Two men pack their two SUVs to the brim and drive half a year to the east. Through mountains, steppe, desert. Then write a book about it. So far, so common.

But what differentiates the Stuttgart Eberhard Holder, Jahr and Micha Klein from all others: They are product designers. And so they did not write a Normalo travelogue, but in their book they introduced all the objects they use on the way. And have been in use for decades. All clearly drawn and evaluated.

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Eberhard Holder (ed.), Micha Klein (ed.):
traveling companion

Really good things on the go

avedition; 192 pages; 29, - Euro

Order at Amazon. Order from Thalia.

For this travel goods test, the expert view of Holder, 68, and Klein, 35, counts twice: as a long-term traveler and a thing designer. And so they judge their valuable "helpers", as they call them, according to their lifespan, multifunctionality, material authenticity, ergonomics or their space-saving factor.

They name how long they have the seat, the protective case, the Arcopalware or the watercolor paint, what material they are - and what quality they appreciate. Because they do not care about the hot stuff in the outdoor market, but about how sustainable a thing is.

Not only do the objects and anecdotes make two personalities visible; who have suit, whistle and pen as well as folding saw and hatchet for their all weather trips. Holder, a professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Design at the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences, and the independent designer Klein also tell how easily a sand tray with two canisters can be converted into a bank or hung on a cart as a kitchen worktop.

How useful an invention of 1916 can be today - such as the all weather notebook paper. And that they have noticed that the cutting board with the integrated knife compartment is not only practical, but also serves as a hiding place. To come sometimes without discussion by customs. So that the journey can continue faster.

photo gallery


11 pictures

Six months world trip: Two designers and their luggage

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mr. Holder, you are wearing straw hat and khakihose, as I see here in our video switcher. Do you want to go traveling again?

Eberhard Holder: I could do that, I'm always dressed like that. The car is also at the door. If you were here, we could start right away.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Apparently you have integrated the travel mode into everyday life, right?

Holder: It corresponds to our attitude. We use everything here as well as there, whether wagon, vest - or suit with a tie. In Tehran, I was once invited to a family. Intuitively I put on my suit - luckily! The whole family was in evening wear.

Micha Klein: When traveling, I only have limited resources at my disposal, and that's how I behave in everyday life: We repair things instead of throwing them away.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What must a thing because, so it is good as a travel companion for you?

Holder: Material authenticity is important, so it does not break even in extreme use. Our stove is made of aluminum, with which you can cook even in freezing temperatures with strong wind. And a stainless steel mug will last a lifetime. Our travel equipment has proven itself through use, so we do not have to reassemble it every time. So you can concentrate on the journey.

Small: And all products work without instructions in other cultures - important if they need to be repaired. Much may be more expensive to buy, but we use it forever.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: So when it comes to travel paraphernalia, patina replaces aesthetics?

Klein: We do not care about formal aesthetics that you mean. But the utility aesthetics that follow all our travel companions is central: their purpose is to make our lives easier, from the car to the suitcase.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Are there things that are underestimated in their versatility?

Klein: A good knife is elemental. Here you think you need your own for each situation - and you realize in other cultures that you can use a good knife for everything: for cooking, for carving, for splitting.

Holder: Clearly the adjustable wrench - sometimes called the Englishman. I have since since my first trip with the VW Beetle here. You can even put sausages in the front and grill them.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How did it happen that you decided to travel together?

Holder: You can see the difference in age: When Micha took his university entrance exam with me, we realized that we had both traveled the same distance through the Sahara to Mauritania. Over the years, a friendship developed. At some point, Micha said he would like to cross the Gobi Desert once, and I wanted to see the tulip spring in Central Asia. Looking at the map, we realized that it was almost next to each other. In 2015, we spent half a year together on the road: with two off-road vehicles, everyone went for their own.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What makes travel by 4x4 so special?

Klein: He brings us to places we would not otherwise reach. Add to that the joy of driving, the thrill of crossing dried river courses, for example. In addition, we are weather independent and can always stay where we like it.

Holder: I've been driving this car for 30 years. The Spartan life is fundamental to me: one lives and cooks outdoors, there is no heating, no air conditioning. If we drove a day with these junk boxes, we experience the silence particularly intense on the pitch: at best we sit in a scenery like a postcard, drink and smoke, talk and look at sketches and photos together. That's the best part of traveling.