Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
Pierre reviews for PM:
Interesting gear and gadgets, and clever technology, is what PM is all about, so teaming up with Cape Union Mart and their top product specialist was a natural fit. Here’s Pierre’s low-down on some everyday items we all should have.
Cape Union Mart’s gear guru gives us the gadget low-down.
LEDLENSER MH11
Yes, I’m old enough to remember how we had to transfer files from one cellphone to another using infrared technology. We placed the two infrared sensors right next to each other and had to make sure the phone didn’t move during the transfer. Luckily, our lives have been simplified by Bluetooth technology, which is a standard feature on smartphones. We can now seamlessly connect to other smart devices, and even some of the scientific weather stations. So the question is, what’s next?
The engineers at Ledlenser in Solingen, Germany, were probably wondering the same thing, and this is when they decided to put Bluetooth into their new flagship headlamp, the Ledlenser MH11. My first question was, why?
Imagine a headlamp with functions that are fully customisable to your specific needs, whether you want it to start on bright mode or dim mode. Picture a headlamp that can switch on or off at a predetermined time, so it’ll turn itself off once you’ve fallen asleep after reading in bed, and even become progressively brighter as it gently wakes you in the morning. Consider a headlamp that even knows the correct signalling sequence for an SOS distress signal. All of this is packed into the MH11, and controlled via an app on your phone! That’s what German engineering is all about.
The Ledlenser MH11 boasts a huge 750 lumen light output that generates a whopping 300 m beam distance (on this setting, the headlamp will only allow the battery to last for about four hours). Boost mode gives you 1 000 lumens; remarkable for a headlamp. If you require longer battery life, you have the option of using the mid- and low-range settings, which have 300-lumen and 10-lumen outputs respectively. It boasts many more features, such as magnetic contact charging, an aluminium heat sink and a battery indicator, but I was most impressed by the app.
The Ledlenser MH11 (product code 1526110200001) costs R2 499.
K-WAY DASH SHELL JACKET
The mountains are my favourite playground. Any mountains. But mountains don’t care how well prepared you are, nor do they care what the weather forecasters might be saying. Nonetheless, for me, it’s their unpredictable nature that makes them so mysteriously beautiful.
Yet, as Pierre Pienaar (yes me) pronounces: proper preparation prevents poor performance. Other than mental and physical preparation, I believe gear prep to be of the utmost importance, with a quality rain jacket topping the list. In the past, we had to settle for hard-shell jackets that would keep you dry from the rain, but still leave you feeling wet from excessive perspiration and condensation on the inside of the jacket. They also tend to be quite heavy and restrictive.
Having previously been disappointed by several waterproof jackets, it was love at first sight when I saw and touched the K-Way Dash Shell. The newest innovation from the K-Way factory was designed for the hard-core outdoor enthusiast who expects the best of the best from their gear, and wants total confidence that it won’t fail. Boasting a 10 000 mm waterhead
(the waterproof pressure test) and a vapour-transmission rate (the rate at which moisture vapour permeates through the fabric) of 10 000 g/m² over 24 hours, this jacket was designed to keep you dry on the inside and out, no matter the conditions or your levels of physical exertion at the time.
With subtle reflectors and added ventilation on the back (and underarms) this jacket has it all. This is especially the case with the newest innovation in waterproof materials – a four-way stretch fabric that allows for unrestricted movement and a super-comfortable fit.
Hats off (and jackets on) to Stevie Hector, the technical product developer at the K-Way factory, who has produced yet another exceptional work of art.
The K-Way Dash Shell Jacket (product code 1405373100) is priced at R1 999.