Gift buying for outdoorsy folk isn’t always easy. That’s where we come in. Here at Outdoors Magic, our team of outdoor experts have put together a curated list of tried-and-tested gifts for the outdoor enthusiast in your life. From maps and socks to hiking poles and water filters – we’ve included a little something for everyone here, at a variety of different price points.
To make things even easier, we’ve broken down our gift guide into four sections. Here are the quick links to get you where you need to go:
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on 8/12/25 to ensure that all of our favourite gifts for hikers are still available for purchase. The Darn Tough Fastpack Micro Crew Socks were also chosen as the best outdoor socks to gift this year. You simply can’t beat a good sock.
£10 And Under Gifts
1. Adventure Patches
Best Budget Outdoor Gift
If you know a hiker who loves summiting UK mountains and/ or multi-day hiking trails such as Scotland’s West Highland Way, a patch from the Adventure Patch Company is a really thoughtful gift. In the store you’ll find stickers, pins, magnets and more, but my personal favourites are the beautifully designed patches based on UK and European mountains and hiking trails. There’s even a British Wildlife collection for the nature enthusiasts among us.
OM editorial assistant Jazz recommends this item as an excellent gift for hikers. She said: “I have a few of these sewn into one of my hiking backpacks, but I’ve also recently started sewing them onto an old – but precious – blanket to cover up some holes in the fabric. I love it because every time I look at that blanket now, I think of all the amazing hikes I’ve been on over the years.”
Buy The Adventure Patch Company Patches: £5 at Adventurepatch.co.uk
2. Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Notepads
Now this is one of those items I reckon hikers see in the outdoor shop and think ‘Cool!’ but never end up buying (a.k.a. the perfect gift to receive). Maybe they’re trying to shift a little pack weight, or don’t deem it an essential item, who knows? Either way, I think these are a handy little gift for a hiker or walker that’ll suit creative outdoor types such as writers and illustrators, as well as keen wildlife watchers who want a meticulous record of their findings.
Buy The Rite In The Rain Notepads: £6 at Amazon.co.uk
3. Wanderers: A History of Women Walking by Kerri Andrews
A keen hill-walker and member of Mountaineering Scotland, Kerri Andrews is a lecturer and bona fide expert on women’s writing. With her debut book, however, she’s married her two passions together in the form of an exploration on ten women writers who, over the past three hundred years, have found walking essential to their practise and their sense of selves.
Including portraits of writers such as Elizabeth Carter, Nan Shepherd and Cheryl Strayed, this book offers a much-needed telling of women writers walking throughout history. With insights into Kerri’s own relationship with walking as well as her relationships with the writers themselves, this one’s a fascinating and insightful read for all hikers.
Buy Wanderers: A History of Women Walking by Kerri Andrews: £9.99 at Amazon.co.uk
4. Nikwax Stain Scrub
Oil marks, mud or berry stains can often be very tricky to remove from technical outdoor clothing. What’s more, normal stain treatments can contain bleaching agents and harmful chemicals. This product from Nikwax is designed to remove marks safely, without stripping away any existing water-repellent treatments that might already be present.
It’s essentially a small bottle that dispenses the solution through a brush head. All you need to do is squeeze the bottle and brush at the mark, then put your garment into a washing machine along with some of Nikwax’s Tech Wash.
Read our full Nikwax Stain Scrub review.
Buy Nikwax Stain Scrub: £7.99 at Nikwax.com
5. Gear Aid Tenacious Tape
Haters will say this isn’t the most exciting gift, but we say it’s GREAT. Tested and reviewed in our Greener Gear Guide, Gear Aid’s Tenacious tape is a practical solution for repairing damaged equipment. It’s a durable adhesive tape that offers a straightforward approach to extending the life of your gear, whether it’s a tear in your waterproof jacket, down jacket, tent, backpack, or sleeping bag. Instead of replacing broken items, Tenacious Tape allows you to make quick repairs that keep your gear functional. An essential for life on the trail, some might say.
Read our full Gear Aid Tenacious Tape review.
Buy The Gear Aid Tenacious Tape: £8.29 at Decathlon.co.uk
6. Firepot Bio Meals
We’ve been fans of Firepot’s dehydrated meals for a while now (that Chilli Con Carne one, ooooff), and since they’ve introduced the option of choosing between normal or biodegradable packaging, we like them even more. There are a bunch of healthy and high-fuelling recipes, including a number of vegan and veggie options and meaty stuff for the omnivores to sink their teeth into as well.
Lightweight, hearty, healthy and fuss-free, these are the perfect accompaniment to any adventure.
Read our full FirePot Bio Meals review.
Buy The Firepot Bio Meals: from £7.50 at Firepotfood.com
7. Lifesystems Reusable Crystallised Hand Warmer
Considering they can be used over and over again and require no extra accessories to operate, the Lifesystems reusable hand warmers are great value for your money in the long run. We found that they were able to provide a good whack of heat for 40 to 45 minutes at most. This, we think, means they are best suited to lunch breaks on day hikes, for example, or on multi-day treks when you’ve got a stove handy to ‘recharge’ the warmers when needed. They’re also very compact so are perfect for slipping inside your gloves or coat pockets.
It’s handy that you can activate them when you need them, simply by gently flexing them to click the metal disc within them. The solution then should crystallise and become opaque after massaging the warmer for about 10 seconds. To fully recharge them, all you need to do is boil them in water for 8 minutes and they’re ready to go again.
Buy the Lifesystems Reusable Crystallised Hand Warmer: £5 at Ellisbrigham.com
8. Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Long Handle Spork
Now, I know what you’re thinking. A spork? Really? But hear me out. This is one of those items that people ALWAYS forget to bring with them on their camping trips. It’s also one of those items that always gets lost half-way along a hiking trail, and always needs replacing. I personally have a habit of breaking camping sporks so think a sturdy option like this is a great gift. It’s perfect as a stocking filler too, and has the added comedic factor of receiving – well, in essence – a fancy spoon.
Another plus of the Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Spork in particular is that it’s long enough to fit in dehydrated meal packs. I have – on far too many occasions – brought a kitchen spoon with me on backpacking trips only to find my hand covered in dehydrated risotto because my spoon was short and I had to get my whole fist in the bag. It ain’t pretty and it ain’t fun.
Buy the Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Long Handle Spork: £10 at Ellisbrigham.com
£10 to £20 Gifts for Hikers
9. OS Maps
You really can’t go wrong with a paper OS map. Whether you’re pouring over it at your kitchen table as you plan for your next multi-day hike, or you’re reading by torchlight in your tent after a long day’s walking; it’s the kind of gift that keeps on giving. If you don’t mind spending a bit more cash, you can even personalise the front or get a chosen section of the map printed and framed.
Buy OS Maps: £12.99-£16.99 at Shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
10. Silverstick Pennine Wool Socks
If you want a no-fuss pair of hiking socks that’ll see you through all sorts of hiking in autumn through to spring, we think you’ll get along well with these. Unlike a lot of cotton heavy options out there, they also have the feeling like they’ll last a long time, or at the every least, can be easily repaired with some basic sewing skills.
OM edior Will said, “In terms of warmth, wool definitely reigns supreme here. I’d have no hesitations reaching for these on some autumn and winter hiking trips here in the UK – even on snowy mountain days. While too hot for the warmer months, Silverstick have some ‘sport’ socks options too for activities that require a higher level of breathability.”
What’s also great about these – and wool socks in general – is that they wick moisture away to prevent dampness, resist odour even after long days on the trail, and they provide cushioning and softness that help reduce friction and the risk of blisters. “They might not have that close, foot supporting feel that you get from socks with a high elastane content,” continues Will, “but I’ve still found them very comfortable to wear.”
Read our full Silverstick Pennine Wool socks review.
Buy the Silverstick Pennine Wool Socks: £18 at Silverstick.co.uk
11. LOMO Emergency Storm Shelter
Otherwise known as a ‘bothy bag’, an emergency shelter is essential when hiking in stormy conditions and for emergencies out on the mountains. It’s also a great gift for someone who’s new to hiking, and might have not thought to get one yet.
Featuring a PU-coated polyester build, two large reflective patches on the front, a viewing window, two air-vent snorkels, and a hydrostatic head rating of 3000mm; the LOMO emergency storm shelter comes in at 360g and is perfect for hill walkers, trail runners, back country skiers, and mountain bikers alike.
Buy The LOMO Emergency Storm Shelter: £19.99 at Lomo.co.uk
12. The Book of the Bothy by Phoebe Smith
Now this is a cracking book from award-winning writer, photographer and broadcaster Phoebe Smith. Spanning all across the UK, Phoebe shares with us her 26 favourite bothies, including her best stories to go along with them. Packed with expert advice on how to use bothies, including packing lists, bothy etiquette and the best walks into these remote locations – there’s a lot to get your teeth stuck into here.
Way back in 2021, Phoebe wrote an incredibly important piece for us on women’s experiences in bothies which is worth checking out if you haven’t already.
Buy The Book of the Bothy by Phoebe Smith: £13 at Ellis-brigham.com
13. Camelbak Eddy+ 0.75L
This filter from Camelbak will still serve as an effective option in the UK’s mountains. It’ll also double up as a daily water bottle for improving the overall quality of your tap water. It does this by using an ion exchange filter that removes minerals that cause hardness and heavy metals.
What we like about this filter is that it offers a cheaper alternative to a lot of water filters on the market while still bringing a number of the same benefits. Our gear tester said, “I drank water from mountain streams (in a sheep-heavy area) and didn’t have any issues and the water tasted good. It tasted a little chemically/sweet at first but that was gone after a few sips.”
The Camelbak Eddy+ serves as a handy option if you want something hard that will be safe in the side of a backpack or that will fit into a flask holder on a bike or a cup holder in your car. The main drawbacks, we found, are that you do need to suck quite hard to draw water and you can’t use it to decant filtered water.
Buy The Camelbak Eddy+ 0.75L: £19 at Ellisbrigham.com
14. Bushcraft Illustrated: A Visual Guide by Dave Canterbury
A great coffee table book or the ideal introduction into the world of bushcraft for somebody who likes to spend the majority of their time off the beaten track.
The latest guide from New York Times bestselling author Dave Canterbury, Bushcraft Illustrated explains the necessary tools and skills for an awesome outdoor adventure or even a survival situation – all alongside 300 beautifully drawn illustrations. From foraging and animal trapping to shelter building and fire lighting, it’s all explained here in a clear and easy to understand way.
Buy The Bushcraft Illustrated book: £12.30 at Awesomebooks.com
15. Quechua 0.8L Insulated Steel Flask 900
This was a solid performer in our hiking flask temperature tests and also happens to be one of the lowest cost flasks in our tests. It’s smart looking, very durable, and the flip top makes it very easy and convenient. We found we were able to drink from it one-handed, and the textured base made it usable while wearing gloves too.
We did find that there were some drawbacks, however. First of all, it’s narrow opening and multi-part lid did make it harder to clean than some of the other flasks in our tests. It’s also quite wide at the base so it’s not cup holder friendly or the easiest to slide into the side of a backpack – though it does have that useful hanging loop.
Buy Quechua 0.8L Flask 900: £15 at Decathlon.co.uk
16. Osprey Daylite Toiletry Kit
Online editor Sophie Nicholson from our sister site Active Traveller reckons this is a great gift for the outdoor lover. She said: “The Osprey Daylite Toiletry Kit is the wash bag upgrade every outdoorsy soul deserves. It’s tough, water-resistant, and brilliantly compartmentalised, so your shampoo doesn’t launch a stealth attack on your toothbrush mid-trip. Bonus points for looking like it belongs in a mountain hut, not a hotel bathroom.”
“With a grab handle and just the right amount of space for back-to-basics grooming, it’s perfect for wild weekend breaks, hut-to-hut missions, or van life adventures. Plus, that bold yellow colour? Almost guarantees it won’t get lost in a sea of identical black wash bags. A practical gift they’ll use every time they leave home – and possibly even at home, too.”
Buy the Osprey Daylite Toiletry Kit: £20 at Osprey.com
£20 to £40 Gifts for Hikers
17. Darn Tough Fastpack Micro Crew
Best Outdoor Socks to Gift a Hiker in 2025
Darn Tough have neatly zoned the thickness of the weave here, so you get some really comfortable padding underfoot but a thin, breathable weave up top. Perfect for long-distance hiking and fastpacking.
Like most of Darn Tough’s socks, the Fastpack Micro Crew uses a blend of Nylon, Merino Wool and Lycra Spandex. This, we found, results in a sock that wicks moisture really well, that dries reasonably quickly and that just feels very comfortable to wear. It has a decent odour resistance too and there are no niggly seams to reduce any potential flashpoints for blisters.
OM editor Will recommends this item as an excellent gift for hikers. He said: “I’ve been testing Darn Tough’s socks for over half a decade now and I really like the brand and its products. The socks are very comfortable, they always appear to be carefully made and they last very well. I’ve no shame in saying that I’ve got pairs in my sock drawer that are over five years old and they’re still going strong and actually don’t look anywhere close to wearing out.”
Read our full Darn Tough Fastpack Micro Crew Socks review.
Buy the Darn Tough Fastpack Micro Crew socks: £28 at Darntough.uk
18. Buff Five Panel Cap
Buff are perhaps best known for their protective neck tubes, but they do also make a great range of running hats. This, the Buff Five Panel Cap features a streamlined design, with stretchy mesh to promote airflow across the head.
Related: Best Running Caps
OM editor and gear tester Will said, “I’ve worn this through a lot of different conditions and it’s been great in all of them. In the sun, it kept the light off my eyes, kept me cool and the breathability was absolutely excellent. In wet weather it sheltered my face from the rain and while it got damp it seemed to dry up really quickly. I never had any issues in windy weather either actually, with the elastic keeping it secure around my head but without ever feeling tight. Lots to like here, for sure.”
The materials used in the Buff 5 panel are predominantly polyester and elastane, a bi-stretch fabric which keeps clothes adaptable and lightweight. It also has a stretchy and adjustable fit to make it both suitable for a variety of head sizes, and for everyday use when you might not need it as tight.
Read our full Buff Five Panel Cap review.
Buy The Buff Five Panel Cap: £13 at Amazon.co.uk
19. Light My Fire LunchKit BIO
Best Sustainable Gift for Hikers
Light My Fire are a Swedish brand known for clever, practical outdoor gear with a strong focus on sustainability. OM tester Will has been using their LunchKit BIO while surveying routes in the mountains for the walking guidebook, and during a gear testing trip in the Lake District. His verdict? “It’s proved really handy. I love its use of bioplastic but I simply like the fact it encourages me to think about reusability rather than disposability. Also, we’ve all accidentally lost a snack wrapper to a sharp gust on the hill at some point, so I think it’s good that this encourages me to unwrap and prepare my food prior to a trip, eliminating that risk.”
Buy the Light My Fire Lunchkit Bio: £29 at Ellis-brigham.com
20. Nikwax Outdoor Complete Protection Kit
Best Practical Outdoor Gift
The Nikwax Outdoor Complete Protection kit is your one-stop-shop for keeping your core items of gear in tip top shape. For under £30, you get a bottle of Nikwax Tech Wash, TX.Direct, Footwear Cleaning Gel, Fabric and Leather Proof, a handy boot brush and a waterproof storage/ carry bag too. Altogether these are going to safely clean your boots, waterproof jacket, and trousers, AND restore a water resistant barrier to them all in an eco-conscious manner. Not bad, not bad at all.
All four of these solutions are completely free from any nasty chemicals, including those eco-hazardous PFCs that were once prevalent right across the outdoor industry. They’re all water-based, non-flammable and aerosol-free too. The bottles Nikwax use are recycled and are recyclable as well, and then to round it all off, the company, which is now employee owned, can claim to be a carbon neutral business which has offset the carbon emissions from its entire 45 years of operation.
Here’s a useful video we made in the past that details exactly how to apply the footwear solutions to your kit from your own home. For advice on cleaning and re-waterproofing your rain jacket, here’s the guide for that.
Read our full Nikwax Outdoor Complete Protection Kit review.
Buy The Nikwax Outdoor Complete Protection Kit: £26.49 at Amazon.co.uk
21. Stanley Perfect-Brew Pour Over Portable Coffee Maker
Best One-Of-A-Kind Outdoor Gift
If you know a coffee-loving camper who’s also keen on sustainability, the Stanley Perfect-Brew is a great stand-out present to buy. In particular, we can see it working well on multi-day backpacking trips where that little bit of extra luxury in the morning really pays off.
Our gear tester said, “It’s lived in my car since I got it and I use it for pre-adventure car park coffees or on campsites..you can get great tasting, strong coffee in good time.”
Read our full Stanley Perfect-Brew Pour Over review.
Buy The Stanley Perfect-Brew Pour Over Portable Coffee Maker: £33 at Uk.stanley1913.com
22. Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew
We’ve tested out a lot of Darn Tough’s socks here at Outdoors Magic over the years and we can confidently say they’re one of the most reliable sock brands out there. The first and most important thing to know about Darn Tough is that they offer an excellent lifetime warranty on their products. If you have any kind of problem with them, you can simply swap them out for a new pair – no receipt needed. There’s a lot to admire there.
It’s the durability, fit and comfort that impressed us in this instance. With its 61% Merino, 36% Nylon and 3% Lycra construction, we’ve found that the Hiker Micro Crew socks have just about the ideal blend of materials that we look for. Our testers generally find that it’s possible to wear these socks for a couple of days without smell building up. They also dry reasonably quickly.
OM editor Will recommends this item as an excellent gift for hikers. He said: “Comfortable, long-lasting and great fitting, these are undeniably superb socks. And thanks to Darn Tough’s impressive unconditional lifetime guarantee, there’s no risk, only reward: if you have a problem, you can simply swap them out for a new pair. What’s not to like?”
Read our full Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew review.
Buy the men’s Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew: £29 at Darntough.uk
Buy the women’s Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew: £29 at Darntough.uk
23. Montane Prism Glove
The Montane Prism Gloves are like an insulated jacket for your hands. Made with PrimaLoft Gold insulation, they are ideal for runners or anyone moving fast and light – unsurprisingly for Montane. Given the outer fabric is Pertex, so the gloves are mostly composed of insulation, they pack down into an impressively tiny stuff sack, provided. The gloves have a thin mircofleece lining and touch screen patches on forefinger and thumb. There is elastication at the wrists and at the end of the medium length cuff. These are a snug fit (in women’s), which is great for dexterity, but made it a little difficult to get them on with cold, damp hands.
The gloves have no reinforcements and aren’t designed for heavy abrasion – the insulated jacket analogy is a good one. They’re perfect for the moment you stop moving and want to retain your body heat as quickly as possible. We found them perfect for throwing on at camp to keep your hands toasty but are probably too warm for many to wear when working hard.
Buy The Montane Prism Gloves: £35 at Blacks.co.uk
24. Savotta Happy (Or Grumpy Stove)
Simple but effective we absolutely love these two little stoves by Finnish brand Savotta. This is a bio fuel burner, don’t expect it to manage any other types of fuel. You pile your sticks and leaves all inside, spark them up, let the air holes create some nice convection and then plonk your kettle or pot on top of the cross bars and wait.
If Ikea made stoves, this would be what they’d look like. In other words, it’s a flatpack. Completely disassembled and stowed into its little pouch, it’s about the size of that letter your bank sends you when they want you to sign up to a credit card account, and it’s not much smaller than a Boden catalogue.
Read our full Savotta Happy Stove review.
Buy The Savotta Happy Stove: £27.86 (sale) at Alpinetrek.co.uk
25. Joby Handypod
Weighing just 185g, which is roughly half the weight of a can of soup, the Handypod is absolutely perfect for photographers, vloggers and filmmakers searching for that lightweight, portable, and easy-to-use support system which can take their image-capturing to the next level.
Considering it costs just under £30, it brings a lot to the table. There’s a super comfortable ergonomic rubber grip, that really does fits into the curvature of your hand nicely, a push button locking mechanism for portrait positioning, and a surprisingly solid overall feel for something so lightweight and affordable.
From chunky DSLRs to tiny wee compacts, and everything in between, this tough, portable, tripod can handle most cameras out there, plus it can also be used with GoPros, flashes, microphones, and a variety of Joby mounts.
Read our full Joby Handypod review.
Buy The Joby Handypod: £26.99 at Currys.co.uk
26. Sealskinz Waterpoof All Weather Socks
It wouldn’t be a list about gifts for hikers without mention of a pair of socks. These, however, are no ordinary socks. They’re waterproof socks. OM editor Will recently tested Sealskinz’s waterproof ankle socks in the Scottish Highlands and was mightily impressed.
In short, three bonded layers make up the main fabric of the Ankle Socks. The outer features 4-way stretch nylon, which leads to great fit and wearability. A hydrophilic membrane is the meat in the sandwich, giving the sock its waterproof qualities and releasing steam and warm air caused by sweat, thus keeping your foot cool and comfortable. Finally, the inner is woven from merino wool, which is well known for its insulating and sweat-wicking properties. The result is a sock that keeps water off your feet whilst allowing internal moisture to escape. So confident in their waterproof qualities that Sealskinz offer a lifetime guarantee on all their products.
Read our full Sealskinz Waterproof All Weather Ankle Socks review.
Buy The Sealskinz Waterpoof All Weather Ankle Socks: £30.39 at Ellisbrigham.com
£40+ Gifts for Hikers
27. Fjällräven Abisko Trekking Cap
One of our gear testers (and editorial assistant) Jazz has been using the Abisko trekking cap for past year and has been very impressed. “I’ve used this cap for everything from multi-day hikes and everyday walking, to cycling, climbing and even on long gardening days” she said. “It’s my go-to hat at the moment for any outdoor activity that will work up a sweat.”
“In particular, I love the discrete look and the secure elastic drawstring that keeps the hat well and truly on your head. I recently used it on a windy ascent up Benbulbin in Ireland actually, and am happy to report it didn’t budge once. I think the breathability is fab too, and it dries really quickly.”
Jazz reckons this would make a great gift for a hiker. She said, “If you know someone who lives in a town or a city but finds themself frequently escaping to the countryside – this is the hat to have. It works in pretty much every context. The shorter brim in particular makes it great for transitioning from peak to pub. It’s also very foldable which is handy for stuffing away into your pocket or backpack when you don’t need it.”
Buy the Fjällräven Abisko Trekking Cap: £40 at Trekitt.co.uk
28. Silva Smini Head Torch
OM editor Will has been testing the Smini out on a bunch of night time runs and hiking adventures of late and confirms: “this thing is a total pocket rocket. In fact, I’d say it’s now going to be my head torch of choice for future adventures.”
In terms of features, it has 250 lumens of brightness and a dual beam system with both a long spotlight and a close floodlight. This creates clear vision on those night runs without creating a tunnel effect that obscures your surroundings. The lamp head can actually tilt up to 90 degrees which also helps to avoid dazzling people around you.
Read our full Silva Smini Head Torch review.
Buy The Silva Smini Head Torch: £39.99 at Amazon.co.uk
29. Ticket To The Moon Lightest Pro Hammock
The Lightest Pro from hammock experts Ticket To The Moon includes features such as an integrated bug net, a roomy length of 325cm (carabiner to carabiner), and a tough Ripstop nylon build. There’s also an integrated ridge line with a handy built-in organiser, amongst other things.
We can see it being a great option for rugged multi-day adventures where you’re likely to come across lots of woods and forests. Think multi-day adventures through a valley in the Cairngorms, where you’ll have plenty of trees to pitch up on, but need some extra protection from the elements, and perhaps a little more luxury – including bug protection.
Read our full Ticket To The Moon Lightest Pro Hammock review.
Buy The Ticket To The Moon Lightest Pro Hammock: £115.32 at Tickettothemoon.com
30. Leatherman Bond Multitool
There’s now a Leatherman for almost every use and occupation – but there’s only one designed with Brits specifically in mind. That’s the Bond (pictured above): a light and compact 14-feature multi-tool that conforms to the UK’s strict knife laws, being UK-legal for everyday carry thanks to its non-locking, sub-3 inch blade.
This multi-tool is ideal for active outdoorsy types who want a versatile bit of kit that isn’t too bulky or heavy to carry around. It would certainly be a useful bit of kit for hikers and bikepackers, as well as kayakers, canoeists and climbers too.
Read our full Leatherman Bond Multitool review.
Buy The Leatherman Bond Multitool: £69.95 at Uk.leatherman.com
31. Smartwool Classic Merino Base Layer
This base layer from Merino wool experts, Smartwool, is pretty much the creme de la creme of base layers. Made from 100% Merino, it brings all of the super wool’s excellent properties along with a pretty smart look too. A great gift for hikers that like the colder climates.
Gear tester and OM editor Will said: “For one of our recent gear test trips we took a bunch of kit, including this base layer, to the Cairngorms of Scotland. It was very, very cold there and I’m not exaggerating it when I say that I wore this base layer constantly for the four days we were there, living and sleeping in it and only taking it off to shower…In conclusion, I love it. It’s a great bit of kit that I’m sure I’m going to get a heck of a lot of use out of.”
Read our full Smartwool Classic Merino Base Layer review.
Buy The Smartwool Classic Merino Base Layer: £63.99 at Amazon.co.uk
32. Jetboil Stash Stove
The Jetboil Stash Stove includes a pot (125g), a plastic lid (16g), a burner (58g) and little sack for it, and then a stand (30g) for a gas canister. The pot has a 0.8 litre capacity with volume markings on the inside and outside and a folding handle with a heat-proof silicone casing. The burner, which is 1.52kw and unregulated, has three ribbed pot stands which all slide neatly together and there’s a twist valve to control the gas flow.
We can see the Jetboil Stash Stove being a great gift if you know a loved one in need of a kit upgrade, and you don’t mind splashing a bit of cash. Perfect for multi-day hiking adventures, it’s the kind of stove that will last you a very long time.
Read our full Jetboil Stash Stove review.
Buy The Jetboil Stash: £155 at Ellis-brigham.com
33. Skinners Barefoot Socks
OK, we’ll be honest here. Your family member or friend are either going to love you for getting these as a gift for them or they’re going to hate you for it.
They’re basically sock shoes. Thanks to the specialised rubbery lining on the base you can actually hike or even run in these things and you won’t suffer from any splinters or cut feet.
OM Editor Will has been super impressed by them, writing in his review that he hiked for a whole day in them along the Pembrokeshire Coast and had “no problems problems over the rocky, muddy and brambly terrain”.
Read the full Skinners Barefoot Socks review.
Buy The Skinners Barefoot Socks: €60 at Skinnersfootwear.eu
34. Highlander Nap-Pak Arctic Air Sleeping Mat
With sleeping mats, there always seems to be a trade-off somewhere: warm but heavy, light and packable but flimsy and cold, high-spec but expensive. Will there ever be a mat that can strike that perfect balance? Enter the Highlander Nap-Pak Arctic Air.
Our tester Will said, “From my experience with this, this is a mat that’s light and packable enough that I’d be happy to use it for summer backpacking trips, but its R-value of 11 makes it warm enough for winter too. At £100 I think this is a very strong contender for being the best value winter-rated sleeping mat on the market – with the big added bonus that it’s light and packable too.”
Read our full Highlander Nap-Pak Arctic Air Sleeping Mat review.
Buy the Highlander Nap-Pak Arctic Air: £99.99 at Highlander-outdoor.com
35. Katadyn BeFree AC Water Filter 500ml
This is the latest iteration of Katadyn’s BeFree water filter, with an added activated carbon stage to improve taste, reduce odour and filter chlorine, delivering reliable, fresh-tasting water. It’s passed our tests with flying colours and is available in 500ml or 1-litre bottles.
Our tester Will said, “I’ve tested a number of portable filters for backpacking and, in my experience, this one has the best flow rate. Some filters I’ve used have been agonisingly slow, whereas this one filters water almost effortlessly. I’ve used it to filter water from mountain-top puddles in the Black Mountains, from small brooks in the Lake District and even on a trip through the wilderness of Scandinavia, and I can’t recall ever having had any stomach issues related to its use. That said, I still exercise some caution. This filter removes bacteria, protozoa and sediment, but not viruses, which are much smaller. In most remote upland areas of the UK the viral risk is extremely low, but it can rise where there’s livestock or human activity nearby.”
Read our full Katadyn BeFree AC Water Filter review.
Buy the Katadyn BeFree 500ml AC: £42 at Wildbounds.com
