2023 Best New Safety Feature finalists announced

We've already announced the contenders for Best New RV and Best New Product/Accessory in the 2023 caravancampingsales Innovation Awards, and now it's time to reveal the six finalists in the Best New Safety Feature category.

All nominees for this year's Best New Safety Feature Award represent significant advances in the area of RV safety and security, with contenders including a trick new Aussie-designed 'anti-sway' caravan coupling, and a clever homegrown hub that addresses the issue of being stranded along the side of the road with a failed caravan wheel bearing.

Also included in this year's shortlist is a battery-powered transfer kit that makes it easier to top up water supplies when off-grid camping; a smart Aussie invention that remotely monitors the temperature of trailer wheel bearings while on the go; new thief-proof hardened-steel caravan wheel clamps, and a Queensland-based free caravan safety check program.

After our expert judging panel puts in their final votes, the four category winners for the 2023 caravancampingsales Innovation Awards will be announced in early-December.

Spartan Hub

Unveiled at this year's Victorian Caravan Supershow, the Spartan Hub from Queensland-based Spartan Innovations, promises to make roadside strandings due to failed caravan or camper trailer wheel bearings a thing of the past.

The Spartan Hub is essentially a sealed and maintenance-free hub unit that attaches a trailer’s wheel to the axle. While its double seal arrangement ensures dirt and water are kept at bay from its pre-greased and pre-set bearings, if the unit ever does fail the wheel can be taken off in a flash by simply removing four bolts, and then replaced by a spare also fitted with a Spartan Hub.

The end result is added peace of mind when travelling around, and no more greasy messing around trying to repack new bearings by the side of the road.

Tow Guardian

Developed by South Australia based RED Automotive Technologies, Tow Guardian is still in prototype form but if it makes it into production it's set to transform caravan towing by eliminating the possibility of trailer sway on a conventional caravan set-up.

Not so much a hitch as a complete trailer towing system, the Tow Guardian prototype incorporates an integrated brake controller, a weight distribution system, and an automatic jockey wheel.

It's designed to deliver similar stability to a fifth-wheel set-up, and utilises two pivoting links that place a ‘virtual pivot’ just over a metre forward of the hitching point, replacing a traditional tow ball or any other conventional hitch.

Its makers say the Tow Guardian will also offer faster and easier hitching and unhitching.

12V Adventure Pump

This family-owned Queensland business has come up with a neat solution to make it both simpler and quicker to fill up the jerries or caravan water tanks when off-grid camping.

The Adventure Pumps kits are specifically designed for the RV market and comprise two elements: a rapid-fill hose kit for filling up your water containers at the water point, and another food-grade hose with integrated 12V submersible water transfer pump, for transferring the collected water to your caravan’s water tanks.

The affordable, all-in-one kits are designed to transfer potable or salt water and diesel fuel, and there's also the option of a high-flow water hose. 

Wheel Sensei

This user-friendly Aussie invention allows the driver to monitor the temperature of their trailer's wheel bearings while on the move in order to detect a potential failure before it happens.

The patented wireless system works by replacing each trailer wheel dust cap with one of the ‘smart’ Wheel Sensei caps which then monitor ‘real time’ temperature changes within the wheel bearing hub and relay the information via Bluetooth to a smartphone app.

Built to last, the hands-free system automatically starts up once the trailer wheels start moving, and there are various options available for different trailers and wheel sizes.

FullStop

We're big fans of the high-strength caravan security devices available from Purpleline Australia, and the latest FullStop anti-theft products feature a familiar design to help keep your precious caravan out of unwanted hands.

The two new brightly painted high-security wheel clamps are made from hardened composite steel, and include a 7-Pin cylinder lock that Purpleline says is resistant to cutting, picking, drilling and freezing.

They also promise quick and easy installation, with the FullStop Gemini clamping two wheels together using receiver nut attachments, while the FullStop Nemesis Pro also attaches to the wheel using a receiver nut, with a cover that prevents wheel removal.

VanSafe

Free RV and towing inspections run by state-based caravanning bodies are nothing new, but Caravanning Queensland in conjunction with the Queensland Government is arguably leading the way with its popular and accessible 'VanSafe' program.

Designed to help reduce RV-related accidents, the no-cost caravan weight and safety education sessions are open to caravan, camper trailer and motorhome owners, and include an RV combination weight and safety inspection, towing masterclass, expert advice and towing and safety product displays.

No fines are issued for any non-compliant or overweight rigs, with 14 VanSafe events scheduled throughout 2023, held at various locations around the state.