See our custom 3D printed hand soap and sanitizer containers in our stores: Etsy Store www.etsy.com/shop/DownsizingMakesCents/ eBay store www.ebay.com/str/downsizingmakescents Check out the UPDATED Video ruclips.net/video/fcAtEcUFLnM/видео.html
Duncan, we appreciate the positive feedback. Larry works hard to put in as much info as he can. But still not make the video too long. It’s a difficult balance, Alice
I have the 25 gallon barker tote tank and love how it easy to hook up to the truck to go empty when we stay at a park without full hookups plus I also use it at home when I give my black tank a good flushing out cause I cannot get the camper close to the sewer outlet and I just hook it up to the riding mower and go dump it plus I like that there is no lifting to get it hooked up to the truck and easy mobility to adjust it to the drain valves
I just bought the Camco 5:58 and I was wondering the same thing. Why did they choose to put the gate valve on the right side “while towing” it made no sense to me why they would design it like that. I bought ours on Amazon and I wouldn’t buy it from them again. The tow hook was missing and the hose leaked. I had to call Camco to get the hose replaced and get the tow hook. They did send the stuff out quickly and required no proof of purchase but they sent the piece that bolts to the bottom of the tank instead of the tow hook. Oh and the hose was leaking so they sent me a new one with no questions asked. So I’ll call them again and see how it goes. Great video. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I really appreciated your review! This is something we'll be needing to get. Although the Barker has some good features, I'm going to go with the Camco, specifically because you gave the best review I've ever seen regarding these devices. Thanks!
Outstanding review. I have the Barker, and I actually place it in the bed of my truck (empty). I connect a macerator pump together with a 110 Volt water pump to fill the Barker tank. I only used it for gray water.
Matt, we only use ours for grey water as well. We are getting much better at not needing it all. But we dont have the pump. We have thought about doing that. Alice
We have used the barker for over 30 years. They started out with plastic lawnmower wheels and yes we did melt the centers of the wheels in one weekend use. They have come a long way in design changes. We currently use the 4 wheel model and it’s 20 years old at least.
We still have both, but mostly using the camco just because its easier to lift on and. Off my bike rack, but the barker is more solid and the wheels can take long travels to the dump station. Larry
I use the 42 gallon Blue Boy, bought it mainly because of the pneumatic tires and the grease bearings... It’s the tool to have when gray tank fills, ( I don’t put black tank into it ) , so much simpler than hooking to 5 th wheel to go to dump station... Good product....
I agree I hope I never have to but black tank into my blue boy, that would completely change the way I handle it after that, when I was testing them side by side on the road the plastic camco tire sounded BAD, if that makes sense, love the barker tires. Larry
This was so beneficial! I've built a tiny house but now comes the plumbing and electricity part of the construction. I'm in the weeds here! All help is appreciated. Thanks for being so objective!
GREAT review. Love my Rhino 36 gal. Used it MANY times. I could see where lifting it would be an issue but hands down... its fantastic! Love the unbiased review!
Fantastic review !! Thanks so much for taking the time and making the effort to put together a comprehensive and well thought out review. Well done. I think we're going to go with the Camco. The wheels\tires are the biggest drawback for the Camco, but in my humble opinion, the other features out weight the downsides of the plastic wheels. Might even be able to modify the Camco with a longer axle and better wheels. Sounds like a fun project to me !!!
Excellent, well thought out video and really helps give us newbies some valuable information. I also like how you have divided each segment of the video - again, well done!
Glad to hear we could help. Larry tries to be thorough but concise and make it easy to follow. As “newbies,” don’t be afraid to ask questions- it could save you time, money, stress. We answer questions more quickly on FB and IG 🤗
At 14:23 you were showing how to connect and your RV dump valve was clearly lower than the connection at the tire tank. How do you deal with that problem? I have a similar low height on ours.
Awesome review, Larry! I totally agree with your assessment. We have the bigger 32 gal Barker and the 4 pneumatic wheels was the biggest selling point for me. The Rhino wasn’t available at that time but I’d still opt for the Barker today because of the wheels. For me, the biggest advantages that the Rhino tote has, are the handle (the Barker is a beast to get in the back of my truck and to move into the shed for storage) and the fact that its molded to drain better. I don’t think the tip drain is of any importance if it drains well using the valve. Thanks for the tip in the other video about using the rubber strap to hold it on to the ball. I’ve been using a bungee cord. I already have the Camco Rhino sewer hose and accessories so I use those with the Barker tote.
Allan, thank you so much. You summed up our video so well. You should write articles for us 😂. We would love to take the best of both totes and make a whole new one. Larry loves to add in special little tips to help others. Glad you liked it. See you next time. Alice
What a fantastic thorough job Larry! I love the way you scored each facet to come up with a determine which tote would be the best for any given user. I am so happy we were your fellow campers who got to watch the filming process! 😎😉 You guys rock!! Hugs, Lorrie and Dave
Super excellent video! Since I camp in areas with rough rock roads to the dump station, if I get a tote tank I’ll likely keep it in the bed of the pickup and use a macerator to fill. I do wish they’d include brackets/straps to secure the accessories to the tank.
consider a rocky camp like Quartzite. When towing the Camco of offers more ground clearance. My 42 gal Barker got punched by a small sharp rock because it was a low rider. Best solution? Remove the wheels, strap to tailgate and fill with macerator pump
We have the Barker 42gal tote. I really haven't used any others but I see other RVrs using other brands. I chose the Barker because of the pneumatic tires, steel wheels with grease fittings and I don't have to pick it up to connect it to my truck hitch. When we are traveling, I just put it in the truck bed. It could be stored in your basement storage if you have the room for it. Some newer RVs have very large storage areas now. It is still a little heavy when empty. That maybe something to consider. I'm a big guy and at 350lbs when full, the tote can be a little hard to deal with on rough terrain sometimes and it's not something you would want to get away from you on a hill LOL. I can see where a smaller tote would be more appealing to some folks because of the weight, but I'm very happy with ours. I can usually dump my black and both grey tanks with one trip, two at the most. A little suggestion is to mix some bleach or pine-sol in about a quart of water and pour it into your tote to help with the smell between dumps and it will help keep it clean inside too. Just my 2 cents, "Happy Campin!"
Great tip on the pine sol or bleach in the tank to keep it smelling good. So far we have never had to use if for our black tank, so a flush with water keeps the smell down. We did another video recently where i put the wheel kit on the Camco Rhino, works much better now, the rhino does have some features i with the barker had, mostly the handle at the top, the barker is so hard to lift without a handle. Larry
Well the wheel cover come of about 1/2 mile down the road . The wheel plastic near the bearing seem do creak and break after very little usage . I modified my back tires and axel now I can take mine down the road at 55 and 60 mph if needed.
Wow!!! Great job on this video. I’m thinking of buying a tote tank. You covered all the basis. I just subscribed to your channel because of this video.
First & foremost, Great Effort. I'm sure however I'm not alone when I say it's apparent your personal opinions on the wheel differences are greatly overstated. Nobody should be driving these tanks at 25 mph, like you did dangerously laying on your tailgate! The Camco wheels will clearly last the life of the tank so your score should be closer to 10 to 40 as the pneumatic tires are unnecessary in all reality. I understand your preference in not having to lift the tank to hook up to your ball hitch, but the vast number of positive aspects of the camco, imho, clearly puts this far and away a better option for most. Thank you for identifying why I should go with the Camco over the Barker.
I ended up buying the 4 wheel kit for my camco, which it the tote we are carrying this summer. I am looking for a really sketchy road to haul the tote down at 40mph to really test it. Haha. Larry
Hi, Alice and Larry ! Greetings from Quebec Canada again! We have been viewing your videos for two days and we are just now watching the camping totes Compilation! We love the way you guys are testing them out! Very professionnel with a funny twist! One thing We can say you guys are giving us very good and detailed informations! My husband loves it!
Carole, thank you so much. Larry is very detailed oriented. But when we can, we like to add some humor. We hope to be crossing into Canada soon - We are trying to see Larry’s nephew in Nova Scotia- the hardest province to get into 🤣 Hope you guys are doing well, Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents yes Nova Scotia is in deed hard to get to ! But such a beautiful province to see !Travel safe guys , no rushing! 😂 with a lot of stops for you Alice and the pupps! Guess witch video we have watched !😂 Hope that you do get to see Larry’s nefew soon ! Carole
Great video. I like the point system. I would have to stick with the Camco Rhino. The ladder rack is the winner for me. Not having a truck or storage that is a must have. I have seen the attachment to add front wheels on the Camco and I will be doing that. I agree picking it up sucks. Now you need to show how the hold up on the interstate. 70 plus is the only way to test. Lol
William, Larry should 3D print his own 😂. I bet his would make it 70 miles an hour for sure. I think Larry should take the best of both and make a new one. I’m just looking forward to not having both of them with us. Talk soon, Alice
Filmed at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch state park :). Right down the road from me, thought some of that scenery looked familiar. Good video, I got the camco and need to look at the front wheel mod now 👍
Gary, we have camped there a couple of times. Florida is our homeport and we like to camp near our kids in Gainesville. Thanks for the compliment and watch. Definitely look at the wheel kit and let us know how it goes, Alice
I ended up buying the Barker because that was what was available the day I needed and bought it. I ended up buying a Camco - 21029 Heavy Duty Chair Rack to support it on my ladder for transport. It is awkward to mount it to the ladder however you do it. I may opt to haul it in the bed of the truck. I also had to buy a double male Thetford fitting to connect the Barker hose to a clear elbow. It would be great if they would combine features of both into one tank.
Right now I am using my camco, but I attach my sewer totes to a custom attachment to the bike rack I keep on the back of the RV. I am still trying to find a better solution for storing the sewer tote on the back of the RV that’s easy to attach and remove. The Barker is still the best built sewer tote with wheels that should last for years, the only thing I don’t like about the Barker is there is no handle to lift it onto my rack. Larry
I built a small trailer for my rhino, and haul it from our off grid property about 2 miles via our polaris Rzr to the dumpsite at the marina. Makes life super easy!
We have the 36 gallon Rhino. Lifting it sucks but worrying about the wheels is even worse. We are either boondocking in Arizona or staying at campgrounds. If I have to dump while at a campground, I tow the Rhino. When we are in the desert in AZ, my wife and I actually "lift" the full tank into the back of the truck by sliding it up a makeshift ramp. I have contemplated strapping it to a dollie so that I have four wheels but that is more equipment to haul and more expense. Hadn't heard about the wheel kit until now, going to have to check that out.
I keep a small pump with me so I can pump grey water from the RV directly into the sewer tote in the back if the truck, no lifting. For places like that where it is too far to tow to the dump. There is a specific pump Maserator sold at camping world for this purpose, I met a camp host while making this video, that showed me his whole setup, Larry
Really appreciate this review! We’re about to move into a DRV and it will be a few weeks before we can get the plumbing connection close to the parking spot. You’re information helped us make the choice after deliberating a few days. 👍🏼
Mimi, we are glad we could help. You can contact us if you have any questions. DRVs are sweet rigs- we looked at them before buying our GD. Good luck, Alice
We’ve got the 42 gallon Barker for those state park trips allowing us to completely dump one of our grey tanks. Deciding factors for me were not having to lift 42 gallons worth of waste which is quite heavy, and the pneumatic wheels which go down the road well even when the tote is full. Additionally I wanted a tote that was 40 gallons+ which narrows the field of contenders. As you mentioned the accessories are meh, and I’ve found the pin that connects the tow arm to the tote to be less then secure perhaps because of the weight it’s forced to deal with in the 42 gallon unit. Cheers and happy RVing.
Having the 42 Gallon capacity would be awesome, less trips to the dump. If I had to do it again, i probably would get the 42, it is not really that much heavier than the 32. I barker accessories are not great, but i love my set up now with the camco accessories. So far I have not had any problems with the tow arm pin but mine has less load to pull. Larry
I have the latest version of the Rhino.. They did make one with the best of both! I love it and it makes the long term stay at the non sewer hookup campsite much easier. The thought of unlimbering the trailer just to dump the tanks was what induced me to get the Rhino in the he first place. Soooo glad I have it! Great video. Hope you went back to the Rhino after the factory mods!!
We've had our blue tote for awhile. No problems. We keep the handle attached so we can pull anywhere & lift up (empty). After it's dumped & cleaned & we're ready to leave our location, we lift it up so it sits on top of our tonneau cover. It's tied down & we've travelled cross country like this with no problems.
Jane, having a blue boy helps so much unless you are always at full hookup campgrounds or are just a weekender. Glad it is working for you. Which brand do you have? Alice
Thx Larry for an informative and accurate IMHO review of rv waste totes. I bought a Barker 40gal a few yrs ago, so far it works ok but you nailed most of the negatives, poor quality accessories for filling and draining. I leave the handle on mine and stow vertically between the Happy Jack struts with a tiedown in my Fusions garage while in transit. I use a Flowjet mercerator pump to pump affluent into the Barker tank tote in my truck bed then drive to the dumpsite as sometimes it's miles from primitive campsites.I also use a 40 gal bladder tank for fresh water in thevtruck when my 125gal onboard runs dry. Happy Holidays and Camping, stay healthy.
When I was filming this video, a guy pulled up in a truck at the dump station with almost that exact setup. He gave me a full tour, he is a camp host at a state park with no hookups and stays months at a time. Sounds like you are doing the kind of camping we hope to some day, see you on the road . Larry
This is great information Larry! Glad you compared the two. They both look good to use. I would buy the lighter weight and the one the pulls good. Thank you Larry again. Can’t want until next video. Have a great week and Happy New Year! Hope this year will be a much better year.
Sherri, thank you. Larry worked hard on the comparison. If he had his way, he would combine the best of both. We are definitely looking forward to a new year 🤣 Happy New Year to you to Alice
We have the 36 gallon Rhino, love it because of the ladder hook and the ease of draining along with the inside sprayer for cleaning. Love the Barker wheels and maybe we'll have to look at getting the wheel kit for the Camco. Thanks for doing this side by side test!
@@DownsizingMakesCents haha! I'm sure he could do it! 😉That's the one downfall is the weight of the Camco when it's full. We're currently Mooch-Docking at the in-laws and they don't have a sewer hookup so the nearest one is 3 miles away. I can't just hook it on the hitch because of the distance and speeds so I have to haul it up on our trailer we use to tow our car and strap it down that way. (We have a 40' diesel pusher and our '19 Honda Pilot cannot be flat or dolly towed so we have to put it on a trailer)
Oh that would be a pain. When we moochdocked in Canada for three weeks, we had to have a company that pumps out sewers- not a real honey wagon. I did see someone put the blue boy in the back of their truck, then use a pump to pump out of RV into blue boy. I think enjoy the journey did a video on it. Good luck. Alice
Great video we just took our Little Guy Mini Max out for our first trip and didn't have a sewer hookup. Our black tank is only 9 gallons so it filled up very quickly. We are in the market for a tote tank and this review we so helpful. Thanks for taking the time to put such an exhaustive video together. Cheers and maybe we will see you on the road one day.
Hey, our friends The Roads We Roam have a LGM. Thanks. Larry is pretty thorough but tries to be concise. Glad you found it helpful. Feel free to ask any questions, Alice
Did you consider situations where the Barker might bottom out when pulling it over uneven ground? That would be a negative where the Rhino works like a hand cart and would not bottom out. Additionally, I have had more trouble with tires that need air and greasing. A solid tire eliminates that concern. I for one don't want to be inflating tires when it looses it air. The side gate you showed on the barker is a great idea, and since it only comes with the bigger Rhino units, thats a plus for them. Both units have utility, but it seems that Rhino has more value, which I think deserved a higher score rating. Thanks for the review because it points out most of the differences.
There are still some things i like about the barker and some with the rhino, for the last year we have been using the rhino with no problems at all after i installed the 4 wheel kit. Larry
I own the Barker and I was disappointed that the tires are from China and after a year I had to replace them and I replaced them with no flat tires and wheels from Amazon. Always be sure to open the vent before filling, I didn’t and the pressure blew a hose connection a part, what a crappy mess. I did buy the Rhino 3” hose, it’s definitely better than the blue hose that comes with the Barker. Thanks for the great video
Hey Daniel, i only use the barker for the first year or so before i switched back to the camco, but i never had a problem with the tires. I still have my barker in storage, i will switch back to see if the tires are still ok. Thanks for the feedback i really appreciate it. Larry
I was very disappointed the Barker places the Made in USA sticker on their tote only to find China bomb tires. Barker needs to update their design to incorporate handles for lifting the tote, improve the accessories to compete with Camco’s tote
I did another video where I added the 4 wheeler kit, I like it much better. Camco VS Barker 4 WHEEL Sewer Tote Kit Tested (RV Living Full Time) 4K. Larry
Just before you discussed the 4 wheel upgrade for the Camco, I was thinking about how to "build" something to attach a wheel to the front. IMHO, Camco seems to understand and implement improvements - good on them. Thanks for detailed discussion of the scoring criteria. As I have said before, that helps us wannabes a bunch! THX!!!
Dave and Laura, we are constantly thinking about what we would want to know if we were just starting out. And what have we learned. We truly wish we could build our own with the best of the both of them. But then again I wish I could build a custom RV 😂. Have a great New Year- we are about to do a 2020 wrap up if we can handle taking about all the ups and downs 😳. Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents I work in nuclear power where a great deal of importance is placed on "OE or OPEX" (operating experience). We are capturing all the OPEX we can find. Take care, stay well, and best wishes for a better 2021.
It seems like the Camcorder unit is best but its major shortcoming is the crappy wheels. Search RUclips and you can find a video on replacing the wheels with pneumatic tires on a 5/8 threaded rod as the axle! Now you have great features on the camco with quiet wheels that will not fall off!
Larry must be an engineer! I hope he's sponsored. What a phenomenal review... Impressive! We have a forklift, so the wheels are useless to me. Camco wins my purchase!
Kris, what a compliment. We are not sponsored- yet 😂. Larry just loves to be very thorough, hoping his time spent will help others. Not sure where we would put a forklift 🤣 Alice
Awesome review Larry!!! We have the blue “Turd Tank”🤣 Like my hubby Mike said “There’s no way I’m killing my back or knees anymore than they already are”. We camp at state parks so much that our blue tote is a life saver. Have a great New Years!!!!!
Lisa, exactly. Larry’s RA is bad enough. The other he loves are the wheels. We love state parks but very rarely have full hookups so yes you need a “turd tank”. 😂 Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents Oh yes I sure do, and I just found out in July that I have a Gluten intolerance so I had to go completely Gluten Free, also dairy & sugar free too. Yes expensive but well worth it because it has helped with my RA & Fibro.
@@lisamcgrath3132 You and Larry have a lot in common. Yes. Gluten free prices is worth it. Luckily more name brands are in the market with some cheaper items. Take care.
We have the barker 44 gal been using it for 5 years now. Love the size can safely empty our 40 gal tanks in just two trips one if I am only dumping the gray. with this tote we can enjoy a Long shower knowing it's a easy trip to the dump station. The wheels were starting to crack mainly because it left outside either under the camper or strapped to the hitch cargo carrier and the sun killed the rubber. My only Gripe is that the dump valve is so low to the ground. Our county parks all have a 5 to 7 inch curb around the dump stations sooo you have to either muscle the tote up on a corner and straddle it on 2 sides or bring blocks to raise the unit. Again why did they build the curb. Because people are lazy and don't use a drain bayonet and more yuck was on the ground than in the tank.. thanks again people.. ugh
I’m sure you can pick up new tires and wheels from barker pretty cheap. I hate the curb type dump stations also, most here in fla don’t have them though. Larry
@@DownsizingMakesCents yes my local mower shop had some nice replacement wheels at a low cost. easy to replace them now I am good to go for the next 5 or 6 years. I do bring some blocks to the dump station to raise the side so the valve is even with the dam huge curb. I love the safety of being able to empty my filled 40 gals holding tanks in just 1 one shot okay 2 trips, 1 for black then 1 for gray..lol
I bought the barker and am happy with it. I think the 4 wheels, pneumatic tires and grease zerks make it worth it. You do have to buy a few more accessories for it and the sewer hose they give you is crap, but the last thing I want to worry about is a wheel issue causing the tank to drag on the ground and making a mess. Also, I wouldn't hang one of those on a ladder, I got some advice to never hang anything on a ladder of a RV, because those ladders aren't designed to carry weight while driving down a road. I also stayed at a campground that didn't have a dump site, the closest one was 10 miles away, so I would fill it about 3/4 of the way and put the front of the honeywagon on the tailgate and get behind the back and hoist it up. Looking at the design, I think the barker would work better for that.
You can buy a kit that adds front wheels to the Rhino tank for far less cost than buying a Barker tank. The Rhino tank will also accept the fill guage. We have the Rhino 36 gal and love it.
I think Camco makes an accessory 3rd front wheel for the 36er. That makes it a game changer. I heard they fixed the issue with the loose wheels and tow bar rubbing also (I think bar connects to axle of added front wheel/s). Thanks for the great review. Sorry - just noticed previous comment. My bad. 👍
I just purchased the Rhino 21 Galon, I have yet to give it a try, I will be using a quad to transport it. I'm on private land and wont be taking the camper off site so I think this will work well for me
Chelsea, I take it there is a dump station nearby? A quad sounds like it would work- just make sure it is secure. You wouldn't want a spill. Good luck and let us know how it goes, Alice
I have a 28 gallon 4-wheel Rhino and love it. The handle is similar to the one shown here with the Barker unit. The issue I have with it is the handle will bounce off the hitch of my truck if I run over a large enough bump.
Turns out many motorhomes sit lower than 5th wheels and travel trailers. That makes the connection from the holding tank to the tote problematic. My motorhome is too low to the ground to slide the 28 gallon Rhino Tote under it. I haven’t used mine yet but would like to see a video of one being filled from a motorhome.
I like the cheap one and I have my husband so if we get one the rhino will be the one and Thank You for sharing this video. Plus the new rhino with four wheel will just be the win. Thanks again
Great video. I'm torn. The barker seems to be sturdier but the caps and accessories are a big thing and camco wins big. Glad rhino upgraded their wheels
The 36 gallon rhino now has two front wheels that swivel attached to the towing tongue. Jumps ahead easily. My guess is you could easily add them to your existing unit.
The wheel kit came out after I bought the barker. If it came out before I bought the barker, I probably would have done that and saved a bunch of money. The wheels on the camco are still not nearly as good as the barker. Larry
Great review. I have the Barker 32 gal and like it except it needs a separate air vent. The float for seeing the level works good but you also have to loosen it to allow air to bleed out when dumping into the tote. It doesn’t really release air fast enough that way.
Steve, there are definitely things on each tote that we like and don't like- the air vent problem is a pain. If only there was one tote that had the best features of both of them all in one. Thank you for coming by and sharing a problem with the tote so others can see it.
@@DownsizingMakesCents So I am torn. I see that the camco 36g with 4 wheel kit is on sale for $215 on Amazon. My tank levers are roughly 10 inches above the ground. I know the barker is 11.5 inches high and the camco is 15.5 inches high. Pros vs cons lol
Thanks for that wonderful review. However, I have been using the Barker for years. 42 gallon size. I can tell you, there is nothing like having the long handle that attaches to your hitch ball without having to lift a full tank. That is the biggest downfall of the Camco. Also, when I was camp hosting in Quartzsite, a camper was pulling his brand new camco tote to the dump and a wheel fell off. Before he knew it, it had rubbed a hole in the tank and he was leaking poo as he was pulling it to the black tank dump. The Barker has pneumatic tires that are smooth, easy to pull and don't make any noise when being pulled. In my opinion, the Barker is by far a better built product and will last for years. Barker has great customer service. The front tires on mine went flat because I bent the rims when I hit a rock. They sent a free replacement for the whole front wheel assembly.
The barker is no doubt a better built unit and more durable. We are using the camco now with the 4 wheel kit, so it pulls very similar to the barker. I switch back and forth every 6 months or so. In the end if you have to tow long distances to the dump then barker is the only choice. If you only have to pull short distances like here in Florida state parks that always have a dump station close by then the camco is sufficient. I really like the handle on the camco for lifting onto the rack for storage on the back of the rv, the barker does not have anything to grab onto, its kind of slippery. Thanks for sharing your experience, i love to hear how others use their totes. Larry
Great video. You might have figured it out by now, but the video shows you putting the Tow bar on the Rhino tank backwards. Not that the bar ended up backwards, your method for installing it is backwards. If you feed the small end( the part that goes on the hitch) first from the top, you shouldn't have to lift the tank to get it on.
I disagree with your award to blueboy on the gate valve side, you still need to remove the unit from the bumper and position for dumping. A 180° shift is not much. I have been using my rhino now for about a year, i had to modify the wheels attachment drilling a small hole in axle and inserting a cotter pin to hold on the tires. The pneumatic tires iam afraid of murphy sticking his nose into my stinky tote and fear the air loss in the tires out weighs being able to be towed at 5 to 25mph smoother. Great video and glad to see the training from the Odd Squad leaders is shining brightly !!
Blue boy won gate valve because they offer it on all 4 of the sizes. I mentioned about the sides because I thought it was interesting they were opposite. I want to do the cotter pin axle mod myself, those little caps suck, I asked barker if they had complaints of them coming off, they said rarely get calls on that. Glad you like the rhino, I may buy the wheel kit, and do another video , all about the rhino. Btw, I don’t understand the odd squad comment. Thanks for the great comment, Larry
Great video, I just disagree how you rated the tires. Pneumatic tires can get flat then you have to fix them and pump them up again. Also greasing the bearings is just an additional step of maintenance. You have to make sure that you have grease with you and the right tools to grease the bearings. On the Camco that type of "bearing" does not need grease so less maintenance. Also since the recommended speed is only 5 mph I don't think that it would make any difference between pneumatic or full rubber tires. It's not like you're towing this thing on the highway behind your camper. Other than that thank you for that video you made great points and I really appreciate the detail in your analysis.
I think it is still important to make sure the rhino bearings are lubricated periodically they are not really sealed and when we are near saltwater beaches, everything Rusts, including the caps axles in bearings on the rhino, larry
Great info. I used the Rhino for about 5 months and thought it was almost perfect, however being in my early 60s the lifting was killing my back. I think it’s time to look into the Barker ( thanks to your review ) Only issue it cost almost 500 dollars in Canada. Still probably worth it. Thanks again
Great video, thanks! Wondering how you store the Barker during travel days? Do you store in your truck bed or strap it to you rv ladder? Thanks again…James
Great review. I realize that sometimes the scoring can be subjective, but I thought you were both fair and thorough. Still trying to decide on the best size for ease of use and necessity. Our current rig has smaller gray and black tanks. Our retirement rig will have larger tanks, so .... decisions, decisions, decisions.
I think the 36 gallon rhino and the 42 gallon barker are too big, hard to store an manage. The 28 gallon rhino and the 32 gallon barker are the sweet spot i think. I just did a follow up video on putting the 4 wheel kit on the rhino, we have switched back to the rhino now because of all the extra features. Larry
Great review I must say. The only thing I noticed was you compared the 4 wheel barker to the 2 wheel rhino. The rhino does have 4 wheel versions in their 28 and 36 tanks. If you want to compare these two, and complain you have to lift the rhino onto your hitch, compare the 4 wheel rhino to the 4 wheel barker. Just saying
Here is a link to a video we made comparing the 4 wheel barker vs the camco with the 4 wheel kit installed. ruclips.net/video/fcAtEcUFLnM/видео.html I hope this answers any questions you have. Larry
See our custom 3D printed hand soap and sanitizer containers in our stores:
Etsy Store
www.etsy.com/shop/DownsizingMakesCents/
eBay store
www.ebay.com/str/downsizingmakescents
Check out the UPDATED Video ruclips.net/video/fcAtEcUFLnM/видео.html
Great comparison! Thank you!
@@timgetchell6052Thanks, Tim.
Sorry, I just saw your comment.
Can't tell you how appreciative I am that you did this! Thanks.
Glad we could help. Larry has many videos about portable waste totes 😁
Alice
That was the most comprehensive product review I have ever seen. Wow! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Duncan, we appreciate the positive feedback. Larry works hard to put in as much info as he can. But still not make the video too long. It’s a difficult balance,
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents I would say you got it right! :-) The pace and information in the video were perfect. Thanks again.
Hands down the best review I’ve ever watched on RUclips. Thank you for your unbiased compassion!
If we review a product, we try to be thorough. Plus, we bought both with our own money - so completely honest.
Thanks for coming by
I have the 25 gallon barker tote tank and love how it easy to hook up to the truck to go empty when we stay at a park without full hookups plus I also use it at home when I give my black tank a good flushing out cause I cannot get the camper close to the sewer outlet and I just hook it up to the riding mower and go dump it plus I like that there is no lifting to get it hooked up to the truck and easy mobility to adjust it to the drain valves
I just bought the Camco 5:58 and I was wondering the same thing. Why did they choose to put the gate valve on the right side “while towing” it made no sense to me why they would design it like that. I bought ours on Amazon and I wouldn’t buy it from them again. The tow hook was missing and the hose leaked.
I had to call Camco to get the hose replaced and get the tow hook. They did send the stuff out quickly and required no proof of purchase but they sent the piece that bolts to the bottom of the tank instead of the tow hook.
Oh and the hose was leaking so they sent me a new one with no questions asked.
So I’ll call them again and see how it goes.
Great video. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I really appreciated your review! This is something we'll be needing to get. Although the Barker has some good features, I'm going to go with the Camco, specifically because you gave the best review I've ever seen regarding these devices. Thanks!
Joseph, thank you so much. Larry tries to be very thorough and honest.
I hope you like your choice.
Happy Holidays
Alice
Outstanding review. I have the Barker, and I actually place it in the bed of my truck (empty). I connect a macerator pump together with a 110 Volt water pump to fill the Barker tank. I only used it for gray water.
Matt, we only use ours for grey water as well. We are getting much better at not needing it all. But we dont have the pump. We have thought about doing that.
Alice
We have used the barker for over 30 years. They started out with plastic lawnmower wheels and yes we did melt the centers of the wheels in one weekend use. They have come a long way in design changes. We currently use the 4 wheel model and it’s 20 years old at least.
We still have both, but mostly using the camco just because its easier to lift on and. Off my bike rack, but the barker is more solid and the wheels can take long travels to the dump station. Larry
I use the 42 gallon Blue Boy, bought it mainly because of the pneumatic tires and the grease bearings... It’s the tool to have when gray tank fills, ( I don’t put black tank into it ) , so much simpler than hooking to 5 th wheel to go to dump station... Good product....
I agree I hope I never have to but black tank into my blue boy, that would completely change the way I handle it after that, when I was testing them side by side on the road the plastic camco tire sounded BAD, if that makes sense, love the barker tires. Larry
This was so beneficial! I've built a tiny house but now comes the plumbing and electricity part of the construction. I'm in the weeds here! All help is appreciated. Thanks for being so objective!
Lela, good luck on your build. Luckily there are many resources- including RUclips.
Let us know how it goes - one day at a time 🤗
Alice
GREAT review. Love my Rhino 36 gal. Used it MANY times. I could see where lifting it would be an issue but hands down... its fantastic! Love the unbiased review!
Thanks Tammy, I loved the Rhino but not the lifting. I still keep my rhino in storage, I may buy the front wheel kit and do another comparison. Larry
Fantastic review !! Thanks so much for taking the time and making the effort to put together a comprehensive and well thought out review. Well done. I think we're going to go with the Camco. The wheels\tires are the biggest drawback for the Camco, but in my humble opinion, the other features out weight the downsides of the plastic wheels. Might even be able to modify the Camco with a longer axle and better wheels. Sounds like a fun project to me !!!
I would have gotten the Camco if the wheel kit was available at the time. If you do a mod, send me the info. I would love to see it.
Z
Excellent, well thought out video and really helps give us newbies some valuable information. I also like how you have divided each segment of the video - again, well done!
Glad to hear we could help.
Larry tries to be thorough but concise and make it easy to follow.
As “newbies,” don’t be afraid to ask questions- it could save you time, money, stress.
We answer questions more quickly on FB and IG 🤗
Thanks Larry, we will probably go with the new Rhino with 4 wheels.
Stephen, glad we could help. Let us know how you like it once you have it for awhile.
Happy Holidays
Alice
Fantastic review !! Thanks so much for taking the time and making the effort to put together a comprehensive and well thought out review. Well done.
Diane, thank you for this awesome comment 🤗
Alice
At 14:23 you were showing how to connect and your RV dump valve was clearly lower than the connection at the tire tank. How do you deal with that problem? I have a similar low height on ours.
" a nice clean dump" always a good thing 😊
TC 💯 🤣
Awesome review, Larry! I totally agree with your assessment. We have the bigger 32 gal Barker and the 4 pneumatic wheels was the biggest selling point for me. The Rhino wasn’t available at that time but I’d still opt for the Barker today because of the wheels. For me, the biggest advantages that the Rhino tote has, are the handle (the Barker is a beast to get in the back of my truck and to move into the shed for storage) and the fact that its molded to drain better. I don’t think the tip drain is of any importance if it drains well using the valve.
Thanks for the tip in the other video about using the rubber strap to hold it on to the ball. I’ve been using a bungee cord. I already have the Camco Rhino sewer hose and accessories so I use those with the Barker tote.
Allan, thank you so much. You summed up our video so well. You should write articles for us 😂.
We would love to take the best of both totes and make a whole new one.
Larry loves to add in special little tips to help others. Glad you liked it.
See you next time.
Alice
What a great video. I appreciate the time and effort you put into it. Thank you! I just subscribed to your channel.
@@atlantaguy762 Thank you. We really appreciate the support 🤗
Alice
Nice comparison. I used to use the X-Y or Decision Criteria Matrix often at work.
Thanks, I still switch back and forth, Larry’s
What a fantastic thorough job Larry! I love the way you scored each facet to come up with a determine which tote would be the best for any given user. I am so happy we were your fellow campers who got to watch the filming process! 😎😉 You guys rock!! Hugs, Lorrie and Dave
When I said my neighbors must have thought I was crazy, I was thinking of you guys, haha. Larry
@@DownsizingMakesCents Too funny! and we saw our rig behind you as you pulled the tote by.
LOL! Dave just corrected me...I saw the red truck and thought it was us🤣My powers of observation are less than stellar!
@@moore_2_explore 😂🤣
Super excellent video! Since I camp in areas with rough rock roads to the dump station, if I get a tote tank I’ll likely keep it in the bed of the pickup and use a macerator to fill. I do wish they’d include brackets/straps to secure the accessories to the tank.
consider a rocky camp like Quartzite. When towing the Camco of offers more ground clearance. My 42 gal Barker got punched by a small sharp rock because it was a low rider.
Best solution? Remove the wheels, strap to tailgate and fill with macerator pump
We have the Barker 42gal tote. I really haven't used any others but I see other RVrs using other brands. I chose the Barker because of the pneumatic tires, steel wheels with grease fittings and I don't have to pick it up to connect it to my truck hitch. When we are traveling, I just put it in the truck bed. It could be stored in your basement storage if you have the room for it. Some newer RVs have very large storage areas now. It is still a little heavy when empty. That maybe something to consider. I'm a big guy and at 350lbs when full, the tote can be a little hard to deal with on rough terrain sometimes and it's not something you would want to get away from you on a hill LOL. I can see where a smaller tote would be more appealing to some folks because of the weight, but I'm very happy with ours. I can usually dump my black and both grey tanks with one trip, two at the most. A little suggestion is to mix some bleach or pine-sol in about a quart of water and pour it into your tote to help with the smell between dumps and it will help keep it clean inside too. Just my 2 cents, "Happy Campin!"
Great tip on the pine sol or bleach in the tank to keep it smelling good. So far we have never had to use if for our black tank, so a flush with water keeps the smell down. We did another video recently where i put the wheel kit on the Camco Rhino, works much better now, the rhino does have some features i with the barker had, mostly the handle at the top, the barker is so hard to lift without a handle. Larry
Well the wheel cover come of about 1/2 mile down the road . The wheel plastic near the bearing seem do creak and break after very little usage . I modified my back tires and axel now I can take mine down the road at 55 and 60 mph if needed.
Wow!!! Great job on this video. I’m thinking of buying a tote tank. You covered all the basis. I just subscribed to your channel because of this video.
Thank you.
I thought maybe you subscribed because of my hubby named Larry 😉
He tries his best to be thorough but concise
Thanks for subscribing 🤗
First & foremost, Great Effort. I'm sure however I'm not alone when I say it's apparent your personal opinions on the wheel differences are greatly overstated. Nobody should be driving these tanks at 25 mph, like you did dangerously laying on your tailgate! The Camco wheels will clearly last the life of the tank so your score should be closer to 10 to 40 as the pneumatic tires are unnecessary in all reality.
I understand your preference in not having to lift the tank to hook up to your ball hitch, but the vast number of positive aspects of the camco, imho, clearly puts this far and away a better option for most.
Thank you for identifying why I should go with the Camco over the Barker.
I ended up buying the 4 wheel kit for my camco, which it the tote we are carrying this summer. I am looking for a really sketchy road to haul the tote down at 40mph to really test it. Haha. Larry
Hi, Alice and Larry ! Greetings from Quebec Canada again! We have been viewing your videos for two days and we are just now watching the camping totes
Compilation! We love the way you guys are testing them out! Very professionnel with a funny twist! One thing We can say you guys are giving us very good and detailed informations! My husband loves it!
Carole, thank you so much.
Larry is very detailed oriented. But when we can, we like to add some humor.
We hope to be crossing into Canada soon - We are trying to see Larry’s nephew in Nova Scotia- the hardest province to get into 🤣
Hope you guys are doing well,
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents yes Nova Scotia is in deed hard to get to ! But such a beautiful province to see !Travel safe guys , no rushing! 😂 with a lot of stops for you Alice and the pupps! Guess witch video we have watched !😂 Hope that you do get to see Larry’s nefew soon !
Carole
@@carolesavard7177 🤣 he has slowed down quite a bit 🤗
Great video. I like the point system. I would have to stick with the Camco Rhino. The ladder rack is the winner for me. Not having a truck or storage that is a must have. I have seen the attachment to add front wheels on the Camco and I will be doing that. I agree picking it up sucks. Now you need to show how the hold up on the interstate. 70 plus is the only way to test. Lol
William, Larry should 3D print his own 😂. I bet his would make it 70 miles an hour for sure. I think Larry should take the best of both and make a new one.
I’m just looking forward to not having both of them with us.
Talk soon,
Alice
My Rhino came with the tow bar and front wheels assembly. I had to swap it with the ladder hook up piece
Filmed at Mike Roess Gold Head Branch state park :). Right down the road from me, thought some of that scenery looked familiar. Good video, I got the camco and need to look at the front wheel mod now 👍
Gary, we have camped there a couple of times. Florida is our homeport and we like to camp near our kids in Gainesville.
Thanks for the compliment and watch. Definitely look at the wheel kit and let us know how it goes,
Alice
I ended up buying the Barker because that was what was available the day I needed and bought it. I ended up buying a Camco - 21029 Heavy Duty Chair Rack to support it on my ladder for transport. It is awkward to mount it to the ladder however you do it. I may opt to haul it in the bed of the truck. I also had to buy a double male Thetford fitting to connect the Barker hose to a clear elbow. It would be great if they would combine features of both into one tank.
Right now I am using my camco, but I attach my sewer totes to a custom attachment to the bike rack I keep on the back of the RV. I am still trying to find a better solution for storing the sewer tote on the back of the RV that’s easy to attach and remove. The Barker is still the best built sewer tote with wheels that should last for years, the only thing I don’t like about the Barker is there is no handle to lift it onto my rack. Larry
Great comparison, best of both worlds put the front wheels and handle on the rhino.
If rhino had the wheel kit when i bought the barker, i would have done that and saved $$$. Larry
Thanks to you I have just purchased the Barker 42 gallon tote. Thanks
Awesome. Let us know how you like it?
Very thorough review, thank you for this! And you're right, I was surprised at your final choice. I do get it, though!
Thanks. We didn’t realize this would be so “dividing” like Ram vs Ford 😁
I built a small trailer for my rhino, and haul it from our off grid property about 2 miles via our polaris Rzr to the dumpsite at the marina. Makes life super easy!
That sounds like a great solution for a long haul like that. Pulling the rhino that far would kill it in no time. Larry
We have the 36 gallon Rhino. Lifting it sucks but worrying about the wheels is even worse. We are either boondocking in Arizona or staying at campgrounds. If I have to dump while at a campground, I tow the Rhino. When we are in the desert in AZ, my wife and I actually "lift" the full tank into the back of the truck by sliding it up a makeshift ramp. I have contemplated strapping it to a dollie so that I have four wheels but that is more equipment to haul and more expense. Hadn't heard about the wheel kit until now, going to have to check that out.
I keep a small pump with me so I can pump grey water from the RV directly into the sewer tote in the back if the truck, no lifting. For places like that where it is too far to tow to the dump. There is a specific pump Maserator sold at camping world for this purpose, I met a camp host while making this video, that showed me his whole setup, Larry
Really appreciate this review! We’re about to move into a DRV and it will be a few weeks before we can get the plumbing connection close to the parking spot. You’re information helped us make the choice after deliberating a few days. 👍🏼
Mimi, we are glad we could help. You can contact us if you have any questions.
DRVs are sweet rigs- we looked at them before buying our GD.
Good luck,
Alice
Thankyou for your thoroughness and research. You have really provided me with Great Decision making info.
Nathan, thank you. Larry tries his best to be very thorough. He tries to anticipate every question,
Alice
Thank you for a great comparison.
It really helped me as I am in the market for
one.
Glad we can help. Larry has done a few videos about sewer totes 😉
Great video muchacho was looking for an informative video like this and glad it came up! Great job!🎉
Thanks. Larry really knows all
things RV sewer related 😆
Im very impressed with the stunt man capabilities😆, and also detailed pricing on units 🤓and called both manufacturers!🤩
We’ve got the 42 gallon Barker for those state park trips allowing us to completely dump one of our grey tanks. Deciding factors for me were not having to lift 42 gallons worth of waste which is quite heavy, and the pneumatic wheels which go down the road well even when the tote is full. Additionally I wanted a tote that was 40 gallons+ which narrows the field of contenders. As you mentioned the accessories are meh, and I’ve found the pin that connects the tow arm to the tote to be less then secure perhaps because of the weight it’s forced to deal with in the 42 gallon unit. Cheers and happy RVing.
Having the 42 Gallon capacity would be awesome, less trips to the dump. If I had to do it again, i probably would get the 42, it is not really that much heavier than the 32. I barker accessories are not great, but i love my set up now with the camco accessories. So far I have not had any problems with the tow arm pin but mine has less load to pull. Larry
I have the latest version of the Rhino.. They did make one with the best of both! I love it and it makes the long term stay at the non sewer hookup campsite much easier. The thought of unlimbering the trailer just to dump the tanks was what induced me to get the Rhino in the he first place. Soooo glad I have it! Great video. Hope you went back to the Rhino after the factory mods!!
Hey Chip, just got the wheel kit for the rhino today, doing a video on it this week. I’ll see how it compares to the barker 4 wheeler. Larry
Great analysis. Of the rhino put the pneumatic tires on, it would be a winner
Mike, yes. We would like to Frankenstein the two of them.
Alice
Get the 4 wheel kit for the Rhino... I guess I jumped the gun, and see you mentioned this.
Well done review, answered many questions.
Chuck, thanks. We did get the kit. It’s in another video. Check it out and let us know what you think. ruclips.net/video/fcAtEcUFLnM/видео.html
We've had our blue tote for awhile. No problems. We keep the handle attached so we can pull anywhere & lift up (empty). After it's dumped & cleaned & we're ready to leave our location, we lift it up so it sits on top of our tonneau cover. It's tied down & we've travelled cross country like this with no problems.
Jane, having a blue boy helps so much unless you are always at full hookup campgrounds or are just a weekender.
Glad it is working for you.
Which brand do you have?
Alice
Thx Larry for an informative and accurate IMHO review of rv waste totes. I bought a Barker 40gal a few yrs ago, so far it works ok but you nailed most of the negatives, poor quality accessories for filling and draining. I leave the handle on mine and stow vertically between the Happy Jack struts with a tiedown in my Fusions garage while in transit. I use a Flowjet mercerator pump to pump affluent into the Barker tank tote in my truck bed then drive to the dumpsite as sometimes it's miles from primitive campsites.I also use a 40 gal bladder tank for fresh water in thevtruck when my 125gal onboard runs dry. Happy Holidays and Camping, stay healthy.
When I was filming this video, a guy pulled up in a truck at the dump station with almost that exact setup. He gave me a full tour, he is a camp host at a state park with no hookups and stays months at a time. Sounds like you are doing the kind of camping we hope to some day, see you on the road . Larry
This is great information Larry! Glad you compared the two. They both look good to use. I would buy the lighter weight and the one the pulls good. Thank you Larry again. Can’t want until next video. Have a great week and Happy New Year! Hope this year will be a much better year.
Sherri, thank you. Larry worked hard on the comparison. If he had his way, he would combine the best of both.
We are definitely looking forward to a new year 🤣
Happy New Year to you to
Alice
We have the 36 gallon Rhino, love it because of the ladder hook and the ease of draining along with the inside sprayer for cleaning. Love the Barker wheels and maybe we'll have to look at getting the wheel kit for the Camco. Thanks for doing this side by side test!
You summed it up perfectly. We would love to Frankenstein the two togethers 😅.
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents haha! I'm sure he could do it! 😉That's the one downfall is the weight of the Camco when it's full. We're currently Mooch-Docking at the in-laws and they don't have a sewer hookup so the nearest one is 3 miles away. I can't just hook it on the hitch because of the distance and speeds so I have to haul it up on our trailer we use to tow our car and strap it down that way. (We have a 40' diesel pusher and our '19 Honda Pilot cannot be flat or dolly towed so we have to put it on a trailer)
Oh that would be a pain. When we moochdocked in Canada for three weeks, we had to have a company that pumps out sewers- not a real honey wagon. I did see someone put the blue boy in the back of their truck, then use a pump to pump out of RV into blue boy. I think enjoy the journey did a video on it.
Good luck.
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents Thank you.
I think Camco has a front wheel kit for it now in 2023. Lol I wrote this reply before video was all the way over.
Awesome video! Thanks. Off to order the Camco :) they should join forces and make 1 to rule them all!
Charlie, love TLOTR reference. Yes. Larry should Frankenstein one himself
Alice
Great video we just took our Little Guy Mini Max out for our first trip and didn't have a sewer hookup. Our black tank is only 9 gallons so it filled up very quickly. We are in the market for a tote tank and this review we so helpful. Thanks for taking the time to put such an exhaustive video together. Cheers and maybe we will see you on the road one day.
Hey, our friends The Roads We Roam have a LGM.
Thanks. Larry is pretty thorough but tries to be concise. Glad you found it helpful.
Feel free to ask any questions,
Alice
Did you consider situations where the Barker might bottom out when pulling it over uneven ground? That would be a negative where the Rhino works like a hand cart and would not bottom out. Additionally, I have had more trouble with tires that need air and greasing. A solid tire eliminates that concern. I for one don't want to be inflating tires when it looses it air. The side gate you showed on the barker is a great idea, and since it only comes with the bigger Rhino units, thats a plus for them. Both units have utility, but it seems that Rhino has more value, which I think deserved a higher score rating. Thanks for the review because it points out most of the differences.
There are still some things i like about the barker and some with the rhino, for the last year we have been using the rhino with no problems at all after i installed the 4 wheel kit. Larry
I own the Barker and I was disappointed that the tires are from China and after a year I had to replace them and I replaced them with no flat tires and wheels from Amazon. Always be sure to open the vent before filling, I didn’t and the pressure blew a hose connection a part, what a crappy mess. I did buy the Rhino 3” hose, it’s definitely better than the blue hose that comes with the Barker. Thanks for the great video
Hey Daniel, i only use the barker for the first year or so before i switched back to the camco, but i never had a problem with the tires. I still have my barker in storage, i will switch back to see if the tires are still ok. Thanks for the feedback i really appreciate it. Larry
I was very disappointed the Barker places the Made in USA sticker on their tote only to find China bomb tires. Barker needs to update their design to incorporate handles for lifting the tote, improve the accessories to compete with Camco’s tote
Thanks great comparison. Helpful in evaluating which serves your needs best.
Brenda, I’m glad it was helpful. Which one do you think is best for you?
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents going with smaller Camcorder. Definitely wish we could get the tires of the competitor.
You nailed it with information, very helpful. Thanks,
Larry has made several portable waste tote videos, so lots of research.
Thanks
Alice
Nice review. The Rhino now comes in a 4 wheel steerable option now.
I did another video where I added the 4 wheeler kit, I like it much better. Camco VS Barker 4 WHEEL Sewer Tote Kit Tested (RV Living Full Time) 4K. Larry
Just before you discussed the 4 wheel upgrade for the Camco, I was thinking about how to "build" something to attach a wheel to the front. IMHO, Camco seems to understand and implement improvements - good on them. Thanks for detailed discussion of the scoring criteria. As I have said before, that helps us wannabes a bunch! THX!!!
Dave and Laura, we are constantly thinking about what we would want to know if we were just starting out. And what have we learned.
We truly wish we could build our own with the best of the both of them.
But then again I wish I could build a custom RV 😂.
Have a great New Year- we are about to do a 2020 wrap up if we can handle taking about all the ups and downs 😳.
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents I work in nuclear power where a great deal of importance is placed on "OE or OPEX" (operating experience). We are capturing all the OPEX we can find. Take care, stay well, and best wishes for a better 2021.
Nuclear ☢️ Power, oh woah.
@@DownsizingMakesCents almost 44 years in the industry and 1 year remaining. Out in 22!
@@davelauraphillips8814 congratulations 🎊🍾🎈🎉
Thanks for the info. We are looking to buy one. Very helpful info
Glad we could help. We have more videos about our sewer totes
It seems like the Camcorder unit is best but its major shortcoming is the crappy wheels. Search RUclips and you can find a video on replacing the wheels with pneumatic tires on a 5/8 threaded rod as the axle! Now you have great features on the camco with quiet wheels that will not fall off!
That’s a great idea, barker sells their wheel and axle kit, I wonder if it will fit on the camcorder? Larry
Larry must be an engineer! I hope he's sponsored. What a phenomenal review... Impressive!
We have a forklift, so the wheels are useless to me. Camco wins my purchase!
Kris, what a compliment. We are not sponsored- yet 😂. Larry just loves to be very thorough, hoping his time spent will help others.
Not sure where we would put a forklift 🤣
Alice
Awesome review Larry!!! We have the blue “Turd Tank”🤣 Like my hubby Mike said “There’s no way I’m killing my back or knees anymore than they already are”. We camp at state parks so much that our blue tote is a life saver. Have a great New Years!!!!!
Lisa, exactly. Larry’s RA is bad enough. The other he loves are the wheels.
We love state parks but very rarely have full hookups so yes you need a “turd tank”. 😂
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents I know how RA effect the body, I Have RA & Fibromyalgia. It can be rough.
@@lisamcgrath3132 So you know there are good days and bad. Plus he has gluten allergies- so expensive food too 😔
@@DownsizingMakesCents Oh yes I sure do, and I just found out in July that I have a Gluten intolerance so I had to go completely Gluten Free, also dairy & sugar free too. Yes expensive but well worth it because it has helped with my RA & Fibro.
@@lisamcgrath3132 You and Larry have a lot in common. Yes. Gluten free prices is worth it. Luckily more name brands are in the market with some cheaper items.
Take care.
As we get older, ease of lifting is really important.
I have to be so careful now , can’t take chances messing up the back. Larry
We have the barker 44 gal been using it for 5 years now. Love the size can safely empty our 40 gal tanks in just two trips one if I am only dumping the gray. with this tote we can enjoy a Long shower knowing it's a easy trip to the dump station. The wheels were starting to crack mainly because it left outside either under the camper or strapped to the hitch cargo carrier and the sun killed the rubber. My only Gripe is that the dump valve is so low to the ground. Our county parks all have a 5 to 7 inch curb around the dump stations sooo you have to either muscle the tote up on a corner and straddle it on 2 sides or bring blocks to raise the unit.
Again why did they build the curb. Because people are lazy and don't use a drain bayonet and more yuck was on the ground than in the tank.. thanks again people.. ugh
I’m sure you can pick up new tires and wheels from barker pretty cheap. I hate the curb type dump stations also, most here in fla don’t have them though. Larry
@@DownsizingMakesCents yes my local mower shop had some nice replacement wheels at a low cost. easy to replace them now I am good to go for the next 5 or 6 years. I do bring some blocks to the dump station to raise the side so the valve is even with the dam huge curb. I love the safety of being able to empty my filled 40 gals holding tanks in just 1 one shot okay 2 trips, 1 for black then 1 for gray..lol
I bought the barker and am happy with it. I think the 4 wheels, pneumatic tires and grease zerks make it worth it. You do have to buy a few more accessories for it and the sewer hose they give you is crap, but the last thing I want to worry about is a wheel issue causing the tank to drag on the ground and making a mess. Also, I wouldn't hang one of those on a ladder, I got some advice to never hang anything on a ladder of a RV, because those ladders aren't designed to carry weight while driving down a road. I also stayed at a campground that didn't have a dump site, the closest one was 10 miles away, so I would fill it about 3/4 of the way and put the front of the honeywagon on the tailgate and get behind the back and hoist it up. Looking at the design, I think the barker would work better for that.
Nick, all good points. We don’t hang it on our ladder. For the same reason.
Having a dump station far away is no fun. Good solution.
Alice
You can buy a kit that adds front wheels to the Rhino tank for far less cost than buying a Barker tank. The Rhino tank will also accept the fill guage. We have the Rhino 36 gal and love it.
You are correct I did a video about adding the wheels to the camco a couple of years ago Larry
What a great comparison
Thank you. Larry knows way too much about Blue Boys now haha
I think Camco makes an accessory 3rd front wheel for the 36er. That makes it a game changer. I heard they fixed the issue with the loose wheels and tow bar rubbing also (I think bar connects to axle of added front wheel/s). Thanks for the great review. Sorry - just noticed previous comment. My bad. 👍
If they had the front wheel option before I bought the barker, I would have done that and saved a couple of hundred bucks. Larry
Great review, new to RVing and new subscriber
Awesome. Thanks. Glad you found us. Feel free to email or message our other socials
I just purchased the Rhino 21 Galon, I have yet to give it a try, I will be using a quad to transport it. I'm on private land and wont be taking the camper off site so I think this will work well for me
Chelsea, I take it there is a dump station nearby? A quad sounds like it would work- just make sure it is secure. You wouldn't want a spill. Good luck and let us know how it goes,
Alice
I have a 28 gallon 4-wheel Rhino and love it. The handle is similar to the one shown here with the Barker unit. The issue I have with it is the handle will bounce off the hitch of my truck if I run over a large enough bump.
I show I trick in my other video , using a rubber strap to keep it on the hitch ball ,, larry
@@DownsizingMakesCents I just saw the rubber strap locking method. Great idea! Thank you
Turns out many motorhomes sit lower than 5th wheels and travel trailers. That makes the connection from the holding tank to the tote problematic. My motorhome is too low to the ground to slide the 28 gallon Rhino Tote under it. I haven’t used mine yet but would like to see a video of one being filled from a motorhome.
I like the cheap one and I have my husband so if we get one the rhino will be the one and Thank You for sharing this video. Plus the new rhino with four wheel will just be the win. Thanks again
I hope you are happy with the one you get.
Alice
Thank you for doing this video, very informative.
Tom, thanks for letting us know it helped.
Alice
Great video. I'm torn. The barker seems to be sturdier but the caps and accessories are a big thing and camco wins big. Glad rhino upgraded their wheels
Jaz, we feel the same way. But weight and lifting are a major issue due to Larry’s RA. We wish we could take the best of both.
Happy Holidays
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents maybe you should sell the rhino and blue boy and buy the new rhino with better wheels. Or just keep the blue boy as backup.
The Rhino new wheels still aren’t as good as the Barker
The 36 gallon rhino now has two front wheels that swivel attached to the towing tongue. Jumps ahead easily. My guess is you could easily add them to your existing unit.
The wheel kit came out after I bought the barker. If it came out before I bought the barker, I probably would have done that and saved a bunch of money. The wheels on the camco are still not nearly as good as the barker. Larry
Great review. I have the Barker 32 gal and like it except it needs a separate air vent. The float for seeing the level works good but you also have to loosen it to allow air to bleed out when dumping into the tote. It doesn’t really release air fast enough that way.
Steve, there are definitely things on each tote that we like and don't like- the air vent problem is a pain. If only there was one tote that had the best features of both of them all in one. Thank you for coming by and sharing a problem with the tote so others can see it.
Absolutely awesome video
Thanks. We always hope we can help 🤗
@@DownsizingMakesCents So I am torn. I see that the camco 36g with 4 wheel kit is on sale for $215 on Amazon. My tank levers are roughly 10 inches above the ground. I know the barker is 11.5 inches high and the camco is 15.5 inches high. Pros vs cons lol
Such a well done video!
Thank you. Larry did a lot of research 🤗
Camco rhino 36 gallon also has a model with a steerable tow bar that's lift free for you.
Thanks. We did a video on the 4 wheel upgrade kit -
Thanks for that wonderful review. However, I have been using the Barker for years. 42 gallon size. I can tell you, there is nothing like having the long handle that attaches to your hitch ball without having to lift a full tank. That is the biggest downfall of the Camco. Also, when I was camp hosting in Quartzsite, a camper was pulling his brand new camco tote to the dump and a wheel fell off. Before he knew it, it had rubbed a hole in the tank and he was leaking poo as he was pulling it to the black tank dump. The Barker has pneumatic tires that are smooth, easy to pull and don't make any noise when being pulled. In my opinion, the Barker is by far a better built product and will last for years. Barker has great customer service. The front tires on mine went flat because I bent the rims when I hit a rock. They sent a free replacement for the whole front wheel assembly.
The barker is no doubt a better built unit and more durable. We are using the camco now with the 4 wheel kit, so it pulls very similar to the barker. I switch back and forth every 6 months or so. In the end if you have to tow long distances to the dump then barker is the only choice. If you only have to pull short distances like here in Florida state parks that always have a dump station close by then the camco is sufficient. I really like the handle on the camco for lifting onto the rack for storage on the back of the rv, the barker does not have anything to grab onto, its kind of slippery. Thanks for sharing your experience, i love to hear how others use their totes. Larry
I think I will go with the Rhino because of the features. Who knew we would get excited about sewage! Lol. Happy New Year.
😂🤣 Must be a guy thing- I avoid it.
Larry says he should have a whole playlist on 💩 😅
Happy New Year to you too
Alice
Thanks . Very different but similar items. A few major differences could make one a winner for many people
Thanks
Pete, yes. Larry would like to Frankenstein his own 😂
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents best of both types
Great video Larry! Happy New year's to you guys.
Robert, thanks. As always, he worked long hours.
Happy New Year 🎆🎊 to you, too
Alice
Great video. You might have figured it out by now, but the video shows you putting the Tow bar on the Rhino tank backwards. Not that the bar ended up backwards, your method for installing it is backwards. If you feed the small end( the part that goes on the hitch) first from the top, you shouldn't have to lift the tank to get it on.
Yes, I agree, I was trying to show, make sure you put the tow bar on before filling the tank. Larry
I disagree with your award to blueboy on the gate valve side, you still need to remove the unit from the bumper and position for dumping. A 180° shift is not much. I have been using my rhino now for about a year, i had to modify the wheels attachment drilling a small hole in axle and inserting a cotter pin to hold on the tires. The pneumatic tires iam afraid of murphy sticking his nose into my stinky tote and fear the air loss in the tires out weighs being able to be towed at 5 to 25mph smoother. Great video and glad to see the training from the Odd Squad leaders is shining brightly !!
Blue boy won gate valve because they offer it on all 4 of the sizes. I mentioned about the sides because I thought it was interesting they were opposite. I want to do the cotter pin axle mod myself, those little caps suck, I asked barker if they had complaints of them coming off, they said rarely get calls on that. Glad you like the rhino, I may buy the wheel kit, and do another video , all about the rhino. Btw, I don’t understand the odd squad comment. Thanks for the great comment, Larry
Great review!
Thanks. Larry did a few videos on sewer tote stuff,
Alice
Uh-hum! There is a front wheel kit for the Rhino. You can purchase with the front wheel assemble or without and add it later.
Steve, yes. Larry mentioned that kit in the video but he didn’t buy one. But Larry said he still prefers the Camco for him.
Alice
Great video, I just disagree how you rated the tires. Pneumatic tires can get flat then you have to fix them and pump them up again. Also greasing the bearings is just an additional step of maintenance. You have to make sure that you have grease with you and the right tools to grease the bearings. On the Camco that type of "bearing" does not need grease so less maintenance. Also since the recommended speed is only 5 mph I don't think that it would make any difference between pneumatic or full rubber tires. It's not like you're towing this thing on the highway behind your camper. Other than that thank you for that video you made great points and I really appreciate the detail in your analysis.
I think it is still important to make sure the rhino bearings are lubricated periodically they are not really sealed and when we are near saltwater beaches, everything Rusts, including the caps axles in bearings on the rhino, larry
25 gallon Blue Boy.it was given to us as a gift for our RV.
Which brand do you have? Do you like it?
Alice
Great info. I used the Rhino for about 5 months and thought it was almost perfect, however being in my early 60s the lifting was killing my back. I think it’s time to look into the Barker ( thanks to your review ) Only issue it cost almost 500 dollars in Canada. Still probably worth it. Thanks again
Tim, check out the wheel kit and see if that might work for you
ruclips.net/video/fcAtEcUFLnM/видео.html
Alice
Thanks for the great info! I think I'd get the Camco, remove the cheap wheels and attach it to a sturdy hand truck dolly.
Sounds like a solid plan
Very comprehensive review!
Stephen, thanks. Larry likes to be thorough but he’s going to do another video after he gets the Camco Rhino front wheel kit,
Alice
I bought a Tote-N-Store over the Camco for the same reasons and like you I also bought the Camco accessories.
Bud, too bad we can’t custom make one
Alice
Great review of both. Good timing too, thanks for the info.
Thanks. I can’t remember, did you mention you are about to buy one? If so, we hope this helps.
Happy Holidays
Alice
@@DownsizingMakesCents Yes I am. Its in my basket now. Your review helped me decide on the Rhino. It works for me. Thanks again.
Great video, thanks! Wondering how you store the Barker during travel days? Do you store in your truck bed or strap it to you rv ladder? Thanks again…James
We have a bike rack. That’s where we strap it
Ladder is not solid enough
Nice job on the video!! Thank you..
Glad we could help
Great review. I realize that sometimes the scoring can be subjective, but I thought you were both fair and thorough. Still trying to decide on the best size for ease of use and necessity. Our current rig has smaller gray and black tanks. Our retirement rig will have larger tanks, so .... decisions, decisions, decisions.
I think the 36 gallon rhino and the 42 gallon barker are too big, hard to store an manage. The 28 gallon rhino and the 32 gallon barker are the sweet spot i think. I just did a follow up video on putting the 4 wheel kit on the rhino, we have switched back to the rhino now because of all the extra features. Larry
@@DownsizingMakesCents Good to know, I will be sure to catch that video, thanks.
Great review I must say. The only thing I noticed was you compared the 4 wheel barker to the 2 wheel rhino. The rhino does have 4 wheel versions in their 28 and 36 tanks. If you want to compare these two, and complain you have to lift the rhino onto your hitch, compare the 4 wheel rhino to the 4 wheel barker. Just saying
Here is a link to a video we made comparing the 4 wheel barker vs the camco with the 4 wheel kit installed. ruclips.net/video/fcAtEcUFLnM/видео.html
I hope this answers any questions you have. Larry
Great review!👍👍👍
Thanks. Larry tries to be very thorough. He is thinking about a follow up since he’s going to buy a wheel kit,
Alice