Easter gadgets

SAFETY

Easter driving trips often mean flat tyres.  The Easy Lift Wheel Supporter ($79.99) from Repco makes it a breeze, especially with heavy 4WD tyres up to 50kg.

If you are heading off road, ARB also has a premium recovery kit ($525) that will give you some peace of mind.  It includes a snatch block 9000, 4500kg winch extension strap, 8000kg snatch strap, recovery damper, tree trunk protector, 2 x bow shackles and gloves, and comes in a cotton canvas bag.

To make deflation quick for off-road driving, get ARB's E-Z Tyre Deflator kit ($58) with bronze Bourdon Tube gauge ($29, if bought separately).

GETTING THERE

VMS has released a Touring 600 GPS with road and off-road maps, so no matter where you go this Easter, you are covered.  It features a large 15cm anti-glare screen which is visible in the brightest sunlight.

The unit is also ultra-slim and can be taken out of the car and used for trekking, cycling or other adventures off the beaten track.  Street Navigation is powered by Where IS maps and the off-road GPS is preloaded with iTOPO Australian 4WD maps and Gregory's Outback Touring maps.

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE

Long trips are best with a nice cold drink on hand.  ARB has a cooler bag ($39.95) with a tough exterior, external pockets and strong carry straps. It comes with an ARB bottle opener/cork screw.

If you want something a bit more powerful, but still compact, the 235mm Waeco CDF-11 ($499) is the smallest compressor driven fridge/freezer available.  It will cool to 50C below ambient temperature, even keeping ice cream frozen.

The 10.5-litre fridge will hold an upright 1.25-litre bottle, operates on 12/24V DC and features battery protection. It also features cup holders and a carry strap.

ENTERTAINING THE TROOPS

Avoid the fights over what music or video you play in the car and keep the rear seat passengers entertained for hours with the latest Pioneer infotainment system.  The AVIC-F20BT ($2999) has a dual-zone system that allows parents to play their hits of the '70s up front while the kids listen to their own music or watch a DVD in the rear.

The new Pioneer flagship multimedia unit also has GPS navigation, mobile phone control, multiple music connectivity and the option of a reverse camera.  All functions can be controlled on a colour touchscreen.

It has text-to-voice GPS guidance, a choice between 2D or 3D detailed mapping, SUNA live traffic management, safety camera alerts and Parrot Bluetooth.  It will connect and playback music and/or video from a CD, DVD, iPod/iPhone, USB or SD card and Pioneer has introduced MusicSphere software to manage your iTunes library.