Our pick of the best little Christmas gifts for anyone that likes spending a lot of time outdoors. There's something here for everyone, whether they're into hiking, climbing, bouldering, running or camping.
Slippers
Rab Hut Slippers - £35
Aaaah, the ubiquitous Christmas gift, a pair of slippers is always going to be welcome. These Hut Slippers from Rab are insulated with synthetic Cirrus™ insulation in a Pertex Microlight shell, plus they have a non-slip sole that's tough enough for trips outside the tent.
Coffee Paraphernalia
Aerobie Aeropress - £32 | Soto Helix Coffee Filter - £20 | GSI Java Mill Coffee Grinder - £40
The two best ways of making coffee in the outdoors - Aeropress for car camping or a foldable filter for backpacking. And to be honest, we'd use either of these in the home too, they'll give a much nicer brew than your moka pot or cheapo espresso machine. And for the really serious coffee lover, how about a portable grinder? It's the logical next step for making the freshest tasting coffee possible.
Soto Helix Coffee Brewer
Ultra Lightweight Rucksack
Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack - £26 | Ultra-Sil Dry Day Pack - £40
These little rucksacks are unbelievably useful. They weigh next to nothing and stuff down to a key-ring sized bundle, so you can always have one on you (handy for shopping in our post-plastic paradise). Great for carrying a spare jacket and snacks on a long climb while you leave your big rucksack on the ground, or just keep it on you in case you pop to the shop. The Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack holds about 22 litres and is available in a zip closure or with a dry-bag roll-top closure. The fabric is waterproof and surprisingly tough!
Tiny Rechargeable Headtorch
Petzl Bindi - £53 | Black Diamond Iota - £40
Keep one of these tiny head lamps in your rucksack all the time, and hopefully you won't ever get caught in the dak ever again. They're small enough even to fit in your chalkbag or opocket whilst climbing, bright enough to find your way by, and rechargeable by USB so you'll never have to buy those wasteful batteries ever again.
Another Pair of Bloody Socks
Stance Socks from £12
Yeah alright, it does seem like a bit of an unimaginative stocking filler, but I'm always always always grateful for a new pair of socks - fresh merino wool is soo warm and fluffy but they do wear out pretty quickly when you wear them all the time (which you will do cos they're sooo nice). We've got old favourites from Smartwool and Bridgedale, but Stance are the latest addition to the Outside sock range, they're really rather lovely and come in loads of jazzy prints!
