Tag Archives: New Atlas

Photo Contests: ‘2020 Wildlife Photographer Of The Year Awards’ (London)

October 19, 2020 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

The fifty-sixth Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will immerse you in the breathtaking diversity of the natural world. Explore some of the world’s richest habitats, see fascinating animal behaviour and get to know some extraordinary species.

After more than 49,000 entries were whittled down to just 17, the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton to her friends) announced the winner of the 2020 Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards at a live-streamed event from London’s Natural History museum this week.

This is one of the more prestigious photo awards going around, with a history going back to 1965. Started by the BBC’s Animals magazine, it aimed to highlight species, behaviors and natural events that few people get to see first-hand. The very first winner was presented with his award by no less than Sir David Attenborough, and for the last 38 years, the winners have been put into an exhibition.

Leisure, Reviews, Transportation, Travel

Camper Trends: “Beauer X-Van” Telescopes To Larger Size With Push Of A Button

January 20, 2020 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

From a New Atlas online article:

French company Beauer has earned a lot of attention over the years for telescoping teardrop caravans that grow double or triple their size at the push of a button. Now the company’s bringing its tech to van life, launching a plug-and-play module that grows to create a large camper at camp and a smaller, nimbler van on the road. The X-Van installs in 10 minutes and extends the length of the van to add comfy sleeping quarters for two, giving a mid-size van the length of a full-size model.

After popping the tailgate, the owner merely hits a button on the pillar next to the driver seat and watches as the electrically actuated module sets up within a minute’s time. The only thing left to do is pop the expansion panels on the module’s sides to increase elbow room inside. The 25-mm sandwich construction keeps the temperature comfy inside.

Reviews, Technology, Travel

Camper Trailers: Easy Caravaning’s “TakeOff” Opens In 30 Seconds

January 10, 2020 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

From a New Atlas online article:

The TakeOff interior houses two rows of furniture running down the sides of a center aisle. The front dinette includes benches on either side of an adjustable table, converting to an 63 x 81-in (160 x 205-cm) oversized queen bed at night. The versatile, multi-position lounge can be set up in several configurations, including an optional eight-seat dinette and a shortened bed with rear dining nook.

Pop-up tent campers are an age-old way of enjoying a light, aerodynamic tow and roomy base camp. They’re not always as quick or easy to set up as the term “pop-up” suggests, however. The new TakeOff from Dutch startup Easy Caravanning follows through on the pop-up trailer’s implied promise of quickness. A sort of pop-up camper van roof on wheels, the TakeOff rides low and light and sets up in about half a minute, making it perfect for a quick lunch break on the way to camp, as well as a cozy extended camping holiday.

Adventure, Leisure, Reviews, Travel

New Camper Vans: 2020 “VanDOit LIV” Built Into All-Wheel Drive Ford Transit

November 26, 2019 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

From a New Atlas online review:

Now VanDoIt has capitalized on the launch of the 2020 Transit AWD to make its modular vans even more capable and versatile, letting owners option right up to a full-blown off-road, off-grid adventure vessel. It received a pre-production prototype from Ford and got to work rejiggering its modular conversion around the updated van, bearing fruit in the all-new LIV.

Earlier this year, Ford announced plans to launch an all-wheel-drive Transit as part of its updated 2020 US van lineup. That might seem like small product news, but it means that the US market will finally get a second factory AWD van to compete with the Mercedes Sprinter 4×4 that came over the Atlantic in 2015. It also means we can expect to see camper vans that look more like this one. The masters of modularity at VanDoIt become the first Americans to offer a camper van on the all-new Transit AWD, adding the LIV van as the second model in their lineup of super-flexible adventure vans. With a full selection of plug-and-play equipment, the LIV can flex between eight-seat, toy-hauling sleeper van and fully equipped multi-bed camper.

Design, Reviews, Technology, Transportation

Trends In Transportation: The BST-Hypertek Electric, Carbon Fiber Motorcycle Is “The New Standard”

November 11, 2019 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

From a New Atlas online review:

Well, with this extraordinary electric bike, I think I finally understand what Terblanche has been trying to get at all these years, and I absolutely love it. Designed and built in partnership with South African carbon wheel specialists BST, meet the all-electric Hypertek.

There could be no better name for this thing and its unabashed, triumphant futuristicism. Every component and detail seems stripped back, technical, modular, functional. It’s like a Confederate jumped in a teleportation machine without realizing there was already a Dyson vacuum in there.

The Hypertek is built around the reasonably unglamorous DHX Hawk water-cooled PMS electric motor, presumably chosen for its compact size and high torque output of 120 Nm (88.5 lb-ft). BST claims a peak power of 80 kW (107 hp), but we can’t find any motor on the DHX website capable of such peaks – the company’s largest advertised Hawk motor makes 120 Nm but peaks at 55.3 kW (74 hp) and offers a continuous power of 34.5 kW (46.3 hp). So perhaps it’s a custom build.

Reviews, Travel

Top Camper Trailers: “Lume Traveler LT540” Is Larger, With Open Roof, Upgrades

October 23, 2019 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

From a New Atlas online review:

Customers who liked the original Lume tailgate kitchen will find a larger version in the LT540 No. 1/Pure spec trailers, but those looking for a more all-weather solution will be able to enjoy indoor cooking with the new Nordic floor plan, which pulls the kitchen inside across the front wall. To accommodate it, Lume pushes the double bed back toward the bumper and eliminates the front sofa standard on the No. 1 and Pure models.

https://www.lumetraveler.com/en/en-lancering-lt540/

Last year, Dutch startup Lume wowed the world by topping its highly distinctive Traveler LT360 caravan with a retractable soft top, creating an airier style of trailer camping. Despite costing more than €46,000 (US$51,000) at the time, Lume’s debut model was successful enough to inspire a second model: the longer, more spacious Traveler LT540. Rather than use the 540’s extra 5.5 feet (1.7 m) to stuff the whole family inside, Lume makes things more comfortable for the wandering twosome, adding a toilet room, available indoor kitchen, available seating lounge, and floor space.

Reviews, Technology, Travel

Ultimate Campers: The High Technology Inside 2019 Hymer Camper Vans

October 15, 2019 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

From a New Atlas online article:

Hymer certainly gave credit where it was due, recognizing BASF’s role in the opening paragraph of its VisionVenture announcement and detailing elements like the Chromacool exterior paint and Veneo Slate transforming-bathroom trim. Still, it wasn’t quite clear just how deep BASF’s participation ran. Knowing a thing or two about the power of a buzzy concept vehicle (like a bike or car), BASF released some additional information last week to squeeze a little extra press out of the VisionVenture, a star of the 2019 Caravan Salon that featured in RV, auto and tech publications and blogs all over the world.

Even with a few months of 2019 left to go, we feel confident that the Hymer VisionVenture is the coolest camper van of the year. The concept camper has absolutely captured the public’s imagination, showing how a little bit of creative tinkering can turn the art of sleeping in a van into world-class luxury travel. When Hymer announced the concept at the start of the 2019 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, it mentioned incorporating over 20 materials and technologies from German chemical giant BASF, touching upon some of the most integral. BASF jumped in this month to further detail exactly how its tech can benefit future van lifers.

Adventure, Reviews, Travel

Future Of Camping: FiftyTen And Goose Gear Roll Out Ultimate Off-Road Camper System

October 11, 2019 She Seeks Serene Leave a comment

From a NewAtlas.com online review:

It all starts with Fiftyten’s “Tray,” the flat bed that serves as the stout foundation of the system and brings along aircraft tie-downs and under-bed storage drawers. Above that, the meat of the sandwich is the cavernous, gull-winged “Box” canopy that can serve purely for utility, hauling tools and equipment, or as the heart of a camper. The topper “Tent” completes the camper trio, adding sleeping space for two on a Froli spring mattress that lifts away to create standing room inside the canopy.

Ruggedized, tent-topped Jeep Wranglers have long been a staple of Overland Expo, so when the Jeep Gladiator debuted last year, it was obvious it’d only be a matter of time before another style of Rubicon-grade Jeep camper started showing up — without any need to chop the back off the cabin or add extra chassis length. Fiftyten becomes one of the first to drop a camper on the back of Jeep’s pickup, replacing the stock bed with a rugged tray and bolting on a versatile storage/living canopy and fast-popping hardshell tent. The German company creates a modular camper and utility truck for journeys of every style, size and destination.