My latest currently loving favourites: ten things that are adding colour, comfort and connection to my winter.
It’s time for another one of my semi-regular Currently Loving post, in which I gather a mix of things that have been quietly (and not‑so‑quietly) making me smile – on walks, at home, on adventures, and in those everyday in‑between moments.
These lists are a kind of rolling snapshot of what’s adding ease, joy or delight. And this time, that ranges from tiny bits of kit that make hiking simpler, to a piece of tech I’ve resisted for years and finally caved on.
But I think I’ll skip the rest of the usual preamble, and just get straight into this set of mini reviews.
Currently Loving | May 2026
01 Speed Stash Phone Pocket
This little phone pocket is one of those deceptively simple bits of kit that immediately makes you wonder why you didn’t get one sooner. It attaches to the strap of my hiking pack and keeps my phone right where I need it: close enough for quick photos, videos, and map checks, but not stuffed in my trouser pocket where it usually lives. I’ve seen so many hikers using something similar, and clearly I’ve been influenced – and honestly, I get it now.
I went for the Matador Speed Stash (here on Amazon) version because their gear tends to be well thought out, and this is no exception. It fixes on securely (I was concerned it might wobble about, but it doesn’t), and it’s protective without being bulky. The zip is smooth, the fabric feels tough enough for British weather, and it sits neatly without getting in the way of my arm swing. It’s been brilliant on day hikes so far: easy access, no faff, and easier than pocket‑digging when I want to capture a view before the light changes.
I’ll be testing it properly on a multi‑day hike very soon, which feels like the real trial, but early impressions are very good. Sometimes the smallest upgrades make the biggest difference to how a day on the trail flows. I’ve got the iPhone 16 Pro, by the way, and that fits in just right.
02 Matador Reusable Toothpaste Tubes
Matador have done well in my currently loving this time… These are their refillable toothpaste tubes (here on Amazon), a Christmas gift which has already made my travels feel a little more sorted. I mentioned them briefly in my Bournemouth Beach Hut quirky stay video, but they deserve a mention here too. Having mostly given up with toothpaste tabs (they’re just too expensive, remember this fail?!), I can now decant toothpaste from the large buy a normal full-size tube and decant what I need. Infinitely more practical, and far less plastic heading to landfill. Every little helps, right.
The set comes with two tubes: one sized for about a week away, and one for roughly a fortnight. The wide opening at the base makes filling them easy and mess-free, and they seal securely without any faff. They’re also simple to clean, which is essential if you’re swapping between brands or just like things to feel fresh before the next trip. They weigh very little, take up barely any space, and slot neatly into my wash bag alongside the other travel staples. Practical, reusable, and genuinely useful.
03 Anker MagSafe Charger Block
What a good idea this is. I picked up the MagSafe Anker Nano Power Bank (here on Amazon) as part of my slow but determined move towards an all‑USB‑C life (as things need replacing), and it’s become one of those everyday essentials I now can’t imagine being without. It snaps solidly onto the back of my phone, sits flush enough that it doesn’t feel awkward to hold, and means I’ve got one object instead of the usual ‘battery pack plus cable’ faff. For someone who spends a lot of time route‑tracking with GPS, that afternoon top‑up can be essential, and this delivers it without any dangling wires.
It’s not as fast as plugging into the wall, naturally, but the 15w wireless MagSafe charging is more than decent for on‑the‑go use. And if I do need to charge something else – my watch, my camera, whatever – there’s a USB‑C port to allow that. At 5,000mAh it’ll give my iPhone 16 Pro a full charge plus a little bit extra for the other things.
It’s now firmly part of my everyday carry, tucked neatly into the Ticket to the Moon pouch I featured in my last Currently Loving. Having it with me means I never have power anxiety on long days out, especially on hikes when I’m relying on my phone for maps, tracking, and photos.
04 Swetty Betty Joggers
I’m not a leggings person. I try them every now and again, hoping something has changed, but no, I find them uncomfortable, unflattering, and generally not for me. So, I’m always looking for alternatives. And I discovered on a visit to the Cotswold Designer Outlet at Tewkesbury earlier this year, that Sweaty Betty make joggers – nice ones. Mine are technically labelled as yoga pants (the Gaia Performance Yoga Pants), but they’re soft, stretchy, lightweight, and sit in that perfect middle ground between structured and slouchy. Not too baggy, not too clingy. Just right.
I bought mine for travel. After my trip to Venabu in Norway, I realised I needed something better than pyjamas for evenings spent in hotel lounges with a group. These have become exactly that: cosy enough for fireside chats, smart enough that I don’t feel underdressed, and ideal for long travel days. They were also ideal on that long bus ride from Riga to Tallinn, and they’ve been in constant rotation ever since I picked them up in January.
The only tiny annoyance is that the waistband elastic has twisted itself somehow, and I cannot for the life of me untwist it. But it doesn’t affect comfort or fit, so I’m trying to let it go. What I really appreciate is that the knees don’t bag out after a day of wear, a rare quality in lightweight joggers. A brilliant alternative for anyone who, like me, prefers anything-but-leggings.
05 Brinkworth Hot Honey
This jar of hot honey isn’t local to me, but it is local to the Wiltshire pub Jenny and I ended up in after our recent sauna day, and that’s close enough for it to count as a proper local find in my book. There was a little display of Brinkworth Apiaries honey by the bar, and I immediately spotted a jar labelled ‘hot honey’, something I’ve not seen from a small producer before. The barman assured us it was excellent and that we absolutely needed to try it, and honestly, he wasn’t wrong. We both went home with a jar. Thanks Jenny.
I chose the mild heat version of the clear honey, again on the barman’s recommendation, and it’s perfect: a lovely warmth from the chilli without tipping into blow‑your‑head‑off territory. It’s incredibly versatile too – I’ve drizzled it over fish, added it to pizza, paired it with cheese and crackers, and stirred it into marinades. It brings that sweet‑heat balance that makes everything taste a little more interesting.
This is your cue to hunt out local honey in general, because small‑batch honey from the bees you might see in your own garden always has more character. And if you happen to be in Wiltshire, Brinkworth Apiaries is worth seeking out. This jar will last me a good while, but I already know I’ll be replacing it when it’s gone.
06 Bridgedale Hiking Socks
(A gift from Bridgedale)
If you’ve been around Splodz Blogz for any length of time, you’ll know I am unwavering in my belief that good socks are one of the most important pieces of outdoor kit you can buy. Looking after your feet is non‑negotiable if you want them to carry you for miles (and miles), and socks are a huge part of that equation. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: be a sock snob.
Most of my hiking socks are by Bridgedale because they just work for me; the fit, the cushioning, the durability, the way they hold their shape wash after wash. Recently the team kindly sent me a couple of pairs to refresh my drawer ahead of this year’s adventures: another pair of the Midweight Merino Performance Boot socks (my go‑to for most hikes), and the Ultra Light T2 Coolmax Performance Boot socks for warmer days. Both are excellent in their own ways: the merino pair offers that reliable all‑day comfort and temperature regulation, while the Coolmax version is breathable, quick‑drying, and ideal for summer miles.
The real proof of quality? I still have the Bridgedales I bought in 2015 for the Lyke Wake Walk, my first proper weekend hiking adventure, and they’re somehow still going strong. When a sock lasts more than a decade of regular use, you know it’s a good investment.
07 The Escapism of Live Theatre
Not pictured.
My love of live theatre goes back as far as I can remember – long before this April’s (almost) accidental eight-shows-in-a-month extravaganza. That particular burst of escapism was just a very visible example of something that’s always been true: there’s nothing quite like stepping into a story that isn’t mine for a couple of hours. The lights go down, the orchestra swells, and suddenly I’m somewhere else entirely. It’s one of the few places where my brain genuinely switches off and lets me breathe.
Recent theatre trips have reminded me how much I value that feeling, and I’ve been leaning into it ever since. I’ve now booked Paddington: The Musical for later in the year, and I’ve also snapped up tickets for one of the Royal Albert Hall’s film‑in‑concert nights. There’s something magical about hearing a full orchestra bring a familiar score to life while the film plays above them; escapism layered on escapism.
Whether I’m going alone or with friends, theatre has become even more me in the last year than it has ever been. I get to spend a couple of hours inside someone else’s emotional rollercoaster, emerging lighter, brighter, or at least a little more connected to the world. It’s joy, comfort, and adventure all at once, and I’m very much here for it.
08 Terrex Skychaser Tech trainers for the Cleveland Way
These adidas Terrex Skychaser Tech Gore‑Tex shoes are my chosen companions for this year’s adventures on foot, including the Cleveland Way, which will be my first long‑distance trail tackled in shoes rather than boots. A bold move, perhaps, but one that’s already feeling promising. They’re the lower‑profile, lower‑drop sibling of the green Skychasers that took me through most of my hikes last year, and while they took a little breaking in, they’ve now settled into that sweet spot of being both supportive and properly comfortable.
Spec‑wise, they’re built for exactly the kind of mixed terrain I’ll be dealing with: a responsive EVA midsole with adidas’ Pro‑Moderator support for stability, a rock plate for protection underfoot, and a Continental rubber outsole that grips beautifully. The Gore‑Tex membrane keeps the weather out without feeling swampy, and the overall weight is noticeably lighter than my boots, ideal for long days.
I’ve already put a fair few miles on them (I should have cleaned them before I took the photo!), and they’ve handled everything from muddy woodland to chalky ridgelines without complaint. Whether my ankles have fully accepted the ‘we’re doing this in shoes now’ memo remains to be seen, and I absolutely reserve the right to switch back to boots if the forecast looks awful. But for now? These feel like the right choice for a big year of walking.
09 Giving in to the Apple Watch
After resisting for, what, nearly a decade of the Apple Watch being a thing, I finally gave in. The seed was planted ages ago, but it properly took root when someone at work casually said, ‘I would’ve thought you’d have an Apple Watch’. It was meant innocently, but it lodged itself in my brain alongside the seed that was already there. Before committing, I borrowed a friend’s old one for a couple of months (thank you Sarah, genuinely helpful) to check whether I’d actually wear it and whether it would add anything to my life. It passed both tests with ease.
I went for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 because I wanted something that could track my hikes and vitals as well as do all the everyday smartwatch things. You might wonder why I didn’t go for a Garmin, given the outdoorsy tendencies, but honestly the Apple Watch just fits into the rest of my tech ecosystem without any fuss. It does the health stuff, the navigation stuff, the notifications stuff, all in one place.
It’s fun, too. Yes, I look slightly ridiculous paying for things with my wrist, and yes, I wear it on the wrong arm for tapping in and out of the Tube, but everything else is great. It’s cut down on those random phone pickups because I can glance at my wrist instead. I love the sleep tracking, the gentle nudges to move, the way it logs my workouts without me having to think about it. And once I realised I could still wear my ‘nice’ watch whenever I wanted, the final barrier disappeared. A splurge, absolutely, but one I use every single day.
10 Bright Yellow Roberts Revival Radio
When my old Bose sound dock finally gave up last summer, after loyally serving me since the iPhone 3G era, the kitchen fell into an unnerving kind of silence. I didn’t realise how much I relied on background music and radio chatter until it was gone. After months of dithering, I treated myself to a Roberts Revival iStream 3L (here on Amazon, here at John Lewis) in the most joyful shade of yellow, which conveniently matches my Strandmon chair. A small detail, but it makes me smile every time I walk into the room.
I already had a Roberts radio in the bedroom, so I knew the sound quality would be good, but this little thing still surprised me. For such a compact unit, it has real depth and warmth, perfect for Magic Musicals or Scala FM while I’m cooking or pottering about. The setup was straightforward: Wi‑Fi connected on the first try, presets were easy to sort, and the interface is intuitive enough that I didn’t need to dig out the manual. It handles DAB, FM, internet radio, and Bluetooth, which means I can switch seamlessly between live stations and my own playlists. It’s small, cheerful, and genuinely fills the space in a way the kitchen had been missing.
What are you Currently Loving?
And that’s the lot; ten things that have been adding joy, ease, comfort, and a bit of sparkle to life lately. As always, these Currently Loving lists are less about the stuff itself (and are definitely not trying to add to your shopping list), and more about noticing what’s making the days feel good, interesting, or just that little bit easier.
I’d love to know what you’re currently loving too. What’s brightening your days at the moment? And what do you think of my list this time – any surprises, any favourites, anything you’re tempted to try? Pop your thoughts in the comments below; I always enjoy reading them.
Read all my Currently Loving posts.
Disclosure: This is not an advertorial or sponsored post. It is, quite literally, a list of some of the things I’m currently loving. The socks were a PR gift, but there was no obligation to write about them.
There are affiliate links on this page, the funds from which help me go on the mini adventures that make life interesting. If you buy something using one of these links, I receive a very small commission. This does not cost you anything more than it would otherwise. Thank you for supporting my future adventures
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