Top 5 RV Water Hoses For You To Consider
If you saw my other post about the best RV water hose, you know that some people are passionate about their favorite hose. There are many great options on the market, and they are not all created equal.
Features to look for
There are a number of factors that should be considered when choosing your next RV water hose, or maybe this is your first time. If that’s the case, you should have a basic understanding of what makes a suitable RV water hose. Here are some important characteristics:
- Durability – This is the ability to withstand wear and tear, pressure, and overall damage. Your RV water hose should stand up to being exposed to the sun and the fittings should be able to handle regular tightening and loosening if you are traveling.
- Storage space – You will need to consider the ability to easily coil and store your RV water hose when you are traveling or when your rig is in storage for the winter. Weight is also an important consideration. Everything you pack in your RV weighs something and counts towards your overall weight.
- Rated for human consumption – This is probably the biggest consideration. The water that passes through your RV water hose needs to be safe for consumption and shouldn’t be contaminated by the hose itself.
- Price – Of course, price is a huge factor when buying new RV supplies and equipment.
- Reviews – Product reviews are always important for making purchases.
What are the best RV water hoses?
Here are the top 5 RV water hoses on the market.
1. Camco TastePURE Premium Drinking Water Hose
- Stars: 4.7 out of 5 stars
- Reviews: 8,188
The Camco RV water hose is a highly rated drinking hose. This is based on a number of factors. This model is constructed from PVC with nickel-plated fittings. It is 20% thicker than standard models, making this heavy-duty water hose built to last. The hose material is UV stabilized, which means it won’t degenerate when exposed to sunlight. Plus, it is reinforced to prevent kinks and tears.
Where human consumption is concerned, not all hoses are created equal. You can’t buy a run-of-the-mill garden hose and use it for drinking water. This hose is NSF certified so you can be confident you will have quality drinking water available. Another selling feature of this hose is its size and price. At 25 feet, it is only 4 pounds and less than $30.
This is a great RV water hose. However, subscribers were quick to point out that there may be pain-points for this hose. If you are RVing in colder climates or the winter, you may have issues coiling this hose. To mitigate this, Lee suggests:
“During cold weather, I connect my water hose to my outside shower and run hot water through it until it becomes easy to coil out. Works like a charm.”
2. Flexzilla Garden Hose
- Stars: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Reviews: 5,663
The Flexzilla hose was a crowd favorite and comes highly recommended by a number of RV LIFE subscribers. Where other RV water hoses may be lacking, the Flexzilla is extremely flexible, no matter the weather. It is flexible from -40 to 150 Fahrenheit, which makes it perfect for winter RVing.
This RV water hose is built to last; the outer cover of the hose is abrasion-resistant. The hybrid polymer doesn’t kink under pressure and will lay flat. The anodized aluminum fittings are crush-resistant with superior O-rings for leak-free connections.
Anodized aluminum is aluminum that has been treated to develop an exceptionally durable finish… Because this anodized layer is created from the aluminum itself, rather than being painted on or applied, this anodized aluminum will never chip, flake, or peel…
Lorin Industries, Inc.
While the product name can be a little misleading, a garden hose doesn’t automatically mean the material is safe for human consumption. However, the Flexzilla hose is lead-free and drinking water safe.
3. Gilmour Marine and Recreation Hose
- Stars: 4.6 out of 5 stars
- Reviews: 499
Next up is the Gilmour Marine and Recreation drinking water hose. This RV water hose has been tested to confirm burst strength and ensure it is kink and abrasion resistant. With a 5-layer construction design, this hose is built to last with a protective layer.
This RV water hose is drinking water safe and does not contain any lead, BPA, or phthalates. Plus, it is NSF tested and certified. Lastly, this RV water hose comes with a lifetime warranty.
4. Water Right Hose
- Stars: 4.5 out of 5 stars
- Reviews: 49
If you prefer a coiled water hose instead of a regular tube hose, then the Water Right Hose is a great option.
This RV water hose is manufactured in the United States. This lightweight hose stretches and is perfect for full-time RVers who are close to their water source. That being said, there are longer coil options available including 50 and 75 feet.
This hose features a 12-inch tail on each end of the coil, which makes connecting to your RV and faucet a breeze. Plus, there are specially engineered strain relief systems on both ends to prevent kinks. This RV water hose is flexible in all weather conditions, even freezing temperatures! The fittings are solid chrome-plated brass fittings that will never tarnish and are durable.
Finally, this hose is safe for drinking water. The hose material has no phthalates, is 100% lead-free, and made from FDA-grade polyurethane.
5. Teknor Apex Zero-G
- Stars: 4.4 out of 5 stars
- Reviews: 45
Last up is the Teknor Apex Zero-G RV water hose. This hose is perfect for those RVers who are really limited on space and want something that collapses into small storage compartments with ease.
This RV water hose expands when you hook it up to water pressure. When the pressure is removed, the hose shrinks back to its flat state. Note that this hose is not one of those short and expandable hoses; it stays the same length with or without pressure. The Zero-G hose is 40% lighter than your average vinyl hose, which makes it perfect for RVing. It is abrasion, leak, and puncture-resistant as well.
And obviously, as one of the most important factors for an RV water hose, it is drinking water safe. This hose is lead-free. The fittings are brass and aluminum, making them durable and resitant to corrosion.
One of the best parts about RVing is engaging with the community of traveling enthusiasts. iRV2 forums allow folks to chat with other RVers online, and get other perspectives on everything RVing, including products, destinations, RV mods, and much more.
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We’ve been full time almost 4 years now. We have 3 different hoses of your #1 Camco choice hose but they are now just spares. We shifted to the Flexzilla hoses after our first miserable winter of trying to coil the Camco hoses even on just chilly 40-50° mornings. I have a 10′ and a 25′ blue flexzilla for water supply and a 25′ orange flexzilla for the flushing waster for the black tank. I also have two short flexzillas for flushing the portable water sofner. Two years in service and no signs of wear and no failures. Love flexzilla hoses.
I’m still using my 150′ green garden hose on a portable hose reel to fill my water tank. Never was one to be too concerned about the limited amount of water I drink through it to not do it any more. We do have and use one of those white ones sold by most RV stores if we have a full service site. But the main reason I use that is because it’s 25′ long and not as much of a pain to have laying out. When we camp at a state park with limited risers we use the 150′ hose to fill the tank, then roll it up after filling.
You left off a really good and inexpensive water hose. Flexon 1/2 x 50ft Marine/RV Hose Picked mine up from Lowes for less than $22. Cut one end of and connected it to my reel.
I went through 3 zero G hoses in a couple months. One of the warranty replacements failed right out the box. I got my money back.
I do not like the hoses you commented on. there use to be a hose and reel for Rver’s quite a few years ago. you pulled out the hose out of the reel hooked it up and away you go. It laid flat wound it up in the reel after use. I now use a Forestry Firefighter hose 5/8″ diameter with garden hose attachments, it comes in 25′-30’or 50′ lengths. weight .6 lb psi rating 600 psi. max.This hose is very rugged as it is used in the bush for firefighting. Once finish using it drain the water out of it and roll it up like a firefighter does. I had it frozen one time never an issue, once unthawed drained, it was great. It fits in a small tub that you can have other stuff in or just lay on top of a tub, in your compartment. There is no awful water taste, the water tastes as if you where drinking out of a garden hose as a kid. No kinks which everyone hates when trying to put this stuff away. easy to unkink or untangle if it does. You can buy them in a industrial hose supplier as firefighters use these to fight small bush fires with portable water tanks on their backs. I would recommend these to anyone as I have never ever had a problem with these and great for storing . I wish i can show you a picture to what i am referring to but i cannot on your website.
I get that all of these hoses are safe and probably durable but how does the water taste? So far I have yet to find a hose that doesn’t make the water taste like vinyl.
This list leaves a lot to be desired. Some are questionable on if they are really drinking water safe. Some have terrible Amazon reviews. I am still looking.
Zero G hose leaks badly after 2-4 years Hole 4 inches from fitting), and mine has all aluminum fittings that gall and are hard to release with out a wrench or water pump pliers. I much prefer my stainless steel woven over plastic hose.
2 suggestions for a better article.
1. Try to put some sort of chart together for quick reference to compare all five at a glance of each of your points of comparison.
2. I would have liked to see some sort of price comparison even if it is the price at your location again just to be able to compare apples to apples.
Other wise informative and good information.
The problem with all these hoses is that they are very hard to tighten for someone with limited strength/arthritis. I saw one once with very comfortable grips at both ends once but I can’t remember the brand, sorry.