NEW GEAR FOR NEW YEAR

Bright bonce beanies

An absolute bargain at just £6, Lomo’s Parhelion Reflective Beanie has a Thinsulate lining to keep your ears and head warm, and a bright lightreflective strip on the outside to keep you highly visible – whether that’s to traffic on a dark walk back along a narrow road, or to mountain rescue teams in the event of an emergency. lomo.co.uk

Poles with a promise

The Komperdell Trekmaster Powerlock (£70) is a fairly basic 3-section pole that comes equipped with the patented Powerlock mechanism. This makes the Trekmasters both robust and reliable, a fact backed up by Komperdell’s free 3-year repair service for all telescopic poles, regardless of how the damage occurred. komperdell.com

Down for higher up

It’s always great to see British companies making kit for the most serious mountains. Although unlikely to be on the kit list of most Trail readers, the Montane Apex 8000 Down Salopettes (£360) and Jacket (£500) are just that. As Montane puts it: “An expedition-specific down suit for extreme environments. There is no compromise to functionality or features.” montane.com