GOODS & GEAR

TRANS-AFRICA LAND ROVER

Written by award-winning author Martin Port, this new book follows the late Phillip Kohler’s remarkable life that includes a 3 year journey in his 1953 Series II Land Rover during a solo crossing of the Sahara desert.

But it doesn’t stop there, his adventure provided not just new experiences, but also shaped the rest of his professional life. A chance encounter with John Wayne, resulted in a hugely successful career in the international film industry working as location/ production manager on nearly 40 films, including The Empire Strikes Back, Full Metal Jacket and numerous Bond movies.

The book not only contains over 300 unique photographs and documents that charts Kohler’s journey from Australia to Europe, but also how his one-owner Land Rover, which remained with the family until 2016, made an emotional return to the road after 20 years of inactivity.

In today’s world there are so many conflicts, closed borders and hatred, that a journey of this magnitude is sadly no longer possible, so it’s nice relive this bygone era of overland expeditions and peril.

It doesn’t matter if you’re not into Land Rovers, Trans-Africa Land Rover is a well written and documented book that is engaging from start to finish and tells of a remarkable story of one man’s desire for adventure with a huge serving of nostalgia thrown in.

price: £30 more at » porterpress.co.uk

BOOTPAC

Made from a tough woven polyester with a durable waterproof coating, the BOOTPAC is designed to keep the rear of your car clean and tidy, especially during those trips to the tip with rotting timber, vegetation and so on, after all, no-one want a car that’s full of creepy crawlies and smelling of umentionable things!

Using adjustable heavy duty straps that are easily attached to your 4x4, estate, SUV or hatchback’s headrests, grab-handles and boot hinges, the BOOTPAC resembles a huge tent and even zips up sealing in any bulky and dirty items that you’re transporting.

The BOOTPAC has a capacity of 500 litres that extends up to 1,200 litres for longer loads, and is really well thought out. Not only are there multiple carry handles on all sides for when you want to carry the BOOTPAC to a specific area, but there are also side compression straps to secure the load. Once full it can be zipped shut to keep moisture, dirt and insects away from the car interior.

When unzipped the access flap of the BOOTPAC covers the bumper protecting it from dirt, sharp objects and scratches when you fill and then remove the contents.

At the tip or recycling centre you can simply unzip to gain access, or for the likes of leaves or garden waste it’s easy to remove the entire bag for emptying.

Not only is it ideal for the aforementioned tip runs, but it also works well for the outdoor enthusiast and sports coaches; essentially anyone who has wet or dirty gear to transport. Once used it can be easily washed and stored away in its own carry bag.

price: currently £75 (normally £99) more at » www.bootpac.biz