The latest must-haves for your RV
New and unique products at the 2012 RV Expo in Edmonton
February’s RV Expo in Edmonton gave RV enthusiasts a chance to view 400 brand new RVs up close and personal from a variety of manufacturers and dealers. Sporting luxurious units perfect for the snowbird or recreational site owner as well as toy haulers that doubled as man caves, there was little the average camper could do but dream... and shop for accessories.
From the bevy of booths set up to introduce some of the hottest accessories in the RV world, from chalks to chairs, here are a few of my favourites, suitable for even the shallowest of pockets.
The Jimmy Hook
A no-commitment hook that acts without the use of sticky adhesives, the Jimmy Hook offers you a chance to stick up much needed accessories in your RV, without any damage to your walls when it comes time to remove them. Simply press down on the hook’s four corner seals and you’ll have a hook capable of holding up to 5 to 15 pounds.
Available in many different shapes and sizes, Jimmy's best seller is the broom hook, which clips your broom securely to the wall to stop it from flying about your unit while travelling. The newest product is the dental centre, which holds both toothbrushes and paste securely to your RV’s bathroom wall.
Where to buy: jimmyhook.com or at As Seen On TV stores.
Cost: Prices range from $10 each for specialty items such as the toothbrush holder to $20 for a ten-pack of regular hooks.
SpaBerry
A plug-and-play spa developed by a Calgary-based company, this tiny oasis can be easily filled with a garden hose and plugged into any 110v outlet. Available in one or two person units, it’s the perfect spa for those with recreational or seasonal sites or those with a toy hauler looking to relax after a long day on the trails.
Weighing only 240 pounds dry and 1280 pounds wet, there’s no need for a foundation or cement pad, and when turned sideways the spa can easily fit through any standard door.
Each unit comes complete with a custom fitted lid, and buyers have the choice of adding a customizable wrap to the outside of the unit. Simply choose from one of the many they have available, or send them a picture and they’ll turn it into a wrap for you. When looking to replace the old wrap for a new look, they’ll even recycle your old one and give you credit towards your next.
Where to buy: Many Lowes and Home Hardware locations as well as direct from the manufacture at thespaberry.com
Cost: Single person units (a.k.a. the miBerry) $3499, two person units $3999.
Magic Mesh
Nine times out of ten when you see something in a commercial, the reality doesn’t live up to the hype. The Magic Mesh, however, does exactly what it promises to do. Originally designed by an American RV owner, this handy little hanging screen door opens and closes behind you through the use of lightweight magnets, helping to keep bugs out while allowing you (and your pets) to go in and out hands-free.
With no screwing or nailing involved, the screen goes up with self-adhesive Velcro, so holes in your RV door are not an issue, and it can easily be taken down to fit on your household door when you’re not camping.
Distributed exclusively in Canada by Batten Industries out of B.C., whether you’re coming or going this door’s got you covered.
Where to buy: magicmesh.ca or at any As Seen On TV outlets.
Cost: $30 (website has a buy one get one free offer, but each unit has a $7.95 shipping and handling fee).
P3 Ice Cube
Invented by longtime camper Paul Lavalee of Calgary out of a desire to put an end to the wet, soggy food normally found in his cooler after the cooling bag of ice he’d place would melt. The P3 Ice Cube offers you three products for the price of one.
Comprised of two sides of BPA free plastic, each side can be filled with 2 L of tap water and frozen solid until you are ready to go. Use it as a cooler on it’s own for the day filled with a six pack or a small lunch, use it as a clean and efficient freezer pack to line your cooler, or use it as a canteen full of ice cold (and safe to drink) water.
Unlike traditional freezer packs full of harmful chemicals, or bags of ice that melt and leave behind a wet mess, the P3 Ice Cube stays cool and contained, ensuring all of the products in your cooler stay dry.
“I used to camp a lot and I dealt with a lot of sloppy food over the years till finally I got fed up with it and designed something to solve my problem,” said robotics engineer turned cooler inventor Paul Lavalee. “It turns outs a lot of other people had the same problem.”
Where to buy: Available online at theice3.com or on cascadeoutfitters.com, the P3 Ice Cube is also available at select Canadian Tire and True Value Hardware stores. See theice3.com site for dealers in your area.
Cost: $20-$29.95 (depending on where you buy it from).
Solar panels
Solar panels are becoming more mainstream in today’s RV world as people search for a silent solution to their energy needs. A generator requires constant fueling; can be noisy and may be subject to usage guidelines depending on the campground. For the same amount of money you can purchase a solar-powered system that can be installed and hardwired right into your electrical system--and then ignored.
In Morinville, about 10-15 minutes outside of Edmonton, RV City offers a wide spectrum of wattage from 80 to 125 as well as service technicians on-site to install and service your solar choice. All you need to know is the type of power consumption you use when dry camping, in order to pick the wattage that would best suit your needs.
“Costs vary dependent on the size of the solar panel itself,” said salesman John Mudryk. “But installed one can usually look at around $1000 for an 80 watt system, which will supply a slow regular trickle to keep your battery charged and keep the lights on. For $1100 you can upgrade to 95 watts, which will allow you to watch a movie with a TV and DVD player plugged in, while $1250 for a 125-watt system will see you able to run your microwave and all other 110 volt items--though usually just one at a time.
Where buyers need to beware, Mudryk said, is in choosing the right panel. To ensure you’ve purchased a good-quality, long-lasting panel, look for a blue or black tint to solar cells. Typically, said Mudryk, a brown tint will usually indicate a lesser-quality photo cell with a life expectancy of less than three years, whereas the blue or black tinted cells will give you double that lifetime.
Where to buy: RV City, Morinville, Alberta (rvcity.ab.ca), or other reputable solar panel dealers.
Cost: Price of panels vary considerably, from $700-$1200.
