If you're looking for a present for someone who loves getting out and about and finding new adventures, Toby Keel, Hetty Lintell and Alexandra Fraser have picked out some great Christmas gifts for lovers of the great outdoors.
Looking for something different?
Le Chameau boots
Time to see red
Why go for green, blue or black? Le Chameau’s lovely wellies are available in all sorts of shades in their Iris Jersey-lined range. Just the thing for long, muddy walks in the country.
Swarovski binoculars
I can see clearly now
Not cheap, of course, but superb quality binoculars for serious birdwatchers, with the largest ever field of view in a pair made by the crystal specialists. They’ve even got a forehead rest, for comfortable viewing even when you’re spending hours in a hide.
Merrell Alverstone walking shoes
For walking on the wild side
The best walking shoes I’ve ever tried’ was the verdict of our tester for these Gore-Tex shoes. There’s all sorts of clever technology going on inside — air cushions, countoured footbed, a tongue to keep twigs and stones out — but what you need to know is that they were hugely comfortable and looked good.
Columbia Three Forks Black Dot jacket
A serious coat for adventurers
There’s not getting away from it: this jacket is slightly bonkers, thanks to a black, shiny finish which gives it a certain essence of bin bag. But for those in need of proper outdoor wear (or who are able to pull off the look) this is a technological marvel: it’s effectively a thermal shield with heat-retaining outer black dots, reflective lining and sealed-in stitching. The result is a water-resistant coat that retains heat effortlessly despite being thin and light.
On offer at £189 (usual price £270) from Columbia
Bicycle repair kit
For those not afraid to get their hands dirty
It’s hard to imagine a less practical shape and size for slipping into your cycling backpack than this 14-inch wooden box, but if looks so delightful that you probably won’t care. And despite its old-school looks, all the tools you’ll need are actually here, from Allen keys to a chain-breaker.
Smartech CAKE Osa+ electric motorbike
The bike of the future
Looking like the sort of thing that a fast food delivery person would ride in 1980s Tokyo, this electric contraption is either incredibly fast for a bike, or rather slow for a motorbike with a top speed of 55mph. Somehow we want one, without really knowing why,
The Nature Hideaway Kit
For young adventurers
Everything you need to build your a hide for spotting wildlife, including camouflage netting and a spyglass. Admittedly, the depths of winter isn’t really the time for this… then again, with so many indoors things not permitted, perhaps a better outdoor option is a good thing.
Land Rover Explore R mobile phone
Adventuring, 21st century-style
Land Rover’s original mobile phone a few years ago claimed to be the ‘toughest in the world’, and this new version is another stpe up: it really does have the sort of heft you’d expect of the car whose name it bears. This huge, heavy metal beast feels like you could use it to hammer nails into a block of tungsten, yet as well as being everything-proof (ish) it’s also a very capable Android smartphone, with a decent camera and great outdoorsy apps pre-loaded.
Emma Willis Mahler cashmere socks
Walking in luxury
Hand-made in Scotland with cable-knitted cashmere, these are the height of luxury for walking — and yes, they are machine-washable too.
Jurassic Park bottle opener
For those who get lost turn feral
Technically, it’s a novely bottle opener shaped like a velociraptor’s claw. But we can see this being put to use as an all-purpose scavenger’s tool when things get dicey. (Er, it also has a magnet to keep it on the fridge door.)
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