Equipment Outfitters

What to Sleep on

In a caravan, you’ll simply sleep in a bed. But for those who prefer the adventure of sleeping closer to Mother Earth — without sacrificing too much by way of comfort — there are a number of options.

Inflatable air mattresses come in single- or double-bed sizes. They hold a fair amount of air, so you will need some sort of pump to fill them. As they tend to be sturdy once inflated, they can usually be left that way. The top and bottom are kept in place with connecting strips inside, also determining the shape. Long-lasting under normal use, they are not designed to be used as a trampoline. Read the rest of this entry »

Dry Foods

The smaller collapsible cupboards that consist of shelf space only are as good for storing canned and dry foods as they are for storing clothes. The same goes for card‑board boxes, and these can be used in the usual way, opening side up.

Wet Foods

If you do not have a fridge or freezer, keep perishables such as milk, meat etc. in a cooler box. If you keep buying ice, you should be able to keep the temperature acceptably low. Pickling or marinating meat was an effective method of preservation before the advent of the freezer: vacuum pack the whole mixture in strong plastic bags (you can buy your own machine that does this) and keep it cool — it will not only last longer but will taste better as well. Vacuum sealable containers are particularly efficient if you exclude as much air as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

Clothing

In a caravan there’s usually plenty of storage place — the problem is deciding what to leave behind. But don’t leave behind your plastic laundry basket, especially if you are going to do a lot of hiking or have a small family and need to launder clothing every day. The basket can always be used to keep things from falling about while you’re travelling.

Plastic hangers are a good choice, as they can be left permanently in the caravan and won’t attract mildew. They are light and can be bought in packs of 10 or 20. Read the rest of this entry »

The living area of the motorhome tends to be built around the front end of the vehicle — the engine needs to be accessible from various angles for servicing, and one of these may be from inside the cab. Access to the cab is made easier by the fact that there is already a side entrance, and in these cases access to the driver’s seat will be via the living area. Some cabs do not depart much from their industrial origins and access here is gained via an ordinary door on each side. Depending on the country of origin, many imported motorhomes have the steering wheel and door on the ‘wrong’ side for South African roads. While this is not illegal, it does mean that the driver will have to make allowances for restricted vision. If you don’t like the idea, rather buy a locally made vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »

The luxury motorhome must surely represent the ultimate touring vehicle. As a combination of large vehicle and caravan it offers the benefits of both, and allows the traveller the sort of freedoms one would usually find only on a yacht! Passengers, for example, are able to sleep comfortably stretched out while the kilometres speed by.

Modern motorhomes are made for comfort, lightness and aerodynamic efficiency — they’re certainly more evolved than their older relatives. The interior layouts are more sophisticated and well thought out and the specification levels are higher. Although a common complaint is that the smaller versions are underpowered, fuel consumption is an important aspect of touring; while bigger engines have more power and are more exciting to drive, they are very much thirstier. Read the rest of this entry »

The torch inside the sleeping compartment also serves for a last-minute check, when everyone is bedded down, to ensure that no insects have found their way inside the inner tent lining. Midges can sometimes be troublesome to city-dwellers with tender skins, especially on campsites near rivers and lakes, but once inside the zipped-up sleeping compartment they are usually safe from them thanks to the fine mesh from which ventilation panels are made. It is only a matter of remembering to dispose of any that have already intruded. Read the rest of this entry »

Flysheets, groundsheets and A-poles

Although a weight of 4.5 kilos was given in the equipment checklist, some specialist tents weigh as little as half or even a third of that amount. This can be achieved nowadays by making them out of polyurethane- or silicone-proofed nylon, and generally standards of manufacture are very high. But the backpacker or cyclist should think twice before buying a tent without a tough, sewn-in groundsheet. A large protective flysheet which extends right down to the ground is also worth the effort of the extra couple of pounds. As well as making the tent less transparent, warmer and more rain and windproof, a flysheet with a front or side extension provides an undercover space in which to stow your gear or shelter your cooking apparatus during any bad weather. Read the rest of this entry »

Unless you are the sort of person who thrives on assault courses and marathon runs, carrying a loaded rucksack all day long or cycling uphill with heavy panniers is quite strenuous exercise. It therefore makes sense to get yourself reasonably fit before you set out on holiday and to experiment with carrying different loads over a period of several hours. Aching muscles are to be expected in the first few days of a walking or cycling tour however little you carry: you will not yet be fully in trim. But at the end of the holiday you want to be in the happy situation of not even noticing the weight on your back — not worn out and returning home in need of another fortnight’s rest. Read the rest of this entry »

Once you have arrived at your destination, check out the surrounding area for anything that might constitute a danger to your child. This can be anything from a communal braai area where hot coals are still burning to a large nest of biting ants. A nearby pool full of happy children is irresistible to any toddler, who may simply wander off to see what’s going on. Other children who may not have smaller siblings can cause unintentional trauma, and accidents happen quickly. Small boys racing around on bicycles may not notice a child in their path until it’s too late. If you see a dangerous situation developing, shout loudly to attract their attention! Read the rest of this entry »

Camping is one of childhood’s greatest adventures, and the times you spend with your children having fun in a tent or caravan will remain in their memories forever and unite your family in later years.

The sheer novelty of it all and the fact that the whole world comes so much closer may have something to do with this. Whatever the reason, don’t hesitate when it comes to packing them into the car and going away.

Children take to camping like the proverbial duck to water, and apart from when fatigue overtakes them, the simplest pleasures still have the ability to carry them further, and in a more wholesome fashion, than the most expensive toys. Read the rest of this entry »

Bush Etiquette

Many people go camping to get away from it all, and expect to find the peace and tranquillity they are paying for. If you are visiting a nature or game reserve you can safely assume that everyone who goes there does so to experience the natural environment. You may come across ardent birdwatchers, reptile or plant enthusiasts, amateur astronomers and wannabe entomologists. In-between are people who simply love to wallow in the delightful chaos provided by Our Creator. Read the rest of this entry »

The chances that while on a camping holiday you will receive an invitation to dine with the French President or attend the Hunt Ball are fortunately rather small. So all the “dressing up” clothes can be left at home and your outfit can be confined to the strictly practical. For winter holidays and mountaineering, high quality clothing is essential but for summer conditions what you wear is to a large extent a matter of personal taste. Read the rest of this entry »

Hardcore bungee jumpers soon began “sandbagging” to increase the intensity and height of rebound they received from the cords. Jumpers sandbag by holding onto added weight until they reach the bottommost point of the fall, where they release the weight. This method allows a 150 lb (68kg) jumper to be propelled upward with the stored energy of a 200 lb (91kg) jumper by releasing 50 lbs (23kg) at the bottom of the fall. Read the rest of this entry »

Thick, strong sticking plaster with powerful adhesive qualities should accompany you everywhere, but make sure you have some form of gauze to stop it sticking to the wound itself. Always carry a pair of sharp scissors or knife to cut it with, as it is almost impossible to tear. The stickiest plaster does not usually allow much air to penetrate, so you may also wish to carry a different variety that does. Read the rest of this entry »

In the old days, me and my brother really struggled to put the tent up properly. Especially in the windy night, we can’t sleep, because the wind rapes our roof. Today we have the instant air flow up tent. We just sit and watch.

Pitching the tent for the first time is something that should ideally be done at home before the start of your holiday. Read the rest of this entry »

These are considered the ultimate experience for the more adventurous and less fainthearted among us. If you’re to enjoy yourself in these harsh environments — for example in the remoter parts of the country or in the mountainous regions accessible only on foot — you need some knowledge of the bush and a good level of physical fitness. Venues such as these almost always require special vehicles — not to mention special people!

Conditions in these camps can be severe, especially if they’re situated in the desert or at high altitude, and in many cases there are no facilities at all. Visitors to the Richtersveld National Park in Southern Namibia, for instance, are expected to arrive in more than one 4×4 vehicle (you may need one to rescue the other) and be totally self-sufficient — you even have to supply your own water and firewood, and make sure you leave absolutely nothing behind. Read the rest of this entry »

Dome Tents

The most popular tent shape is the dome. It is the result of extensive research, and dome tent designers make the best of many modern materials such as carbon fibre and Ventex to produce ranges in all sizes. These materials make use of advanced technology to provide shelters of unparalleled resilience — in many cases they have a strengthto-weight ratio that can only be described as phenomenal. The dome shape is intentionally aerodynamic, and the stiffeners provide a good degree of flex; such tents can survive strong winds, even if these are accompanied by snow, hail and sleet. Many come with a built-in wind-deflector as part of the fly sheet, which, if correctly positioned, provides additional shelter and helps keep gusts away from the main opening. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re even thinking of going camping, you must like the idea of living in a tent. The good news is that there is an enormous range of tents, and the number continues to grow; every year seems to bring some new innovation.

The right tent will provide adequate shelter from the elements, allow reasonable freedom of movement inside and still have enough space left over to store sleeping bags, clothing and supplies. It will be easy to pitch and not take up too much space in the car or trailer. Read the rest of this entry »

Like most things in life, what you get out of an activity is indirect proportion to what you put into it from the start. Vacation time is a precious commodity and it’s worth going that extra mile so that everyone gets the most out of the time spent away from home.

In Search of a Destination

The first decision is obviously where to go. The most important factor here is geography — and how it has been exploited for your advantage. Coastal destinations are fine if you live inland, but people who live close to the sea may hanker after something different. In South Africa we have a wonderful variety of recreational places, and although many offer similar-sounding activities, the experiences can be very different for each one. Read the rest of this entry »

Walking, scrambling on all fours, and crawling on your belly into the moist darkness of a cave is not everyone’s idea of a good time, but it is certainly extreme. The labyrinth-like tunnels that can lead to huge sheer drop offs or expansive chasms are not for the faint of heart. Those prone to nightmares from watching too many reruns of Dracula also may not appreciate the propensity of caves to attract legions of bats.

Appropriately, those who do cave (serious cavers do not refer to their sport as spelunking or potholing) always travel to the inner depths of the earth in groups of two or more. Not surprisingly, cavers are subject to many dangers that one would expect could occur in a cave, such as death by starvation, falling, asphyxiation, drowning, and hypothermia from exposure. Read the rest of this entry »