Ramble Super Flex Sewer Hose

My least favorite RV activity is emptying the holding tanks. In fact, I loathed it. If I could have, I would have paid someone to dump for me. Until today.

I bought a 10' Ramble Super Flex Sewer Hose. It collapses to under three feet and flexes completely. It saved me at least five minutes at the dump.

First, I attached the connections to each end with a clamp. It required screwing on the hose but that didn't take long. Then I stretched out the hose between my RV and the dump. I attached the connection to my RV and then placed the other end into the hole. When the black water valve was opened, the hose never moved or flopped off the curb like the old hose did. There was no need to "feed" the waste through the hose to be sure it was empty. The hose remained at the correct angle to drain completely. I closed the black tank, opened the gray and again, even with greater pressure from the tank, the hose never moved.

When I was finished and closed the gray tank valve, I disconnected the hose, held it perpendicular to the ground and rinsed it. Then I slowly collapsed the hose into a straight, 2.5' piece of pipe and stowed it in the storage compartment. No hose carrier is needed.

The Ramble hose is about $20 at Camping World.
If you just want to use it for dumping, it's ideal.

Almost Like "Central Vac" But Without the Hassle

Some high-end RVs come equipped with central vacuum units: No need to fuss with a machine, and usually good power. interVac says its vacuum unit that mounts flush in a cabinet or on the wall is powerful, and no big machine to lug around. See our report in our sister blog, Fulltime RVer.

RVers Like Light Weight Grills

Hikers, bikers and RVers will enjoy this light weight go anywhere grill. It's small (only 12 inches tall and one inch in diameter) so it will easily fit in your backpack or picnic basket. All the pieces (except the bowl) fit into the cylinder with a screw on cap. Here is a view of the pieces somewhat extended to give you an idea of how the grill fits neatly into one package. It's made out of high quality stainless steel and weighs only 1.24 pounds. Used as a stand alone grill or in conjunction with the retractable Fire Bowl this is the most compact grill I've ever seen. You can order this grill at Target online for $29.99 and the Fire Bowl for $12.99 and it's also available at Amazon.com. You can get more information at Grilliput. If you want to see how it all comes together, watch the video below as the Professor gives you a demo.


Product Review by Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers Put Your Brights On With This Personal Headlamp

RVers are familiar with Rayovac because they’ve been making our flashlights and batteries for a long time. This new product available at COSTCO for $19.99 claims to be 50 times brighter than other LED lights. It has an adjustable control/battery pack that you clip on. It also has an emergency flashing red strobe. Backpackers don’t leave home without these. I like them because when I take my dog out at night, I have my hands free to pick-up after him. These are also great for changing a tire, working in you external storage areas or anywhere you need extra light. Helping you have a bright RV camping experience - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

This Product Makes it Easy to Keep your RV Clean

This brush extends out to almost six feet and has a hose connection so you can get water right where you need it. But this package is a great deal because it comes with a lot of extra stuff like a micro-fiber defogger mitt, a tire detail brush, an interior detail brush and more. You can get this whole package at COSTCO for $19.99. Keeping it clean - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing, Dr. of RVology and ROAD Scholar

RVers Need Reliable Air Compressors on the Road

RVing requires that you be able to inflate your tires, raft, inner-tube, flotation device, air mattress and whatever else out in the middle of nowhere. Master Flow has a neat little air compressor called Q-Max which advertises 120 pounds per square inch of pressure. You connect it directly to your battery and away you go. It has a carrying handle and a built-in gauge. I don’t care for the cheap plastic coil hose, so I would replace it with a real air pressure hose. You can pick this up at COSTCO for $50.00. Helping to keep you rolling along - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing, Dr. of RVology and ROAD Scholar

Duracell Makes RVing More Fun and Safe

Duracell, a household name in batteries also makes a useful product for RVing. This rechargeable flashlight can be recharged by plugging it into a receptacle. It can also be recharged by cranking it - you can see how the crank handle comes out of it’s stowed position. But it’s more than a flashlight, it’s an AM/FM/Weather radio. Now that can be handy when you’re out in the woods, in your boat or wherever you’ll need light and weather information. You get two of these at Costco for only $17.99. Keeping you enlightened - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing, Dr. of RVology and ROAD Scholar

Go 'keyless' to make your RV storage compartment's safer

You know that key you use to unlock your RV's outside storage compartments? Well, the bad news is that about every other RVer’s key to its compartments will also work on yours. Not so good if you want to be sure your stored stuff is secure.

Solution: Combi-Cam, where RVers can go keyless. It's a durable, all-metal combination cam that replaces all RV compartment cam locks with 1,000 possible combinations that can be easily reset. If desired, the cylinder can be rotated 180 degrees upon installation converting into non-resetable combination.

The Combi-Cam is a great solution for RVs or any environment that has multiple people accessing cabinets/compartments whereby keeping track of keys is a hassle, and it'll make it a lot harder for bad guys to get access to your compartments as well. The retail price is $19.95. Learn more here.

Light Up Your RV Working Areas With Wireless LEDs

RVing is more fun when you can see what you’re doing. These handy lights are great for lighting up storage areas, under cabinets or reading lights. I can’t believe the price on these, because they are LED which are usually very expensive. For $12.89 you get two. They have a one touch on/off switch with a dimmer. Each light runs on three AAA batteries and the light heads pivot so you can direct more light where you need it. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing and ROAD Scholar

New Smoker Bags Make RV Cooking and Clean-up Easy

Savu hickory and alder smoker bags are a new and easy way of cooking smoke flavored meats. The aluminum foil pouches contain natural Finnish hickory or alder wood chips, hardwood syrup and sugar. Just put the meat in the bag, and place it in the oven or on the grill and you’ll have a great tasting meal in minutes. Barry Pulis says this new cooking product really does a good job and it’s easy to use and clean up. These smoker bags are available in may fine stores and you can even oder them online. Use your browser to find Savu smoker bags and you’re in business. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing and Road Scholar.

Camper is a tent with RV tendencies

So what the heck do you get when you cross a car with a tent, but the tent can't touch the ground? Ah, ha! A challenge. Nope, enter the car top camper. Its creators say it's a natural step between a tent and a dedicated RV, offering a little of each world. You sleep off the ground and the creepy crawlies there, so its kinda like you're in a RV (okay, that may be stretching it). But even though you are not right down on Mother Earth, you are still in contact with your surroundings like with a tent. A car top camper sets up quickly with bedding ready for immediate use like an RV, but cost, ease of storage, and simplicity is more like a tent. The vehicle topped by a car top tent can drive and park just about anywhere, fitting into spaces too tight for a big ol' motorhome or travel trailer. Learn more.

RV Sized Trash Can, Convenient and Handsome

RVs force you to consolidate and economize due to limited space. Camco's new compact trash can with a foot pedal to open the lid and an easy lift plastic liner is perfect for RVing. The brushed metal finish gives this can an expensive look but it’s very affordable at under $25.00. Pick one up at an RV store near you. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing and Road Scholar.

First Alert Carbon Monoxide Alarm costs $24.99 at Costco

The cool thing about this device, besides the fact that it's guarding your life and the lives of your loved ones, is that it can be tested with your TV remote control. Just point your TV remote at the detector and it will tell you if it's operating properly. This is an inexpensive investment especially for older RVs that don't have one already installed.Helping you stay safe in your RV - Jim Twamley

With This Device Running Out of Propane is a Thing of the Past

Have you ever gone out to your BBQ expecting to turn over a sizzling hot steak only to discover that you’ve run out of propane? This Digital Deluxe Gas Meter will alert you when you propane level is low. It's available at Costco warehouse membership stores for $14.79. Helping to keep the home fires burning – Jim Twamley

RVers Enjoy the Pleasure of a Campfire Without the Hassle

RVers enjoy sitting around a campfire. There’s something alluring about the glow of coals and the dancing fingers of fire on the logs that entices us. Thoughts of toasted marshmallows and the unforgettable taste of s’mores draw us to the campfire. Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to campfires, clothes that smell like smoke, the need to gather wood, light it, put it out and then clean up the ashes. Now you can have a campfire without all the negative side effects. CAMCO’s newest addition to their line of RV products is the Little Red Campfire. This unit is small and portable with an 8 foot hose that attaches to a propane bottle. The Little Red Campfire will provide many hours of family enjoyment. Available wherever CAMCO products are sold. Jim Twamley

Is a Solar Powered RV Vent in Your Future?

Venting your RV during storage is now a cinch with SunVent. This solar powered vent extracts 680 cubic feet of air per hour. My friend Richard Schramm installed one of these on his Big Foot travel trailer to vent the refrigerator. He says, “I mounted one of these on the vent above my refer to pull more air up across the coils. I left room to mount a second one and I think I am going to go ahead and add it. The only thing is I may need to add an extension tube to reach further into the cavity to get a better draw on the air to pull it upward. Not many moving parts and it was here in a couple of days even when I ordered it ground delivery.” You can read more about it here: Sun Vent Jim Twamley

New Flat Wire Great for RV 12 Volt Applications

This flat speaker wire can also be used for 12 volt RV applications like an alarm system or low voltage lighting, Oh, it can also power your speakers. It has peel-and-stick backing and is only 1mm thick (that’s not M&M’s thick but millimeters thick). They say you can paint or wallpaper over it. You can also run this wire under the carpet without the noticible buldge you get with other types of wire. Available in 16 foot and 25 foot bubble packs or 100' bulk rolls.
Read more about it here: Flat Wire

What’s Going On Inside Your RV Refrigerator? Now You Can Know For Sure!

Camco’s digital refrigerator monitor makes life easier for RVers because it will tell you BEFORE your food spoils and give you a chance to do something about it. It sounds off with an alarm and flashes a warning light when temperatures exceed high or low limits that you set. It has a nice digital display and sells for around $19 bucks. Check it out here: Camco Products

New Product Reduces Blunt Trauma To the Head

Here is Camco’s latest addition to making RVing safer. These slide-out corner protectors are designed to stick to your slide-outs. The rubberized cushion won’t prevent you or the kids from “bonking” their heads, but it will cushion the blow. I’ve bumped into my slide-out corners numerous times and let me tell you that it doesn’t feel good! These protectors will definitely help, especially on the bedroom slide-out on 5th wheels. Look for them wherever Camco products are sold or order them online here: Camco Products

Cool off Fido with new pet fan

Fan-Tastic Vent Corporation, manufacturer of the 12-volt Endless Breeze fan is now offering a new swing-out hanger arm that allows easy attachment of the fan to the side or front of a pet crate.

Cool your pet before, between and after performance runs or while traveling. It delivers the equivalent of a constant 10 mph wind using an automotive type fan blade and motor. Standing only 14 inches high on retractable legs and less than three inches thick, it travels and stores easily and weighs under five pounds. Endless Breeze easily plugs into most standard DC outlets or operates on 110 volt AC with a 4-amp converter.

Need The Perfect Garden For Your RV?

In my travels I see RVers with tomato plants, house plants and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. They are usually stationary for a while, like campground hosts or work-campers, and they manage to keep a garden. Here is a portable solution for a care-free high-tech growing system that controls soil conditions and doubles the yield of your crop with less fertilizer, less water and little effort. There is no digging, weeding or guesswork. It set’s up in minutes and can go anywhere. Here is a link with more information Earth Box . It costs around $65.00 or you can make one yourself for around $10.00 Do It Yourself Either way you will get more bang for your buck with this type of gardening system.

Telescopic Broom Zeros In On Dirt And Stores Easily

Don’t know where to store that long handle broom? Here is a great RV product that saves you space. This adjustable broom with dust pan telescopes out to a full sized broom and the broom head, made of soft bristles, adjusts to different angles. The dustpan clips onto the broom handle and the whole package fits neatly in a smaller storage space than a conventional broom. This product sells for around $13 bucks and you can check it out and order it here.

Open Your Screen Door And Keep The Bugs Out At The Same Time

Here is a great idea. It allows you to keep your screen door latch access slider closed while enabling you to open the door. You must drill a small hole in the door slide in order to install it. This is a great way to keep the bugs out and still be able to open the screen door. It costs around $10 bucks and you can check it out: Camco Products