The federal government has declared foreign-made power inverters a national security threat — and the new restrictions could eventually affect some of the biggest names in RV solar and portable power.

Plus, Battle Born’s parent company has purchased competitor Dakota Lithium at a pretty interesting moment for the brand.

Ram is making some major changes to its trucks, including more payload for the 2500 and the end of automatic stop/start on the Hemi.

We’ve also got an RV toilet conversion that lets you basically abandon your black tank, an all-electric furnace that can run through your existing ductwork, and one of the old-school satellite internet companies that RVers used before Starlink has filed for bankruptcy.

And somehow, none of that is the craziest story this week — because a Montana hiker impaled himself completely through the torso with a trekking pole…and then hiked ten miles out of the mountains with the pole still sticking out of him.

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*Get the latest news, National Park updates, happenings around RV Miles, and more when you sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://RVMiles.com/mailinglist

*It's our only in-person event this year! Join us at HOMECOMING October 7 - 11 in Amana, IA. Seminars, a Rig Crawl, Trivia, Giveaways, Nightly catered meals, time to explore historic Amana, and so much more! https://RVMiles.com/HOMECOMING

00:00 Headlines Preview

With smart meters more available and power rates rising, are campgrounds going to stop including the cost of electricity in your nightly stay? Jason takes a look at the issues involved. Plus misconceptions about RV manufacturers eliminating propane, and debunking some misleading headlines. In the interview portion, Remote Vans CEO Daryn Hillhouse joins us, along with new President Andrew Cooley, to talk about RV quality, pricing pressures, dealer relationships, and improving the customer buying and service experience.

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/420

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00:00 Intro

Get 30% off your new RV mattress at https://rvmattress.com/rvmiles with code RVMILES at checkout. 

Abby fills in for Jason and covers major RV and camping headlines: two U.S. Forest Service employees were held at gunpoint for nearly 15 hours in California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest; catastrophic flooding again hit the Texas Hill Country; a new Elkhart County manufacturer launches with The RV Hunter and That RV Tech advising; Remote Vans names Storyteller Overland co-founder Andrew Cooley as president; and Starlink rolls out a more efficient V5 dish while also changing Roam rules, including a 30-day limit abroad and treating the U.S. and Canada as one region.

00:00 Abby Takes Over

In this episode, a candid conversation with Ben Hirsch, COO of Campers Inn RV, about RV industry overstocking driven by the “bullwhip effect,” how volatile pricing can hurt trade-in values, and how inconsistent production schedules and frequent floorplan changes can impact build quality, and the challenge of balancing affordability with quality. Plus, Starlink updates, including a new dish, simplified US/Canada residency rules, and a new one-month international limit affecting Mexico. 

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/418

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00:00 Intro

This week, catastrophic flooding in Missouri forced hundreds of campers to be rescued, including more than 200 young campers and counselors airlifted out by Black Hawk helicopters after the Black River rose to record levels in the middle of the night.

We’ve also got a scary rockfall incident on Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, gas prices ticking back up, and new RV sales continuing their long slide.

Plus, campground planning tools are seeing record traffic, KOA has been named one of the most profitable franchise brands in the country, and major hotel companies are moving even deeper into glamping and outdoor hospitality.

Camping may still be about getting outside, but more than ever, it’s also big business — and sometimes, a serious safety story.

Get 20% off Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com with code RVMILES

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Tickets for HOMECOMING are on sale! Learn more at: https://RVMiles.com/homecoming

00:00 Flooding Rescue

In this episode, we turn to your comments to cover three polarizing issues and try to find some common ground. Should campers be penalized for reserving public campground sites they don’t use? Should RV parks let long-term transient workers for AI data centers take over? Should RVers leave lights on all night?

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/418

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00:00 Intro

*Get 30% off your next RV Mattress from Brooklyn Bedding at https://rvmattress.com/rvmiles with code RVMILES at checkout*

This week, some new RV debuts from  @WinnebagoRVs ,  @GrandDesignRVTeam , and @alinercamping  show us where things may be headed next — smaller motorhomes, fewer propane systems, more electric appliances, new materials, and some very different ideas about what buyers actually want.

Plus, a major dealer says the industry keeps overbuilding RVs and then liquidating them in peak season, data center workers are filling up campgrounds, and more.

The RV Business article from Ben Hirsch at  @CampersInnRV : https://rvbusiness.com/ben-hirsch-were-liquidating-new-rvs-in-peak-season-again/

The  @MattsRVReviews  video on the Grand Design Lineage Series E: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2Tc-cl2GI&t=1s

The RV Industry history of RVing documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGJQejdpetg&t=7s

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Tickets for HOMECOMING are on sale! Learn more at: https://RVMiles.com/homecoming

In this final summer mini-episode of the RV Miles Podcast, we share how bringing meals into national parks can help RVers stay later, avoid crowds, and enjoy sunsets and the blue hour. We suggest easy, flexible meal ideas, including tacos, one-pan sausage and veggie skillet meals; make-ahead soup or chili; no-cook “adult Lunchables" and more.

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/417

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00:00 Intro

This week on RV Miles, California begins its crackdown on campsite no-shows, new data shows what RV sites and campgrounds really cost right now, used RV values continue to rise, and new RV shipments are down again. Plus, Ford sees a major quality turnaround, Rossmonster debuts an adventure van, Canyonlands closes The Needles district due to wildfire danger, and one RV owner gets their motorhome seized over stolen corn.

Get free shipping on orders over $99 at Etrailer: https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle-finder.aspx?etam=p0001

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Tickets for HOMECOMING are on sale! Learn more at: https://RVMiles.com/homecoming

00:00 Headlines And Intro

In this mini episode of the RV Miles podcast, Jason and Abby revisit past RV mythbusting segments from earlier episodes to see what still holds up, including whether you should buy an RV from Camping World, whether RV-specific toilet paper is necessary, and misconceptions about using Drano in RV plumbing (including cautions around waterless Hepvo traps). They also debunk bags of water with pennies to deter flies, discuss mixed claims about Irish Spring soap or dryer sheets for mice, and recommend sealing entry points, and dismiss the idea that you must be under 30 feet to camp in national parks.

*Get links and more in the show notes at https://RVMiles.com/416

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00:00 Blue Ox Sponsor