If you've ever spent an hour trying to get your rig perfectly straight on a sloped site, you know why the anderson rv level is such a big deal for frequent travelers. There's nothing quite like the frustration of pulling into a beautiful campsite just as the sun is setting, only to realize your trailer is leaning so far to the left that your fridge won't run and you're probably going to roll out of bed in the middle of the night. We've all been there, stackable plastic squares in hand, trying to guess exactly how many "layers" we need to reach level ground. It's a guessing game that usually involves backing up, pulling forward, and a lot of shouting back and forth with a spotter.
The anderson rv level system pretty much killed that whole annoying routine for me. Instead of building a pyramid out of plastic blocks, these things use a simple, curved design that lets you just drive up until you're level and then stop. It sounds almost too simple to be true, but it's one of those rare cases where a basic design change makes a massive difference in the quality of your trip.
Tossing the Old Plastic Blocks
Before I switched over, I was a die-hard fan of those orange stackable blocks. They were cheap, they were light, and they seemed like the industry standard. But let's be honest: they're kind of a pain. You have to guesstimate how many inches you're off, build the little ramp, and then hope you don't drive right off the edge of them. If you're off by half an inch, you have to get back in the truck, pull forward, add or remove a block, and try again. It's a process that feels more like a construction project than a quick setup.
What makes the anderson rv level different is the "drive-on" philosophy. Because the levelers are shaped like a crescent or a wedge with a curve, the height changes gradually as you move up the arc. You aren't jumping up in one-inch increments like you do with blocks. You're moving through a smooth range of heights, which means you can get your trailer exactly where it needs to be. If the bubble on your level says you need another quarter-inch, you just creep back another few inches on the leveler. Done.
How the Setup Actually Works
When you get to your site, you just place the curved levelers under the wheels on the low side of the RV. You want the thin end tucked right up against the tire. Then, you slowly back up (or pull forward, depending on how you placed them). As the tire climbs the curve, the side of the RV rises.
This is where having a partner—or a modern Bluetooth leveling sensor—comes in handy. You just watch the level, and the second it hits the center, you stop. Then, you slide the smaller "chock" piece under the leveler to lock it in place. It wedges the tire so it won't roll back down the curve. It's incredibly fast. I've reached the point where I can have the side-to-side leveling done in under two minutes, which is a far cry from the twenty-minute ordeal it used to be.
Dealing with Tight Dual Axles
One thing a lot of people worry about is whether these will fit between the tires on a dual-axle trailer. It's a valid concern because some rigs have very little space between the front and rear wheels. If you find that your anderson rv level is just an inch or two too long to slide in there, the good news is that you can actually trim them.
I know, it feels wrong to take a saw to a brand-new piece of gear, but the company even mentions it as an option. You can cut off about an inch from the thin end of one leveler without ruining the structural integrity. This lets it fit into that tight gap between the tires. Once you've done that, they work exactly the same way. It's a small tweak that saves a lot of headache for those of us with closely-spaced axles.
Why the Rubber Mats Matter
Most sets come with these black rubber mats, and honestly, don't try to use the levelers without them. The levelers are made of a very durable, slick plastic. If you're on smooth concrete, wet grass, or loose gravel, those red crescents can sometimes squirt out like a bar of soap when the tire hits them.
The rubber mats act as a grip. You lay the mat down first, put the leveler on top, and it creates enough friction that the tire grabs the leveler and pulls it under, rather than pushing it away. It's a simple addition, but it makes the whole system much more reliable across different types of terrain.
Durability and Long-Term Use
I've seen people ask if these things can actually hold the weight of a heavy fifth wheel or a large travel trailer. They're surprisingly beefy. They're rated for a lot of weight, and as long as you aren't using them on top of sharp, jagged rocks that might puncture the plastic, they tend to last for years.
They do get a bit dirty, obviously—they're living under your tires—but a quick spray with a hose cleans them right up. Unlike wooden blocks, they won't rot, and unlike those hollow plastic squares, they don't tend to crack or "pancake" over time. They're solid pieces of equipment.
The Precision Factor
I think the biggest "pro" for the anderson rv level is the precision. If you're someone who gets annoyed by a door that won't stay open or a shower that doesn't drain quite right because the rig is slightly tilted, you'll appreciate these. With traditional blocks, you're often stuck with "close enough." With the curved leveler, you can get it dead-on every single time.
It also saves a lot of wear and tear on your nerves. There's less "stop, go, stop, go" and way less stress on the transmission of your tow vehicle because you aren't trying to power over the lip of a plastic block. You're just rolling up a gentle ramp.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Nothing is perfect, of course. While the anderson rv level is great, you do have to be careful not to "over-roll." If you drive too far back and go over the tall end of the leveler, you're going to have a bad time. The trailer will drop down abruptly, and you'll have to pull forward and start over. It's not the end of the world, but it's something to watch for.
Also, they do take up a bit of a weird shape in your storage bay. They don't stack quite as neatly as flat blocks do. I usually just toss mine in a dedicated gear bag or a plastic bin to keep the mud off everything else.
Is it Worth the Upgrade?
If you only camp once a year at a perfectly paved RV resort, you might not need these. But if you're like me and you find yourself in state parks, national forests, or even just slightly uneven private lots, the anderson rv level is worth every penny. It turns one of the most tedious parts of arriving at a campsite into a total non-issue.
At the end of the day, we go camping to relax, not to spend our time fighting with equipment. Anything that shaves fifteen minutes off the setup time means fifteen more minutes of sitting by the fire or hiking a trail. For me, that's where the real value lies. It's about making the "work" part of RVing as painless as possible so you can get to the "fun" part faster. If you're still messing around with a stack of blocks, give the curved system a shot. You probably won't ever look back.