2022 Best New Product/Accessory finalists announced

The six contenders for the 2022 caravancampingsales Innovation Awards' Best New Product/Accessory category

We've announced the finalists for Best New RV in the 2022 caravancampingsales Innovation Awards, and now it's time to reveal the six contenders for the Best New Product/Accessory category.

Once again, there's plenty of clever design and creative thinking on display, from a dog restraint system for caravanners and a tough toilet roll holder for bush campers, to an inflatable 'swag' tent and super-quick pull-out vehicle awning.

Tapping into the post-lockdown RV and camping boom, there are also two really smart kits that turn your delivery van into a week-end camper in a matter of minutes.

The finalists for the remaining two categories will be announced in coming weeks, with the four category winners for this year's caravancampingsales Innovation Awards to be announced in early December... (for more about the Innovation Awards, click here.)

Q-Box Camping Module

Euro-built Q-Box slots neatly into many commercial vans

It's not cheap but the Q-Box Camping Module that arrived down under from Europe earlier this year is a really neat solution for those owners who want their workday van to double as a recreational camper on the weekend.

The portable, all-in-one kitchen, storage and sleeping solution, slots into the back of many popular commercial vans and van-based people movers, and includes a fold-up mattress, drawers and storage space for a fridge, cooker and other camping equipment, along with a kitchen sink and 20 litres water storage.

Built to last, it all folds up neatly when not in use and has fold-away handles on its sides to help lift it in and out of the van.

Zippet Pet Restraint

Zippet is an 'active' dog restraint system for around your caravan

Tapping into the booming pet-pampering market, the Zippet premium dog restraint system is a funky and functional way to allow your fur babies some freedom while still keeping them restrained at the caravan park.

The stylish product is designed to easily fit on a caravan awning, and provides a 'zip-line' for your leashed dog to enjoy up to "32 square metres of happy pet frolicking", according to the makers.

There's also a version for tent campers that screws into the ground using special pegs.

Woof, woof!

Dunny Buddy

The newly arrived 'Dunny Buddy' is another clever bit of Aussie camping ingenuity, with a catchy name to boot!

Designed and manufactured in Australia for 'adventurous bums', it's purpose-built to dispense the desired amount of toilet paper needed without having to remove the roll from its lightweight protective case.

Clever design features include a two-piece positive locking body and end cap for quick and easy replacement of toilet rolls, and a sliding lockable window for easy access to the paper while protecting it when not in use.

Dometic Airtents

Dometic Pico 'swag' tent is packed with innovative features

Air frame technology for tents has come a long way in recent years, and Dometic is leading the way with its new range of lightweight tents that come packed with innovative features.

For example, the new environmentally friendly Dometic Reunion FTG REDUX tent is made almost entirely from recycled PET bottles, while the Santorini tent features an over-sized mesh ventilation panel at the back with a gusseted cover to allow constant air flow, even when raining.

Then there's the cute Pico inflatable 'swag' tent which includes a built-in inflatable mattress and packs away neatly in a backpack-style bag, for easier transport.

Crosswing quick awning

Crosswing is the world's first '3 second' awning

Any product that reduces your set-up time at camp is a good thing in our books, so American outdoors equipment group Kammock deserves some recognition with the release of its Crosswing '3 second' awning, which it claims is the 'fastest deploying awning' on the market.

The Crosswing is available in five foot and seven foot lengths, and mounts on the vehicle's cross bars for quick deployment wherever you pull up and need some shade or extra cover.

It's made from hard-wearing polyester fabric and aluminium, and Kammock says the cantilevered design eliminates the need for support legs, while the free-standing awning is designed to withstand winds of up to 40km/h.

Fin Camper Conversions

Fin Campers' kits turn humble work vans into week-end campervans

Another Aussie start-up tapping into the 'vanlife' craze, Victorian-based Fin Campers offers 'plug and play' removable camper kits for owners of Volkswagen Transporter commercial vans and soon, Toyota Hiace models.

Depending on the amount of space you have to play with and your budget, there are a number of smartly designed kitchen, bed and storage options that can turn the van's empty rear cargo space into a camping-mobile within minutes.

The modular units are manufactured using lightweight birch timber, and are relatively easy to remove when you want to use the van's cargo space for something else, with just a few bolts that screw into floor-mounted anchor points to hold the Flex Bed modules in place, for example.