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Back when the Outdoor Retailer shows were in Salt Lake City, we used to attend all the time. It was a blast scouting the show for products that would be useful for RVers, and we’ve found some of our must-have accessories there. But since the show moved to Denver, Colorado, we hadn’t been able to attend. Sadness.
Well that changed this summer. The stars aligned, we were going to be traveling in Colorado, and I was determined to get back into the show for my fix of cool new products (and swag). The show was last week, and this video is the result:
There are NINE DIFFERENT VENDORS highlighted in the video. Some of them, you may have seen before here on The Fit RV, but they came to the show with new products – so they made the list again. I know you’re going to want links to where you can buy all this stuff, so without any further ado, here they are, in order of appearance
- Chilly Dog Sweaters – There were a LOT of dogs at this show. The dogs even had their own badges. So it’s not surprising that there were a lot of dog products at the show. But what made Chilly Dog stand out to me was that they were the ONLY exhibitor at the show that had a product for cats! Mel’s favorite new catnip toys are Chilly Dog products. And even though we don’t have a dog, their line of whimsical dog sweaters had me smiling.
- Scrubba – We’ve gone in-depth with Scrubba here on The Fit RV before. Their wash bag passed my nasty-cycling-shorts-torture-test, and has earned a permanent place in our RVs. Since that time, they’ve been busy, and have come out with several new products. They have a smaller wash bag, which would work great for the ultra-light trekking crowd. They’ve got a wallet that’s perfect for cycling (and is made from offcuts of their wash bags). And they have a laptop or tablet Air Sleeve that doubles as a pillow (Stef loves hers).
- Stasher Silicone Storage Bags – Reducing the amount of single-use plastics you use was a big theme at this year’s OR. If you’re looking to reduce the amount of plastic zip-seal bags you plow through, then these silicone storage bags from Stasher are a great alternative. They’re freezer, microwave, boil, and and dishwasher safe. Their pinch-seal zipper works just as well as any disposable bag we’ve seen, and best of all – they have a model that STANDS UP! That makes it great for food storage in the RV (or storage of anything really), since they pack down smaller than your typical plastic storage.
- Lil Sucker – This is a product that – as soon as you see it – you immediately understand it, want it, and wish you had thought of it. It’s basically a cupholder that works ANYWHERE. Any flat surface. No drilling large holes required. Think of the possibilities in the RV! We picked a few up because I sometimes work at the dinette while Stef drives and this will keep a beverage from bouncing off the table. Genius! If you’ve thought about drilling a cup holder, stop… and get one of these instead.
- Grease Monkey Wipes – I’ve actually been using these for years to keep our bikes clean when we’re on the road, but this is the first time I’d seen them at Outdoor Retailer. These wipes are literally all I need to keep our bikes clean on the road. If you find yourself working on an engine, a trailer, an ATV, or anything greasy and dirty, Grease Monkey Wipes are about to be your new best friend when you don’t have access to pumice soap and Goop. I’ve been buying the canisters of wipes forever, but apparently they sell single-packs now as well.
- Lunatec – had three different products that we thought RVers should know about. First were their odor-free dishcloths that dry so quickly… they can’t get nasty. Perfect for the RV. Then, they had a slightly larger and slightly softer version that makes a great washcloth. Again with the same super-fast-drying properties so you never have to stick your face in a funky-smelling washcloth. Both of these cloths had hanging loops, so they’re Command Hook friendly. Finally, there was the Lunatec Aquabot – a water bottle that doubles/triples/quadruples as a hose, mister, and shower. Imagine the possibilities! Imagine how wet you might get if you camp next to me this summer! HA!
- Showaflops – We’ve seen Showaflops at the OR show before. We’ve picked up a couple pair ourselves, and we’ve darn near worn them out we use them so often. They’ve become another permanent fixture in our RV and we won’t go to a campground shower without them. We’ll be getting more. But this year, they’ve come up with new water-friendly footwear that are incredibly light. Best of all, they don’t look like the typical water shoes, so you could wear them to the movies or something.
- CGEAR – Another returning Outdoor Retailer exhibitor with new products. We reviewed their sand-free mats a while ago, and now travel with one in our own rig. Every time (because I hate sand). This time around, CGEAR have developed their Sandlite blankets. These are softer and more akin to a beach blanket. They should be easier to lie on if you were crazy enough to lie on sand… (like Stef.) And finally, they have the CGEAR Sand-free Towel. Besides being sand-free, these seem soft enough that you could actually use them as towels. Incredibly fast drying towels. (Which are a bigger deal than you think when you don’t have much space or airflow to hang them up to dry!)
- Nite Ize – Has far too many products to list that could be useful for RVers. But here are the three that you see in the video: First, there are the Gear Ties, which are a great thing if you’re “knot challenged” like me. Once you see them, you’ll immediately think of a time they could have helped you… when you were coming home from the home center… with something too long smashing from side to side in your truck… because you suck at knots… Not that I know anything about that. You’ll also see one of their Radiant series lanterns in the video. This caught my eye because it featured an amber light. NOT BLUE like most LED lanterns, which means it’s better for night use. Finally, you’ll see their Runoff line of packing cubes, pouches, and wallets. And yes, I picked up the biggest one I could find for Stef’s toiletries. 😉
Whew! There you have it. Now you have a shopping list for the coolest stuff we found for RVers at this year’s Outdoor Retailer show.
See you on the road (hopefully with cool new gear)!
I thought a while back I saw a video with you using magnetic rear window shades. I can’t find the link. Was this your site?
Yes, you did.
The post you’re looking for is here: Vanmade Shades
You guys are great… finding the real nuggets at a show is hard work. Thanks for saving all of us some time and, as always… prividing news we can use.
Let the ordering begin with your amazon quick links….before they are all sold out….
The Outdoor Retailer YouTube was most excellent. I bet you could have done three or four YouTubes from that one show!!
Well done. I love the video work, the audio and editing.
Thanks!
You look adorable, Steph, the whole look. I totally bought that dress. Thanks for the link!
Oh Carleen, how fun you bought the dress!!! I’m thrilled to hear it, it’s such a pretty (and comfy!) thing. For those of you wondering, the dress I’m wearing in the vid is courtesy of our clothing sponsor “Aventura”…
Their website is: https://aventuraclothing.com/ and the link direct to the dress I’m wearing is HERE: https://aventuraclothing.com/laney-dress-p73226 🙂