Goal Zero – Lighthouse Mini Lantern
Review by Tony Lourens RRP: R999.99 www.outward.co.za Back in the day, we would always pack our trusty Camping Gaz bluet gas lamp when heading into the hills. It was fairly bulky, and of course the running time of your lamp depended on how much gas you had, but the part I really hated was the …
Goal Zero – Light a Life Mini
Review by Tony Lourens RRP: R549.99 www.outward.co.za When we camp, we always rig up a gazebo where the stove, fridge, tables, etc., and general ‘kuiering’ takes place. It is a cosy spot where we always end up, sipping whisky late into the night, bravely planning the next days’ conquests. On our most recent trip, we …
JR Gear – Compression Dry Sack
Review by Fiona McIntosh RRP: R299 for 15-litre Compression Dry Sack RRP: R199 for 15-litre Light Weight Dry Bag www.rammountain.co.za In my last life – before I stuffed up my back – I was a white-water kayaker. So every piece of gear that I took on expeditions went in dry-bags. In those days there wasn’t …
Metolius – Ultralight Master Cams
Review by Tony Lourens RRP: R1090 About four years ago, I went on a quest to find a set of micro cams to compliment my existing rack of standard cams. I played and fiddled with as many different brands as we have here in Cape Town, and in the end I went for Metolius’s micro …
Sea to Summit – TPU Guide Map Case
Review by Fiona McIntosh RRP: R640 www.adventureinc.co.za I’ve been trying out a lot of extreme weather gear of late in training for a 520-kilometre World Series Adventure Race (Expedition Africa) that, by the time you read this, will have taken place on the Garden Route. The full gamut of weather conditions is pretty much guaranteed …
Sea to Summit – Field Repair Buckles
Review by Fiona McIntosh RRP: R79-R99 www.adventureinc.co.za The crunch was ominous. We’d stopped for cappuccinos at the Peregrine Farm Stall before heading out into the Hottentots Holland and, as I stood up, my booted foot crushed one side of the waist buckle on my backpack. I knotted the straps together, grateful that it was only …
Black Diamond – Cosmo Headlamp
Review by Fiona McIntosh RRp: R599 www.rammountain.co.za The Black Diamond Cosmo has always been a good all rounder, but 2016 sees a major upgrade and redesign that lifts this baby into a different league. With 160 lumens of power (up from 90 lumens in the previous version), a throw of 60 metres, six different lighting …
Black Diamond – Solution Harness
Review by Douw Steyn RRP: R1599 www.rammountain.co.za Lightweight harnesses are becoming increasingly popular these days. It used to be the case that they were tolerated for occasional use because the weight-saving offset the short periods of discomfort. Nowadays however, with modern technology, they have evolved into something that one can consider one’s standard harness. The …
Black Diamond – Creek Backpack 35-litre
Review by Tony Lourens RRP: R2799 (35 litres) RRP: R2999 (50 litres) www.rammountain.co.za This pack is a real winner. I’m not sure why it has taken so long for manufacturers to get a square bottomed pack out in the market, but it is really great to work with. It packs with so much more ease, …
LifeStraw – Go Bottle
Review by Fiona McIntosh Go Bottle RRP: R699 Personal Straw RRP: R399 www.adventureinc.co.za I’m lucky enough to live in the Western Cape where, by and large, the mountain rivers and streams are clean and pure. So drinking straight from the source when I’m in the hills has never been a problem. Sure, I wouldn’t recommend …