Today’s gadget review is of the Dump Buddy. What’s a Dump Buddy? Essentially what this thing is is a plastic collar that goes around a sewer pipe in the ground and then another one that goes around your sewer hose. You simply use the knob to tighten the collar around the sewer pipe and then flip up the second collar and tighten that around the sewer hose.

There is a rubbery material that helps everything stay in place and the Dump Buddy’s locking knobs complete the process.

The idea of this gadget is to very securely hold your sewer hose in place when you’re getting rid of all those political promises you’ve created during your camping trip. That’s it.

I wish I had thought of that

Every once in a while someone will come up with something that is so game changing, I think it should be in every RV. That’s not something I write lightly but the Dump Buddy is simply one of those items that you. Must. Have.

I get a lot of gadgets in the mail from a lot of companies who want me to share them with you. There are some that are so ridiculous that I just don’t write the story. I do tell people, if you’re going to send me something, expect me to be honest.

And, quite honestly, I would absolutely recommend this little gadget.

Why not a rock/foot/lid/anvil?

What I like about the actual Dump Buddy device itself is that it’s really light. It’s basically all plastic although it’s durable enough that it should last a good while if you take care of it.

Instead of using something weighty to accomplish this task, this seems much more secure. Further, the likelihood that you’re going to have that rock slip off right when the black tank is at full force is a reality. Whether this happens depends on how many people are behind you at the dump station and how long they have to wait while you clean up that mess.

Ew.

I had my travel trailer weighed and I was way, way over weight so the weight of anything that now gets added to my collection of gadgets in the trailer is important. This thing is light and it will go easily in the plastic tote with all the other dump supplies including the 90° clear dump fitting, the gloves and all of that stuff.

There’s more

The Dump Buddy comes with a mesh bag and then a pretty fancy zippered case. Frankly, it’s never going to see the inside of that case ever again. Once my Dump Buddy encountered its first sewer pipe it gave up any hope of seeing that nice case, but the mesh bag will stay.

The Dump Buddy will accommodate sewer pipes from 3.9” to 5.75” in outside diameter.

Honestly there has always been a bit of anxiety when dumping because you’re over at the valves and the other end of the hose has every intention of replicating Old Facefull if there is the most remote chance that anybody’s watching. The longer the hose you’re using (I’ve used all three of my Rhino hoses together in some situations) the more likely there will be a reenactment of Mount Vesuvius with seemingly equal dire consequences.

The down side

Of course no gadget is perfect and know that, if the sewer pipe is not extended above the ground, there will be nothing for the Dump Buddy to grab onto. I’ve been at more than one RV dump station where the place to put your sewer hose in is simply recessed completely in the ground. That’s when the old-fashioned rock or whatever other weighted thing is around comes into play.

This little plastic collar gadget honestly completely has eliminated that anxiety and I absolutely think it’s a brilliant solution to a problem every RVer has.

As for the gross factor, this is all plastic so you can spritz it with a cleaner after using it if you choose to, or just rinse it off.

A stand up company

As mentioned I got the original Dump Buddy to review a while back. Over the weekend I went to the post office box and saw that they had sent a new, revised version. It seems that the locking mechanisms on the valves have been improved and they’re easier to operate.

Whatever the case I can’t imagine not having this now that I have it. I would absolutely add this to the “must have” RV gadget.