Essentials EDITORIAL SUPPLEMENT EXAMPLES 1) The Ultimate Packing Guide 2) The Festive Gift Guide
Essentials The ultimate packing list
Top tips for packing like a pro So, you’ve narrowed your travel bucket list down to the next place to go, combed through your guidebooks, and made most the arrangements. Now there’s only one thing standing between you and the world: packing. Whether this is your first trip for a while or you're a seasoned globetrotter, it's always helpful to be aware of the latest travel essentials you may want to pack. We’ve put together a comprehensive checklist of items that covers everything from tech to toiletries and so much more.
Essentials // Tech Edifier NeoBuds Pro Made for those who appreciate the finest audio quality, the NeoBuds Pro features innovative acoustic technology that delivers crystal-clear, Hi-Res certified audio. Expertly tuned by a world-class acoustics team, the earbuds achieve exceptionally deep bass while a Knowles-balanced armature produces pure highs. £119.99 www.amazon.co.uk PocketTalk The Pocketalk S language translator is the perfect gift for globetrotters. It can translate 82 languages bidirectionally at the touch of a button and has a text-to-translate camera which instantly recognises and translates text, the written word and signs - ideal if you are finding your way around a new city. Kensington Contour 2.0 Laptop Backpack Comfortable, secure and durable - this ergonomist-approved backpack is perfect for travellers. Made from tough, waterproof material, the Kensington Contour 2.0 laptop bag will stand the test of time. £52.49 www.amazon.co.uk £259 twelvesouth.com The Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones "The Planet Aquapac Waterproof Phone Case Protect your valuables from water, dirt, sand and dust with the Aqua pac Waterproof Phone Case. It’s 100% waterproof and you can still talk and hear through the case as normal. £24 www.amazon.co.uk Page 190 Buddies Wireless Headphones are available in a variety of characters including Pepper the Penguin, Olive the Owl and Pippin the Panda. The products each have a story about its character, why they are endangered and practical tips on what children can do to help protect all life on our planet. £39.99 www.planetbuddies.com
GameSir T4 Mini Kensington UH140OP USB-C Mobile Dock Don’t let the size of the T4 Mini controller fool you, it is a serious controller. With 10-hour battery life, a rugged-yetergonomic design and a two-setting turbo function (Manual Turbo & Auto Turbo) this portable little thing is perfect for gamers wanting a completely hassle-free, pick-up-and-play experience. www.amazon.co.uk £35.99 Tile Mate Twelve South Airfly The AirFly is a Bluetooth adaptor that allows AirPods or other wireless headphones to be used in situations where only wired headphone jacks are available i.e. on the plane. AirFly Pro allows up-to two users to easily connect their wireless headphones via Bluetooth, to the media system while flying. www.twelvesouth.com £29.99 Twelve South HoverBar Duo The Twelve South HoverBar Duo is an adjustable stand that can securely hold an iPad at different heights as well as in multiple positions and angles. The HoverBar Duo comes with a weighted desktop stand as well as a desk/shelf clamp, making it incredibly versatile. £79.99 www.twelvesouth.com Page 191 Attach Mate to everyday things like keys and bags and use the free Tile app to find them. £19.99 www.tile.com Kensington USB-C Mobile Dock brings you connectivity and productivity wherever you need it. Compact but powerful, this dock features 8 ports for connectivity which allow you to extend your laptop experience the easiest and most convenient way £64.64 www.amazon.co.uk Twelve South BookBook for Kindle Paperwhite The BookBook for Kindle Paperwhite is a vintage inspired, one-of-a-kind case designed to protect Amazon’s latest e-reader while travelling. BookBook transforms the Kindle Paperwhite into what looks and feels like an elegant, leather-bound hardcover book that protects the Kindle Paperwhite and disguises it, making it less tempting to thieves. £49.99 www.twelvesouth.com
Essentials // Tech Twelve South PowerPic Mod The PowerPic Mod is a customizable wireless charger. With a blend of modern design and 10watts of Qi charging technology, PowerPic mod charges all of the newest, and oldest, wireless charging phones, including phones with cases up to 3mm thick. As a bonus, this elegant stand also charges AirPods Pro. £54.95 www.twelvesouth.com Twelve South Suitcase for Mac The Twelve South SuitCase is a stylish case designed to protect a MacBook from scratches, bumps, water damage and more. The quilted signature diamond pattern exterior and thermoform shell securely holds and protects the MacBook inside whilst a small integrated pocket is ideal for carrying a small notebook or cable £79.99 www.twelvesouth.com Unistellar Digital Telescope The eVscope 2 brings power and speed together with optical expertise to deliver the most immersive space exploration experience. Leveraging Nikon’s pioneer expertise in electronic eyepiece, and with a 7,7Mpx enhanced image resolution, the eVscope 2 delivers the most stunning visual experience ever £2,300 www.unistellaroptics.com WD Elements SE SSD The brand-new pocket-sized drive from Western Digital is the one to buy. It will allow anyone enjoy read speeds up to 400MB/s and 2TB of capacity, so you can swiftly move large files, wherever you are. www.westerndigital.com £89.99 Page 192 Twelve South StayGo Mini StayGo Mini provides four additional ports including a headphone jack, USB-A, USB-C (for pass through power) and HDMI port so that users can easily connect and power their essential accessories. StayGo Mini will make editing video, photos or polishing presentations on iPad Air, iPad Pro or MacBook more convenient and efficient. £54.99 www.twelvesouth.com
Essentials // Cosmetics FFS Razor Rock the perfect pins anytime with the world’s first ever diamond coated 6 blade female razor from FFS Beauty. No matter where you are in the world the award-winning razor delivers the perfect shave www.ffs.co.uk £9.95 hår Nourishing Shampoo Bar Our award-winning solid shampoo does away with wasteful overpackaging and environmental worries in one. Perfect for anyone who loves the planet as much as their hair, these plasticfree shampoo bars effectively cleanse and moisturise to leave your hair looking nourished and healthy. www.gruum.com £8 Raw Beauty Lab Reusable Cleaning Pads Made from a soft, plush micro-fibre and featuring a finger loop for a secure grip, these thirsty dualsided pads gently lift away make-up whilst gently helping to stimulate collagen production - no need for make-up remover. Just wet the pad and gently wipe across your eyelashes to lift off make-up. www.rawbeautylab.com £11.99 SOS Serum Lip The answer to sensitive skin. This deeply nourishing and mattifying lip balm with a broad spectrum SPF 30, helps to moisturise and protect lips against the harsh effects of the cold, wind, and sun. £15 www.sosserum.co.uk Page 193
Essentials // Cosmetics Kollo Health- Liquid Collogen Supplement Kollo is the UKs leading liquid collagen sachet with a power-packing 10g of premium marine collagen, plus added vitamins B and C. Kollo is specially formulated to support whole body health for both men and women at any time of life. www.kollohealth.com 14 day supply for £35.99 The Skin Elixir The Skin Elixir is the first capsule supplement for WelleCo, the ingestible beauty and wellness brand created by Elle Macpherson. Supporting healthy, glowing skin, these potent, bioavailable vegan capsules are packed with sustainablysourced skin-nourishing super greens, vitamins and antioxidants. £35 www.WelleCo.co.uk Incognito Insect Repellent Spray FFS Deodorant Balm Incognito Insect Repellent Spray has been clinically tested to provide 100% protection against Zika and Dengue carrying mosquitoes for 4.5 hours. It also provides worldwide protection against mosquitoes that carry Yellow Fever, Chikungunya, and Malaria. DEET-free formula www.incognitospray.com £11.99 Banish bad odour with mood boosting natural deodorant balm as good for the planet as it is your arm pits. Awarding winning sustainable beauty brand FFS Beauty’s refreshing Grapefruit and Peppermint deodorant balm subtly alters the skins natural pH level to effectively prevent body odour. www.ffs.co.uk £11 Page 194
Essentials // Travel La Pochette Wet Bag This is the ideal solution to the ‘wet swimwear dilemma’. Whether you’re looking to store your swimwear in your beach bag or handbag at the spa, or if you want to get in that final swim before your flight. The Wet Bag offers a triple lock system to ensure reliable, leak proof storage of wet swimwear and sports kit £70 www.amazon.co.uk £35 www.noblemacmillan.com Chelsea Zipped Travel Jewellery Box This travel size Chelsea Jewellery box is the ideal product to keep in your hand bag, take on holiday or simply keep on your bedside table. The Jewellery box is finished in Noble Macmillan's finest Italian calfskin leather with suede interiors. £140 www.noblemacmillan.com From tackling epic road trips to scaling mountain peaks and for city-stays and camping in the wilderness too, Stubble & Co’s new Adventure Bag is perfect for explorers. The all-black “go-anywheredo-anything bag” has been designed to provide great functionality and versatility. £185 www.stubbleandco.com Page 195 The Stubble & Co Adventure Bag Passport Cover As part of the travel collection, this super soft yet durable leather passport cover will mean you travel in style. It is easy to remove your passport and is perfect for any age. This cover has been hand made in the UK and can be personalised with initials or a message.
Essentials // Travel Travel Towel (XL) This super-absorbent and quick-drying towel feels incredibly soft next to the skin and its extra-large, sun lounger-sized dimensions ensure you’ll be fully covered when drying off after a swim or shower. The microfibre material makes it incredibly compact and lightweight, ideal to pop in your beach bag or day pack. £14.99 www. go.travel/uk/ Ember Travel Mug Ember is a design-led temperature control brand that is building an entirely new category of smart, temperature controlled IOT products for the home and beyond. Ember’s mugs let users set and maintain their ideal drinking temperature for hot beverages £179.95 www.ember.com Worldwide Adaptor + USB Perfect for those who plan to travel more in the new year, this universal adaptor + twin USB charger connects travellers in over 190 countries worldwide. It features 3 sliding plug faces that alternate between American, British and Australian / Chinese configurations. £39.99 www. go.travel/uk/ Memory Dreamer Travel Pillow Available in a variety of different colours to suit all tastes and personalities, the Memory Dreamer pillow from Go Travel combines velvety smooth fabric with an incredibly supportive memory foam that allows you to melt into comfort. £19.99 www. go.travel/uk/ Page 196
Essentials // Clothes and shoes Tropicfeel’s unisex range of ‘all terrain’ sneakers The Sunset sneaker from conscious travel label Tropicfeel features the brands 4-in-1 all-terrain versatility, providing the wearer with the benefits of aqua shoes, the comfort of sports shoes, the technical outsole materials of hiking shoes, and the style of your favourite daily pieces. www.tropicfeel.com £86 Lyle and Scott- SS 22 venture range Spring 22 Venture mixes the rave culture and it’s fearless belief of inclusiveness with the resourcefulness of the outdoors and adapts it to practical yet stylish solutions to everyday life. www.lyleandscott.com £140 Page 197
Essentials// Other This is Silk: one-sided, tie on silk pillow covers. The covers use This Is Silk’s award winning, signature 22 momme, Grade 6A pure silk, just half as much of it, for half the price. The silk tie on pillowcases give all the benefits of pure silk and are ideal for those wanting to try sleeping on silk without investing in a full pillowcase. £25.99 www.thisissilk.com Oclean W10 Water Flosser The OCLEAN W10 Water Flosser is the bigger, more effective brother of the everyday floss. Producing a powerful pulse frequency of 1,400 times per minute, the W10 comes with 4 unique nozzles and 5 non-invasive oral irrigation modes designed to effectively clean out the food and bacteria that forms between your teeth. £121.00 www.oclean.com Page 198
Hydro Flask 210z Bottle Keeping drinks icy cold for up to 24 hours or piping hot for up to 12, Hydro Flask’s 21 oz bottle fits in the pocket of your rucksack or neatly in your bag. It features a leakproof lid and tough, colourful powder coating. Stay hydrated on all your adventures. £32.95 www.snowandrock.com LifeStraw Go 2-Stage Bottle LifeStraw’s two-stage filtration system makes almost all fresh water safe to drink – whether you’re filling up from a tap abroad or rehydrating at a waterfall. It protects you agains bacteria, parasites, microplastics, chlorine, organic chemical matter, dirt, sand, and cloudiness. Every fill up equals one less single-use plastic water bottle! £44.95 www.wildbounds.com Page 199
eSSENTIALS FESTIVE SEASON GIFT GUIDE hether you’re enjoying a Christmas staycation this year, spending it with loved ones or traveling, we’ve curated a list of fantastic products you’ll want to buy. From stocking fillers and family fun games to flashy electronics and stylish new additions to your wardrobe, our collection of must-buys is perfect if you’re looking for a great gift or something to keep you entertained at home or on the go. W
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essentials - games Top Trumps Games Top Trumps A classic stocking filler and fun for all, these brand-new Limited Editions Top Trumps cover a range of properties. Available in a range of prices from Amazon, battle it out with your favourite characters from Peaky Blinders, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Harry Potter and more. Or test the vehicles and gadgets of 007 James Bond or Fortnite’s weapons in The Independent & Unofficial Guide to Fortnite. Amazon: £6 - £10 Top Top Trumps Quiz 500 questions to challenge the fanatics amongst your friends and family. Available for Disney Classic and the Harry Potter Wizarding World™, all cards come packaged in a neat plastic case perfect for storing and quizzing on the go. Amazon: £10 Word Games The super-fast word Dice Games Lex-GO! game from Waddingtons No.1. Available in two versions: Harry Potter and Disney - both include special tiles that help you win. They also come in an all-in-one carry case perfect for playing whilst on the move. Amazon: £15 Pass the Pugs Pass the Pigs gets a new spin in their first ever variation (that isn’t a pig): PUGS!. Be the first to get to 100 points by throwing the pugs in the air and seeing how they land. Will your pugs ‘play dead’, ‘faceplant’ or will it be ‘puppy love’? Amazon: £15 Page 165 Top Trumps Match: The Crazy Cube Game Introducing new additions to Top Trumps Match complete with an all-in-one carry case - making tidying and storing easy. Battle it out with your favourite icons and characters from Disney Pixar, Batman and Elf™. Amazon: £15.99
Board Games Prometheus A compulsively playable and endlessly challenging new board game for a new era. It’s a strategy game with simple rules and an infinite number of fascinating outcomes. It’s easier and quicker to play than chess, more intriguing than draughts, and more thrilling than both. Prometheus website: £34.95 The Very Merry Christmas Game The Family The Really Nasty Horse Racing Game Game of Presents, Crackers, Christmas Songs… and Sprouts! Move around the board collecting presents (present cards) to put in your stocking. Presents have a value depending on whether they’re nice… or naff. Amazon: £20 Shifu - Tacto Gamesets Built on innovative touch technology and AI, Tacto is the first ever phygital board game that allows parents to play and kids to learn - all whilst having fun. Using real figurines to drive the gameplay on screen and with six gamesets to choose from, children will be spoilt for choice. Amazon: £45 Families can enjoy a ‘day at the races’ when playing this devious family board game. Players race their horses around the board to win at all costs. But be devious, bet your own horse or someone else’s - just don’t tell anyone who you’ve bet on. For 2 to 6 players or teams and ages 12 to adult. Amazon: £20 Confident?: The Guess-A-Range Party Game This hit party game asks questions like “how fast can a kangaroo hop?” But, instead of giving exact answers, you guess with a range. The smaller your range, the more you score! Are you confident enough to go small and win big? Amazon: £20 Snakesss Spot the imposter party game! In Snakesss, you have 2 minutes to discuss a slippery multiplechoice question. You need to vote for the right answer, but there are hidden snakes at the table, and their mission is charm other players into picking the wrong option. Page 166
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essentials - ELECTRONICS DJing DDJ-200, 2-channel Smart DJ controller Perfect for beginners - lightweight and compact with a prostyle layout, ideal for learning how to mix. You’ll be dropping mixes and playing friends’ requests like a pro in no time. Amazon: £139 Amazon: £59 HDJ-CUE1, DJ Headphones Available in four different colours, featuring a professional look and feel, rich sound, foldable design, and a high-quality finish. Speakers & Earphones Marshall Emberton Portable Bluetooth Speaker Emberton is a compact portable speaker with the loud and vibrant sound only Marshall can deliver. Experience absolute 360° sound where every spot is a sweet spot. With 20+ hours of playtime, you can enjoy the superior sound of Marshall for hours on end. Amazon: £129 Audio Pro Addon T3+ Portable Bluetooth Speaker With up to 30 hour of battery life at half volume and 12 hours at max, the new and improved version of the award-winning T3 Audio Pro P5 Wireless Loudspeaker At just 22x10cm, it is small enough to perfectly fit into a bag or in your pocketr whilst still creating an impressive sound. Also featuring a handy wrist strap, it makes for easy transportation to parks and picnics, at which it will keep tunes playing for up to 18 hours. Amazon: £139 Page 168 model sets a new standard for portable audio. Its genuine leather handle and solid aluminium details offer a simple yet solid design. Amazon: £175
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