Compiled by
TOM KELLY
Sealander Amphibious Trailer
In early April, you could be forgiven for marking this down in the same category as those famous pictures of people collecting “fresh spaghetti” from bushes that the BBC ran back in more innocent times. But the Sealander is real.
Launched at Caravan Salon 2011 in Düsseldorf, designer Daniel Straub really has designed a floating caravan. So you can pull up at your campsite to stay resolutely land-lubbed or back it into the water and cruise gently around with its outboard motor.
The German-built Sealander has a wide, double skin bottom (or hull) with sealed air chambers to keep you and it afloat.
The shallow draft and shaped back means you can launch it from pretty much any water’s edge without needing a jetty. And a low-emission electric motor will allow you at least to direct your caravan back to land. It’s not clear whether rowing your amphibious camper is a practical option.
The interior is basic and modular but, at 2m by 1.5m, I can’t see it being bought by many rugby second-rows. But thanks to the snap-removable roof, you can gaze at the Milky Way from your bobbing bunk and think: if James Bond had a caravan, it’d be nothing like this. Overall length is 3.9m.
Cost:about €15,000 from sealander.de.
Swarovski CL Companion Binoculars
For the non-hunting, non-birdwatching communities, it might be a surprise that Swarovski makes anything other than pretty crystal gewgaws. Yet Swarovski Optik has been producing high-end, precision optical equipment since 1949. These CL Companion binoculars are the latest entry level additions to its sparkling roster. Quite an entry too.
With a rugged, non-slip rubbery armour and ultra-light weight 500g heft, the CL Companion feels great in the hand.
It’s well-engineered throughout with easy focusing and individually adjustable eye cups. Dirt and dust-proof, they’re outdoors-proof. The optics don’t disappoint either, with phase-corrected coated lenses that would let you spot a fake Swarovski crystal from good distance.
Designed for the casual leisure market rather than the specialist hobbyist, these would be the sort of binoculars anyone would want to kick off spotting with. Given the brand, pricing is premium.
Cost:8x model £790 (€904).
Bose Soundlink Wireless Mobile SpeakerIt does what it says on the tin. This is competition for Jawbone's remarkable Jambox. It's mobile, with a rechargeable, lithium-ion battery. It links effortlessly with Bluetooth-enabled devices to wirelessly blast your vibes. And it delivers plenty of sound, thanks to four neodymium drivers and dual opposing passive radiators. But then great sonics are just what you'd expect from Bose.
It’s added good thinking to the design, too, with a flip-over cover that doubles as a stand. And you can get different colours for these.
You get eight hours playback on a full charge. Weighs 1.3kg. Also 3.5mm jack.
Cost:£259 (€297) from bose.co.uk