All posts by Rob McAlister

Fishing Umbrella Shelter

Barnaby’s Elizabethan Palace – the Rob McAlister Feline Fishing Umbrella – “Cat”astrophe Avoided

Rob McAlister Fishing Umbrella Shelter to the Rescue!

This is the tale of a compassionate German lady, Barnaby the stray cat and an innovative fishing umbrella shelter.

For the last 10 years a stray cat has been visiting Elisabeth Linder’s garden in London. Over the years, Elisabeth’s life has been completely overtaken by her determination to rescue and care for the cat. The cat, Barnaby (named by Elisabeth), almost feral and fearful of people has started to deteriorate in health and is in need of care. After some significant research Elisabeth purchased the Rob McAlister Ltd Fishing Umbrella Shelter from outdoor product innovators Cave Innovations. The height and angle adjustable umbrella has a clever zip detachable wind shelter. To improve the longevity and waterproofness of the canopy she coated it with Nikwax tent spray.

To be close to Barnaby in order to care for him she has set up a bed on the ground under the shelter. Elisabeth has been in touch several times with Deborah at Cave Innovations customer services with updates on the situation and providing pictures.

Fishing Umbrella Shelter
Barnaby’s “Elisabethan” Palace

“Your fishing umbrella in summer without shelter but big enough to keep him dry. He was in better health at that time.”

Fishing Umbrella Shelter to shelter a stray cat“Here the shelter is adjusted ,you cannot see it because of all the elements I put at the sides to prevent the plastic from making a noise ( frightens him)”

 

Cat Shelters in Rob McAlister Ltd Fishing Umbrella“Barnaby was so ill by then that I decided around New Year to get him a second umbrella in order to stay near him , even overnight, and not get wet.”

Rob McAlister Fishing Umbrella Shelter

Fishing Umbrella Shelter used in garden as shelter for stray cat“This is the entrance to my tent, Barnaby’s palace is to the right of the paving stones behind the round bush. In the meantime I am so used to my bed on the ground, I even fall asleep sometimes. And thanks to the cleverness of your designer, B has always been protected from wind and rain and kept warm with the aid of many hot water bottles…. I thank all of you for your help and your kindness, I really really do. And also for your compassion, Deborah. Many many kind regards from me and the “patient”…. Elisabeth”

Fishing Umbrella with Wind ShelterFounder and Managing Director of CaveInnovations.com, Rob McAlister, says “It never fails to amaze me the alternative uses people come up with for our products. If our fishing umbrella shelter helps Elisabeth and Barnaby then good luck to them both!”

Anka Point Bike Storage Security Bracket AnkaPoint

Bike Cave, a home for your bike – in bike city Cambridge

Bike Cave – a home for your bike in bike city Cambridge

If you’ve ever visited university city Cambridge you can’t have failed to notice the huge numbers of bicycles. Cambridge really is “bike city” – the UK’s undisputed home of the bike.

A recent article in the Cambridge Independent shows an interview with entrepreneur and Bike Cave designer, Rob McAlister and highlights the benefits of owning the Bike Cave – a home for your bike. Editor Adrian Peel examines a number of safe ideas for bike storage and considers the Bike Cave with optional Anka Point cycle security bracket as a low cost, effective solution for Cambridge’s huge cycling community.

Click on this link to read the article http://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/property/safe_options_for_storing_your_bike_1_4759467Bike Cave - a home for your bike

For more information on the Bike Cave, click here

CultiCave and HortiHood Mini Plastic Greenhouses

CultiCave, it’s all the rave! And the HortiHood is also good!

CultiCave and HortiHood mini plastic greenhouses helping to grow in the small urban garden

Introducing the CultiCave and HortiHood Mini Plastic Greenhouses!

One of the advantages of being the boss of your own company is that you get the chance to be the first to try out new products. Rob McAlister, MD and chief inventor at Cave Innovations lives in a small terraced house near the centre of Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire. Like many urban houses, the garden is quite small. Space is at a premium and it’s for people in a similar situation that many of Rob’s inventions are created.

Take a look at Rob’s garden – well actually, to be fair it’s really his wife Debs who is the keen gardener. The following images show the CultiCave zip-together, modular greenhouse system and also the HortiHood 90 wall-mounted folding greenhouse, which have been in the garden for about 3 years now.

Here are a few photos showing their garden last year, (when they still kept chickens!)

A view of the whole garden – note the HortiHood 90, the CultiCave, the HortiHood Mini 90 and also the Silverback UV Garden Parasol.CultiCave and HortiHood in a small urban garden

HortiHood 90 folding greenhouse
The HortiHood 90 wall-mounted folding greenhouse (top, left) ready to drop down if night time temperatures are forecast as low.
HortiHood Mini 90
HortiHood Mini 90 giving night time protection from frost

Well, that was last year. This year Debs has had a bit of a change around and as you’ll see the garden is really blooming.

 

HortiHood 90 Folding Wall-mounted Greenhouse
With the HortiHood canopy down warmer temperatures really bring on and protect those young plants and seedlings.
HortiHood 90 open
On warmer days, just lift up the HortiHood and catch a bit of rain.

CultiCave, the plastic modular zip-together greenhouse

When asked about her garden, Debs explains:

“This year the CultiCave is really earning it’s keep.  In there I am growing; lettuces, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, mizuna (a salad leaf), radishes and I also have a few sorrel and spinach seedlings in there.

CulCave mini greenhouse
CultiCave modular mini greenhouse

In the winter I will clear it out and it will become the winter home for my 2 olive trees and my orange tree.”

CultiCave mini greenhouse bprotects vulnerable plants
CultiCave modular mini greenhouse system brings on and protects vulnerable plants

 

CultiCave with mesh door
On very hot days change the CultiCave door to the mesh net door to ventilate yet maintain protection from insects and birds.

The HortiHood wall-mounted folding plastic greenhouse that lifts up and drops down for super easy access

Debs continues:

“In the HortiHood 90 I am growing tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, atlas carrots, and some ‘super food’ moringa oleifera trees. 

 

HortiHood 90 folding greenhouse
HortiHood 90 folding greenhouse – for easy access

In some of the photos you can see tucked away at the end of the garden our horti hood 180 mini.  This is fixed to the shed but was invaluable in the spring when I wanted to protect the young beetroot plants that I grew underneath it.”

CultiCave and HortiHood Mini Plastic Greenhouses in garden
The smaller HortiHood Mini 90 wall-mounted folding cloche

So there you have it – proof, if you needed it, that plastic mini greenhouses make a real difference in the small urban garden. Watch this space – more updates from Debs as the season progresses. The CultiCave and HortiHood Mini Plastic Greenhouses really are a truly unique and innovative product, suitable for any budding gardener!

 

For more information about these innovative plastic greenhouses or to buy click

here for the CultiCave modular zip-together greenhouse system or

here for the HortiHood 90 wall-mounted folding greenhouse.

CultiCave and HortiHood – clearly a better way to grow!

 

 

200 litre 3 tier water but

No ifs, no buts with these rain water butts

Use rain water – it’s what gardens are used to…

New from Cave Innovations is the excellent Rainwater Terrace range of modular, stacking rain water butts with detachable planters. The planters can be planted with vegetables or decorated with hanging flowers to make your rainwater butt a sensational and attractive garden feature. Designed and manufactured here in the UK, they are available in four models and a choice of colours. The models are the 3 tier, 2 tier, 2 x 2 tier and 2 x 1 tier. Totally modular, you can add more if you need to.

The clever thing about this system is that rather than overflowing, fresh water flushes out the old, keeping it clean and avoiding stagnation. The excess water doesn’t just run out and turn your garden into a swamp, it is plumbed back into the downpipe and down the drain.

The design features built in planters on the sides and top of each model. These are self watering and allow plants, herbs and even strawberries to grow around the water but. See the full range in the Home and Garden Innovations department.

rain water buttBrighten up your garden with this bright green and black rain water butt

Stylish and innovative rain water butts.

Designed and manufactured in the UK, Rainwater Terrace® is a high quality product built to last. Injection moulded in heavy gauge UV stable plastic the strong durable components have excellent impact strength and are manufactured to perform in all weather conditions. Less expensive rain water butts are not manufactured to these high standards.

No ifs, no buts … invest in a rain water butt. If like most people you’re on a water meter then these innovative rain water butts represent a practical investment that not only looks attractive but also saves you money. With climate change more and more in the headlines, with increasingly frequent summer droughts and hose pipe bans, investing in a modular rainwater butt system such as this makes both financial and environmental sense.

1-tier-134-dark-green rain water buttThese comtemporary style rain water butt are available in classic terracotta colour134-litre-black rain water butt

Introduced at the GLEE Exhibition for the garden and leisure industry in September 2013, Rainwater Terrace® was the star of the show, winning both the ‘Best in Garden Care’ and ‘The Retailers Choice’ awards. The judges said “Enabling plants to feed from the water collection is a fantastic feature. The plants make it attractive to place outside your house, and it’s a good price point too”. Rainwater Terrace® also became a Silver Winner in the DIY Week 2014 awards for the Garden Accessory of the Year, was a finalist for product of the year at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and in September won  the ‘Consumer Product of The Year Award 2014’ at the Four Oaks Trade Show.

For more information on the 2 tier rainwater butt, click here

For more information on the 3 tier rainwater butt, click here

For more information on the 2 x 1 tier rainwater butt, click here

For more information on the 2 x 2 tier rainwater butt, click here

 

 

Cobb BBQ – a hot new product – so cool (No really, they are!)

Launching new range of Cobb BBQ portable barbecues

Cave Innovations launches yet another great outdoor product innovation, the portable Cobb BBQ. This ingenious mini BBQ is available in a range of different models with all the accessories you’ll ever need. Compact, yet big enough to roast a whole chicken, this award winning portable camping BBQ has an ingenious insulated design which makes the base cool to touch even whilst cooking! Used correctly this makes it a much safer camping BBQ to take with you on your next camping and caravanning holiday.

Cobb BBQ how it works

Cobb BBQ Portable Barbecue – How It Works

  1. Dome: made from stainless steel with a heat-resistant handle. The design of the holes ensure even ventilation throughout the cooking process creating an oven effect.
  2. Grill Grid: features an easy clean Teflon® non-stick coating. Excess fat drains away through the holes into the moat.
  3. Fire Basket: this is a separate secured area for the Cobble Stone or loose briquettes.
  4. Stainless steel moat: catches all excess fat but can also be used for cooking vegetables.
  5. Base: with anti-slip rubber feet and insulated, the base remains stable and cool to touch during use.

Cobb BBQ – Camping BBQ designed for the great outdoors

Many caravan and campervan sites ban the use of traditional barbecues on fire hazard grounds. But this BBrilliant Cobb portable BBQ will often be permitted due it’s ingenious insulated design. Cobb BBQs are incredibly versatile. They can be used to grill meats: chicken, vegetables, fish, etc.  You can use them to fry; eggs, meat, fish. These amazing portable BBQs can also be used to bake: bread, cakes, even pizza! You can use them to boil: stews, pasta, curries etc. Or, you can use them to smoke: fish, meats, vegetables …

Ideal for one or two people this compact mini BBQ packs away into a small space. It has a host of accessories, which you can add as your outdoor culinary skills improve.

For further details on this amazing new portable BBQ range, click here or telephone 01525 382938 (or +44 1525 382938 if calling from outside the UK)

Launching the new Stealth Fighter Umbrella – “Take Cover! They’re Flying Out The Door”

New Product “Launch” – the Stealth Fighter Umbrella.

Cave Innovations is proud to announce the “launch” of it’s new Stealth Fighter Umbrella. This aerodynamic umbrella has a radical new shape. The delta shaped canopy is reminiscent of the top secret US stealth fighter or stealth bomber, invisible to enemy radar.

The new Stealth Fighter Umbrella is available as both a full length umbrella and also a compact, folding umbrella. Wind tunnel tested, the long version is capable of withstanding wind speeds in excess of 100 km/hour (60 mph), whilst the folding telescopic version can survive wind speeds of 80 km/hour (50 mph). Each version is available in 5 colours; black, white, red, dark blue (navy) and royal blue.

With lightweight aluminium shafts, strong fibreglass / aluminium frame and rubber coated straight handle the Stealth Fighter Umbrella will not turn inside out in a gust of wind. The clever aerodynamic umbrella canopy automatically steers itself into the wind. The low front edge of the umbrella gives optimised visibility, whilst still providing shelter from wind and rain.

Says the company’s Managing Director and Chief “Umbrollogist”, Rob McAlister, “Finally a genuinely windproof umbrella, the Stealth Fighter Umbrella has been an instant success. Forgive the pun, but they are flying out of the door at the moment. This umbrella is totally storm proof. Check out the internet and you’ll see videos, demonstrating this umbrella being tested at speeds over 130 kilometres per hour. That’s just insane! A person can hardly stand up in winds like that. We think this umbrella is a true innovation, just the kind of product we’re proud to sell here at Cave Innovations”.

For more information about the long Stealth Fighter Windproof Umbrella, click here.

For more information about the telescopic Stealth Fighter Windproof Folding Umbrella, click here.

 

black stealth fighter umbrella

navy stealth fighter umbrellared stealth fighter umbrella

royal blue stealth fighter umbrellawhite stealth fighter umbrella

 

For more information telephone 01525 382938 (or if calling from outside the UK, +44 1525 382938) or email info@caveinnovations.com

 

Give a Mexican Wave to the Bike Cave

The Bike Cave – down Mexico way.

Cave Innovations is now exporting it’s innovative bike storage tent, the Bike Cave to Mexico.

Sporting products distributor Morfo Racing, based in Mexico City, is exhibiting the Bike Cave attracting many interested retailers throughout Mexico.

Bike Cave on show in Mexico

 

bike cave on show in Mexico

“Mexico is just one of a number of territories where we are now exporting,” says Managing Director, Rob McAlister, ” – companies looking to distribute our patented bike storage tent, the Bike Cave or in fact any of our other innovative outdoor storage solutions or other products should feel free to contact us. We are now actively seeking export market opportunities”.

Contact Rob McAlister at Cave Innovations – tel +44 1525 382938 or email rob@caveinnovations.com  –  www.CaveInnovations.com

 

“Pitch” Perfect – New Instant Pop-Up Shelter Tent for Soccer Moms Everywhere

Cave Innovations is proud to announce the launch of this amazing new instant pop-up shelter.

Under The Weather Pop-Up Shelter pitch-side

So you want to encourage and support your children taking them to football training or rugby or hockey on a Sunday morning but you hate standing there hour after hour in the cold and wet – well this has been designed for you! This innovative pop up spectator tent packs away into a handy zipped carry bag with shoulder straps. Install at the edge of the pitch in just seconds, unzip the door and step inside your own personal shelter tent.

Under The Weather Pop-Up Shelter at the game

So many other uses – gymkhana, tennis, fishing, outdoor events, concerts, festivals, at the seaside, camping, caravaning, motor sports … the list goes on and on.

Like many new concepts it’s a little difficult to know what to call it or how to describe it: a soccer mom tent, a personal pop-up shelter, your instant weather shelter …

For more info call +44 (0)1525 382938 or +44 (0)7881 677929 or click here New Instant Pop-Up Soccer Tent

New Product – the “Holiday Hood” Folding Shelter Store for Caravans and Motorhomes

Check this out! We’ve just launched a great new storage solution for caravans and motorhomes – the HideyHood 90 “Holiday Hood”.  Great for storing bikes, barbecues, motorbikes, mopeds, scooters, mobility scooters, pushchairs, buggies, prams, wheelchairs … this is a simple self-assembly structure made of fibreglass rods and a tough Oxford polyester 210D PU coated fabric that packs away into a box just 51cm x 31cm x 8cm weighing only 4kg.

lores_holiday_hood3
Now you see them
Holiday Hood lift-up, drop down outdoor storage solution
Now you don’t.  Ta Dah!!!!

The HolidayHood shelter can be secured to your campervan or caravan in a number of ways, including using a number of heavy duty suction cups. So, if you’re planning your next trip out with your trusty caravan or motorhome and if storage space is tight why not consider this innovative folding store with its simple and convenient lift-up, drop down access?  Holiday Hood – click here to buy or for more information.

CampaCave – New TV Advertising Campaign

We’ve created a fun 30 second video and launched a TV advertising campaign for CampaCave.  The advert is running on the Caravan Channel and also on the Motorhome Channel under the theme of “CampaCaves – they’re popping up everywhere!”  This is our first venture into TV advertising and we hope this will serve to help raise the awareness of the brand.

CampaCave is a great solution to the problem of storage when camping with caravan or campervan – a simple, cost effective storage solution – somewhere to shelter your bikes, tables, chairs, sun loungers, beach equipment – all the clobber and paraphernalia that would otherwise clutter up your van. Click here for more information.

CampaCave extended by caravan
You can use an Xtra to add more space to your CampaCave.