Turas Camping and 4WD Adventures Magazine-Issue Eighteen

GEAR - CAMPING - TRAVEL - CAMP COOKING - NEWS - FISHING

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E-MAGAZINE

SPRING 2021 - ISSUE 18

THE BUILD#2 ARCTIC TRUCKS REMOTE POWER EXPLORING

GEORGIA

PLUS LATEST GEAR CAMPING WITH A TRAILER....

TYRES EXPLORING THE WILD WEST & MUCH MORE

CAMP COOKING

SWAGS

THE LAND ROVER BUILD - TYRES - BULLBARS - RUST - SUSPENSIONS

Editorial Hello all, we hope you are all doing good, as the evenings now start to get longer here in the Northern Hemisphere, you can hear the lawnmowers out cutting the grass and for us that normally means cleaning out the shed and starting to get the camping gear ready for the season ahead. With lockdowns and restrictions over the last couple of months we all have been pretty limited in where we could go and our appetites are certainly whetted for some serious outdoor living over this summer.

happy with the progress we have made and if you are planning on renovating or restoring your vehicle you will hopefully get some useful information or tips from this issue.

In this issue we also tour Georgia with Tomek Maj from Land4Travel.com and explore the wild west with Roger Mercier of overlandfrontier.com.

We have a podcast interview with Emil Grimsson, founder and chairman of Arctic Trucks, who shares the history of Arctic Trucks and also explains why Arctic Trucks rely on the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta 44 for driving in deep snow and extreme cold.. We have a look at some great camp cooking options from Petromax and much more.. We do hope you enjoy this issue

The Abenteuer and Allrad organisers have recently announced that the show’s dates have been changed to the 29th of July to the 1st of August, we all will just have to hang in there and hopefully we will shortly see some light at the end of the tunnel. We have been very busy with the TURAS The TURAS team Land Rover build and in this issue we have dedicated a fair bit of the magazine to the works completed so far. We are very

Photo:Nicolas Genoud - Geko Expeditions

EDITORIAL TEAM

Russ Ryan Mark O’Toole CONTRIBUTORS

Ron Moon Viv Moon Paul Frith Trish Melody Alison Scanlon Marie Frith Frank Cassidy Tomek Maj

Russ Mark

DESIGN TEAM

Paul

Russ Ryan Mark O’Toole Marie Frith PUBLISHED BY

TURAS Camping & 4WD Adventures Ltd.

Trish

SUBSCRIPTIONS

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Ali Frank Marie

Copyright © 2020 TURAS Camping and 4WD Adventures Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please contact: info@turas.ie

You can get in touch with the TURAS team at info@turas.ie or via the contact form on our website.

WWW.TURAS.TV

TURAS Land Rover Build Part 2

Bravo Snorkel

Gearbox, Clutch & Flywheel

12 28

16

34

Touring Georgia

Hakkapeliitta 44 Nokian Tyre

Emil Grimsson of Arctic Trucks explains what is so special about these tyres, a collaboration between Nokian Tyres & Arctic Trucks.

60

contents.

A podcast Interview with Emil Grimsson of Arctic Trucks

The Revolutionary

Swag Camping

CS FREE Charger

from CTEK

76

78 94

Evaporust Rust Remover

103 114

Defender Side steps Bearmach

Defender Lights upgrade with Bearmach

122

Gear Upgrades for your vehicle

8

Dinitrol

240+ Camping with

a Trailer Rust Protection

pages Full of

outdoor lifestyle

Tyres & Rims

132 158

Premium Defender Hinges

166 Choosing a suspension

146 188

Campfire cookin with Petromax

contents.

ng

How to take a Abenteuer OVERLAND in the wild Allrad in the Wild West &Dump

200 Defender Winch Bumper

40 214

Defender Build Bits & Bobs

224 218

234

Funki Adventures Van Build Part 3

Leave no Trace

& g n i p m Ca r a e G D 4W Every month we bring you the latest and greatest camping and 4WD gear and accessories

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A. Nakatanenga ANR CLASSIC steel rim 8x16-Inch steel in such an classical look, that this rim could be easily termed as the earliest form of the Defender rim. But looks are not everything - the max load of 1160 also impresses B. Clutch & Flywheel Kit suitable for Defender & Discovery 2 TD5 vehicles with R380 gearbox Replacement clutch and flywheel for Defender and Discovery TD5

B

C

C. Bearmach Clear Lamp Upgrade Kit LED 73mm Clear Lamp Upgrade Kit suitable for Defender & Series vehicles

F

F. Cooper Discover STT PRO The most exreme off-road tyre available from Cooper Tires

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E. Bearmach Defender winch bumper Tubular A Frame Winch Bumper Non Air Con Suitable for Defender Vehicles.

D

D. Defender 90 Side Steps from Bearmach Side Steps Black Fire & Ice Style suitable for Defender 90 vehicles

& g n i p m Ca r a e G D 4W Every month we bring you the latest and greatest camping and 4WD gear and accessories

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G. CTEK -CS Free Charger The CS FREE is the world’s first fully portable battery charger and maintainer with Adaptive Boost to get your flat battery going quickly and safely – without the need for mains power. In other words, it’s a 12V power bank for your vehicle that works with both lead-acid and lithium (12V LiFePO4) batteries.

H. Evaporust Evapo-Rust® Super Safe Rust Remover will safely and easily remove rust from, automotive parts, cast iron cookware, hardware, tools, and more without scrubbing or sanding

H

I

I. King Springs Suspension - Coil spring made by King Springs available from euro4x4parts.com

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M. Tough Dog Steering Damper A Return to center heavy duty damper (35mm bore) from Tough Dog, available from Euro4x4parts.com

L. Tough Dog Foam Cell Shock Absorber Available from Euro4x4parts. com. The ‘Foam Cell’ that makes all the difference is a microcellular foam insert that helps to drastically reduce the effects of shock fade, allowing your shocks to perform better for longer, even on the harshest of corrugations. Available from Euro4x4parts.com

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M

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K. Nokian Tyres Rotiiva AT The Nokian Rotiiva AT (All Terrain) summer tyre works excellently on asphalt, but it can also be used for light off-road driving. It offers good durability even on heavier vehicles.

J. Dinitrol Rust Proofing kits The DINITROL® vehicle rustproofing kit bundles are perfect for corrosion protecting any vehicle from rust.

We have an aerosol range for convenience and a 1 Litre schutz can range that can be professionally applied with an underbody coating gun.

THE BUILD

PART 2

AFTER YEARS OF TALKING ABOUT IT THE PROJECT HAS FINALLY STARTED

2

EPISODE

D L I U B THE

2 E D O EPIS video NEW

CHECK OUT EPISODE 2 OF THE TURAS LAND ROVER BUILD WHERE IN 25 MINUTES WE WILL SHARE WITH YOU ALL WE HAVE LEARNED TACKLING THIS EXCITING PROJECT. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.......

GEARBOX CLUTCH & FLYWHEEL

T

he build has commenced and the first job to be tackled is changing the clutch and flywheel. It’s been just two years since the Land Rover underwent some gearbox works that included putting in a master rebuild kit, a new main and lay shaft fifth gear, oil feed rings and and few other bits and bobs.At the time when this work was being done we did consider changing the flywheel and the clutch when the gearbox was being reconditioned, but stupidly did not, as they looked relatively OK at a glance, or so

we thought. The one lesson learned here is that if you are doing a gear box job it is advisable to consider changing the clutch and flywheel at the same time given you have put a lot of work into getting the undercarriage out etc. In the long term it can be costly and time consuming having to do this labour intensive job twice in a relatively short period of time.

Changing your clutch, flywheel, or working on your transfer case/gearbox are fairly significant jobs and do require good knowledge before tackling. As

IT’S BEEN JUST TWO YEARS SINCE THE LAND ROVER UNDERWENT SOME GEARBOX WORKS

part of the TURAS Land Rover build this was something we were going to leave to the professionals to ensure that it was done correctly.

Prior to dropping the vehicle into the workshop we noticed a sound coming from what we thought was a worn spigot bearing and decided that we needed to investigate further. It was just two years ago when we changed some of the bearings in the gearbox so we assumed that all was ok there. On further investigation after taking out the Clutch and Flywheel, we noticed that the clutch definitely needed to be replaced as there was obviously wear and tear, but also there was a noticeable play on the flywheel and that was probably why we heard strange noises.

The Bearmach Clutch Kit comes with a three year warranty.

We replaced the old clutch, release/spigot bearing and the flywheel with the Bearmach Clutch and Flywheel Kit (all included), we installed the standard kit that is suitable for Defenders and Discovery 2 TD5 vehicles with the R380 gearbox. Like all Bearmach products this is a high quality kit that is well priced and also comes with a three year warranty. If you are not sure about the type of kit you might need, contact

Bearmach online or give them a call and there technical support will make sure you get the right kit for your vehicle After getting the clutch and flywheel installed it’s always worth taking time to get your Slickshift adjusted correctly.

The first time I had to get the clutch and gearbox done was when I was living in Australia. At the time I was doing a photoshoot for a magazine article up along the East Coast, I had just waded a saltwater channel and I then started to have difficulty in getting the Landy into gear, as I moved up along the beach.

I decided to camp on the beach for the night and then take the Landy to the nearest Land Rover dealer the following day. After driving nearly 200km I then found a dealer and dropped off the Land Rover to get sorted in the dealer’s garage, I then got a flight back to Sydney as I was a couple of hundred kms from home. I agreed to come back in two weeks and pick up the Land Rover and then drive it back to Sydney. Two weeks had passed and I went back to pick up the Landy, after paying a lot of money for the works, I got the keys and started to make my way back to Sydney. While on the highway I noticed that the gear stick felt loose, and was not as firm in comparison to what it was before I dropped it in to get the job done. I rang

THE BEARMACH CLUTCH & FLYWHEEL KIT FOR THE R380 GEARBOX

I did the gearbox in when I was 1,500 from Sydney.

the dealers and explained that the stick movement felt very loose and something was not right. It was a Friday evening and I needed to get back to Sydney and told them that I would take it to a dealer in Sydney and that if something was up they could sort out the costs, they agreed. The young mechanic at the Sydney Land Rover dealer had a quick look and noticed that the springs on the Slickshift were not secured correctly, thankfully this was a simple enough job to sort.

The slick shift basically improves the gear change by reducing sloppiness and minimising travel, as well as neatening shifts giving smoother gear changes.

After getting the Landy back after the new clutch and flywheel was installed on this rebuild, I went for a test drive and I immediately noticed the same issue with the looseness from the gear stick, similar to what I experienced in Australia.No panic this time around, I immediately realised that the lads must have forgotten to secure the springs. No drama I had a look, got some tools, and had the springs secured and nuts adjusted in about 20 minutes. After a couple of test runs, I readjusted the set up until I

was happy with the gear change, problem solved.

It’s also a fairly simple job to upgrade your Slickshift with a new innovative design exclusive to Syncro Gearboxes. Built for 5 speed Land Rover Defender LT77 / R380 gearboxes, Slickshift improves gear changes by minimizing the gear lever travel. This creates quick, precise, and noticeably smoother gear shifts. The kit installs quickly and easily from the interior of your Defender. Requires no drilling, or special tools.

THE SLICK SHIFT BASICALLY IMPROVES THE GEAR CHANGE BY REDUCING SLOPPINESS AND MINIMISING TRAVEL, GIVING SMOOTHER GEAR CHANGES. 1. Assess the gear change 2. Remove foam surrounding the springs. 3. Lift the springs over the nuts and adjust until you are happy with how the gears shift.

adjusting the

SLICK SHIFT

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The exterior lines follow the successful design featured in the VW T5 / T6 SVW6 kit, as well as the brand’s high quality standards.

The kit is easy to configure and comes complete and ready for quick and easy installation.

A perfect fit to the vehicle, following the vehicles lines, adds a very elegant touch whilst also improving the performance of the engine.

It is compatible with all VW Crafter and Man TGE models from 2017 onwards.

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This kit has been designed down to the very last detail to ensure its compatibility with all versions of these vehicles and detailed installation instructions are also provided.

See more new products from Bravo Snorkel on p.181

TOURING GEORGIA Tomasz from Land4Travel Takes us on a tour of Georgia, an interesting country located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Georgia covers a territory of 69,700 square kilometres and its approximate population is about 3.716 million. Tourism is an increasingly significant part of the Georgian economy. In 2019, the number of international arrivals reached a record high of 9.3 million people.

Words and Images : Land4Travel

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eorgia is a popular tourist destination for good reason. The country has an extraordinary combination of breathtaking landscapes, friendly people and a wonderful and fascinating culture. The combination of Western standards with a typically Eastern approach to life is evident here.

And every region in Georgia has its own unique aspects that are worth experiencing. We start our Georgian adventure at the airport in Tbilisi, where expe-

Udabno, Oasis Club

Graveyard near the road to Musto

Land4Travel can bring you on a number of amazing routes across Georgia, a country with a very rich history.

dition vehicles are waiting for us. There are several companies where you can rent such vehicles. If you are interested in renting 4x4 cars without a pass, but also without roof tents or other camping equipment, I recommend https:// rent.martynazgruzji.pl/.If you would like to visit Georgia on expedition Land Rovers, under the guidance of experienced guides, then I recommend land4travel.com ;) The first stop on our route is 70 km from Tbilisi Udabno, where the club run by Kinga and Xavier is located. It is an ideal place to rest after a hard

days driving. Although it is 70km long, because we are driving off road - the journey takes 4 hours, and if it rains, some sections will be pretty difficult. Udabno is also a great starting point for Davit Gareja - a place whose omission from a tour of Georgia would be an unforgivable sin.

David Gareja is a complex of monastic buildings carved into the rock in the Kachetia region.

Founded by 13 Syrian monks in the 4th century on the slopes of a mountain called Garedja. The first of the monks settling there was named David, hence the name of the whole

complex. There are currently several monks living in the buildings, and the legal status of this place is unclear. David Gareja is right on the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan, and these countries are still in dispute over the ownership of the temple complex.

46.103662) is located, where we will buy permits to enter the National Park. But before we get there, we will drive past some mud volcanoes (41.245649, 45.843757).

Small volcanic cones grow among the hills and steppes of southeastern Kachetia. From At the beginning of Septemtime to time, cool water, gas ber, the Oodabno Festival takes and sometimes oil mixed with mud are expelled from them. place in Udabno, the festival features music from Polish and When this spills onto the roads Georgian music bands, you can they will get boggy and slippery. find more information on the festival on Facebook.

Arriving in the city, our first task is to visit the official park After two days in Udabno, it’s office, where we will buy entry time to continue our journey.

Our goal will be Dedoplisckaro, tickets. After the necessary formalities have been completed, where the vashlovani National we camp on the banks of the Park Directorate (41.462607, Green Lake (Khulo), the color of the water is what makes it the most remarkable.

Alazani River, which is basically the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan. Shopping at this point is important, because the next opportunity to restock will be 2 full days away. In Dedoplisckaro it is also important to refuel your vehicles and fully replenish your water supplies. In my opinion, Park Vashlovani is a hidden gem unknown by tourists. Not that I complain, on the contrary - This means that most likely for the next 3

days we will be alone or almost alone. Vashlovani is a paradise for offroad drivers - it is here that we will drive along the bed of a driedup river, it is here that it will our hearts beat faster on steep climbs or descents, and it is here (as, in most of Georgia) that we can camp wherever we like as long as we are respectful and leave no trace.

Vashlovani National Park is located in the southernmost part of Geor-

“

The Tbilisi hostel, capital in Georgia’s capital

gia, right on the border with Azerbaijan. It is a desert and semi-desert area, inhabited by Anatolian leopards, striped hyenas, brown bears, wolves or lynx... Unfortunately, probably all wild animals will be hidden in the grass during our stay ;) We camp in Mijnis Kure, just above the warm waters of the Alazani river, whose channel will separate us from Azerbaijan. The starry skies are also amazing, I have never

“

seen so many stars anywhere else except in Africa.

After packing up our camp we head north towards the vast vineyards of fertile Kakheti region .

Wines of the greatest depth and purest aromas - separavi, tsinandali or kindzmarauli -are produced here.

While in Kachetia, be sure to visit Kvareli, a town that boasts the

country’s oldest wineries and a rock-hollow bunker that is now used to store wine. The tunnel is located about 2 km to the west of the town and it has a constant temperature of 14C - which is apparently the ideal temperature for storing wine. We have already identified our next place to camp - it will be an islet on Alazani, which we ford a river.

1880 m high n.pm. Omalo. The road from Alvani to a village located high in the mountains is only about 70 km, but it is difficult and full of potholes, so that driving carefully across it takes about 4 hours and this track definitely requires a 4x4 vehicle. Omalo is a starting point for trekking to Shatili, a few dozen kilometres to the east.

But before we get there we have to see one more place - the monastery of Nekresi, built on the picturesque slope of one of the high caucasus ranges, where every year during the feast of Nek’resoba (7.11.) it is customary to sacrifice a piglet

The Alvani - Omalo Road is considered to be one of the most dangerous in the world. However, this does not mean that you are taking your life in your hands for every kilometer of the route, although for some people the view out the window can certainly raise the level of adrenaline. It is also the highest-running road in the Caucasus, and the Abano Pass (2950 m above

It’s time to leave a friendly - we head to the mountains. Today we are taking a big climb to the

“

The Road to Omalo is one of the most dangerous roads in Georgia

“

sea level.) is its highest point.

When taking this route it is important to have experience driving a 4x4, across mountain tracks and also to have a very good sense of distance and the size of your vehicle.. The road is narrow enough that when you encounter a vehicle coming towards you, you have to drive right along the edge of the abyss.

with our cars and every year we say, maybe next year.. In winter, the road is totally impassable.

From time to time by the road you can see a small chapel, a monument commemorating those who failed to cross the route through the pass. If you survive the drive... and have not had enough of mountains yet, then lucky you, just ahead is another mountain climb - this time to Shatili - a village located In Omalo itself it is worth seeing a few kilometers east of Omalo. the fortress there and you can choose to stay overnight in the Szatili is a unique monument of guest house or else or go even folk culture. Dating back to the higher - to Dartlo and spend Deep Middle Ages (c. 12th centhe night there camping in the tury), this well-preserved forwild. From Omalo there is a tress village rises in the gorge horse trail to Shatila, every year of the Argun River, just 4 km we are tempted to try to drive it from the Chechnya border.

The historic complex consists of about 60 towers, connected with walls or piers. The whole site is a compact, extremely spectacular fortress, at the foot of which there is another place to camp.

Shatili, like Mutso, is a place that has not yet been discovered by mass tourism.

sometimes 4+... There is something for everyone.

Going further along our route - we deliberately avoid the congested Gruzian War Road. It is the main route connecting the Georgian capital Tbilisi with the Russian city of Vladikauk. In addition to hundreds of cars and buses with tourists going to The road to Shatila and back see Cminda Sameba and Mount takes two days, so going north Kazbek towering over you ,you (direction - towards Shatili) we would also find overloaded can stop at Jomardi Rafting Camp, where Georgi takes us for trucks. a rafting experience on the River Aragvi. There is a choice of runs Despite the fact that along a stretch of 165 km of its length here down to difficulty 2+, and

Georgia is home to a variety of climates and topologiesRoad to Ushguli

The right vehicle in the right place

Enjoying a nightcap by the campfire at the end of another long day’s driving Georgian War Road has numerous vantage points and places to stay, the two points really worth visiting are the Truso Valley and the Jute Valley.

Not without reason, the Truso Valley is considered one of the prettiest valleys in Georgia high peaks, numerous mineral springs and a beautiful valley make an incredible impression on visitors . The road to the valley is narrow and bumpy, driving along a gorge at the bottom of which the River Terek flows.

The hardships of the road are

rewarded with the views - the towering peaks of the mountains, orange and white travertine, and at the end of the valley the picturesquely located ruins of the Zakagori fortress Another attraction on our expedition route map is Ushguli, in upper Swaneti. Ushguli is a complex of 4 villages Zhibiani, Chvibiani, Chazhashi and Murkmeli. The complex is located at an altitude of 2100 metres above sea level on the Enguri River at the foot of Shkhara - the highest mountain in Georgia.

Very often the area is covered with snow for up to half a year and at these times the road to Mestia is impassable. While most travelers choose to get to Ushgula across an easier route - from Zugdidi and Mestia, we will choose instead the route through Lentekhi... On this road it is certain that it won’t be easy - rivers in flood, a little mud, a stone, bumpy roads, steep climbs and no phone coverage. Beautiful, right? And if you add to this the fact that snow often lies there until July, then what more do you want in terms of a challenge?

Without a decent 4×4 with a high suspension there is no point in driving into this region.

The Upper Swanet region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site , and is an example of well-preserved (thanks to its long isolation) mountain scenery with medieval towers. In the village of Chazhashi there are more than 40 of them, built between the 9th and 12th centuries. Once the towers were used as defensive towers against invaders, the rooms on the ground floor were used as living areas,and on the

Our Georgian friend prepared a fresh goat for us

upper floor there was a granary.

The stone towers are a characteristic element of the Landscape of Upper Swanetia and reach a height of up to 20 meters.

Ushguli is surrounded by light green meadows, and in the background always shines white peak of Shkary. This 5,000-year-old mountain is Georgia’s highest peak. Going down - to Mestia - another town on our expedition route, we initially follow the mountain, gravel, and in the rain a heavily muddy and slippery road, which eventually gives way to concrete and asphalt. Although Ushguli and Mestia are only 45 km away, this drive will take us about 3 hours.

Mestia is the capital of Swanetia, a small town that looks like - at least from the outside - a German or Swiss resort. There is an airport, a good hotel, countless

hostels and restau. The road from Mestia to Zugdidi, although mountainous and winding, is asphalt. On this segment there is actually only one attraction - the Jvari Dam, on the Inguri River (42.762417, 42.039227).

According to the Georgians, it is the highest arch dam in the world! Built during the time of the Soviet Union on the initiative of comrade Chruszczów. After only a few years of operation, it turned out that the dam is in a bad condition and in danger of disaster, so it had to be rebuilt. The height of 271 meters makes an amazing impression.

After the harvest you can swim there - or hire a jet ski or pontoon. Going further in the direction of Batumi - our next point on our route - we go to visit Anaklia, where we will camp for the first night on the Black Sea beach. This is a great campsite,

Ushguli, located at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) near the foot of Shkhara, one of the highest summits of the Greater Caucasus mountains

especially those who take their children with them - Anaklia has the only aquapark on the Georgian coast. We make another, very short stop about a dozen kilometres fron Batumi - stopping at the fish market, where you can buy fish of your choice caught from the sea. Just in time to cook it on an evening bonfire on the beach.

ular place where local tourists also stay overnight - it’s sometimes noisy, but you can meet very interesting people here.

In July, a music festival is held here. After a few hours of sightseeing we hit the road again - this section will not be easy, although the first kilometers will seem like it. We will take the old Route SH1 via Khulo, the Goderdzi pass all the way to Achalcichle. At the beginFor our next overnight stay we stop in Kobuletti - a seaside re- ning we will drive along a nice sort - on the beach, under the asphalt road, which over time shade of some trees. It is a pop- narrows more and more, until

it finally becomes a gravel path.

Most travelers choose an easier way, but we will still go this way to visit Timura - our old friend.

We got to know him a few years ago when we got lost in this region.

In Khulo we turn right and through the tiny villages of Ajaria where we take some offroad shortcuts to get to Goderdzi. In this area, an off-road rally is held every year, where cars from Georgia, Russia and

Turkey participate.

After overcoming the Goderdzi Pass, we still have a long way to go to Achalcichle - on the way you have to be careful to keep an eye out - on the left side as you drive you will pass Jova, a nice Georgian who runs a roadside bar. In addition to delicious crazes, you can stock up there with a deliciously clean, pre-distilled cha-cha - strong vodka made from grapes.

After a few hours of driving, we will finally reach Varda - the des-

We love Land Rovers, trusty workhorses that have travelled brought us to lots of amazing destinations

tination of our expedition. Make sure to stop at the vantage point (41.379207, 43.287176), from where you can admire the entire panorama of the rock city. Vardzia is an absolute “must see” when traveling around Georgia.

The rock town was founded at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, initially as a fortress for the army, which was later transformed into a monastery.

The whole complex is located at an altitude of 1300 m above sea level and is beautifully located above the canyon of the River Mtk-

wati. Today only about 250 rooms have been preserved, as well as individual parts of corridors, tunnels and water and sewerage systems. During its heyday, up to 60,000 people stayed there at the same time. When camping overnight - it is best to choose a large clearing on the other side of the river or else to camp near the hot spring located 1.5 km from the monastery. Thinking now of our return route, we have two route options - one is easy - asphalt through borjomi park or the more difficult route through tabatskur

Partying in downtown Tiblisi before retiring to the vehicles

Shatili, historic highland village in Georgia, near the border with Chechnya.

national park and... natutally, we choose option 2, we can visit Borjomi another time. In Tabatskuri we will enjoy a nice bit of good offroad driving , we drive around the lake from the north and a really difficult route from Bakuriani to Manglisi, and then at the end a straight asphalt road to Tbilisi, finish our journey.

Tbilisi - the capital of Georgia is also worth seeing. Without a doubt, it is one of the most interesting cities that I have had the opportunity to visit. It has

changed a lot in recent years, but it has retained its unique character. If you have two more days to spare it is worth visiting the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. The focal point of the city is Freedom Square - which is a huge roundabout with a statue of St. George, patron saint of Georgia, in the middle. Then, walking along Pushkin Street, we come across the ruins of the old town and the monument of the lighthouse keeper. In my opinion - the city looks much better after dark, when the lights the illuminate buildings and mon-

7 INTERESTING FACTS

ABOUT GEORGIA

Georgia has 12 different climatic zones, from subtropical to alpine and semi-auretic The first steamer to cross the Atlantic sailed from Georgia The largest lake in Georgia is Parawani with an area of 37 km2.

The Georgian national sport is rugby.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Georgia was 42.4 °C measured in Zugdidi.

The National Motto is ‘ Strength is in Unity’

The area of Georgia is 69,700 km²

a collaboration with

ANTARCTICA IS HELL FOR NORMAL TYRES

The extreme conditions of the Nordic winter require special knowledge. This is no news to Finnish Nokian Tyres, the world’s northernmost tyre manufacturer, and Arctic Trucks, an Icelandic company specializing in conversions of four-wheel drive vehicles. The two companies have teamed up before in order to master the world’s harshest winter conditions. The latest result of the partnership between the two experts of ice and snow is the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 44 winter tyre.

In the arctic climate, it is important to be able to trust your tyres and know for sure that the trip will not be interrupted by a puncture or impassable terrain. Arctic Trucks’ special vehicles are used, for example, in polar expeditions, so their tyres must also meet high requirements. The tyre is designed for hard use in harsh winter conditions, and that is where it feels most at home.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 44 is especially tailored for Arctic Trucks’ special expedition vehicles and it excels in grip and durability. The novelty weighs approximately 70 kilos and its diameter is over a meter. Despite its robust size, the tyre moves through deep snow with ease.

The middle section of the tread pat-

launched. Before this, the companies had collaborated commercially for a long time.

The origin of Arctic Trucks can be traced back to 1990 when Toyota in Iceland started modifying 4x4 utility and sport utility vehicles. Today Arctic Trucks are the leading professionals, specialising in Nokian Hakkapeliitta 44 is the conversions of various 4WD continuation of the story that vehicles. In this feature Emil began in 2014, when the first Grimsson, founder and chairproduct of the cooperation be- man of Arctic Trucks explains tween Nokian Tyres and Arctic how special the Hakkapeliitta 44 tyre is , and the difference Trucks, Nokian Hakkapeliitta it has made to working on and LT2 AT35 winter tyre for big travelling across Antarctica.

4-wheel drive vehicles, was tern features very sharp V-shaped angles that are optimised for cleaning the grooves from snow and slush.

The width of the tread as well as the tyre’s maximal airspace both guarantee that the tyre moves efficiently even on a soft surface.

As Emil explains..

“My first experience with Nokian Tyres, real experience was basically an expedition we did from the south tip of Greenland all the way across the center, over to the north and off the north part and basically having to go all the way south again, naturally,as the cars were there and there was no other exit there. This was a 5000 some kilometers drive. And, the car I was driving was on the 18 Nokian Tyre and the other cars were on the tyres we used previously or had been using up to this point. The experience I got from this was that the main benefits were two things.One thing is that I was using a lot less fuel and it’s hard to compare because the cars were not carrying exactly the same load and things like that. But, my estimate it was in the area of 15 to 20% more fuel efficient on the snow on average. And for us,ex-

“BECAUSE WHEN THE TIRE IS NOT FLEXIBLE, IT JUST DOESN’T GIVE YOU THE FLOTATION YOU NEED AND IT’S IT’S A VERY, VERY TRICKY AND A BIT RISKY SITUATION TO HAVE ON THE HIGH PLATEAU.”

pedition wise, It’s huge. I mean, in Antarctica we will pay $10,000 or something for fuel barrel at some locations. And we need a lot of fuel down there. So this is very, very important. Ah, and the second thing is that when the snow conditions become very difficult. Very soft this tire is just superior in the way it compresses the snow and gives you flotation. So we can do much more in soft snow than we could before with another similar size tire.

Previously on the other tyres, that we used before the Nokian Tyres, when we got into soft snow we would have to put in a crawler gear where we go, like, low low and just try to squeeze on and it would take us hours to get a few kilometers. on the new tire, you’re just in low and you’re moving 15, 20 kilometers an hour. This is a completely new dynamic for doing this. And besides this, the tyre is quiet on the highway, it feels good in steering and overall its really, really good. There are some sacrifices made in a very few conditions for example if we have mud or something like this, you know, the tyre has a fine tread that is more tailored to the snow. But we are seldom in those conditions. It may suffer a little bit also in very very wet snow conditions But overall, there is no comparison.

WE CAN COME TO A TOTAL STOP IN -40 C AND STILL START AGAIN AND DRIVE OUT OF THERE

We are just super super happy with this new tyre. And we see this as a huge step forward in this size of tyre.

And this is basically the only tyre on the market today that can allow both driving nicely on the highway and being quiet and nice and then also super good on soft snow.

And there’s another issue, for example, if I take Antarctica the tyre we had before or have been using there, and that there’s still some of the cars that use this tyre , we face temperatures below minus 50 C. And any time we are in the area or coming close to minus 40 C, (which is basically the same in fahrenheit minus 40) if we stop on the older tyres,

the tyre will not function.

You know it needs heat. It needs to get some heat and it will get cracks in it and things like that. And it’ll take us a long time to get going with the old tyres in that kind of temperature.

Because when the tire is not flexible, it just doesn’t give you the flotation you need and it’s a very tricky and also a bit of a risky situation we have on the high plateau, when this scenario occurs. The Nokian Tyre on the other hand, lets us stop in minus 40 and even lower and we can still drive off. Of

course, in this temperature, we also need to consider other things also, the application of the gear ratios and on the gear boxes and things like that.

Normally When we stop we need to be very careful when we take off again. But the Nokian tyre is never the issue. It just functions really well. I don’t know where the limit is for that tyre, but I don’t think I need to test it”.

NOKIAN The Nokian Tyres

Hakkapeliitta 44 Nokian Hakkapeliitta 44 is especially tailored for Arctic Trucks’ special expedition vehicles and it excels in grip and durability. The tyre weighs approximately 70 kilos and its diameter is over a meter. Despite its size, the tyre moves through deep snow with ease.

N TYRES

Emil Grimsson - Arctic Trucks

. . w o N n e List

EPISODE #5

Emil Grimsson founder and chairman of Arctic Trucks is an experienced adventurer. Emil has participated in many expeditions in both the Arctic and Antarctic and is one of very few people that have traversed the continent of Antarctica.

Arctic Trucks is a logistics service provider that has been operating continually in Antarctica since 2008. The Arctic Trucks vehicles have already made big impact on transportation’s on the continent

and Arctic Trucks vehicles are the only wheeled vehicles that are permitted to drive on Antarctica.

In this podcast Emil shares the history of Arctic Trucks, and speaks about his experiences on various expeditions over the years. He also provides some very interesting insight and advice for driving in extreme cold conditions.

SWAG CAMPING

COULD THIS BE THE FUTURE 0F

CAMPING

W

hen you hear the word ‘swag’ what is the first thing that comes to mind?

That might depend where you live. Maybe it’s the proceeds of a bank robbery, or a bag full of goodies collected at a trade show,maybe it’s a ‘scientific wild ass guess’? But for most camping afficionados, a swag is a well known type of camping shelter. A swag is a bedroll, mattress and shelter all in one. Swags have a long history, back in the 1800’s in Australia a Swagman was known as a roaming and mostly seasonal agricultural worker who did

Putting your swag on a stretcher offers incredible comfort...........

odd jobs on farms including labour work, rounding up and shearing sheep. They mostly slept outdoors where they lay on a piece of canvas and threw a blanket over themselves at night, to keep warm. When they moved on, they then rolled up the blanket, their belongings and the canvas together, threw it on their backs, and headed off for the next job, and that’s where the name for modern day ‘swags’ came from.

Swags have evolved a lot since those days of course, and it is becoming more and more common to see people camping in swags, and on swags pitched on top of camping stretchers.

The convenience and comfort of swags is hard to beat, however swags tend to be pretty bulky and heavy, so you won’t be bringing one on your backcountry backpacking trip. But for 4WD touring and car camping, swags are a great choice. Swag design has continually evolved since the first commercial swags were produced. One notable innovator in the area of swag design is Australian company DARCHE. For over 30 years now, DARCHE has been producing new and innovative swag types all based on the traditional swag concept but bringing modern

design and technologies into the mix to produce a wide range of swag types to suit different uses. In the past we haven’t seen too many people using swags in Europe, as Europeans traditionally use small tents for the same purpose, but word is starting to get around.. And if you have the space to carry one, a swag is a very luxurious upgrade from a small one or two person tent.

Generally constructed with

EUROPEANS TRADITIONALLY

USE GROUND TENTS WHEN CAMPING on g is going to catch

campin but we think swag

1.

2.

3.

4.

The The The The

mighty Nebula DARCHE stretcher Dirty Dee Dusk to Dawn.

SWAGS O T K S U THE D DAWNeo vid

Swags are made with heavy canvas and robust poles, and with a built in sleeping pads, swags are a bit bulkier to transport than tents but are worth the extra effort involved.

Swags can also be pitched on top of camping stretchers, adding even more luxury and allowing for a wider range of terrain to be camped on. A stretcher will keep you up out of the mud and puddles and also makes it far easier to step into and out of your lodgings. We expect to see more and more people starting to use swags as awareness of this new option begins to spread amongst the European camping and overlanding community.

The Nebula If you are one of those people who likes plenty of room when camping well, the Nebula has got you covered. Plenty of room for the kids to squeeze in what is the largest of the DARCHE range of swags.This swag is freestanding and has the height and space of a small tent, but with the convenient set up of a swag.

The Nebula like the Dirty Dee and the Dusk to Dawn just sings quality and comfort, the innovative design makes for a functional four season all weather robust shelter.

Uniquely constructed as a single skin canvas, you can also attach the included fly sheet.

The Nebula is a four-season hybrid swag that comes complete with a flysheet keeping you nice and dry. From inside your swag, in the summer you will be treated with awesome 360° panoramic views, It also comes with a high quality DARCHE canvas bag, simply through it up on your roof rack and away you go.

The DIRTY DEE One of our favourite DARCHE swags is the Dirty Dee. Its always used by one of the TURAS teams members, and lets just say he has developed a bit of a bond with it, in other words nobody else gets to experience this very comfortable and innovative design.

The Dirty Dee offers a couple of doors and windows which provide plenty of ventilation on those hot summer camping nights.The ridge pole trigger locking system developed by DARCHE makes the Dirty Dee swag the ultimate freestanding tourer. Near vertical walls and all-weather awnings, functionality, durability and comfort have been combined into an all-round outdoor adventure companion. This roomy swag is made from 420gsm proofed poly/cotton 16mm grid ripstop and offers generous headroom within. Other features include a very comfortable mattress,access to the undercover front awning, seam sealed internal seams, 4 internal storage pockets and anodised 7001 alloy 8.5 Dia poles with hard wearing pole sleeves. Like all DARCHE products, the materials are all of a very high quality and are made to last. I think its fair to say that all of the TURAS team members love getting to sleep on their swags

E E D Y T R I D E H T eo vid

e h t n o e r k e c i h cl ideo v

Have you seen our first ‘gear special’ dedicated magazine supplement ‘’A Life Outdoors with DARCHE’’.If you are a frequent reader of the TURAS Camping and 4WD e-Magazine, you will no doubt have seen some photos or videos of our team using or demonstrating some awesome DARCHE products. It goes without saying that we are big fans of DARCHE here at TURAS, this gear magazine takes a closer look at these awesome Camping and 4WD Touring products from DARCHE, you can also check out latest DARCHE vid here.

D N A L R E V O K E TR NEW o vide

In recent years, the focus of the expanding Trek Overland team has evolved into becoming a retailer of high quality 4WD touring equipment which now includes the premium and very popular Australian DARCHE range of camping and overlanding related products. Now the sole UK distributors, click here for more information.

UK DARCHE

SUPPLIERS

EVAPORUST

RUST REMOVER

RECLAIMING &

REUSING

A

s part of the Land Rover build project,the objective was always to try and salvage what we could and reuse parts and items within reason. By doing this, we could save a few bob and also have more control in managing the project.

On assessing the Land Rover we knew that we had some surface rust on parts and we believed we could bring them back to life by treating them with certain solutions, of course there were other parts that were too far gone and could not be saved. One of the products that we had not used in the past but had seen some

very positive reviews about was Evapo-Rust. We got on to Colin from Big Branding in the UK and explained what the plan was with the build and he was immediately on board. It was agreed that we would use Evapo-Rust to tackle the rust issue and then apply DINITROL cavity and underbody wax.

First up was to remove the parts that we wanted to reclaim and treat with the Evapo-Rust. One of the main attractions to using the Evapo-Rust was the fact that it was a safe and non toxic rust remover that pretty much could bring parts back to life. Also there is no mixing required, it’s simple to use and does the job in a relatively short period of time. It’s also interesting to note that you can keep using the solution for other rusty

items that you have knocking around your she,over and over until the solution turns black. It is estimated that one gallon will remove 1/2 lb of dry rust, now that’s impressive.So how does it work basically it is a process in which a large synthetic molecule forms a bond with metals and holds them in solution. Most chelating agents bind many different metals.

The active ingredient in EVAPORUST bonds to iron exclusively.

It can remove iron from iron oxide but is too weak to remove iron from steel where the iron is held much more strongly. Once the chelating agent has removed the iron, a sulfur-bearing organic molecule pulls the iron away from the chelator and forms a ferric sulfate complex which remains water soluble. This frees

the chelating agent to remove more iron from rust and as a result, gives some awesome results.

We were not able to reclaim everything we wanted to but certainly got to bring back a number of items that otherwise would have been thrown away. Examples include mud flap, frames, metal rings that hold the front lights into place, the light guards, front grille, spare wheel bonnet holder, fuel carrier holder, and so on.

We also reclaimed lots of old tools, cast iron pot, and other bits and bobs.

This stuff was very easy to work with and the results are very impressive.

STEPS In a container, pour a sufficient amount of EVAPO-RUST® to completely cover the rusted object. It is best to remove excess dirt and oil prior to use.

SOAK Immerse the rusty object in the solution and leave it for 30 minutes for light rust or up to overnight for extremely heavy rust.

RINSE When finished, rinse item with water. If deep rust remains in pits, re-immerse item until all the rust is gone. Un-rusted metal will not be affected. NOTE: This stage is VERY important in getting the best results THATS IT! To prevent flash rusting, dip the item back into clean EvapoRust®. Then allow item to air dry. This will prevent rust for up to two weeks.

1. Clean all rusty surfaces 2.

Dip in Evaporust 3. When removing items, dip in water and dry thoroughly.

INTRODUCING

THE ALL NEW

CSFREE from

‘‘

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FINALLY - THE POWER TO TRULY SET US FREE!

W

herever you’re reading this in the world chances are, like me, you’re still in some state of COVID induced lockdown. However, with vaccines finally being increasingly rolled out there’s a glimmer of light that we might soon be able to contemplate being able to venture back out into the wilderness doing what we love and far away from the all too familiar four walls that for too long have held us captive.

Personally, I feel like getting as far away for as long as possible and enjoy as much freedom as I can. However, one of the constraints that has usually held me back from being completely relaxed during a prolonged amount of time off grid and away from it all has been the accessibility of a reliable power source. Something to charge up my accompanying kit such as camera, tablet and smartphone (I know, I shouldn’t switch it on but what can I say – I’m weak!). In-fact whenever I do manage to get miles away from it all there’s always one niggling concern I have at the back of my mind… what if my vehicle battery runs flat and I find myself stranded here in the middle of nowhere?!!

Well help is finally at hand thanks to the clever guys and girls at CTEK in Sweden. Ever since launching the first smart battery charger over 20 years ago they’ve been leading the way in battery management systems, good enough for brands such as Mercedes Benz and Ferrari to be confident enough to use their own brand names on their products, and they’ve just launched their latest

product, and it’s a real game changer.

Called the CS FREE, it delivers a most elegant solution to my conundrum and means the days of me worrying about getting stuck without power are now a thing of the past. Measuring just 25cms x 10cms x 8cms and weighing only 1.4kgs this sturdy, portable box of tricks means you can head off grid for as long as you wish safe in the knowledge that this piece of kit will not only make your stay more comfortable, by supplying charge to all those bits of techy kit you just can’t live without, but if when you pack down and turn the key in the ignition to leave camp you find you’ve got

a flat battery you’re not going to be needing to make any humiliating calls to a vehicle rescue service.

Straight out of the box you simply charge up the CS FREE’s internal battery, which takes around an hour off the mains, and unused it’ll remain fully charged for up to a year. However, should you find yourself with the dreaded flat battery the CS FREE’s revolutionary Adaptive Boost technology automatically analyses the state of your battery and adjusts to the battery’s voltage level. Then it automatically works out the safest and quickest way to give your battery the power it needs to start your vehicle within just

E E R F CS W video NE

15 minutes and can do so with any 12V lead acid or lithium vehicle battery.However, as annoying and worrying as flat batteries are, thankfully they tend to be fairly rare and so day to day the CS FREE really comes into its own when you’re off grid and looking for a solution to keep all that techy kit you’ve got with you fully charged and working. Equipped with both USB-C and USB-A outputs you can simply plug in your charging cables for smartphone, tablets and laptops and charge them up. There are no tricky modes to select, just turn it on and a simple countdown function will show you how long it will be before your battery is fully charged.

The CS FREE unit itself can be charged from mains, a 12V battery or via the use of a solar panel. One of which comes in amongst the CS FREE’s accessory kit and for me this is a must have because when combined with the CS FREE it makes it truly possible to stay off grid for as long as you want.Since its launch just a few weeks ago in February 2021 I was lucky enough to get my hands early onto this brilliant bit of kit. So far I’ve only had opportunity to use it, and the various accompanying accessories, close to home to test it out. Having said that it’s already come into its own, effortlessly starting my Land Rover Defender on my driveway when I found the battery had run flat following it standing unused for a couple of weeks due to this seemingly un-ending COVID lockdown, in the freezing weather. But already I know it’s going to be one of my favourite bits of kit for both its capabilities and peace of mind it’ll afford me when I can finally head back out there and be free again, and I can’t wait!

REMOTE POWER

ANYWHERE SMARTPASS 120S

120A DC/DC POWER MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Did you know that you can

CUSTOMISE YOUR

ALUBOX Read all about it here

R U O Y E S I M CUSTO

X O B U L A k here clic

LIGHTS

UPGRADE

One of the simplest upgrades you can do on your vehicle is upgrading your lights, and after you see the benefits and instant results you will be wondering why you didn’t do it years ago. On the Land Rover build this was something we had planned to do for ages, and with the build project underway, we finally got round to it.

The aftermarket lights industry continues to grow from strength to strength, and with this increasing competition this has seen to a reduction in prices for light upgrades allowing 4WD enthusiasts to easily acquire these upgrade kits that just make the open road a lot clearer at night. Vehicle light technology has come a long way since the Halogen light bulb was introduced over fifty years ago. The Halogen lights are still the most widely used headlights but over the last few years we have started to see some new innovations entering the market such as HID, LED and the latest LASER technology. HID headlights are now brighter, cleaner and more energy efficient than their halogen counterparts, and with easy-toinstall kits readily available we are seeing a lot more HID’s being installed on vehicles. HID also headlights work in a way that is entirely different from regular, halogen headlights.

There is no filament inside HID bulbs, instead, a combination of an electrical charge and gas is used to produce the light.

When the gas is lit by the electrical charge, it emits a much

brighter, whiter light than that produced by halogen bulbs giving the driver a much wider range.The real advantage of High Intensity Discharge lights is that they draw very little wattage/power.

In recent years LED’s have also become very popular as an effective light source for recreation and four wheel drive racers around the world.LED technology is not a new one in fact the technology has been around for nearly 45 years but in recent years this technology has improved rapidly and become popular within the 4WD industry. The good news

1. Remove your light guards 2.

Simply click the connectors into place 3. The lights are colour coded so you will know which are the indicators 4. Don’t forget to install the provided relay and that’s it!

BEFORE

AFTER

about this advancement in technology is that the availability of a number of aftermarket products has led these lights to become more affordable. On the build we have installed the Bearmach 73mm clear LED light upgrade. These were very simple to install, pretty much click and go, and they also just happen to look the business. Remember after you install the Bearmach light kit, don’t forget to also change the provided relay, this new relay will reduce the fast flickering of your indicator light speed. Like all Bearmach products, the quality is very good and overall this is a huge improvement in comparison to what was there previously.

The Bearmach 73mm LED clear lights have a waterproof rating IP67 and come with a generous 3 year warranty.

As part of the build we had planned to install a pair of Bearmach front LED lights but unfortunately the spec we wanted to install was not in stock at the time so we went with the Original Cafe Racer basic 7 inch Land Rover Defender LED headlights. Also pretty straight forward to install.

You don’t need the Wipac Mounting Bowls if you are fitting to an existing Land Rover Defender.A H4 H13 plug is also provided for easy connection.

SIDE STEPS

When your weekend off-roader is also the family transport vehicle, needs to get you to work, pick up the shopping and a general run around, it is important that you look after it and protect it when using it for weekend recreational use. This might mean going off-roading on a weekend with your friends or heading for your favourite campsite that might be at the end of a rocky road. So having a good pair of side steps attached to the side of your vehicle will give you protection from panel damage and will also give you some peace of mind when tackling the gnarly stuff. They will not give you as much protection as rock sliders, but I would much prefer to have a pair attached to the vehicle than not.

RUST PREVENTION

1.Steam clean your vehicle 2. Scrape off mud and grime 3. Use the extension nozzle to get into cavities in your chassis 4. Cover up components that you want to protect.

O

ne of the most important jobs that we needed to do on the Land Rover build was to protect the chassis and underbody from deteriorating any further. This vehicle over the last eighteen years has seen its fair share of beaches, mud and every other type of condition that is not a friendly to preserving the vehicles undercarriage.

Thankfully it’s mostly surface rust that exists on the Defender, not saying that its perfect but it is manageable. Before we get into what we have done and used to address this ongoing issue let’s have a closer look at what rust actually is. Basically rust is the corrosion of metals which takes place under certain conditions, it’s a chemical reaction (oxidation) between steel, or iron, oxygen and water, which causes the appearance of iron oxide (or rust). The most common cause of rust on vehicles is the exposure of metals to water. Salt water causes rust to occur more quickly as salt water accelerates the oxidation process. So now that we have the sci-

ence explained it was time to do some research into what would be the best product to address this issue. We decided to use Dinitrol for a number of reasons, first of all this German company over the last seventy years have perfected vehicle corrosion protection and have come up with a number of solutions/applications that will protect your vehicle some of these include underbody chassis coatings, cavity wax products and engine compartment protection coatings..

As this was a job we would be doing ourselves, they also have aerosol kits which make it possible for anybody to do this work, no need for specialised application equipment. The two main products that we would be using on the uderbody of the vehicle includes the DINITROL 1000 Cavity wax 500ml aerosols and the DINITROL 4941/Car black

underbody wax.

The rustproofing treatments can be applied in 6 easy steps shown below and the kits are supplied in aerosol format or with an undercoating gun for people who have access to a compressor or air supply.

Step One

You may also require a wire brush to remove any loose material to find the solid base metal.

Before starting the DIY rustproofing steam clean the vehicle and allow to dry.Once dry, mask up any areas that you do not want to spray on the vehicle.

Wear suitable protective clothing and place floor covering under the vehicle to protect the surface from product drips.

Step Two

If necessary, treat any rust present on the vehicle if necessary you can use the specialist RC900

ULTIMATE n o i t c e ot r p

Converter product. Remove any flaking rust and apply the DINITROL® RC900 Rust converter to the remaining rust making sure the edges are coated to ensure a good seal.

ity waxes also contain rust inhibitors whilst the underbody coating combats the highly corrosive effects of road salt and abrasion.

Step Five

Apply the underbody coatStep Three ing over the cavity wax layer, this can be done while Spray cavity wax into all still wet.In some circumvehicle bodywork box sections,chassis & doors. Using stances it may be necessary to warm the underbody the extension nozzle start to inject the product into in- coating prior to spraying ternal bodywork and chassis due to being much thicker than the cavity wax. cavities.

Step Four

Also apply a thin coat of the cavity wax to the underside of the vehicle. Spraying a thin coat of cavity wax prior to applying the underbody coating softens up any existing coating that may be present and helps with the adhesion of the underbody or stone chip coating. Cav-

Step Six

Finally remember to clean any excess or overspray from the vehicle.Your vehicle is now protected from corrosion, please remember to inspect the underbody annually and touch the coating where necessary to check the surface in more detail.

PROTECTED

of s t fi e n e b The

G N I P M CA H T I W

R E L I A R T A

N

iko Caignie from Rumst is photographer and film director. Together with his wife and two daughters athey enjoy travelling in the outdoors.

He shares his experiences on his websites outdoor.nikocaignie.be and nikocaignie.be/travel In this article he explains why he chose the combination iKamper Skycamp 2.0 and the CAMPWERK offroad Cargo trailer for his camping setup.

One of the biggest and most important decisions in building your overlanding rig is the choice of your rooftop tent. There are a wide variety of models and options available, I’m not going to talk about that here, it took me a while to choose mine and everyone has different requirement and tastes.. To write out a guide for every situation and everybody’s needs would take forever. In the end we went for the iKamper Skycamp, A hardshell 4-person sleeper. This article will discuss the pros and cons of camping with a rooftop tent.

Stekenjokk (Sweden):In my heart, I actually never left this place. When I

close my eyes I’m back there traveling with a tent on your roof. It’s the organisation that again. We all have that romantic idea of traveling with makes the difference between untethered traveller or just a rooftop stopping wher- an phopts uk europetent: - and use relevant the one at ever and whenever you want, someone transporting an unthe top here is from Glass in the UK near lakes or at stunning wieldy pile of camping gear. you are well organised panoramic justRELEVANT you and WhenIMAGE MARK TOviews ADD BASED your family and mother nayou can make impulsive deON ARTICLE BEINGcisions WRITTEN like stopping for the ture.THE And To be honest, Stekenjokk is just like that! night because you are tired, or have spotted a stunning spot to camp,and can also A major benefit of roof tents leave quickly in the morning is that they are set up in a because there is rain coming matter of minutes. And they or the spot was not what you are. But what most people expected when you woke and forget is the kind of organisaw it in the daylight. I can sation that is required when

(proudly) say that we are organised in a way that we can stop and be ready to sleep and eat in about 30 minutes. Leaving in the morning takes us 45 min: breakfast, a good cup of coffee and the dishes done included.

The secret to this is to organise your gear in a way that you don’t have to unpack anything.

I’ve explained this in detail in my Overlanding Essentials chapter on my website. In short , setting up your tent might take a few minutes but if you have to unload your whole trunk to get

to your table, find swimming togs or get the cookware, you’re well on your way for at least an hour unloading and loading and hopefully it doesn’t rain in the meantime. And that’s no fun.

You really want to stop the car and be enjoying the outdoors within the hour. This kind of travelling requires team work!

Another important aspect of travelling with a rooftop tent is the flexibility once you are all set up for a longer stay. We all love to wander around and jump from one unique spot to

another, adventure and explore.

But when out on longer trips, like a month or two you kind of need a break sometimes and just settle down for a couple of days.

We often do that on small cozy campsites without too many facilities. Good showers, a washing machine and a river or lake to swim in is more than enough, otherwise you’re destined to be stuck

in between the campers and caravan people. Those longer stops are ideal opportunities to fix and maintain your gear, do the laundry, take a hot shower, explore the surroundings, visit national parks, go hiking, maybe visit a little piece of civilisation,and do some food shopping. And that’s where we sometimes encounter the limits of a rooftop tent. When

setting up for a few days you pull out a bit more gear to make the stay a bit more comfortable, extra chairs, awnings, laundry lines and so on. That also means that when you want to explore the local neighbourhood you have to pack it all up and drive 50km to a national park, town or shopping mall, do your thing and return to the camp space to unpack it all.

Your car is your house, it goes everywhere with you. And especially when you are on a short break in your trip, this is the last thing you want to do, burden yourself with extra packing and unpacking chores.This is one of the main reasons why we opted for a having a trailer with a rooftop tent on it instead. We did not get the trailer for the extra space, we ac-

in a

You do lose a little flexibility on the tracks you can drive, but you gain itoback er tchleave streyou n awhen g a sw your tent and trailer at basecamp and go out exploring again

tually don’t really need that. But just to have the option to leave the trailer and tent somewhere and to go out and explore. You can leave in the morning and when you come back in the evening everything is just how you left it. Jump from the car seat in your comfy chair and you’re set for a campfire night!

I got my trailer at CAMPWERK and fitted my own rooftop tent on it with some minor modifications based on my needs.

We also fitted a kitchen, which makes it a bit easier to fix food for 4 people 2 or 3 times a day!

You do lose a little flexibility in

choosing which dodgy, muddy back country muddy roads you might be able to navigate with a trailer, but you gain a lot more offroad fun when leaving the trailer at basecamp and going back out to explore the backroads nearby.Basically, the trailer is for sleeping and cooking, the car is for our gear and to let us explore. One other thing- a rooftop tent is not a full size tent, which means that when you’re out and about and the rain is pouring down for several days you’re all stuck in a small, low ceiling 2 by 2 square meter space. In our case this would be

with 4 people. You can manage this for one or two days maybe, playing games with the kids, reading, sleeping but after a while that starts to suck. In this case you can either leave and try to find sunnier areas or else set up a front tent or extra tent to live in. I’ve got 2 awnings installed on the car that give perfect shelter for rainy days but they don’t get you out of the wind and the cold. So always have a rain plan in mind! It’s on the rainy days that you mostly would like to go out and find a better pastime than staring at the ceiling of your tent, especially with kids complaining. Museums or even a good restaurant to have a nice meal served up and no dishes to be done. Extra gear like awnings or even small tents might be a life saver.

About CAMPWERK

CAMPWERK is the specialist in the field of compact and offroad camping. Inspired by the Australian tent trailers, Michael Krämer started his company in 2010, with its headquarters now located in Bochum. Mobility, adventure, freedom and connection with nature is what you will experience with the range of tent trailers and roof tents from CAMPWERK. Since 2018, CAMPWERK has also been the exclusive distributor for a large part of Europe of the iKamper roof tent brand.

APB TRADING & EXPEDITION EQUIPME

START PLANNING YOUR OWN ADVENTURE TODAY

ENT - LAND ROVER & 4X4 SPECIALISTS

TYRES &

RIMS

A

s part of our TURAS Land Rover Build project, we spent quite some time thinking about tyres. Tyres are both an important element of a vehicle build that can enhance the performance and ability of the vehicle in a wide range of situations, and are also a big element of the appearance of a vehicle. With this in mind we decided to run with two sets of tyres for this build, Cooper Discoverer STT Pros and the Rotiiva All-terrain tyres from Nokian Tyres.

Mud Terrain vs. All Terrain Tyres, what are the differences?

In general mud terrain tires provide better off-road traction on extreme, deep mud, dirt, rock and sand filled terrain. They usually have a more aggressive tread and provide more grip in off road conditions. Many mud terrain tyres can also perform well on surfaced roads, and are legal to use on roads, however they can be noisier, less fuel efficient and potentially provide less grip on smooth surfaces. All terrain tyres on the other hand,as the name implies, are designed to perform on a variety of surfaces instead of being specialised like mud terrains.

All terrain tyres provide more grip and less vibration and noise on road surfaces, and are more fuel efficient on roads but can also perform well in off road environments. All terrain tyres also tend to have a longer lifespan than mud tyres. Most experts when asked for advice on which type of tyre is better, usually reply with another

‘‘

‘‘

Where do you do most of your 4WD driving

question. Where do you do most of your driving? If you mainly use your 4WD on roads and only occasionally find yourself in deep mud, then go for all terrains, on the other hand if you spend every weekend (or every day?) plugging away through deep mud on off road tracks, then mud terrains can provide lots of extra traction in extreme conditions.

The Rotiiva AT (All-Terrain)

The Rotiiva AT (All-Terrain) is a summer tyre that performs excellently on asphalt, but it can also be used for light off-road driving, and it is durable and hard-wearing even on heavier vehicles.The side-wall compound used in the tyre is exceptionally durable and puncture-resistant and contains extremely strong aramid fibres. The same material is utilised by the aerospace and defence industries. The aramid fibre strengthens the sidewall rubber to withstand external impacts and pressing against the wheel flange. Addi-

tionally, stabilisers on the centre rib stiffen the tyre on road contact, allowing it to perform more smoothly and fluently

The Cooper Discoverer STT Mud Terrain

The Cooper Discoverer STT Mud Terrain is the most extreme all-season, off-road tire Cooper offers to date, providing remarkable off-road performance without sacrificing on-road traction. The Discoverer STT PRO features large, specially-designed cleats of rubber (side biters) on the shoulder area of the sidewall, to enhance traction and grip in muddy or soft terrains and in rock crawling situations where maximum grip is essential: The orientation and design of these cleats promotes traction on inclines, reducing the chances of tire side-slip. The asymmetrical scallops on alternating lugs direct mud into the mud scoops to allow the Discoverer STT PRO to pull through muddy terrains with ease: These “scoops” act as shovels to consistently dig in as the tire rotates: Scoop by scoop the Discoverer STT PRO digs in and will confidently pull your vehicle through the toughest situations.They also look pretty awesome with the Nakatanenga ANR Classic steel rims.

What an awesome combination

When we first saw the ANR-Classics steel frames from Nakatanenga at the Abenteuer & Allrad show in Germany a while back,we were immediately drawn to how cool they looked. The simplicity of the classic rim and the black option just in our view make Defenders stand out.But they just don’t look awesome, they are also very strong with all the relevant thumbs up including the TUV approval.The 8X16 fits land Rover Defender models up to 2016 and also fit various tyre sizes including the following ;245/70 R 16, 255/65 R 16, 255/70 R 16,255/85 R 16,265/70 R 16,265/75 R 16,275/70 R 16,285/75 R 16,295/75 R 16.

For more information on the ANR Classics click here.

THE ANR CLASSICS

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO HERE OF CLARE FROM TREK OVERLAND GOING THROUGH THE STEPS TO PREPARING AND ATTACHING YOUR DARCHE ROOF TOP TENT

UK DARCHE

SUPPLIERS

M U I M E R P

S E G N I H

The often harsh and wet conditions of off road driving can also, when combined with rust , accelerate the break -down of important components. For example many Offroad and expedition drivers encounter recurring issues with door hinges on their vehicles. Loose, broken or rusting hinges can be a real pain and even a danger, when on the road.

high tech premises in Germany, these hinges are manufactured from high strength aircraft grade aluminium with high quality lubrication. This aluminium has very strong corrosion resistance and all aluminium has a very long lifetime, and it can be manufactured to be stronger than steel.

The Offroad Monkey hinges are made with inner stainless steel The Offroad Monkeys decided to bolts with helical grooves to disbuild hard wearing components tribute lubricating grease in an optimal manner, and the hinges that are very reliable and are engineered to endure, and have also feature stainless steel bearings which can be replaced if designed and built Land Rover needed without having to rehinges that can take extreme place the entire hinge. use that would quickly cause less well made components to For those Defenders that have break down. a spare tyre on the back door, naturally this load takes a heavy Designed and built in its own

S E G N I H o e d i v

toll on the original rear door hinges. Many Defender drivers are familiar with the strong wear of the door hinges and squeaking and creaking noises that can be made by an aging rear door.

In the Landy build video episode 2 you can hear the TURAS Defender rear door roar like Chewbacca when opened or closed.

This is a very noisy testament to the wear on the hinges.

No more creaks ........

This type of wear was the reason Offroad Monkeys decided also to develop durable rear door hinges, again using high strength aluminum.

These hinges use exchangeable friction bearings and the bolts have a thick helical groove for better dispersion of grease throughout the hinge, the grease both lubricates and combats rust. The hinges can withstand permanent heavy use without wearing out. In addition the precise design of the hinges and the precise fittings means that there will be no intrusion of water or humidity into the doors.

The Offroad Monkeys team makes everything, from the components to the finished part in their own workshop.

This family business have been manufacturing parts for both the automotive and motorcycle industry for many years and the team there continually emphasise the importance of using the best materials,to provide the highest precision and reliability and also to combat the onset of rust and to thereby increase the longevity of the parts.

e r o m r o f click here n o i t a m r o f in

a g n i s o o Ch

SUSPENSI0N our y s t i u s t a th

D W 4

Having put a lot of thought into the Land Rover build, a key part of this project would be installing a quality suspension kit that was up to the task. So we discussed this over the last few months with our partners and 4WD experts euro4x4parts and we can now honestly say that we believe that we have the best solution for our needs and we are stoked about it.

A

s we all sat around the table planning the TURAS Land Rover build last year, one of the key components of the build that always came to the fore was the suspension, we were determined to get this right.For those of us who love this lifestyle, we often carry more gear between roof top tents awnings, bumpers, winches etc. and all of this needs to be taken into consideration when choosing a suspension for your vehicle. The TURAS Land Rover 90 spends a lot of its time on the road so comfort is

important but it also spends its fair share of time off the beaten track in search of that perfect remote campsite. We needed a suspension that offers on-road comfort but also is capable of tackling tough terrain when needed.

Our first port of call was to contact Nick and Francoise from euro4x4parts, to ask for advice as to what they would suggest would be the best solution that would fit our needs.The guys were on-board straight away and we were straight into it, Francoise is as close to an off road professional racer as you can

During our initial discussions Nick and Francosie were keen to get as much information as to what we would be doing with the vehicle.

get and Nick has years of experience in the 4WD industry so we were in very safe hands. Those of you who read the magazine will know that euro4x4parts are Europe’s experts when it comes to parts for 4WD vehicles.

During our initial discussions Nick and Francosie were keen to get as much information as to what we would be doing with the vehicle. One of the first things we asked Nick and Francoise was how high we could lift the vehicle, we were thinking maybe 2 inches initially but after discussing this further with Nick, this was ruled out.

Nick suggested a 5cm lift, and this was for a number of reasons including not having to change the prop-shafts other things were taken into consideration including the universal joints and if we needed to go for a double-cardan or wide-angle prop at the front and so on.

After numerous chats and emails with Nick and Francoise explaining what we would be carrying e.g. a roof top tent, awning, drawer systems and what we would be using the vehicle for , they promptly came back to us with a recommended suspension kit that we think

really ticks all the boxes. We decided to go with the premium and industry proven combination of the Australian King Springs and the Tough Dog foam cell shocks.

Given the permanent extra load at the front of the Land Rover which would have a new winch bumper, Nick suggested the heavy duty URH1068 Kings coils. He also rec-

ommended the Kings medium coils URH1027 to the rear as the latter can be pretty uncomfortable if not permanently fully laden.

To cope with the extra load at the back of the vehicle Nick suggested adding a pneumatic suspension kit i.e. the American Airlift 1000 which will allow us to adjust the

load capacity according to our needs.

For the shocks, we would be putting on the top quality Australian Tough Dog Foam Cells as they work really well with the King Spring coils. The beauty about the foam cell shocks particularly when driving long distances on gruelling

tracks is that the foam cell design reduces the fade that can occur while standard shocks heat up.UTF1008 UTF1099 So what is shock fade? Shock fade happens when you are travelling over rough surfaces and the oil inside the shock is heated. The movement of the piston then

starts to cause bubbles in the oil, which leads to poor shock absorber control also known as shock fade.The Foam Cell design combats these failure points with a huge 41mm internal bore for maximum heat dissipation and importantly the addition of the foam cell which stops the bubbles forming in the tube leading to better off-road performance and longevity.

To complete this setup we would be adding a Tough Dog ‘return to centre’ steering damper which will improve the overall handling that would help to reduce the standard vague feel of the Defender design.UTD1025 It was also agreed that the standard Panhard rod would be OK with this setup given we were not going for a big lift. Nick highlighted that the Defender can be a tricky beast when it comes to coping with steering geometry after a lift and because of this it was suggested we add off-set Bearmach poly bushes to the radius arms to correct the caster angle. UKA1006 The final touch would be adding the high quality Aviation style flexible hose kit, this would be more for peace of mind.All up we are very pleased with this setup and having

A PREMIUM ension susp

‘‘

‘‘

Advice from the experts...........

Nick and Francoise’s expertise and advice has been instrumental in helping us select the best off road suspension to suit the TURAS Land Rovers needs.

OG TOUGH D OCK H S L L E C FOAM

OG D H G U O T M A D G N I R STEE

MPER

KINGS S SPRING

taken the vehicle out on a couple of short trips recently, it really is like driving a new vehicle that can pretty much go anywhere.The first reaction is how confident you feel when driving off the beaten track and when on the road it handles incredibly well. Over the next couple of weeks we will be taking it on some more challenging terrain and we will be reporting on how we got on in issue 19. We also have yet to install the Airlift 1000 which will add a whole new dimension to the vehicle when loaded with the Roof Top Tent, awning and so on. We will also be covering this in issue 19.

Really huge thanks to Nick and Francoise for all of your advice with this very important part of the build we are very pleased with how it has turned out….

Load Support For CoilSprung Vehicles As part of the build we will also be installing the Air-adjustable Air Lift 1000™ air springs. They are engineered for rear and/or front coil-spring suspensions. Designed engineered, and assembled by Air Lift Company in Lansing, Michigan, using only the finest components from around the world.Providing up to 1,000 lbs. of load-levelling capacity*, Air Lift’s air bag kits for 4WD’s, SUVs and vans provide greater safety and comfort when you’re carrying a heavy load.

Each kit includes everything you need to install the system, usually in around 2 hours or less. We will be covering the install in issue 19 so do stay tuned.

• Up to 1,000 lbs. of load-levelling capacity* • Tough moulded polyurethane construction • Air adjustable from 5-35 PSI • Easy installation with common mechanics tools

AIRLIFT

1000

BRAVO NEWS

FORD RANGER PX SNORKEL

The new SFR8 kit for the Ford Ranger will be on sale soon, it is compatible with the new 2.0 turbo and biturbo engines, as well as the previous 2.2 and 3.2 from 2011 onwards.

With this version it will not be necessary to drill the fin of the vehicle, as the snorkel can be installed using the original opening on the vehicle. It is valid both for versions with the turn signal in the rear view mirror and on the side grill.

INTEGRA VERSION In addition, with this snorkel a second version is also available - the new INTEGRA® range has been launched.

As Bravo Snorkel continues to responds to customers for whom aesthetics is very important but who also dont wish to sacrifice performance.

The Bravo Snorkel R & D & I department has carefully studied the airflows in driving to ensure an optimal flow from the side of the windshield, within the aerodynamic parameters of the vehicle and its accessories.

This is a very stylish, and also ,a very efficient snorkel.

Note: It is not possible to mount a cyclone prefilter with this snorkel

BRAVO NEWS

HEAD EVO The new Head Evo is yet another new product, which will soon be included in all the kits in the INNOVA® range, with an exclusive design that will give a very elegant touch to your snorkel.

Having carried out the relevant water evacuation tests, and impact resistance tests, and complying with all EU Directives ly, this new Head is assured to be a popular choice for those looking to add a snorkel to their vehicles.

Additionally, a new black anodized aluminum clamp has been developed that will is also certified and approved for use in the EU.

lopment e v e D r e d n U s it K w Bravo Snorkel Ne Suzuki Jinny (2018-)

Mitsubishi L200/ Triton (2019-)

THE ROAD IS CALLING...

APB TRADING & EXPEDITION EQUIPME

ENT - LAND ROVER & 4X4 SPECIALISTS

Campfire Cooking with Petromax cC It is the Petromax Philospohy to create products that combine traditional designs with modern innovation and very high quality standards. Producing products that adhere to the philosophy is both the goal and the motivation of the team at Petromax. In developing innovative products for outdoor cuisine and for the camping lifestyle. Petromax products are very distinctive looking, hard wearing and reliable. More and more 4WD tourers and overlanders have started to take notice of Petromax and the brand has never been more popular amongst this community. In this article we take a look at some of the great Petromax products that we have enjoyed using over the past couple of years.

The Atago The Petromax Atago stands out on its own, in fact it is pretty much in a class of its own as an unrivaled all-rounder that can be used as a conventional barbecue, stove, oven and fire pit where you can use charcoal, briquettes or firewood as fuel. With its four basic functions this product ticks all the boxes. Another option includes just adding the grilling grate over the Firebowl and turn your Atago into a barbecue,your cooking options are endless using the Atago.

Another option includes just adding the grilling grate over the Firebowl and turn your Atago into a barbecue,your cooking options are endless using the Atago.After you have cooked up your camp

oven feast just remove the grilling grate, and you will be able to sit back and relax with a cold beer and use the Atago as a fire pit, it’s as simple as that.

The 3 legs on the Atago will help prevent the ground from getting badly scorched and thanks to its unique extension-retraction mechanism, the Petromax Atago is ready to use very quickly .

When folded, it has a height of only 15 cm (6 in), which makes it easy to store away on your roof rack or in your vehicle.

Griddle and Firebowl The high-quality griddle and firebowl is a multipurpose steel plate with removable legs that can be used to cook up your favourite camp meal and can then be used as a fire pit to keep you warm on those chilly nights.

The fire bowl is also designed in a way that you can cook your food at different temperatures with the centre of the bowl giving the most heat and allowing you to cook other foods slower around the edges of the plate on the generous space provided. If you don’t want to cook with the legs on, no drama you can simply place the fs48 and fs56 plates on the Petromax Atago and cook away without worrying about scorching the ground

A

wning designs for we have seen some awesome The Petromax Griddle and Fire Bowl comes in three sizes the designs enter the market in the touring vehicles confs38, fs48 and the larger fs56, all three come with a high qualitinue to evolve and last few years. With awnings ty bag for storage and with the two handles this product is very like the DARCHE Eclipse range , now provide various easy to handle. The three attachable legs can be screwed into options depending on your these high quality awnings ofthe thread bushings on the bottom of the plate ensuring that the requirements.They have befer the option to add extended griddle stands safely on the ground side walls and this has opened come a key piece of touring equipment for 4WD campers up a whole new world for 4WD all over the world.They are sim- campers when it comes to inple to attach to your vehicle, creasing your shelter footprint your camp. all you needstove is either a roof uses at The Rocket effectively a wood boiler principle where rack orisroof barsas with wood stacked it isattaching fed into the chamber, this process With 30 years of innovation mounts and when fitted you combustion achieves an extremely efficient of biomass thanksunto will stoves have easy access to facilitates instant der its belt, has simple once the design which optimal air DARCHE supply. The again ticked boxes and shelter from bothofthe L-shaped design thesun fueland support allows fuelall bethe it wood,bark, has brought the rain.

As product designers twigs, cones or any sources of natural fuel thatanother may beinnovalying new up concept to the and manufacturers continue to to betive about or near your campsite stacked and fed intoEclipse the compete stove . in this evolving market range of awnings which has

The Rocket Stove

In the combustion chamber the heat is limited to a small space which is protected by the isolated housing. The heat escaping from the vent is then captured in the cast-iron top, providing optimal heat to cook your favorite camp meal, the escaping flames from the funnel are also a great way to cook your meats and vegetables, just like you would cook a stir fry at home over a gas flame. Before using the stove for the first time make sure you attach the supplied handles securely.

Petromax Coffee Percolators The Petromax Percolator is made of stainless steel allows you to prepare aromatic coffee or tea with a unique aroma. No matter if it is hung over the fire with the practical handle or used classically at home on the electric or gas stove – the stainless steel Petromax Percolator is the perfect jug for making a great coffee. Like all Petromax Camp Cooking gear, this is made to last.

Camp Cooking Tripod The Cooking Tripod from Petromax is a very versatile option for camp cooking. The tripod is a three legged stand which comes with an adjustable chain and a large hook, and which allows you to hang a variety of different cooking equipment over your campfire or firepit.The sturdy hook enables you to hang a large Petromax Dutch oven, kettle or hanging fire bowl.

Using the adjustable chain the distance between the Dutch Oven or firebowl can easily be adjusted. The chain itself does not get very hot, so it is easy to adjust the height when required.

The Hanging Fire Bowl from Petromax is simply suspended on the hook of the Cooking Tripod via an eye rod. The Firebowl provides a large cooking space for meat, vegetables & other foods. Over the fire the bowl quickly reaches the right temperature for cooking and is ready to use in no time.

Passive Coolbox KX50 Available in an Alpine white, Sand & Olive the kx25 and kx50 models are ultra-passive cooling systems offering a completely autonomous supply. The insulating layer of at least 1.7 inch enables the robust PE corpus of the cool boxes to keep ice cool for up to 12 days. The double-walled construction with void insulation is made from optimally chosen, durable materials. The Cool Box is made from durable polyethene and extremely sturdy.With 25 l capacity for the kx25 and 50l for the kx50, the cool boxes offer enough storage space for your favourite beverages and food. The inside of the cool boxes is designed to accommodate 1l or 1.5l bottles and thanks to the fully integrated handles you can easily move these boxes around when fully loaded. Some of the features include the integrated drain system which allows you to easily drain melted water, this also makes it easy to clean your cool box after use.

FOLLOW ALUBOX ON INSTAGRAM

Photos: Roger Mercier

T

his is a treasure hunt, but for history, not for gold”

The USA is criss-crossed by over 164,000 miles of highway - part of the 4 million miles of the public road network. This is fantastic if you want to drive to any location, but it has relegated the original ‘roadways’ or routes of the Wild West to little more than stories, best experienced via Hollywood movies. Most of the paths are lost, overgrown or simply have faded away in vast, remote swaths of land throughout the country.

Roger Mercier is the man behind @ Scoutoverland on Instagram, an account worth checking out by anyone interested in the original Overlanders of North America. When we say

Idaho and Montana. These are ‘original Overlanders’, we’re states with massive amounts referring to the pioneers who traveled across the country of unrestricted land, where it’s perfectly legal to one turn off on horseback, or uk europe - with andwagons use relevant phopts the at the even on foot. No Landrovers, highway and drive on dirt in the top here is from Glass in the UK whatever direction you choose no Jeeps, not even Model-T - there’s simply very little priFords - these were theRELEVANT people MARK TO ADD IMAGE BASED who crossed America in the vate land to get in your way.

ON THE ARTICLE BEING“I enjoyed WRITTEN finding and explor1800’s. ing old, abandoned buildings - wondering about their histoRoger’s interest started a few decades ago, when he would ry. When you travel by yourself, you get to stop where you travel to Las Vegas on busiwant, when you want and really ness, where he kept his own get to see a lot more”, stated Jeep Wrangler for weekend Roger during our interview. (sometimes week long) forays into the open lands of Nevada,

These are states with massive amounts of unrestricted land,where it’s legal to drive wherever you choose

uk europe - and use relevant phopts the one at the top here is from Glass in the UK MARK TO ADD RELEVANT IMAGE BASED ON THE ARTICLE BEING WRITTEN

of exploring and research, Roger mapped an off-road route from Canada to Mexico - that’s 4,500 miles primarily of dirt road (approx 73% of the route).

He decided to celebrate his retirement by traveling all the prescouted segments in one continuous journey. This trip was not for the sake of just driving on dirt roads, it was to find and follow the history of these amazing routes - an attempt to relive the struggles, hardships and achievements of the original travelers, albeit in a Jeep rather than on the back of With a considerable amount of information, gleaned from years a horse.

As he discovered more forgotten landmarks, buildings and locations, Roger started researching where old stage roads might have been located, routes the Pony Express had taken as well as other famous routes such as the Oregon Trail and the California Trail. He used historical Pony Express maps, combined with any other information charting the paths from old mines to the ghost towns, which are dotted around the Western states.

A historical photo of Bayhorse, Idaho.

tcher e r t s a n o g a w s a in

For the last nine years, Roger Mercier has been on a quest; discovering a near-all-dirt route across America. Not dirt for the sake of dirt. He set his sights on exhilarating and storied trails that travel through the heart of America’s Old West.

Roger has compiled so much information on this route, so many amazing pictures (which he has mirrored with old photos for comparisons of ‘now vs then’), we absolutely recommend you check out his site www.overlandfrontier.com.

We asked him to share his favorite points of interest from his trip (we don’t have enough space to cover all 4,500 miles…). His first recommendation for anyone thinking of trying this route: The Skyline Tram and Ghost Mine in Idaho. Built

in 1883, much of the tram and surrounding mill structures are still standing. With the ghost town of Bayhorse sitting nearby, it’s a rewarding place to visit.

The town is now protected and open to the public.

Another favorite? The Owyhee desert - a back door to Black Rock Desert, the California Trail, Applegate Trail, the Overland Mail Trail and Pony Express. The depth of historical information on Roger’s Instagram feed on the Owyhee desert is incredible. There are details of native

American tribes who lived in the region, their run-ins with white men and who used these trails, who was killed on the trails … hours and hours of reading.

We asked the question that pretty much everyone asks Roger - can we get a map of the entire route. The answer?

No. However, when he explains why, it makes a lot of sense.

First of all, many of the historical sites and ruins are now delicate, meaning if large numbers of visitors were to bulldoze through, some of these relics could be destroyed.

Another reason is the information is already out there, it’s the challenge of putting the puzzle together is what makes this 4,500 mile route so rewarding, if you can figure it out. USGS maps provide details of the original Pony Express routes, with some of the routes even having physical markers dotted along the way, to reassure overlanders they are on the right track. Roger’s website and Instagram feed also provide enough information for any experienced overlanders to easily find and follow the route.

This brings us to the primary reason he doesn’t want to make it too easy: Anyone attempting this route needs

serious experience in remote, off road travel. During any part of the route, a traveler could be hundreds of miles from any civilization, or from help in the event of an incident or breakdown. There’s no tow truck service, no ambulance and no water in many of these remote regions.

Additionally, simply being able to follow a map will not help an inexperienced overlander enjoy the route, as sections can become impassible due to rockslides or flooding - anyone attempting this route needs to have the ability to navigate in the wilderness, then find their way back to the chosen path, no matter how far an unexpected detour takes them.

On the plus side, experience can be obtained over time, especially if anyone who is willing, takes some off road driving skills training. Traveling in groups of 2 or more vehicles is advisable and if planning on being off-grid for a couple of days or more, figure out how much water you think you need, then multiply by 10. Roger recommends that at any one time, an overlander following his route should have the equivalent of one months worth of food and water in their vehicle.

If you are planning an overlanding trip in the US sometime soon, check out @scoutoverland on Instagram, or visit Overlandfrontier.com …. At the very least, it’ll inspire you to research, find a great trail, know it’s history and enjoy your 4x4 in the terrain it was designed for.

OVERLAND FRONTIER overlandfrontier.com

THE NEW VIRTUAL

TOUR

29 July-1st Aug

2021

THE DIGITAL SHOW We all have to sit and wait to see if the show will be going ahead this year, lets hope so.

Did you know that Abenteuer & Allrad show have a Digital 3D-animated exhibition center.

With just a click you will be brought to one of your favourite brands on the easy to navigate interactive digital map.

The content on this new and innovative platform will continue to be added over the coming weeks with videos, news and detailed product information on some of your favourite gear.

This new digital platform is also here to stay and will be further developed into the future and will certainly complement the live show.

WINCH

BUMPER

D

id you know that the bumper first appeared on a vehicle as far back as 1897. Invented by an American called George Albert Lyon. He also developed a metal tyre cover for spare wheels in the 1930s, produced plastic and metal white walls, stainless wheel-trim rings and stainless steel wheel covers. The first bumper designed to absorb impacts appeared in 1901,it was made of rubber and was patented back in 1905, things sure have come a long way since then.

W

e have bitten the bullet and are going to add a winch to 90, for years we have avoided putting a winch on as we were not keen about adding a big winch bumper to the front of the vehicle, mainly because of the extra weight. Also we avoided attaching a steel frame bumper because we did not like the look of a lot of the Defender winch bumpers that were on the market.

We also have got by without having a winch for years,though in recent times we have found

ourselves in a bit of bother on more than one occasion and truth be known life would have been a hell of a lot easier if we had a winch on board. A Lot of this really comes down to what you use your vehicle for, some people get all dressed up and nowhere to go. One of the main reasons why we went with the Bearmach Tubular A Frame Winch Bumper was because it was not too aggressive looking and looked non intrusive.The one on the Landy is the non air conditioned model, you can also get a version that suits air conditioned Defenders, if you are not

N O O S G COMIN

E H T G N I ATTACH H WINCH BEARMAC

1. Check out how the bumper will attach to your vehicle 2. The bumper comes with all the nuts a bolts. 3 & 4 Undo the bolts from your old bumper. 5 Note that the old bumper has spring clips/captive nuts 6. Take your time to get the bolts to align with your new bumber

sure give Bearmach a shout and they will set you straight.

But there are also a number of other reasons why a bumper is a good addition to your vehicle and some of these include.First of all, a bumper allows you to install a winch, also bumpers prevent damage to the front of your vehicle in low speed crashes.

If you live in a country where you have plenty of wildlife e.g. on the continent of Africa or in Australia where Kangaroos can be a real hazard in the outback , a strong bumper is a necessity. Bumpers are also handy for attaching extra after-market lights or a CB aerial for communications, they also can be used to attach a flag or flag pole should you need to claim your territory by flying your skull and crossbones flag at your favourite campsite.

BITS

BOBS

&

Now that some of the bigger jobs are done, its time to focus on the smaller bits n bobs.

These jobs are far less complicated than changing the clutch and and are alot more fun to do,. They can also be done quickly and do very much add to the overall appearance of the vehicle. Changing the wing airvents will take about 10 minutes, its just a matter of screwing in the new vent, make sure you give the surface a clean before adding the new ones.

You can get carried away with the type of vent added by blinging your vehicle up with stainless stell versions, its really a personal choice, we decided to

upgrade from the original plastic ones to standard black metal versions. We also changed the mirrors, we did not need to change the mirror arms as they were in pretty good nick overall. We also decided to change the front mud flaps, we got the standard ones from Bearmach.

We decided to reclaim and use the existing metal mudflap fittings. It was a bit of a pain in the arse getting the old rivets off and ended up having to use an angle grinder to pare them off. The extra effort was worth it in the end as it saved us from purchasing new fitting brackets, so all good.

AIRVENTS

MUD FLAPS WING MIRRORS

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NOW THAT SOME OF THE BIGGER STUFF IS DONE IT’S TIME TO FOCUS ON THE SMALLER BITS N BOBS

BITS N BOBS

3

EPISODE Out early Summer

Well we hope you enjoyed episode 2 of the build. In episode 3 we will be focusing more on the lifestlye element of this build. With a focus on the Roof Top Tent, awning, camp cooking gear, roof rack with some very clever accessories and storage products including an awesome cubbybox and storage drawers. The roof rack has some awesome accessories and we think it will be a a great addition to the overall look at the vehicle. We are also going to be installing a new CTEK Dual Battery System that will keep everything in check.

From a camping perspective we will share with you what works best from the point of view of making our trips comfortable.

So over all we will be busy over the next few weeks getting the final stage of this build completed.

Dont forget we will be bring out a special 100 page magazine that will document the entire build, so you can access everything all in the one place. Right enough said, now where is me spanner?

STORAGE DRAWERS ROOF TOP TENT AWNING ROOF RACK & ACCESSORIES CAMP COOKING GEAR DUAL BATTERY SYSTEM & MUCH MUCH MORE

In issue 19 of the magazine and as part of the final episode of the TURAS Land Rover build,we will be installing some awesome storage solutions from Mobile Storage Systems, includng a top of the range drawer system .

Mobile Storage Systems offers a wide range of innovative systems that are finished to a very high standard. With all of their products providing the strength, durability and practicality that tourers and outdoor enthusiasts are looking for.

S M E T S Y S E G A R O T S E L I MOB click here

APB TRADING & EXPEDITION EQUIPM

MENT - LAND ROVER & 4X4 SPECIALISTS

THE

VAN BUILD IN ASSOCIATION WITH

3 T R PA

S

low, steady progress The existing bed already had is better than daily ex- mounting channels fixed to the cuses.” Robin Sharma interior walls. When not bolted in, the bed could slide up and Having started with down within these channels, what looked like … well, let’s but it’s heavy and hugely cumbe honest, an airport shuttle bersome. A search on Amazon or plumber’s van, we have now yielded 12v linear actuators , reached a milestone where our which are typically used in hosFord Transit can realistically be pital beds, tables or any other labeled as an ‘Adventure Van’! large pieces of industrial furniProgress has been slow, a litture. Each actuator can lift 225 tle unsteady and occasionally lbs (102 kgs). By putting one at better termed as ‘regress’. Still, each corner of the bed, there now we have a ‘Soft Overland’ was enough lifting power to rig capable of taking adventur- raise and lower a Polar Bear, or ers a little off the beaten path. maybe a full sized adult cow it really depends what you like In our last article on the build, to cuddle at night. our biggest issue was being able to fit bikes under the bed, With a little ignorance and but without the bed being per- brute force, the bed was sucmanently mounted too close to cessfully mounted on 4 actuthe ceiling. Adjustable height ators, wired through a rocker beds are available for camper switch to our Nature’s Generavans, but the costs are expen- tor battery. With about 18” (45 sive. As we don’t have much cm) of travel, when we need left in our budget and also like to load bikes onto the interia bit of a challenge - it was or sliding rack, we now have time to get creative! plenty of room. If no bikes are on-board, the bed can be

dropped down onto the top of the slide-out kitchen, leaving enough headroom for your Polar Bear (or cow) to sit up comfortably in bed.

On the topic of the kitchen, we had tried the Pull Kitchen, a beautiful piece of workmanship … but it had one major flaw: it was permanently attached to the van. Reluctantly, we returned it to the manufacturer and set about building our own, more industrial (read: cheaper) unit which better met our needs, i.e. an ability to cook away from the van if needed. Using our experience from building the bike rack, another set of 400 lb (181 kg) capacity drawer slides were mounted parallel to the existing rack. Being

Bed at highest level

Bed at lowest level

This van is a very welcome addition to the Funki Adventures Fleet- our baby suddenly went from Amazon Delivery to Army Dedicated, overnight

impatient and lacking any appreciation for aesthetics, we bolted a large tool box to it …. And it’s brilliant! Sliding drawers, loads of space and it’s made of steel. At the end of the sliding platform we even added a Camp Chef Oven, complete with dual stove burners on top. This can be lifted out of the van, or if feeling lazy, can be left in place and cooking can be done right outside the rear doors.

The last task: Make the Transit look less like an ice-cream truck and more like a trail ready rig. A color change was inevitable, so an online purchase of approximately $600 worth of plastidip, combined with an $800 payment to a man with a spray gun and booth and our baby suddenly went from Amazon Delivery to Army Dedicated, overnight. The standard small Ford wheels and tires now looked pitiful. A set of larger off-road tires and a can of black plastidip on the alloys - voila … the look was coming together.

Adventures are best with friends and family. With one queen sized bed inside, the realistic sleeping capacity was 2 adults and one child. This wasn’t enough. We scraped the bottom of the piggy bank and came up with enough to buy a roof rack, upon which was mounted a roof top tent. We did learn a lesson when it comes to getting what you pay for - the roof rack was purchased from a local (Southern California) business called Baja Voodoo.

It was well priced, but within 3 weeks of installation, the rust started coming

through. Baja Voodoo have not returned our calls or emails … lesson learned. Sanding and repainting a large, Transit mounted rack is no fun - but it had to be done.

The roof top tent holds 2 adults and one child, giving the van a capacity to sleep 6 comfortably and with 2 separate sleeping quarters. Our little ‘piece de resistance’ is the patio outside the rear of the tent - a great little spot where you can sit, be elevated above any nearby vehicles or people, and enjoy whatever view you’ve chosen to absorb.

Like a house, this van will continue to have work done to it, evolve and be improved. However, for a small team of friends with little to no fabrication skills, or knowhow, we’re pretty proud of the result. This build (excluding the price of the van) is estimated to have cost $15,000 (12,300 Euro) including the roof top tent.

That’s considerably cheaper than the $30,000+ you’d have to pay for a professionally built equivalent (not including the van). With the pandemic pushing a record number of people to try road trips, this van is a very welcome addition to the Funki Adventures Fleet.

FOLLOW ALUBOX ON INSTAGRAM

DANISH QUALITY HAND MADE SINCE 1999

E G A R O T S Y T I L A U Q H HIG

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IF YOU TAKE IT IN

TAKE IT OUT Every country throughout Europe and beyond have different laws when it comes to wild camping and driving in remote areas and all of these laws should be respected. As pressure on our landscapes from recreational use continues to increase it is now as important as ever for us all to abide by the Leave No

Place principles. It goes without saying that the vast majority of tourers and campers do respect their environment but unfortunately we will also have a minority who do not and give us all a bad name. So if you take it take it out.

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BrandPartners Partners

Thanks to our Brand partners, with whose support we are able to produce the magazine, and thank you to you, our readers for joining us on our adventures. The TURAS team.

The TURAS Charter

T

URAS is the ancient Celtic word for Journey and we think it fits perfectly to describe our overall editorial philosophy. Originally, the Celts spread out across Europe from Central Europe ending up represented in many countries across Europe, and now over two thousand years later, we are looking to travel and traverse Europe again, though with more modern equipment. As keen campers we love nothing more than packing up our 4WD’s and hitting the tracks, in search of those perfect camping locations.

We constantly strive to improve the magazine and to seek out the best and most useful Camping and 4WD products and accessories.

In our free e-magazine we focus on high quality content that includes articles on all things camping, touring, fishing and 4WD adventures. From finding the best 4WD tracks, setting up camp in some of Europe’s most picturesque locations to cooking up some cracking camp cook feasts. This is all about discovering places off the beaten track and enjoying the great outdoors. We tour to the very corners of Europe and beyond, while reviewing and testing the latest top quality camping and 4WD gear.

Our magazine is free to readers, and is supported by our advertising and brand partners, but this does not mean that the magazine is a glorified product catalogue, far from it. We focus on identifying top quality products and produce informative, interactive articles that explain the features and benefits of these products to our readers, and demon- strate how the products can be used to increase the comfort and quality of their camping and touring experiences. We also regularly produce short videos to demonstrate and showcase these products in use by our team.

The magazine invites our readers to become a part of the story and join us on our own adventures as we, use, test and demonstrate these quality products from top brands.