Even when you’re RVing, water plays an essential role. You’ll need water for toilets, cleaning, and consumption. Whether you’re using your fresh water tank or a city water connection, an RV water hose is a must-have item. Which water hose you select for your rig is up to you, but some are better than others.
We’ve found seven of the best RV water hoses that we think are worth using while adventuring. Let’s take a look!
What Is an RV Water Hose?
A water hose is an essential item you’ll need when using your RV. If you’re camping at a campsite or a location with a water connection, an RV water hose will connect your camper to the water source. Doing so allows you to use your RV’s plumbing system, including toilets, sinks, and showers.
You won’t always be at a campsite with a water connection. This hose can also allow you to fill your RV’s fresh water tank with potable water for later use. RVs typically come with a built-in water pump that will pump the water from the fresh water tank to your faucets.
Do You Need a Special Hose for RV Water?
Yes, you need a special drinking-water safe hose to hook up your RV to water or fill your fresh water tank. You may have grown up drinking water from the water hose in your backyard, but it likely wasn’t a great idea.
These RV water hoses look like typical garden hoses, but the biggest difference is the materials used to make them. Because these materials are safe to drink from, you won’t have to worry about any harmful chemicals leaching into your water.
To help easily distinguish them from normal green or gray garden hoses, drinking-safe hoses are usually white or blue.
How Long Should an RV Hose Be?
Most campers will get an RV water hose 30′ to 50′ long. This typically is long enough to reach the water source at most campsites where it’s available. However, you don’t want to get a water hose that is too long because it will just waste precious storage space and take up more room than necessary.
If you have a short hose, you can always purchase an additional hose and connect it to your current one to get more distance. If you’re familiar with the campground and know how much length you’ll need at your site, you can leave any extra hoses at home and free up storage space to bring other camping gear.
Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble connecting your hose to your RV, check out our 5 Simple Hacks for Your RV Water Hose.
7 Best Drinking-Safe Hoses for Fresh Water
You can never be too safe when it comes to the water you’re using in your RV. Whether you’re purchasing your first RV water hose or upgrading an old one, we’ve found seven options that will do the job well.
1. Camco (22853) Premium Drinking Water Hose
About: Camco is one of the most recognized names in the RV industry and also has one of the best water hoses. They make this 50-foot heavy-duty drinking water hose for RVing that also comes in a 25-foot model.
Camco made this hose 20% thicker than a standard hose so it can withstand long-term use for many camping adventures. The anti-kink design helps ensure you’re not losing pressure or damaging the hose due to an accidental kink in the hose.
- Heavy duty hose is 20 percent thicker than standard drinking...
- Drinking water safe, lead free, BPA free, phthalate free and...
- Machined fittings and strain relief ends for added durability
Our Favorite Features: Camco uses machined fittings and strain-relief ends on their hoses. This ensures a tight connection between the spigot and your RV, which reduces leaks. There’s nothing worse than a puddle at your campsite due to a loose connection or fitting from your hose.
Best For: This is a fantastic model for someone who enjoys weekend trips and has some storage space to spare. Because of the thick material, it takes up more storage space than others. However, it’s worth sacrificing some space to get the results it delivers.
2. Teknor Apex NeverKink RV/Marine Hose
About: The Teknor Apex Neverkink RV/Marine Hose comes in different lengths and thicknesses. If you’re looking to maximize water pressure, you’ll want to go with the half-inch option, but the five-eighths-inch option is best if you’re looking for the best flow rate. If you’ll spend most of your time camping off-grid and not connected to a water source, go with the five-eighths-inch option.
Teknor uses materials in these hoses that eliminate kinks, twists, and tangles in their hoses. This can save you time and frustration when getting water into your RV’s water system. Combine those enhancements with the fact that their materials are lead-free and compliant with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act regarding lead and other contaminants, and you can rest assured you’re making a solid choice.
- Constructed with NTS Reflex Mesh patented technology eliminates...
- Lead-free, complies with Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act...
- Grip-Tite coupling for easy, leak free attachment at the faucet
Our Favorite Features: Teknor’s Grip-Tite coupling makes it easy for users to secure the connection between their RV and the water source.
Best For: If your grip isn’t what it once was, this RV water hose is for you. It’s easy to secure and tighten to avoid unnecessary leaks at either of the connection points.
Pro Tip: Water pressure at various campgrounds can change dramatically and even cause damage. Avoid problems with a simple RV water pressure regulator.
3. Camco EvoFlex 25-Foot Hose
About: The Camco EvoFlex comes in 4′, 10′, 25′, 35′, and 50′ options. You can also choose from five different colors. This is a five-eighths-inch hose, which means you’ll get reduced pressure, but an increased flow rate. These extra flexible hoses come with nickel-plated machined fittings resistant to corrosion.
- Extra Flexible Design: Holds no memory, making it easier to...
- The Ideal Size Hose: 25-foot hose with 5/8-inch diameter
- Drinking Water Safe: Contains no lead, BPA, or phthalate
Our Favorite Features: Other manufacturers sacrifice hose flexibility by increasing its durability. However, the Camco EvoFlex is the best of both worlds. We love that you get an incredibly flexible hose that is extremely thick and durable. You don’t have to choose one or the other! Getting to choose between several color and length options is also extremely beneficial.
Best For: This is best for anyone looking for a high-quality hose that will last for years to come. You’ll get years of use out of this durable and rugged drinking water hose if you take care of it.
4. BIGFOOT RV Water Hose
About: The BIGFOOT RV water hose is appropriately named because it’s rare that you see a water hose of this caliber. It not only meets all of the California Prop 65 Regulations, but it exceeds them. It’s lead-free, BPA-free, and phthalate-free. You shouldn’t taste even the smallest hint of rubber in the water from this hose.
It’s a five-eighths-inch hose that is 25′ long but still extremely easy to coil and store. The bright purple color can help ensure you don’t get it confused with any other hose and helps it stick out from the rest.
- Is a food grade water hose what you're looking for Look no...
- Perfect for RVs, camping, boats – This drink safe garden hose...
- Easy to coil for seamless storage – Bigfoot camper water hose...
Our Favorite Features: The Bigfoot RV water hose uses a spring at one end to reduce flow restriction. It will prevent bending or kinking in the hose at the end, which can damage the hose and reduce pressure.
Best For: The synthetic rubber material makes it ideal for anyone looking for an easy to coil drinking hose. If you have multiple water hoses or frequently camp with others, the bright purple color can also help avoid confusion about which hose is yours.
RV Water Hose Hacks: RV water hoses aren’t glamorous or fun, but you can simplify the hooking-up process with these 5 Simple RV Water Hose Tricks to save time and stay dry.
5. SmartFlex RV/Marine Hose
About: The SmartFlex RV/Marine hose is a five-eighths-inch 25′ hose. It’s a budget-friendly option that uses a hybrid polymer blend material. This blend provides a smooth and consistent flow of water and helps extend the life of the hose for years.
The large grip of the female connection side of the hose helps ensure you can use your entire hand to secure the hose connection. The hose is lightweight, kink-resistant, and flexible under all-weather conditions.
- All-weather flexibility
- Extremely durable - Abrasion resistant outer cover made of hybrid...
- Kink resistant under pressure - Hybrid polymer coils easily and...
Favorite Features: The extra-large handle for tightening the connections is excellent. While some hose connections require you to use only your fingertips, the entire handle ensures you can use your whole hand to tighten the connection and avoid any possible leakages.
Best For: This is an excellent hose for anyone struggling with joint pain or arthritis in their hands and struggling to tighten their water hose connections.
6. Aqua Joe FiberJacket Non-Expanding Kink-Free RV and Camper Hose
About: The Aqua Joe FiberJacket expands when pressurized and weighs nearly half the weight of some of the competition. This five-eighths-inch hose is available in 25′, 50′, and a massive 100′ option.
With this hose, you get all the safety benefits, durability, and flexibility, and it takes up less space. When the hose pressurizes, you won’t have to worry about kinks, twists, tangles, or any interruption in water flow.
- [SAFE]: BPA-free, Lead-free and Phthalate-free
- [LIGHTWEIGHT]: Up to 50% lighter than conventional hoses
- [DURABLE]: Rugged, marine grade fiber jacket construction...
Our Favorite Features: We love the compact design and how it reduces the space required and saves on weight.
Best For: This is best for those using their rig full-time or anyone looking to save on space and weight for camping gear.
7. Teknor Apex-4006-50 Zero-G
About: The Zero-G line of RV water hoses is one of the most popular options in the RVing community. It’s lead-free and complies with all consumer product safety standards. Additionally, it’s one of the lightest and most compact water hoses available.
It also won’t kink or tangle while you’re using it and the fiber jacket reduces leaks, abrasions, and punctures. This is a half-inch hose, which means maximum and consistent water pressure.
- Lead-free, complies with consumer product safety improvement act...
- Manufactured with f.D.A. Sanctioned materials
- Made in u.S.A.
Our Favorite Features: When it comes to RV gear and accessories, the more compact and lightweight a product can be, the better. The Zero-G line of hoses takes the cake for being compact and lightweight. The tough fiber jacket helps absorb the abuse from rocks and other rough landscapes your hose will be drug against during use.
Best For: This is another solid choice for anyone looking to save space and weight for their RV gear.
Pro Tip: If you camp during the winter months, consider purchasing a heated water hose instead.
What Size Do I Need?
A typical RV water hose comes in half-inch and five-eighth-inch options. Either will suffice for water usage, but the half-inch is the best option if you’re consistently connecting your RV to a water source using the city water connection. It will maximize and provide more consistent water pressure to your water fixtures.
On the other hand, if you typically fill up your RV’s freshwater tank, the five-eighths-inch hose is a better option. While you lose some water pressure, you’ll exponentially increase the flow rate and reduce the time it takes to fill up your tank. This can be especially useful if the water fill station is in an inconvenient location or you need to block traffic in the campground while filling up your tank.
Is It Worth the Cost?
RV water hoses eliminate harmful chemicals and make your life easier. These hoses are typically less likely to kink and allow for easy storage. Any time you’re buying camping gear, you want to make sure you’re making a good investment that rel.
Buying a quality water hose helps reduce the chances that you’ll find yourself replacing it each camping season. If you select one of the hoses we’ve recommended today, you’ll likely enjoy years of use without issues.
You may be wondering if it’s safe to drink from your fresh water tank after using an RV water hose to fill it. We’ve got the answer here: Is It Dangerous to Drink from Your RV Fresh Water Tank?
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