Our Purchases: RV Living
In preparation for living, working and staying healthy on the road, I spent countless hours researching, comparing, ordering, troubleshooting, testing and returning products. It was literally my part time job for almost half a year. And to this day our arsenal of "stuff" continues to evolve as we spend more and more time on the move.
If you'd like to benefit from all of my sweat, blood and due-diligent tears, here's your chance.
On this page you'll find almost every single item we've ever purchased that relates to RV Living.
If it's here, that means we were satisfied with it and it ended up being useful in some way.
If it didn't really work for us, or it downright sucked, you won't see it here.
From one-off cool little knick knacks (like these embroidered Abarth seat-belt cushions) to full blown project master part lists (like the ones here) everything on this page has our stamp of approval.
Plus, any time you actually click a link and make a purchase, you're helping to support ATSWG by earning us a sweet commission!
Win. Win. Win. - Michael Gary Scott
(NOTE: This list is a constant WORK IN PROGRESS so if you don't see what you're looking for, have specific questions, or even find a link that's no longer working, feel free to shoot us an email at atswego@gmail.com or submit a message HERE and we'll get back with you as soon as we can.)
Which category would you like to see?
Day-One Necessities
Maintenance
Safety
Security
Tools
Water & Sewer
Office
Add-Ons & Upgrades
Vehicles
Replenishables
Miscellaneous
Projects & Mods
< Back to Lists
Add-Ons / Upgrades
Battle Born Lithium Batteries
Battle Born LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery – 100Ah 12v with Built-In BMS
Three of these allow us to run our lights, fans, TVs, computers, sink & shower pump, etc. for many hours without needing a power connection or having to run the generator.
Smart Bluetooth Battery Monitor
Victron Energy BMV-712 Smart Bluetooth Battery Monitor
This allows us to wirelessly monitor our batteries’ voltage, power draw/charge rate, etc. but most importantly, the percentage charge and time remaining.
MultiPlus Inverter + Charger
Victron Energy MultiPlus 3000VA Inverter + Battery Charger
This is our inverter / charger which not only charges our Battle Born batteries but also allows us to use their DC current to power our AC appliances throughout the RV.
AM Solar Smart Phase Selector
Discontinued
AM Solar Smart Phase Selector (Discontinued)
Back before the MultiPlus II came out, this awesome device accepted the one leg of AC power from our MultiPlus and split it into two legs so we could power our entire RV without having to install two separate inverters.
EMS Surge & Electrical Protector
Progressive Industries HW50C Hardwired EMS Surge & Electrical Protection- 50 Amps
This protects our entire electrical system and all of our appliances from any sort of power surges, voltage drops, or even if we plug into a power pedestal that has been incorrectly wired.
TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitor System)
TST FLOW THRU TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitor System) with 4 to 12 Sensors
Allows us to monitor the pressure and temperature of all tires on the RV and truck in real-time and alerts if there are any issues.
Wireless RV Backup Camera System
Furrion Vision S 4.3 Inch Wireless RV Backup System with Rear Sharkfin Camera – Infrared Night Vision and Wide Viewing Angle
We primarily use this for seeing behind the RV during travel, which helps a ton when changing lanes on the highway. But it’s also very helpful for backing up and navigating at slow speeds.
Propane Shut Off Safety Device
GasStop Propane Shut Off – ACME Style
These protect both of our propane tanks from catastrophic gas leaks if any propane line was to be damaged or completely severed in a tire blowout, wreck or any other unfortunate event.
Maxxair Exhaust Fan Covers
MAXXAIR Black Fanmate Cover with Ez Clip Hardware
We primarily added these on so we could open our exhaust fans even when it’s raining, but they also block out a lot of heat from the sun.
Thin Shade Ready Pleated Window Insert
Thin Shade™ Ready Pleated Window Insert for Prepped Lippert™ Entry Doors
This is the blind that fits in our “Thin Shade Ready” window frame on our front door. Not only does it block sunlight and heat from entering the rig, but also serves as a privacy shade.
Quick Zip Awning Drop Shade Attachment
CAREFREE Black 10′ x 9′ Drop RV Awning EZ ZipBlocker
We have this installed on our middle living room awning and bought it primarily for shade from the rising and setting sun and for reducing temperatures in the middle of summer, but it also serves as a privacy screen.
Water Flow Meter
P3 Save A Drop Garden Hose Water Flow Meter
We use this to see how many gallons of water we’ve added to our tanks and water bladder when filling up as well as for observing & understanding our water usage rates.
RV Shower Head Upgrade Kit
Oxygenics Brushed Nickel Body Spa RV Shower Upgrade Kit
We used our stock shower head for a while as we were skeptical about the claims of this being better. But after upgrading, the difference in perceived pressure truly is night and day. Rinses our thick hair much quicker than the stock head did.
Retractable Clothesline
Retractable Stainless Steel Clothesline with Adjustable Rope String
We loved these in cruise ship bathrooms so we added one to our RV! We can hang wet towels, swimsuits, rags, etc. over the shower to drip dry.
Soft Close Premium Toilet Seat
Bath Royale Premium Round Toilet Seat with Slow Close
We replaced our stock toilet seat with this one, which is much more comfortable, closes softly and is easily removable for cleaning.
Valterra Twist-On Waste Valve
Valterra Twist-On Waste Valve
This valve prevents mess when removing our sewer caps and also allows us to open and equalize our grey tanks, doubling capacity for our shower and laundry water.
Sewer Hose Exterior Tube Carrier
Valterra Adjustable RV Sewer Hose Tube Carrier
We have two of these mounted to the bottom of our rig and use them for carrying all 4 of our sewer hoses on the outside of the RV.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detector
First Alert Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector
Our rig did come stock with a couple of detectors but we added on a few more across the entire rig for additional coverage and redundancy.
Coated & Coiled Pin Box Breakaway Cable
Fastway Zip 6 Foot Coated & Coiled Pin Box Breakaway Cable
We replaced the stock pin box breakaway cable with this one, which is coiled & coated, allowing it to always stay taught and hold up better in weather.
Adhesive Color Changing LED Light Strips
Adhesive Color Changing LED Strip Lights with Remote
Our main living area already had a ton of different options for lighting, but the garage was lacking, so we added on a couple of these for simple and customizable mood lighting.
Dual SIM Cellular Modem
Pepwave Max BR1 Mini Cat 6 LTE Advanced Modem + PrimeCare + 12V Power Supply
This cellular modem provides our primary connection to the internet. It can pull internet from two different SIM cards and any external Wi-Fi networks, offering redundancy and fast speeds.
Cellular Roof Antenna
Poynting 7-in-1 MIMO Omnidirectional Roof Antenna
We mounted this to our roof, which provides much stronger cellular and Wi-Fi signals to the Pepwave cellular modem & router, boosting connection reliability and speeds.
5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch
NETGEAR 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch
We installed this so we can have more hardwired ethernet ports coming from our Pepwave cellular modem / router.
UPS Battery Backup
UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) Battery Backup Surge Protector – 425VA
We have 3 of these units, two providing backup power for each of our iMacs and the other providing backup power for our internet equipment.
Wireless Motion & Entry Alarm System
SimpliSafe 12 Piece Wireless Home Security System w/HD Camera & 24/7 Professional Monitoring
Allows us to monitor opening of entry & storage doors & motion in every room & compartment with alarm, 24/7 professional monitoring & video recording/streaming while we’re home or away.
Extra SimpliSafe Entry Sensors
Extra SimpliSafe Entry Sensors
These extra sensors allow us to monitor every single entry and baggage door on the entire RV.
Extra SimpliSafe Motion Sensors
Extra SimpliSafe Motion Sensors
These extra motion sensors allow us to monitor all of our rooms as well as our belly and generator compartment, serving as an additional redundant layer of security in the case the entry sensors fail.
Wireless Security Cameras
Blink Wireless Outdoor Weather-Resistant HD Security Cameras with Two-Year Battery Life & Motion Detection
These wireless cameras allow us to locally and remotely monitor, stream and record any motion that happens in or around the rig, day or night.
Steel E-Track Tie-Down Rails
2ft E-Track Rails – Black Powder-Coated Steel – 2000lb WLL – 6-pack
We installed six of these across the garage floor for attaching all straps and wheel chocks to, for a total working load limit of 12,000lbs. Total overkill for our 2600lb Fiat 500 Abarth.
Wheel Chock Tie-Down Kit
Erickson Wheel Chock Tie-Down Kit
We installed only two chocks from this kit, which are used soley for chocking the back of the front wheels of the Fiat and for a strap attachment point. We didn’t use the included straps or the front chocks.
E-Track Moveable Wheel Chocks
Erickson E-Track Moveable Wheel Chocks
We use two of these for chocking the front of the front wheels. Since these can easily be removed with the push of a button, it allows us to have full clearance for both doors in the garage area when the chocks are not in use.
E-Track Ratcheting Straps
Erickson 2″ x 12′ Ratcheting E-Track Logistic Straps – 1166lb WLL
We use one of these on each tire, for a total working load limit of 4600+lbs. Plenty of capacity for the 2600lb Fiat 500 Abarth.
E-Track Roller Idler
Erickson E-Track Roller Idler Fitting Assembly – 1100 lb. WLL
These are necessary to allow the straps & ratchet to sufficently clear the bumpers. We use one of these on each strap for a total working load limit of 4400lbs which is plenty of capacity for the 2600lb Fiat 500 Abarth.
Pair of Aluminum Ramps
Pair of Aluminum Ramps with Punch Plate Surface – 12″ Wide x 3’ Long
We use these for providing additional clearance for the front bumper of the Fiat when loading it into the garage. Once the front wheels have cleared these ramps, we pause to remove them and then complete the loading process.
Rubber Tarp Straps
Rubber Tarp Straps with Steel Hooks – 15″, 21″ & 31″
We use these for securing the patio rails and the rear glass doors when we’re loading and unloading the Fiat. This set has the perfect lengths so they hold the doors tight and stable, even in the wind.
Lippert Premium Solid Steps
Lippert Premium Solid Steps
Lippert sent us these steps free of charge to try out and we were definitely impressed. These are wider and have a much deeper top step than the original steps that came stock on our rig.
Solid Step Lift Assist Kit
Lippert Solid Step Wide Lift Assist Kit
Lippert sent us this free of charge to try out with the Solid Step and it works perfectly. It uses a strut to remove most of the weight from the steps, allowing us to lift and lower them with very little effort.
Solid Step Storage Box
Lippert Solid Step Storage Box
Lippert sent us this free of charge to try out and we’ve been using the heck out of it. We installed it in place of the fold-down steps on our rear garage door and use it for storage as well as a step for getting in and out of the office.
Fuel Tank Tool Box Combo with Pump
FuelBox Combo Fuel Tank & Tool Box with Transfer Pump
This holds enough gas to fill up both our 30 gallon generator tank and 30 gallon aux tank on the RV. With all three gas tanks filled we have a total capacity of 120 gallons, which can last us a good week while boondocking in the high 90’s and up to a month or more in cooler weather. The onboard pump and hose allow us to easily fill the tanks and even the Fiat if needed.
WiFi Smart Outlets
Heavy Duty WiFi Smart Outlets – No Hub Required
These allow us to remotely control our outlets from anywhere. We use one for power cycling our internet and the other three are used throughout the RV for heaters, fans, etc.
RV Stackable Washer
Splendide WFL1300XD Stackable Washer
This is the updated model of our washing machine, which we’ve been using for over two years now to wash all of our clothes and towels. Ours is the ARWXF129W and the new one is the WFL1300XD
RV Stackable Dryer
Splendide DV6400X Stackable Dryer – Vented
This is the updated model of our dryer, which we’ve been using for over two years now to dry all of our clothes and towels. Ours is the TVM63X and the new one is the DV6400X
Installation Bracket for Washer and Dryer
Splendide SK02 Installation Bracket for Stackable Washer and Dryer
This kit allows the washer to be installed before the dryer (instead of as one piece) for easier water, drainage, and venting hookup. Both SK02 and SK03 kits will work.
Dryer Vent Installation Kit
VID403AC Chrome Dryer Vent Installation Kit
The VID403AC kit fits the DV6400X dryer and includes a chrome vent cover for the exterior of the RV, which is what we have installed on our unit.
AA Rechargeable Batteries
Panasonic Eneloop AA Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries 2000mAh
These are used in the SimpliSafe keypad. We use these for most of our AA battery applications so we don’t have to keep buying disposable ones.
AA Ultimate Lithium Batteries
Energizer AA Ultimate Lithium Batteries
These are the best batteries for use in our Blink security cameras, which can last up to 2 years before needing to be replaced.
Add-On Fire Extinguishers
FIRST ALERT Fire Extinguisher
Our rig did come stock with a couple of fire extinguishers but we added on a few more just to be safe.
Which category would you like to see?
Day-One Necessities
Maintenance
Safety
Security
Tools
Water & Sewer
Office
Add-Ons & Upgrades
Vehicles
Replenishables
Miscellaneous
Projects & Mods
< Back to Lists