Spending time in nature is, for most, escapism from the routine and challenges of daily life. So when it comes to equipment, it is important to choose the gear that is right for you and the challenge at hand, and that can take the punishment that it is likely to receive. It is for this reason that I am particularly fussy about what I use and get especially grumpy when items fail or break within a short space of time. What makes it worse, is that supposedly good quality outdoor gear often carries a fairly hefty price tag… after all, the saying of ‘you get what you pay for’ is generally accurate.
And the problem we as South Africans face is that our outdoor stores don’t carry enough of a range for us to be able to assess all possibilities in one location. We have to bounce from store to store, rely on varying levels of in-store knowlegde and then know which questions to ask and filter all the garbage that is fed our way.
It is for these reasons that I set out to test a variety of brands on an extended gear test: to push through the nonsense and punish gear properly in a real-world environment and then present it to you, fellow outdoor fanatics, in an honest review that is presented in a simple format. No technical talk and hectic jargon that is designed to allow the salesperson to impress or confuse you. Just plain, every day language to give you the info you need to make an informed decision.
Sadly, it is has not been possible to test every single item from every single brand in every single category, but my approach has allowed me to use several items in each category and to give them a proper working. I’m taking into account things like body shape and type (including frame, feet, weight), weather conditions, terrain and a whole bunch of other factors, allowing me to give you the pros and cons with a little extra info too.
Equipment on test is a complete mixed bag, with some being local (either by design or manufacture) and some imported. Where an imported item is lucky enough to get my thumbs up and take the title of ‘Best on Test’, I will award a ‘Best of SA’ title too, for those who prefer to support local brands.
To give you an idea of the volume of equipment being tested, picture packing your rucksack for a month long hike into the wilderness. Now, do that four times and you get an idea of what I’m talking about. While the smallest cateogory contains only two brands (both local) and a few contain three brands, most contain four brands or more! That’s a lot of equipment to test and generate feedback on. So you can clearly see why I am so difficult to get hold of!
The route north from Kimberley takes me to Taung, Vryburg, Mafikeng, Gaborone, Musina and finally Beit Bridge, and I can’t wait to see how this gear handles the next 1250 km. Let’s hope it goes a little better than the first 1200 km!
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