Dometic knows its way around RV appliances like few other brands on the planet. Lately, it's been stepping out of the RV with gear meant to roam around the campground. Its all-new HYD water canister-based faucet system carries as easily in a subcompact car trunk as it does a Class A motorhome and can be used in, on or outside the vehicle. Not only does it serve as a convenient off-grid faucet, it plays nicely with filtration and purification systems, keeping the fresh water as long as the trip.
The two-part HYD system starts with the rotomolded 11-L HYD-J11 water jug, which Dometic presents as a reimagined alternative to the classic water jerry can. Dometic says it optimized the shape for transport and added in tie-down notches for better security. The inclusion of both a quick-connect CPC port and a 63-mm Nalgene spout adds versatility and prevents cross contamination when filling up from a natural source. Users can pour water out the old-fashioned way, relying on the handhold on the base for grip, or position the jug on its side and use the screw-on spigot with shut-off valve.
To turn the HYD-J11 into a fully functional off-grid powered faucet, buyers will need to add on the HYD-WF. The handheld-size faucet includes an integrated battery and pump that push out 150 liters of water per charge, plugging into a USB port to re-power. The faucet pours a single liter of water in 60 seconds and includes an auto shut-off to cut flow after that time, letting camp cooks fill up a pot or bottle without having to hover over it. An auto light turns on with the water flow, convenient for nighttime use.
Instead of screwing directly atop the HYD jug, the WF faucet connects via a hose into the hydration pack-style CPC port. The faucet's magnetic base easily sticks to a magnetic surface like the side of your SUV or to a non-magnetic surface using the included adhesive-back magnetic pad. An integrated pre-filter on the internal hose feeding the CPC port pulls out any dirt, dust or grit that might otherwise find its way to the faucet and into your cup.
Dometic doesn't appear to have planned a HYD basin to finish off a full sink, but it'd be quite easy to use the HYD faucet with a collapsible camping sink basin or small bowl to create a more refined version of the water jug sinks included on some simple RVs and camper-in-a-box kits.
The J11 jug works seamlessly with Nalgene-compatible filters and purifiers so campers can use something like the MSR Guardian to pull in water from natural sources, making it fully potable as they pump. That's a particularly handy feature for those who take long, remote trips off-grid and risk running out of water, making the Dometic HYD + filter a functional alternative to something like the LifeSaver Jerrycan.
When it comes time to clean the J11 out, the cap on which the CPC port is located unscrews to reveal an opening large enough to fit a hand through, a thoughtful feature that you don't find on the typical jerry can. This will make it much easier to go in and scrub it right down to the most distant corner.
The US$69.99 HYD-J11 jug and $99.99 HYD-WF faucet will launch in Spring '22 as part of the new Dometic Go lineup that will also include hard and soft storage solutions, camp furniture, lighting and more. We'll look at some of the other Dometic Go products in the future.
The J11 jug is priced comparably to other high-end rugged water canisters, such as the $67 Front Runner (now owned by Dometic) 20-L jerry can or $55 RotoPax 7.6-L rotomolded canister. It's several times more expensive than cheap camping jugs, such as the $24 Reliance 26-L Jumbo-Tainer we've been using for camping and water collection for several years, but it also has a sturdier construction and more features — cleaning the Reliance canister would be much easier with Dometic's arm-width opening!
A Dometic rep takes a closer look at the ins and outs of the HYD system below.
Source: Dometic
The Chinese copy-cat factories will have their version in production next month, 6 months before Dometic launches market sales. And while certainly not as hardy in construction, the copies will incorporate both devices for $50 or less. Not everyone needs overland durability for their camping.