It's not always a very nice world out there, but the right selection of tech gadgetry can help you and your friends and family cope in just about any situation you come across - whether that's stood at the side of a motorway or lost in the mountains of Snowdonia.
We've hand-picked a range of ultra-useful gizmos and gear to help you cope in most situations you're likely to find yourself in, and most of them are cheap and compact too, so you can stuff them away in the corner of a rucksack or the boot of your car. Stay safe out there.
1. Anker PowerPort Solar
As long as you've got sunshine you've got power with the Anker PowerPort Solar, which uses the energy of the Sun to keep your gadgets charged - if you're miles away from the nearest plug socket then this can be invaluable if you need to make an emergency call.
- Buy Anker PowerPort Solar, £49.99 (UK) or $61.99 (US)
2. Aqua Pure Traveller
If you need clean drinking water on your adventures then that's what the Aqua Pure Traveller is there for - it combines a drinking bottle with a water purifier that filters out bacteria, viruses, chemicals, dirt and pathogens. As used by the UK armed forces, apparently.
- Buy Aqua Pure Traveller, £38.99 (UK) or $133.84 (US)
3. GoTenna
No signal, no problem with the GoTenna, which can let you communicate with other GoTenna units and use GPS mapping offline. Get a pack of four and you can stay in touch with the whole family or group even if you're a couple of miles apart from each other.
- Buy GoTenna four pack, $239 (US) (about £179)
4. Paracord Survival Bracelet
The clue's in the name: it's a bracelet that helps you survive. This is a 5-in-1 emergency tool that includes a high-quality compass, a flint fire starter, a scraper, an emergency whistle, and a rescue rope. Whatever your predicament, the Paracord Survival Bracelet can help.
- Buy Paracord Survival Bracelet, £5.99 (UK) or $9.99 (US)
5. Wearsafe Personal Safety Device
If you find yourself in trouble then a tap on this Wearsafe dongle will immediately and discreetly ping the contacts of your choice and start broadcasting audio and your location. A subscription is also required, but you get your first 12 months free by buying a tag.
- Buy Wearsafe Personal Safety Device, £59.99 (UK) or $30 (US)
6. Midland ER310 Emergency Solar Radio
Lots to like about the Midland ER310 (or the ER300 in the UK): it can work off solar power, or a hand crank, and as well as letting you tune into the radio it doubles up as a flashlight that has a handy SOS flashlight beacon mode you can turn to in the most dire situations.
- Buy Midland ER310 Emergency Solar Radio, £59 (UK) or $59.97 (US)
7. Wallet Ninja
You never know when the Wallet Ninja might come in handy, and that's the beauty of it: it opens letters, boxes, cans and bottles, acts as a ruler, and works as a screwdriver too. In total there are 18 different practical tools here, all packed into the size of a credit card.
- Buy Wallet Ninja, £8.99 (UK) or $12 (US)
8. VSSL Supplies
We love the idea of the VSSL Supplies gadget, which packs in a whole host of useful survival gear and then doubles up as a flashlight as well. Inside the tube is kit for fishing, starting fires, first aid, purifying water, sawing and more, and it's ultra compact too.
- Buy VSSL Supplies, £89.95 (UK) or $75 (US)
9. Leatherman Sidekick
Undoubtedly one of the best multitools in the business, the Leatherman Sidekick looks like it means business and can help you out in an emergency with 14 different tools, including pliers, wire cutters, a saw. can and bottle openers, and three screwdrivers.
- Buy Leatherman Sidekick, £69.95 UK or $39.96 (US)
10. AGM Survival Tool Kit
Two survival tools for the price of one with this kit, a flint striker for starting fires and a whistle for alerting other people to your presence. Oh, and there's also a ruler but we're not really sure what that's for... measuring? At this low price we're not really complaining.
- Buy AGM Survival Tool Kit, £6.99 (UK) (about $9)
11. Panasonic Any Battery Light
You'll have to import this little gadget from Japan but we liked it so much we had to include it - as the name suggests, this torch runs off (almost) any type of battery, AAA, AA, C or D. Whatever you can scrounge from the ashes of civilisation, it can power this device.
- Buy Panasonic Any Battery Light, $16.14 (US) (about £12)
12. Petzl REACTIK+ Headlamp
Light your way and keep your hands free at the same time with this Petzl Headlamp. It runs off a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and can reach all the way up to 300 lumens, which is enough to light the darkest spot. Even better, you can operate it from your smartphone.
- Buy Petzl REACTIK+ Headlamp, £68.66 (UK) or $109.95 (US)
- Doing some Christmas shopping? Here are the best gadgets for £100 or less
