The Camco Water Bandit, a $9 gadget, is one of the handiest RVing accessories you can buy. Few things are more annoying than trying to screw a hose onto a dirty water spigot that has broken or missing threads.
That’s why we love the RV Water Bandit so much — it eliminates headaches from broken spigots and helps stop leaking hose connections.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes it so helpful.
What Is the Camco Water Bandit and What Does It Do?
The Camco Water Bandit helps you attach your hose to water sources you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. The Water Bandit can attach to broken spigots, other hoses, spigots with stripped threads, and more. It helps you quickly attach to a water faucet or spigot and prevents leaks that come from loose or dirty connections and missing threads.
Why Your RV Needs a Water Bandit
The Water Bandit should be an accessory in every RVer’s arsenal. It’s so handy and cheap. Here are the top reasons you should have this accessory.
It’s Affordable
First: it’s affordable. Like, super affordable. The Water Bandit goes for less than $10 on almost all online retailers. You can rarely find an RV accessory that’s so useful yet so cheap. While reading Amazon reviews, one customer noted that he’s used his consistently for nine years and only now needs to replace it.
Connects Even with Stripped Threads
This Water Bandit for your RV helps you connect to any spigot, hose, or faucet, even if the threads have gotten stripped. Stripped threads are not only a pain in the neck, but they also cause unnecessary water leakage.
The Water Bandit uses a waterproof rubber that covers the threads.
Pro Tip: Water leakage and damage can cost you lots of money in repairs, so we found out where to look first to catch it before it’s too late. Save yourself repairs and money by reading: RV Water Damage Will Show Up Here First.
Fits Any Standard Size Spigot
This device acts like a rubber quick-connect for your water hoses. It’ll fit any standard-sized spigot. It’s also useful for attaching to faucets. This device can help you fill your freshwater tank from places that might have been off-limits before, like sinks (if you have a long enough hose).
Eliminates Leaks
Stripped and dirty spigot threads cause leaks. In the long term, these leaks mean a lot of wasted water. But the Water Bandit uses a snug and waterproof rubber material, so your days of worrying about a leaky hose connection are over.
Low-Lead Content Certified
You can use the Water Bandit on your potable water hose because this product complies with low-lead content laws. That offers assurance and safety all in one.
Did You Know: Camco also makes excellent sewer hoses too! Read more to find out where Camco ranks in RV Sewer Hose: Decent, Better, and Best.
Are There Any Disadvantages to the Water Bandit?
There’s just one real disadvantage to the Water Bandit and a few customer complaints. We think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
Not Great for Highly Pressurized Connections
Since the Water Bandit uses rubberized material and doesn’t screw onto the spigot or faucet, it isn’t great for pressurized situations. But that hasn’t stopped people from buying it and coming up with their own handy solutions.
By attaching an easy-to-use hose clamp on the outside of the Water Bandit, you can attach it to any spigot or faucet. This creates a water-tight seal that can withstand high water pressure and still goes on easier than trying to screw a hose onto a broken spigot.
What Others Have to Say
You don’t have to take our word for it. Here are a few raving customer reviews for the Water Bandit on Amazon.
Hans says:
“I was told by an RVer that this was a tool/product that I should have in my travel trailer. He wasn’t wrong. On our [six] month trip from Arizona to Alaska, we used it numerous times. It is useful when the faucet has [no] threads. But we also used it on our [six]-gal. water jugs to attach a spout and refill our trailer when we weren’t near a faucet.
I recommend that you install two hose clamps on it though, one at the metal screw hose end and one on the open rubber end.”
Another rave review from Terry, who “ordered the Water Bandit after failing to be able to hook the potable water hose for our travel trailer because the spigot was not threaded. We were forced to go to another water source a distance away to refill the tank.
We ordered the Water Bandit and later returned to the same water spigot to give it a try. It worked exactly as described by the supplier. The hose must remain open when using the device because pressure building up in the hose forces it to “blow off” the spigot, but it works perfectly if the hose remains open. [it] also works great in the tall red lever type water source used in most National Forest campgrounds. Very Helpful tool!!”
Why You Won’t Regret Owning a Camco Water Bandit
Nobody wants to arrive at a campground and find that you can’t attach your hose to your water spigot. And what about those times when you need water fast but only have a sink to fill from?
The Water Bandit isn’t just great for RVers, either. There are just as many reviews from homeowners who love this tool to help them water their plants and fill pools from their kitchen sink. Have you ever tried the Water Bandit? What did you think?
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Because of the name, there’s an unfortunate misperception among some folks that the Water Bandit is for stealing water. Always ask for permission if you’re unsure! And some think any faucet that needs a Water Bandit is sketchy water. Not so, but always use an inline filter anyway.