S.O. Proud to Present…
A new year and a new start for
Sirocco Overland
A huge thank you to our very first sponsor
MAXTRAX
for joining us in our adventures.
Thanks to Brad and Tracey at Maxtrax HQ for making this happen.
2013 Holiday Gift Guide for Photographers – by Bret Edge
Bret Edge has put together a small collection of ace gifts for the fanatical photographer this Christmas. If you know someone who would like this stuff take a look at his blog post here:
2013 Holiday Gift Guide for Photographers.
Bret is an American based photographer but many of the products mentioned are available internationally. Although, not quite at the same price! Happy shopping.
Bret’s website can be found here: http://blog.bretedge.com/
Celebrating 10 years of use: Nixon Footsoldier Watch
Battered but not broken
It occured to me the other day that the time piece on my wrist has been with me for over 10 years now. Bought when I was at University, I put a small bit of my 2nd years student loan on the table. Granted it’s been well used and no longer looks that great but I still love it.
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Overlanders Review: Sea to Summit packable daypack
Not strictly overlanders gear, you probably think this is more suited to general travel and you would probably be right. But having said that, many people come to the overlanding world from a vehicular perspective and may have little or no travel experience before they embark on ‘the BIG one’.
Overlanders Personal Carry List
A list of important items we carried on ourselves for the 8 month overland trip through remote parts of the former USSR. The gear got a lot of heavy use everyday and never faultered so comes recommended. We liked it so much, we have it all on us now here in Indonesia.
What do you carry on long trips? Leave your comments below.
Overlanding Footwear – Meindl Desert Fox Boots Review
Before our trip out here to Central Asia I started looking around for a new pair of boots that would be suited to drier, hotter climes and would give me more support over a pair of shoes. I am carrying my leather Raichle boots which are great when the weather is wet/cold/temperate but when things dry up and the mercury rises you need something else…
Sweden – Onward to Gransfors Bruks Axes
After the decision was made for Lisa to return to the UK for a short period a route change had to happen to meet the availability of an affordable airline. Using some accumulated Airmiles she could fly out of Stockholm (Sweden) and then return to Munich (Germany) where I would drive to and pick up up 5 days later.
In the initial planning stages of our trip I had always wanted to visit the handmade axe producers at Gransfors Bruks Axes. We were going to head up to the forge and then cut back across to Norway at Trondheim but as our departure grew closer it seemed a long way out and we would also miss out on the main fjord region of Norway (which seemed to be the main attraction). Things were changed last minute and I thought I would never get the opportunity to visit GBA again…
New Gear – Nitecore MT26 Torch & Gerber STL 2.5 Folding Knife
New to the stable in recent months are the little known Nitecore brand of torches and the well known German blade and multi-tool manufacturer Gerber.
Globeroamer Combo Cover (Radiator Blind) Review
Just the other day I was wondering around the front of the 90 (it doesn’t get driven much) and thought I better check on the things while I was there. I noticed that the PIAA lamp covers have tarnished and are starting to look brittle (must be because the vehicle is parked up pointing south and gets the sun through the day?). Checked the winch rope, connections, brushed some leaves off and a little moss. Then I though ‘ow, what about this canvas cover that I haven’t touched for the last 9 months?’
Land Rover Defender LED Upgrades
Electrical efficiency has been on my mind of late, especially with the continuing build of the overland trailer. On the trailer I have installed a series of 50cm LED strips in each compartment activated by door ‘courtesy’ switches’.
LED lights have a lot going for them and they particularly suit an overland vehicle set-up. The main draw (no pun) is the lack of power consumption over prolonged use and they also emit light at a higher colour temperature range giving a cleaner brighter look. LEDs are also waterproof, shockproof (solid state), stay cool in operation, require less wiring (thinner cables) contain no mercury and last much longer than conventional bulbs. Also due to the higher colour temperature LED light does not attract insects like incandescent bulbs. Handy when forging a path through the jungles of South America at night. or greenlaning at night through the Welsh wilderness. Its like an insect orgy when you open the door, they all come flooding in!
4×4 Overland ‘bug out’ / survival / grab bag
I wanted to post up some info on the above which I have been researching recently. Whilst It may initially seem a little bit extreme in this country, I would think it is worth considering for trips further afield, especially outside of the EU.
What am I banging on about?
A bag that contains a collection of gear that you could use in an emergency situation. I have had a long think and many a discussion and the only 2 likely senario’s I can see are: a) the vehicle catches fire and it cannot be put out. b) submerged vehicles, occupants have to escape (ie. fording rivers).
In either case, the vehicle is lost. (more…)
Alpacka ‘Denali Llama’ – 1st time out (UK)
I managed to pick up a Denali Llama here in the UK for reasonable money considering it is new. As far as I know there are less than a dozen of these in the UK at present but their popularity is increasing due to the low pack size and possibilities for extended adventures.
A new addition, the Gransfors Bruks Axe
At the Bristol & West Land Rover show this weekend I managed to finally get my hands on a Gransfors Bruks Axe (GBA). I have admired these for a number of years but could never really justify buying one. If you have seen these axes before you will know that GBA have been hand crafting axes for over 100 years and are some of the worlds finest.
MYOG Camera Tripod Leg Wrap
(Make Your Own Gear) Tripod leg wraps, custom and simple. Cheaper than the £35 neoprene ones in the shop.
I didn’t take any ‘step by step’ photos but its very straightforward if you know what your working with.
I recently decided to ditch the tripod bag and use a much more comfortable strap. The leg wraps make it much nicer to handle. Im using a Hanhel Triad 30 which is small and light (and cheap!) so it didn’t take much foam or wrap, I think the upper leg sections are only 30cm in length. Anyway, onto the detail…
Welsh Ride Thing Preparations
With the Welsh Ride Thing (WRT) around the corner I have had to think seriously about the amount of riding I’m doing and what will be achievable over the nearly 3 full days. I have mapped around 12 of the way-points and initially covering a distance of approximately 110km with nearly 3000m of climbing. I have added an extra 15km loop on the last day which incorporates an additional way-point should I be feeling up to it, Its on forest track and passes a nice lake. If I can get there Sunday night I will be over the moon!
Lisa
Griff
Sirocco Overland | Сирокко Оверленд 