With March being the month of the Epic we thought we’d put together a little something for those of you who’ll be spending many hours on the side of the trails cheering on your nearest and dearest.
Willow Picnic Basket
Let’s start with the basics, you’re going to need a picnic basket, and while you’re at it you might as well get the best looking one… So the Willow Picnic Basket is ideal. It comes stocked with knives, forks, spoons, plates and wine glasses for four people; all of which stow away safely to avoid breakages. There’s also plenty of room left inside to pack the food that doesn’t need to be kept cool and a picnic blanket. It also has space for three bottles of wine, or if you’re a really dedicated supporter two bottles of wine and an extra bottle of race fuel for the rider you’ve come to support. Available from Cape Union Mart for R550.
Coolmovers Picnic Rug
We’d call it a picnic blanket, but other than that the Coolmovers Picnic Rug is pretty nifty. It’s 150cm by 135cm in size, has a waterproof base (so no damp pants when setting up on grass still wet with morning dew) and a green fleece upper. It zips up into a handy carry case, making it easy to grab along with all your other supporters essentials or just pop it in your picnic basket. It’s available from Yuppiechef for R415.
Cobb Premier Cooking System
If you’re really going to settle in for the day and would like to do a trail side braai (please don’t set the veld alight!), then the Cobb cooker is the way to go. The Premier is their mid-sized offering. It will braai a whole chicken with just 3-5 pieces of charcoal or one Cobble Stone and allows you to grill, boil, fry and roast all with one mobile cooker. It’s a must have for any regular camper so this could be the perfect excuse to get your hands on one. You can buy one from www.yuppiechef.com for R1 195.
Shooting Stick
If a folding chair is just too much of a mission to carry along, then you should keep an eye out for a shooting stick, or as they’re known in some circles, a seat stick. Shooting sticks are a must have in the UK, especially for spectators at point-to-point races (a non-professional form of steeplechase horse racing). The shooting stick is basically a sturdy walking stick with a handle that folds out into a seating platform, and some models even incorporate an umbrella into the mix. Golf fans here in SA might already be familiar with the device and you’ll find endless uses for it once you have one. They’re hard to come by locally in stores, but you can buy online from www.seatstick.co.za for R399 excluding shipping.
Canon EOS 1 100D
If you’re looking for an entry level DSLR camera that can do it all and comes in at a good price, then look no further than the EOS 1 100D with the twin lens kit. The twin lens kit provides you with a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and a 75-300mm f/4-5.6 lens, along with an eight gig memory card. The 1 100D is equipped with a 12 megapixel CMOS sensor and a 2.7 inch LCD screen, is capable of shooting at three frames per second, has nine auto-focus points and an ISO range from 100 to 6 400. It can also shoot 720p videos. It does all you need it to do well, is simple to use and takes great photos. Plus if you buy it from Orms (www.ormsdirect.co.za) you get a free training course in the retail price of R6 495.
Bushnell 10 x 50 Falcon Armoured Binoculars
Spot the difference between your favourite rider and a plastic packet caught in a fence at 300 paces (okay I’ve got bad eyes) with these built to take the knocks binocs. Featuring 10 times magnification and 50mm objective lens diameters, the Falcon’s will have you tracking the rider you want even in the low evening light. The lenses are fully coated, the housing is non-slip rubber coated and there’re equipped with Bushnell’s InstaFocus system for fast focusing on moving targets – like mountain bikers. You can purchase them online from www.capeunionmart.co.za for R899.
K-Way Women’s Brenta Down Jacket
If you’re going to be stuck out in the fickle Cape weather for hours on end then you’d better have a decent warm jacket to pull on when Mother Nature turns against you. It’s windproof, water-resistant and is filled with 211g of high-quality goose down. The nylon and polyester construction makes it lightweight but still rugged enough to survive camping trips or hikes to view points on the Epic. Speaking of hiking, the shell is vapour permeable too, so it won’t collect sweaty odours and to cap it all, it is hypo-allergenic so you won’t get the sniffles from it (or in it because you’ll be kept toasty warm). The Brenta Down Jacket, and the male counterpart the Ortler, is also available on Cape Union Mart’s online shopping portal for R1 799.
SolRx Spray Dry Sunscreen
SolRx Sunscreens come highly recommended from Full Sus’s new physio columnist, Sarah Walker and with their wide range of products there’ll be something for you regardless of your outdoor pursuit. For the spectators however the top choice is the Spray Dry formulation. It offers all the UVA and UVB broad-spectrum sun protection without the greasy pour clogging cream or gel. It’s designed with the active user in mind, so you won’t leave greasy finger marks on your camera or drop your binocs through slippery hands. It has a paraben free formulation and comes in a continual spray bottle for easy application. Find your nearest SolRx retailer at www.solrxsa.co.za.
