Camco Water Bandit Alternative (Campground Spigot Adapters)
When you have no threads, the Camco Water bandit comes to the rescue. Designed to fit basically any water faucet this adapter makes sure you can hook up to an outdoor faucet no matter where you are. It is a great device when you have one on hand but if you don’t, then you need a back up option.
There are not that many alternatives on the market at this time. Give people some more time to make one though. In the meantime, you can use a standard hose clamp to make the connection you need to make and not waste any water.
To learn more about the alternatives to this device, just continue to read our article. It explores the topic to see if there are any options for you instead of buying a Camco Water Bandit. The news may not be good though but take a few minutes anyways and see what you can use.
Camco Water Bandit Alternative
So far, we have found only three good options with the first one having a few varieties to it.
1. The standard hose clamp- this is a piece of metal that is tightened by turning a screw. You just need to cut off the male end of the hose about 6 inches or so and slip the hose clamp over the cut end.
Then put both over the spigot and tighten the clamp until no water can escape. It is simple to use and all you will need will be a utility knife and a screwdriver.
2. The hose clamp variation- what this option does is remove the need for the screwdriver. It comes with a key-like tightening device attached. The process is the same and once you get the hose and clamp in place, you just turn the key-like handle and it is done
3. PurSec universal adapter- you can find this device at Amazon and it uses the hose clamp with a threaded side to get your hose attached to the faucet. Attach your hose to the threaded side and then place the other side over the faucet.
Then tighten the hose clamp device at the top of this adapter and you should be fine. It is said to fit every faucet possible.
4. Unger water hose adapter- this is an old-fashioned design that works well. The one end fits over almost any faucet and seals air tight or water tight. When placed in position correctly, water should not come out.
What makes this one different is that it comes with a 6-foot hose attached to it. That means if you are close enough you can fill your freshwater tank safely and without spilling any water.
If not, then you have to fill the buckets and do it the hard way. It may be possible to transfer the faucet end to a regular hose if you need more length.
Campground Water Spigot Adapter Options
We got some good news and some bad news for you. The good news is that there are alternatives to the Camco Water bandit adapter. The bad news is we already gave you all those alternatives in the previous section.
We have searched for different options and when devices like this hit the market, someone already has an alternative designed to compete with the original. Not in this case.
In our research, no one has changed the name of the adapter to make it an off-brand and cheaper model. Nor have they come up with their own designs. One would think that since Unger’s model has been on the market for decades, someone would have come up with a tweak to make it better.
The only companies that have done that are Camco with its water bandit and PurSec with its adapter design. The hose clamp has been around longer than Unger’s design and it is the perfect way to connect your hose to an unwilling faucet.
The adapters at Amazon and individual websites all have threads to them. They come in some great designs and may work when your hose is too big or small for some campground faucets but they are not like the Camco edition.
What Does a Camco Water Bandit Do?
The primary purpose of the Camco Water Bandit is to allow you to hook your freshwater hose to a faucet that has no threads or stripped threads. This device makes connecting to an ongoing water supply simple and easy.
The sleeve is 3 and 1/4 inches long and slides over the faucet end with ease. Once it is in place water should not escape and when you are ready to leave the campground, it should slide off nice and easily.
This adapter should help you conserve water and make sure you have enough sent to your RV or trailer. Plus, it stores away in small places when not needed. When you have storage issues, this device should not take up a lot of space. You can leave it on your hose if you want.
What makes this even better is its cost. In most places, it is either under $10 or under $15. Getting this device is not going to harm your budget.
How do You Use The Camco Water Bandit?
The good part about owning this device is that it is not complicated to use. It is a simple process that should only take a couple of minutes to put on and take off. Which method you use is up to you.
You can either use the threaded end first and attach it to your hose then slide the Water Bandit in place on the faucet. Once it is on, turn the faucet on and you are good to go.
The other way you can attach this device is to slide it over the faucet first. Then attach your hose to it and turn the faucet on. This may be the easier of the two ways for some people but both methods make sure you do not waste any water.
The ribs inside are not for threads but for a secure grip when attached to the faucet. The threaded end has interior and exterior threads to adapt to which end of the hose you want to use.
How do You Make a Water Bandit?
If you are a handy man who likes to work with his hands, then this is not a problem. All you will need is a hose, a knife, a screwdriver, and a hose clamp. This is a very straight forward task to do.
Get your spare hose don’t use your primary one, and cut off the threaded end you do not need. Then place the hose clamp over that end and use your screwdriver to slightly tighten the clamp.
You just want it tight enough so that it won’t slide off when not in use. The length of the hose should be long enough to reach your city water inlet connection so do not cut off too much and do not use a short hose.
You will be losing about 6 to 7 inches in length so make sure the hose is long enough. Once you are done, all you need to do is find a good storage spot for the hose and its new water bandit.
This project should not take you longer than 10 to 15 minutes to do, if that.
Water Thief Hose Adapter
You can find the Camco Water Bandit on sale just about anywhere RV supplies and accessories are sold. Camping World advertises them as do other RV outlets. We did not check the price at any of those places though.
You are going to find that Amazon has a wide selection of this and other Camco products. That marketplace has some good prices as well. Also, you can look at Camco’s online store to buy this product.
Just be careful when you attach it to a faucet with no threads. Those faucets generally are not to be used for filling freshwater tanks. Some people may consider hooking it up and using the water as stealing.
It is not a good idea to attach the Water Bandit to a non-threaded faucet, especially when there are other campers waiting in line to get water. Try to avoid using it when the situation may seem like you are committing a crime.
Other than that, this is a great device to have in your storage area when you have problems connecting your hose to the campground faucet.
Some Final Words
RV life can be exciting. The reason we say that is because you get to use and buy great devices like the Camco Water Bandit. These handy little adapters make sure your RV life is smoother and more enjoyable.
They take the worry out of connecting the water supply to your RV. Plus, they are easy to use and not that expensive. Try one out for yourself and see how much of a difference it makes for you.
