As off-roading adventures accumulate, so will the requirements for equipment. In this article I'd like to share what I carry, and why.
In two plastic crates I always keep in the back of the vehicle, in no particular order, I have: three tow ropes - a flexible 24mm-thick, 10m-long ship-mooring strap for recoveries where a hard pull is required, such as bouncing a stuck car out of a tight bowl; a 10m-long flat static tow strap for regular tugs; and a short 3m-long flat tow strap for when there is no room to pull properly. These can be combined to a massive 23m. If a hook is not installed on the vehicle, two rated metal shackles to attach the ropes to the tow points. I should probably add a pair for spares, but having a rated shackle in the first place has meant they have not broken yet. A rated shackle has the maximum load rating in tonnes stamped into the metal.
A light-weight aluminium shovel, and a foldable camping shovel, for when digging with hands is not enough. Quite frankly, these are rarely used, as removing a few scoopfuls of sand with hands from behind the stuck tyre is usually enough to get the car moving again. However, they are useful when camping.
Spare radiator, transmission and brake fluids and a canister of motor oil, in conjunction with a tool kit, radiator leak powder, tyre repair kit, fuel syphon hose, a few pipe clips and ratchet straps - and, of course, the ubiquitous duct tape - are available for any small mechanical repairs, where the objective is to at least limp back to civilisation.
A first-aid kit and fire extinguisher are both essential, though the fire extinguisher is mounted in the cab for ease of access and not in the boot.
A two-cylinder air compressor, with battery clips is required to re-inflate the tyres, and to re-fit a popped tyre that has come off the rim, as well as a large wooden jacking board, for when the car jack would sink into the sand instead of lifting the car.
A neon work light, also with battery clips, is useful in the dark; and battery jump cables in case the battery runs down. I also carry a powerful hand-held searchlight that plugs into a 12V socket. Inside the car I store a knife, tyre pressure gauge, toilet paper, a small crowbar and my GPS unit and mobile phone, with chargers.
Every trip I add a box or two of 12 1.5L water bottles, in addition to the amount of drinking water I expect to consume. And if I'm going solo, something I would advise you not to do, I throw in two fibreglass sand ladders, which are useful to extricate a stuck car single-handed.
Adding the family's camping kit, food, toys and firewood, and perhaps an extra jerry can of petrol and another of washing water, and I usually fill the cargo area to the brim.
No matter how much equipment I carry, from my experience, the most valuable piece of kit is the driver's own judgment in keeping safe and driving intelligently. In 10 years of off-roading in the region, I am yet to roll or experience a popped tyre, and I've never been stranded despite driving older vehicles. I put this down to careful preparation, having the right equipment, and due care in navigating the terrain.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
The Intruder
Director: Deon Taylor
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good
One star
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
AIDA%20RETURNS
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.