checking out.

Also in the Community's Amateur Radio Space, Michelle said a neighbor just gave them a portable Sirius radio with remote. The neighbor said if they get a subscription, it will play anywhere – even in the remotest areas. So she asks: “Is this something we need?”

Richard said he has the Sirius XM system in his RV and car and has never had an issue with reception. The service operates off satellites. 

Several people clarified that Michelle could use Sirius for music, yes, but also news, talk shows, weather, etc.

And Marty & Karin pointed out if Michelle gets an account, she could also listen to the feed on her phone and through Apple CarPlay in her vehicle- not just the radio. Certainly lots to consider.

Then over in our RVLifestyle Facebook Group we had an interesting post from Ella. Ella and her three kids had been on the road camping all summer and she was trying to mentally prepare for being back home. She asked those who camp for long stretches, “How do you re-adjust to ‘normal' life?” Last year the transition from long camping stretches to the home routine was really hard for her and she didn't want to slip into a funk so asked for advice.

I love this post because when you are gone for a long time, the adjustment back can be hard. Many could relate and there were some excellent suggestions.

Several suggested she jump into the home routine, yes, but carve out time to sit in her camper, spend time there and make it her happy place.

A few people suggested Ella and kids take short weekend trips before it is too cold.

And perhaps my favorite advice was from Becky, who urged her to start planning the next trip right away. It really helps with the funk because it gives you something to look forward to. Love that!

RV QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK

QUESTION: When I’m on city water at a campground, the water pressure coming out of our faucets and the shower is fine. But when we’re boondocking and I’m using the fresh water tank, it is not much more than an annoying drizzle. Everything was fine until a month or so ago. Ideas? – Jim

ANSWER: It’s probably the strainer on your water pump. Your situation sounds like a textbook case. The strainer fills us with calcified minerals and gunk. 

To clean the water pump strainer make sure the water pump and any water supply going to the RV is turned off. 

Open a faucet in the RV to relieve the water pressure. Disconnect the water line going to the strainer. On most water pumps you simply grasp the front section of the strainer, push in slightly and turn counter clockwise. 

It will separate from the section of the strainer that is screwed into the pump. Note: You do not need to unscrew the entire strainer assembly from the pump. Now you can remove and clean the strainer screen. When the strainer is clean reassemble in the opposite order. Make sure there is water in the fresh water holding tank, turn the pump on to pressurize the system and check for leaks. I bet that is what your issue is.

QUESTION: Are we supposed to tip the people who guide you to your spot at a campground? My wife says we should. I say no. – Mark

ANSWER: You’re right. She’s wrong. No, you are not expected to tip them, especially these days with campground fees so high.