Gift ideas for new RV owner

[Sojourner]

A friend of mine recently purchased a used RV. He's a single guy, nearing retirement age (mid 60s) and plans to do some long driving trips in the coming years, possibly even selling his house and living in the RV full-time eventually.

My question, to the RV owners and enthusiasts of the forum, is what would be a good gift for my friend now that's he joined the world of RV ownership? He seems to prefer function over form, so I think tools, gadgets, or things that provide interesting utility would be right up his alley. Also, FYI, looking for something I could pick up at a local Walmart or Target for about $50 or less. Thanks!

 

[SteveNU]

What kind of an RV is it? Maybe a folding rake, ground mat, weather station.

 

[samclem]

Used RV? Prefers form over function? Buy him 5 tubes of high-quality caulk.


Maybe more giftworthy:
- If he doesn't have one, he might like a membership in Good Sam Club. a 1 yr membership is $29, 2 years for $50 and it comes with a $25 certificate. More on what comes with it: https://www.goodsam.com/club/why-join/
- We joined Passport America and got some good discounts on RV campgrounds (usually 50% off). Their site. Restrictions apply. It is worthwhile if he is on a budget.

- There are LOTs of little things an RVer needs, but you won't know what they are in his case: Leveling blocks, toilet chemicals, a big mat to go outside the door, outdoor table and chairs, etc, etc. You could get him a gift card to Camping World (a bit overpriced, but all RV stuff) or even Walmart.

 

[skipro33]

One of those new battery powered vacuums from Dyson. They are not cheap, but we love ours! Keeps our RV clean no matter where; the beach with it's sand, the mountains with pine needles. A single charge of it's batteries should last several weeks in an RV environment.

 

[Sojourner]

What kind of an RV is it? Maybe a folding rake, ground mat, weather station.

It's a Class A, I'd say around 30 feet long. Not sure about the specific model/year.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Gift card

 

[GravitySucks]

Cash.
Lots and lots of cash.

 

[HFWR]

Prepaid towing...

 

[Sojourner]

Cash.
Lots and lots of cash.

Prepaid towing...

Not exactly helpful ideas for my "RV warming" gift, but yeah... I have a feeling he's going to need lots of both.

 

[MBAustin]

If he's the social type, a flag or sign to put in front of the RV when in a campground to introduce himself to the neighbors would be nice (example: https://www.flagsandgifts.com/personalized-camper-garden-flags/home-sweet-motorhome-garden-flag). People in campgrounds are generally very friendly and this is a nice way for folks to know he's a solo traveler and he won't get asked all the time where his spouse is.

 

[swakyaby]

. . . perhaps a pair of solar powered Luci lanterns? In many ways, they're better than flashlights in campgrounds.

. . . or a large patio-sized outdoor RV mat? These are very popular among RV owners.

 

[ocean view]

I’m still an RV dreamer, but I’d suggest an App Store card. There are a handful of travel apps that I’ve heard good things about.

All Stays $10 - database of all travel needs from gas stations, rest areas, camp grounds (public & private), weigh stations, dump stations, food....

Apps by the developer Two Steps Beyond. You can buy a 3 app bundle for $9. It includes 1. US Public lands, 2. Coverage? - Cell phone coverage maps by carrier and 3. State Laws - DMV and other state law info so you don’t get surprised when you cross state lines.

I’m sure there are many others as well.

 

[Doribe]

Prepaid towing...

Good Sam Roadside Assistance, in place of AAA. I have it and used it once when my trailer parts were frozen. https://www.goodsamroadside.com

 

[Sojourner]

If he's the social type, a flag or sign to put in front of the RV when in a campground to introduce himself to the neighbors would be nice (example: https://www.flagsandgifts.com/personalized-camper-garden-flags/home-sweet-motorhome-garden-flag). People in campgrounds are generally very friendly and this is a nice way for folks to know he's a solo traveler and he won't get asked all the time where his spouse is.

This is a great idea... thanks. My friend is a bit introverted (or, perhaps, just socially complacent), and this would be a great way for him to roll out the welcome mat, so to speak.

 

[Sojourner]

Thanks for all for the helpful ideas and suggestions, folks!

 

[Callitaday2022]

A year of Coachnet road side assistance. Much higher rated than Good Sam. Portable BBQgrill. Lawn chairs. Portable hammock. There is a new RV book called Living the RV life that is at some Costco's Sams or could order online.

 

[Rambler]

We enjoy our anti-gravity folding lounge chairs. They can be had for about $50, but a nice one will be a bit more, maybe closer to $70-80.

 

[GravitySucks]

Good Sam Roadside Assistance, in place of AAA. I have it and used it once when my trailer parts were frozen. https://www.goodsamroadside.com

+1. Towing a class A 50 miles will cost many years of the Roadside assistance fees.

 

[ckelly78z]

Having an RV is an exercise in minimalism, where storage is very limited. Maybe a thought towards non-material possessions would be good.

Possibly a personalized welcome sign to hang outside.

 

[ransil]

A year of Coachnet road side assistance. Much higher rated than Good Sam. Portable BBQgrill. Lawn chairs. Portable hammock. There is a new RV book called Living the RV life that is at some Costco's Sams or could order online.

X2 on coachnet

 

[imoldernu]

The nicest thing that you could do for a "new" camper, is to open the part of the world where other campers live.

Here's a tiny overview of what's out there.

Campground Associations

Our original plan for retirement @ age 53, was to camp year round, going where the wind blows from ocean to ocean, and all parts between. Home base was Woodhaven Lakes, but we studied maps and State Campgrounds, and points of interest all over the US, from Washington to California, to Texas, and Fllorida. No real plans for settling down, but narrowed it down to Texas and Florida. Not a Class A, but a high top Ford camper that worked out well for travel as well as exploring. It lasted about 6-8 months, til we had our fill and settled in Florida and WH.

Belonging to Coast to Coast Resorts/Good Sam offers a comfortable fallback for long term or permanent living. C to C annual fee is $90, but usually free first year, if a home base is chosen.

https://www.coastresorts.com/coast-to-coast/

for Woodhaven:
https://www.coastresorts.com/directory/_display.cfm/RCODE-595/rbtid-595/rez-0/

Gift?.. Based on our experiences, a few lightweight folding chairs helps for social interaction in a campground.

A great experience coming up.

 

[SnowBound]

DW & I used to own a campground. A extra 50' white water hose is a great gift. They will need it or if they are the social type, will see someone that desperately needs it within the first year. Walmart will have them unless there is a campground nearby (then sold out until camping season ends).

 

[Rambler]

DW & I used to own a campground. A extra 50' white water hose is a great gift. They will need it or if they are the social type, will see someone that desperately needs it within the first year. Walmart will have them unless there is a campground nearby (then sold out until camping season ends).

Good call. When we were newbies, I inadvertently put the pressure regulator between the trailer and the hose, instead of between the hose and the hydrant/spigot. We left and went exploring. Came back to a soaked campsite...I thought maybe the park’s sprinklers had been on. And, no water flow in the trailer. So I went out to check the water, turned it on, and got soaked from an exploded hose. Fortunately I had a backup, discovered my error, and never made the same mistake again.

 

[Sarah in SC]

A nice new road atlas!

 

[Sojourner]

OP here. Thanks again for all the suggestions. I got my friend a nice gift based on an idea posted in this thread, and he seemed to really like it!