THE JOURNAL

From GoPros to portable speakers, six easy ways to up your beach game.
We’re in peak summer. Pool parties, polo tournaments and picnics in the park are vying with alfresco drinks and backyard barbecues for your time. More importantly, that (second?) week on the beach is edging closer. By now, you will have stocked up on swim shorts and linen shirts, pool slides and statement T-shirts, but have you got the tech and accessories covered? From an underwater camera to striped beach towels, we have an unparalleled selection of holiday essentials that will put the fun into your summer break.

Bang & Olufsen’s Play range is all about smart design and supreme sound quality in portable packages. With its A1 speaker, the Danish brand has produced the perfect summer accessory. It’s small enough to fit into your WANT Les Essentiels beach tote, leaving plenty of room for all your other paraphernalia. But don’t let its dinky size fool you. It features an innovative wraparound design that offers 360-degree sound and an aluminum sub-woofer for a more powerful bass, so it will hold its own against lapping waves and crackling campfires. With Bluetooth compatibility and a battery that lasts up to 24 hours, it’ll last you into the small hours as you lie back and watch the sun go down.
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Be honest, you’re planning on documenting your holiday on Instagram and a bigger and bolder towel will look better than the turquoise ones the villa provides (why are they always turquoise?). This cabana striped towel in Shoreditch House’s signature red and white, crafted by those clever people at Soho Home, will do the job perfectly. Woven from soft cotton-terry, it’s large enough for the beach, and looks even better on the bow of a yacht.
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You’ve been counting down the days until your holiday, imagining yourself relaxing on the beach, gin and tonic in hand. Then you board your flight to sunny Spain to the chants of lads on tour, screaming babies and pensioners grumbling about the foundering Brexit negotiations and failing to see the irony. We’ve all been there. We’re all going to be there. Protect your sanity with a pair of Master & Dynamic’s MW50 noise-blocking headphones. The sleek industrial design chimes with a noise-isolating technology that produces crisp clarity and a tight bass. They come equipped with an Apple-friendly inline remote, a microphone for phone calls and a smart carrying case. How’s that for a sound investment?
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Holiday snaps taken on a Leica camera are a million air miles better than iPhone photography. These legendary cameras are made in Germany and have been used by everyone from Mr Marlon Brando to the Queen, but neither of those two ever had this particular beauty, the Leica M240. It has all of the same high-end features as a standard model, but was designed exclusively for MR PORTER, with custom leather panelling giving it a handsome retro look. Whether you’re driving through the Serengeti or diving off a boat in Corsica, it’s a joy to use.
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Frescobol Carioca may be a British brand, but its heart belongs to Rio. Inspired by La Cidade Maravilhosa (the marvellous city), it was founded by Messrs Harry Brantley and Max Leese, who launched the brand’s bat-and-ball set in 2009 before expanding into patterned beachwear and accessories. The resin-coated hardwood Trancoso bats, named after Brazil’s chicest beach town, are a thing of beauty, hand made with offcuts sourced from local furniture makers and finished with neoprene grips to resist wear and tear. The only question is: does your backhand match these bats in the style stakes?
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For the ultimate holiday snaps and short films to share on social media – swimming with sharks, base jumping off cliffs or sailing through the deep blue – GoPro cameras are designed to capture the rush of adrenaline in the action-filled moments of your holiday. The Hero5 Black, GoPro’s first waterproof camera, features a 2in touch display (a first for the brand) and 4K high-definition video. Its hands-free voice control and one-button record function make it one of the most straightforward cameras on the market. Drone not included (but recommended).