7 Vital bank holiday items: What to pack for a mini break

Whether you’re off on a city break or exploring Britain’s beaches and hills, chances are you’re going to be getting your steps in this bank holiday, which will be hard going on your feet. 

These ECCO sandals are specially designed for optimum comfort when hiking, with an EVA footbed and ECCO FLUIDFORM design offering extra cushioning and flexibility. 

The ECCO nubuck leather is also made with less water and chemicals, meaning that they are more environmentally-friendly. 

Encouraging review: I wear Yucatán for hiking, and have for four years. I find the comfort and adjustability unparalleled. I often wished the straps were less bulky, less rugged, more refined looking for everyday casual wear, and now I have just that in Yucatán 2.0.

My only reservation is the sole in the Yucatán 2.0 is MORE rugged looking than the original due to the deep tread profile as seen from the side (this is partly hidden in the original Yucatán.

Otherwise, I would wear these for dressy occasions, they are that good looking (and did I mention they are the most COMFORTABLE footwear I own?).

Sure, you can capture photos on the go with your phone, but there’s still something nice and nostalgic about the polaroid camera’s instant film photography. 

This Polaroid Go model is super-compact at just over 10.5cm x 8.4cm x 6.1cm, making it ideally sized for bringing out on your day trips. It comes fully optimised for selfie photography too, with a mirror and a self-timer to help you capture yourself on your bank holiday day out.

Encouraging review: As far as instant cameras go, this one is well made, and delivers reasonably good quality photos, providing you learn how to get most out of it under different conditions.

To a Polaroid veteran, this will not be so hard to do, but I think newbies will have fun playing around with it.

The photos are pocketable and would be great to share and keep as mementos of special moments. That could also be done with older, vintage Polaroid cameras too.

There’s a reason that Chilly’s is the reusable bottle of choice. Not only does it come in a range of pretty colours and patterns, but it’s also completely leak-proof, sweat-proof, and keeps your water ice cold for over 24 hours. Or it can keep liquids piping hot for 12 hours—so you can bring yourself some warming tea if you prefer. 

The drinking collar comes with a Biocote coating, which eliminates the build-up of mould and bad odours after heavy use. 

Encouraging review: Have to say that this really is the best bottle I've bought. My eldest wanted it for the cult status at her school but over two years on and it’s still looking like new with no smells or mould patches ever developing.

After going through countless free bottles and bottle presents for my youngest, she chose the new Ombre Series 2 and we love it, so easy to clean, easy and ergonomic for her to carry and dumpy enough to pack into a smaller school bag.

The water comes out almost icy and to be honest I love the colour combinations. 

Portable chargers have crept up in size of late, but this one is genuinely pocket-sized without sacrificing the charging power. 

The power bank itself can be fully charged within a speedy two hours, and delivers roughly two charges for an iPhone 8. At 10.5cm length, and 99g weight, you can easily slip this into your bag without feeling weighed down.

Encouraging review: Fab quick charger. Does an iPhone from less than 10% in under an hour and will last three or four times.

Give yourself some extra peace of mind with this anti-theft crossbody sling bag, which helps you keep your valuables secure and within easy reach. The chest bag has an ultra slim design at less than half an inch thick, which makes it lightweight and easy to fit under your clothes. 

The main compartment is big enough to fit an eight inch tablet, while other zippable pockets are suitable for your smartphone, passport, credit card and keys. 

Encouraging review: I like everything about this bag. It looks very smart and has great functionality, well designed and great for travelling with phone pocket with fastener. Lots of very handy pockets with good quality zips on each.

I travel on the Naples to Sorrento railway with the bag discreetly under my outer layer making it very secure. If I can feel secure and stylish there it’ll work anywhere. 

Every travelling bookworm’s best friend is now even smaller and lighter, at just six inches screen width. With 16GB storage, you can download thousands of books to keep you busy on any long bank holiday journeys, and the battery life now lasts up to six weeks on one single charge. 

Amazon’s design is glare-free too, making this e-reader a little easier on the eyes when you’re absorbed in a good book for hours. 

Encouraging review: If you're getting into e-Reading and it will be your first device, this is a really good deal (especially if you catch it on sale like I did!).

The screen is crisp like the more expensive models which makes it something to automatically consider. I also prefer this size because I see myself bringing my e-Reader inside my bag to read while commuting or during my breaks at work.

With the British weather being what it is, you’ll want to be prepared for the occasional shower when you step out of the house. This lightweight waterproof jacket from Trespass packs down into a small pouch, which is easy to pop into your day bag and pull out as needed. 

It comes with a ventilated back yoke too, so you can keep yourself cool on any sweaty hikes.

Encouraging review: Does a very good job of keeping me dry even when out for hours in rain on my bike. It also does well at keeping you warm.

In fact, I can end up quite sticky during warmer months when wearing this despite it being lovely and light and easy to pack away. Definitely recommend this product.

Read more: 7 Useful travel accessories for any trip

Read more: How to pack smart, not light

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