We’ve been using various solution to rinse things, dogs and ourselves off for years. Whether we just got done surfing or the grandkids were full of sand or the dogs just ran through mud puddles, it seems that cleaning things off became an everyday need.
Before we went the portable shower route we tried many different solutions, some worked but some fell really short. Surfing first thing in the morning is great way to start the day, but it usually means we need to go somewhere afterwards. It used to be pretty easy as the breaks we usually surf had public showers for rinsing our boards and ourselves. But the water crisis hit California a few years ago and they turned off the showers. Ouch! So, we went with the leftover washing machine soap container, as the water jug to dump over our head. It didn’t take long to realize no matter how much you rinse it out, you still smell like concentrated soap. Then onto the Surf Jugs. More water, no smell, and they proved great at pouring a bunch of water on ourselves, but not very good for getting everywhere else that needed rinsing. We saw the fancy folks with a pressurized portable showers and wondered.
We have two dogs, Golden-doodles and they love to play, especially on the wet grass or in the dirt. Almost 100% of this takes place away from home. So, we need to get them cleaned up before throwing them in the truck or packing them back into the RV. We tried little bins for them to step in and we could splash water on their paws and undersides. We tried those doggie mugs that you put each paw in, one at a time, and rinse them like you clean a golf ball. We tried spray bottles and numerous other DIY devices, none of them did a very good job. Then there were the wet towels, well, that’s why we invented the DryRack, but that’s a different story.
Getting gear back into the RV after an adventure is always an unpleasant job. Everything needs to go back in its place or it just doesn’t work. We used to just cram everything in and worry about it when we got back, but I found that I’d spend an incredible amount of time unpacking BBQs, paddle boards, bikes, snorkels, fins, masks, life jackets, floaties and more. I’d need to rinse them off, let them dry, and then have to clean out the storage compartments as they were full of dirt also. I knew we needed to do this differently.
Oh, did I mention our four grandkids under the age of 8? I don’t understand the physics of how a 4-year-old who weighs about 40 pounds can bring about 10 pounds of sand with them from the beach. If you wait to clean them at home, you end up with a beach entry to your shower and a desire to trade in the SUV. Disgusting. Did I mention that they go to the beach about 5x a week?
These situations are the basis of why we started Malo’o. We thought we had the rinsing-off solutions working but really need to solve the wet gear and towel issue. We solved the drying rack issue with the DryRack and went further with our Waterproof Backpacks so you could carry the wet gear until you had a chance to use the rack. The backpacks were also perfect keeping our items dry while on adventure. But back to the wonder of a portable shower.
With drying and storage solved, we looked into other options for rinsing. It became apparent that the big difference in all the solutions was pressure. Pressurized water rinses things off better. There are a few major players in the pressurized portable shower or camping shower space. Big Kahuna, Nemo Helio, Road Shower 4, WaterPORT and RinseKit.
We’ve had an opportunity to play with all of them. Each has its own utility or fit. Road Shower 4 and WaterPORT are great for mounting to vehicles. The Big Kahuna is great for a job site and the Helio has great capacity but you need to pump it. We were looking for ease of use, portability, pressure and the ability for it to work for surfing, outdoor gear, dogs and grandkids. RinseKit was out choice and we’re very happy with it.
We purchased the Plus, a 2-gallon portable shower that will provide about 5 minutes of shower time. It has been great for all of our needs and we’ve even used it when we go fishing, wake surfing and hiking. The best part of the RinseKit is that it pressurizes directly from your home. Attach the RinseKit hose bib to your garden faucet or sink and it will fill and pressurize the RinseKit. There is a little secret to keeping the RinseKit pressurized. When filling the RinseKit, you’ll hear the water going in. After it sounds like it is full, let it go another 30 seconds and then close the water on/off on the RinseKit BEFORE turning off the faucet or sink. If you close the faucet or sink first, you let pressure escape and you’ll get a weak stream at the end of your two gallons. In the winter we fill it with hot water and it stays warm for hours.
A month or so ago, a friend of mine got the new RinseKit POD. It is very compact and only ¼ gallon smaller that the original. After playing with it, we knew it was a winner and wanted to share it with our customers. I’m happy to announce that we are now a RinseKit reseller. We now have the perfect Rinse & Dry solution for outdoor adventurers everywhere…and for surfing, grandkids, dogs and outdoor gear!
