The Eton Raptor is a gadget for the budding explorer who wants to carry something more technologically advanced than a Swiss army knife.

The Eton Raptor is a gadget for the budding explorer who wants to carry something more technologically advanced than a Swiss army knife.

It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing piece of kit but the Raptor comes with a wealth of genuinely useful tools, including an altimeter, compass, barometer, thermometer, digital clock and AM/FM radio tuner.

More impressive is the monocrystal solar panel and the solar-powered USB mobile phone charger – you might be stuck on a rocky outcrop but at least you can charge your phone and call mountain rescue.

In fact, the list of features is so comprehensive that parting with $150 (£93) seems like a wise investment. The Raptor boasts a weather alert, audio line input and a rechargeable lithium ion battery so that the gadget itself doesn’t lose power.

However, it does require around 18 hours of sun to be fully charged, which you’re probably unlikely to find anywhere with a climate as poor as the UK’s can be.

If all else fails and you find yourself stranded in the Alaskan wilds, at least the built-in bottle opener means that even those who lack the survival skills of Bear Grylls can quench their thirst with a cold beverage – alcoholic or otherwise – and wait for the next sign of human life to rescue them.