Inspect a gadget

Sammy Faircloth looks at a selection of kit designed to make our touring lives easier

I’m always looking for ways to simplify life, especially when I’m on holiday in a caravan or motorhome. The market is flooded with products that can make our touring lives easier and some are truly innovative – here, I take a look at some of my favourite pieces of kit.

Portico awnings

Dometic Portico AIR 180 S

I appreciate the benefits of awnings so much that I own five of them! I recently discovered ‘portico’ awnings, small canopies that fit over the caravan door, providing shelter without the need to assemble a full awning.

I had originally dismissed them as unnecessary, but having taken a closer look have added a Dometic Portico AIR awning to my collection. It’s quite handy for shorter trips, providing ready protection from sun, rain and wind. The Dometic model is especially convenient to set up, and secures easily to the draught skirt rail of the caravan. It also features two storage pockets, perfect for stashing shoes or a torch, etc.

During winter storage, awning rails often collect dirt and other debris. Before my first trip of the season, I always give my caravan a thorough clean, and an awning rail brush is perfect for reaching into those narrow spaces, clearing out debris and any unwelcome guests!

I never set off on a break without a set of storm straps for my awning. A heavy night-time gale in Spain once took us by surprise but, thankfully, our Isabella storm kit, which consists of a protective band and heavy duty peg, kept everything securely in position. You can place an empty water bottle over the peg to help prevent tripping.

Space-savers

A collapsible watering can is ideal for topping up the flush water

Space and payload are always at a premium in motorhomes and caravans. That’s why collapsible items, such as kettles, buckets, washing-up bowls and watering cans are great pieces of kit. Club members benefit from a 10% member offer on items in the Colapz range of products, including water containers and utility bags (see camc.com/colapz for more details), while the likes of space-saving mugs and bowls from Outwell are available at discounted prices from shop.camc.com.

Kitchen kit

RidgeMonkey Connect Sandwich Toaster

Tourers who love a special coffee first thing in the morning might be interested in the compact, lightweight Wacaco Minipresso GR – simply add hot water and ground coffee, and you have a fresh espresso in next to no time.

Following a demonstration at one of the national shows, I purchased the RidgeMonkey Connect Sandwich Toaster Granite Edition – it’s a great piece of kit, perfect for making delicious toasties on a traditional stove (not suitable for induction hobs). It can be used to cook other things like pies and omelettes, while a detachable hinge system allows you to separate the pans, and cook items separately. It even comes with a heat-resistant utensil set that stows away between the pans.

Technical gear

Avtex Tourer Three Sat Nav GPS

After a nerve-wracking experience towing our caravan around Paris, we realised that we needed to invest in a proper sat-nav. We opted for the Avtex Tourer Three Sat Nav GPS – this navigation system is particularly suited to touring as it lets you input the weight and dimensions of your outfit, helping you avoid routes with height, width and weight restrictions. It also gives access to

the Club’s campsite database, making it easy to search, filter and view locations across the network. We purchased our system through the Club Shop, which offers a member discount – for more information, see shop.camc.com.

We’ve become increasingly dependent on Wi-Fi signal for accessing social media, checking the weather or streaming films in the caravan. To help when the originating signal is weak we have invested in a Solwise Patriot-Nano Wi-Fi Extender Kit – its exterior antenna picks up wireless signals and sends them down a cable to an interior antenna; this then rebroadcasts a Wi-Fi signal to your laptop, smartphone or tablet.

I hope I’ve provided you with a few suggestions that might really enhance your holiday experience – happy touring!