Ntaba - Home of South Africa's Adventure Media & Info

Modern gear utilizes microporous or hydrophilic membranes combined with a water-repellent DWR exterior. Manufacturers apply these via coatings (budget-friendly and lightweight) or laminates (durable and high-performance). Laminated constructions typically feature either 2-ply designs with a hanging liner for everyday comfort or 3-ply unified layers providing maximum durability and protection for extreme alpine conditions.

Cheat Codes

Delving deep into an Alpinist's Bag Of Tricks on Mt Kenya

If pictures could talk... Having been stopped on our first attempt we returned to The Diamond Couloir with a full bag of tricks and a revised attitude of being prepared to do what it takes

The Magaliesburg: A Photographer's Canvas

In search of 'the look'

Trystan Firman

Adventure

Climb & Fly

A new "hybrid" mini wing out for its first public display of usability in the desert climbing hub of Rum where the team of three climbed up walls and flew down to the valley.

December 9, 2021

Adventure

min

Jeff Ayliffe

Adventure

Air Zimbabwe

Alois Marume left Zimbabwe in search of a better life, a life with opportunities and meaning. This would be a flight of fancy for Alois.

December 9, 2021

Adventure

min

An insight into the merrits of Hiking & Running poles

Kathryn Fourie

Breathing new life into cranky knees - Distance FL-Z Review

August 20, 2023

When I was 21, I went skiing for the first time in my life in Sweden. It was a showstopper event – and not in a good way. My impressive first day on the slopes ended with me cartwheeling through a spruce tree thicket and tearing my ACL, PCL, MCL – all the Ls really. In my naivety at the time, I remember saying “Well at least I didn’t break a bone…” – years of rehab and a couple of surgeries later I WISH I had only broken a bone!

An interview with SA trad legend, Tinie Versfeld.

Mark Johnston

Are Totem Cams really a cut above the rest?

October 22, 2022

Tinie Versfeld has a reputation as one of the hardest trad climbers in the country. He also has a reputation for being pedantic about what gear to include in his rack! So we were interested to discover that he has added five Totem cams to the mix. Mark Johnston chatted to him to find out why.

This article is about smearing, and before you go any farther, be warned: I’m not going to talk about rock climbing.

Bill Tucker

How To Smear In The Hills

March 13, 2025

A much-needed addendum to the book we all grew up reading: How to Shit in The Woods. Bill addresses the issue of regional differences in how matter decays in non-wooded (arid) regions due to the very different environmental conditions, conditions which actually prevent compostation when the traditional methods of going-potty are used in an arid climate.

Real-world travel tips from a hardened nomad.

Serina D

12 Tips for Solo Female Travellers

December 7, 2023

A decade's worth of near-constant globe-trotting, often solo, has given Serina more real-life exposure to the challenges (and risks) for women on the road. One day, hopefully, these articles will have less cautionary content and more unbridled encouragement.