According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, the number of RV-owning households has swelled to 8.9 million, up from 7.9 million in 2005. That’s a lot of motor homes and towables traveling U.S. highways and byways.
“The basic appeal of the RV lifestyle remains as strong as ever,” said RVIA President Richard Coon. “Travelers want to enjoy those cherished experiences of RVing while experiencing the country.”
Enhancing the built-in enjoyment of seeing America’s parks and beaches, small towns and big cities at their leisure and from the comfort of their home-on-wheels, are trendy new travel goods, including the Black Diamond III by Acase.
MORE THAN MUSIC
The world’s first multi-sensory Bluetooth speaker, the Black Diamond III ($95.95) is bling for your RV, a compact, programmable disco orb that lets you see, feel and hear the music. Power it up and it looks like a glowing crystal. Add music and it snaps in sync with the tempo and a flashing light show. Compatible with all iPhones, iPods and iPads, plus Samsung Galaxy and most HTC models, it has two high-quality, diamond clear speakers and shimmers with up to 16,000,000 colors.
Adjust volume, lighting effects, brightness and colors with the included remote control, which can be tucked into the Black Diamond III’s inner storage chamber so you don’t lose it. It’s easy to use with auto-pairing and auto-linking, doesn’t require a password and provides rich sound up to 10 miles — perfect for RV tailgating events.
PRIME SIZE
Stay connected on the road with a super lightweight and portable tablet sized for the smaller square footage of an RV: The Genesis Prime ($79.99) from Ematic is a seven-inch Google-certified tablet with Android 4.1, giving you full access to the hottest and hippest apps and games plus Google services such as Chrome, Gmail, Maps, YouTube and Talk.
What does Google Play bring to the table? Access to music, movies, TV shows, books, Android apps — literally hours and hours of entertainment. You can upload 20,000 songs for free, check the weather wherever you’re traveling to, set reminders and record appointments — all from the comfort of your RV.
INSPIRED TOILETRIES SOLUTION
The Traveler by Inspire Travel Luggage is a snappy structured black bag sized to hold full-size grooming products, an especially handy feature for remote-destination travelers and long-term roadies.
“When you are becoming one with nature, corner stores are fewer and far between, and usually have a questionable selection,” said Kristin Nowers, The Traveler’s creator. “Having an ample supply of your favorite products is a camping must.”
Featuring a removable plastic liner that provides waterproof protection and allows for easy clean-up, The Traveler lets you tote your favorite bath and toiletry products along — bug spray, too — wherever travels take you. It comes in two sizes — Traveler Solo ($25) and the larger, roomier Traveler Elite ($35) — but both are compact and set up in a small bathroom to keep products readily available and easily stowable.
“Most campers are very organized and efficient,” she said. “Whether the mode of travel is a spacious RV or a small camper, The Traveler packs big, but fits small.”
RETRO ROAST
Perfectly in step with the nostalgic sensibility of RV travel, which has been around since the early 1900s, is the retro feel of the Hot Rod Heated Travel Mug ($24.99). An insulated travel mug by Think Geek, it evokes the 1960s era of the hot rod muscle cars and will keep your morning joe — all 16 ounces of it — steaming hot in this thermally insulated travel mug with 12 volt DC adapter. The mug has a comfy grip and solid heft for safe sipping while driving along the open road, plus analog temperature gauge, on/off toggle switch and LED power indicator.
