Electronics Buying Guide

A GPS watch that nails the split on a personal best, or a head torch that gets someone down a hill safely after dark, changes how a trip actually feels. Good electronics do not just get people out of trouble; they open up routes, distances and conditions that would be a lot harder to tackle without them.

This guide runs through the electronics that come up again and again on UK trails and trips: GPS watches, head torches and other lighting, headphones, activity trackers, handheld GPS units, a few useful gadgets, and power adaptors. Below is what each one actually does, and what is worth checking before spending money.

A GPS watch tracks location, pace, distance and route using satellite signals, alongside heart rate and other fitness data. Runners, cyclists and hikers use them to record routes, follow navigation lines, and check performance stats without pulling out a phone.

Anyone who runs regularly, trains for an event, or heads into the hills often will get their money's worth from a GPS watch. A watch saves battery compared with using a phone for navigation, and it keeps both hands free on rough ground.

Customer reviews on watches tend to focus on two things above the rest: how quickly the watch locks onto a satellite signal under tree cover, and how the strap sits after four or five hours of wear. Both points matter more than extra features on a spec sheet. A watch that struggles to find signal in a valley, or one that rubs after a long run, ends up in a drawer rather than out on the trail.

Check these before buying a GPS watch:

• Battery life in GPS mode, not just everyday mode, since satellite tracking drains power much faster than a normal watch face
• Screen visibility in bright sunlight, since some screens wash out completely on a clear day
• Route upload and offline map support, useful for areas with no signal
• Water resistance rating, particularly for wild swimmers and trail runners caught in downpours

Garmin is one of the biggest names in GPS watches, and Cotswold Outdoor stocks a wide range across running, hiking and expedition use. Browse our full Garmin range available here.

Head torches, lanterns and clip-on lights are some of the most underrated items on any packing list. A head torch keeps hands free for scrambling, cooking, or checking a map, and a good one turns a dark path into a manageable one within seconds.

Lumens measure brightness. Higher numbers mean a stronger beam, but more lumens also means faster battery drain. A short evening dog walk might only need 50 to 100 lumens. Winter hiking, fell running after dark, or mountain rescue-style situations call for 300 lumens or more, plus a red light mode to protect night vision and avoid disturbing others nearby.

Look for these features in a head torch:

1. Beam type: flood beams light up a wide area close by; spot beams throw light further down the trail
2. Rechargeable versus battery powered: rechargeable saves money over time; spare batteries save the day when no power source is nearby
3. Weight and strap fit, since a heavy torch that bounces around gets tiring on longer routes
4. IP rating, which shows how well a torch copes with rain and dust

Need advice on how to choose a headtorch? Read our full guide here.

A handheld GPS unit is a dedicated navigation device built for serious off path use, and it holds a clear edge over phone apps in a few areas. Battery life on a handheld unit can stretch to days rather than hours, since the device has no calls, messages or apps competing for power.

Handheld GPS units also handle extreme cold, drops, and heavy rain better than most phones, thanks to tougher casings built for those conditions. Mountain leaders, search and rescue teams, and expedition groups often carry one as backup navigation even when a phone is also in the bag, since a single point of failure on a mountain is never worth the risk.

For most day walkers on well signed UK trails, a phone with an offline map app and a printed map as backup will do the job. For anyone heading into remote terrain, poor signal areas, or wild country, a handheld GPS earns its place in the pack.

A saved route or a marked waypoint on a handheld GPS can cut real time off a mountain search when the weather turns and visibility drops. That extra margin is worth carrying even on a route that has been walked before.

Standard headphones and outdoor headphones are not built the same. Sweat, rain, wind noise and a bumpy trail put extra strain on earbuds that were never made with any of that in mind.

Bone conduction headphones sit just in front of the ear rather than inside it, sending sound through the cheekbones instead of the ear canal. This keeps ears open to traffic, wildlife, and other walkers, which matters when a quick reaction is needed. Runners and cyclists on roads or shared paths often prefer this style for exactly that reason.

For full sound isolation, look for an IPX rating of at least IPX4 for sweat and light rain, and IPX7 or higher for anyone swimming or caught in heavier weather. A pair that only lasts three hours will not survive a full day hike, so check the runtime against the length of a typical trip before buying. Shop our full range of headphones.

A few smaller gadgets round out the electronics picture, and these get overlooked until the exact moment they are needed.

Power banks keep phones, watches and torches charged on longer trips, and a 10,000mAh model gives most devices two to three full charges. Solar chargers work well on multi-day treks where mains power is not an option, though they charge slowly on cloudy UK days, so treat one as a backup rather than a main power source.

Pack these gadgets before any trip:

• Power bank, fully charged the night before departure
• Correct power adaptor for the destination country
• Spare batteries for head torches that do not use rechargeable cells
• Charging cables that match every device being carried, since a missing cable makes a power bank useless