RV SnapPads World’s Only Permanent Jack Pad Product Review

RV SnapPads World’s Only Permanent Jack Pad Product Review

We’ve been living full-time in our 5th wheel for about 15 months; prior to that, like most people, we simply camped whenever and wherever we could. At that time we had a small travel trailer that was light and pretty simple to set up. Leveling the travel trailer meant pulling it up on a couple of boards or the more common stackable plastic Lego type leveling blocks.

Deciding to go full-time and upgrading our travel trailer to something we felt comfortable living in is a whole other story; one we can talk about later. Basically to satisfy our full-time needs and check off those critical boxes of what was important in a full-time rig we settled on a 14,000 pound 5th wheel. Leveling and setting up this monster rig, monster compared to what we’d been used to with the travel trailer, was going to be a monumental challenge.

We decided to buy a used 5th wheel and, as luck would have it, found our 2 year old dream rig only a few miles from our sticks and bricks home. We were delighted to find that this “new to us” rig came with a factory installed self-leveling system. If you own a rig with a self-leveling system then you know the importance of this hydraulic masterpiece of engineering. If you don’t let me tell you I will likely never own another large RV without some sort of automatic leveling system.

These amazing systems aren’t without some challenges.

Now don’t get me wrong, these amazing systems aren’t without some challenges. First and foremost the range of these systems to extend toward the ground aren’t unlimited. There are times when you still need to place some sort of block(s) under the leveling leg feet to make up some distance between the foot and the ground. This is not unexpected or by any means the end of the world; if you’ve been camping for any length of time you know how unpredictable campgrounds can be with site quality, perception of level etc.

Secondly, the feet on these automatic leveling systems are stamped out of somewhat thin plate steel. Even though they have a small curl to the edges they are still prone to sinking into soft terrain. We discovered this the hard way on our first trip in the 5th wheel. Soil was sandy which allow our leveling feet to sink about 2 inches into the ground by the time our 3 day weekend of camping concluded.

Stamped steel leveling feet are also quite smooth on the bottom and can be slick. It’s a very uneasy feeling when you unhook your fifth wheel and it skids a bit on hard pavement or damp grass. I noticed this early on when dropping the 5th wheel off at our storage lot. I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I always use chocks behind the RV tires but there is still a little skidding that just makes me very uneasy. Motorhome owners with self-leveling systems are less likely to experience skidding because of the nature of having 4 wheels on the ground.

Finding the Perfect Solution – RV SnapPads:

Solutions for preventing these inevitable sinking and scary skidding issues are pretty straightforward; bring out the blocks of wood and Lego style plastic blocks or pads. Here is where the setup gets a bit laborious and time consuming. Even with the self-leveling system there is a certain amount of caution one must consider when parking on various terrains. I mentioned sinking into soft sandy-like ground but consider hard-pack dirt after a rain, hot melting asphalt or icy wintery conditions. These all present unique challenges that must be addressed.

Like most other RV owners I started out using the typical wood blocks, plastic Lego type stacking blocks, plywood squares and anything else one can imagine to prevent the feet of the rig from sinking. I really had no problem with these methods. I mean, setting up simply meant digging these blocks out from the RV storage compartment or the bed of the truck, moving around the RV from one leveling foot to the next, my rig has 6 leveling feet, placing whatever worked underneath, and then finally hitting “Auto-Level” on the system control pad.

Simple enough and done right?

Wrong! As quickly as possible and without risking getting a hand or foot smashed, I would hurry around the rig to ensure the blocks were placed evenly and were going to be stable under each leveling foot, all before the jacks fully extended trapping the supporting block. There were a few occasions where I had to raise a jack or two and reposition whatever I was using under the leveling foot. Whew!!…but wait…my life was about to change!

This might sound a bit dramatic but the day I was introduced to a product called RV SnapPads from Origen RV Accessories was the day my RVing life would change forever. Seriously, if you have not heard of RV SnapPads sit back and let me introduce you to what, in my opinion, might be the best RV invention to date.

Why do I think every RVer needs RV SnapPads?

Made from durable rubber-type material, RV SnapPads completely solved my sinking and skidding issues. RV SnapPads eliminated the need to position various types of materials underneath my leveler feet for stability.

RV SnapPads can withstand extreme heat and cold and, at the same time, protect your leveling system feet from weather and damage. Gone are the days of digging around for and storing dirty blocks of wood and fighting to stack and store the plastic Lego type blocks.

Easily installed in minutes SnapPads remain on your jack feet forever eliminating all those leveling hassles previously mentioned. RV SnapPads are available for most RV automatic leveling systems installed on Travel Trailers, 5th Wheels and Motorhomes. 

There are many products we’ve used during the last 15 months of full-time RVing, most of which have been great. However, RV SnapPads are simple, amazing additions to our RV that I would not want to be without. I also would never recommend a product that I didn’t personally use, abuse and love. To put it simply, I love my RV SnapPads. They have held up to being drug through mud and gravel when I pulled the 5th wheel through a very wide dip, oops, and have kept us from sinking in everything from mud to grass to melting asphalt in Arizona in August.

To recap on all the RV SnapPads awesomeness I am including this excerpt from the RV SnapPads website:

Top 10 Reasons you need RV SnapPads*:

10. Permanent – Install in seconds. Stays on forever. Say goodbye to crawling under your rig every time you set up.

9. They eliminate the need to crawl around under your rig every time you set up or tear down.

8. RV SnapPads increases stability in three ways. Larger footprint, vibration dampening and conform to uneven terrain like gravel.7. RV SnapPads dampen vibration.

6. Anti-Slip – SnapPads are made from durable rubber that grips any terrain. No more popping jacks or slipping in high winds or slick surfaces like ice.

5. RV SnapPads absorb the daily punishment of the road and elements instead of your metal landing feet. Helps prevent the protective coating from being damaged by gravel,concrete, asphalt and the environment.

4. Rugged! Our process uses recycled tire crump, high strength resin, and a 100+ ton press to make SnapPads extremely durable. SnapPads are engineered to be resistant to UV exposure, water, heat, oil, tar, mud, and any other environmental hazard.

3. RV SnapPads are Eco-Friendly. Made in the USA from recycled American tires. Good for the environment. Good for the country.

2. They electrically insulate your rig. Helps protect your family and electronics in the event of an electrical surge from a lightning strike.

And the #1 reason you need RC SnapPads:

They simply look awesome. Who doesn’t want their rig performing and looking its best?

*Courtesy of RV SnapPads website – www.rvsnappad.com

In closing I sincerely hope you put your trust in RV SnapPads and grab a set for your rig. At www.rvsnappads.com you’ll find all the information you need, a helpful tool to selecting the right RV SnapPads for your rig, installation videos and even gift cards so you too can share the love of RV SnapPads.

Grab a set of RV SnapPads for yourself today. Once you’ve experienced the RV SnapPads difference come back and leave a comment. Let us know how they have changed your RVing life. ☺

We’ve teamed up with RV SnapPads to bring the JonesN2travel family a limited time discount. Use code JONESN10 at checkout to get $10 dollars off your order and enjoy FREE shipping!!

*JoneN2Travel is affiliated with RV SnapPads and may be compensated when RV SnapPads are purchased using our affiliate link. This, in no way affects the cost of RV SnapPads but helps support JonesN2Travel allowing us to continue bringing you along with us on our travel adventures and more awesome product reviews. JonesN2travel was not compensated for this review by RV SnapPads nor were we given any promotional products. We purchased our RV SnapPads with our own money and after 15 months of use felt compelled to introduce them to you with our own personal experiences and to team up with RV SnapPads to bring you a generous limited-time discount code.