Dirt Worker - Quick Look
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Price: £79.99
including delivery
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Weight: 6.05 kg (empty)
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Features: 12-volt
powered mini-jet washer that plugs into a car cigarette
lighter socket, 70 psi pressure, 2-litres per minute flow, 14-litre
tank, 3.96-metre hose land cable lengths
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What's It For? The Dirt Worker's a mini jet-washer that runs
off your car cigarette lighter or a 12-volt power point. The idea is
that you can chuck it in your boot then after a muddy day walking,
running, mountain biking, paddling or whatever, you can use the
washer to clean your kit or even yourself so your car stays cleaner
and there's less to do when you stagger through the front door later.
The Techy Bits The Dirtworker comes with an integral
reservoir, produces three spray settings at just 70 psi and runs off
your car fag lighter socket. Simple really. It's plug and play for
mucky pups.
How It Performs You know those days when everything gets
plastered in mud - walking boots, tent, pack, your mountain bike,
kayak, granny, your legs etc. Then by the time you get home it's
started to dry and bake on hard? The Dirtworker's a car-portable
answer to all that.
Water out left, leccy in right - plug and play
:-)
Fill it up - a bath tap works well, or stick the shower head
inside - and pop it in the boot of your car then, when you've
finished collecting the countryside in your boots or bike, just plug
the little yellow marvel into your cigarette lighter and spray off
the fresh, loose mud while it still wants to let go.
It works brilliantly. The adjustable jet gun gives enough power to
dislodge most mud fairly easily, but can also be adjusted to give a
gentle, mist-like spray for more gentle cleaning of say, clothing or gaiters. It's great for mountain
bikes with their delicate bearings, but also ideal for hosing the mud
off anything else, though we'd go easy with boot uppers unless they're
soaked already.
Turning the brass nozzle gives a choice of three
settings from
a powerful-ish jet to a sort of serious mister
The whole caboodle feels reassuringly solid and well put together
too with a nice professional air to it. Comfortable to use as well
and there's a lock off if you're too bushed to hold the trigger open.
You get around seven minutes of full-on spray from a full reservoir
which doesn't sound much, but in practice is enough for a fair bit of
hosing. It's quiet too with just the gentle hum of an electric pump
to stir watching wildlife.
If you just want to rinse boots, gaiters and over trousers then the Dirt Worker's
possibly overkill, though it's a nice if expensive way of getting mud
out of your Vibram soles. If you're a bit of a multi-sporter though,
it really comes into its own with good bike cleaning capabilities - a
bit of bike cleaner and a brush helps it along - and the potential to
do lots more.
That stubborn washing up at the campsite for example, or a
particularly muddy groundsheet after a wet weekend, your slimey
post-caving buddies even. The longer you use it, the more uses you
come up with. And hey, if you get bored, you can always press it into
service for washing the car.
Just about the only thing we didn't like about our compact yellow
buddy was the idea of leaving 80-quid's worth of hardware sitting
unguarded in the car in some remote car park. Otherwise we think it's
a cracking bit of kit and a real car boot saver if that sort of thing
bothers you. You can buy it direct from the Dirtworker web site.
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this
product check out our user review system and post your opinions to
the world. If you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our
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