BougeRV Review: Enhancing the Camping Experience with High-Tech Gear
For many outdoor enthusiasts, "roughing it" is all part of the fun of camping. Pitching a tent, cooking over an open fire, and leaving the creature comforts of home behind can be an invigorating experience. However, thanks to companies like BougeRV, campers no longer have to completely forgo modern conveniences when heading into the great outdoors.
Founded in 2017 by two avid campers, James and Pierre, BougeRV‘s mission is to enhance the outdoor experience with smartly-designed, high-quality appliances. The company has quickly made a name for itself among RV, van life, and car camping circles for their innovative portable refrigerators, solar panels, and power stations that bring a touch of home comfort to the campsite.
In this in-depth BougeRV review, we‘ll take a closer look at the company‘s top products, assess feedback from real customers, and help you decide if BougeRV‘s gear is worth the investment for your camping adventures.
BougeRV‘s Product Line-Up: Portable Fridges, Solar, and Power
While BougeRV offers a wide range of appliances and accessories, from air conditioners to cookware, their core products fall into three main categories:
BougeRV Portable Refrigerators
BougeRV‘s compact, high-efficiency portable refrigerators are some of the most popular on the market for keeping food and drinks chilled on the go. The best-selling 12V 30 Quart (28L) and CR35 37 Quart (35L) models both utilize advanced compressor cooling to rapidly chill contents down to 32°F.
Sustainability is a key focus, with BougeRV fridges offering an ECO power-saving mode. The 30 Quart model uses just 45W while the 37 Quart averages 65W, letting you keep items cool for days without draining your car or RV battery.
What really sets BougeRV apart is the smart features of their fridges. Both models can be controlled via a mobile app, letting you adjust and monitor the temperature remotely. The CR35 even includes a built-in battery that can power the fridge for up to 8 hours when not connected to a 12V outlet.
The BougeRV 30 Quart fridge retails for $309 while the larger CR35 37 Quart sells for $430. For the performance and features, this is very competitive with other top brands like Dometic and ARB. However, BougeRV regularly offers discounts, with both models currently 20-30% off, making them an excellent value.
BougeRV Solar Panels
To keep your electronics and appliances powered up off-grid, BougeRV offers a range of portable solar panels well-suited for camping. Their two main models are the 200W 12V 9BB Mono and the 120W portable panel.
The 200W panel is made of highly efficient 9BB monocrystalline cells, giving it a 25%+ conversion rate while also being more compact than competitors. It‘s designed to be mounted on an RV, van, or trailer roof to maintain your rig‘s battery.
For more flexibility, the 120W folding panel is a great grab-and-go option. It‘s lightweight at under 10 pounds and is housed in a protective waterproof textile cover. With built-in legs to angle the panel towards the sun, it can rapidly charge a portable power station in just a few hours of direct sunlight.
BougeRV‘s solar pricing is very attractive compared to other major brands. The 200W panel is just $280 ($204 on sale) while the 120W portable is $260. Both come with necessary cables and connectors.
BougeRV Portable Power Stations
Portable power has become a camping essential, letting you recharge devices and run small appliances without a hook-up. BougeRV‘s power station line-up ranges from the affordable 166Wh unit up to the robust 1100Wh model.
We‘re especially impressed with BougeRV‘s 601Wh and 1100Wh power stations. The 601Wh can run a mini-fridge for 6-12 hours and recharge a laptop 7+ times. Meanwhile, the beastly 1100Wh has enough juice to power an electric grill or projector for a movie night under the stars.
Both units can be recharged via solar, car outlet, or AC power, giving you flexibility. They also include pure sine wave technology and 10+ output ports each to safely power all your gadgets.
At $419 for the 601Wh and $869 for the 1100Wh, BougeRV‘s power stations are priced very competitively. For comparison, the Jackery Explorer 1000 (similar to BougeRV‘s 1100Wh) retails for $999. So BougeRV delivers great bang for your buck.
BougeRV Customer Reviews: What Are Campers Saying?
BougeRV has earned overwhelmingly positive reviews from the camping community. On the company‘s website, their core products boast average ratings of 4.8+ stars. Here‘s what customers have to say:
"Love the size, easy to store, and good size for charging smaller solar generators. Using with Montek x1000. Added mounting brackets to angle to the sun. Works great. Great quality." – 200W 12V solar panel buyer
"Perfect for anyone spending extended time in a car. Keeps food and drinks cold without having to deal with ice and its constant replenishing. The best part is it can be left running overnight in the vehicle and will not run the battery down. Wish I‘d owned one years ago." – 30 Quart portable fridge user
"I can‘t say enough good things about this little fridge. Our small icebox started acting up 2 days before a 10-day offroading trip so we needed something quick! I was able to fit breakfast and dinner items in it for 3 people for 10 days." – CR35 37 Quart fridge owner
Based on dozens of reviews across multiple sites, campers praise BougeRV products for:
- Excellent cooling and insulation performance of the refrigerators
- Compact size and easy portability of power stations and solar panels
- Fast charging and high capacity of the lithium batteries
- Quiet operation of fridges and power units
- Quality construction and premium feel of materials
- Convenience of app-controlled features
- Outstanding value for the specifications
Any negatives? A few customers noted receiving damaged items from shipping or had technical issues. However, BougeRV‘s customer service was always quick to send replacements or troubleshoot problems.
The verdict from users is clear: BougeRV delivers on their promise of enhancing the camping experience with well-designed, high-performance products at reasonable prices. The brand has earned a loyal following among frequent RVers and car campers.
Is BougeRV Worth It? Our Recommendation
For RV owners, vanlifers, and car campers looking to upgrade their outdoor gear, BougeRV is absolutely worth considering. While there are other excellent brands in the portable fridge and solar generator space, BougeRV impresses on several fronts:
Performance: BougeRV‘s cooling, power output, and charging specifications punch above their weight, rivaling or surpassing higher-priced competitors.
Features: We love smart features like the app-controlled fridges and multi-functional outputs of the power stations that show BougeRV has an eye for campers‘ needs.
Quality: From the compressor fridges to the CIGS solar cells, BougeRV uses top-notch components and construction that hold up to rugged environments.
Value: You‘d be hard-pressed to find better prices on portable appliances with BougeRV‘s performance and features. Factor in frequent sales and BougeRV offers unbeatable value.
While casual car campers who only head out for a weekend or two each summer may not need BougeRV‘s higher-end appliances, if you‘re a frequent boondocker or off-grid adventurer, the brand‘s gear can significantly enhance your experience. Being able to keep food fresh, power all your devices, and run appliances in camp can turn "roughing it" into "enjoying it."
The only real downside we see with BougeRV is that their product selection is still somewhat limited compared to bigger names like Dometic or Goal Zero. The brand currently focuses mainly on refrigerators, solar, and power units. Some campers may want a one-stop-shop for all their appliance needs.
However, BougeRV is constantly expanding their catalog with in-demand products like air conditioners, air pumps, and lighting. We expect their line-up to continue to grow while maintaining the performance, smart features, and value that has quickly earned BougeRV a devoted customer base.
To sum up our BougeRV review, this is an impressive brand delivering outdoor appliances that punch well above their price point. If you‘re a frequent camper, RVer, or vanlifer, BougeRV‘s intelligently-designed, high-performance gear is absolutely worth the investment to bring more comfort and convenience to your adventures.
