Adventurous amour – Valentine's gear gifts

Posted by Melanie van Zyl on 5 February 2013

Adventurous amour – Valentine’s gear gifts

Since love is in the air, the logical place to go is the outdoors where you can breathe it all in this Valentines Day. Substitute the roses and chocolates with outdoor gear this February and take your loved one on an adventure that trumps the usual crowded restaurant. With winter just around the corner, this selection of gear will get you outside and energized on these final summer days with your sweetheart before the chills force you back indoors.

For him and her…

First Ascent brings you their brand new lightweight Cresent 23L daypack made for a quick starry-eyed excursion this coming Valentines Day. The pack is compatible with hydration bladders and there are stretch mesh sides to safely store a large water bottle, or a bottle of good wine to celebrate the summit with your partner. First Ascent have their own team to test the performance of their gear and they promise a comfortable trip as the pack features adjustable padded shoulder straps, moulded cushioned backing and side compression straps to maintain stability under larger loads. The bag also features an emergency whistle if you struggle to get back down again thanks to said bottle of wine.

First Ascent Cresent 23l Hot pink

The packs retail for R699,00 and come in two colours; black for him and hot pink for her.

Arranged marriage

There is no better feeling than being truly organized, especially when it comes to travelling and planning. Cocoon brings you Grid-it! They are committed to their motto of redefining organization and arrived at a simple base with an array of elastic covering it forming a grid, which securely stores all manner of things. If the woman in your life has a handbag looking something akin to the Kruger National Park after the devastating floods, she’ll be grateful for a trendy solution. The Cocoon messenger bag fits an iPad, a grid organiser and has an outer accessible spot for an iPhone too. She’ll never have to dig for her lipstick again and you’ll be sure to land a few kisses in return.

Red Cocoon iPad Messenger Bag and Grid-It! Organiser

The bags are available in black and red and go for R399,00 at Cape Union Mart.

Get those hearts pumping

We all know that love comes from the heart and exercise keeps the heart pumping, the body healthy and the lurve flowing. Runtastic is the newest running companion that measures your heart rate as you watch those kilometres flick past you and your partner. Fasten on the GPS watch, heart rate strap and receiver to track your runs, pace, calories, distance, speed and duration. You can monitor your exercise online with the Runtastic app and keep your very own up-to-date training diary. The Runtastic set comes with a mount to fit onto your bicycle to use for cycling and is suitable for walking, trail running and hiking too.

The Runtastic app is compatible with these smartphones:

iPhone – 3GS, 4, 4S, 5

Android – ab Android 2.1

Blackberry – 8830m, 8350i, 8900, 9000, 9100, 9105, 9300, 9700, 9780, 9788

Windows Phone – OS 7.5

Runtastic GPS Watch & Monitor

Runtastic Armband: R300

Runtastic Receiver with HRM: R800

Runtastic GPS watch with HRM: R2200

All Runtastic products are available from Mobile Gadgets, contact [email protected]

Broken heart? Nothing a Swiss Army Knife can’t solve

Every guy knows that an outdoor experience is bound to need a multi-tool – just ask Bear Grylls. If you’re struggling to find the ultimate gift for the avid outdoorsman look no further than the tried and trusted Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. Try the current gift special on the Swiss Champ complete with 34 different functions along with its smaller sibling, the Classic, which houses six tools from Cape Union Mart. He can drag along the heftier option for the true adventure, building a shelter along the way using the pliers and screwdriver or burn it down with the magnifying glass because old Grylls makes it look far easier on television. Alternatively, the Classic is perfect for any situation and it will fit easily into his pocket on the way out.

Victorinox Swiss Army Knife: Champ and Classic

The set is retailing for R750,00 at Cape Union Mart.

In the name of love…

Try Nikon’s new COOLPIX S9500 with a NIKKOR 22x optical zoom lens to capture all your adventure memories with your loved one. Nikon promises this 18 megapixel camera will deliver crisp images and movie clips, thanks to its lens-shift vibration reduction. What’s more, this nifty camera will remember your travels for you as its built in GPS allows you to ‘geotag’ photos along the way. The Nikon Coolpix also caters to the die-hard romantic as the screen view includes a compass so you can make sure you’re facing west in time for that dreamy sunset.

And it comes in red.

Nikon Coolpix S9500 in Red

Key Features

– Built-in Wi-Fi: transfer your high-quality images and movies directly to your smart device* ready for uploading on to your favorite social media.

– Super zoom: the 22x NIKKOR wide-angle optical zoom lens (25–550 mm) with ED glass will make you a sharp shooter from virtually any distance.

– Back-illuminated 18-MP CMOS sensor: with each pixel receiving more light, this highly sensitive image sensor works with the EXPEED C2 processor to deliver clear shots in any light.

– 7.5-cm (3.0-in.) 614k-dot OLED screen: OLED technology means this large screen offers excellent visibility and sharp contrast in all light conditions, including direct sunlight.

– Lens-shift VR (vibration reduction): Nikon’s automatic vibration reduction technology counters the effects of camera shake in real time, producing steady photos and movies.

– Full HD (1080p) movie recording: easily record life in motion and in stereo sound. A dedicated video-record button makes it easy to begin filming.

– Built-in Global Positioning System (GPS): record the exact location (latitude and longitude) of images as a ‘geotag’, review point-of-interest (POI) information in playback, or retrace your route via computer.

– Advanced movie functions: pause and continue filming to create a single movie. Optical zoom and autofocus are available while filming, and the built-in HDMI connector provides a direct link to an HDTV.

– Smart portrait system: Smile timer takes the shot when your subject smiles, Blink proof alerts you when someone’s eyes were closed, and Glamour retouch options make portraits look more flattering.

– Easy Panorama 360°/180°: pan vertically or horizontally to create dynamic panoramas.

– 3D shooting mode: create 3D images that can be displayed on 3D-capable TVs and computers.

– 19 scene modes: scene modes automatically optimize the camera settings for popular photographic styles, effects and locations. Achieve great shots just by selecting the mode that matches your situation.

– Subject Tracking AF: capture sharp shots of subjects on the move. Subject Tracking AF keeps the camera focused on a selected subject even if it refuses to stay still.

– Slimline body: measuring just 30.7 mm at its widest and 23 mm at its thinnest, the COOLPIX S9500 proves it’s possible to be packed with features and slim all at once.

Prices still unavailable, but if you miss it for Valentines, fear not! Keep it in mind for an upcoming birthday.

Keep Calm

The end of your couples adventure may call for more than a cup of tea if things get heated. This ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ travel mug from Mr Price Home is a good reminder to savour the good times and keep the peace on the way home. Retails for R49, 95

If all this fails to secure a most romantic day this February, you’re sure to find some solace in that Valentines Day only happens once a year…

Adventurous amour – Valentine's gear gifts