The Little Gadget That Ended the “Are We Level?” Debate

By: Greg Norman, RVD Contributor

I’ve been RVing long enough to know that some of the best gear you buy isn’t something you went looking for. Sometimes you watch another RVer use something and immediately realize there’s a better way to do what you’ve been doing. Other times, unfortunately, you learn that lesson by watching something go wrong.

My wife and I travel in a Brinkley Model Z 3100 fifth wheel, and while our Brinkley has an automatic leveling system, that doesn’t mean campsite setup begins when I push the Auto Level button. Before I ever unhitch from the truck, I want to know what kind of site I’ve pulled into and how far off we are from side to side.

I became a lot more particular about that after something I saw happen to friends of ours several years ago.

The Campsite Setup I Haven’t Forgotten

Our friends had pulled their fifth wheel into a site that was noticeably low on one side, but it wasn’t so bad that you would look at it and immediately think there was going to be a problem. They did what plenty of us have done over the years. One person stood outside checking the level while the other stayed in the truck. They pulled forward, backed up, added another leveling block, moved again and eventually decided they were close enough.

After they unhitched and started setting up, they realized they were still far enough off from side to side that they wanted to correct it. That’s when a mildly frustrating campsite setup turned into something none of us standing there forgot.

As they repositioned the fifth wheel onto the leveling blocks, one of the blocks shifted. A tire came partially off the stack and the trailer lurched hard enough that everyone nearby instinctively moved away from it.

Nobody was hurt and the fifth wheel wasn’t seriously damaged, but watching that much weight move unexpectedly made an impression on me. I decided right then that I wanted to know exactly what the trailer needed before I started unhitching and setting up camp.

That’s eventually what led me to the LevelMatePRO+.

What LevelMatePRO+ Actually Does

LevelMatePRO+ is a small electronic leveling device installed in the RV that connects to an app on your phone. Once it’s installed and calibrated, it uses a three-axis digital accelerometer to calculate the adjustments needed to bring the RV to level. The app gives you real-time information showing which corner needs adjustment and how much.

For me, the biggest advantage is being able to use that information while I’m still positioning our Brinkley. LevelMatePRO+ can help evaluate the site before I’m parked, so instead of pulling into a campsite, getting out, checking a level, getting back into the truck and repeating the process, I can see what the fifth wheel is doing from the driver’s seat.

Our Brinkley already has an automatic four-point leveling system, and LevelMatePRO+ doesn’t replace it. The two serve different purposes for me. LevelMatePRO+ helps me get the fifth wheel positioned properly before I unhitch. Once I’m satisfied with where we’re sitting, I can chock the wheels, unhitch and let the Brinkley’s leveling system do its job.

There’s another feature I appreciate when it’s time to leave. LevelMatePRO+ can save and recall the RV’s hitch position, which makes reconnecting to the truck easier. It’s a relatively simple piece of equipment, but it provides useful information at two points when I really want it: arriving and leaving.

It Also Solved a Long-Standing Marital Debate

Before we had LevelMatePRO+, my wife and I had a system. I use the term system rather loosely.

One of us would check the level while the other sat in the truck. Then we’d attempt to communicate the required adjustment using a combination of hand signals, yelling through the window and completely subjective measurements such as “a little bit.”

The problem is that my definition of “a little bit” and my wife’s definition of “a little bit” are apparently separated by several inches.

I’m a numbers guy. If you tell me one side needs to come up a specific amount, I know what to do with that information. If you stand 35 feet behind me waving your arms and yelling, “No, not that much!” we’re probably going to be there awhile.

LevelMatePRO+ took most of that conversation out of our campsite setup. Instead of asking my wife whether we’re level, I can look at the app and see what adjustment is needed. We still talk to each other while we’re setting up camp. We just have considerably fewer discussions about whether the bubble is technically between the lines.

Why It Earned a Permanent Spot in Our Brinkley

I’m fairly particular about the equipment I carry. I don’t need every new RV gadget that comes along, and I’m not interested in filling storage compartments with things that solve problems I don’t actually have. If something we already own does the job well, I generally keep using it.

LevelMatePRO+ solves a real problem.

It doesn’t drive the truck, position the fifth wheel, put down leveling blocks or replace the automatic leveling system already installed on our Brinkley. What it does is give me accurate information while I’m making those decisions. When I’m maneuvering a fifth wheel with a GVWR north of 15,000 pounds, I’d rather work from actual information than a bubble level and somebody else’s interpretation of “just a little more.” The Model Z 3100 has a 15,495-pound GVWR, so we’re talking about a substantial piece of equipment.

Watching our friends’ fifth wheel shift off those blocks years ago didn’t turn into a disaster, but it showed me how quickly a routine campsite setup can become dangerous when that much weight moves in a direction you weren’t expecting.

That’s why I still use LevelMatePRO+ even though our Brinkley has automatic leveling. It’s not there because I can’t level the fifth wheel without it. It’s there because it makes the process easier, gives me better information and removes a lot of unnecessary guesswork before I ever unhitch.

Would I Buy It Again?

Absolutely. LevelMatePRO+ is one of those rare RV gadgets that does exactly what I want it to do without making the process more complicated.

After we pull into a campsite, I open the app, see what I’m dealing with and position the Brinkley accordingly. There’s less getting in and out of the truck, less guessing and considerably less debate between my wife and me over whether we’re actually level.

And after enough years of marriage and RVing together, I’ve learned that any piece of equipment capable of providing accurate measurements and eliminating an argument is probably worth keeping.