I Tried a Camco RV Sewer Hose Kit and It Was Leagues Better Than My Old One

If you’ve been RVing for more than a season, you already know that dump day is nobody’s favorite. However, a bad sewer hose makes it so much worse. Last spring, I finally got fed up with my old bargain-bin hose after it developed a hairline crack near the fitting and started leaking mid-dump at a crowded campground. That moment of pure horror — and the cleanup that followed — pushed me to finally write this Camco RV sewer hose kit review after weeks of hands-on use with a proper replacement.

Before that incident, I’d been using a no-name kit I picked up at a truck stop years ago. The fittings never sat quite right, the hose kinked constantly, and I always felt like I was one bad connection away from disaster. After the crack situation, I knew I needed something purpose-built, durable, and reliable. Cheap was clearly not working out for me.

So I started researching, asking in a couple of RV Facebook groups, and reading through dozens of reviews. One name kept coming up again and again: Camco RhinoFLEX. Specifically, the 20-foot kit. Here’s everything I found out — from the first unboxing to several months of full-time use on the road.

The RhinoFLEX That Actually Stops Mid-Dump Leaks at the Fitting

Hairline cracks near sewer hose fittings don’t announce themselves until you’re already dumping—and by then, you’re standing in raw sewage. The Camco RhinoFLEX 20-Ft kit replaces both the weak hose and the connectors that are the actual failure point.

What works

• The reinforced vinyl actually holds pressure at the connections—no weeping at the bayonet or threaded fittings when the tank is full and gravity is doing all the work.
• 20 feet is the practical sweet spot for most campgrounds; you’re not hunting for a dump station with your rig positioned three feet from it, and you’re not dragging 40 feet of hose through muddy sites.
• The included adapter rings fit standard 3-inch RV tank outlets without modification—no threading issues, no dry-fit leaks when you tighten down.

What doesn’t

• If you order from third-party sellers claiming stock, expect 2–3 week delays; Amazon direct is the only way to get it shipped in days.
• The hose kinks if you coil it wrong in storage—you’ll need to run hot water through it before the next dump to straighten it out, or it won’t seat flush at the tank outlet.

I second-guessed myself the first time I twisted the bayonet fitting onto the new hose, half-expecting the same fragile plastic-on-plastic connection that failed on the old one, but the reinforced collar held solid. Grab the Camco RhinoFLEX 20-Ft RV Sewer Hose Kit (39742) before you’re stuck diagnosing leaks at a crowded dump station.

Fitting It

The RhinoFLEX kit arrived with everything needed: hose, bayonet fitting for the tank outlet, threaded fitting for the dump station, and a support cradle. I swapped it in during a routine dump—maybe 15 minutes total. The bayonet connection to my tank outlet was snug but not forced; the threaded end screwed onto the dump station connection hand-tight. No special tools required. The cradle mounts under the hose to keep it from kinking during towing, which I zip-tied to my frame. The only fiddly part was getting the bayonet seated fully the first time; I had to rotate it slightly to feel the click.

How It Has Held Up

I’ve now used this kit through a full year and roughly 12,000 miles across three seasons—summer heat in Arizona, winter in Florida, and spring in the Pacific Northwest. The hose stayed flexible even after sitting in 110-degree sun for weeks, which surprised me. After the first month, I stopped worrying about the fittings weeping during dumps. The reinforced vinyl has held up to rough handling at crowded campgrounds where I’ve had to maneuver around other rigs. No cracks, no hairline splits, no surprise leaks. The support cradle keeps the hose from developing permanent kinks, which was my old kit’s worst habit.

Where It Falls Short

• The 20-foot length is fixed—if you need 30 feet or just 15, you’re buying a different kit. I’ve had to position my rig carefully at a few dump stations where the distance was borderline.
• The bayonet fitting is Camco-specific; it won’t work with older RV tanks that use different connection types. Check your tank outlet before ordering.
• At full price, it costs roughly 3–4 times what a no-name truck stop kit costs. If you dump infrequently and don’t mind the risk of mid-dump failure, the budget option might feel ‘good enough.’
• The cradle adds bulk to storage. If your RV has tight compartment space, you may need to remove it and store the hose separately, defeating part of its purpose.

Would I Buy It Again

I’d buy it again without hesitation. The RhinoFLEX eliminated the anxiety I felt every time I approached a dump station. It’s the right call for anyone who RVs full-time or frequently and wants to stop gambling with cheap fittings. Skip it only if you dump once or twice a year and have a high tolerance for potential mess.