Clean water is something you don’t think much about until you start traveling in an RV. When you’re hooking up to water sources at different campgrounds, parks, and RV sites, the quality and taste of that water can vary quite a bit.
From dishes and brushing teeth to cooking and drinking, so much of daily RV life depends on the water coming into your camper. That’s why having a reliable RV water filter system is so important. We’ve been using the Glacier Fresh RV Water Filter System (Elite) for a while on the road, it has become one of those pieces of gear we’re really glad to have in our setup and now couldn’t RV without. In this review, we’ll share our experience with the system, what we like about it, and whether it’s worth adding to your RV water setup.
Do You Need an RV Water Filter?
Many new RV owners wonder if a water filter is really necessary. After traveling to many different campgrounds, we’ve learned that water quality can vary a lot depending on location and local plumbing systems. We’ve seen everything from great-tasting water to water that looked questionable. One campground in Florida even told us the rusty red colored water coming out of the spigot was completely safe to use. Umm… no, thank you.
That’s when having a good RV water filter becomes really important. A reliable filter helps improve taste, reduce chlorine, and remove sediment before the water ever enters your RV’s plumbing. For families traveling full time like we do, having cleaner water just makes everyday RV life easier and gives us a lot more confidence in using the water coming into our camper.
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What’s in the Box: Glacier Fresh RV Water Filter System
The Glacier Fresh RV Water Filter System comes with everything you need to get started. Inside the box you’ll find:
• Glacier Fresh filter housing
• Replaceable filter cartridge
• Hose connection fittings (including quick connects)
• Mounting hardware
• Setup instructions
What You’ll Need
One thing we didn’t realize at first was that you’ll need an additional short hose to complete the setup. Since the system installs inline, you’ll need one hose running from the campground spigot to the Glacier Fresh unit, and another from the unit to your RV. Once we had that, everything hooked up quickly and easily.
Setup and Installation
Installation took just a few minutes. The filter connects inline between the campground spigot and your RV water hose, making setup quick and straightforward. After connecting everything, we flushed the system for a few minutes before use. The housing feels sturdy and well-built without adding bulk to your setup, and the stainless steel quick-connects make it easy to hook up to city or well water for safe, reliable drinking water on the road.
Performance and Water Quality
After using the Glacier Fresh RV Water Filter System for a while, the biggest difference we noticed was the improvement in water taste. Before this, we never felt comfortable drinking straight from the faucet in our camper, but with this system, the water tasted cleaner and more neutral.
The system uses a 3-stage filtration process that reduces chlorine, sediment, bacteria, and other contaminants, filtering down to 0.2 microns, which is finer than most standard inline RV filters. We noticed less sediment overall and had more peace of mind when hooking up to unfamiliar campground water sources.
Another thing we appreciated is that the unit is compact and relatively lightweight, around 10 pounds, making it easy to move and store. For everyday RV use like drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and filling the fresh water tank, it gave us much more confidence in the water coming into our camper.
How It Compares to the Camco TastePURE Filter
Before trying the Glacier Fresh system, we had been using the Camco TastePURE RV Water Filter, which is a very common entry-level inline filter many RVers start with. At around $15, it’s affordable and easy to install (no extra hose required).
However, even when we used the Camco filter, we still relied heavily on bottled water for drinking and cooking. The filtration is fairly minimal compared to the Glacier Fresh system. One of the biggest differences is the level of filtration. Glacier Fresh filters down to 0.2 microns, providing noticeably better water quality. After switching, we felt comfortable drinking directly from our camper faucets, which helped us cut back on bottled water while traveling.
For occasional RV trips, the Camco filter works fine. But for full-time RV living or travelers who want cleaner, better-tasting water, the Glacier Fresh system feels like a worthwhile upgrade.
Cost and Value
One of the nice things about the Glacier Fresh RV Water Filter System is that it’s still relatively affordable compared to larger multi-stage RV filtration systems. At the time of writing, the system typically costs around $299.99 (often discounted from $399.99), depending on where you purchase it and current deals. Considering the level of filtration and overall performance, the price feels reasonable for the improvement in water quality and peace of mind it provides.
Maintenance and Ongoing Costs
Replacement filters for the Glacier Fresh system typically run around $50–$60 and need to be changed every 3–6 months, depending on usage and water quality. If you’re traveling full-time or connecting to lower-quality campground water, you may find yourself replacing them more often.
Maintenance is simple overall, but it’s something to factor into the long-term cost. Signs it’s time to replace the filter include a drop in water pressure, changes in taste, or visible sediment buildup. For us, it’s a small tradeoff for having cleaner, better tasting water and feeling confident using our RV water for everyday needs.
Pros and Cons
Pros
• Easy installation
• Noticeable improvement in water taste
• Helps reduce chlorine smell and sediment
• Lightweight design (around 10 lbs)
• Durable filter housing
• Replaceable filter cartridges
• Advanced 3-stage filtration system
• Allows us to comfortably drink from our RV faucets
Cons
• Higher upfront cost than basic inline filters
• Filters need to be replaced periodically and can be costly each year.
•Extra hose needed and must be purchased separately.
Final Thoughts
We think the Glacier Fresh RV Water Filter System is a great option for everyone who is camping long-term or short-term. It’s one of those upgrades that quietly makes life on the road better. After using the Glacier Fresh RV Water Filter System, we’ve been really happy with how easy it is to use, how lightweight it is, and the improvement in water taste and quality. Being able to drink directly from our RV faucets instead of relying on bottled water has been a big plus.
If you frequently connect to different campground water sources, having a dependable RV water filtration system can make a noticeable difference in day-to-day RV life!