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If you’re feeling adventurous enough to shun regimented plane-and-pool peregrinations and much prefer to be master of your own destiny on your next vacation, a road trip is for you. Just you, your companions, the open road and endless possibilities. Once you’ve selected the best electrified vehicle for your journey (we have you covered here), you’re going to need all sorts of gear to make sure you arrive on time, safe and sound, and ready for whatever the elements can throw at you be it city-hopping or outback adventure.
Belstaff x McLaren 850.S003 jacket
If you intent on racking up some serious miles, what to wear while driving can be just as important as what to wear out of it. When it comes to fashion collaborations with major automotive brands, the results often tend to look a little too Alan Partridge, but there’s an understated, elegant and utterly considered look to the whole Belstaff x McLaren partnership. Our pick of the collection is this modern Harrington-style driving jacket in dark shale that’s made from a three-layer water-resistant stretch nylon outer with heat-sealed seams and laser-perforated ventilation.
Price: £495 | Check price on Belstaff
Zus Smart Tire Monitor
Why let a speed bump or pot hole remind you of a need to give the tyres a bit of attention, when you can receive real-time information on pressure (PSI/kPa/Bar), slow punctures and potential problems via a smartphone app. Supplied with four lockable sensors that fit easily on each tyre valve, you then plug the hub into your car’s power supply and sync with the app. Refreshingly, it has been designed to be easy to switch between cars, which means you can take it with you and pimp your hire car.
Price: £70 | Check price on Nonda | Amazon
BioLite Solarhome 620
An effortlessly practical off-grid power solution that packs down to the size of a shoebox, the SolarHome 620 consists of a six-Watt solar panel feeding electricity into a 20-Wh control box with LCD display for monitoring charge levels, which, in turn powers three hanging LED lights – each with a surprisingly bright 100-lumen output – two USB ports for power-ups at night and a built-in MP3/FM radio system.
Price: £160 | Check price on BioLite | Amazon
Nebula Capsule II
Smaller than it has any right to be, this can-sized Android-powered Wi-Fi connected 5W Bluetooth speaker and 720p HD DLP can throw a 100in autofocusing screen onto any surface – we tried it on a tepee after dark with great results – all controlled via smartphone app. Unlike most pico projectors, the Capsule II manages a three-hour battery life and better than average sound quality, with 360-degree audio so it projects dialogue in all directions for a more realistic movie experience. This little powerhouse raised more than $1.6m on Kickstarter and will be available from June.
Price: $599 | Check price on Anker
Seiko Prospex Street Series
A modern reworking of the classic 1975 Seiko Tuna dive watch, the online-only Prospex Street Series retains the substantial 51mm diameter, 200m water resistance and chunky three-dimensional bezel of the original, but is now available in Navy, Green and Grey with a leather imprint silicone strap and is powered by Seiko’s own solar caliber V157 movement making it hugely practical plus it can keep time for up to 10 months in total darkness.
Price: £370 | Check price on Seiko
MiiR 64oz Insulated Growler
Let’s face it, one beer is never enough, but if you take a four-pack they’ll be warm before you know it. Tough times then for the travelling Pale Ale fan looking for refreshment once the driving duties are dispensed with for the day, which is why MiiR has created the ultimate go-anywhere Growler: four pints, 64oz and made from 18/8 medical grade stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulated technology and threadless lid that helps seal in the fizz, while keeping your choice of beer (we heartily recommend the 6.5 per cent Bosko American Pale Ale by Pressure Drop) cold for more than 24hrs.
Price: $59 | Check price on MiiR
Kube Cooler
Admittedly we want to be on a different beach if someone else shows up with this ridiculously powerful 350W amplifier, 360-degree speaker and 37-litre cool box combination (585mm x 451mm x 433mm). Kube is capable of a deafening 120dB volume – streamed over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi – and with an enormous 300,000mAh battery (yep, 300,000mAh) you can expect it to play, and play, and play, for 20 hours all on a single charge, while the IPX4 rating ensures your electrics stay safe from splashes. An updated design now adds a soft-opening lid, tweaked UI and better overall audio quality.
Price: £899 | Check price on Kubesound
Vollebak Planet Earth Shirt
We have long championed Vollebak’s no-holds-barred approach to technical wear, and this supremely technical shirt continues that trend. Designed to be used anywhere on the planet in any given conditions, the four-way stretch material has been treated with Schoeller 3XDry, making it water, dirt and bacterial resistant. It features 62m of reinforced stitching and taped seams, there’s a reinforced mosquito collar, seven air vents, a hidden passport pocket, nine gadget loops and shatterproof buttons made from corozo, the world’s toughest nut.
Price: £245 | Check price on Vollebak
BioLite FirePit
Few things are more enjoyable than sitting around enjoying an open fire as the Sun goes down on another day outdoors, but the pleasure gained from the heat and embers is often cancelled out when the wind changes direction sending wood smoke into your eyes. Thankfully, BioLite’s app-controlled FirePit challenges the elements and wins thanks to its powerful 10,400mAh Li-Ion powered fan – which can also boost your smartphone battery - that not only keeps the fire burning at the perfect temperature for up to 24hrs (assuming you keep adding logs), but blows the embers, minimising the smoke created by fresh logs.
Price: From £220 | Check price on BioLite | Amazon
Apple iPad Pro (2018)
The iPad Pro has been given a serious makeover with a tiny bezel increasing the size of the Liquid Retina screen without upping the overall dimensions, so the 10.5-inch screen is now 11 inches, while the larger 12.9-inch screen has a smaller casing despite being a slender 5.9mm thick. Gone is the Home Button, replaced by Face ID and a series of intuitive gesture controls, the much-maligned Lightning cable has been replaced by USB-C, and to top it all the Apple Pencil has been redesigned and now charges wirelessly from the iPad. But it’s the portability and huge battery life that makes this the ideal road-trip computer.
Price: From £769 | Check price on Apple | Very | John Lewis
Boss Katana Air
Taking the concept of playing air guitar a little more literally than most, BOSS has developed the world’s first completely wireless guitar amplifier that cuts the cord between axe and amp using a smart, motion-sensing transmitter, and swaps mains for battery power, giving you complete freedom while still offering up 20W (30W plugged into mains) of sound. The transmitter manages 12hrs of play time between charges and automatically goes into standby mode when you set your guitar down. Aside from a wealth of classic guitar sounds to experiment with on the amp, you can also tweak your own and download hundreds of other tones via the Tone Studio app (android, iOS). What's more, not only can you listen to your favourite music via Bluetooth connection, the system lets brave musicians play along as well. Pair with the supreme new Fender Acoustasonic for ideal camp-fire karaoke fodder.
Price: £400 | Check price on Boss | Amazon
Black Ember WPRT Collection
Made using Hypalon, a polyethylene typically used to build inflatable rib boats, this IPX-06 waterproof-rated modular roll-top bag combines stealthy style, exceptional build quality and hard-working practicality. Generous weatherproof internal cavity aside, what sets Black Ember’s bags apart is the range of hook-on pouches and sleeves that can maximise capacity, hanging securely on the outside increasing the bag’s usability while giving it a definite black-ops military feel.
Price: From $165 | Check price on Black Ember
Ember travel mug
We have long admired Ember’s ability to keep our office coffee at the perfect app-controlled temperature, but with the launch of this 355ml travel mug, the thermostatic control system – that keeps your cuppa at a precise temperature of your choosing between 50 – 62.5°C - makes so much more sense. No more tepid disappointments while driving, and thanks to the commendable 360-degree sip lid design, it feels like you’re drinking from a ceramic mug, not a plastic bottle.
Price: £159 | Check price on Ember | Amazon
Chris Digital Co-Driver
Chris’s modus operandi is a simple but effective one: give you, the driver, as much control over your smartphone as possible while on the move without needing to go near your phone. Controlled using speech and gestures, this windscreen-mounted auto-Echo-Dot-alike (for want of a better description) can be used to receive and reply to messages, make calls, listen to music and, of course, follow directions.
Price: £300 | Check price on Chris
Garmin inReach Mini
Weighing a mere 100g, this matchbox-sized life-saver offers a guaranteed 100 per cent global Iridium GPS signal (with subscription) and two-way satellite communication, so no matter where the road takes you, it’s easy to stay connected via SMS, or, if things turn hairy, send SOS alerts any time to the GEOS international emergency response centre. The 23mm screen can’t show much, but will provide pinpoint location, compass and way-points and can be linked to the Garmin Earthmate app for a full suite of colour maps and features.
Price: £299 | Check price on Garmin | Amazon | Blacks
Nighthawk MR1100 Mobile Router
With support for up to 20 Wi-Fi devices on a single wireless connection, this dual-band mobile router could keep an entire minibus happily online. Combining ultrafast download speeds up to 1Gbps (upload at 150Mbps max) Nighthawk can also serve as a media hub for streaming, thanks to one Ethernet and two USB ports for wireless beaming from microSD or USB, and it can even offload seamlessly when you move from the car to the hotel.
Price: £300 | Check price on Netgear | Amazon | BT
Rimowa Essential Lite
It has been four decades since Rimowa transformed the luxury luggage sector with their iconic aluminium trunks, and 19 years since they did the same thing with polycarbonate, but today, Essential Lite remains one of the toughest and lightest (2.2kg) wheelie bags available. With a 37-litre capacity and four of the smoothest ball bearing assisted rolling wheels, you’ll never again fall flat as you stride from airport carpet to tiles.
Price: £400 | Check price on Rimowa
EcoFlow River Mobile Power Station
Charge it up before you go, and River’s mobile power bank (412Wh, 114,000mAh at 3.6V) will keep all your tech going for days on end. For such a compact unit (25 x 16 x 20.8cm) it can pump out 500W (300AC, 200DC), can be teamed up with solar panels and has 11 independent outputs including AC, 4x USB, 2 x USB-C, 2x DC, making it ideal for laptops, tablets, cameras – and even a fridge or hair dryer.
Price: $499 | Check price on EcoFlow
Tile Pro
The original Tile Bluetooth tracking keyring was a roaring success, not least because if you double-tapped it your phone would ring, even on silent - but with the Pro they’ve made it infinitely more practical by not only boosting the range from 30m to 90m, but by allowing you to replace the CR2032 battery (after around a year’s constant use.) And, as an added incentive, if you do lose something you can call on Tile’s global network of users so everyone using the app within range of your lost item can look for it, too.
Price: £30 each | Check price on Tile | Amazon | Very
Vuarnet Tom Sunglasses
Inspired by the iconic style of cult TV hero Magnum, P.I., Tom is a retro pilot-style acetate frame made with lateral reinforcements and five-barrel hinges to reduce the chance of bum breakages, but it’s the Nightlynx lenses that guarantees they make it into our glovebox, as they significantly improve contrast and perception of distance, even in low light. The Tom's are no longer available on Vuarnet's own site, but you can still get them online via a quick search. Or simply plump for any of the range that offer those useful Nightlynx lenses.
Price: €230 | Check price on Vuarnet
AlphaTauri KOOV Parka
Save the jokes about Red Bull’s fashion side project giving the wearer wings, because KOOV is one exceptionally technical jacket packed – quite literally – with the finest down-mimicking Primaloft Gold insulation, plus a liner made from Taurex, an all-new performance fabric that keeps you warm without overheating thanks to a “titan mineral matrix” that apparently “recovers far infrared rays”. According to Schoeller Textiles AG, who developed the fabric, it also promotes circulation and increases oxygen levels for improved wellbeing and sharper concentration. Bold claims indeed, but if you’re not swayed by its lofty wellness-tech credentials, you’ll love how neatly it rolls up into itself for packing.
Price: €800 | Check price on AlphaTauri
Modulus Atlantis Duffle KVS-5006
We sees dozens of suitcases claiming to be airline/airport/baggage-handler-proof, but until now, none of them had offered the ballistic-grade protection of Kevlar and the unwavering “all inclusive” one-year guarantee that should it get damaged – no matter who is at fault – Kevlar will repair or replace, no questions asked. This 1.3kg super light carry-on duffle features a large U-shaped zip for easy packing and Kevlar “X” bracing that increases rigidity without adding to the weight.
Price: £275 | Check price on Case Luggage
Leica D-Lux 7
Described by Leica as “inconspicuous, lightweight and compact”, this classically proportioned, elegant and easily accessible camera has a 17MP Four Thirds sensor that cleverly allows the camera to maintain the same field-of-view at 16:9, 3:2 and 4:3 aspect ratios. It has a 24-75mm equivalent F1.7-2.8 Leica DC lens and all the manual control you need to get to grips when weaning yourself off your smartphone’s camera.
The D-Lux has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with the latter maintaining a constant connection, meaning you can quickly use it as a remote, and transfer images automatically via Leica FOTOS app (below).
Price: £995 | Check price on Leica
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This article was originally published by WIRED UK
