Simple RV Upgrades That'll Change the Way You Camp

There's no denying the fact that RVs are super cool. There are few things more convenient than pulling over to cook your lunch in a kitchen you brought along, and the fact that RVs allow us to sleep in our own beds each night no matter where we roam is priceless.

Still, travel trailers and motorhomes are far from perfect. Each one has its own set of flaws, and most exhibit the same standard set of annoying quirks right out of the factory. For instance, taking a long, hot shower in an RV without any modifications is nearly impossible due to the tiny water heater tanks, and many of these homes-on-wheels come equipped with lights that'll quickly drain the stock battery if you aren't plugged into shore power.

Fortunately, there are ways to fix these issues. Not only that, but the solutions to most of the usual problems aren't even difficult to put in place. There are tons of super easy RV upgrades that nearly anyone can do, and many of them will completely change the way you camp.

Here are some of our favorite easy mods to make life on the road a little easier.

Low-Flow Shower Head

That inability to take a decent shower we mentioned earlier? There is actually a super easy way to remedy that issue. The Oxygenics shower head is an amazing invention that actually reduces the amount of water your shower uses while still giving you plenty of pressure.

It does this by adding oxygen to the water in order to expand it while also using a tiny engine to push the water out of the nozzle. The result is a wonderful shower experience with significantly less water usage, meaning that 6-gallon hot water tank will last a full 20–30 minutes or more.

Related Read: 5 Upgrades Every Fulltimer Should Consider

LED Lights

If you've ever tried boondocking without any upgrades at all, you've probably found that while it's doable, it's not exactly easy.

One reason for this is the fact that something as simple as using the lights in your tiny home-on-wheels can drain your stock battery in a hurry. Now, you could add a second battery for more power storage, and we definitely recommend looking into this if you plan to do a lot of boondocking, but there’s a second step that should be taken as well.

You see, the halogen light bulbs that are found in the majority of RVs are electricity vacuums. Because of this, they can quickly discharge a battery, leaving you with no power for other things. LED bulbs on the other hand don't use nearly as much electricity. Sure, they're more expensive than their halogen counterparts, but they last for years and will definitely help you conserve energy.

Best of all, this is a super easy upgrade to make. Simply swap one bulb for the other and you'll be good to go!

Solar Panel

Another great way to make boondocking possible is to invest in a solar panel. You could, of course, go all out and install panels on the roof, adding a large battery bank and lots of other upgrades. However, for the person who prefers a simple project, there are portable solar panels.

These are pricey, but they quickly pay for themselves if you're able to go off-grid and avoid campground fees. They are also fairly simple to use, meaning even campers who aren't particularly handy should be able to figure them out.

Related Read: Solar Power in your RV (part 1)

TV Signal Booster

Spending time in the middle of nowhere can be frustrating if you're a TV watcher. Often you'll have a very limited channel selection, and in some places you may have none at all. Clearly, this is less than ideal when you're trying to watch your nightly news, or when it's raining outside and you need something to do.

While many RVers turn to portable satellite dishes—which isn’t a bad idea by any means—there’s a cheaper option for those who 1) don't need all the channels a satellite dish offers, but 2) still want some choices. A TV signal booster is just the thing.

These devices can be connected directly to your roof TV antenna and will boost the signal, bringing in all the local TV channels within a fairly large range. Installation is quick and easy, and the benefits are pretty awesome.

Cell Signal Booster

Cell signal is another one of those things that campers tend to use when they head out into the boonies to go camping. This is frustrating for the casual user, problematic for those who require a cell signal for work, and dangerous should anything go wrong while you're far from civilization.

Luckily, there is an easy solution for this problem as well. Cell signal boosters such as the WeBoost do an excellent job of pulling in signal no matter how weak. The booster then amplifies the signal, relaying a good, strong connection to all of your mobile devices. This is a device that is definitely worth getting if you are a frequent camper or fulltime RVer, and depending on what model you buy, there is little to no installation involved, meaning you can start using your cell booster right away.

These are just a few of the amazing and simple RV upgrades out there. We recommend starting with these and branching out to see what other awesome modifications you can make. Soon enough, you'll have a rig that's as comfortable and convenient as a house (if not more so).