Editor Richard Bath’s family always complain that they don’t know what to buy him for Christmas, so he’s taken to compiling an annual list of stocking fillers whose unwrapping would start the big day on the perfect note. With a month to go until Santa’s arrival, here’s his 20 must-haves for 2022:
1) Vango Powerbank (£62): As well as the usual stuff around charging multiple phones, this powerbank has the wonderful facility of being able to inflate a tent or awning (if used with a Vango AirBeam pump). It has a DC and USB output, and indicator to let you know how much charge is left, and takes eight hours to recharge.
https://www.vango.co.uk/gb/camping-equipment/358-powerbank.html
2) Pantherella Tabitha cashmere socks (£44): Cashmere is roughly three times warmer than normal cotton and these hand-finished Pantherella Tabitha socks are the height of luxury. Monogram them with your or your loved one’s initials for a particularly memorable stocking filler.
https://www.pantherella.com/mens-socks/x/cashmere
3) Sebastien Kobelt Chocolate (from £3.95): Whether you go for the big selection boxes or the smaller jars (try the salted caramel or truffles or scorched almonds) everything this Linlithgow chocolatier does is mouth-watering.
https://www.sebastiankobelt.com/shop
4) EDZ boiled merino gloves (£21.99): Boiled gloves start life as massive gloves and are boiled down, making them thicker, denser, warmer and more wind-resistant than normal wool gloves. This is what skiers and climbers used before modern gloves and they are still used by the Austrian army.
https://edz.co.uk/product/edz-boiled-wool-gloves
5) Willen portable speaker (£89.99): Made by legendary speaker manufacturer Marshall, this highly portable bluetooth speaker gives at least 15 hours of excellent sound on one charge, and comes with a top-of-class IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating.
https://www.marshallheadphones.com/gb/en/willen.html
6) The Swipe: (£19.99): From Thumbs Up!, this 10W Qi Wireless Charging Pad sits on your desk or bedside table and charges your smartphone throughout the day/night. It’s compatible with all the latest mobile phones and is very affordable.
https://thumbsup.com/products/wireless-charger
7) Contigo Streeterville Sake mug (£16): This mug is absolutely perfect for the office thanks to its Thermalock system, which allows the contents to stay piping hot for five hours (or cold for 15 hours). It also has a splash-proof slider lid, is dishwasher safe, has a non-slip base and is robust enough to take few knocks and keep going.
https://mycontigo.com/en/travel-mugs/streeterville-sake
8) Merino thermal liner gloves (£11.99): If you’re one of those people who get cold hands, then this could be perfect for you. These gloves are merino wool, so very warm, but thin enough to be worn under normal gloves. Perfect for cold days on the slopes.
https://edz.co.uk/product/merino-wool-thermal-liner-gloves
9) Lazy Pheasant rugby ball cushions (£49): Made in Scotland by Alanna Dale from south Ayrshire, these are great fun for the sports fans in the family. Mine is often spun-passed across the television room by the more excitable younger members of the family!
https://www.lazypheasant.com/collections/rugby-ball-cushions-1
10) Stryd 22 daysack (£30): This nice little daysack from Vango is lightweight yet durable, and has lots of excellent features: a contoured AirForce back system that enhances ventilation while active, it can support a hydration pack, has two side pockets, an organisation pocket to keep essentials safe and easy to access, strong duraflex buckles, and reflective prints for increased visibility in poor conditions and at night.
https://www.vango.co.uk/gb/hiking/1169-stryd-22.html
11) Live streaming kit (£22.99): If you’re on a Zoom call from home or the car, or want to do live streaming for any reason, this is a really useful tool. It includes a 2-in-1 universal phone holder and USB powered LED light with 3 brightness settings that easily clamps onto a table.
https://www.waterstones.com/product/live-streaming-kit/0612615101159
12) Montane Via Trail gloves (£30): These windproof and breathable gloves are designed for those hardy souls who love running in the winter, but actually I love them because they are also perfect for walking, with or without the dog. You can operate a smartphone without taking them off, and they also have a padded thumb for you to wipe your nose! Long-lasting, but are also covered by Montane’s lifetime guarantee.
https://montane.com/products/montane-via-trail-gloves#shopify-product-reviews
13) Silent Hunting Backpack 20l Xtralight Camo Furtiv (£34.99): This Decathlon backpack is perfect not just for those who go shooting and stalking, but for birdwatchers and walkers who don’t want to disturb deer. It’s also light, has plenty of grab straps, a zipped valuables pocket on the waistband, and a water carrying slot.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/silent-hunting-backpack-20l-xtralight-camo-furtiv/_/R-p-337807
14) Monogrammed Saltire shooting socks from Waring Brooke (£46.50): These shooting socks are made from a blend of Merino wool yarn, so are really hard-wearing, and they also have a cushioned foot with a ribbed leg. But the reason they are selling like hot cakes is because they come with a range of flags on one side (in this case, either Saltire or Union Jack) and your initials on the rear.
https://waringbrooke.com
15) Le Chameau portable dog bowl (£15): This is one of those handy things that you always wish you had when you go for a long walk. This is scrunchable bowl folds down small, and is light, quick-drying and ensures that you’ve always got the means to keep your pooch watered.
https://www.lechameau.com/portable-dog-bowl-11094#selection.color=5863&selection.size=5943
16) Waterproof dry bag 60L (£19.95): On my last camping trip, storing my wet gear in my rucksack next to my dry gear made everything soggy. The solution is this sealable dry sack from Vango, which holds 60 litres. It’s got hypalon webbing for extra strength, and weighs just 100g.
https://www.outdoorgear.co.uk/Vango-Dry-Bag-60-sku54131101.asp
17) Rugd Powerbrick (£49.99): This powerbrick also doubles as a camping light, and at just 280g it’s surprisingly light. It’s also got a thick rubber bumper edge which means it’s really robust, and its two brightness modes help retain power. It has a carabiner to attach it to your bag, is waterproof and shockproof, charges up to 50% in 30 mins and is compatible with most smartphones, iPads and cameras.
https://rugdlife.com/products/power-brick-portable-battery
18) Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ (£49.95): Thanks to their use of graphene drivers for detailed and authentic musical reproduction, these small, sweat-resistant earbud headphones have won awards for both design and function. They also boast all-day battery life (up to 45 hours), beautifully comfortable fit, featherweight design and a pocket-friendly case. Available in black or white.
www.cambridgeaudio.com/gbr/en/products/headphones/melomania-1-plus
19) SanDisk Ixpand Wireless Charger Sync (£90.99): This thing is a marvel – you put your smartphone on it (no plugging in required) and it not only charges the phone but backs up your photos and videos in full resolution right onto the charger. It can differentiate between different phones so can back up the whole family’s photos.
https://www.westerndigital.com/en-gb/products/accessories/sandisk-ixpand-wireless-charger#SDIZ90N-128G-GN4FE
20) Cheatwell foodies board game (£20): This board game (subtitled “Tension – the Top 10 naming game, foodies edition”) is the sort of board game that foodies or the whole family can play at Christmas when we’re all obsessed with our bellies. It’s easy to play and surprisingly accessible.
https://cheatwell.com/products/tension-foodies-edition
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Plus, don’t miss the December issue of Scottish Field magazine.
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