First impression? Heavy. More accurately, it weighs 2.8 kg. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has ever used a Dutch oven—cast iron is heavy. The upside: once it is up to temperature, it takes a while to cool down again, which is ideal if you want a steady temperature for baking or cooking.

With the fire kindled and the dough mixed, it’s time to give it a whirl. The first lesson was to ignore everything I thought I knew about how long it would take for the waffles cook. This waffle iron takes its job seriously and really keeps the heat! Opening the iron to see my first pair of waffles revealed…absolutely nothing. I thought they had evaporated. Set against the black iron, I could hardly distinguish them in the light of my head lamp. Prying the charred remains out of the form caused them to explode into a cloud of dark dust. But, with a little more practice I got the knack of it, and I was soon producing aromatic, crispy waffles. (TIP NO. 1 Make use of the residual heat! TIP NO. 2 Setting the iron down on a wooden board will result in a mirrored Petromax logo branded into its surface…)

Cleaning the iron afterwards was easy. Taking the two halves apart simplifies things enormously.

In short, a waffle iron you can use on a camp fire is a nice luxury to have when travelling, or for a get together around the barbecue at home. There are two lengths of handle—I chose the longer version at just over 70 cm, but its shorter sibling (approx. 49 cm) might be better if space is limited in your vehicle. They both cost the same.

€40 | petromax.de

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Meanwhile, my boots have seen plenty of use, and they still amaze just as much as they did on the very first day. Whether snow, ice, mud, water (from above and below) or heat, whether long rides, hikes or standing in one spot for hours—I have yet to feel compelled to take them off. Sharp objects such as sticks and stones, dense bushes armed with long thorns; I have never spared my Blundstones; they mastered every situation, and if they could tell the stories, they happily would.

With their sturdy, easy-to-care, supple leather, and the barest minimum seams, not only are they faithful companions on and off the road, they also look smart enough to wear at functions and other events. More out of curiosity, I ordered Chelseas, not the lace-ups I usually wear, but am utterly convinced. Putting them on and taking them off is as easy as slipping on gloves, a characteristic truly worth its salt.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that more than 150 years of experience have been channelled into the product—despite their high-grip sole and sturdy uppers, these boots are very versatile and remarkably lightweight.These boots walk the talk.

€175 | blundstone.com

Caro:

Blundstone boots are for all weathers and situations. Even on long walks, you don’t need to fear blisters; my shoes still feel comfortable after 15 km. In winter, thick socks make them capable of withstanding the cold and snow, and the leather withstands rain admirably. A true all-rounder!

Stefan:

We all want that slip-in and feel-great sensation when we buy new shoes. I’ve got a new pair of favourites for every occasion.

Tristan:

My Blundstones—they walk the talk…

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Unfortunately, the privilege of taking an oven on a trip is usually reduced to drivers of big and expensive expedition trucks. Well that’s disappointing…moving on…back to calculating the on-board electrical supply. Or was this decision made in haste? Admittedly, a full-size oven like the one at home really isn’t going to fit in the back of my Land Rover, but there is certainly space for a 500 g alternative.

I’m talking about the Swedish Omnia oven; this may resemble an extraterrestrial vehicle (or at least a requisite from a ‘50s movie), but fortunately for us, it works with earthly means. Instead of an incorporated heat source, the Omnia is simply placed on a gas stove, for example, and the air flow creates a constant and even top and bottom heat for baking.

I’d be telling a lie if I said I didn’t have a few doubts after reading the website. But my inquisitive side got the upper hand and, as we all know, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

No sooner said than done. On the face of it, there isn’t much to say—the Omnia does exactly what it says on the box and what my domestic oven can. Bread, croissants, pork pies, oven vegetables, mac’n’cheese, I tried everything I could think of. Even the acid test, to bake a cake for the pastry expert, my grandmother, was passed with flying colours—she loved it.

The Omnia comprises three components, base, pan and lid, and is supplied with a simple pouch for storage and a short recipe book to get you started. For increased versatility, there is a range of useful accessories.

As I mentioned earlier, I enjoy a culinary challenge; I ordered all the accessories I could find—I have no regrets. The baking rack and collapsible muffin ring are self-explanatory (the latter comes with a few recipe ideas). Silicone liners have exceptional non-stick properties, are dishwasher safe, deep-freezable, and can even be used in the microwave (without the metal pan: to make sure you don’t produce your own MythBusters episode). The foil baking trays with card lids are just what you need if you want to prepare dishes at home and/or deep freeze them before taking them with you into the field.

To complete the baking set, there is a larger pouch which organises the Omnia and its accessories for transportation. Finally, baking enthusiasts can don the Omnia apron before exploring the recipe book for most occasions.

€45 (oven), €36 (silicone mould DUO two-pack), €12 (oven rack), €19 (muffin ring), €15 (bag), €14 (apron) | omniasweden.com

This article was first published in the Winter 2020/21 edition of Overland Journal.

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In this case, the MH4 from Ledlenser. Small, handy and, tipping the scales at just 92 g, barely noticeable on my brow.

The Ledlenser MH4 has two brightness settings (20 and 200 lumens) and is equipped with a focussing ring. The latter helps me see everything equally clearly at close range and in the distance, making the MH4 useful on hikes.

The lamp can be removed from its soft forehead bracket, making it even easier to stow, for example in a trouser or jacket pocket; and the integrated clip on the back allows it to be attached elsewhere to cast its even light.

€30 | LEDLENSER

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The ML6 doesn’t just shed light, it is also a power bank for my phone. Its glare-free light can be set between 20 and 750 lumens and, depending upon how much illumination you need, the battery will last between 4 and 70 hours.

There are several settings: Low Power (soft lighting), Boost (very bright), Blink (flashing), SOS, and Strobe—each function is available in either white or red, the latter being particularly useful if you don’t want to attract mosquitos or other unwelcome guests.

As you would expect from an outdoor lamp, the ML6 is water and dust resistant, robust, measures 17.8 x 3.7 cm and weighs a mere 175 g. Thanks to its luminous base, you don’t have to search long when you wake up in the middle of the night.

Easily operated with one hand, the on/off switch also indicates the battery status. The ML6 is just as happy being hung by the integrated hook or standing on the table. Not only is the base magnetic, allowing it to be attached to most metallic surfaces, but there is a second hook for you to hang it upside down for indirect light inside the tent.

The ML6 is one more Ledlenser product that has proven itself on a number of trips this year.

€80 | LEDLENSER

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As you unpack the Insta360 camera, you can see that smart minds were even called upon to design the packaging. The sturdy white box doubles as a virtual reality headset. Also included in the package are a short yet detailed and easy to follow QuickStart Guide, a small soft pouch with a draw cord, a USB charging cable, and the slim silver coloured camera itself. All components look and feel well manufactured.As you unpack the Insta360 camera, you can see that smart minds were even called upon to design the packaging. The sturdy white box doubles as a virtual reality headset. Also included in the package are a short yet detailed and easy to follow QuickStart Guide, a small soft pouch with a draw cord, a USB charging cable, and the slim silver coloured camera itself. All components look and feel well manufactured.

The camera alone weighs a mere 70 g and, due to its compact dimensions (110 x 33 x 21 mm) slips easily into most pockets. The two lenses are slightly off centre to one another, each covering a 210° radius. The on/off switch also serves as the release button if you decide to use the camera without an iPhone. The iPhone connector (from iPhone 6 onwards) and a slot for a MicroSD card complete the picture.

The first time you connect the camera to your iPhone, a message pops up asking you to install the app. Not a problem as it is free and intuitive to use. You can use the Insta360 with or without the iPhone, but with the iPhone and the app you have access to more features: you can see what you are filming or photographing; the shots are stored directly in the app and can be sent as a link on social media for example. Photo and video quality are good (3040×1520 pixels @ 30 fps)—I wouldn’t expect a 4K resolution in this price bracket.

Each panorama shot is processed INSTAntly in the camera to create a 360° frame; lengthy processing on a PC is no longer necessary. In fact, the recordings are processed so quickly, you can livestream straight from the app to YouTube. Even the seams in a 360° picture are virtually unnoticeable making the Nano camera comparable to equipment many times its price.

The camera is not visible in the picture so that the hand you are holding it with appears empty—which is a bit freaky. You can however cover up the spot using the app to import a logo or something similar.

Unfortunately, the camera does not have a thread for a tripod, but with a little creativity you can make your own stand. A stand and a small tripod are available as optional accessories. The 800 mAh battery is good for up to one hour of continual use. If you’re on the road, you can recharge the camera using a power bank. All in all, the Insta360 Nano is a highly practical and portable alternative to more common 360° cameras—this is a value for money piece of equipment which has me convinced.

INSTA360

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