There’s plenty of “Huzzah” about Amazon’s current Prime Day sale. The big sale kicked off at 12:01 a.m. PDT on Tuesday, July 8, and wraps up at midnight on Friday, July 11. Are RVers really saving—or just spending? We checked up on a few RV-interest items and found mixed results. Do Amazon Prime Day sales really save you money?
Save real money—on some Amazon Prime Day sales
Amazon’s Prime Day can be a solid opportunity for RVers to score useful gear at a discount—but not every deal is as good as it sounds. Some of the most dependable bargains are on Amazon-branded items like Fire tablets, Kindles, Echo devices, and Ring cameras—handy tools for life on the road. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your RV’s tech setup with a smart display, a compact security cam, or a voice assistant, this is often the best time to buy. Power banks, solar chargers, and even portable projectors also tend to get solid markdowns.
Some RVers also find good savings on household supplies—things like RV toilet paper, cleaning products, or bulk snacks—especially when combining coupons or using Subscribe & Save.
Not every “deal” worth is rolling out the credit card for
But not all Prime Day “deals” are worth rolling out the credit card for. Some products get artificially inflated price tags before the sale, so that the discount looks bigger than it really is. Off-brand gadgets and low-rated tools might seem tempting at 60% off but can end up costing more in hassle than they save in dollars.
As an example, buying a surge suppressor for your rig may sound good. But many of the current Prime Day deals are on cheap, not-necessarily-dependable units that could end up leaving you in a mess.
Most cheap surge suppressors don’t protect against sustained high or low voltage, meaning if there’s a brownout or a major power surge, your RV’s appliances and electronics are still at risk. Many lack key features like automatic shutoff, diagnostic indicators, or protection from wiring issues like open grounds or reversed polarity. They also tend to have lower joule ratings, meaning they can only absorb a limited amount of surge energy before they’re no longer effective—sometimes failing without warning. We couldn’t find a single unit on Prime Day sale from a company we’d trust.
Many discounts are no better than what you’d see during Black Friday or end-of-season clearances. And those fast-moving “Lightning Deals” can pressure you to buy before doing your homework.
One internet website was heavily pushing Amazon Prime Day sale items for RVers. Mind you, they do get a commission if you click on an item through their site—just as RVtravel.com does. But we’d like to think if we offer you a click-through, we’ll be benefiting readers with a good steer, not just helping ourselves.
Here are a few items we checked up on and what we found
Camco water filters
Those Camco-branded “Taste Pure” filters promise to filter and clean up the taste of your drinking water, and plenty of RVers use them. Amazon has a slew of Camco stuff on Prime Day sale. Their “sale price” was $16.06, and in a couple of minutes, we watched it drop even more—down to $15.25. The outfit claims you’re saving 56% off the list price—but are you really saving, or just spending?
We checked an internet price-tracking firm, camelcamelcamel.com. By their snapshots, this product typically sells on Amazon for an average price of $19.22. Yes, you are saving on Prime Day, but only 23% of what you’d normally pay.
At the same time, another RV product outlet, Walmart, has the same product on sale right now for $15.25—claiming you’d save $4.72 off their regular price.
On the other end—blackwater tank treatments
Camco TST Max toilet drops drop in on Prime Day as a special. Just $14.44 on Prime Day, with the “list price” of $24.99, indicating a 42% saving. Right? Wrong. CamelCamelCamel says Amazon’s average price is $17.45, so it’s a real saving of a little less than 19%. Meanwhile, Camping World is running its own sale, $16.00, while claiming a normal price of $18.99. Walmart is digging, too, selling this for $17.15, a $2.82 knock-off of their normal price.
And for the middle-man? How about a sewer hose kit?
We confess, we actually use a Camco RhinoFLEX sewer hose kit, in the 15’ variety. We’ve had ours for a couple of years, and despite having run over the hose with the tow rig, it’s still going strong. Amazon has it on sale for $31.42, with a “list price” of $62.99. Is it really “50% off”? Not really. The average sale price is $48.05, so that percentage shrinks down to 42%. Nothing to sneeze at, but just the same, a bit misleading.
But, get this. The “tribe across the river,” Walmart, will sell you essentially the same sewer hose kit (different model number, same length, and same plastic wall thickness) for just $29.58. Wally says it normally sells for $36.97. If that’s true, Walmart’s regular price is normally $11.08 less. That’s 26% less than Amazon on a “non-sale” day.
Do you need some support in all this?
If you’re a fifth wheel owner, you can get it. Take into account the Camco Eaz-Lift 5th wheel king pin tripod. Here’s a one-time purchase that Amazon says normally “list prices” for $134.00. On Prime Day, you can order it for $94.78—a 29% savings. But, again, our price tracker says the average Amazon price is really $116.43, so knock that supposed saving down to 21%.
Yes, Walmart can help out. Their price today was $99.77, showing their normal price as $117.39—pretty close to Amazon’s average price.
Yes, you can save—but not as much as is implied
All in all, you really can save money on some Prime Day sale items. But you certainly won’t save what the big retailer implies. Comparing “list” price to what you’d normally pay hardly seems up-front. It would tend to make you jump on the sale price, and possibly lead you into buying something you might not need right now.
To make sure you’re getting a real deal, RVers should consider using price tracking tools like CamelCamelCamel or Keepa to check an item’s price history. It’s also smart to cross-check with stores like Walmart or other competitors. These retailers often run competing sales at the same time.
Focus on items with solid reviews and proven usefulness in small spaces or off-grid conditions. And keep an eye out for bundle deals—sometimes an inverter, solar panel, or water filter comes with helpful extras that sweeten the pot.
Bottom line: Prime Day can offer some genuine savings on RV-friendly items, especially if you’re already planning a gear upgrade or resupply. But it’s best to go in with a plan, a list, and a little skepticism. That way, you’re buying what you actually need—and not just filling up your limited storage space with flashy impulse buys.
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RVT1217b
As I spot things on Amazon that I want or need, but not immediately, I use Amazon’s list tool to store the item, and I know the price at the time I put the item on the list. Typically if these items are for the RV we leave in Texas, I order them just before we head south. And vice versa if the item(s) is for the house in Michigan.
During Prime Days, I review my list to see what is listed with a Prime Days price – and is it really a bargain? And is the bargain worth my hauling the item(s)? Prime Days can offer good savings if you avoid impulse purchases.
So true on Prime Day not being real saving on many items. They count on the average shopper being uninformed. It’s all about the marketing and the false excitement they can create. Some items, yes, you may save a bit, but many savings are not nearly what they advertise. Unfortunately, they don’t teach common marketing tricks in schools and many adults and kids have no idea how they are being manipulated. Teaching my kids is a constant battle as there are so many tricks used. BTW, I am a marketing major, and I am still surprised by new things they come up with or old tricks that have not been seen for years.
Not just during prime days. I’ve looked at things and 15 minutes later the price has changed.
I just looked at the Amazon Prime site and saw one price. I looked a the mfgr’s website and they showed the identical item $6 less through amazon prime deals.
Thank you for the reality check, Russ and Tina! Thank you more generally for the article. It reminds me that I need to look for an HDMI extension. Have a great day and safe travels!
We stopped our Amazon Prime as soon as they started to charge for it. For instance I just ordered 2 items for $18+ change, a couple of months ago I ordered for $27+ change. you’d have to go all the way back to Xmas to find another order which would be under $40. so as I said it wouldn’t be of any use to us.
I have a free Walmart + membership through one of my credit cards. I notice that a lot of the products you endorse, when I click on them it brings me to Amazon. I then go to my Walmart app and always find the same product at a better price. Free shipping is always included no matter what the price is.
Oh and you can always save 10 cents a gallon at their participating gas stations. I can also have it shipped to where ever I am in 3 days or less. Usually it’s less. So, why is everyone always phrasing Amazon? Check the pricing.
Quick release hose connectors do their job well. However they do tend to constrict flow rate as they usually have a smaller orfice than the traditional connection.