RV Stocking Stuffers: Small Camper Gear That Gets Used

Shippable, drawer-sized gear and consumables that earn their space in a camper, none of it rated hardware.

The best RV stocking stuffers are small, cheap to ship and used on the next trip: sewer and hose gaskets, disposable gloves, a headlamp, strap and tie assortments, and a few pocket tools. They fit a stocking because they also fit a camper drawer, which is where RV gear spends most of its life. This guide sticks to that category and skips anything that needs sizing, a rating or a technician.

If you want the bigger picture of what a rig should carry, our RV tool kit guide covers tools; this list covers the small extras that make good gifts. For bigger presents sorted by how someone camps, see our gift guide by camping style.

The Rule for Stocking Stuffers

Pick things that do three jobs: they cost little, they get used up or lost regularly, and they work without knowing the exact model of the RV. Gaskets and washers wear out. Gloves run out. Headlamps vanish at the campground and turn up in the wrong bay. These are the items every RVer reorders without thinking about it.

Skip anything where the wrong guess means a trip back to the store. Fuses, bulbs, plumbing fittings and valve stems are all sized for specific parts, and a gift that does not fit is just clutter.

For the Water and Sewer Drawer

This is the drawer that gets used on every trip, and it is full of small parts that fail quietly. Good small gifts include:

• Hose washers and gaskets. Rubber washers for fresh water hose ends and spare gaskets for sewer fittings. Most owners keep a few, but few keep enough.
• Disposable gloves. A box that stays near the sewer hose. Nobody ever buys these for themselves at the right moment.
• Thread tape. A roll or two for threaded water fittings.
• A hose cap or end cap. Keeps the end of a sewer hose clean in storage; check that it matches the hose style they use.
• A small funnel or squeeze bottle. Handy for adding treatment or topping off a fresh water tank.

For a gift tied to the sewer side, our guide to sewer hose supports covers what owners usually add next. Tank treatments also work as stocking stuffers, but pick a variety pack or a product the recipient already names, since campground and tank preferences differ.

For the Tool Drawer

You do not need a full tool kit to give a useful tool. Small pieces that earn their place include:

• A compact multi-bit screwdriver. Many RVs use a mix of Phillips, flat and square-drive screws, so a multi-bit driver covers a lot of jobs.
• A headlamp. Hands free at the pedestal, under the rig, and inside a dark storage bay.
• A pocket flashlight. A backup that lives in the glove box or door pocket.
• A tire pressure gauge. A compact gauge is easy to lose, so spares get used. The correct pressure comes from the tire and rig manuals, not from the gauge.
• A plug-in outlet tester. A small tool that checks a campground outlet for wiring faults before the rig is plugged in. It is a check, not a repair, and any wiring problem it shows goes to the campground or an electrician.

For the Cabin and Kitchen

Inside the rig, the best small gifts solve space or noise problems:

• Hook-and-loop straps and cable ties. Keep cords, hoses and cabinet doors from moving during travel.
• Non-slip shelf liner. Stops dishes sliding in a drawer.
• Adhesive hooks. Check the weight limit printed on the package for each hook and for the wall surface.
• Rattle stoppers or foam strips. Cabinet and drawer noise is a common irritation on the road.
• Compact dish towels and a scrub brush. Small, and always needed.

Our guide to storage gear for small spaces has more ideas if you want a stocking stuffer that doubles as an organizer.

What Not to Put in the Stocking

Some small items look like stocking stuffers but are not:

• Fuses and bulbs. Types vary by circuit and fixture. Only buy them if the recipient has given you the exact type from their manual or panel.
• Propane fittings and detectors. Fit and replacement belong with the manual and a qualified technician, and detectors need to be rated for RV use.
• Tire valves and caps for specific wheels. Fitment depends on the wheel and stem, so ask first.
• Sealants and tapes for roofs. The right product depends on the roof material. See our roof guide before gifting any.

Bundles, Packing and Who You Are Buying For

Packing and Shipping Tips

Small and light items ship well, but a few extra steps help. Put gaskets and washers in a zip bag so they do not scatter. Check batteries are included or add a spare, since many headlamps and lanterns ship without them. Add a short note with the part's use, because a bag of rubber rings makes no sense to someone who has never fixed a leaky hose connection. And if you are buying from eBay, check the seller's return terms in the listing, as they vary.

Three Ready-Made Mini Bundles

If a single small item feels thin, group several into a themed pouch or box. Each bundle below uses only items already covered above.

• The sewer-day pouch. Disposable gloves, spare gaskets for sewer fittings, a hose end cap and a roll of thread tape for the water side. Put it in a zip bag labeled for the dump day.
• The first-night pouch. A headlamp, a plug-in outlet tester, a pocket flashlight and a few hook-and-loop straps. These are the items you wish you had when you arrive after dark.
• The road-trip pouch. A tire pressure gauge, a multi-bit screwdriver, zip ties and a small roll of tape. Keep it in the tow vehicle or the pass-through bay.

A hand-written card that explains what each item does is better than the packaging. New owners often do not know what a sewer gasket is for, and long-time owners enjoy knowing you thought about the details.

New Owners vs Veterans

New owners benefit from the basics: a headlamp, gloves, an outlet tester and a gauge. They are still building a kit and are likely to appreciate anything that prevents a first-trip scramble. Veterans already have the basics, so look for consumables and replacements. Gaskets and washers wear out, gloves run out, and headlamp batteries die. A box of the exact things they reorder is a better gift than something clever.

Ask a family member what is running low, or glance at the drawers if you are at the rig. Our gear checklist for new owners is a useful reference for what a first-year kit already includes.