Product reviews

Tech Briefing

Tech Briefing: Battery charging basics

The battery is at the centre of all our energy requirements in our vehicles. Battery technology is changing fast in various energy-storage markets, but owners of recreational vehicles still choose lead acid batteries, mainly because of cost and availability. When we discharge a battery, energy is converted from chemical to electrical energy; when we recharge, the electrical energy is converted into chemical energy. No-one struggles to discharge a battery, but most people struggle to recharge a battery; and knowing when a battery is fully charged is a challenge. Charging methods and stages Recharging methods vary from AC chargers (connected to…

Product Test

Long-term Test: Waeco CFX-65

The Waeco CFX-65 fridge-freezer we have been using since early 2013 has now been rebranded a Dometic, in line with the Swedish company’s brand-consolidation exercise. It was always built by them, so this is just a name-change for this fridge which needs no introduction as the unsung hero of all our local trips. Whether it’s working at max capacity in 40 degree heat or sitting turned on in an office for months at a time, the old beast has its work cut out. And it hasn’t missed a beat. As Grant Spolander put it in his 2013 review of this…

Product Review

Product Review: BF Goodrich KM3 Mud-Terrains

Back in the early 1980s, BF Goodrich introduced an unconventional tyre that would forever change the way we thought about off-road traction. They called it the T/A Mud-Terrain: “T/A” borrowed from their successful line of street-performance offerings, and the rest for the type of terrain it would call home. It was the first such tyre with an aggressive tread design, deep voids, and radial construction. The impact was such that, in the following years, nearly every tyre manufacturer in the genre would introduce a variant of BFG’s original design. In 1984, the company rocked the four-wheel drive community with a…

Product Review

Product Test: Carma Quip Rough’it Mattress

Let’s face it, Z-folds work a treat for sleeping, but they are hellish bulky. When you pack for a family of five or more, chances are that the mattresses take up half the available space. Most people have experimented with the blow-up balloon type, which pack lekker small and flat, but it doesn’t take long before everyone’s had enough of broken or forgotten pumps and that sinking feeling when a mattress is punctured. It’s only a matter of time. Somewhere in the middle of the bulk versus reliability debate is the self-inflating mattress. For car-camping purposes, we’re not talking about…

Caprivi seat covers

RIDE IN STYLE Seat covers that raise the bar

It’s a fact that 4x4ing and overlanding is a filthy business. You are inevitably climbing in and out of your vehicle, particularly when stuck or inspecting the terrain ahead, and bringing in leaves, sand, sticks, mud and various things that seem to grow overnight. Add a scattering of dog hair, plus those sticky kids’ snack leftovers, and in no time your cab looks like the dance floor at the end of a three-day music festival. The carpets take a lot of strain, and that’s best addressed with all-over rubber covers, but those fancy patterned cloth seats which seemed such a…

TBV Solar 160W flexible fold-up solar panel

Catching the sun: TBV Solar 160W flexible fold-up solar panel

If you have a dual-battery system, and run a fridge and other power-draws in remote places, you are going to have to invest in solar panels. A day’s driving will help top up your second battery, but unless you are near a 220V source, when you are parked for any length of time the power drain is going to kill your second battery within a day or two. There’s plenty of choice out there on the solar front − from large panels that can be fixed permanently to the roof of your trailer or van, to various more mobile units…

Ironman 4x4 Travel Master Multi-Rod and Multi-Reel

Gear: October must haves

Ironman 4×4 Travel Master Multi-Rod and Multi-Reel FISHING FRIEND For the travelling fisherman struggling for space, Ironman 4×4 has the perfect solution. The patent-pending carbon- fibre Travel Master Multi-Rod offers 36 combinations in nine different rod styles, giving the ideal setup at a moment’s notice for any demand from river to surf fishing. It all packs up into a compact carry tube. Complementing the Multi- Rod is the Multi-Reel, which features three pre-lined spools colour-coded to match the rod tips, pinion gears, 9 + 1 ball bearings, a 5.5:1 gearing ratio and a silent anti-reverse. R3315 011 634 7600 www.ironman4x4.co.za…

Built for a life of hard knocks

Underbody armour and why you need some bolt-on protection

By Andrew Middleton Whether you’re rock crawling or overlanding, the added safety that underbody protection provides may be a lifesaver for you and your vehicle. Just picture the scene: driving through the Namib, you hear a ghastly CLUNK – and you realise that the middelmannetjie was harbouring a jagged rock. There’s a hole in your sump and oil is gushing out. You wouldn’t be the first person to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a damaged vehicle, and you won’t be the last, but all this could easily be avoided with a decent bash plate. As standard, all…

Bulldog remoulded tyres

Gear: September must haves

Ironman 4×4 twin-LED work light WORK LIGHT The new universal work light from Ironman 4×4 is compact, with a low power draw from its two 5W CREE LEDs, and uses brand new reflectors to make the most of its superbright 840-lumen output. Easily mounted and wired in a variety of places on a 4×4, it is ideal for assistance in reversing, illuminating a camp area, or lighting the cargo area of a vehicle. It is IP67 and IP69K rated for ingress of water and dust, and features a diecast aluminium housing and stainless-steel mounting bracket. R495 (011) 634 7600 www.ironman4x4.co.za Tasco Essentials 10×50 binoculars IN FOCUS When it comes to general-use…

Trigger happy

Buyers Guide: Overlanding camera kit

A guide to the basics of photography and what you need in your kitbag to step up your image game when travelling in the wild. Since the dawn of human civilisation, humans have been creating images to replicate scenes that they see. Photography has progressed from ancient cave drawings to portraiture and the dawn of the digital age. Nowadays, the most commonly used camera is in your pocket at all times, and it’s incredible what one can achieve with a simple mobile phone. However, if you want to capture the beauty of nature in any great detail on your next adventure,…

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