How the Quick Sink Was Invented: From Food Sampling to Camping Convenience

Believe it or not, the idea for the Quick Sink didn’t come from a campsite—it started in the world of food processing. Before launching Firdale Outdoors, I ran a small food company called Juno, focused on sustainable meat products. Whenever we attended markets or did grocery store sampling events, we needed a portable hand wash station to meet health regulations. Unfortunately, none of the available options met our needs, so I decided to build my own.

The First Prototype: Big, Bulky, But Functional

Our first version was far from compact. It started as a fish filleting table with water jugs for clean and grey water, plus a pump. While it worked, it was bulky, hard to transport, and not the easiest to clean. After a season of use, the water jugs started to smell, and the drain hose and grey water container became musty. Clearly, we needed improvements.

Iteration and Innovation

To solve the cleaning issues, we replaced the water jugs with 15-liter mayonnaise buckets from our pop-up burger restaurant, which could be sanitized easily in our commercial kitchen. The stacked buckets worked better, but the table was still too big. That led to a complete redesign.

I built the first true version of the Quick Sink using wood shims taped together and a pump mount made from ABS pipe. That’s when it hit me—this portable hand wash station would be a game-changer for families camping with kids.

Refining the Design

Taking the idea to the startup incubator North Forge, I worked with a 3D printing expert to refine the design. After a dozen iterations, we perfected the bucket spacers and pump mount so that everything fit inside two nested five-gallon buckets while remaining stable and comfortable to use.

Designed for Adventure

And that’s how the Quick Sink was born—out of necessity, through constant innovation, and with a mission to make outdoor adventures easier. Whether you’re cleaning up after making s’mores or tackling any other sticky situation, we hope the Quick Sink helps your family enjoy the great outdoors with less hassle and more fun.