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

When it comes to hiking footwear, is it as simple as traditional versus new age?

Mark Johnston

Are leather hiking boots dead?

October 12, 2022

Is it time to retire our trusty leather clompers? Or do they still have a place in our hearts and on our hikes? Our resident gear expert, Mark Johnston has the answer.

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!

Some call it black-magic others refer to the secret cult of Gore-Tex. What is truth, what is myth?

Trystan Firman

Waterproof-Breathable Fabrics

October 24, 2026

Jeff Ayliffe

In search of 'the look'

February 4, 2023

I heard a loud, intense, snorting, that sounded like it was on top of me, and a split second later, I smelt something that was unnatural. At the same time that my brain was trying to identify what it was, my eyes adjusted to the light, and just meters from my face was the form of a huge buffalo head.