I have seen a lot of questions in different forums from new RV owners asking what items are important or must haves before heading out on their first trip. The first trip is always going to have its ups and downs. If you’re lucky, you spend most of your time getting to know your new coach and putting things away how you like them.

However, more often than not, people end up discovering small issues and end up doing some sort of DIY repairs. The experience can range from euphoric to down right frustrating.

Before you go out, it’s good to be prepared to avoid some self-inflicted frustrations. I have compiled a list of some essential and basic items that we use. Some might seem obvious. But we have experienced, seen and heard stories from people that have left home for a trip and in their excitement, forgot basic necessities. Hmmm, I thought I put the new sewer hose in the wet bay!

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Without further ado, here is our list of essentials for your new RV:

• Camco Rhino Sewer Hose Kit – Yeah, I kind of telegraphed this one, but you would be amazed at how many people forget this basic necessity. There is a reason they sell them in campground stores. We have used a couple of different hoses and this one has been great. It’s collapsible and fits nicely in our wet bay.

Camco Sewer Hose Support – The sewer hose support helps keep your sewer line stable and things flowing in the right direction. Leaving your line on the ground could cause poor drainage and allow some of the yucky stuff to sit stagnant in your hose. Eeeeewww!!

Mechanix Leather Gloves – I always keep a pair of leather gloves on hand. They are essential for when you drain your tanks and handle the hoses. They will also get a lot of use while doing those aforementioned DIY projects.

Tri-Lynx Leveling Blocks – These are essential for any RV camping. Most campsites are not level and this poses a lot of problems. Having these blocks on hand can help you overcome this issue and possibly prevent other problems from your levelers being over extended.

Lucid Mattress Topper – RV mattresses are not known for being top of the line in terms of comfort. Next to sewer issues and tire blowouts, finding a better mattress is a hot topic of conversation on most forums. We solved this issue with this comfy mattress topper. I never thought there would be a day I would prefer to sleep in the RV bed over our house bed until we picked this topper up.

Klein Electrical Test Kit – RVs today are more complex than ever before. Because of this, the electrical can be very finicky causing fuses to blow at almost always the worst time. We purchased this kit after we ran into a problem with the electrical running to our towed vehicle. After that experience, I always have it in our RV. An electrical test kit should be standard in every RV.

Lifetime Folding Table – A folding table is a must for any RV. They give you a place to set up your grilling station or your camp bar. We chose this one because it folds in half and stores away easily.

Reversible Outdoor Patio Mat – Add a personal touch to your campsite with a outdoor patio mat. Our campsite is never complete until the mat is down and the chairs are out.

Renator Water pressure Regulator– Purchasing a water pressure regulator is a small price to pay to prevent a potentially expensive problem. The water pressure at campgrounds is notoriously unpredictable. Protect your RV water lines with this regulator from Renator.

Progressive EMS Surge Protector – Much like water pressure, the electrical in campgrounds is very unpredictable. Electrical surges can cause major problems with your RV and this is a small price to pay for that protection. This is a 30 amp model, but you can also get the 50 amp model here.

JACO Tire Pressure Gauge – There is nothing more important than the tires on your RV. Use this gauge to make sure they are properly inflated and safe for the road. Many blowouts are the result of low tire pressure and can be prevented when taking a moment to check.

There are many other basic necessities such as RV tank deodorizers and RV safe toilet paper. The list could go on and on. The above items are things we have purchased and used on every trip. In some cases, they give us piece of mind. In other cases, they just make the overall experience much better.

Please also check out our prior lists of favorite camping gadgets and budget friendly camping items.

Leave a comment below with any camping gadgets or essentials you use in your RV.