GO ON, TREAT YOURSELF...

CULTIVATING A NEW GEAR CUPBOARD? OR FANCY A FEW SUPER-COOL ITEMS OF KIT TO KICK OFF THE YEAR? LOOK NO FURTHER...

WATER BOTTLE

Klean Kanteen £18 Tough 800ml bottle with none of the awful taste you get with plastic or aluminium bottles.

COMPASS

Silva Expedition 4 £30 Neither too expensive to afford nor too cheap to trust, the Expedition 4 is the iconic, archetypal ‘serious’ compass that should always be in your pocket, along with a map – no matter what technical gizmos you’re packing. With care it should last decades.

HEADTORCH

Petzl Tikka XP £50 If you want a piece of kit that will save your bacon, last pretty much forever and assist you in ways as yet undreamt of, the humble Petzl Tikka is it. There’s nothing more likely to thoroughly scupper you by its absence than the ability to see after nightfall – and no problem is easier to remedy than with this decent bit of durable kit.

INSULATION LAYER

Rab Nimbus £150 In many cases out on the hill a good insulation layer can make or break the day. Time on a cold summit, a freezing predawn start or winter camping can all be made palatable by an easily thrown on overlayer. Like this one!

POCKETKNIFE

Opinel No.9 Carbone £10 Fancy multitools are all very well and good at home, but on the hill, all you really need is a simple but tough folding blade for cutting and eating. This one’s crafted from carbon steel.