Outside's Spring 2026 Issue and How the Right Destination Unlocks Your Better Self

“Bali looks good on you.”

That’s what people kept telling me after I posted photos from my trip. The irony is that I’d spent years convinced Bali was a scam—nothing but traffic jams, overpriced açai bowls, and the kind of commercialized spirituality that makes you want to throw your mala beads into the Indian Ocean.

But here’s the thing about preconceptions: they’re just stories we tell ourselves to avoid trying new things.

My Bali skepticism crumbled at Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape resort, where the concept of “no walls, no doors” is more philosophy than design choice. The staff, all locals, were stewards of the jungle first, hospitality workers second—turning a simple walk to breakfast into a masterclass on foraging and rainfall patterns. They didn’t just work there. They belonged there.

And for a week, surprisingly, so did I.

It turns out, I’m a jungle guy. Which is wild, because I’ve spent most of my life gravitating toward beaches and cities—places with clear boundaries and exit strategies. But here, sleeping inside the lung of the forest with no walls between me and the cicadas, I felt something I can only describe as relief. Like my nervous system finally exhaled. Like I’d found a frequency I’d been searching for without knowing it. And here’s what shocked me most: I didn’t want to leave. Not in the “this vacation is nice” way, but in the “I need to figure out how to come back here, or find somewhere like this, or chase this feeling to the ends of the earth” way.

That realization unlocked something. It reminded me that our relationship with the outdoors doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all. You don’t have to be an alpine suffering artist or a desert rat to be an “outdoor person.” Your taste in nature can be as specific and particular as your coffee order. And just as revelatory when you find the right fit.

When you’ve been everywhere, like Charlize Theron, our cover star for our new print issue, you stop pretending discomfort is a virtue. Before agreeing to her upcoming film Apex, she made one thing clear: “You’ve got to know your limitations. I was like, ‘I am not good in the snow… But if we can figure out a place where it’s not snowy, I’ll do it.'” They rewrote it for Australia. She wasn’t avoiding the challenge—she was simply choosing the terrain where she could push herself the hardest. Smart.

That’s the actual secret to growth—not forcing yourself into spaces that make you miserable, but finding the right invitation.

That spirit drives our annual Travel Awards, and specifically our new category, Best Adventure Stays. The boldest trips often require a great basecamp—places so compelling that they coax you into the wild. Consider these gentle nudges toward the unknown. Reset Hotel in Joshua Tree turns shipping containers into portals for deep-sky stargazing. One&Only Moonlight Basin in Montana uses the lure of a wood stove and high-end whiskey to get you out on a fat-tire bike in the snow. The Grand Canyon’s Marble Canyon Lodge offers Navajo-guided slot canyon access without sacrificing a proper mattress. These aren’t just places to sleep; they’re the framework for discovery.

Even our feature on menopause retreats—yes, you read that right—speaks to this idea. Christine Yu goes to Panama for information about hormones and comes back with something harder to quantify: a sense of aliveness she didn’t know she was missing. Sometimes transformation requires nothing more than showing up somewhere new.

The thread connecting all of it? The right setting acts as a skeleton key. It unlocks a side of yourself you didn’t know existed or a relationship with the wild you didn’t think you wanted.

So maybe this is the year you stop playing the hits and try the B-sides. Go somewhere that confuses your algorithm. Test a hypothesis about yourself that you’ve been too comfortable to examine.

Because somewhere out there is a corner of the world that looks good on you too. And chances are you won’t know which one until you show up.

See you out there,

Kevin Sintumuang
Editorial Director

Scout Report

Peak Design Roller Pro

A roller bag doesn’t seem like the most outdoorsy piece of gear, but let’s be real: if you travel through airports like an actual human, it’s mandatory. My pick is the Peak Design Roller Pro. It brilliantly combines the best of both worlds, wrapping a rigid polycarbonate core in a rugged, soft-sided exterior that wipes down easily after a gritty trip. It offers similar protection to a hard case with the forgiving flex of a duffel, and with ultra-smooth wheels that glide silently, it turns the airport slog into the easiest part of your adventure.

$600

Cotopaxi Brinco Shorts

The best adventure gear is the stuff you don’t have to think about, which is why the Brinco shorts are the first thing I toss in my luggage. Made from a quick-drying recycled nylon-spandex blend, they’re the ultimate amphibious chameleon. With a built-in mesh brief and a drain hole in the back snap pocket, they’re ready for a spontaneous alpine lake plunge or a post-hike hot tub session. But unlike dedicated boardshorts, they have the stretch and matte finish of a proper hiking short, handling a casual trail run or a coffee run without missing a beat.

$70