RVers have a unique language. Have you ever wondered why? Me too! Maybe RVers have discovered this wonderful way of seeing the world and want to keep it somewhat “mysterious” to others. Or maybe RVers use their unique lingo to demonstrate their level of experience to “newbies.” It might be that the RV jargon is quicker to say, making it faster for the RVer to stop talking and get to fishing, golfing, sightseeing, relaxing, or whatever the reason they RV. The RV jargon is interesting, for sure!
Here are a few examples:
Animal connections
- Toad or towed: Refers to additional vehicle pulled behind the RV
- Fishtailing: When the rear end of an RV sways from side to side as it’s being towed or driven down the road
- Pigtail: Power adapter used between the RV and the camp’s electrical power source (e.g., converts 30 amp to 50 amp)
- Dog bone: See “pigtail”
- Snowbirding: When RVers living in a northern state travel to stay in a southern state to escape the harsh winters in the north
- Batwings: Standard RV television antennae
Acronyms
- RV: Recreational vehicle
- TT: Travel trailer
- CG: Campground
- FHU: Full hookups. (Newbies, this has nothing to do with your dating life, although I can see where you might think that!) The campsite offers electricity, water, and sewer right at the campsite.
- PHU: Partial hookups mean that not all hookups are available (usually means sewer is not included).
- GVWR, GAWR, GCWR, UVW: These acronyms refer to the truck or RV’s weight. Because weight is so critical for safety, you’ll want to refer to your owner’s manual or this website for more information.
- S&B: Sticks-and-bricks home; a permanent location (often deserted to go RVing)
- LPG or LP: Liquefied petroleum gas; used to power RV furnace, water heater, etc.
- BLM: Bureau of Land Management. Not as boring as the name sounds! This can save you big camping fees because it’s usually free!
ABCs and 123s
- Class A: Generally the largest of motorhomes built on a semi chassis; living space includes the RV’s cockpit or driving area; also called diesel-pushers or pullers
- Class B: A motorhome built on a mini-van chassis; smaller than Class A with driving area still integrated into the living space.
- Class B+: A Class B with a wider girth
- Class C: Like a small moving truck; smaller than a Class B+
- Super C: Class C motorhome built on a heavy-duty truck chassis
- Fiver or fifth wheel: RV featuring a hitch (fifth-wheel) that connects to a tow vehicle’s truck bed
Atypical camping
- Boondocking, dispersed camping, dry camping, wild camping: Staying in unestablished campgrounds without hookups, often on public lands. A generator provides power and water is carried on-board, either in the freshwater tank or jugs.
- Stealth camping: Overnight camping on a street or other public land without anyone knowing; no hook ups. Stealth campers prefer ordinary vans or other vehicles that are not immediately recognizable from the exterior as a camper. (“Stealth.” Get it?)
- Work camping: People who work for a campground or park doing general maintenance, giving tours, working in the camp gift store, and more. In return, the work campers stay in the campground for free, sometimes with a stipend included.
RV/Truck parts
- asement: The space under the living area; usually used for storage of hoses, etc.; usually on a Class A or fifth-wheel RV
- Dually: Tow vehicle that features two rear tires on both left and right sides of truck’s rear axle; designed to pull heavier weight
- Tanks: Black tank holds sewer waste; grey tank holds other wastewater from sink/shower drains; freshwater tank holds drinking (potable) water
- Galley: Kitchen area
- Honey wagon or blue boy: Separate container to carry wastewater when no sewer hookup is available
- King pin: Used to connect a fifth-wheel trailer to the tow vehicle; it slides into the hitch and locks in place
- Landing legs or leveling jacks: Jacks mounted to the underside of the RV; they extend to the ground to level the RV
More RV lingo
- Pull throughs: RV camp parking slot that allows the RVer to drive through from one end of the campsite to the other without backing up
- Truck camper: An RV living area that slides/fastens into a truck bed and can be removed to stand on its own legs, independent from the truck
- Toy hauler: RV designed to carry “toys” like a motorcycle, golf cart, ATVs, and more
- Rig: Another word for RV and/or the truck that tows it
- Slide out: A sliding compartment that extends from the RV to add more interior living space
- Stinky slinky (my personal favorite): Waste/sewer hose that connects the RV to the sewer dump facilities
I’m sure I’ve missed some RV lingo… What would you add to my list?