This spring, we’re taking a look at some of the latest and greatest 4X4 gear we could find. Once you get your hands on this stuff, you won’t know how to survive without it!
LIFESAVER BOTTLE
People seem to joke at the idea of bringing a water purifier with them, but the hard facts are that each year, more than 100 million people die from water-related illness. Through the use of ultra-filtrate membranes and an activated carbon filter, the LIFESAVER bottle keeps you safe from 99.99999% of nasty water-borne organisms.
$230
livesaverbottleaus.com
OPPOSITE LOCK 40L FOOTWELL WATER TANK
Water is one of the heaviest things we carry with us, and the simple fact is that we need a lot of it to survive. This water tank from Opposite Lock carries 40L of water in the unused space of your rear footwell, keeping the weight – and your centre of gravity – down low. It’s perfect if you have kids that don’t need the leg room.
$195
oppositelock.com.au
JETBOIL FLASH
Boiling water is the old-fashioned way to make sure it doesn’t kill you. The Jetboil is the new-school way of doing it quickly in the outdoors. The Flash will bring a litre of water to a full boil in about two minutes, and it’ll make you coffee, soup, and noodles. Anything that’ll fit inside, it’ll cook.
$179
jetboil.com
IRIDIUM GO!
I’ve always thought that the point of driving far, far away from people was to get away from people. The Go! from satellite pioneer Iridium brings data connection to places that probably shouldn’t have it, which is a seriously impressive feat. We featured this great bit of kit in Unsealed 001, but it still didn’t have a price back then.
$875
iridium.com
ORICOM UHF300 5 WATT UHF CB RADIO
Oricom’s UHF300 Micro is … micro, which means it’s super easy to install in your vehicle. This radio might be small, but it’s certainly not light on performance and features. The seven-colour LCD display is reversible to give you more mounting options, and the die cast metal chassis with an integrated heat sink means you’ll consistently get the highest possible output power.
$199
oricom.com.au
NEMO HELIO SHOWER
Weighing in at only 750 grams, the Helio Shower from Nemo Equipment is the lightest camp shower on the market. It holds 11L of solar-heated water that’s pressurised by a lightweight foot pump. It’s also perfect for washing dishes in camp, or watering plants at home.
$149
nemoequipment.com
SNOW PEAK TITANIUM CAFE PRESS
Just because you’re in the middle of the bush doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a good cup of coffee. Stop settling for something that sucks, throw out the instant coffee and pick up Snow Peak’s Titanium Cafe Press. It’s durable, good looking, and makes a fantastic French press coffee in parts unknown.
$79
drifta.com.au
SEA TO SUMMIT SLEEPING MATS
No matter what sleeping mat you choose from Sea To Summit, you won’t be losing out. And with the heaviest weighing in at just 1015 grams, you won’t exactly be weighing down your 4X4 either. The mats feature innovative Air Sprung Cells™ that function in the same way coil spring mattresses do, allowing it to conform to your unique body shape.
Launching this October, price to be announced. seatosummit.com.au
JAMES BAROUD GRAND RAID EVOLUTION
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say the James Baroud Grand Raid Evolution is the Rolls-Royce of rooftop tents. It has a ventilation fan that’s solar powered, a rechargeable LED lighting system, the option of thermal insulation for colder areas, and plenty of storage options. Needless to say, they’re also quite comfortable and well shielded from the elements.
$4800
jamesbaroud.com.au
OUTDOOR RESEARCH BUG BIVY
Looking to keep the bugs off of you and the night sky in full view? Not too worried about getting rained on? The aptly-named Bug Bivy from Outdoor Research is designed to be a lightweight, easy-to-set-up solution for you. Amenities are slim, but it does have a waterproof floor to prevent the wet ground from soaking you in the middle of the night. At 454g, it’s seriously lightweight.
$149
outdoorresearch.com
DARCHE AIR-VOLUTION SWAG
A swag held up by high-pressure air poles is a bit excessive, but completely and utterly awesome. It’s not a gimmick either; it actually works. Just use the included hand pump and in less than 10 seconds you’re ready to go. Plenty of ventilation keeps you cool when it’s warm, and heavy-duty 400gsm proofed poly/cotton ripstop canvas keeps you dry when it’s pouring rain. Without question, this is one of the coolest swags we’ve seen to date.
$499
darche.com.au
