Packable Backpack
Backpacks need not be bulky. The Matador Freerain24 Backpack weighs just 5.5 ounces, or slightly more than a baseball. When packed into its storage bag, the backpack fits in the palm of your hand. It unpacks to become a 24-liter-capacity backpack with a waterproof main compartment.
Other features include a waterproof, roll-top closure; breathable shoulder straps; reinforced seams; top stabilizer straps to keep the pack close to your back; and a nonwaterproof vertical pocket and dual side pockets. The price is $59.99.
Matador
2657 Spruce St.
Boulder, CO 80302
(650) 212-5577
www.matadorup.com
Mesh Hamper
Go ahead — air your dirty laundry! When dirty duds are tossed into StorageManiac’s Foldable Pop-Up Mesh Hamper, they’ll likely stink less than if you stuff them into a plastic bag.
The hamper is made of polyester mesh with a steel frame. It unfolds to a height of almost 23 inches, with a 14-inch-by-14-inch opening. It has reinforced carry handles and a side pocket for laundry accessories. When not in use, the hamper folds flat. The price is $18.99 for a set of two.
E2E Inc.
32985 Hamilton Court
Suite G101
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(909) 766-1876
www.storagemaniac.com
Mini Oven
The Hot Logic Mini is billed as a multitasking miniature oven that can cook a fresh or frozen meal or reheat leftovers. It uses slow-conduction heat to keep food hot for up to eight hours.
How it works: Put food into a container (up to 8.75 inches wide by 6.75 inches long by 2.5 inches high). Place the container in the Mini, which has a heating platform and a heat-reflective interior. Plug the Mini into a standard 120-volt outlet (the Mini draws 45 watts) or a power inverter. The Mini heats food to between 165 and 175 degrees and keeps it at that temperature until you’re ready to eat. The Mini is available in black, blue, orange, and green.
The Hot Logic Mini is $39.95; with a 6-cup Pyrex dish, it’s $49.95; Hot Logic Mini Deluxe, with the Pyrex dish and a 100-watt power inverter, is $79.95.
Hot Logic LLC
1705 Eaton Drive
Grand Haven, MI 49417
(616) 935-1040
www.hotlogicmini.com
Aqua-Hot Service Kit
Aqua-Hot recommends that the company’s hydronic heating units be serviced annually. Whether you perform such maintenance yourself or have an RV tech do it, an Aqua-Hot Annual Service Kit ensures all the needed items will be on hand.
Kits are available for models that run on pink or green boiler antifreeze. (It’s recommended you stick with one color.) All other tools and parts are the same. In addition to a quart of antifreeze, the kits include an electrode adjustment tool, portable refractometer, fuel filter, nozzle, and burner gasket. Each piece is protected in a nylon storage bag with foam slots. Maintenance and boiler antifreeze tip sheets are included.
The kit’s suggested retail price is $249.99.
Aqua-Hot Heating Systems
7501 Miller Drive
Frederick, CO 80504
(800) 685-4298
(303) 651-5500
www.aquahot.com
Exterior Protectant
If your motorhome’s exterior is dirty enough that someone can write “wash me” with a finger, it’s time to take action. McKee’s RV All-In-One Cleaner Wax & Sealant is formulated not only to get rid of dirt, road film, bug splatter, and black streaks, it also polishes to remove swirl marks and oxidation, and it adds a protective sealant.
The product, which can be applied by hand or by machine, can be used on gel coat, fiberglass, clear coat, chrome, aluminum, stainless steel, and painted exterior finishes. It contains UV inhibitors to help prevent cracking and fading. The cost of a 16-ounce bottle is $29.99; a 32-ounce bottle is $49.99; a 128-ounce bottle is $99.99; and a 2-ounce sample size is $6.99.
McKee’s RV
7744 S.W. Jack James Drive
Stuart, FL 34997
(844) 852-5300
www.mckees37.com
Rust Remover
Rust never sleeps. The thought of it eating away at your motorhome might keep you awake, too. One way to fight back: Fertan Rust Remover, from CRP Automotive. The water-based, nontoxic, nonflammable treatment is formulated to remove rust from steel and other metal surfaces, leaving a clean surface that is ready for a protective coating to be applied.
Fertan Rust Remover is available in liquid and gel formulations. The gel can be applied directly to metal with a brush or sponge. The liquid can be diluted (90 percent Rust Remover and 10 percent water) to create a bath for soaking rusted parts; the solution can be reused several times. The suggested retail price is $20.30 for a 1-liter bottle of liquid and $20.99 for a 0.5-liter bottle of gel.
CRP Automotive
35 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512
(800) 526-4066
www.crpfertan.com
Grease Gun Kit
Frankie Valli sang it so well: “Grease is the word/Is the word that you heard/It’s got groove, it’s got meaning.” Not only that, grease is an important lubricant for your motorhome’s mechanical joints. If you choose to do a grease job yourself, you may want to check out the new Deluxe Grease Gun Kit from Amsoil.
The 3,500-psi gun has a pistol-grip design. The kit comes with rigid pipe for one-handed grease applications, as well as a flexible hose for gaining access to hard-to-reach areas. The kit also includes one cartridge of synthetic multipurpose grease and a grease coupler with a protective cap. The suggested retail price is $39. Tip: Always check that the grease you use meets the specs for your chassis.
Amsoil Inc.
925 Tower Ave.
Superior, WI 54880
(800) 777-8491
www.amsoil.com
Enclosed Trailer
Montrose Trailers recently introduced a line of fully enclosed aluminum trailers with “low profile power tilt” technology. Hydraulic power raises and lowers the front of the trailer so that a low-profile car, such as a Corvette or Lamborghini, can drive in without damaging the car’s front lip. Once the car is inside, the driver levels the trailer using a manual or wireless switch, opens the car door, and exits the vehicle.
Montrose can custom build a trailer to a buyer’s specifications. The trailer pictured has these interior allowances: 20 feet long; 7 feet 10 inches wide; 5 feet 4 inches high. The empty weight, including winch, spare tire, battery, and toolbox, is 2,925 pounds. The starting price for trailers with the power tilt feature is $20,567.
Montrose Trailers Inc.
180 Ruth St.
Montrose, MI 48457
(877) 639-0377
(810) 639-7431
www.montrosetrailers.com
Sway Bar
When you’re holding your honey on a dance floor, it’s okay to sway. But when driving a motorhome, you want to avoid that unsettled feeling of leaning to and fro. To that end, SuperSteer — a division of Henderson’s Line-Up, Brake & RV — has introduced a rear trac bar for Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis.
The trac bar (part number SS701) is designed to reduce sway and improve steering by positively centering the rear axle. The bar is said to bolt on in about 90 minutes without the need to drill or weld. All hardware is included. (Note that the trac bar is designed for use on a chassis with the exhaust exiting in front of the rear axle; exhaust pipe modification will be needed if the exhaust exits behind the axle.) The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $583; or buy through the SuperSteer e-store and receive a 10 percent discount.
SuperSteer
458 Redwood Highway
Grants Pass, OR 97527
(888) 898-3281
(541) 955-0769
www.supersteerparts.com