GADGETS | Snooper My Speed DVR Dash Cam – Review

As campers we do a lot of driving so anything that can help us improve our raod safety is a real bonus. This was our first time using a gadget like this, so read on to find out what we thought!

What is it?

Snooper My-Speed DVR RRP: £149.99
Buy it here

Features

• LCD colour screen
• Built in DVR
• FREE speed trap database updates – Supplied by AURA
• FREE alerts of every speed limit across Europe – Supplied by Here®
• Displays your speed through GPS
• Windscreen bracket and in-vehicle charger included
• Suitable for Cars, Motorhomes, Caravans and Trucks

What we thought

Dash Cams are becoming more popular for safety, documenting any incidents and to help with insurance claims.  They increase their functionality by displaying actual speed alongside speed limits, warnings about the location of schools and speed cameras, and are often combined with sat nav systems. I chose to review a dash cam, as I already have a sat nav.

In the box is everything you need: the My Speed DVR, windscreen bracket, in-vehicle charger with built-in TMC antenna, a soft carry case, USB cable, 8GB Micro SD Card (Dash Camera), Dash Disk, Video cable.

The My-Speed DVR is a neat, slim unit which is ready to go as soon as it was powered up.  As I didn’t have a computer with me when I received it I was delighted that I could use it straight out of the box, and be able to register and update the software when I got home. Registering is very simple, and leads you straight to the software update download, which again is easy and intuitive to use, with clear instructions throughout.

I set it up on the side of the dashboard, where it is easy to see the display without it being in my line of sight while driving. I found getting the angle of the bracket a little tricky, it definitely needed the Dash Disk, as I found the bracket obscured the camera’s view of the road on my windscreen.

The DVR starts up automatically when plugged in, which makes it very easy to use.  The display is a good size, clear, easy to understand at a glance, and shows the speed limit, your speed, the name of the road you are on, which direction you are headed, and the time. Audio alerts can be switched on so that it lets you know when a speed camera or school are nearby. The online manual is clear and easy to follow so that you can customise the settings for the device.

The Bluetooth connectivity means that you can use it to answer and make phone calls, and play music from an external device (such as your phone), as my car does not have in built Bluetooth this is a very useful feature, and my kids like that they can choose music from my phone.

The in-vehicle charger has a long enough cable to be able to put the My-Speed DVR anywhere on the dashboard, although it not ending in a USB means that you cannot charge it alongside other devices without something to give you two sockets in the car.

A little extra thing – I really like the carry case, it is thick enough to protect the device, and big enough to make it easy to get the DVR in an out, and I like that the zips have a popper to pop together so that it can’t open accidentally.

The verdict

Overall, it took me a little bit of time to warm to this device, as setting up the bracket was a bit tricky. Once it was all in place though, I loved having it there, and really like the peace of mind I get from the information it provides and the extra level of protection from the dash cam function.

I like it so much that it has become enough a part of my daily driving routine that I have bought a 12V socket adaptor to be able to use my sat nav, or keep my phone charged on longer journeys; so my only one small gripe is that it would be great to have the option of the in-vehicle charger with built-in TMC antenna having a USB termination.

That said, If you want a simple, small, portable dashcam system, then the My Speed DVR is great, just give yourself a bit of time to set it up initially and you’ll soon find you’re using it effortlessly on every journey!

Thank you to Snooper who provided the featured product. We were not paid to write this review.

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NEWS | Dr Hilary Jones Prescribes The Great Outdoors at the Motorhome and Caravan Show

Camping, caravan and motorhome holidays can encourage people outdoors and towards a potentially healthier lifestyle, says TV’s Dr Hilary Jones, who appears at October’s Motorhome and Caravan Show 2018 at Birmingham’s NEC.

An advocate of preventative measures in support of good health, Dr Hilary says there’s many aspects of camping and leisure vehicle activities that support both mental and physical well-being.

“Two out of five GP consultations today are concerned with mental health,” says Dr Hilary. “More people are finding it difficult to manage psychological issues. We also have an obesity epidemic and problems with type-two diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and I am very opposed to prescribing medication when lifestyle changes could make such a difference.

“Of course, everybody enjoys a holiday and setting apart quality leisure time is essential. Camping and leisure vehicle holidays provide the perfect opportunity to get up and go on shorter trips and adventures, and encourage family time as well as getting outdoors, exercise, a change of scenery, new adventures and socialising.

“Being outside and fresh air is quite simply good for us: most people don’t realise that indoor pollution is considerable, and even worse than outdoor. Spending lots of time indoors means an accumulation of the symptoms of modern living, such as dust and chemicals. Our grandparents were right when they said, ‘throw the windows open’!

“We need to escape the perpetual central heating. Our bodies are designed to adapt to different environments: we respond to warm or cool environments through changing the calibre of blood vessels in our skin and keeping glucose levels steady, and exercise is key to this. If we’re outdoors we are more likely to be exercising, which is good for us. I’m a great fan of exercise: I’d rather people did this than resort too quickly to unnecessary medication.”

Dr Hilary suggests scientific evidence shows people also benefit from getting closer to nature, which is a fundamental connection for humans and the opposite of connecting to screens and electronic devices. A book called Healing Gardens* reports two thirds of people choose a natural setting to retreat to when feeling stressed, taking a walk or connecting with nature outdoors. The Human Environment Research Laboratory in Illinois, USA shows people spending time outside feel more connected to each other.

“I hear many people say that when they have a nice day outside, they feel less stressed, less anxious and more positive in general,” says Dr Hilary Jones. “Taking a motorhome or tent onto a campsite there’s a real social aspect. They compare notes, talk about their environment, the activities they’re going to get involved in, walking, eating. Campers have big smiles on their face and tend to think more positively.”

A leisure vehicle or camping holiday also offers versatility and flexibility, allowing lots of spontaneous, short holidays and weekend breaks: a four-day break can feel like a ten-day break, and campers have a particular freedom, able to move as they wish and without the restrictions of hotels or B&Bs.

“The outdoors even impacts on recovery after surgery, concludes Dr Hilary Jones. “In a gall bladder surgery experiment, half the patients post-surgery had a view of hospital walls only, half had a view of the outdoors. The latter group reported less pain during recovery than those looking at just hospital walls.

“I’m looking forward to the Motorhome and Caravan Show as I love meeting people and talking to them. We can share stories on camping trips and holidays, and share a common interest: it’s what camping and caravanning is all about.” Dr Hilary Jones will appear at the show in the LIVE Theatre on Wednesday 17 October.

Advance tickets for the Motorhome and Caravan Show are on sale now from just £8.50^, with free entry for children aged 15 and under, and parking included in the ticket price.

Find out more at mcshow.co.uk

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COMPETITIONS | Win A HyTensil Camping Cutlery Set

The innovative new HyTensil is a multi-use eating utensil. Protected by SteriTouch to ensure hygiene, no matter what environment you’re in. It’s small and compact, making it ideal for camping and it’s also 100% recyclable (including packaging).

Eat hygienically with the bacteria-busting, extendable HyTensil spork and knife. Field tested by the British Army, SAS and travelers, HyTensil harnesses SteriTouch® antimicrobial properties to fight off bacteria. Store it in its tough, lightweight case for easy convenient use.

Whether you’re grabbing a bite when travelling or deep in the wilderness, HyTensil is the cleanest, safest way to eat on the go.

It retails at £14.99 and you can find out more about HyTensil here.

Prize

• 1 HyTensil Cutlery Set

How to Enter

You can enter on Twitter OR by leaving a comment below.

Enter on Twitter

All you need to do is make sure you are following @campwithstyle and @HyTensil on Twitter and RT the competition post!

Enter via a blog comment

If you aren’t on Twitter, we’re also accepting entries via the blog, so just leave a comment telling us where or how you’ll be using your HyTensil if you win.

Terms & Conditions

• If you want to enter on Twitter, you must make sure you are following both @campwithstyle and @HyTensil and you must also RT the competition post
• If you aren’t on Twitter and would prefer to enter via the blog, leave a comment below telling us where or how you’ll be using your HyTensil if you win.
• Competition ends Wednesday 10th October at 6pm
• Entries from UK residents only
• Camping with Style reserve the right to change or amend this competition at any time
• No cash alternatives offered
• Prize must be claimed with 14 days of the closing date
• Prize supplied by HyTensil

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TRAVEL GEAR | Osprey Rolling Transporter 120 Luggage – Review

On a recent diving trip to the Yucatan in Mexico, I put the brand new Osprey Rolling Transporter case through its paces and find it’s the perfect luggage for adventure travel. Read on for my full review.

The Osprey Transportet bag at Manchester airport train station

What is it?

Osprey Rolling Transporter 120 RRP. £220
Buy it here

Features

• 120 litre capacity
• 4 grab handles
• Dual mesh pockets on inner front panel
• Durable and highly water resistant fabric
• ID Card holder
• Lockable zippers
• Osprey HighRoad chassis
• Panel zip access to main compartment with lockable zippers
• Retractable handle with ErgoGrip
• Available in Kingfisher Blue or Black

What did we think?

I’m a big fan of soft cases, not only do they tend to weigh a bit less than rigid suitcases, but for active travel I find them heaps more convenient. My 110 litre Roxy split roller has been my go-to case for snowboarding trips for almost 10 years, but with one broken handle and fabric beginning to fray, it’s definitely on its last legs. Unlike my old Roxy case, the Osprey Rolling Transporter isn’t split into two and instead provides a single enormous packing area.

Inside the case there are 3 tension straps, allowing you to keep the contents firmly in place, as well as 2 large zipped mesh internal pockets and a large pocket outside on one end of the case. The case is accessed by a large zipped cover which takes up the entire front, and there is a retractable ErgoGrip handle and big sturdy wheels that make negotiating the airport a doddle. The wheels actually feature Osprey’s HighRoad chassis which means that the pack is capable of handling rough terrain with ease, so regardless of your destination, the case will remain easy to move around.

There are various strong webbed grab handles on the outside of the case, ideal for loading and grabbing it off the baggage carousel, and because the case is made from durable and weather resistant material, bad weather doesn’t need to be a worry when you’re using this case outdoors.

In the past I’ve walked out of Geneva airport in the pouring rain, arriving in the Alps to thick snow leading to worry that the contents of my case could get wet as I’ve trudged through the streets of Morzine, rolling my case through snow and slush. With the weather resistant Rolling Transporter though, there’s no need for concern.

Case checked in and ready to load into the hold

The Kingfisher blue colour of the case is lovely, bright and eye catching – a definite bonus as far as I’m concerned as I hate dowdy, dull looking luggage. The bright colour and distinctive styling of the bag makes it super easy to spot on the baggage carousel too. No more tentatively pulling off every black suitcase that trundles past to check the tags in the hope that it’s yours!

Packed to about 85% capacity, my case weighed in at 21kg and although I was only going away for a week, I was diving and snorkeling so packed a lot of additional sporting gear that meant I needed a case with a good packing capacity. I could have easily fitted in more however, making this case the perfect size for a longer holiday, especially if you need to take additional sporting gear with you.

The Verdict

As the owner of several Osprey backpacks, I’ve come to expect high levels of quality from Osprey and the Rolling Transporter is no exception. It feels very strong and sturdy and I love the addition of weather proofing; making the case ideal for adventure travel and expeditions.

Due to it’s size and weight when fully packed I did find I sometimes struggled to keep it upright going around corners with it having just two wheels that aren’t multi-directional, so when handling it, I did find it swung onto it’s side a couple of times. Despite it’s packed weight, in a straight line though, it was very easy to pull along.

At 120 litres the capacity is ample for a 2 week or even longer holiday or expedition and whilst it is pricey (double the price of my old Roxy split roller with the same capacity), with Osprey you are paying for quality, and thanks to the Osprey Almighty Guarantee you’re investing in a piece of luggage that will be at your side for many, many years to come even if the baggage handlers do their worst!

The Osprey Transporter case with my hand luggage popped on top

Thank you to Osprey for supplying us with the featured product. We were not paid to write this review.

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CAMPING GEAR | Vango Mammoth Duo Wardrobe Camping Storage Unit – Review

When it comes to family camping, decent storage and camp furniture can make a big difference to camping comfort. In our latest review, we put the Vango Mammoth Duo Wardrobe Camping Storage Unit to the test. Read on to find out what we thought!

What is it?

Vango Mammoth Duo Wardrobe Camping Storage Unit RRP: £80

Stockists

• Vango
• Winfields Outdoors
• Go Outdoors
• Amazon.co.ok

Features

• Steel frame – Strong and reliable
• Hard edge shelves – Strong and durable
• Mesh panels – Improves ventilation
• Handled zipped carry bag – Allows smooth, quick and easy packing and transportation
• Easy to assemble
• Maximum loading weight: 30kg/4st 10lbs
• DuoWeave fabric – Vango’s DuoWeave fabric is set to revolutionise the design of furniture for outdoor living. It is extremely resilient, whilst being soft to the touch, providing a perfect balance between superb comfort and long lasting durability
• Texturised Frame – Gives the frame a rich, premium finish
• Hanging Pole allows you to store both hanged items of clothing but also folded items with collapsible shelves.
• Zipped shelves offer the ultimate flexibility in storage. Made from Duoweave fabric with a separate, removable hard shelf – they zip in half to drop to the edge when not in use.
• Four pockets in each fabric shelf offer great storage options for multiple uses.
• This multi-functional piece offers either: Hanging storage only, hanging & shelf storage or shelf storage only. Use for storing multiple items.

What we thought

One of the most annoying things about camping for any real length of time is the fact that you can end up living out of bags and it’s easy for a tent to get messy, especially if it’s a longer or family camping trip. Proper storage can really help to transform the camping experience, leading to much less mess and it makes it far easier to get organised and find what you’re looking for. In fact, after a comfortable and warm sleeping set up, the next most important thing as far as we’re concerned is in-tent storage.

The unit straight out of the storage bag

Over the years we’ve used lots of different camp furniture, from simple folding tables through to fancy bamboo storage units, yet we’ve never really cracked the whole clothes hanging thing. Whilst some of the bigger high-end family tents come with hanging storage rails, as we are predominently users of either smaller tents or bell tents, we’ve never had a tent with a hanging rail inside, so the Vango Mammoth Duo seemed like the ideal camping storage accessory, the one thing missing from our admiteddly extensive collection of camp furniture!

The unit takes seconds to put up

The Mammoth comes in a sturdy carry bag and despite the size of the unit, it’s very light to carry and doesn’t take up much space in the boot of the car. Setting the storage unit up couldn’t be quickier and it’s a simple case of folding up the folding frame, attaching 2 clips, then slotting the 5 shelves into place. The top shelf was the trickiest to slot in, as this one is slotted in at the top, on the outside and fits into a very snug zipped section, as shown below.

The top shelf that provides additional handy storage

Once up, the unit feels strong and sturdy and it doesn’t wobble around or feel flimsy whilst in use. As well as the internal shelves there are handy storage pockets on the side of the unit, and you have the option of leaving out the shelves, unzipping the shelf holders and using the space as a hanging wardrobe, as it also contains a hanging rail, as shown below.

You can remove some or all of the shelves and use the Mammoth Duo as a wardrobe thanks to the hanging rail

The Verdict

This storage unit is perfect for family campers and for anyone that spends a decent amount of time living in a tent. As a LARPer with loads of costume and kit, Mammoth storage unit is absolutely wonderful, providing easy access to everything I need without having to get on my hands and knees to search through bags or plastic storage boxes.

The unit is a great height and offers lots of storage space

I love the height of this unit which means rather than taking up lots of floor space, it makes use of vertical space, though you will of course need a standing-height tent! I also found that the unit was the ideal height for popping a mirror on top, handy for doing my hair in the morning.

The unit is large, but light and doesn’t take up too much space, and it provides very versatile storage. We recently spotted this unit down to £62 on Amazon making it good value for money and a must-have for family campers.

Thank you to Vango who supplied the featured product to us. We were not paid to write this review.

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TRAVEL | Wildlife Spotted at The TRS Yucatan, Maya Riviera, Mexico

One of the things I love most about travel is natural wildlife encounters. Before arriving at the TRS Yucatan hotel in Quintana Roo in Mexico, I did my homework and expected to come across a lot of Coatis and Iguanas. On the Iguana front I wasn’t disappointed and came to lovingly refer to them as ‘Mexican Pigeons’ as they are so numerous and such a common sight.

The beautiful grounds in the interior of the Palladium hotels complex on the Maya Riviera

Having spoken to Mexican friends, I was assured I’d see lots of Coatis, cute little critters that look like a Lemur crossed with a Racoon, but during my week away, I only spotted one, and sadly it was gone too soon for me to be able to grab my camera. Lack of Coati sightings aside, I did get to see a variety of different birds and lizards, so I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourite wildlife photographs.

In terms of identification, I’m no expert, so if anyone spots errors in my identification, corrections would be greatly appreciated.

The grounds of the TRS Yucatan

Agouti

This little fella was very friendly and make frequent visits to our suite, we’d often be sat in the plunge pool and would see it sniffing around looking for fallen fruit. Native to Middle America, northern and central South America, the Agouti is a rodent and is related to the Guinea Pig, though it’s much larger. When watching them I thought they resembled a combination of Hare, Guinea Pig and a Squirrel.

Mexican Spinytail Iguana

We saw Iguanas very frequently, most often sat still during the day in an exposed spot basking in the sunhine. Capable of growing up to 1.3m in size, the ones we spotted ranged in size greatly with some very large ones of around a metre as well as much smaller ones spotted. It was the larger ones that were the least skittish and most likely to hold their ground no matter how close you got to them.

Black Vultures

I was very excited to spot these 3 black Vultures, perched high atop a building in the grounds of the TRS Yucatan hotel. This new world Vulture is very common sight in southeastern United States to southern America.

Tropical Mockingbird

This beautiful little bird was a frequent visitor to the shaded area just behind the beach at the Collonial hotel, part of the larger Palladium hotel complex that we stayed in. The Tropical Mockingbird is a resident breeding bird native to southern Mexico, common in Brazil, the Lesser Antilles and other Caribbean islands.

Yucatan Jay

This was one of the most frequent birds spotted out and about a the TRS Yucatan with stunning bright blue plumage. As you can tell from the beak, it’s a member of the Corvidae family and is native to the Yucatan Peninsula.

Brown Pelican

Since getting up close to Pelicans during a feeding encounter many years ago in Florida, I’ve always loved Pelicans and I saw lots swimming close to the shore. Watching them dive was mesmerising, graceful they are not! They seemed to just radomly dive and smash their huge beaks under water before bobbing back up to float on the surface.

Land Crab

I’m not sure what kind of crab this is, as he was very shy and as soon as he heard us approaching he scuttled down into his very deep den on the sea shore. He was a lovely bright vibrant yellow/orange colour and although I sat and quietly waited for 10 minutes hoping he’d emerge for a better shot, this was the best I could do.

Frigatebirds

The graceful Frigatebird was a common sight, swooping high above the shallows of the sea. Rarely seen flapping, they just glide on thermals. Their distinctive wings are long and pointed and can span up to a whopping 2.3m.

Green Lizard

I only spotted a couple of these, as they were generally much more skittish than the far larger Iguanas, but its beautiful colouring makes it exceptionally eye catching.

Above: Another small lizard spotted, though I’m not sure what kind

Laughing Gull

I think this is a Mexican Laughing Gull, I only spotted a few, but with their black faces and wing tips, they were very distinctive against the blue sky.

Parrots

Sadly these birds weren’t spotted in the wild, they were being carried around by a photographer on the beach but they appeared exceptionally calm and happy. Given they are such intelligent birds and crave stimulation, it felt like they relished hopping onto the heads of willing tourists.

Flamingos

Again, not spotted in the wild, but in a large aviary inside the grounds of the Palladium hotel complex. These beautiful birds are native to the Yucatan, with tens of thousands of flamingos living in the Yucatan peninsula.

Mangrove Turtle

This little turtle was spotted in the mangrove swamps that ran all through the grounds of the TRS Yucatan.

Land Crab

Walking back to our suite one evening, this little fella was waiting for us outside the door, which we found rather amusing. After speaking to our Butler he said, that he once found a crab on the third floor!

Mexican Crow

We saw lots of these slightly unkept and dishevelled looking crows all over the place.

Cormorants

I’m not sure what type of Cormorant this is as it was much smaller than others I’ve seen, possibly a Neotropic cormorant but I’m not certain.

For nature lovers, I can thoroughly recommend this region of Mexico. The TRS Yucatan provided ample grounds and natural habitats for native species and it was a joy spotting so much in the hotel grounds and along the beach front.

I’ll be blogging again about the marine life I saw whilst snorkeling and diving in the stunning marine nature reserve of Cozumel and a detailed feature on the hotel will also be added soon. I traveled to Mexico with Blue Bay Travel and stayed at the luxurious 5-star, adult-only TRS Yucatan hotel.

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