Petzl Actik Core (625 lumens) rechargeable head torch

A head torch is one of the few things almost every UK hiker reaches for - dark winter mornings and evenings, camping, and emergencies - and it needs no size information at all, which is exactly what makes it the strongest all-round gift here. The Actik Core's standout is its hybrid power: it ships with a 1250mAh USB-rechargeable CORE battery (roughly a 3-hour charge) but also takes 3x AAA, so the recipient is never stranded by a dead cell on a multi-day trip. Petzl lists 625 lumens with multiple beam patterns, a red night-vision mode and a reflective band, at 88g with IPX4 weather resistance that copes with typical British rain. At an indicative ~£50 on offer (RRP £72) it reads as a more substantial gift than socks or a map. The one caveat: keen walkers often already own a head torch, so it's worth a discreet check first.