GEAR

Deter the criminal element on your next trip with these safety and security items.

In an ideal world we wouldn’t have to lock our doors at night or need a fence around our property, but the reality is that we do. Just because we’re away on holiday letting our hair down doesn’t mean we can let out guard down too. Stay one step ahead of the bad guys with these security solutions. Don’t get caught napping.

1 AXON TASER PULSE Smooth operator

The tiny Axon Pulse features a smooth design so that when you need to pull it out in an emergency situation it doesn’t snag or catch on anything. It’s also very portable, weighing in at just 228 grams. You aim with a laser sight and you can choose between single-fire and multi-cycle functions, just in case the 30 seconds that will limit the attacker’s muscular control isn’t enough to get away safely. Price R9 895 at Just Like Papa go! Drive & Camp says Get the Pulse Two Pack live cartridge replacements in case you’re up against more than one assailant (R2 035).

2 ROUGH & TOUGH TRAILER BALL LOCK Failed hitch

Have you ever worried about leaving your off-road trailer or caravan unhitched at a park or site while you head off on a game drive or pop in to the nearest town to visit the farmer’s market? Now you can deter the wouldbe thieves with this ball lock, making it impossible to tow your prized new Spite away. Price R190 at Camp & Climb go! Drive & Camp says Thieves would need to be carrying around a few Allen keys and master keys to figure this one out.

3 ULTRAPIR Alarm on the go

Think of the UltraPIR as your very own mobile ADT when you’re out camping. You can arm it with a remote up to 50 m away. When the 130-decibel siren goes off, the unit will dial up to three numbers when triggered and leave a prerecorded voice message. It uses a passive infrared motion detector to pick up any sneaky movements after lights out. Price R2 850 at Out There Secure go! Drive & Camp says You will need to use a RICA’d sim card in the UltraPir for it to be effective.

4 SMITH & WESSON PEPPER SPRAY Western solution

At close quarters there’s nothing more unassuming than this canister and nonthreatening plastic holster that uses pepper spray to deter assailants at a range of 3 m. At 2 million Scoville heat units (the scale used to measure the heat of chillies), it will cause plenty of tears and coughing by irritating the mucous membranes and the respiratory system for around 10 minutes. Price R145 at Camp & Climb go! Drive & Camp says This one’s quite tiny and is easily concealed in a bag or just hanging on keys.

5 YALE ALL-WEATHER PADLOCK 51 MM For extreme conditions

With a completely rubberised exterior, the Yale All-Weather padlock is absolutely ideal for caravans and trailers that are open to all sorts of exposure and the harsh elements. The lock features double ball bearings, a multi-layered body, and closed shackle design for maximum security. Price R230 at Takealot go! Drive & Camp says There’s a cap attached at the bottom that helps to prevent rusting.

6 TIPPMANN TIPX PAINTBALL PISTOL Stopping power

You can of course opt to fire balls filled with paint at your attacker, but these are also able to shoot solid balls made out of nylon as well as pepper balls that release a capsicum powder on impact – so it won’t only hurt the assailant but cause tears and choking as well. And no, you don’t need a licence to carry this around. Price R4 850 at Blades & Triggers go! Drive & Camp says This one has real stopping power. Remember that once you pierce the CO2 cartridge it will gradually start losing pressure. >

7 SOL SHARX WHISTLE Piercing pout

With its four-resonator construction, the Sharx lets out a ridiculously loud 120 decibels. It’s made out of durable ABS plastic and features moulded rubber grips for ease of use. It also doesn’t look like a traditional whistle. Price R200 at Just Like Papa go! Drive & Camp says This one requires minimal effort as you blow into the mouthpiece.

8 ASP FRICTION LOC 21-INCH BATON The enforcer

Designed for the security professional, this baton is virtually indestructible and consists of a rubber handle, 4130 steel shaft and carbon steel tip with a black chrome corrosion-resistant finish. The snap action is one of the best psychological and physical deterrents out there. Price R2 650 at Just Like Papa go! Drive & Camp says You can also have it in a shorter (40 cm) or longer (66 cm) guise.

9 800 TYPE STUN GUN Melee mister

This one will be used as a sort of last defence because you basically need the assailant to be right on top of you before you can electrocute him. It’s made out of ABS plastic and has built-in nickel cadmium storage batteries that you charge via a supplied two-prong cable. Price R250 at Blades & Triggers go! Drive & Camp says The 5 500 V output is half what the average electric fence runs on.

10 COGHLANS AIR HORN Pocket fog horn

Some people may try to shout to alert companions or fellow campers but may find that in these terrifying moments your voice often fails you. This mobile vocal cord will easily take care of making noise for you, with a maximum rating of 115 decibels, louder than you can scream. Price R250 at Camp & Climb go! Drive & Camp says This is loud enough to be heard up to 1,6 km away.

11 ASP PROTECTOR 21-INCH BATON Low-key lawmaker

This baton has a narrow design and handy belt or pocket clip. The grip section features grooves for maximum control while the Protector’s low mass is due to the use of an aluminium middle shaft. It’s also doesn’t look bad. Price R1 700 at Just Like Papa go! Drive & Camp says You can carry this one with the tip up or tip down and the clip is adjustable to suit your carrying needs.

12 GUARDIAN ANGEL 3 Pretty... painful

This pepper gun shoots out of dual canisters and looks as harmless as a water piston encased in transparent pink plastic. It’s small and lightweight but can blast the liquid Oleoresin Capsicum at 40 m per second and the solution leaves identifying traces on your target. Price R750 at Blades & Triggers go! Drive & Camp says It even comes with a three-year warranty.

13 BUSHNELL TROPHY CAM HD The hunter’s choice

Capable of recording 1080p high-definition video, the Trophy Cam captures high-quality video as well as 8 megapixel images simultaneously. It’s used primarily for hunting, but it doesn’t hurt to know who was lurking around your stand the night before. Price R6 000 at Blades & Triggers go! Drive & Camp says This one blends in with the environment you’re likely to find yourself in when camping.

14 GIANT SURELOCK FLEX COMBO COIL 15 Wrapped up

This bicycle company knows a thing or two about securing their precious two-wheeled creations. The 1 800 mm Surelock features cable construction that looks like carbon weave and the bracket is of the quick-release type. At this length you can secure all of the kids’ bikes at the same time. Price R250 at Giant go! Drive & Camp says The four-digit lock adds that extra bit of protection and is a strong deterrent.