70 Useful RV Terms You Need To Know Before RVing

by | October 2019 | 0 comments

I remember the first time we made a reservation at a campground. It was right after we bought our first RV and drove off the lot with our new home-on-wheels.

They asked us what kind of campsite we wanted – back-in, pull-thru, full hook-up, electric onlyโ€ฆ Huh?!

We had no idea what they were talking about and were completely lost with the RV lingo.  It can be overwhelming when youโ€™re a first-time RVers and new to the RV life.

So I put together this handy cheat sheet with some common RVing terms listed in alphabetical order.

70 Useful RV Terms You Need To Know Before RVing

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1. A-Frame

A type of expandable RV that unfolds into the shape of an โ€œAโ€ with a vaulted ceiling.

2. Back-In

A campground site that must be backed into with the RV rather than driven through.

3. Bays / Basement

The storage cabinets (โ€œbaysโ€) on the underside of an RV, usually accessed from the exterior.

4. Black Water Tank

The tank that holds the wastewater from the RVโ€™s toilet (ew!).

5. Boondocking

Free dry camping – camping with no hook-ups (no water, sewer, or electricity connections at the campsite) without having to pay any fees for the campsite, can be in the wilderness, on free public lands, on someone elseโ€™s land, or even in a parking lot.

6. Bunkhouse

An RV floor plan with bunk beds, sometimes with a separate room for the bunk beds.

7. Camp Host / Campground Host

An RVer/camper who acts as the main point of contact for a campground, usually working as a Workamper for the campground.

8. Camper Van

Another name for Class B Motorhomes as theyโ€™re similar to the size of a van.

9. Chocks / Wheel Chocks

Wedges of a strong material (usually a heavy-duty plastic) wedged under an RVโ€™s tires to prevent the RV from rolling away.

10. Class A

A type of motorhome that is typically the largest (30-40 feet long) as well as the most luxurious type of motorhome and RV in general.ย  Class A Motorhomes have a tell-tale flat front end providing a large picture windshield for a wide-open view of the road and landscape.

11. Class B

A type of motorhome that is smaller, similar to the size of a van, without an over-the-cab sleeping or storage area like the Class C Motorhome.ย 

12. Class B+

A type of motorhome that falls somewhere between Class B and Class C Motorhomes. Class B+ Motorhomes look similar to Class C Motorhomes, but unlike the Class C, the Class B+ doesnโ€™t have a bed over the cab. And unlike Class B Motorhomes, a Class B+ can have slide-outs.

13. Class C

A type of motorhome with an over-the-cab area for extra sleeping or storage space.

14. Coach

Another name for Class A Motorhomes, other motorhomes, and sometimes RVs in general.

15. Coax Cable

The cable cord used to connect your RV to a campgroundโ€™s cable television.

16. Connections

Sources for an RV to connect to water, sewer, or electric at a campsite.

17. Diesel Pusher

A type of motorhome with a diesel engine thatโ€™s located in the back of the RV rather than the front, pushing the RV instead of pulling it.

18. Digital Nomad

People who work remotely while traveling in a nomadic manner.

19. Driveable RV

RVs with a motor that you can drive, such as Motorhomes.

20. Dry Camping

Camping with no hook-ups (no water, sewer, or electric at the campsite), common with State and National Parks. Even though there may not be hook-ups, a fee may still be required with dry camping.

21. Dually

A type of heavy-duty truck with four back tires (two on each side), usually used to tow larger Travel Trailers and Fifth Wheels.

22. Dump Station

A place where an RVโ€™s wastewater from the black and gray tanks can be safely disposed of (โ€œdumpedโ€) into a sewer/septic structure.

23. Fifth Wheel / 5th Wheel / Fiver / 5er

Type of towable RV that hangs over the bed of the truck towing it.

24. Fresh Water Tanks

The tanks that hold freshwater to use when there is no water available at a campsite.

25. Full Hook-Ups

When the campsite comes with water, sewer, and electric connections.

26. Full-Timers / Full-Timing

RVers who live and travel in their RV full-time.

27. Galley

The kitchen area of an RV.

28. Gray Water Tank

The tank that holds the wastewater from an RVโ€™s sinks and shower.

29. Good Sam Club

A membership program that offers 10% off at many campgrounds.

30. Harvest Hosts

A membership program that gives members access to wineries, farms, and other unique places to camp at with their self-contained RV.

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31. Hitch / Tow Hitch

The device attached to a vehicle thatโ€™s used to connect the vehicle to an RV to tow the RV with the vehicle.

32. Holding Tanks

A general term for all of the RVโ€™s tanks – black water, gray water, and freshwater.

33. Honeywagon

A service some campgrounds offer to remove an RVโ€™s waste when they donโ€™t have sewer connections or a dump station.

34. Hook-Ups

A campgroundโ€™s connections – can be water, sewer, electric, a combination of two, or all three.

35. KOA

Kampgrounds of America, a national chain of RV campgrounds that also offers a membership program for 10% off their campgrounds.

36. Leveling Blocks

Plastic blocks that stack on top of each other and are used under the stabilizers to level out the RV.

37. Long-Termers

People who live in their stationary RV long-term at one particular campground or RV Park.

38. LP Tank

A propane (i.e. liquid petroleum for โ€œLPโ€) tank used to store and supply propane/gas to the RV for heating and cooking.

39. Moochdocking

Camping on someone elseโ€™s land (or even driveway) for free.

40. Motorhome

A type of RV that has a motor and is driven.

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41. Overnight Stop

Staying just one night usually as a stop to rest from driving while on the way to a destination.

42. Part-Timers / Part-Timing

People who RV part-time, usually for longer than the typical getaway, while still having a traditional sticks and bricks home.

43. Passport America

A membership program that gives members 50% off certain campgrounds (usually on certain days of the week).

44. Pop-Up

A folding type of RV that expands into a larger size.

45. Primitive Camping

Similar to dry camping and boondocking in that there are no hook-ups (no water, sewer, or electric at the campsite) but typically in a more remote location in the middle of nowhere.

46. Pull-Thru

A campsite that you can drive your RV into and out through rather than having to back in.

47. Rig

A slang term for RVs, can be used to reference any RV type but is most commonly used in conjunction with motorhomes.

48. Schoolie

Another name for a school bus converted to an RV.

49. Self-Contained

RVs that have all the utilities needed to fully function without campground facilities or hook-ups.ย  That means they can generate their own power, store and run water, and store their own waste.

50. Sewer Hose

The hose that connects the RVโ€™s wastewater tanks to the dumpsite.

51. Sewer Hose Support

An accordion-style unit used to support a sewer hose creating a slope for proper drainage for the waste to flow down from the RV connection into the sewer connection.

52. Shore Power

A power source to connect your RV to electricity.

53. Slides / Slide-Outs / Pop-Outs

Sections of an RV that can slide out to create more space within the RV.

54. Snowbirds

People who head south for the winter to warmer weather, just like birds.

55. Stabilizers / Stabilizing Jacks / Leveling Jacks

Devices used to stabilize and level out an RV to keep it from rocking back and forth while moving around inside.

56. Sticks & Bricks / S&B

Refer to traditional homes built with (you guessed it) sticks and/or bricks.

57. Surge Protector

A device to protect the electronics with your RV by protecting against any spike in voltage.

58. Sway Bars

Metal bars used to prevent the RV from swaying and rocking back-and-forth by creating stability, which also helps with drivability.

59. Thousand Trails

A membership program with private campgrounds for its members.

60. Toad

A vehicle towed separately behind your RV (usually behind a motorhome).

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61.Tow Vehicle

The vehicle used to tow a towable RV like a Travel Trailer or Fifth Wheel.

62. Towable RV

A type of RV that has to be towed with a separate tow vehicle.

63. Toy Hauler

A type of Towable RV that can be a Travel Trailer or a Fifth Wheel (even some motorhomes can be Toy Haulers, but most are in the Towable category) and offer a combination of living space plus room to haul toys and gear within the trailer.ย 

64. Travel Trailer / TT

A type of Towable RV that comes in a wide variety of styles, floor plans, and sizes.ย  Similar to a Fifth Wheel, Travel Trailers are towed with a tow vehicle. But unlike Fifth Wheels, Travel Trailers to not hang over the bed of a truck.

65. Triple Tow

Towing two other vehicles behind the tow vehicle or RV.ย  For example, a truck towing a Travel Trailer towing a boat, or a motorhome towing a car towing a trailer.ย  Basically three separate vehicles/RVs/trailers connected to one another. This is NOT recommended!

66. Truck Camper / TC

A type of RV that fits inside the bed of the truck and hands over the cab of the truck carrying it.

67. Water Hose

The hose used to connect your RV to the campgrounds water supply to have running water in your RV.

68. Water Pressure Regulator / Water Pressure Relief Valve

A valve used when a camproundโ€™s water connection has high water pressure to reduce the water pressure to a safe level for your RVโ€™s plumbing.

69. Weekend Warriors

RVers who take their RV out for short trips, typically just on the weekends.

70. Workamper / Workamping

RVers who work at campgrounds theyโ€™re staying at to offset the cost of camping.

Thereโ€™s a lot involved with RVing and RV life in general. But donโ€™t let the RV lingo overwhelm you. You can grab a PDF of this blog post to print out and take along with you as a handy cheat sheet to reference while youโ€™re RVing!

Are there any RV-specific words or phrases Iโ€™m missing? Leave them in the comments below!

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70 Useful RV Terms You Need To Know Before RVing
70 Must-Know RV Terms with Free Printable Cheat Sheet
70 Useful RV Terms You Need To Know Before RVing
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Briana Nickas of Next Destination Unknown

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Hey there! I’m Briana, a blogger, hiker, traveller, RVer, photo-taker, and National Parks lover who is passionate about exploring the great outdoors while practicing clean living for a healthier lifestyle to continue doing the things I live for. My goal is to inspire others to live a life focused on wellbeing and wandering. Join me!

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