GOODS & GEAR

OVER THE TOP QUILTIE HAMMOCK

I met Paul from Over The Top many years ago at Burghley Horse Trials where he and his family had a stall. Impressed by the quality of products they made, I thought that if I ever got a dog, he would be one of the first companies I’d call, and with that in mind, we now have one of their rear seat hammocks, to keep our cars clean, and for press cars, too.

Fitting the hammock is straight forward - simply place it on the back seat making sure the holes for the seatbelt anchors are in the correct place, and attach the adjustable straps around the front and back seat headrests to keep them in place.

The hammock is made from premium quilted cotton, which feels like it’ll never wear out, and there is a non slip waterproof backing on the base, perfect for stopping the hammock from sliding around.

The Over The Top hammock fully covers the back seat and the back of the front seats ensuring that dog hair, dirt, mud and moisture are all kept off your seats, and it protects your car's upholstery from sharp toenails. Not only that, but an integrated side skirt protects the side of your seat when your dog is getting in and out of your vehicle too.

As the hammock fully covers over the footwells it stops your dog from falling into them, and makes a great bed for when your dog decides it is time for a nap. The improved design now includes velcro'd seat belt anchor holes so that you can harness your dog safely in the rear seat.

When we first rehomed Lilly she wasn’t keen on being a back seat passenger, and she would try and squeeze her way between the two front seats to see what was going on, but as the hammock creates a barrier between the two front seats she now happily just sits there, to the point we are confident to take her on longer journeys without worrying.

Being a universal fit, it measures 55" wide x 69" long (140cm x 177cm), and so far it’s been in Deux Smurf, a Nissan Navara, Kia Sportage and Muddy Madam’s Skoda Fabia.

price: £139.99 more at » www.overthetop.co.uk

RING MAGFLEX UTILITY LED INSPECTION LAMP

If you ever want to turn night into day, then go and buy this Ring MAGflex utility lamp, it’s blindly bright.

Designed with versatility in mind, it can be positioned pretty much anywhere. Not only does it have a pair of hanging hooks, but at both ends there are a couple of super strong magnetics. That’s not all, for ultimate versatility, each end has a two-way ratcheting bases that creates a 360° rotating body and can be used freestanding or positioned in any number of ways to ensure that whatever you’re working on is properly illuminated.

Find yourself with a puncture late at night - no problem, simply use the magnets to attach it to the wing of your car. The MAGflex Utility has a maximum output of 1000 lumen and can last up to 2.5 hours. And, needless to say it’s both cordless and rechargeable and comes with both a 12v plug and car lighter socket.

Weighing in at just 0.586 kg and measuring 499mm x 50mm x 46mm, it’s not just handy for working on cars, but I’ve used it numerous times for finding stuff in sheds and the attic when a torch simply isn’t good enough - it easily illuminates a whole room.

price: RRP £49.99 currently £31.99 at amazon.co.uk

more at » www.ringautomotive.com

ADESSO DELIA BOOTS

Muddy Madam here; I spotted these and quite a few other quirky boots and shoes on a stand at the Outdoor Trade Show, and was immediated entranced, and after a chat with Helen from the West Midland Shoe Company I was even more smitten with these Delia Multi walking boots.

You see ladies walking boots are usually pretty boring or in 'ladies colours', and most of them have such a narrow foot that I would have to cut off a toe or two to get my slabs of meat into them, but these were a little bit different (OK a lot different).

The look reminded me of those customised DMs of the mid-nineties, but these are more than a fashion statement as they have all the benefits and feel of proper walking boots.

These printed leather boots are waterproof, and have a gussetted tongue attached part way to the uppers so that water or dirt doesn't get in. They also have a lovely flexible and ribbed padded back at the top of the ankle, which for me is brilliant as I have a slightly pronounced Achille's tendon, and can find the more rigid boot style very uncomfortable unless it has a cutout.

I am a good size 7, with a very wide foot, and sometimes, when I have proper hiking socks on, boots can be a bit tight, so I opted for the UK 8/Euro 41 size. After they arrived I realised that I could have probably managed in the 7s, but I think the 8s probably gave me a little bit more width, so with the addition of 2 socks - 1 thin cotton, 1 thicker hiking style (which is actually recommended to stop blisters) - they have been brilliant.

I have done countless dog walks through fields, forests and on tarmac, jumped in quite a few puddles and meandered to the shops in driving rain to test them out, and so far, so good - no leaking, no blisters, no sore toes and actually my hip isn't feeling as bad anymore, which is probably due to the decent sole that doesn't let me walk badly.

The only thing I'd change is the round laces, as I find unless you double knot them they always work themselves loose, but changing them isn't much of a hardship, and actually some funky coloured laces to go with the funky pattern may look amazing. If you aren't as bold as me, and don't fancy the multi-coloured design, there are a couple of more traditional colours to choose from (Black or Olive), which are made with soft Nubruck leather.

Overall I am impressed. I've tried out quite a lot of boots in the past, and these are as comfortable as some of the more widely recognised brands, with the added bonus of being a much better price. price: £79.99 more at » https://wmsc.co.uk

TREASURED ISLANDS

Written by Peter Naldrett

Treasured Islands is a guide to over 200 of the most beautiful and intriguing islands around Britain, from the smallest uninhabited slabs of rock teeming with wildlife, to the likes of Anglesey and Jersey, that are teeming with humans!

As you’d imagine, a lot of the islands are only accessible via boats, but there are quite a few, like Lindisfarne, that are connected by roads and cut off when the tide comes in.

With plenty of pretty colour photographs, Treasured Islands explores islands from the northernmost tip of Scotland to the south coast of England, taking in islands of Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Scillies, the Channel Islands and the remote Faroe Islands.

The book reveals their history, culture, wildlife, folklore and the best places to stay and eat. Oh, and the all-important transport links to and from the mainland and other nearby islands.

Although each island comes with a grid reference, it would be better if the author had included maps illustrating their locations, but other than that it’s a great book, and I’ve already planned a few getaways, either in a guest house, camper or paddling over in the canoe for a wild camp.

RRP - £18.99 Currently £12.99 at amazon.co.uk