People have been sleeping in tents and makeshift camps for thousands of years. The modern form of camping as a leisure activity only developed in late 19th-century Britain. In Germany, camping as a pastime took hold primarily in the 1920s, when more and more workers began receiving holiday entitlement and used their spare time to spend the night outdoors. Back then, people often travelled by bicycle, folding canoe or on foot and slept in simple but cosy tents. This trend became affectionately known as the "weekend movement."
The global love affair with camping: wide open skies, fresh air and... the occasional existential crisis while setting up camp. Whether it’s a luxury RV rolling down Highway 1, a self-converted van (complete with fairy lights) in the Alps, or a classic family tent by a mountain lake, life on wheels is booming. But the moment the perfect spot is found and the vacation vibes set in, reality comes knocking. Its name? Lugging heavy water jugs across the campsite.
Because refusing to give up your beloved fizz under the open sky comes at a price. Hauling heavy six-packs of sparkling water from the supermarket across a dusty campsite gravel path in 30°C heat has a way of killing the holiday mood - fast. The rescue is at hand in the form of modern technology: the Fizz Maker solves the logistical problem at the touch of a button. Why that is and why the flav&soda Fizz Kit belongs in every camper's kit, is what we're about to uncover.
The weight drama on the scales: Why campers lug so much water
Germany is Europe's sparkling water nation - second only to Italy when it comes to per-capita consumption. According to the German Mineral Water Association, over 70% of all bottled water consumed in Germany in 2024 was carbonated - a figure unmatched anywhere else in Europe. A quirk that naturally travels along on holiday. On a camping trip, however, it leads straight into a weight catastrophe: the tonnage problem in the motorhome.
When it comes to the permissible gross weight of motorhomes, every gram counts - literally. Especially at the start of the holiday season, police regularly check for overloaded motorhomes and caravans. Load up the week's supply of liquid groceries for a family of four and your vehicle can quickly tip beyond the legal weight limit.
- The horror of dead weight: A classic 6-pack of 1.5-litres water bottles weighs around 9 kilograms.
- The weekly requirement: For four people with a moderate consumption of 1.5 litres a day, that adds up to a whopping 42 kilograms of pure dead weight - and that's just for water!
- The fitness program: That weight blocks the storage space under the bench seat, and after shopping you still have to balance the bottles halfway across the campsite. No holiday feeling there.
Another phenomenon on camping holidays is the endless vicious circle of rubbish and deposit-bottle paranoia - the emotional drama of the returnable bottle. Plastic bottles seem to multiply overnight in the camper. And anyone travelling in continental Europe faces the final boss: nobody abroad accepts foreign deposit bottles. They turn into useless plastic waste that gets chauffeured to the border like a state secret in an already cramped caravan.
What options do campers have? The alternatives compared
To escape the chore of lugging water, inventive campers have come up with various survival strategies. But honestly - most of them are more bad than good. What do you think?
1. Using the onboard water tank
Simply tap the water from the motorhome's large storage tank.
- The bitter reality: The water from the onboard tank is absolutely flat and dead. Worse still - anyone who hasn't meticulously treated the tank with silver ions or specialist cleaners is drinking a subtle flavour of 'plastic hose with a hint of algae'. A culinary disaster for the morning thirst. But here's the good news: you don't actually need to lug anything. Simply fill the Fizz Bottle from any campsite tap, carbonate on the spot, and your sparkling water is ready in seconds - no carrying, no plastic waste, no deposit drama.
2. The eye-wateringly expensive campsite kiosk
You simply buy the water in tiny, overpriced portions directly from the campsite shop.
- The bitter reality: Prices at campsite kiosks often border on highway robbery. And the physical problem remains: even those 500 meters from the kiosk to the awning feel like crossing a desert in the midday heat.
3. Bringing your home sparkling water maker along
Simply pack the bulky designer appliance from the kitchen at home.
- The bitter reality: Many modern premium makers demand a power socket. Anyone who wants to be self-sufficient - or simply hasn't booked a mains hookup - is out of luck. On top of that, the delicate glass bottles of designer models are ready for the recycling bin at the first pothole on a gravel track.
So which option would you choose this year? Or do you have even better ideas?!
Why the cordless sparkling water maker flav&soda Fizz Maker is the answer
If the modern van-life trend has taught us anything, it's this: gear must be light, uncomplicated and independent. That's exactly where the flav&soda Fizz Maker steps in - a cordless carbonating device that wasn't designed for the suburban fitted kitchen but for maximum freedom - which is why it belongs in every camping kit.
The ultimate game-changer for wild campers and minimalists: the flav&soda Fizz Maker works entirely mechanically. You need no cable, no battery, no solar panel and no AAA batteries. The pressure is generated purely by physics when you press the device. Whether you're parked alone by a Norwegian fjord or on a festival field - your cold, fizzy drink is just one button press away.
The flav&soda Fizz Kit in detail
From today, the endless lugging on a camping holiday is over, because you can now secure the flav&soda Fizz Kit and put an end to the carrying! It's the all-in-one starter pack that gives you everything you need for your mobile independence when camping:
- The Fizz Maker: A stylish, extremely lightweight and robust carbonation unit that fits in any small drawer - but with a design this good, you'll want to leave it out on display.
- The Fizz Bottle: A 1-litre reusable bottle made from BPA-free plastic that - unlike glass - is unbreakable.
- The CO₂ Fizz Can: The fuel cell for your water. It contains a full 450 g of fresh CO₂ - that's 25 g more than the current industry standard.
All cards on the camping table: flav&soda vs. lugging crates
Why is our sparkling water maker better than a boot full of six-packs? The bare numbers don't lie:
| Advantage | flav&soda Fizz Kit | Competition / crates |
|---|---|---|
| Power source | Your finger - no plug, no battery | Power socket often required |
| CO₂ content per unit | 450 g (that's +25g) | 425 g (standard) |
| Yield | Up to 75 litres of sparkling water | Approx. 60 litres (or 8 heavy crates) |
| The "lugging factor" | NULL | 100% gym-workout feeling |
| Weight & size | Featherlight & stylish | Heavy, bulky, annoying in the boot |
| Bottle material | Robust BPA-free Fizz Bottle | Often fragile glass or single-use |
Thanks to the extra fill of 25 grams of pure CO₂ per Fizz Can, you can effortlessly make up to 5 extra large bottles of water from a single cartridge compared with standard cylinders. Your motorhome gets lighter, lugging water becomes a thing of the past, and your back will thank you. "No Fizz, No Fun"!
Step-by-step guide: From flat tank water to premium fizz
Transforming your camping water into a sparkling highlight doesn't require an engineering degree. With the Fizz Kit it's super quick:
- Lay the foundation: Fill the Fizz Bottle with fresh drinking water from the campsite tap (or a clean source) up to the fill line. Insider tip: gas dissolves much better in cold water. Pop the bottle in the cool box or the fridge in your camper beforehand.
- Attach the Fizz Bottle: Screw the Fizz Bottle into the Fizz Maker with one turn until it clicks into place.
- Check the Fizz Can: Your CO₂ Fizz Can comes preloaded in the machine, no assembly needed. When it runs out, simply swap it for a new one.
- Set the level: Now you decide the intensity. One press for light bubbles, two presses for classic "medium", three presses fires up the highest level - perfect for anyone who wants it seriously fizzy.
- Pimp it: Not in the mood for plain water? Throw in a few fresh lime slices, mint or a splash of fruit syrup. Your beach-ready lemonade is ready, no lugging required. Insider tip: Cocktails with sparkling water.
Sustainability in focus: No more rubbish tourism
Campers love nature - provided their personal slice of the outdoors is pristine. However, a quick look at the overflowing bins on a Sunday evening proves that our love for the planet often ends where our plastic bottle habit begins.
The entire flav& range breaks with this throwaway mentality through a clever return & recycling system:
- Long-lasting companions: The included Fizz Bottles make hundreds of single-use plastic bottles unnecessary. They even survive the occasional tumble off the camping table.
- Free returns: Once 8 empty CO₂ Fizz Cans have accumulated in your camper's storage compartment, simply request a free return label from our online shop.
- Real recycling at the plant: flav& recycles the empty cylinders. Refilling old containers never takes place with us. No cheap backyard refill - just a clean circular economy.
Conclusion: Those who lug, lose!
Hauling heavy crates of drinks belongs to the last century. It strains your nerves, jeopardises the permissible gross weight of your vehicle and creates avoidable mountains of plastic in our beautiful holiday regions.
A cordless sparkling water maker brings back the independence you actually hoped for from camping. With the flav&soda Fizz Kit you get the ultimate freedom at a fair entry price of €44.99. You get the extremely lightweight, power-free sparkling water maker, a robust BPA-free outdoor Fizz Bottle and a CO₂ cylinder for the first 75 liters of fizzy refreshment. Just leave the six-packs on the supermarket shelf and enjoy your next road trip with light luggage!
→ Get your Fizz Kit now - start your camping adventure light!
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get more CO₂ Fizz Can supplies while on holiday?
The best strategy is to plan ahead. Simply pack the Maxi Bundle before you leave, or browse the full range on flav&. That way, you'll have enough gas on board to supply a small town. After your holiday, you can simply send the empty cans back from the comfort of your own home.
Do I need to worry that the CO₂ cylinders might explode in a hot camper?
Don't worry. The Fizz Cans are manufactured to strict safety standards and can withstand normal thermal stresses inside the vehicle. Nevertheless, as with all pressurised gas containers, it is best to store them in a cool, shaded spot in the camper (e.g. in the storage compartment on the floor) and not to expose them to direct sunlight through the windscreen.
Will the sparkling water maker splash everywhere while driving?
No. The Fizz Maker contains no delicate electronics, displays, or glass components that could shatter at the first pothole. It's compact enough to fit in any camper storage compartment - whether that's an overhead locker, a kitchen drawer or a side cabinet - and can withstand even a bumpy ride on unpaved roads. And thanks to its stylish design, you can leave it out in plain sight. Everyone will love it.
About flav&soda: flav&soda is an innovative home carbonation brand based in Malta, sold across Europe. The Fizz Kit is the entry product - a cordless sparkling water maker with a BPA-free Fizz Bottle and a free CO₂ cylinder return & recycle scheme. Works just as well on a campsite as it does at home. Learn more about flav&soda →