Christmas Gift Guide 2017: 25 gadget gifts for campers, wanderers and explorers

VSSL Supplies Emergency Survival Kit (£79)

Alone on a mountain, being stalked by a bear that’s consumed five litres of concentrated blackcurrant squash, you’ll probably want a tranquiliser gun.

For everything else, there’s this nifty waterproof torch. It contains almost everything you could need for a night in the wild: a candle, a compass, a razorblade, water purification tablets, rope, firestarters and waterproof matches, plus other essentials for surviving the great outdoors.

And, if you do encounter that bear, there’s always the signalling mirror to distract it.

Montane Icarus (£108)

ThermoPlume! Not a cloud of fire, but this packable jacket’s high-tech filling – capable of keeping you toasty warm even in the heaviest of December drizzle.

Sure, it might look a little Michelin man, but at just 581g the only thing weighty about this winter warmer is its concern for your core temperature.

Gerber Bear Grylls Fire Stick (£18)

Ask your local grizzly and, chances are, he’ll repeat the rumour that’s been spreading through the forest like wildfire: Bear Grylls can start fires with his teeth.

Don’t fancy giving the patented Grylls Gnaw a try? This pocketable flint equivalent will give you sparks on command. There’s even a compartment for tinder – though, with the number of documentaries you’ve watched, you’ll doubtless be able to rustle up some dead leaves in a jiffy.

Matador Pocket Blanket (£25)

A blanket might not seem like the obvious accessory for a hardcore explorer, but nobody likes a wet bum when they sit down for a cuppa, a pork pie and a packet of salt ‘n’ vinegar crisps.

Matador’s Pocket Blanket folds up smaller than said packet of potato snacks but, when unfurled, it’s big enough for four people to sit on (just), with weighted corners to stop the wind from trying to fold it back up with you inside.

Petzl e+lite Zip Emergency (£20)

Admit it: you’re very unlikely to get into the type of situation where you would need to use a light to try and get the attention of a would-be rescuer. And, if you are, then by the time you’ve said, “Quick! Pass the Petzl e+lite Zip Emergency torch thing”, you’ll probably be dead.

Nevertheless, it’s a neat (27g) and very affordable addition to your panic-bag, with white and red LEDs that can shine or strobe to bring help – ideal for when the festival campsite gets just too hectic.

Sigg Hot & Cold Brushed Flask (€35)

It used to be that the only thing worth brushing for a trek was your trusty steed. Now that you’ve parked the stallion in the stable and upgraded to a Landy, though, it’s only right that you treat yourself to something else that’s brushed and tough: this 0.75L flask from Sigg.

Besides looking the business, its brushed stainless steel construction will keep your soup piping hot for 18 hours – perfect for sunset reminiscing about saddle sores and backache.

Patagonia 850 Sleeping Bag (£400)

Pitching your tent for the annual trip to Cornwall usually brings with it the promise of toasted marshmallows, dirty shower blocks and inconvenient living arrangements. Thing is, staying so close to the coast also offers the unlikely but ever-present danger of a sudden weather turn.

If the mercury heads south you need more than a blanket and meagre stack of sticks. Pack this Patagonia snoozing sack and you’ll be good even if temperatures go full Day After Tomorrow.

Uco Tent Stakelight (£10)

For some campers, getting familiar with grass is what the great outdoors is all about. For others, after the third guy rope stumble it’s time to pack up the campervan and go home.

Put paid to night-time tripping with these battery-powered tent pegs. Besides marking your tent out in the middle of the field, they should eliminate the risk of a ropey end to the evening. Unless you’ve been on the beer, that is.

Gotenna (Two for US$124)

There’s an odd physics to radio-waves: within a certain range of a mast, you get no signal at all. Antennae are often put on mountains. You are climbing mountains. Therefore, you have no phone signal.

So, make your own. GoTenna lets you stay connected even where there’s no mobile reception, with 1-to-1 or group broadcasts sent securely to your buddies by its cognitive digital radio across a range of up to 4 miles. You can even share locations on offline maps.

Leatherman OHT (£93)

When you’ve got a grizzly by the scruff and you’re scrabbling for your toothpick to remove a seed from the beast’s grill (thereby becoming fast friends and securing a lucrative TV deal), you’ll be glad you have this military grade multitool: all of its blades can be accessed with one hand. Bear-illiant.

Buckshot Pro (£44)

Playing music from a phone is bad enough on a bus. In the peaceful idyll of the countryside? Unforgivable.

If you really must, though, at least the Buckshot Pro Bluetooth speaker won’t go loud enough to disturb the squirrels too much. Better still, it doubles as both a torch and a phone charger in case any of the bushy-tailed fellows come up to you with a dead battery.

EasyAcc Rugged 20,000mAh Power Bank (£34)

There are two certainties in going off-grid: the need to find a valid toilet paper alternative, and friends with flat phone batteries.

EasyAcc’s rugged power bank won’t help you with the former, but its 20,000mAh capacity and near-indestructible build should quickly make you Mr Popular among your tech-toting mountain pals. In fact, you’ll easily get the £34 outlay back in beers of gratitude once you’re back at basecamp – so it basically pays for itself.

BagoBago (£90)

Mountain peaks aren’t necessarily known for their comfortable seating facilities. At the time you could most do with a nice little sit down, there’s very rarely an inviting old armchair waiting up there to rest your weary limbs.

BagoBago’s backpack has a foldable stool built into it, so you can simply plonk it down and take the weight off. It’ll hold 22 litres and the legs unfold when it’s full, without squashing all your stuff in the process.

The North Face Nuptse Slippers (from £26)

A little indulgent, perhaps, but these Nuptses for your footsies are just the thing for toddling off to find the whisky before hopping back into the aprés jacuzzi.

Warm, down-filled uppers and a scrub-friendly sole make these vastly more appealing than putting your wet ski boots back on.

Heimplanet Fistral (£430)

Anyone who’s been caught on the side of Ben Nevis in a blizzard will be familiar with the need for a quick-to-pitch shelter.

Short of hitting up the helicopter to get you out of there, this inflatable tent from Heimplanet will keep you warm and dry until the snow blows over, without having to faff around with a cacophony of poles. Roll it out and, using just a single pump, you and your hiking buddy will be safe and snug in a jiffy.

Biolite Campstove 2 (£135)

This clever campfire can will burn any biomass you find lying around (think twigs and pine cones), before stoking the blaze with four internal fans for extra toasty toes.

Standing atop an in-built tripod, the bin is an ideal blend of backpack-friendly dimensions and camp-warming capacity. An LED display even shows the heat level, for optimum crisp on those marshmallows.

Lifestraw Go Water Bottle (£33)

Okay, it’s a bit too sensible for Indiana Jones’ packing list, but this filter does let its heroic owner embark on a crusade against contracting e.coli during their backpacking trip.

While it looks every bit the average water bottle, that inner shaft packs filtering tech that’s capable of removing 99.9% of waterborne bacteria.

Personalised Enamel Camping Mug (£15)

Humble it might seem, but the diminutive enamel cup is a near-necessity for a rugged cup of tea come sunrise on the campsite.

Easy to clean and almost unbreakable, personalise this camping-themed sipper with your recipient’s name for a gift that could well outlive their will to endure the great outdoors.

HydroFlask 64OZ Growler (£48)

Stuffing your tinnies into the snow is a surefire way to keep them ice-cold and ready to sip. If you’re heading to the beach for Christmas, though, you’ll need another way to guarantee that your fizzy beverages stay chilled and crisp.

This 1.8L stainless steel flask will do the job for up to 24 hours, thanks to double-wall insulation and a leak-proof seal. Sure, it’s bigger than a clutch of cans, but its combo of a carry-handle and relative weight-saving make it a must.

Primus Meal Set (£17)

Not the kind of thing that makes its way into a ‘I wouldn’t leave home without…’ feature, this unsung hero of rucksacks neatly combines large and small airtight containers, a rudimentary grater, a three-compartment spice jar, an olive oil bottle and a folding spork. Cutlery doesn’t come much better for space-savvy campers with an appetite.

Finisterre Waterproof Rucksack (£135)

Ah, the calming sound of paddles dipping into water, your canoe slowly meandering through the mist as your mate bails water out of the bottom. Bringing that blowtorch was never a good idea.

Still, at least your biscuits will be safe and dry: this Finisterre rucksack is totally waterproof, thanks to a stitch-free coated nylon construction.

Nite Ize Reflective Nylon Rope (£8)

At every campsite there lurks at least one tent-destroying klutz who ‘didn’t see your guy-ropes’ and is profusely sorry for the accidental elbow-drop. Use these glowing ropes to make sure even the blindly drunk will swerve past your pop-up palace, ropes and all.

Minipresso (£50)

Taking a sabbatical to scale the slopes of Mount Everest might seem like a swell plan, until you find that the baristas of Nepal aren’t so hot on doing espresso the way you like it.

Give this mysterious cylinder’s semi-automatic piston a few pushes and, by the power of pressure, you’ll have delicious joe wherever you go – even if the locals think you’re a fool.

Salomon X-Ultra 3 GTX (from £77)

Bound! Leap! Jump! Hospital!

Scrimping on scrambling shoes might seem like a smart way to afford those extra-shiny carabiner clips, but you’ll rapidly regret your old trainers’ lack of grip when you come a cropper on a mossy-topped rock. Spend your pennies on these Salomon foot-huggers and you’ll have traction to spare, going up or down.

Waterproof Notebook (£8)

Sure, a quick pencil sketch of Mr Yeti won’t be enough to convince the internet that you truly did share your butternut squash soup with the Abominable Snowman, but at least you’ll have that graphite shading to show your grandkids.

Even with hands drenched in the sweat of fear, your drawings will be safe forever thanks to this nifty notepad’s 80 waterproof pages. Whether you’ll still be alive to bring them home is another matter entirely.