Changing Lives
After experiencing a devastating accident that led to his right leg being amputated, outdoor adventurer Matt Hallett set about to transform his life — and that of everyone around him. Founder of Adaptive Humanity in 2020, he and his wife, Amber, channeled their passion for helping others through a mobile prosthetic and orthotics clinic, which they built into a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter-based overlanding RV.
Matt and Amber Hallett of Adaptive Humanity Foundation traveled in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter motorhome, partnering with Aqua-Hot, sharing their expertise in orthotics and prosthetics to help others in need.
Partnering with Aqua-Hot, an Airxcel brand, the Halletts journeyed 270 miles north of the Arctic Circle, an adventure made comfortable with an Aqua-Hot 125D hydronic heating solution. This Aqua-Hot model was developed especially for Type B camper vans and with high-altitude use in mind.
The Halletts logged 15,000 miles on their Alaskan trip, traversing mountain roads and the frigid terminal stretch of Dalton Highway to Deadhorse, Alaska. Vander, the name chosen for their 2020 Sprinter 170 4×4 — short for “Overvanding” — included three Aqua-Hot heat exchangers: in the front, midsection, and inside a storage bay to warm batteries and to dry clothing and gear. Not only was the warmth important for their rest, but it was essential when the Halletts were working. “If you’re not warm and comfortable, you’re going to spend hours, not days, outside,” Matt Hallett said. “Outside when it was minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, the Aqua-Hot heater kept it a constant 70 inside.”
Since starting the Adaptive Humanity Foundation, the Halletts have donated more than 63 prosthetic hands, 14 prosthetic arms, over 500 prosthetic and orthotic supplies, and more than $75,000 in direct funding.
The couple hopes to bring their charitable mission to other continents also, combining their orthotic and prosthetic work with their passion as self-described “global nomads.” To view a video of the Halletts’ Alaska trip and other adventures, and to learn more about the Adaptive Humanity Foundation, visit www.adaptivehumanity.com or their Facebook page, Adaptive Humanity LLC.
Nighthawk Tow Bar Safety Update
Roadmaster Nighthawk tow bar
Roadmaster Inc. has issued a safety update for Nighthawk tow bars with serial numbers between 9513 and 10200. They incorporate a T-bolt assembly that may loosen during travel, possibly causing the tow bar to disconnect from the towed vehicle. Roadmaster will provide owners of the affected tow bars a free update kit.
For more information about this safety update and/or to claim a Nighthawk update kit, owners are requested to contact Jennifer Lee at (360) 597-2434; jlee@roadmasterinc.com. Roadmaster officials are asking those who no longer own the tow bar to please contact the company so that ownership records can be updated.
Lippert Acquires Girard
LCI Industries announced that its subsidiary, Lippert Components Manufacturing Inc., has acquired the business assets of Girard Systems and Girard Products LLC. Girard manufactures and distributes awnings and tankless water heaters for original-equipment manufacturers and aftermarket customers in the RV and specialty vehicle industries. Girard has served the RV industry since 1995, concentrating on the Type A motorhome market.
Lippert manufactures and supplies engineered components; in the RV market these include chassis, axles, and suspension products; slideout mechanisms; and stabilizer and leveling systems, among others.