Everything
*This shoe has been discontinued by New Balance and is no longer available. 1. The 850 simply fit and felt better than all the rest. Its deep heel pocket and snug waist created a tailored fit, and the toe box never felt confining. A web of dual-density plastic sandwiched…
TOUGHER THAN IT LOOKS The waterproof Terrex may look like every brightly colored sneaker out there, but one of our testers proclaimed it “rugged as hell” during an off-trail scramble up Santa Fe’s ski basin. We think he was referring to the outsole’s combination of soft, grippy rubber and deep…
1. If there’s parity in reincarnation, this two-in-one trunk will be reborn as a tank. It easily passes dress code at luxe hotels, but its 420- and 1,680-denier fabrics, brawny wheels and housings, and beefy bumper guards and kick plate are meant for rough stuff. A ten-day tour of…
EVERYTHING AT HAND The 2,610-cube Maximum Legal Carry-On is overly tough, with 1,680-denier ballistics nylon and a DWR finish. It multitasks as a shoulder bag, soft-sided suitcase, or convertible backpack, handling mad airport dashes and civilized check-ins with equal ease. In the water-resistant main compartment, an internal compression panel/divider cinches…
BOMBER VAGABOND What looks like a techy backpack splits into a 1,340-cube daypack and a 4,400-cube main hauler, carried as shoulder or side bag. In Iquitos, Peru, it all behaved like a comfortable 40-pound backpack, with load-adjuster straps and stiff back panel, as I traveled by boat and navigated muddy…
MULTISPORT MAW This rolling expedition duffel could eat two pony kegs. I dumped loads of gear into the 6,100-cube behemoth for kayaking and glacier tromping in Alaska and still had plenty of room. Osprey’s inventive exoskeleton design features a flexible Delrin rod that acts as a shield while forming the…
THE PERFECT TRAVEL HIKER We didn’t pick this shoe because it’s good-looking enough to wear to dinner. We picked it because it performs just as well as the other light hikers we chose and you won’t look like a dork walking around downtown later that evening. The mid-sole of the…
ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE MINIMALIST This 3,150-cube carry-on’s built like a wolverine: compact, rugged, and toothy—colossal five-inch wheels bite into most any surface and prevent payload rollovers. During a rain-racked week in Chiapas, Mexico, the water-resistant boot bin sequestered dank footwear while the muck-shirking polyurethane exterior was easy to wipe off. Inside, uncomplicated…
SLICK AND UTILITARIAN Fully rotating handle for ergonomic towing; adjustable, ventilated, zip-away backpack suspension for off-road jaunts; detachable day bag with shoulder strap for town tours? Check. This carry-on-legal, 3,200-cube convertible provided all and more during five days in Belize. Sliding the surprisingly svelte main bag—compressed via four straps—into overhead…
LIGHT BUT SUPPORTIVE Take a closer look and you can see it: One solid, continuous piece of polyurethane forms the midsole and sidewall supports on the awkwardly named AL-T. Because fewer materials are needed to brace the shoe, it’s very light but still sturdy enough to wear on technical trails—or…
LIKES IT ROUGH The Voyageur was one of several shoes that we sent to our most abusive tester. His take: They’re “as tough as beef jerky.” After several weeks of hiking, the upper’s sturdy leather hide, the rock-solid stitching, and the company’s trademark brawny toe bumper showed virtually no signs…
PREFERS TECHNICAL TRAILS The mashed-up name says it all: smear + edge = “smedge.” True to the equation, the Smedge is a serious approach shoe that won’t let you down when the trail gets vertical. Plastic overlays fortify the shoe’s mesh, so it won’t tear. And like a rock shoe,…
THE WETTER, THE BETTER Not surprisingly, sandal maker Chaco’s first-ever light hiking shoe excels in soggy conditions. As one of our testers shimmied down a waterfall drainage, he bloodied a knee, but, thanks to a full-coverage rubber rand, the Canyonlands escaped scratch-free. The low-profile outsole provided plenty of friction as…
GREAT ANKLE SUPPORT In a world of Honda Elements and Subaru Outbacks, the Ranger is a Ford Bronco: old-school and well-built but certainly not flashy. The crux of this classically designed boot is the collar. Leather strips on the outer surface offer stiff resistance to ankle rolls, while the inner…
BEST FOR BIG LOADS Looking for something that isn’t a clodhopper but can handle a three-day back-packing trip? The Kayland’s waterproof eVent membrane lets sweat out, while the shoe’s plastic stabilizers and EVA foam form a lightweight support structure that allowed us to carry 40-pound packs without wincing. And if…
Why They’re CoolThe ZG 20s’ tall all-leather uppers, huge wraparound toe rands, and stiff Vibram soles made these bomber boots a good fit for off-route cross-country rambling. » Scarpa’s oh-so-firm polyurethane midsole and nylon insole gave me the ridge-leaping powers of a mountain goat. I clung to hillsides as if…
APPLE’S Lilliputian IPOD MINI ($249) is the new standard for hauling music. At four ounces, the hard-drive-based device is lighter than previous Pods yet still delivers up to 50 hours of sound. Its tough anodized-aluminum case and an optional neoprene armband ($29) clinches it as the most trail-worthy of the…
1. No gimmicks here. The North Face’s new X-Radial suspension is the real deal. The secret is a lightweight aluminum, X-shaped frame that’s reinforced on the top and bottom to deal with heavy loads (up to 55 pounds) and actually pivots at the center of the X, which means…
Ever since that heroic, fatal dash from Marathon to Athens, runners have been looking for an edge. Here’s a guaranteed advantage, whether you’re going 26 miles or two. ASICS’s Gear of the Year–winning Gel-Kinsei adjusts to various foot types and running styles, while improving performance across the board. The…
MOVES WITH YOU Built with a light plastic frame and hipbelt system and an Allen-wrench-adjustable pivot point that attaches a separate shoulder harness to the pack, the BA1 offers independent hip and torso motion. Testers were skeptical at first: The BA1 seems like a lot of money for a lot…
SPARTAN AND PACKABLE No suspension system, extraneous buckles, or even a sleeve for a hydration bladder. And that’s why we love the Cierzo: It’s perfect for those times when you’re not sure you’ll need a small daypack—be it a business trip to San Francisco or a river trip with the…
VERSATILITY CHAMP “Exactly what a daypack should be,” said one tester—and that’s the best way to describe the Laguna. With the ability to expand from 500 to 800 cubic inches, the Laguna’s just big enough to fit a shell, snacks, and a few extras. The airflow system’s mesh padding doesn’t…
GREEN-MINDED AND OLD-SCHOOL Mountainsmith managed to build the Phoenix out of an impressive 85 percent recycled materials, including 100 percent recycled PET fabric, recycled mesh back panel and zippers, and sustainable biopolymer buckles. That’s about the current eco-limit without compromising the pack’s performance. But there’s much more to the Phoenix…
TAKE IT OFF-TRAIL Like a souped-up Jeep, the Triconi begs to be taken off-trail and over jumbly passes. The reason: The hipbelt and shoulder straps are built into the pack frame with auto-adjusting pivot points. It’s a smart system. The pivots adapt to individual hip curvature and shoulder/torso size, allowing…
LOVES BIG LOADS Can’t decide whether to pack the pinot noir or the grigio? Bring ’em both—and the cast-iron skillet. On a multi-day trip in the Cascades, the Argon’s burly suspension system and memory-foam hipbelt and shoulder straps didn’t flinch at 60-plus pounds. It’s also crammed with tons of user-friendly…
With seven angle settings and eight brightness modes, the tiny Cosmo is ideal for everything from washing dishes to scavenging for more firewood. 2.9 oz; bdel.com…
Of all the headlamps we tested, the Lucido TX-1 sends light the farthest (a whopping 345 feet), and its beam never wavered, even over a weeklong back-packing trip, thanks to three AAs. 5.8 oz; mammut.ch…
Don’t worry about dropping it in the drink—this three-mode light (spot, wide, and red for night) is waterproof up to 33 feet. 3.9 oz; uwkinetics.com…
Need to make sure you’re still on route—or wondering if that rustling is a bear? Hit the boost button and the Myo XP throws a focused, ultrabright beam of light over 300 feet. Smart feature: Diffusing the beam on any of its four settings requires the flip of a…
Tiny and versatile: Simply slide the featherweight, CR2-lithium-powered headlamp’s toggle to strap it to anything, be it your cranium, messenger bag, or handlebars. 1.4 oz; coleman.com…
It’s like putting your car’s high beam on your head. Powered by a 1.4-pound rechargeable battery pack, this Swedish-made, 20-watt halogen lamp is ridiculously bright and per-fect for caving or mountain-biking at night. 1.8 lbs; milausa.com…
CREATIVE’s 3.1-ounce NOMAD MUVO² X-TRAINER 512MB ($269) is built for rough handling, with a half-gig of fixed flash memory wrapped in a protective rubbery case. The rugged X-Trainer gets about twice the battery life (16 hours) of most hard-drive-based spinners.
1. The Aura is downright spacious (35 square feet), with two doors and two big vestibules. It’s plenty sturdy, easily withstanding 50-mph winds without guylines. And light: The Aura flirts with the four-pound barrier, the two-person freestanding tent’s equivalent of the four-minute mile. 2. Talk about usable space:…
USER-FRIENDLY AND PACKED WITH FEATURES How many cup holders does your tent have? The Electron RC comes with two spill-saving coffee slings, part of an accessory package that also includes a clip-on ground cloth and gear loft. Those throw-ins made the tent’s $260 price tag all the more amazing for…
BEST SPACE-TO-WEIGHT RATIO Testers were impressed with the two-person model of this tent; it’s roomy (30 square feet) and light (less than four pounds) and has the critical double doors and vestibules (13 total square feet of storage). Then they tried the three-person version (pictured here), which adds a luxurious…
FOUR-SEASON CHAMPION If you’re looking for a lightweight shelter that can handle high winds and heavy snow, single-wall tents like the Valhalla are tough to beat. Thanks to an interior-pole structure, two testers were able to quickly and easily set up the Valhalla in 50-mph winter winds. To combat condensation…
LOTS OF COMFORT, LITTLE WEIGHT Big Agnes took last year’s already light Gear of the Year–winning Emerald Mountain tent and sliced off nearly a pound, while apparently sacrificing nothing. How’d they do it? An even smarter design, smaller-gauge zippers, and a featherweight body and 15-denier nylon fly that, because its…
THE ENTERTAINER We’re not saying you should buy a tent based on how many people can comfortably play cards inside. But if you do, you should know that the Mo Room, with 44 square feet of space and nearly vertical walls, can comfortably host a six-person game of Texas Hold…
ROOMY AND WELL-PRICED Like all of Mountain Hardwear’s tents, the three-season Sojourn is packed with user-friendly touches. The fly’s two clear windows make for sleeping-bag weather checks, while the reflective material on the guylines prevents late-night headers. And after a week of stormy weather, testers reported “zero condensation,” thanks to…
This completely enclosed and integrated pot-and-burner system is incredibly fuel-efficient, boiling a liter of water in as fast three minutes. 13.6 oz (includes 1.7-liter pot); msrgear.com…
Tiny but powerful: In mild weather at 9,500 feet, we easily boiled a liter of water in less than five minutes. 2.4 oz; optimus.se…
The Lander runs on either white gas or a butane canister but works best in liquid mode in sub-zero weather. 11.2 oz; brunton.com…
This stainless-steel-and-aluminum beast (25″x16″x8″) lights itself and has an antimicrobial cutting board, hard-anodized aluminum griddle, and integrated storage bins. 33 lbs; coleman.com…
1. It’s partly recycled, yes. But the Verde won this year’s award because of how it performed in the field. It’s all about the fill: The Verde’s insulation (Climashield Green) is “continuous filament,” meaning it won’t clump or shift—and create cold spots—as old-school synthetics do. 2. The insulation…
PLENTY OF ELBOW ROOM With elastic in each baffle, this bag expands as you toss, turn, and even sit up cross-legged to cook or play cards. When you finally stop thrashing, the bag’s elastic keeps the thick sheets of MontBell’s house-brand synthetic insulation close to your body, so you won’t…
The most full-featured of the key-chain strongboxes, SAMSUNG’S YEPP YP-55V ($199) holds 256 megabytes of music in bump-proof flash memory. It plays FM when your mixes get moldy, and records digital files from radio, voice, or aftermarket mike. To fill it up, plug the 1.2-ounce unit into your PC’s USB…
ULTRALIGHT AND COMPRESSIBLE Testers liked Big Agnes’s almost entirely recycled synthetic sack (the Skinny Fish; $180) just fine but were blown away by the down-filled Zirkel’s warmth-to-packability ratio. Like all the company’s bags, the Zirkel integrates the pad right into the bag via a sleeve on the underside, which, in…
A TINY SUMMERWEIGHT BAG The North Face claims that its revamped line of Flight Series bags are the first synthetic sacks to rival equivalently rated down bags in weight and compressibility. We were skeptical, but this 40-degree comes pretty darn close. The secret? It’s stuffed with Climashield’s newest stuff,…
BUILT TO LAST The Woodpecker, from Swiss company Exped, is meticulously crafted—just what you’d expect from a nation of legendary watchmakers. (Of course, its heavy-duty zipper is the only moving part.) A well-placed, down-filled chin guard keeps your face from brushing against frosty zippers. Glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls prevent late-night fumbling.
VERSATILE THREE-SEASON SACK The EcoPro costs a bit more than Marmot’s other synthetic 15-degree-rated models (like the Trestles 15, $90). But this bag has good karma. Its insulation and shell are spun almost entirely out of recycled plastic bottles. In fact, the only unrecycled things on this roomy bag are…
EXPEDITION-READY Kelty developed the new Foraker line in conjunction with Alaska Mountain Guides, an adventure outfitter whose guides spend hundreds of days in the field. You can tell: This 750-fill sack is the toughest, most packable sleeping bag Kelty has ever made. It’s cut from three different fabrics. A water-resistant,…
Not every run is a race. For long-distance training at a slow pace, this stability shoe delivers a surprisingly smooth ride for runners seeking firm support. All testers—even those who don’t pronate—scored the 857 high for protection, cushioning, and durability. Stability is enhanced by stiff support under the arch and…
FAST BUT SMOOTH The Contessa Speedster is like a gateway drug: perfect for your first century or club ride. For starters, Scott nailed the women-specific cockpit design. More important, whereas most aluminum bikes feel fast at first but irritate some riders with their rigid feel a few hours into the…
LOVES TO CLIMB With its relaxed geometry, vibration-damping elastomer inserts, and highly engineered full-carbon frame, the Ruby is the most comfortable bike in our lineup. That was especially true during rides through the rolling terrain of Tuscany and on a climb to the top of Vermont’s Ap Gap, which includes…
ROCKET LAUNCHER This lively, full-carbon ride has about as much zip and stiffness as anyone could hope for, thanks to a true monocoque build and high-grade carbon fiber throughout. By mixing Shimano’s top-shelf Dura-Ace and midrange Ultegra components, Felt delivers true race-worthy performance while keeping the price down. The cutout…
THE MINIMALIST Agile and responsive, the cross-country Scalpel Fem was the most efficient climber in our test and the top performer in tight, rocky terrain. The classic cross-country geometry lowers the rider’s center of gravity for total control even on steep or tricky descents. The carbon-and-aluminum Fem has a 4.3-inch…
Thank goodness for progress—the underwater MP3 player is finally here! The two-inch-diameter earbuds on the OCEANIC H20 AUDIO ($399) clip to your mask strap or sit inside your hood, sending sound waves a short distance through water, to play a surprisingly hi-fi starfish soundtrack.
BIG-AIR MAGNET The HiFi is like having two bikes in one: You can huck huge lines without sacrificing the light weight of your cross-country ride. With five inches of travel (compared with four in most new women’s bikes), it’s an invitation to step it up. The Fox F120 fork is…
GOING DOWN? For speed and control on the descent, the aluminum BMC took top honors, with our riders reporting significant increases in their downhill speed, so much so that they were catching other bikers they normally wouldn’t even see. On a ripping descent of Vermont’s Cliff Trail, turns were quick,…
The Chanel-inspired Elizas are all style, but the view from the bronze-fade lens isn’t quite as crisp as the others here. spyoptic.com…
With a wide peripheral view, the Betrays are fit for a romp in the woods yet fashionable enough for a stroll through the city. oakley.com…
Just twist the Whisper’s arms and insert your lens color of choice. It comes with three polarized options: clear, rose, and brown. smithoptics.com…
Not only did the Octopus lens stay streak-free on a drenching Class IV rapid; it actually repelled water. Caution: Of the two sizes available, the small is small—really, really small. julbousa.com…
Specialized’s first-ever women’s-specific design has rose-colored lenses that dim bright road conditions, lighten shadows, and enhance contrast. specialized.com…
Thanks to the hydrophilic rubber at the nose and temples, the ultralight Stradas were our favorite choice for trail running and mountain biking. tifosioptics.com…
Thanks to a full-length TPU Flexion Plate that instigates forward motion, we simply felt fastest in these light stability shoes. In other words, they’re pricey but worth it. And you can run them hot: The breathable mesh is treated with temperature-regulating material that actually seems to work. 10 oz;…
This futuristic, iPod-compatible shoe—put the wireless chip in the sole and go—is chock-full of women-specific features. Most noticeable are flex grooves that are aligned relative to a woman’s lower center of gravity, resulting in a more efficient gait. 10 oz; nikerunning.com…
While this trainer may not serve up super-stability or piles of cush, we appreciated its simplicity, light weight, and ability to comfortably take on miles. It’s a good choice for neutral runners to mild pronators, as the medial post does offer a tinge of support, which is plenty for…
Runners seeking structure that can stand up to long training runs and marathon-distance races will appreciate this stability shoe. This tried-and-true model got some major updates this season, including better rear-foot stability and new women-specific support in the midfoot. 11 oz; asics.com…
With sticky, honeycomb-shaped lugs and a rubber-encased toe, the Zen Lady is grippy enough for scrambles up steep, rocky fourteeners, but a thick sole offers enough cush for long days on the trail. Suede uppers quickly mold to feet, and the toe-to-ankle lacing system tailors the fit. 13 oz;…
The lightest shoe here, the Lodi is ideal when piling on miles at top speed with little weight. The mesh upper offers natural air conditioning and saves ounces, yet the shoe still has ample arch and ankle support. Tip: The Lodi suits slimmer feet. 11 oz; ahnufootwear.com…
Thanks to beefy waterproof-breathable uppers and grippy lugs, the Alby Low is our top pick for inclement weather. Ultra-cushy soles pad finicky feet on long walks, and on a snowy day hike, one tester reported perfectly warm and dry toes. 13 oz; hellyhansen.com…
Not only is it made without any animal products, the Gore-Tex-lined Kiowa Vegan also has plenty of ankle support and cushioning, making it ideal for overnight or light multi-day hikes. Even so, testers reported that the soft soles and synthetic-suede uppers made for blister-free day hikes, too. 15 oz;…
The 15-degree EcoPro is made with a new 80 percent recycled synthetic insulation and 100 percent recycled polyester shell fabric. But it compresses and insulates as well as comparable synthetics and comes with a microfleece-lined collar and a stash pocket. 15°F, 3 lbs; marmot.com…
It’s slightly dubious that a bag that packs down to the size of a tennis shoe can keep you warm, but even on a 38-degree night, you’ll be snug. Credit the 650-fill down insulation and an additional interior foot pouch that can be pulled over your toes. 40°F, 1.6…
Synthetic bags tend to have worse weight-to-warmth ratios than down. But the 25-degree Kira comes much closer than most, thanks in large part to the bag’s unusual internal-collar design, which snaps around the neck but still leaves plenty of space for claustrophobes. 25°F, 4.1 lbs; mammutusa.com…
This large daypack is adaptable, tough, and loadable both from the top and through a U-shaped front zipper. Expandable side pockets stow flip-flops, and two zippered, detachable pouches in the top compartment organize small stuff. The gel-padded harness system is cushy yet supportive. 3.5 lbs, 2,130 cu in; lafumausa.com…
Backpacking is more fun with lighter loads. That’s why we loved the weekend-size Xenon, which can hold more than a week’s worth of comforts yet is surprisingly light. The women’s moldable hipbelt fits a variety of body types comfortably. Ditto the easy-to-adjust suspension system. 5.9?lbs, 4,100 cu in; ospreypacks.com…
Organizers will appreciate the many pockets in this petite daypack. There’s also a hydration sleeve and a bottom pocket for the stow-away rain cover. Despite all these features, it’s (relatively) light and streamlined: The harness system and removable waist belt are supportive but not bulky. 2.7 lbs, 1,500 cu…
Hard on your gear??If the answer is yes, the Deva is your friend. The rubberized bottom and 210-denier ripstop nylon were the burliest of the packs we tested. While the top compartment of this massive bag transforms into an over-the-shoulder daypack in seconds, the waist belt’s ratcheting system isn’t…