Recently we discontinued our first ever Origen product -
"RV SnapPad Classic"
This post is about how it came to be, why we decided to move on, and (most importantly) what else Classic owners can do with their pads.
Birth of a SnapPad
When our family first conceived of a permanent, rubber RV leveler, we made sure to test it for a myriad of issues - will it stay on while people are driving? Can it hold up under the considerable weight of an RV? Can it withstand the elements? Will it provide more surface are and stability? Will people even want this new, permanent jack pad?
As it turns out, the answer to all these things was yes! So the SnapPad Classic was born and our first customers gave us glowing reviews.
There was one issue we didn't take into account with the first version of our product, however: water retention. Eventually, some members of the RV community suggested standing water in the feet might be a problem given the tight seal formed by the SnapPad.
In response to these legitimate concerns, we designed the SnapPad XTRA version and launched it in July of 2016. By the end of August, SnapPad XTRA was outselling the Classic version 10-1. We knew then that it wouldn't make sense to keep manufacturing Classics over the long term.
Customizing Your Originals
If you have Originals on your rig and want them to drain like XTRAs, there are some DIY options for you. These suggestions come straight from some of our customers who have personally customized their SnapPads.
Drill drainage holes
- Here's a process for removing SnapPad Classics from your rig and drilling your own drainage holes that was shared on the Heartland RV Forum.
- Quick removal tip: Place your foot on the rim of your SnapPad and press down hard. Once the lip is disengaged, work your way around the perimeter until your SnapPad comes off.
- Customer Brian Youngman walked us through how he drilled drainage holes in his set of Classics. See it all on our Facebook page here.
- Another option is to paint your jacks with a water resistant sealer. SnapPadder Kurt Wagner illustrates how his jack feet look after painting them with Flex Seal here.
- You can also remove your Classics and cut channels into them with a table saw, as mentioned by more than one customer in the past. *We recommend drilling holes instead. This will maintain the lips integrity insuring your pad will stay on.
If you are an Classics owner and have interest in the upgrade discount, please contact us via email or phone for more details.
Other Uses For SnapPads
We've been blown away by the creativity of the RV community when it comes to finding new solutions and uses for things, including SnapPads.
Aside from customizing Classics to drain, customers have been sharing completely new uses for the pads beyond leveling.
Here are some of our favourite examples:
Kitty Dish Holders
- A self proclaimed RV MacGyver and SnapPad customer used his extra SnapPads as "Kitty dish holders...also serve as ballast to keep the enclosure on the ground..."
- The kitty bed you see in the back of the enclosure is also SnapPad shipping box!
Fire Pit Base
- According to Mr. MacGyver "The fire pit is way too high if I put it up on the lid (like I'm supposed to, plus it seems a little tippy on the lid) and flat on the ground (on our plastic "rug") it might melt the darn thing if we were to burn for a long time. The SnapPad isn't so prone to melting, gets it up high enough to warm something other than our toes and is very stable."
- He's right! RV SnapPad's rubber technically doesn't have a melting point and that's the reason it needs to be physically broken down in the recycling process. You can learn more in our previous post.
Propane Tank Stand
- Finally it "..keeps the LP tank insulated from the ground (it does get cold at night) and keeps the tank from cutting a ring out of our plastic area rug."
Conclusion
SnapPad Classics were a great first step for us as a family and a company. We're thrilled so many people took a chance on them with us and amazed with the resourcefulness and creativity our customers have shown in customizing and re-using them for their rigs and set-ups.
If you have any other customization or new uses for Classics, please be sure to share them with us! If you have any questions about customizing your Classics or upgrading to XTRAs, feel free to get in touch with us any time.
