Editor’s Note: This post is written by a member of LTV’s sponsored content team, The Leisure Explorers. Do you own a Leisure Travel Van and enjoy writing? Learn more about joining the team.
Time for another edition of my new product roundup, some of which will come in handy on our next big trip to the Maritimes and Newfoundland. Some of these you’ll no doubt not need, but consider them all, as we’ve tried most of them.
Bike Helmets—Wear’em
Whether you’re an e-biker or a cyclist, for the life of me, I cannot understand why you feel you don’t need a helmet. Even worse are the adults we see on our rides who are NOT wearing helmets while their kids behind them do. That’s not how to teach by example.
Denise and I have been wearing helmets on our bike rides since forever. One probably saved my physician brother’s life when he crashed coming down the Haleakala highway on Maui. Here’s one you might consider for your next cover. It’s a Euro-design from HEXR, and it may be one of only two designs that are 3-d printed.
Good helmets are designed to save by sacrificing themselves, and this one promises to outperform many others on the market. The interior is. You might pay more for what the HEXR Miden does, but when your health depends on it, it matters. HEXR has developed a design that it says offers four times the protection against concussions as a typical helmet, using what it calls the Release Layer System, or RSL. The helmet is designed with an internal bearing layer and outer panes that release upon impact, absorbing more energy and thus protecting your brain.
As a friend who has looked this one over and formerly designed and fit helmets for Formula One Grand Prix greats reminds me, proper fit is paramount for effective protection, and this one just feels better on my head than any I’ve ever had. It can be ordered online here.
A Practical RV-Size Reverse Osmosis Filter
Searching for increased water filtration? Here’s one that will fit your LTV counter and provide several months of fresh, multi-filtered water. It’s the ROPOT Travel version by BlueVua. No plumbing changes required. It’s self-cleaning and filters to .0001microns. That’s ultra-fine, and, instead of a plastic container, it features a glass bottle to contain the finished water. Water is filtered through a six-stage system including ultraviolet light. Filters last about six months of continuous use. Amazon has it for about $220.
Raingear—Have to Have it
Here’s a zippy one from Brella, a veteran-owned company that creates jackets and pants in unique patterns, from bright to camo, and keeps costs low. Features include waterproof zippered pockets, enough room to wear over other clothing, removable sleeves for cooling, and being made of breathable material. Tired of your baseball-style cap leaking in the rain? There’s a waterproof version from Brella, as well as waterproof fleece-lined ponchos, all in unisex styles. Prices vary from $39 to about $119, and the entire line is available at brellabrella.com or with a limited selection at Walmart.
Zoomy Flashlights
How much light do you need? Lots, apparently. Not so long ago, a flashlight with several hundred lumens, a measure of how much light is emitted from something like a flashlight, was more than enough. Then someone figured out how to use a lens to magnify an LED, and the amount is now into the thousands. Enter the Infinity X1, a 7,000-lumen monster that will reach out to light up objects as far as 700 meters, and also comes with a cautionary warning against shining it into someone’s or an animal’s eyes.
Currently sold through Costco and other outlets, these lights are heavy because they’re both rechargeable, capable of charging other items like a phone, and also include a separate cartridge for batteries, but generally, who needs that now? Only if you’re boondocking and can’t recharge, which with an LTV and lots of battery amps and solar, isn’t an issue. The light cone can be adjusted with a lock-unlock switch that you can easily miss. Because of their weight and brightness, they also could be used defensively to temporarily blind someone, which is also why you shouldn’t ever casually point them at someone. That should also give you a clue whether you should give it to a youngster. It has three power settings and can be either recharged or battery-powered with the adapter. Cost is about $39.95. Check out Xfinity’s other offerings here.
A lighter and more pocket-friendly light is from Olight. Its new ArkPro features 1,700 lumens, enough to reach out more than 200 yards. It features three light choices: white, UV, and a green laser pointer. It’s priced at about $130.
Bag it
Here’s a great alternative to keeping items jammed willy-nilly into your storage compartments. You can organize by need in bins or, for lower storage, in these water-resistant bags by DuraSack. They zip closed, are a snap to unfold, are ready for any gear you want to keep extra safe, and fit into those lower storage areas and elsewhere. The company makes many sizes of bags, and the one that fits an LTV is the 24-gallon moving and storage bag. It’s available at many retailers, from Amazon to Home Depot.
Nomadiq Grills Update
A few issues ago, I highlighted a Canada-sold compact clamshell-style grill called a Nomadiq. I’ve since learned that due to tariff issues, the grill is temporarily unavailable in the US. However, if you’re traveling to Canada or are already there, pickup is available in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. It’s also available anywhere in the Great White North by mail. Nomadiq now offers a “Leisure” package with the grill, a hose to hook into the onboard propane, an optional griddle, and a carrying pouch for around $527 CDN. The LTV is extra.
Be a Pro Lighting with LePro
Some do, some don’t. Put up exterior lights when camping, that is. Whether it’s on the ground, around your RV, or on the awning or around a screen tent, there are myriad ways to decorate your campsite. Le Pro lighting is one way. They come in pretty big sets, so stringing together one or two or going minimalist with one string is enough for an RV. They can be individually controlled. One version of what they sell is marketed as “AI-controlled.” That’s short for voice-controlled, auto-generating colors that can also do simple white, and can be synced to music, strung for homes, since each string can be combined to at least 200 feet. Do you need 200 feet of lights? Nope. That’s why you don’t have to use the entire box. Le Pro also sells rechargeable camp lanterns, including one looking like a light bulb.
I’ll Have a Cuppa
Some do, some don’t. Drink coffee all day, that is. I’m one who stops at three cups in the morning, but if you like coffee, you may have already tried what’s called “cold brew,” which many of us also call iced coffee. Here’s an instant brand you can make all day, called Polar Joe, which combines protein whey to make a coffee protein drink among its offerings. The Canada-based brand also sells instant matcha protein-infused tea, which is whole, finely ground green tea leaves that you also consume as you drink. Tea for me? yup. You can get packs containing up to 25 servings here.
Dash Cams for Cheap
No, you no longer have to spend hundreds of dollars to buy a compact, easy-to-use dash cam for your LTV that may just save you some headaches if you’re ever in a crash. Enter the Diamond Lark version that easily sticks onto your windshield. It is, of course, available on Amazon for about $45 USD. I first saw it promoted at RVTravel.com. This one is all you need, and comes with night vision, a motion-sensing nighttime setting to record what, if anything, and probably nothing, goes on outside your RV while you’re sleeping. It installs by weaving the USB wire behind the trim molding, putting it on with the suction cup, and plugging it into a 12V dash power outlet. Now, if I can only find someone to install my Wolfbox rearview camera, I’ll be a happier camper.
Taro Chips
Friends brought a bag of Lay’s Taro Chips made of taro root to a party, and they’re surprisingly good and relatively good for you. Taro has a low glycemic index, is much better tasting, at least for a haole’s palate (that’s the term used in Hawaii for anyone who’s an “outsider,” particularly of European descent) than poi, which is made from cooked taro, and is rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin E, and B6. The Lay’s version is imported from China. Others are from Hawaii. Not saying they aren’t fattier, but some air-fried ones are better. Lays Taro chips are available at some Costco stores. Other brands of taro chips are available at Amazon.
I’ll have more things to consider in my next column. Stay tuned.
Editor’s Note: The views, recommendations and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Leisure Travel Vans.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://leisurevans.com/blog/gotta-have-it-summer-2026/