Summer Buyer's Guide | OutsideOnline.com

Summer 2012 Buyer's Guide

315 field-tested products, including 170 killer deals for under $150

5 Pro Tips From Kurt Refsnider

The geology professor at Prescott College and winner of the 2011 Tour Divide says to be your own MacGyver, sample the saddle, and remember to light it right

5 Pro Tips From Andrew Skurka

The professional backpacker and author of the Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide says to make your own meals, repack every day, and remember to drink smart

Sierra Blair Coyle

5 Pro Tips From Sierra Blair-Coyle

The professional climber and two-time junior national speed-climbing champion says to pamper your feet, do your homework, and remember that it's all about the pad

9 Bouldering Essentials

From approach shoes to climbing balm, everything you need to send your next project

8 Running Essentials

Upgrade your workouts with these new accessories

7 Paddling Essentials

Planning to run whitewater or paddle remote lakes this summer? Add this gear to your wish list.

8 Women's Bike Essentials

Check for these necessities before you clip in

9 Women's Stand-Up Paddleboard Essentials

From shoes to sun protection, we have you covered

9 Women's Travel Essentials

Vacation easier with these nine travel essentials

8 Women's Running Essentials

Outrun subpar gear with these summer must-haves

8 Women's Climbing Essentials

Scale safer and more comfortably with these eight essentials

9 Women's Yoga Essentials

Summer's must-have items for the perfect downward dog

9 Women's Hiking Essentials

Spending all day on the trail doesn't mean you can't be comfortable ... and look good doing it

8 Commuter Bike Essentials

Don't forget these summer essentials next time you don your helmet

7 Bike Touring Essentials

Fast, light, and sturdy, this kit will keep you going all season long

9 Mountain Bike Freeride Essentials

Everything you need to tear it up in the park

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The Gear Shed

Wednesday, Jan 23, 2013

Giro Combyn: A Helmet That Protects You Hit After Hit

By Gear Shed

A shell that can take multiple hits over the course of an event or season.

Tuesday, Jan 22, 2013

Patagonia Proves Responsible Business Can Be Profitable Business

By Gear Shed

The company is celebrating its 40th anniversary with new and improved gear.

• Read More

Man vs. Gear

Outside 2012 Bike Test

Go behind the scenes with Aaron Gulley...

Sunglasses: Oakley's Radar Lock

Backpacks: Eddie Bauer First Ascent...

Buying the Right Kayak

Bicycling Galleries

The Outside Bike Test

Tour d'Afrique

Handbuilt Bicycles

The Competition Bicycle

Rwanda: Wooden Bike Classic

Cyclist Liz Hatch

The Best Bikes of Summer 2012

The 7 Best Mountain Bikes

The 7 Best Road Bikes of Summer

The 4 Best Utility Bikes of Summer

The Best Women's Road/Utility Bikes

The Best Women's Mountain Bikes

Gear Reviews

Kilo-3

The 7 Best Tents of Summer 2012

By Frederick Reimers

Making a good tent requires compromise. In line with the old business adage “Good, fast, cheap: pick two,” tent designers generally aspire to two properties from their own list: light, roomy, and sturdy. Other trade-offs include the convenience of two doors and vestibules for the weight of the extra zippers and fly fabric.

Axiom

The 10 Best Jackets of Summer 2012

By Ryan Stuart

In the past 12 months, Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, Polartec, Gore-Tex, and Stoic have introduced new waterproof-breathable membranes. We won’t bore you with the wonky details of their lofty claims; all you need to know is that each is more breathable than many of the jackets we’ve been raving about for years.

Igneo

The 7 Best Sleeping Bags of Summer 2012

By Frederick Reimers

Sleeping bags keep getting lighter thanks to thinner fabrics and ever finer and fluffier grades of down. Which is a good thing, except when it isn’t. A couple of the bags we tested didn’t make the cut because, though the bags met their rating in the European Norm lab tests, those tests don’t account for air movement in real-life conditions.

Insulated Q-Core

The 2 Best Sleeping Pads of Summer 2012

By Sam Moulton

Your sleeping bag is only as good as the pad underneath it. We recommend either of these two: the Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core, which employs both horizontal and vertical baffles, resulting in a comfier pad you're less likely to slide off in the middle of the night, or the lighter and warmer Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite.

Alchemist 40L

The 10 Best Backpacks of Summer 2012

By Doug Schnitzspahn

Think about it this way: your pack is doubly important because (1) it holds almost all your gear, and (2) it’s literally the monkey on your back. There’s been a big-pack renaissance of late, and not only are our favorite big haulers lighter than their predecessors, they also fit and feel better, thanks to smart innovations.

Hydration Pack

The 3 Best Hydration Packs of Summer 2012

By Doug Schnitzspahn

Beat dehydration this summer with one of these great reservoirs: The Geigerrig Hydration Pack bladder, which comes standard in the brand's hiking and biking packs; the Platypus Big Zip SL, the most secure bladder we tested this season; or the Hydrapak Shape-Shift, which you can zip up in the middle to create a more dispersed load.

Crater Rim

The 10 Best Hiking Shoes of Summer 2012

By Dave Cox

Trail shoes still fall into two basic categories: (1) heavier-duty, backpacking-boot-inspired high-tops that can handle off-trail travel and have serious ankle support, and (2) lighter-weight low and mid cuts that are designed to be worn either on less technical terrain or when you’re shouldering a lighter pack.

Helio

The 6 Best Car Camping Accessories of Summer 2012

By Sam Moulton

Who says you can't eat, drink, and sleep in your car as well as you do at home? These products, from the three-gallon Nemo Helio portable shower to the low-profile, synthetically-insulated Montbell U.L. Therma-wrap to the 16-pound, 55-inch long REI Camp Table XL, are all about upping the comfort factor.

Clip Mini

The 6 Best Lights of Summer 2012

By Sam Moulton

Headlamps, flashlights, and lanterns keep getting lighter, brighter, and smarter. Here are our picks for everything from bike commuting to car camping, including the 75-lumen Black Diamond Sprinter with a USB-chargeable lithium battery, the 200-lumen Apex headlamp, and the simple 130-lumen Energizer High Intensity LED flashlight.

Get-Back GPS

The 6 Best Hiking Gadgets of Summer 2012

By Sam Moulton

Of the dozens of poles, stoves, multitools, and other essentials we tested this year, we kept reaching for these six, from the Brunton Get-Back GPS, which stores up to three waypoints and steers you to the trailhead, to MSR SureLock TR-3s, which, at 20 ounces a pair, aren't ultralight, but they are quite sturdy and strong.

Reflection

The 7 Best Boats of Summer 2012

By Berne Broudy and Dave Costello

Whether you’re talking sea kayaks or canoes or whitewater crafts—boat technology has reached a plateau where small advances, design tweaks, and material innovations make a big difference to enthusiasts. This year we see evolution in all categories, with the lightest, most progressive sea kayak in some time.

Crossfit

The 6 Best Stand-Up Paddleboards of Summer 2012

By Mark Anders

Though there are many larger, better-known SUP manufacturers, Pau Hana is quickly carving out a name for itself with fast, well-priced boards like the fitness and adventure-ready Crossfit.

Sperry Top-Sider Son-R Feedback

The 6 Best Water Shoes of Summer 2012

By Grayson Schaffer

Whether you're running rivers or just running back and forth between the house and the lake, you need the right footwear. We review six new water shoes, including the Sperry Top-Sider Son-R Feedback Bungee, the Adidas Boat Lace DLX, and the Keen Turia with its tester-friendly debris-blocking mesh upper and grip.

CD Mega

The 4 Best Surfboards of Summer 2012

By Mark Anders

The latest trend in surfboard design is stout, full figures. All four of the boards we selected, from the short and fat Third World Exotic Surfboards Ghostbuster to the 5'11" Lost Bottom Feeder, are under seven feet long, maneuverable, and built with plenty of width and thickness to make catching waves easy.

Minimus Zero Road

The 7 Best Road Running Shoes of Summer 2012

By Peter Vigneron

Reviewing shoes used to be straightforward. Lightweight shoes were meant for racing, heavily cushioned shoes were meant for efficient runners who racked up lots of miles, and stability shoes—with a section of dense rubber under the arch, a.k.a. a medial post—were meant for people whose feet collapse inward.

Rogue Fly

The 7 Best Trail Running Shoes of Summer 2012

By Peter Vigneron

There was a time when shoe companies took their bestselling road models, slapped some dark colors on them, toughened up their outsoles, made them uncomfortably stiff, and marketed them as trail shoes. And guess what. Hardly anyone bought ’em. Thank goodness that those days have finally come to an end.

Tri-viz

The 5 Best Running Gadgets of Summer 2012

By Brian Metzler

Our five favorite gadgets for everything from recording splits to rocking out, including the New Balance Tri-Viz with four built-into-the-brim LEDs that can operate in three different settings; the Timex Ironman Run Trainer With GPS; and the Motorola Motoactv, a lightweight wristwatch that packs music and heart-rate tracking.

Canon PowerShot G1X camera

The 7 Best Cameras of Summer 2012

By Kyle Dickman

From GoPros to iPhones, cameras are everywhere. But that doesn’t mean the demise of “real” cameras, as some have predicted. Instead, manufacturers have responded to the proliferation of do-everything smartphones by continuing to improve image quality while simultaneously piling on the best features that can dream up.

Wenger Aerograph Cockpit Chrono

The 6 Best Watches of Summer 2012

By Will Palmer

Think of them as smartphones for your wrist. The latest sport-specific watches will do practically everything but plan your next adventure for you. We review six of the best, including the Wenger Aerograph Cockpit Chrono and the Timex Intelligence Quartz Tide-Temp-Compass, which brings digital functionality to classic analog design.

Tumi Ducati Due Porte

The 7 Best Travel Bags of Summer 2012

By Ted Alan Stedman

Where carry-ons are concerned, thin is in, and you’ll do well to avoid the wide-body rollers that can be cumbersome on smaller planes. If you’re looking for a larger bag to check, look for a balance of durability and weight: every pound off the bag means another pound of stuff you can squeeze in and still meet the 50-pound rule.

Leupold Hawthorne 7x42 Binoculars

The 4 Best Binoculars of Summer 2012

By Ryan Krogh

The performance gap between mid-tier and high-end optics is closing. Here are our favorite pairs of binocs to see you through any situation, including the Leupold Hawthorne 7x42, with its roof-prism design to cut size and weight, and the Bushnell Legend Ultra-HD, which are impressively bright and sharp—especially in low light.

Yakima Whispbar roof rack

The 3 Best Car Racks of Summer 2012

By Sam Moulton

New technologies and improved designs make it easier than ever to get all of your gear to the trailhead. This year, we reviewed Yakima’s all-new blade-slim crossbars, which reduce drag over traditional round bars, and the Sylvan Sport Go, an extremely well made 840-pound trailer that swallows up all your weekend toys.

AT&T Pantech Element

The 6 Best Travel Gadgets of Summer 2012

By Will Palmer

These six gadgets, from the AT&T Pantech Element, a waterproof, Android-based 8.3-inch tablet, to the Mophie Juice Pack Outdoor Edition, which doubles the battery life of your iPhone 4 or 4S, to the Steripen Freedom, a tiny water purifier, won't revolutionize your life on the road. But we promise they'll make it a lot easier.

Oakley Radarlock

The 10 Best Sunglasses of Summer 2012

By Mike Steere

Two truths: First, we need sunglasses for protection against malign solar wavelengths that cause eyestrain, burning, itching, headaches, and much worse. (And the corollary, that inadequate protection from inferior shades is worse than nothing at all.) Second, buy up for downright delicious visuals. But don’t panic too much over price.

Sorel Derby LTR

The 6 Best Travel Shoes of Summer 2012

By Will Palmer

Several continents and many blisters later, we can tell you one thing: these were the six most versatile and adventure-ready kicks we wore this year, from the Sorel Derby LTR to Rockport Eastern Standard Casual Mid PT to the Clarks Originals Majorca, with a moccasin design that will conjure up our dad’s days as a scout.

Headlight-tailight combo

The 6 Best Bike Gadgets of Summer 2012

By Aaron Gulley

Still fumbling around with wires and a prehistoric bike computer? It's time for a performance boost. Here are six ways to enhance your next ride, from the headlight-taillight combo Light & Motion Urban 500 to the data-collecting Garmin Edge 200 to the iBike Sports iDash Phone Booth, which you can buy as an all-in-one bike computer.

Gregory Sage 45 backpack

The 5 Best Women's Packs of Summer 2012

By Kate Siber

Ease your load with these packs, including the Gregory Sage 45, which testers loved for its back panel, which perfectly fits the lumbar spine; the North Face Minera 30, a simple daypack with a widely adjustable chest strap and lightweight hipbelt; and the Black Diamond Onyx 75, a no-frills, long-haul, remarkably light pack.

Flyin' Dry shell

The 6 Best Women's Jackets of Summer 2012

By Stephanie Pearson

These shells offer equal parts protection and comfort. We reviewed the Columbia Flyin' Dry, with its waterproof, breathable membrane and roomy back pocket; the Marmot Tempo Hoody, which kept our tester toasty on mountain runs and hikes during a windy season; the super-stretchy First Ascent High Season; and others.

Hayasa Single Track shoes

The 4 Best Women's Running Shoes of Summer 2012

By Peter Vigneron

Kicks designed specifically for the female foot, including The North Face Single Track Hayasa, best for mixed road and trail runs; the Salomon XR Mission, best for long trail runs in rough terrain; the New Balance 890V2, best for a cushy on up-tempo runs; and the Pearl Izumi Kissaki, best for high-mileage marathon training and racing.

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