FRONT RUNNER ON THE MOVE: ADRIAN SAFFY
He is a practicing attorney by profession, an extreme sports event organiser by passion, an endurance athlete when he can find a gap, and a loving husband, father, and fan of all things Front Runner all the time. We spoke to the Bloemfontein-based Adrian Saffy about his life as an adventurer and outdoorsman.
What drives you to participate in endurance events?
Adventure racing is my sport, and I prefer the non-stop expedition races that last several days. Each event is super tough as we cover between 600 and 1000 km on foot, mountain bike, and kayak in challenging environments.
The toughest event I did was last year in Lesotho. It was a 600 km event on a remote mountainous course. I was sick before it even started, and my health just got progressively worse during the race. Due to throat ulcers I never ate during the last two days, but hung in, and we finished after 194 hours of non-stop racing.
How do you manage all your activities and responsibilities?
It is a balancing act, but the biggest challenge is between my professional practice and adventuring. I made the call a long time ago to live a life less ordinary, and you cannot do that sitting behind a desk or in a courtroom. I work for myself, so I can plan and diarise things to fit it all in.
What makes you get up in the morning?
My passions have shifted since becoming a dad. My kids, their well-being, and their development are my focus now, and that drives me. My other passions are being comfortable in nature, being an adventurer and outdoorsman, testing myself against tough events, being humbled by my fallibility, not giving up when the going gets tough, and being true to my morals and beliefs. All play a large role in being an example and role model to my boys. It’s that legacy I want to leave them.
Why are the events you organise super tough?
The answer is simple: salvation through suffering. It’s in the dark and tough times that we realise we are fallible and not as tough and great as most of us think we are. We are humbled by the greatness of creation and feel blessed to have the health, mobility, courage, and the will to do extraordinary things.
Explain why, on a continent dominated by Toyota, you previously drove a Defender 110.
I love my Defender, and I've been driving one for the past 25 years. It conquers rough terrain with ease, and it’s the best vehicle to accessorise for wilderness adventures. Plus, it just looks very cool.
Your Defender 110 would look right at home on a Front Runner showroom floor. Tell us about how you have kitted it out.
This is the complete list of all the Front Runner kit it has:
Slimline II Roof Rack and Ladder
Station Wagon Spare Wheel Carrier
4 x Wolf Pack Pro & Rack Mounts
42-litre Pro Water Tank and Tap Extension
You recently did a tough Lesotho trip. Any hairy or scary Defender moments?
There were many, on one scouting trip we went up Lesotho’s Matebeng Pass in the Landy at night and it was super technical and dangerous. Eventually we decided to stop and set up camp as it would be safer to continue in the sunlight. I’ve had many close calls with the Defender due to the places we go.
What is your favourite bit of Front Runner gear?
All the gear is amazing but the Gullwing Windows on the Defender is a game changer. Access to my kit is so simple now.
What advice would you have for other Defender or Toyota owners who are kitting out their trucks for extreme tracks and remote travel?
Less is more. Don’t turn your ride into a Christmas tree, use gear that is practical for your journey. Storage for water, recovery gear and fuel are paramount, so too is a good roof top tent although I prefer a ground tent so I can be mobile.
You must’ve seen some special places in Southern Africa, name your top three.
The Kingdom of Lesotho is an amazing place; it’s not called the Mountain Kingdom for nothing. There are some remote, untouched wilderness areas to explore. The Rhodes area in the Eastern Cape has amazing mountains, a great community, and is off the beaten track.
The West Coast has a desert-like feel, an amazing coastline, and sparsely populated areas. It’s one of the few places in South Africa that you can wild camp next to the ocean, dive for crayfish and have to be totally self-reliant for all your needs, from water to power to ablutions.
You recently acquired a new vehicle, the Toyota Raider X 2.4 4x4. Why the change?
I am and have been a Defender 110 fan and really love the vehicle and associated lifestyle, but my Defender was my work vehicle as well as my leisure vehicle, and after 12 years of service and use, the cracks in the armour started showing, and I had some issues with the 2.2 Puma engine that made me lose confidence in the reliability when traveling to remote places for events and with my family. It was time for an upgrade, and I went with the Toyota Hilux Raider X 2.4 4x4. It's super capable and reliable, and when I am done kitting it out, it will be the perfect wilderness vehicle.
Talk us through how you will be kitting this out.
The first addition was a matt black RLD Gen 3 canopy; this stainless steel canopy with gullwing side access is radical. Next up was a whole lot of Front Runner gear. I have a Slimsport rack fitted on the canopy (the first ever to be fitted like this) and a Slimsport rack fitted on the cab. The two racks are level and look amazing. There is an integrated LED Light Bar fitted on the front rack.
Then mounted on the canopy rack are a set of Maxtrax recovery tracks, Hi-Lift Jack (top mount), 1.4m Easy-Out Awning, and VHF Antenna Mount. Mounted on the cab rack are two Wolf Pack Pros for gear storage. I also have a large cargo load bed slide fitted with my 42l Pro Water Tank fitted to that.
