Dog Harness
Age or a medical condition might make it difficult for Fido to get into or out of a motorhome unassisted. Even worse, you might injure yourself while helping the pooch.
The Web Master Harness from Ruffwear is designed to make it easier for a person to assist a dog with mobility problems. The harness disperses the load so that comfortable, balanced lifting is possible. Five points of adjustment allow the dog to have full range of motion, and foam-padded chest and belly straps offer added comfort. The harness also functions as an alternative to a dog collar, with two points of leash attachment. The Ruffwear website provides a size chart. The harness costs $59.95.
Ruffwear
2843 N.W. Lolo Drive
Bend, OR 97703
(888) 783-3932
www.ruffwear.com
Waterless Wash/Wax Kit
You must supply the elbow grease, but the Wash Wax ALL Mop Kit from Aero Cosmetics has pretty much everything else you’ll need to keep your motorhome’s exterior looking as new as the day you bought it.
The kit includes a gallon of Wash Wax ALL Cleaner, a biodegradable waterless wash and wax in one; a 16-ounce bottle of Wash Wax ALL Degreaser; a spray bottle; a double-sided mop head; a mop pole that extends to 9 feet, eliminating the need for a ladder; six microfiber mop pads; four washable microfiber Aero Towels; a reusable Aero Scrubber Pad with handle; and a bag to carry it all. The kit’s price is $189.
Aero Cosmetics Products LLC
P.O. Box 460025
San Antonio, TX 78246
(210) 344-7921
www.washwax.com
Handheld Torch
Loosen stubborn bolts. Singe the frayed ends of a nylon rope. Unlock a frozen padlock. Remove paint, caulk, or putty. Solder copper pieces. Cook a steak! Those are but a few of the tasks that a torch can help you accomplish.
Bernzomatic’s TS4000 High Heat Torch ignites and extinguishes with the touch of a button. A run-lock button and on-off trigger keep the torch lit for one-handed use. The torch, made with a stainless-steel burn tube and cast-aluminum body, is pressure regulated to maintain consistent performance when tilted or momentarily inverted. It uses propane or MAP-Pro fuel. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $39.99.
Bernzomatic
200 W. Old Wilson Bridge Road
Worthington, OH 43085
(800) 359-9678
www.bernzomatic.com
Heated Water Hose
If you camp in temperatures that dip to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, we tip our cap to you. (Heck, we should give our cap to you; you’ll need it.) That is the lowest temperature at which the No Freeze Water Hose is guaranteed to work.
The hose, which is approved for drinking water use, is heated via a 110-volt AC circuit. The circuit is wrapped spirally around the 3/4-inch, thermally insulated hose. (The hose does not work on DC power.) There is no finicky thermostat; the hose’s self-regulating heater operates only when needed, so once the hose is plugged in, you don’t have to turn it off. The price of a 15-foot hose is $250; longer sizes are available.
No Freeze Water Hose
7400 Industrial Parkway
Plain City, OH 43064
(614) 339-5088
www.nofreezewaterhose.com
Sewer Hose
Perhaps nothing ranks higher on a motorhomer’s list of yucky jobs than emptying the holding tanks. The Waste Master, a sewer management system from Lippert Components, is designed to make the task cleaner and easier.
The hose — 5 feet 6 inches when compressed and 20 feet when fully extended — is puncture resistant and UV protected. The hose features an outer coil, but the inside is smoother to prevent waste from becoming trapped. The permanently connected nozzle has a built-in handle, an integrated shutoff valve, and a clear-view fitting so you know when the holding tanks are flushed clean. Rather than a traditional hose bayonet fitting, the Waste Master has a cam lock designed to provide a leakproof connection at the RV. The suggested price of the Waste Master is $139.99.
Lippert Components Inc.
3501 County Road 6 E.
Elkhart, IN 46514
(574) 537-8900
www.lci1.com/waste-master
Table System
An RV table should be stable. But if it can swivel around when you want it to, all the better. That’s the idea behind the Lagun Table System. It’s made of heavy anodized aluminum and can be attached to an existing tabletop. Or it can be used to create a new table setup.
Once the system is installed using a tabletop that you provide (up to 30 inches by 40 inches), the table can be secured in place by turning hand locks. Loosen a hand lock and the tabletop can spin 360 degrees. Loosen another hand lock and you can swing the table away from you, toward you, or in any direction to create more floor space. The table also can be adjusted to your preferred height. The system can be disassembled quickly and stored. The Lagun costs $219.
Lagun USA
3040 Leversee Road
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
(319) 243-9610
www.lagunusa.com
Upright Vacuum
Gone are the days when RVers had to rely on heavy, bulky, corded vacuum cleaners. Today’s choices include slim, lightweight models with plenty of suction, such as the Dyson V8 Absolute, a cord-free model that weighs just 5.75 pounds.
It has a direct-drive cleaner head for carpets and a soft roller cleaner head for hard floors. A lithium-ion battery provides up to 40 minutes of cleaning. The vacuum’s high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is said to capture 99.97 percent of particles as small as 0.3 micron. The V8 also quickly converts to a handheld unit. The vacuum stores and charges in a docking station, or it can be charged via a standard wall charger. The suggested retail price is $599.99.
Dyson
600 W. Chicago Ave., Suite 275
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 469-5950
www.dyson.com
Portable Cooler
Yeti coolers are built for serious outdoor enthusiasts. They come in a variety of sizes (the coolers, that is, although the same can be said of outdoor enthusiasts). One of the smaller Yeti products, the Tundra 35, holds up to 20 beverage cans when users follow the recommended two-to-one ice-to-contents ratio. The cooler’s outside dimensions are 15 1/4 inches by 21 inches by 16 inches.
To help keep cold items cold or hot items hot, the cooler has polyurethane foam insulation (up to 3 inches in the lid and up to 2 inches in the walls); a freezer-style sealing gasket; and a form-fitting lid system. Other features include heavy-duty rubber latches; a leakproof drain system; nonslip feet to keep the cooler in place; molded tie-down slots; and polyester rope handles. Plus, the cooler is bear-resistant. Available colors are white, desert tan, and ice blue. The suggested retail price is $299.99.
Yeti
(512) 394-9384
www.yeti.com
T-Shirt Quilt
Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Ah, yes, but if the T-shirts you’ve accumulated from your travels are collecting dust, you might consider immortalizing those memories in a T-shirt quilt from Project Repat.
Here’s how it works: You choose the panel size (12 inches by 12 inches or 14 inches by 14 inches), the quilt size (from 16 to 64 panels), and the fleece color (seven options). You receive instructions for shipping your shirts to Project Repat, which then takes a square from each shirt and sews them together on the front of a quilt. The quilt is backed with Polartec fleece. Prices range from $74.99 for a 4-foot-by-4-foot lap quilt to $289.99 for a 9-foot-by-9-foot quilt.
Project Repat
www.projectrepat.com