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Ryan Robinson takes you for a ride in the passenger seat of his RV, off the grid, deep among the dramatic rock formations of the Utah Desert. Robinson and friends chill by the fire, tell stories, and of course, rig a one of a kind highline over the Looking Glass Arch in Moab, UT.
It’s taken me my whole life, but I’m happy to say I’ve pretty much gotten the whole holiday thing down. The decorations, the get-togethers, NOT gaining that extra 10 pounds…all of that no problem. The only part of the holidays that remains a challenge for me is figuring out the perfect gifts for loved ones.
Which brings me to this list. I’ve compiled this list of gift suggestions in hopes that helping you will kick a little karma my way and in turn will make my shopping easier this year, too.
I’m guessing many of you found your way here because you’re simply looking for a gift for an RVer you know and might not be RVers yourselves. With that in mind, I wrote up my thoughts on why each item makes a good gift for my fellow RV-loving nuts.
Also, if you’re an RVer and are looking for a shopping guide for RV necessities instead of gifts, come swing by our extensive list of products for RVers over on The Fit RV website HERE.
On the list below, I’ve provided Amazon-affiliate links that’ll take you directly to the products priced from lowest to highest. Just click the title and off you go.
This campground record book is a great way for any RVer to remember the campgrounds they’ve visited. It’s a logbook with every page the same, ready for the RVer to jot down notes on their campsite experiences. You can tell the author is an RVer herself, because the points of information she included in her checklist are things that are valuable to RVers…like levelness of spot, unbearable insects, cell-reception, etc. My favorite item in her checklist is the one for future choice site numbers. RVers tend to either book a site online and unseen, or they roll to a campground and have to pick the leftovers. So, I always find myself scouting the best sites and trying to remember them, which I never do. Now with this book, I’ll always know the best sites when we return!
While you always HOPE each RV trip will go off without a hitch, it’s best to be prepared. A toolbox makes a great gift, especially for a newer RVer who might not have had time to prepare a portable toolkit yet. The best toolbox to gift is going to be small and portable, but functional and heavy duty enough to carry essentials without issue. If you’d also like to buy some RV-essential tools to go in your toolbox gift, swing by The Fit RV website HERE, and see our recommended list of tools for RVers.
Travel Book: 1,000 Places to See in the United States and Canada Before You Die
This book is a fun resource for anyone who loves to travel. The saying goes: “So many places, so little time.” Thanks to this book, RVers can find inspiration on where to point the rig next. The book suggests restaurants, beaches, museums, sports and adventures, road trips, and more. There’s also an index that breaks out the best destinations for families with children. And since it comes in paperback, it easily stows in the RV and makes a handy reference when out on the road.
To an RVer who enjoys wine and RVing to wineries, this simple and useful gift is going to make their day. Wine bottles are a tricky thing to store in the RV, and when traveling, they’re vulnerable to tipping or breaking. These insulated carriers protect the bottles, and also keep them from rattling and making noise while driving, which is what happens with traditional wine racks in the RV. And if you REALLY love your RVer friend, you can even fill the sleeves with their favorite wines! Me personally, I’m a sucker for a good Chianti (just hint sayin’ hint).
If you’re not an RVer yourself, you may not be aware that regular household AC electricity isn’t always available in the RV. For those outlets to work, most RVers have to turn on their generators (which are loud and intrusive to neighbors) or be plugged in to shore power. For RVers like us, we prefer to RV more remotely, where plugging in isn’t an option. This clever little K-cup contraption is a great way for RVers to get a cup of coffee without being dependent on electricity. An added bonus, you can use it outside at your picnic table, too, unlike electric coffee-makers. You do need hot water, but that’s easy enough to boil in a kettle on top of the propane cooktop found in many RV kitchens. With this coffee brewer, you simply put your K-cup in, put the plastic tube over it, pour in your hot water, press, and voila! You’ve got a piping hot cup of coffee to jump-start your day’s adventures.
Portable hammocks can be great fun on RV trips, and make an excellent gift for RVers who enjoy the outdoors. Since they pack down into a tiny bag, they’re easy to transport in the RV and don’t take up much space. They’re surprisingly sturdy and attach to trees in minutes. If you’re buying these for a couple, they can use them for campsite snuggle-time. Or comedy-hour, which is usually how it goes when James and I get in the hammock…
Luci lights are totally waterproof inflatable solar lights that pack down flat and only take one large breath to fill. They make any campsite fun and festive. You can either hang them, set them on your picnic table, or even float them in water. They’re virtually weightless and take no batteries. You get 8 color options, or you can set them to cycle through all the colors. Just place it in direct sunlight for 7 hours, and you’ll get 6 hours of light out of it. Even better, Luci sends their lamps to people without electricity in developing countries, which makes a purchase from this company something to feel good about.
If you’d like to encourage the RVer in your life to lead a healthy RV lifestyle, here’s the perfect gift. Resistance bands sets come in their own special bag with everything you need, including a book with exercise suggestions. They’re light and compact, and travel well in the RV. This is the same brand we travel with (Bodylastics) and the same bands I use with my personal training clients. Bodylastics bands have a safety cord that runs inside them, so if they were to snap (though mine never have), you’ll still be safe. Getting exercise on the road can be challenging, but having resistance bands in the rig makes it much easier to keep exercise a priority on the road.
USB-Powered Essential Oil Diffuser and Peppermint Essential Oil
With close quarters in the RV, smells get compounded. Diffusers are a healthy way to add a pleasant scent to the air, and can set a nice mood. And while you can choose any essential oil to gift with this diffuser, I recommend peppermint. Even though peppermint oil has about a billion uses and benefits, there are three main reasons why it’s great for RVers. First, peppermint oil is a natural energizer. The scent of peppermint oil during a long day of driving is great for keeping you alert and clear-headed. Second, peppermint oil can be an effective mouse deterrent. Mice don’t like the smell. So if your RV smells pepperminty, perhaps they’ll go bother someone else. And third, it’s a natural bug repellant! Bugs can make or break an RV trip. Just like with the mice, bugs are less likely to want in your peppermint-scented RV. Plus, a little peppermint oil dabbed around the body when you’re hanging outside at the RV park is a much healthier alternative to using commercial mosquito repellants.
For RVers that like things clean, this mat would make an excellent gift. The mat, meant to be set up outside the RV door, allows small dirt particles and sand to fall through the weave, so you’re left with a clean surface and you’ll track less inside the RV. This won’t surprise anyone who knows James (and his sandphobic ways)…we have two.
This box is quite useful in the RV lifestyle. First off, when we RVers load up our rigs for a road trip, we don’t travel with our clothes in suitcases or our groceries stowed in bags. Everything gets put away in cabinets, or the fridge, just like you do at home. This outdoor box is perfect for carrying items between the house and the RV. And since it takes very little space when it’s folded down, the Meori box comes in handy during RV trips, too…like carrying dishes, utensils, and food over to the neighbors’ campsite for a potluck, or perhaps hauling your towels and shower accessories to the showerhouse, or even setting it up outside on the picnic table as a place to stash all your outdoor camping supplies. The possibilities are endless, and ours gets used on every trip.
Harvest Hosts is a fantastic program for RVers that allows members to park their RVs overnight for free at affiliated wineries, farms, and museums across the country. The Harvest Hosts website is very easy to use and allows members to search any area for affiliated hosts. There are reviews and pictures for each of the hosts, which is handy when deciding which host to visit. Once you’ve located a place you’d like to stay, you simply make a phone call to the location, let them know which day you’ll be coming, and find out if they have availability. Even though there is a 1-night limit at each host location and there are no hook-ups available, we very much enjoy our membership and have stayed in some beautiful locations that otherwise wouldn’t have been available to us.
Cauldryn Fyre Battery-Operated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Since the Cauldryn was just released this month, it’s most likely your RVer doesn’t already have it! The Cauldryn is a water bottle that can heat water right in the bottle, giving it loads of possibilities for use. Beyond coffee, you could also use it to boil water to cook, make soup, tea, sterilize water, anything where you need hot water! The heating element attaches to the bottle and has four different heat settings—Hot, Extra Hot, Brew, and Boil, allowing the contents to reach up to 212 degrees F. It can either run from battery or directly from an AC power source using the included AC base. For the outdoorsy-type RVer who has everything, this could make an excellent gift.
So there you have it!
Hopefully you found some inspiration on the gifts I suggested and spotted something that looks perfect for your RVer. If not, feel free to peruse our extensive RV necessities product guide over on the FitRV website. No matter what you end up buying, here’s to hoping your holidays this year, and your holiday RV adventures, are absolutely incredible!
Seasons greetings from our RV to yours,
Stefany and James Adinaro…and our Adventure Cat Mel
Stef’s truths about RVing: 1) You aren’t too young for it, 2) Just like a house, you’ll ALWAYS be thinking up projects to improve your RV, and 3) It’s really hard to stay fit on the road. With these in mind, Stefany Adinaro, along with her husband James, created The Fit RV, an informative site for RVers where you can get fit, get inspired, be entertained, & find (sometimes) useful RV tips!
