Spring is almost in the air and South African humankind is slowly starting to emerge from hibernation, shedding their winter (albeit a very mild one) coats and preparing for warmer weather.
But as well as shedding, active types are preparing for what the next six to eight months hold. Making that process easier is Thule, the brand which specialises in bringing lifestyle pursuits closer.
There is a trio of fresh products on the Thule must-have list this upcoming holiday season: a roomy luggage box, a shape-shifting watercraft carrier and an intelligent, user-friendly bike rack.
The Thule Motion XT roof box is a stylish and spacious roof-mounted cargo carrier that’s capable of swallowing a mountain of luggage. Available in four sizes – the Sport measuring 300 litres and the XXL a mammoth 610 litres – the XT can not only double a car’s load-carrying ability but it is also exceptionally user-friendly. Features like the PowerClick quick-mount system (which is impossible to over-tighten), SlideLock locking design and dual-side opening means that it will be part of a family’s travel memories and not their nightmares.
With water temperatures also rising, a product like the Thule DockGrip really comes into its own. Designed to secure watercraft as diverse as kayaks, surfboards or stand-up paddle boards to the roof of a car, the DockGrip provides multiple carrying options. Its pivoting saddles conform to a wide variety of hull and board shapes: find the best angle, and lock it in position. Meanwhile, the cushioned touchpoints mean that the trip to and from the water is the least of one’s worries. The DockGrip is designed to work with the acclaimed T-track attachment system but can be adapted to the classic Thule square bar roof racks. Maximum carrying capacity is 40 kilograms and a maximum craft width of 90 centimetres.
Lastly, there’s the Thule EasyFold XT, recently feted by a top South African cycling magazine as the ultimate in bike-carrying convenience. The secret to its success is in its name, and it folds into a portable and easily-stowed package. But it was designed primarily for carrying bikes and it does that brilliantly too, catering for two-wheelers bikes of all shapes and sizes – even ‘fat’ bikes! Two-and three-bike versions of the EasyFold XT are available, both featuring a tilt function allowing for uninhibited luggage compartment access.
The Thule Motion XT, EasyFold XT and DockGrip are available from Thule Partner Stores nationwide – they’ve stocked up on all three, in anticipation of a warm Spring, followed by a long, hot Summer. Find stores at www.thule.com/en/za.
