Most first-trip disasters aren't dramatic. They're a fried converter from a bad campground pedestal, a clogged black tank from the wrong toilet paper, or a fridge that won't cool because the rig is parked on a slope. Every one of them is preventable for less than the cost of one night at a nice campground. Here's what to buy before you turn the key.
1. Surge protector
Campground power pedestals get wired by whoever was available that decade. Low voltage, open grounds, and surges are common, and any one of them can cook thousands of dollars of electronics in your rig. A 30- or 50-amp surge protector plugs in between the pedestal and your cord and takes the hit for you. This is the single most important item on this list — never plug in without one. The trending upgrade this year is the smart version with Bluetooth monitoring and automatic emergency power-off, which we've listed on our Hot & Trending board.
2. Water pressure regulator
Campground water pressure can spike far past what RV plumbing is built for, and RV plumbing repairs are exactly as fun as they sound — we do them for customers all season. A simple regulator on the spigot ends the problem for around the price of a pizza.
3. Drinking water hose
The green garden hose in your garage is not rated for drinking water and can leach chemicals, especially sitting in the sun. Buy a lead-free, drinking-water-safe hose (they're usually white or blue) and keep it only for fresh water.
4. Leveling blocks
A rig that isn't level means an absorption fridge that struggles to cool, doors that swing, tanks that read wrong, and sleep that feels slightly downhill. A ten-pack of interlocking leveling blocks handles almost any site you'll meet.
5. Wheel chocks
First thing down when you park, last thing up when you leave. Rubber chocks grip better than plastic and don't crack in the cold. Cheap insurance against the worst kind of surprise.
6. Sewer hose kit — the good one
Trust a crew that has cleaned up after cheap sewer hoses: this is not the place to save eight dollars. A quality kit with solid fittings and a clear elbow (so you know when the tank is actually done) makes dump day a two-minute non-event instead of a story you tell in therapy.
7. Holding tank treatment
Tank treatment keeps odors down and sensors reading true. Drop-in pods are foolproof — one per dump, done. Skip it and your rig will remind you why it exists, usually on the hottest day of the trip.
8. RV-safe toilet paper
Household toilet paper doesn't break down in a black tank, and the resulting clog is a repair bill we've sent more than once. Septic-safe RV paper dissolves. It's the cheapest clog prevention on the market.
9. Camp chairs and a folding table
Not a mechanical item, but ask any experienced RVer: there's no such thing as a good camp without good chairs. You'll spend more waking hours outside the rig than in it. Buy comfortable ones the first time.
10. A starter kit if you'd rather buy once
If this list feels like a scavenger hunt, an all-in-one RV starter kit bundles the sewer, water, and tank basics into one box. Then add the surge protector and chairs separately — starter kits rarely include a good version of either.
The bottom line: items 1, 2, 6, and 8 prevent the four most expensive first-year mistakes we see in the shop. If you buy nothing else, buy those four. The full list — with two or three options at each price point — lives on our RV Camp Must-Haves board.
Got a rig that needs a wash, a detail, or a repair before the season? Request a free quote — RVs and boats are half of what we do.