Gear We Use

29 posts

Gear we have paid for and lived with, not a list assembled from product pages. If something disappointed us we say so, and if we replaced it we say what we replaced it with.

A few of the bigger ones: why our RV runs a 24V battery bank and two inverters, what a soft start actually does for running the air conditioner off batteries, and the mattress we replaced ours with.

Want it all in one place? Everything we use is on our Amazon Storefront, sorted into lists.

Shop our Amazon Storefront

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Camp Kitchen

Wind Guards for the Blackstone 17: Cooking Outside When It's Windy

Published on Oct 8, 2026

Wind used to blow in under the cooktop and mess with the flame. These magnetic guards close that gap, so we can cook on the Blackstone at windy sites.

Tech & Internet

How We Run Our RV Blog on Swiftrics (and Edit It With Claude)

Published on Oct 5, 2026

The website builder this whole site runs on, how we edit it with Claude, and a code for 10% off. Full disclosure up top: it is Nathan's company.

Safety & Monitoring

AUTO-VOX CampSync: The Four-Camera System We Put on Our Fifth Wheel

Published on Oct 2, 2026

We swapped the single backup camera that came with our Brinkley for AUTO-VOX's four-camera CampSync kit. Here is what it does, what the install was really like, and how to get our discount.

RV Essentials

The RV mattress we replaced ours with

Published on Aug 14, 2026

We slept on the mattress that came with our fifth wheel for a year and a half before admitting it was the problem. Here is what we replaced it with.

Power & Solar

Why Our RV Runs a 24V Battery Bank and Two Inverters

Published on Jul 29, 2026

Our batteries are 24 volt, most of the rig runs on 12 volt, and there are two inverters instead of one. None of that is standard, and each choice has a reason behind it.

Tech & Internet

NordVPN for RV Life: Campground Wi-Fi, Remote Work, and a Dedicated IP

Published on Jul 28, 2026

Why we run a VPN from the rig: campground Wi-Fi you cannot vouch for, and a dedicated IP that lets Nathan log into work from the same address every day.

Power & Solar

Running Our RV Air Conditioner Off Batteries: What a Soft Start Actually Does

Published on Jul 24, 2026

An RV air conditioner pulls a huge surge the instant the compressor starts, and that spike is what stops most battery systems cold. Here is what the Micro-Air EasyStart Breeze does about it, and what it does not.

Boondocking

Harvest Hosts Review: Is It Worth It for Full-Time RVers?

Published on Jul 16, 2026

Our Harvest Hosts review: how the membership works, Classic vs All Access, host etiquette, and what our stays at a saloon and a golf course were really like.