Christmas GIFT GUIDE
Show your loved ones you care with a selection of high-tech presents and stylish festive favours that will bring a smile to anyone’s face
Words: Alex Cox
Photography: Neil Godwin
OUTDOOR LIVING
1
MINELAB VANQUISH 60 SERIES
Sometimes you just need something different to do and, let’s face it, everyone’s a budding detectorist even if they don’t know it. Drop one of Minelab’s remarkably good-looking new models in their hands, show them how to use the iron bias and object discrimination functions, and make them promise to share the Roman treasure with you. From £279, minelab.com
2
POCA AUDIO PINE BEAT
It’s always refreshing to see tech manufacturers acknowledging the impact that they have on the planet, and Poca’s sustainable aluminium speaker isn’t only rugged and recyclable, it’s built to last basically as long as you do. If the batteries give up the ghost, as lithium cells tend to do, just swap in a new one and resume the tunes. From £170, pocaaudio.co.uk
3
BOSE QC ULTRA 2
The QC Ultras are the very best headphones you can get for travel. That’s the headline, and it’s the truth: the ANC is epic, the folding design super convenient, and the lightweight comfort absolutely off the charts. Version two only serves to compound that excellence, with better battery and sound. If you really loved someone, you’d buy them these. £450, bose.co.uk
4
PASSENGER ESCAPISM CHANGING ROBE
With its outer spun from recycled plastic bottles, its inner super-fleecy and its measurements the right side of spacious, Passenger’s beach essential lets you warm up, block the wind and get out of your trunks without sullying the environment. It even packs down super-small, making it perfect for those carry-light away days. £100, passenger-clothing.com
5
MOUS ULTRATEX OPTIMAL LID BACKPACK
The perfect gadget bag? Arguing about that would diminish the carry-on size, the waterproof outer, the expandable pockets, the 18 (!) compartments, and everything else besides. Mous has built a backpack that suits its recipient’s needs, expertly padded to protect its insides and make it incredibly wearable. £300, uk.mous.co
6
CANADA GOOSE SALAR
One for the cool dudes in your life, a pair of sunglasses which offer the usual UV protection and panto style but also a rather practical extra: removable side-panel blinkers that prevent sun glare on the slopes. And with polarised (or prescription) lenses, they can even enhance colour perception for additional enjoyment and safety. £145, canadagoose.com
7
DJI OSMO 360
Ideal for caputuring a room full of delighted faces on Christmas day, but probably better suited to ludicrously documenting outdoor adventures, DJI has really nailed the 360-degree camera thing. Offering 8K 30fps capture from its front and back lenses as well as super-smooth 4K 100fps, this is great in low light and astonishingly stable at high speed. From £409, dji.com
8
DJI MINI 5 PRO
A drone is as much an excuse to visit the great outdoors as much as it is a vital tool for recording its majesty. DJI’s top-end little flying guy skims under the 250g threshold so it won’t burden its new owner with the weight of a Flyer ID exam, and while it’s easy enough for beginners to get to grips with, that Pro designation is well deserved thanks to an excellent camera. From £689, dji.com
STYLE
1
MONTBLANC 24/7 BAG
Carrying versatile style with a big dollop of luxury, Montblanc’s unisex tote is as happy on the back as it is in the hand. It offers smart zipped compartments to keep your smaller items immediately accessible, and more than enough room in its canvas-lined interior to stash your laptop, accessories, and a whole lot more. £2,000, montblanc.com
2
VIVOBAREFOOT MOTUS STUDIO MID LEATHER
Connect to the world without directly connecting with anything nasty. Fitted to the foot, with a thin, flexible sole offering serious sensory feedback, the Motus Studio isn’t just a gorgeous new way to experience the ground – it’ll change the way you walk, helping strengthen foot muscles that other shoes ignore. £160, vivobarefoot.com
3
DYSON SUPERSONIC NURAL
Heat is both hair’s best friend and worst enemy. That means gifting the Nural isn’t simply giving someone a hairdryer. You’re wrapping up silky smooth locks, a whole host of style options through its intelligent attachments, and a healthier head thanks to the temperature-tweaking scalp protect mode. It’s a salon’s worth of care. £300, dyson.co.uk