Travel Gear: Smart smart watches, warm hammock quilts and portable cookery ironware

Pebble Time Smart Watch If the price of the Apple Watch is a sticking point, Pebble's range is worth considering. It's got some new models with a few advantages. They are cheaper, water resistant up to 30m and they talk to both Android and iOS with a seven-day battery life, outstripping the one-day recharge cycle of Apple's timepieces. There is a range of straps and bodies, including a tasty Steel version. €250 from getpebble.com

Best Made Takedown Portable Skillet When packing for camping or perhaps just trying to show off our inner Bear Grylls with a bit of wild outdoors cooking, we'd usually think the lighter the gear, the better. But if you really want to impress with a full fry-up, there's always an old-fashioned skillet. This one from Best Made Company is made in the UK. It is 99.1 per cent pure spun iron rather than heavier cast iron and has brass wing nuts. It weighs just over 1kg, but that gives it great heat retention properties and means it would probably outlast you too. $98 (€86) from bestmadeco.com

Vulcan Hammock Under Quilt If the mention of a hammock evokes the image of swaying gently on a net strung between two palm trees on a sandy beach, think again. The Vulcan Under Quilt makes four-season hammocks an option, with its Primaloft® Synergy insulation keeping you toasty. The quilt is full length, with adjustable suspension and a durable water repellent finish. And it compresses down to a neat little pack. $175 from

[ eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com ]

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