The Scrubba Wash Bag is a lightweight and modern take on the washboard that allows you to clean clothes wherever you are.
The bag weighs less than 145 g and folds to a pocket size.
The Scrubba Wash Bag is lined with hundreds of internal Scrubba nodules that efficiently clean clothes in minutes. Prices start from around £40 at thescrubba.com
Once you have a washing machine you can carry on your back, how about a solar powered kettle.
Small enough to be carried on a bicycle in place of a water bottle, offers the prospect of a cup of freshly-brewed tea on every ride. Just as long as the sun comes out.
The solar kettle looks like a conventional thermos, but uses fold-out reflectors to harness energy.
In Britain, our national obsession with tea means we down as estimated 165 million cups a day – a habit that consumes a considerable amount of electricity.
The solar kettle requires sunlight to boil water, but even in dull weather it can be used to pre-heat the water to 55-60°C and offers obvious advantages over a conventional thermos.
It costs £35 to buy, weighs about one kilo and holds a pint of water.
The ethical choice
The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK’s most ethical provider.
Jim Clark
Here you go again, what next, a low loader and a crane so that people can take their house with them when they visit the countryside. The more rubbish like the glorified air bed last week and this wash bag taken to our wild places the more gets left. Tonnes of rubbish from cans and bottles to sleeping bags and damaged tents gets left and this includes the mountains of Britain and further afield like Everest. Places I used to visit here in North Wales where there was hardly a trace of human activity are now likely to have litter the other day I came across a dumped cycle helmet with what seemed to be a broken strap. Whatever happened to leave nothing but footprints.
John (TheCyclist)
I think that’s a great idea, especially for long distance cyclists, when they might not come near civilisation for several days, so they can then wash thier clothing.
As far as leaving ‘rubbish’ behind, well, if that’s how you’re going to treat it, why buy it in the first place? As far as ‘ leaving nothing but footprints.’ is concerned, it still applies. Cyclists, hikers, day-trippers, motorists, etc, all need to be made more aware and conscious of not littering, wherever they may be. It’s called pride, shame and respect.