Be prepared, as the old Boy Scout motto goes, is one that still rings true today – in every outdoor situation.
There’s nothing better to prepare you for an expedition into the wilderness – whether it is kayaking down rapids or backpacking through the mountains – than a handy gadget.
These tools are small enough to fit into your rucksack, but will save you a tonne of effort when it comes to lighting fires, cutting wood and navigating your way around the great outdoors.
Every adventurer needs a Leatherman. They are the ultimate when it comes to survival knives.
The Rebar is a classic design – its box-like shape stems from the original. It has 17 tools packed into its stainless steel sides, including hard-wire cutters, three screwdrivers and two different types of knife.
Leathermans come with a 25 year guarantee, so you can rest assured if it breaks unexpectedly, these guys will sort it.
Suunto is up there with the very best brands when it comes outdoors watches.
Made in Finland, the Suunto Core Steel Watch has an altimeter, barometer and compass plus temperature gauge, depth meter and storm alarm. Oh yeah, and a clock.
It comes with sapphire crystal glass for extra durability or in an aluminium case if you want something more lightweight.
Suunto watches look sleek and they have all the functions you could want on a mountain top – what more could you ask for?
Who needs an iPad when you could have something as hardcore and tech-ready as an Earl Backcountry Tablet?
It’s specially designed to cope with the outdoors. It has cutting-edge GPS tracking system, internal weather sensors for accurate forecasting, a two-way VHF and UHF radio, survival guides and more.
The Backcountry Tablet is also engineered to cope with the most extreme conditions. It is water, dust and shock proof.
The E-Ink screen means you can still read it in direct sunlight. The solar panels will charge the battery in just five hours.
Long gone are the days when you needed a big complicated contraption to convert river water into drinking water.
The LifeStraw is a personal water filter that you can carry easily in your backpack when hiking, camping and exploring the outdoors.
One straw can filter up to 1,000 litres of contaminated water into drinking water – just by sucking it up through the straw. Clever, eh?
OK, so it’s a head torch – but it’s not like your regular lamp.
The Petzl Nao headlamp has a reactive lighting mode which means the light’s brightness adapts instantly depending on the environment, thanks to a light sensor.
It provides maximum brightness (575 lumens) plus you don’t have to adjust the settings manually as often.
Everyone suffers from cold hands from time to time – particularly at high altitudes.
Zippo have created this pocket-size furnace that will burn for 12 hours producing a gentle consistent heat to melt those frozen fingers.
You can refill it, so it will remain useful on many expeditions to come.
The Biolite Camp Stove has to be one of the coolest gadget around. It’s a totally smokeless wood-burning stove, so you don’t have to carry around a gas canister with you.
It’s easy to set up and will have you cooking your meal or boiling water in a matter of minutes. It also has a USB port, so you can charge your phone while you cook.
It might seem a tad obvious, but every adventurer needs a GoPro. They really are the best waterproof, shock proof, hardcore cameras around.
You can take super high quality photos as well as film with one. They have dozens of attachments that allow you to clip it to your kayak, surfboard, helmet or dog’s back. Yes, really.
The new Hero4 even has a screen on the back, so you can point-and-shoot – plus delete all the videos of you bailing before you put them on the computer.
Trust us, GoPros live up to expectations.
Never heard of Swedish FireSteel? It’s the most genius firelighter in the world. Simply strike like a match and it creates a 3,000°C spark that will light any fire. It doesn’t matter if it’s pouring with rain or you are 4,000ft above sea level.
It’s used by a number of armies around the world because it’s so dependable in any conditions. It will stay strong even in the harshest temperatures and won’t self ignite. No matches required.
Knottology make paracord survival bracelets. Each wristband contains 12 foot of paracord (thin rope originally used for parachute cords).
Instead of having a regularly plastic clasp, each one has a function – whether it’s a storage compartment for iodine water purification tablets or a compass and mini flashlight. Handy.