Gear Reviews

The Black Diamond Spot Headlamp, purchased in 2017, is an item we use every day and could not live without. Whether you’re searching for something at night outside your Rig or walking your dog, it pays to have both hands free. The Storm headlamp is lightweight, waterproof, very bright and reasonably priced. It takes 3 “AAA” batteries and it has excellent battery life. It’s easy to dim and at a touch of a finger goes to full brightness (Power Tap), a handy feature when you hear something off in the distance. The new Spot boasts 300 lumens and lighter weight.

Pros: waterproof, lightweight, comfortable adjustable band, battery life, full lumens with just a touch, price

Cons: Going from white light to red light can be a challenge

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

BAL X-Chock wheel stabilizers, purchased in 2017, are another item I would not hit the road without, once installed they eliminate front to back movement of the RV. These wheel stabilizers are an all metal construction with simple and virtually carefree parts. The X-Chock comes with a handy lightweight ratchet for easy setup and take down. The large metal handle on the stabilizer makes for easy placement between the tires. The X-Chock can even be locked to help prevent unwanted removal or theft.

Pros: solid construction, simple installation, lockable, sturdy handle for easy placement and ratchet included

Cons: handle can be easily misplaced

Rating: 5 out of 5

Fan-Tastic Vent Cover, purchased in 2017, allows you to use your vents even in the pouring rain. These vent covers go on top of the vent opening and are easy to install. The vent covers come in variety of colors: white, black and smoke. They are made to provide maximum clearance to allow the vent fans (specifically the Fan-Tastic Vent) to open all the way without hitting the top of the unit. The vent cover can be removed for easy cleaning.

Pros: quality construction, detailed instructions, variety of color choices, simple to install, can be removed for cleaning

Cons: not pleasing to the eye (very box looking). The newer model is a little more streamlined, but not much!

Rating: 5 out of 5

We purchased the Arvika bicycle rack in 2017 only after extensive research to find the perfect rack for our Airstream. Arvika did not disappoint! It offers sturdy construction, secure fit, easy removal, and no holes drilled in our RV. The instructions for assembly are a bit quirky, but only require hand tools. Make sure you tighten the securing arms super tight, we lost one on our maiden voyage. Because the company is in Canada, it took awhile after ordering for it to be delivered. Their customer service is top notch, they replaced our lost “arm” free of charge!

Pros: sturdy construction, secure fit, built in theft prevention, over the top customer service, and easy removal

Cons: heavy, must be removed to open window on Airstream and extended delivery time

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

A Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) gives us the piece of mind while traveling down the road. The TireMinder Smart TPMS, purchased in 2017, gives realtime tire pressure and wheel temperature information through a smartphone application. Installation of the transmitters and smartphone setup is very simple. The TireMinder signal booster must be used to transmit the bluetooth signal into the cab of the tow vehicle and requires some minor installation. During the first year, the transmitters maintained tire pressure accuracy, but now they are approximately 8 to 10 pounds off (even with fresh batteries). We have also gotten a couple of false alarms during our travels. Make sure you install the transmitters on the recommended tire stems to achieve the best performance. Overall a good and reliable product.

Pros: simple setup, uses smart phone application, lockable transmitters (theft prevention), realtime information displayed on smartphone, audible alert on smartphone and bluetooth receiver

Cons: 8-10 pound pressure difference, false alerts and price

Rating: 4 out of 5

We protect our RV’s electrical system with Technology Research “Surge Guard 34830”, purchased in 2017. This surge guard protects against power surges, open ground, open neutral, low/high voltage, overheating plug/receptacle, reverse polarity and miswired pedestal. We selected this brand/model after comparing it to other more expensive brands. This model does not have a built in security collar so we secure it to the pedestal with a chain. The Surge Guard 34830 has a 128 second reset delay to protect A/C compressor and has an informative LED display. We have left our surge protector out in the pouring rain, heat and freezing temperatures without a hiccup. The foldable “T” handle makes for easy removal from the pedestal receptacle. A new model is available with anti-theft lock ring on cord (Model 34930).

Pros: Great price. Protects against surges, open ground, open neutral, low/high voltage, reverse polarity, overheating plug/receptacle and miswired pedestal. “T” handle makes for easy removal from pedestal receptacle.

Cons: No anti-theft ring on cord.

Rating: 5 out of 5

When pulling into a campsite, getting your rig leveled is one of the first things every RVer tackles. For me, Anderson Camper Levelers makes this task a breeze. These levelers are made of durable plastic that can lift a trailer (up to 30K pounds and tires up to 32 inches in diameter) four inches. Only one leveler is needed per axel and leveling is easy, setting the height by just driving over it. I have used these levelers for the last 2 years in warm and cold climates and on grass, gravel and sand without any issues. I would not set up our travel trailer without Anderson Camper Levelers.

Pros: Durable construction, easy setup, levels in increments between ½ inch to 4 inches and can be used to change trailer tires in dual axel trailers.

Cons: Heavy and circular holes accumulates debris.

Rating: 5 out of 5

We purchased the Xtend & Climb 780P aluminum telescoping ladder in 2017. Its compact design and lightweight (31lbs.) makes it an excellent choice for full-time RVers. I have used this ladder to install our RV vent covers, inspect our RV AC unit and paint the inside of our son’s 2,000 sqft home. It’s compact size of 31.9 inches stows easily in the bed of our truck and when extended to 12.5 feet I can safely reach the roof of our Airstream. This ladder is a must have of any full-time RVer or tiny home owner.

Pros: Lightweight, compact, easy to extend, sturdy (rated for 300 lbs.)

Cons: Can be difficult to retract

Rating: 5 out of 5

The K-Source Snap & Zap Custom Towing Mirrors (Snap On) were one of the first purchases we made after our travel trailer. They came as a pair (driver and passenger side), matched the contours of our vehicle and came in a matte black finish just like my original side mirrors. The K-Source towing mirrors also come with a clear plastic bezel so the original turn signals are visible. The glass is OEM quality, isn’t heated and has to be adjusted manually…but for the price what would you expect. These mirrors fit our tow vehicle without detracting from its appearance, we even leave them on when we’re not towing.

Pros: High quality plastic, OEM flat glass, tool-free installation, can be removed and stored, doesn’t affect operation of original side mirror, matches contour and color of OEM side mirror, great price

Cons: None

Rating: 5 out of 5

Storing pet food in your RV can attract mice. So we bought the Gamma2 Vittles Vault Outback Stackable 40lb airtight pet food container for our dog Richey’s food. This container is made of a sturdy BPA-free plastic with a threaded and gasket sealed lid. The Gamma2 Vittles Vault pet food container can be stacked onto one another. This came in handy when we got our 2nd fur baby, Beefy. She eats a different pet food than Richey…2 containers stacked in a small space.

Pros: Sturdy BPA-free plastic design, air tight threaded lid, stackable compact design and comes with a scoop

Cons: None

Rating: 5 out of 5

We protect our travel trailer with the Proven Industries trailer coupler lock. This lock has a solid design that fits flush to the tongue of our travel trailer. The puck lock securely couples the lock housing to the tongue of the travel trailer and assists in easy installation/removal. The Proven Industries trailer hitch lock gives us the peace of mind that our investment isn’t an easy target for would be thieves.

Pros: Bullet proof design, fits flush to trailer tongue, quick to install

Cons: Lock design for Airstream doesn’t secure trailer tow chains

Rating: 5 of 5