Fall RV Gadgets

2020 has been one of the biggest years for outdoor hobbies and RVing, in part due to the pandemic. Many travelers feel significantly safer road-tripping in an RV versus hotels or other rentals occupied by others. With any RV road trip, comes the need for accessories. You may already have the essentials, but what about upgrading to some newer versions or even getting some new gadgets all-together? We’ve compiled a list of some of the coolest RV accessories to spruce up your trips.

Solar Motion Sensor Light

These motion-detector lights are mounted right onto your RV in a spot of your choosing. They are solar-powered, which means less maintenance for the owner. Boondockers especially appreciate the extra level of safety these allow. We recommend buying one to go above each door of your RV and another for the back of the RV (especially if you tow a vehicle). A popular choice for RVers is the LITOM brand found on Amazon.

This four-pack is waterproof, LED, and provides a wide range for more coverage. They also have a flat profile which is necessary so as to not add any bulk to the outside of your RV. Each light comes with a separate mount that attaches to the RV, and then you can attach the light to the mount. If you are able to, we recommend screwing the mount in or using museum putty to adhere it.

RV Awning Sunshade

If you’ve ever wanted a little more privacy at a campground, then this is for you. This easy-to-install sunshade is an excellent upgrade to your current awning. It blocks UV rays, keeps the area under your awning cooler, and also helps block the wind. You’ll have it made in the shade with this accessory. Tentproinc sells a highly-reviewed sunshade on Amazon that comes in a large variety of sizes to match your awning.

RV Awning Outdoor Room

Why stop with just a sunshade when you can have an outdoor room attached to your awning? This is the ultimate way to enjoy the outdoors when bugs, temperature, or privacy are factors. You won’t believe how easy this canopy room is to install. Carefree offers a variety of sizes on Amazon depending on the size of your awning.

Solar Oven

Has it ever been too hot to cook inside your RV? We completely understand and were so thrilled to find this outdoor solar oven. These nifty gadgets can heat up to 300 degrees, which makes them perfect for slow-cooking. Boondockers can especially appreciate an outdoor option that doesn’t consume any resources. Solar Ovens website offers their most up-to-date models.

Portable Propane Fire Pit

Bonfires were one of the top ways we recommended to have summer fun while social distancing in one of our recent blog posts. However, fires can also be a challenge to enjoy in certain areas, due to burn bans. This smokeless, portable propane fire pit is allowed during most fire bans, but you should still check with local rangers or officials to confirm. Outland Living’s most lightweight model is very portable, weighing only twenty-two pounds. This allows you to take the fire pit with you in your RV without the risk of adding too much weight.

Portable Wood-Burning Fire Bowl

Alternatively, you can still have a wood-burning campfire anywhere you go. Forget about building fire rings and break out your portable fire bowl. This lightweight portable fire pit only weighs twenty pounds and is virtually smoke-less. This means no more dodging smoke while making s’mores! This fire bowl is surprisingly high-tech in the way it’s built. Read all about it on Bonfire’s Amazon page.

Custom RV Bed

While these are not technically gadgets, custom RV beds are still a great upgrade investment. If you dread sleeping on your RV’s mattress, it might be time to upgrade! There are so many mattress companies out there, but some of our favorites are RVmattress.com or tochta.com. RVMattress has several types of mattresses to choose from to suit any sleeper, and they can be made in custom sizes.

Tochta offers a mattress builder that is 100% customizable. Their highest-end mattress even allows you to customize the firmness on each side of the bed! If you’re happy with your mattress but still want an additional upgrade, consider a mattress topper or even a bed tilt upgrade. Lippert is a household name in the RVing community, and they offer a bed tilt upgrade that can give you up to 18 inches of additional floor space when your bed is raised.

Fridge-Cooling Fan

If you read our RV refrigerator maintenance blog post, then you know that most RV fridge fans are overworked and under-powered. We’ve recently discovered a great solution for this: the Valterra fridge fan. This tiny accessory packs a big punch in helping your fridge stay cool. It runs off of two "D" batteries that are changed monthly and doesn’t require you to wire anything additional into your fridge. That’s a win-win in our book.

Temperature Monitoring System

This gadget is a must-have for pet owners in an RV. If you’ve ever left the house and worried about the temperature, then this monitor will put your mind at ease. MarCell is a device that is plugged into your RV (or house!) and keeps track of the interior temperature for you. If the temperature falls out of range (too hot or too cold), it alerts your phone through an app. It also detects power outages or water leaks.

RVing is a huge 2020 trend. And what can be better other than upgrading your trips with some new accessories? Some of these new gadgets and accessories would absolutely accentuate your next Harvest Hosts trip, boondocking, or next campground stay. Speaking of new, did you know that we have a new feature to help you plan your trips? Check it out in this blog post to learn how to create trips.