Latest news with #adventurers
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
What You Need To Know Before Towing Your Car With An RV
Today's RVs and motorhomes can go to insane lengths to provide you with all the luxuries of home while you're out on the road. But what happens if you get to your destination and want to do more than just lounge around, even if you've got a huge luxury RV for millionaires? For a lot of folks, that means towing a car along behind their motorhomes. That way, they can leave their mobile mansions behind for a more convenient drive into town, sightseeing, or other adventures. It does provide some challenges, however, and there's much to know before you try to tow. The most important is knowing whether your RV is capable of towing another vehicle in the first place. Remember, the average weight of today's cars tops 4,000 pounds, and that's a significant amount of extra mass for a vehicle that's already pulling around its own weight of up to 30,000 pounds or more (the upper range of the average weight of a Class A motorhome). With that in mind, the very first thing you need to know about towing a car with your RV is whether the latter is rated for towing in the first place. The good news is that it's as easy as looking in your RV's owner manual. Let's see what else you need to keep in mind before hooking up a car to your home away from home. Read more: These Are The Car-Related Movie Mistakes That Really Bother You Things To Know About Flat Towing There are three main methods of towing a car behind an RV or motorhome, and you should know the ins and outs of each before deciding which you use. The most basic is called dinghy towing, or flat towing, and that's when you directly hitch a car to your motorhome, with the car's wheels remaining right on the road and the transmission in neutral. But not all cars can be towed that way, so you'll have to check the owner's manual for the vehicle you're considering pulling — and follow all guidelines for safety. Perhaps the first might be that you shouldn't attempt to flat tow a vehicle backward. In addition, you'll need to know what equipment is needed. Beyond the hitch and wiring connector necessary for just about any towing job, flat towing requires a tow bar to attach behind the RV, a baseplate to connect the tow bar to the car being towed, safety cables in case the main connection between vehicles fails, and a supplemental braking system to help the towed car stop. And you'll also need some $1,500 to $2,500 to pay for that stuff. Things To Know About Using A Tow Dolly Or Trailer We'll discuss this more below, but sometimes an RV can pull the weight of a car plus the weight of a trailer, and sometimes it can't. In the latter situation, you can opt for a tow dolly, which lifts the car's front wheels off the ground and leaves the back rubber on the road. This is primarily for front-wheel-drive cars, as is flat towing, and while you don't need to worry about a base plate or tow bar, you do need to either buy or rent the dolly. In many states, you need to get a license for it, too. A trailer is the best way to pull a four- or all-wheel-drive car behind your RV. Not only does it protect the car's drivetrain, but — unlike with flat or dolly towing — it allows you to reverse the RV with the car still attached. (FYI: Here is the easiest way to back up a trailer.) Easy to rent as well, trailers may still require ramps for loading up your vehicle, ratchet straps to secure it, and a separate brake controller that can be standard equipment on some RVs. Things To Know About The Weight You Can Tow Your RV's maximum tow rating is the amount of weight that can be pulled behind it, including a trailer or trailer dolly, the weight of the car being towed, and anything else in the car, like fuel or extra luggage, or on the trailer. However, you also have to take into account your RV's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), which is easy to find with our quick guide for RV owners. The short story is that it measures how much weight the vehicle itself can carry — not pull. This is where it gets tricky, because there's a separate limit of what a vehicle can both tow and carry known as gross combined weight rating (GCWR). But GCWR does not equal GVWR plus maximum tow rating. It's more like you have to subtract GVWR from GCWR. The remainder is your towing capacity, and that can be lower than your towing maximum. So if your RV is carrying so many people and so much gear that it's right up to its limit for GVWR, there may not be enough GCWR left over to handle a full trailer. Things To Know About Driving An RV While Towing Driving an RV can be a challenge even when you're not towing, and when you are, that adds yet another degree of difficulty. With that in mind, here are a few quick tips. Right off the bat, you may need a special license to drive your RV. You're good in most states if your RV is less than 26,000 pounds, but it makes sense to check first. It also makes sense to get some practice in, whether it's by taking your vehicle to an empty parking lot or taking an RV driver's ed class. All that extra weight makes a definite difference in driving dynamics out on the road, too, so go slow. It's going to take you longer to get up to speed or stop in an RV, so you have to be thinking ahead. Speaking of thinking ahead, you should plan out your route, including gas stops, in advance to avoid possible road restrictions. Check your destination as well, particularly if you have an older recreational vehicle. You might love your vintage RV, but it may be banned from certain campsites. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
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Travel + Leisure
30-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Trending Beach Town Is a More Affordable Alternative to the French Riviera—and It May Be Europe's Best-kept Secret
When people think of 'Europe' and 'Riviera,' that idyllic stretch of sand in France is usually what comes to mind. But there's actually an English Riviera, and one of its under-sung gems is the small beach town of Torquay, England, home to international ports, sandy beaches, peaceful coves, and even a water park. According to recent data, the English resort getaway is trending this summer—between 2024 and 2025, searches for Torquay increased by 150 percent. Even with an uptick of interest, this traditional beach town is more affordable and less crowded than the beaches on the bustling Spanish Coast and the beloved French Riviera. For those of you still thinking, 'no one goes to England for its beaches,' that may be a fair assumption. But Torquay bucks against most travelers' preconception of England in all of the important ways. Its southern geographic position gives it a unique microclimate, making it warmer than the rest of the country. The water is also fairly shallow, making it safe for beginner swimmers. Rest assured that you won't run into the same overtourism problems as other European beaches, and you won't likely hear that many American accents. Right now, the town is primarily popular among English tourists looking for a domestic beach holiday. In addition to classics like paddle boarding, sailing, and kayaking, Torquay also has some more intense activities for the adventurers. Think things like "coasteering," the act of climbing cliff faces as you explore deep sea caves and free swim in the waters of the English Channel. There are plenty of things to do out of the water, too. You can head to family-run Occombe Farm, and pet cute animals; attend plays, concerts, or theater performances; or take heritage tours of the region's long history with a company such as English Riviera Walking Tour. The Torre Abbey, for example, is over 800 years old and has sea views, pairing up history and unmissable scenic vistas. While Torquay might not have the culinary reputation of Barcelona or Cannes, France, there's a burgeoning restaurant scene and an abundance of classic English staples like pubs, beer gardens, tea rooms, and farmers' markets. For mystery lovers, you can't miss the Agatha Christie Mile. The famous writer was born in Torquay and lived in the seaside town until she was 17 years old. The trail has numerous milestones marking places where important events in her life occurred. Her daughter, Rosalind Hicks, helped plan the trail, which covers 15 special spots relevant to Christie's life. The biggest bonus? The tour is free and starts at the English Riviera Visitor Information Centre. In addition to the tour, there's an annual International Agatha Christie Festival in September, which has tons of literary-inspired programming. If mysteries aren't your thing, you can try for The Brixham Pirate Festival, held in the nearby town of Brixham, England. You'll find true-to-history backdrops for some of history's most famous pirates, as well as an abundance of regular people dressed up as their swashbuckling alters. Just make sure to pack your captain's hat.
Phone Arena
30-07-2025
- Phone Arena
Fossibot F107 Pro: wild beast of a phone, colorful night vision camera
This story is sponsored by Fossibot. PhoneArena's opinions in this article have not been affected in any way! A leap from black and white Receive the latest mobile news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Massive torch, massive battery Recommended Stories Indestructible shell, modern internals Special price to celebrate the launch Hikers, adventurers, and heavy labor professionals have very specific requirements from their phones. At the very top of the list is the need for the device to be rugged and be able to survive harsh conditions and accidental drops that are more dangerous than normal. A very long battery life is an absolute must, because you don't know when you will get to another power outlet. Then, there's the need for specific tools within the phone — like a strong flashlight or a camera that can see in the the Fossibot F107 Pro not only meets those requirements, it excels and pushes the industry forward when it comes to night vision cameras. Ever thought you can get full-color night vision? On a phone? Well, feast your eyes on Fossibot's Starlight Night Vision:Night vision cameras on smartphones have existed before, but here's the caveat — they are infrared cameras that need an IR illuminator, and ultimately provide monochrome visuals. Very cool when you want to play-pretend as a spy from a videogame, not so great when you are trying to get a clearer image in the pitch black of Fossibot F107 Pro Starlight Night Vision camera takes a whole separate approach. With a very wide F1.0 aperture and a super-sensitive AX620Q sensor, it can 'see' ambient light reflections as dim as 0.0005 lux. OK, 1 lux is the light of a single candle, observed at a meter's distance. So, 0.0005 lux is very, very dark — the Fossibot F107 Pro can capture objects illuminated by the stars and main camera is nothing to snark at either — a 200 MP Samusung S5KHP3SP03 sensor with phase detection autofocus, an and AI-assisted of seeing things in the dark, the Fossibot F107 Pro is equipped with a powerful torchlight that has a 50 m beam distance — an essential for hikers and professionals alike that can help you navigate and get you out of trouble all the battery of the Fossibot F107 Pro is a huge 28,000 mAh cell — that's enough for 2,800 hours of standby, 215 hours of talking, or 28 hours of non-stop torchlight it does support fast charging — 66 Watts on the wire. And you can share the power from that huge cell, with a 10 W reverse charge you've probably noticed in the photos already, the Fossibot F107 Pro is a rugged phone. All wrapped in armor, it has a MIL-STD-810H+ shock proofing rating and IP68 + IP69K. That's the highest level of ingress protection, meaning the phone can not only survive full dives, but also high-pressure, high-temperature the heart of the phone is the 2.5 GHz MediaTek Dimensity 7300. It has 512 GB of storage and 12 GB of RAM (+18 virtual RAM possible) and it accepts microSD cards as large as 1 display on the front is a 6.95-inch FHD+ panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate, so whenever you have some downtime, you can still enjoy your games or videos. And with worldwide 5G connectivity, you can stay connected and share your adventures with friends and family whenever and wherever they may happen!The Fossibot F107 Pro has an MSRP of $549, but you can grab it for $439.99 right now! Fossibot has warehouses in the US, UK, EU, and Japan, so shipping is local and shouldn't be much of a hassle!
Forbes
24-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Forbes
Pitch Perfect: Caring For Your Tent And Sleeping Pad Like A Pro
Sleeping in the outdoors, under a sky filled with stars, is an experience like no other. getty There's a lot to consider when choosing a backpacking tent. The size, weight, and packability of a shelter are usually the first concerns. How much interior space do you require? Does your home-away-from-home have a mesh body and vented fly for max airflow and breathability? And of course, after a long day of hiking, when your body is sore and tired, a tent that is easy and quick to set up is truly a worthy feature. Lightweight, strong, cheap—you can only pick two. If your gear is strong and cheap, it won't be lightweight. If your gear is lightweight and strong, it won't be cheap. Either way, it's an investment and one that will hopefully allow you and your family to spend more time in the outdoors doing what you love. And because you'll likely be spending some serious coin on your gear, you might as well take care of it so it will last you for many years of adventuring outside. Never store your tent when its wet or damp. Be sure to properly shake, hang, and dry your tent out before packing it away. Wet tents can lead to fabric and material breakdown over time. Be sure to set your tent up and take it down with care, treating your poles mindfully to avoid damage. Use a footprint, a sheet that goes under your tent, to maintain the longevity of your tent. This will help not only keep your tent clean, but also, it will protect it from debris and abrasion. Be mindful of the zippers. It's easy to catch lightweight fabric in the zippers if you're not careful. Zip an unzip your tent with care and a slow speed. Any tears or damage should be taken care of as soon as possible to maintain the integrity of your tent. A Tent for Three The Hubba Hubba three-person tent from MSR is ideal for backpacking due to many stellar features. At only four pounds and six ounces, this lightweight refuge packs up small and is easy to carry. The dual vestibules are great for storing backpacks and hiking poles. Plus, the rectangular-shaped floor can accommodate most sleeping pads. Expect to see plenty of pockets on the inside to store all of your important items like headlamps or extra socks. Sleeping Mat Care Basics EXPED has an amazing lineup of backpacking pads, including their lightweight Ultra 1R, Ultra 1R Mummy, Ultra 1R Duo, and egg carton-style Flexmat. Good to know: The best way to take care of your sleeping mat is to unroll the mat, leave the valves open, and store it in a cool and dry place. To clean your mat, use warm and soapy water with a soft cloth or sponge and let it air dry—do not put mats in the washer or dryer. Where will you go next? Further Reading for Inspiration 5 Lightweight Backpacking Items That Just Make Sense 6 Lightweight Items For Fastpacking, Hiking And Backpacking Robotics, Ergonomics, AI: A New Exoskeleton Powering Your Outdoor Adventures Breathtaking Bucket List Campsites Across The U.S.
CNA
11-07-2025
- Climate
- CNA
Climbers face torrential rain while descending Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu
Scroll up for the next video X Climbers face torrential rain while descending Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu
