2020-03-01_Wanderlust

wanderlust.co.uk March 2020 173

GEAR GURU DISCOVER

Visitourwebsiteat

wanderlust.co.uk

toreadPhoebe’sfullGear

oftheYear 2020 roundup

Howthewinners

wereselected

Allmanufacturerswere

askedtonominatetheitem

ofkittheymadeineach

categorywhichtheyfelt

wasbestfortravellers.

Fromthenominations

receivedthejudgesthen

meticulouslyexamined

thefeatures,weightand

credentialsofeachand

madetheircaseforthe

winners.Thesewerescored

to  indthestandoutpiece

ofkitineachcategory.

Who were

the judges?

PhoebeSmith

An award-

winning writer,

broadcaster and

photographer, Phoebe is

Wanderlust’s travel gear

expert and chaired the

Gear of the Year judging.

DwayneFields

The     irst black

Briton to walk

over 400 miles

to the magnetic North Pole,

Dwayne uses gear regularly

on his travels and knows

the value of kit that works

under pressure.

PaulGoodyer

Paul founded

and ran Nomad

Travel and

Nomad Travel Clinics.

He has also worked as

Logistics Assistant for

the TV production

company who made

BBC’s Beyond Boundaries.

KATHMANDU
Hybrid 50L Trolley, £180
The New Zealand company claims another top spot this year
for its ingenious rolling hybrid luggage. Featuring a telescopic
pull-out pole and two wheels for easy navigating through the
airport, it is also easily converted into a backpack with
a fold-out harness and an inbuilt and impressively breathable
back system. Mesh pockets and a large opening make it easy
to pack, as do compression straps and a front pocket. It’s
lockable, durable and has attachment points so you can also
clip on a daypack if needed.
kathmandu.co.uk

Special mention: The Osprey Farpoint Wheels 65 and

Berghaus’ Expedition Mule 60.

BEST

TRAVEL

LUGGAGE

BEST

TRAVEL

ACCESSORY

KATADYN

BeFree Water Filtration System, £40

Plastic bottles have dominated our thoughts over

the past few years and there’s no excuse now for

using single-use water bottles – except perhaps

if you’re travelling in a country where the H2O

source is questionable. But that problem’s easily

removed with this collapsible drink bottle,

winning this category for the second year in a row.

Boasting a ilter in the lid and a tiny foldaway bottle

that will it in your pocket, you can literally take it

anywhere and pop it under any tap or dip it in

a stream as it removes protozoa and bacteria as

you drink. It’s easy to clean, store and use,

meaning you really can ditch those nasty plastic

bottles wherever your adventures take you.

katadyn.com

Special mention: Nikwax’s BaseWash Travel Gel

and Craghoppers’ NosiLife Sleeping Liner.