Top gift ideas for trekkers, climbers and mountaineers, as chosen by the Trek & Mountain team…
LEATHERMAN REBAR £59.95
Quality Christmas gifts don’t come much more compact, yet powerful, than Leatherman’s Rebar Multi-tool, which is an ideal size and weight for use in the great outdoors and around the home. When the turkey has finally been polished off and the decorations have been put away for another year, Rebar will keep on delivering, with pliers that have been optimised for strength and feature replaceable hard-wire cutters. Containing over a dozen tools, no job is too big or too small. Weighing 190g, the Rebar is a year- round tool. It features needle nose, regular pliers, replaceable wire and hard wire cutters, Philips screwdrivers, electrical crimper, wire stripper, saw, bottle opener, can opener, ruler and a 7.62 cm blade. It also comes with a 25-year no quibbles guarantee.
Contact: [email protected] or visit www.whitbyandco.co.uk
SILVA NINOX £50
Made to withstand the toughest of outdoor conditions, Silva’s Ninox has one high power LED and two wide-beam LEDs which give you a combination of close area light and powerful 50m spot beam when you need it. The six different light modes provide flexibility and enable the battery life to be extended to 90 hours. Weighing in at just 80g including batteries, the Ninox also has its own ‘Cocoon’ storage pouch integrated into the headband, keeping it from getting tangled up inside a pocket or backpack.
Contact: [email protected] or visit www.silva.se
BLUE ICE WARTHOG 26L £80
The Warthog 26L is a light, tough backpack with all the essential accessories you need and nothing more, the ideal backpack for light and fast one day climbs. As with the larger Blue Ice packs the Warthog can hold two ice axes. The simple system of webbing loops and cord locks allows not only a quick attachment but also a steady hold. Additional features are rope holder, helmet holder, exit for hydration tube and a removeable hip belt.
Contact: www.blueice.com
GARMIN FENIX £349
The fenix is the first GPS navigator plus ABC (Altimeter, Barometer and Compass) wristwatch to include comprehensive Garmin GPS navigation. Developed with mountain guides and designed for the serious outdoors person, fenix is the hands-free outdoor navigation tool that guides you with confidence through demanding mountain environments. With self-calibrating ABC sensors and Garmin navigation features such as TracBack it provides a new standard for navigation.
Contact: www.garmin.com
MARMOT WO
MEN’S NORDIC HAT £35
The new Marmot Women’s Nordic Hat is produced from Thermolite which is a breathable material designed to create a multitude of air pockets that soon become filled with warm air to provide protection for your head. The micro fleece inner helps not only provides additional comfort, but it also helps wick moisture away from your scalp to ensure you remain comfortable.
Contact: www.marmot.com
PODSACS DRYSACK MULTI-PACK £19.50
This handy multi-pack gives you three quality Podsacs Drysacs at a great price. It offers you the equivalent of a size XXS, a size XS and a size S. With a colour-coded size system, fully taped sealed seams, roll-top closure with side release buckle, and light grey lining aids viewing of contents, you’ll get your kit organised in no time. The mult-pack contains a green (2.5L), blue (4L0 and red (7L) sacs.
Contact: www.podsacs.com
BRYNJE SPRINT ZIP POLO £36
A comfortable, lightweight and breathable undershirt for high intensity sport, the Brynje Sprint Zip Polo also looks great when off the hill. Made of polydacron fibre, it retains very little moisture and dries extremely fast. The softness and comfort also make it ideal for wearing just about anywhere.
Contact: www.nordiclife.co.uk
THE NORTH FACE PATROL 24 ABS £750
The ultimate gift for ski tourers/mountaineers, the Patrol 24 ABS avalanche airbag daypack combines the legendary Patrol pack with leading, proven ABS avalanche airbag technology. Evidence shows that ABS airbags save lives with a 95% real-world avalanche survival rate when deployed. With the pull of an activation handle, two integrated 85 litre airbags deploy as they are filled with compressed Nitrogene gas. The bags help keep the skier on the surface and visible for a more rapid rescue.
Contact: www.thenorthface.com
NIKWAX DOWN WASH (1L) £13.99
With chilly weather on its way, it’s time to break out your down gear, but when was the last time you washed it? Nikwax’s Down Wash is a safe product to use unlike say, soap flakes, which can cause the dirt from the outer fabric to be re-deposited onto the down, which would kill its loft and insulation. And conventional detergents may leave behind a residue of water-attractive detergent residue on outer fabric and the down, causing it to lose loft more quickly in damp conditions.
Contact: www.nikwax.co.uk
PARAMO GRID BASELAYER £60
A perfect gift for trekkers and mountaineers, Paramo’s Grid Baselayer uses new Parameta G fabric to give one of the most comfortable baselayers around. The grid pattern gives you great insulation to keep you warm, yet responds rapidly when vented to give effective temperature control.
Contact: www.paramo.co.uk