Pack-Away Bucket
Probably the smartest innovation to the basic bucket in several thousand years, this model is foldable, flattenable, pack-away. For sailors, campers, even ultra-light packers with a liking for buckets, this could well become the gadget of the year.
Made from silicone rubber, it flattens down from an entirely practical 22cm (9in) tall bucket to under 5cm. It’s flat enough to hang, throw in a gear bag or shove into a drawer and it won’t rust. Available in six colours.
Pack-Away Bucket, £19.95 from wackypracticals.com
ABS Avalanche Twin Airbags
German company ABS designed this device to help people survive if caught in an avalanche. The idea stems from a forest ranger surviving an avalanche when game he was carrying on his shoulders kept him from being swallowed and buried. This product attaches to an ABS backpack or a range of complementary ones from makers such as Dakine. The airbags work like those in a car except you trigger them manually. A gas cylinder inflates the bladders instantly on each side, like a pair of puffy wings, which keep you near the surface of the avalanche. It works well, it seems, with 97 per cent of people who have used them in an avalanche surviving, the vast majority of these uninjured. ABS Avalanche Twin Airbags cost £579 (€693) from snowsafe.co.uk. The ABS Vario Line of detachable packs cost from £40 (€48) upwards
Unbelievable Pocket Chain Saw
You know how it is? You suddenly spot an opportunity for a spot of ad hoc lumberjacking, if only you had a pocket chain saw . . . okay, so this one doesn’t boast a petrol motor, but it’s definitely pocket-sized and can deal with up to 7.5cm (3in) thick branches.
The saw part features a 53cm (21in) high strength steel chain with 92 bi-directional cutting teeth which makes it very efficient – it cuts with both back and forward motions.
You loop the chain around the branch (or it can be used for home DIY such as on PVC downpipes where space is limited) and rip the saw back and forth. The makers claim the teeth will stay sharp almost indefinitely.
It is perfect for camping or extreme hiking, and folds into a neat pouch until you next need to release your inner lumberjack. It weighs 170gm (6oz).
Unbelievable Pocket Chain Saw $24.95 (€19) from unbelievable-saw.com