It was designed by Scott Gant, a true outdoor enthusiast from California. He decided he needed a decent light for use when out wild camping. But not just as a standard camping torch - something that could double up as a photography or videography lamp as well.

The LitraTorch 2.0 is the second generation of his baby lamp. It comes complete with mounts for a DSLR camera, GoPro-style video camera and smartphone. There’s also a belt clip and a translucent flexible diffuser to make the light a little less harsh.

I’ve been using the LitraTorch for the last six months or so and it’s been invaluable in my photography kit. It’s tiny (a 1.5in cube) so fits in my pocket, a single USB charge lasts for ages and it will fill a tent with light of an evening so you don’t need to take any extra torches or lamps if you’re travelling light.

It also works very well for photography in compact spaces such as the caravan washrooms I regularly need to photograph (doesn’t everyone?!). It will tuck away out of sight but illuminate everything in its path. I have also mounted it on my Manfrotto monopod to provide extra lighting for an impromptu portrait session or two.

If you’re interested in the technical specs, the LitraTorch 2.0 has 16 LEDs with 90+CRI at 5700 daylight temperature. The sales pitch says it “the quality of light meets the premium standards that photographers and videographers look for in continuous lighting”, which is easy to believe as it provides 800 lumen of continuous, high quality light.

Add the fact that it’s waterproof and rugged enough to survive the many drops it’s already encountered (its small size means it’s remarkably easy to drop) and the features go a long way to making up for the fairly steep price. It’s not something you’d use to replace a basic camping lantern, but if you enjoy taking photographs or video on your travels and occasionally think “what a shame I can’t carry a proper lamp out here” then the LitraTorch may be just what you’re looking for.

 

Each small tablet dissolves rapidly in hot water with much fizzing. It then gently removes all the limescale and other muck that tends to accumulate inside your water bottle, mugs or other kit.
We tried it on a couple of not-too-hygienic office coffee mugs and within ten minutes it had cleaned one, which simply needed rinsing. The other had some tougher stains but these came off easily with the rub of a dishcloth after using the Bottle Bright solution.

The tablets contain a mixture of traditional cleaning substances including citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.

I also tried them in my home teapot. The tea staining inside had begun to block the holes leading to the spout. Soaking for a few hours cleaned the inside of the teapot remarkably well and the tea poured more easily after the treatment.

There is one big downside to the product, though. The tablets are individually wrapped and look a little too much like sweets for comfort. We were a little concerned children might be tempted by them.

But as long as you are able to keep them safely out of the reach of youngsters, Bottle Bright could be a useful addition to your camping cleaning kit.

 

Choosing a mechanical security device can be a bit vexing, as can understanding what you should expect from a particular one. Firstly, unfortunately no security device will stop a determined thief, its main aim is to slow things down or cause plenty of noise so your caravan seems too high a risk to attempt to steal.

If you store your caravan on a remote location, such as a farm with no people nearby, then thieves can take all the time they want as no one is likely to disturb them.

At the Club we generally only recommend Sold Secure mechanical security devices as these have been attack tested using the types of tools your typical thief might have in his kit. There are other testing houses around, but we find Sold Secure has the most consistent and widest leisure industry support. You could improve your chances against the thief by fitting more than one type of device as he would have to use a different method of attack for each one, increasing the time he’s likely to be spotted. I don’t just mean hitch locks and wheel locks, having different locks on different wheels can be a great deterrent.

It is common for caravanners to use the AL-KO Secure wheel lock, which prevents the wheel from rotating. It is Diamond rated by Sold Secure, however it can be difficult to fit as it needs the wheel to be well aligned with the space between the spokes and the fixed receiver on the brake back plate. However, a new kid on the block is the Milenco Wraith. This has a Sold Secure Gold rating and is easier to fit than some but still provides a good level of security.  

The Wraith uses a high-quality low-mass replacement wheel bolt and security bar that goes through the alloy wheel. Both items are connected to a high-grade steel lock body. Where the lock touches the wheel there are foam-covered areas for protection and there is a plastic outer cover on the body. <DSC_Wraith wheel lock 1 6289IH or images 2 or 3> Once the lock has been set-up, by screwing the barrel in or out and then securing with a grub screw, the fit and removal should only take seconds. The Wraith comes with three keys, a carry case and a five-year warranty.

We would recommend using this on the opposite wheel to your standard wheel lock while in storage, in addition to any specific security devices required by your insurance provider. While touring it’s easy to fit to the caravan when you stop for a break and it’s useful when pitching on a sloping pitch where alignment can be difficult for the AL-KO Secure lock.

It’s important to point out there are other products on the market that may look and function in a similar way but the quality of the Milenco product seems very good and it has an approval standard we and many insurers recognise.

Verdict: A good quality lock that is easy to fit and remove while still providing Sold Secure Gold level security
 

But with the UK’s ever changing and often unpredictable weather packing the right clothing could dictate how enjoyable your trip is.

If you’re still out and about as we head into the winter months warm clothing will be essential if you’re planning to go walking or participate in any other outdoor pursuit.
Blaze Wear offers a range of outdoor clothing from jackets and gilets to socks and gloves, all thermal in their own right but with the added bonus of a controllable built-in, battery operated heating system.

I’ve been fortunate enough to try a number of these clothing items over the past few weeks where the weather has been challenging to say the least. (see my Kit for keeping warm feature for the Active gilet and boot socks)

With the temperature struggling to reach double figures and the odd day where it’s hovered barely above freezing the Traveller jacket (also available for men) has been an extremely welcome addition to my outdoor wardrobe. This puffa-style jacket with detachable hood has a really flattering fit, and is really warm without being bulky. It’s a good length, finishing at the hips to give adequate coverage to lower back if you are horse riding or cycling.

If you’re a naturally warm person you may well find the thermal properties of this jacket enough if teamed up with base and mid layers. I feel the cold so was keen to try out the jacket’s heat technology.

The Traveller like the Active gilet I tried has three body panels – two front/chest panels and one back panel. These TriZone heated panels contain heating elements comprising of tiny carbon fibres. When connected to the rechargeable 5v USB power bank, heat is generated almost immediately within these panels.

In case you are wondering, these panels are very discreet and are totally flexible so there’s no restriction to movement or compromise on comfort.

The power bank (you have to buy it separately) fits in its own pocket where it’s connected to the TriZone heat system. Once connected you can choose from three heat settings depending on your needs. The highest setting Blaze Wear tells me gives a temperature of up to 55 degrees celcius for four hours and on the lowest setting 13 hours of uninterrupted heat from a fully charged battery. There's a power button inside the jacket on the right hand side at chest height. Hold this on for two seconds until the red light shows - this is the highest setting. Press again for the mid setting and again for the lowest (the button turns blue). Although the battery is quite bulky you're not really aware of it once it's in your pocket.

Wearing the jacket for up to four hours at a time and, depending on my activity rate, I found I only needed the heat boost (middle setting) for a very short period. 

The jacket features a lightweight, high performance wadding fill and a water-resistant and breathable nylon outer which also keeps out the wind.

Concealed cuff with thumb loops, hood adjusters and fleece-lined side pockets are all nice touches that add to the coat’s appeal. I also learned the powerbank doubles as a phone charger so you can keep connected too. Bonus!

 

Vision Plus may not be a familiar name, but it’s the company behind the Status television aerial that’s fitted to many caravans and motorhomes.

The most obvious thing, straight out of the box, was how light the 21.5in Visionplus TV was compared with my old television. It weighs only 2.55kg so shouldn’t trouble your payload. The casing looks good from the front, with a thin border, and the back has a simple moulding.

You can use the supplied stand or opt for a VESA-compatible mount system, depending on your desired location and connection points. There is a manual switch that prevents the TV draining your battery when you are not using it and a combined power/function indicator, both found on the lower edge.

The 1080P full High Definition (HD) anti-glare screen is very clear and well suited to a bright camping environment. It can, for example, be viewed from a wide angle so allowing everyone to see the screen. The television also supports MHEG-5 and MPEG-4, allowing the widest chance of finding a signal, assuming you have the appropriate kit.

UK users can access the well-known Freeview and Freesat platforms. The latter is predominantly on Astra 28.2°E using Astra 2E, 2F or 2G, however there is a long list of other satellites you could use, as long as your dish is correctly aligned.

Talking of tuning, there is the Quickstart one touch button facility that automatically searches for the channels at your location. This found over 300 television and radio channels on my trip, however it did take close on ten minutes. The Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) provides seven days of television and radio information. It is pretty self-explanatory and there are also indicators for battery power level, signal strength and signal quality within the menus.

The remote control is clear and easy to use including the controls for recording terrestrial television programmes using a USB stick. This also allows you to pause live TV.

There is an integrated DVD/CD player at the rear so even if there is no television signal available (as sometimes happens on campsites) can still watch or listen to something.

The sound quality is pretty good, providing clear separation and distortion free listening from two speakers. A soundbar can be connected if you wish.

This TV can operate up to 24V DC so is ideal for greenfield camping without a hook-up. It may be suited to more niche vehicles and over- and under-voltage protection is built-in. In addition, there is an AC power adaptor so you can still use it on 230V is you have a hook-up. It has a low consumption of only 24W (0.5W on standby). The television I normally take camping draws almost three times that.

The TV also has various inputs including two HDMI sockets, USB, VGA, SCART and is compatible with VESA Standard wall mounts and 3.5mm Headphone socket. It comes with a three-year guarantee and UK-based life time product support.

VERDICT: A lightweight and low consumption 12V television from a well-known brand, packed with multiply ways of viewing your favourite programmes.