“A portable shower in a box.” That’s one description of the RinseKit, a pressurized water tank with a hose hidden inside.
It opens like a toolbox. The company markets the $90 unit to surfers, fishermen, campers, and anyone who needs a spout off the grid.
You fill it up at home, connecting the RinseKit to your garden hose with an included attachment piece. Add up to two gallons of tap water to the box, which then can be squirted out for a couple minutes before the reservoir goes dry.
No batteries are required, no pumping is involved. Water pressure from your home is essentially transferred into the RinseKit.
An internal reservoir expands to “store” the pressure, which is then unleashed when you push the spray button. The box has a chamber that maintains about 65 psi of water pressure, guaranteeing a healthy spray.
For its price tag ($90) the RinseKit may seem a bit much for portable water. Obviously you can carry a couple gallons of water in jugs in your car for free.
But having water pressure is a nicety for anyone tired of dealing with sand, grit, mud, and other debris that a squirt or stream of water could easily wash away.
Spray Test
I tested it out over a month and was happy with the product. The RinseKit, invented by a surfer in California, is well-built and easy to use. It has come in handy across a range of outdoor activities.
At a beach, the hose is long enough for an ad hoc car shower. For camping you can use it to wash dishes. Or spray off a dirty mountain bike after a muddy trail day.
The hose head is a garden-style sprayer with settings from a light mist to a muddy-bike-cleaning “jet” mode. You do need to conserve the water, as it drains quickly on the high-power settings.
But its banked two gallons will last for up to three minutes of constant spray when set to a shower mode.
Kit Breakdown
There’s a built-in ruler to measure fish. A solid handle folds up for carrying, and the hose coils to tuck inside when not in use.
The box weighs about 24 pounds when full of water. It sits in the back of my family van pressurized and at the ready.
We were doubtful that this product was really needed at first, and truthfully it’s not so much of a “need” as a “want.”
But after using the RinseKit, we must concede it is a nice luxury at the trailhead or beach and a product that will be useful for those who can use a little pressurized water away from civilization.
