Everything
What type of apparel would you wear for backpacking to keep your burly legs warm in the Georgia and Tennessee mountains from November to March? Jason Calhoun, GA
What should you do if you run into a cougar in the backcountry? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
In your experience, what's the number one reason people get lost in the backcountry? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What is the number one skill people should learn in case they get lost in the backcountry? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What should you do if you're bitten by a scorpion while camping in the American Southwest? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
We polled the sharp-eyed nomads we trust most and came up with a bucket list of the best trips for getting the best shots around the world.
It takes more than a good camera to get a good shot. Nowhere is that more true than in adventure photography—a field of photographers snapping with split-second shutter speeds in the least hospitable environments on earth.
We handed disposable cameras to 11 Outside icons for a behind the scenes look into their lives. What did we find out? You'll be surprised.
When you're crossing to Florida the hard way–across 800 miles of water, with six people and no motor, in a 21-foot handmade open boat–it's a long, long way from Haiti to Miami.
That trope about photos being worth 1,000 words? Here's where it came from.
National Geographic photographer and editor at large Michael “Nick” Nichols has spent the past 20 years doing a job thatlet’s face itwe’ve all wanted at one point. Nichols is best known for his photographs of biologist Michael Fay’s 1999 crossing of the Congo, as well as for his use of…
From Everest to El Capitan, climbing photographer Jimmy Chin shoots in some of the most demanding terrain on earth. This is the gear he brings.
The big breathability issue is making buying a jacket confusing. eVent has thrown a cat ong the pigeons and waterproof soft shells also change my options. Is there any clear thinking on this subject? I have the new Aegis jacket and that's just a proprietary fabric but seems to work fine. In other words, what are the "real" facts and how do you choose the "best" jacket for various applications? Ian South Africa
We have a great 20-year-old 14x14 Eureka family tent. This summer a branch came down and tore a 36 inch vertical rip in the tent. Can it be repaired? Is there a company here in Northern California that does that or a kit I can buy to repair such a long (clean) tear? Gloria Millbrae, CA
What type of sunglass lens makes the transition from sun to shade the easiest for riding singletrack through the forest? Lynn La Grande, OR
Like so many seemingly impossible shots you see these days, it's a digital creation—which is bad for photography and even worse for our concept of reality.
Asperger’s turns social interaction into a source of suffering. “It’s like everyone else has a bucket for dealing with people,” says Clay, “and I only got a cup.”
But beneath his foul language and outrageous antics, the Czech photographer is the greatest living observer of human suffering and spirit.
Walk hard in these travel-ready kicks worth a place in any adventure photographer’s duffel. : Patagonia Maui Dew (Photograph by Shana Novak) These all-weather, water-resistant-pigskin shoes are surf-town casual yet warm enough to wear well into the fall. But they’ve won hearts and minds in the halls of our offices…
Whether you’re looking for a compact point-and-shoot or a high-end SLR, we’ve selected a sharp shooter for every photographer and budget. : Sony DSC-HX1 $500 (Photograph by Shana Novak) The cake: Ten frames per second, with a 28560mm optical zoom and HD video. The icing? A sweep modefor automatically spliced,…
By Andrew Zuckerman Bird Chronicle Books, $60, out in October Feathery portraits on white backgrounds look three-dimensional, like museum exhibits or taxidermy. Disturbing and thrilling. Buy Bird . Buy the Book: The World from My Front Porch Chris Boot, $75 By…
For his new book, Bird, photographer Andrew Zuckerman snapped feathery portraits on white backgrounds to give live animals a three-dimensional look. Buy the Book andrewzuckerman.com…
We sent single-use cameras to 11 of our favorite Outside luminaries and asked them to give us a behind-the-scenes look into their lives. The result? You’ll be surprised. A skier's offseason. A skier's offseason.
What are the best green Twitters to follow? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
How eco-friendly is cash for klunkers? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
I'm painting the interior of my house. I save my brushes and rollers in plastic bags between uses, but eventually I'll be done. What's greener: cleaning everything with a ton of water or pitching it? Patrick Sewanee, Tennessee
What is the greenest tent on the market? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
I'm going into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area for a ten-day trip. On previous excursions I've taken too many clothes and too few clothes, but never found the perfect mix. How do you pack clothing for a long trip? Greg Flower Mound, TX
Is an expedition or burly mountaineering tent (such as The North Face Mountain 25 or Mountain Hardwear's Trango) needed for Aconcagua? Will a sturdy four-season tent suffice? Azad Los Angeles, CA
What sleeping bag do you recommend for two to three days near the Virginia section of the AT? I tend to be a warm sleeper and hike spring through fall. Is there a single bag that will meet my needs? Matt Fairfax, VA
What is the best waterproof rain jacket for Machu Picchu? Sara San Jose, California
What is the best storage case to protect my iPhone while kayaking/biking/running? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What is the best way to pack your bike for a flight? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
What is the best way to transport kayaks if I don’t like to lift them to the top of my car? Heather M. Hillsborough, North Carolina
What is the best way to store skis and skins over the winter? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
I'd like to plan a trip around erica's biggest and fastest roller coasters. Any suggestions on where I should head to maximize my riding time?
I enjoy riding my hybrid bike (Trek 7300), for fun and exercise, on both pavement and gravel/dirt/rocky surfaces. But I'd like something faster and more aggressive. My rides are usually about 20 miles and I'd like to go longer. Would you recommend a cyclocross or another hybrid? Tim Basking Ridge, NJ
My wife and I would like to take our 13-month-old daughter cycling with us. We will mostly be doing short trips around town, and we are having trouble deciding between a trailer and a child seat. Which one is safer, and how will they affect the handling of the bike? There are numerous options available in both categories, and we would like to know if you have any recommendations that won't break the bank. Noah West Lafayette, IN
I need a good, fairly cheap walkie-talkie. My main use will probably be skiing, so where can I get one that will guarantee reception in the forest? Thanks! Mark Brooklyn, NY
In Michigan, you’re never more than 90 miles from a Great Lake, which is the reason, I suppose, it’s nicknamed the Great Lakes State. By those standards, it should also be dubbed the Unbelievably Sick Trout-Water State. The Au Sable, the “Big” and Little Manistee, the Muskegonthere are quality rivers…
The Single Speed World Championships is the wildest mountain-bike on earth, where Halloween comes early and sobriety is akin to doping. To infiltrate this derailleurless debacle, we would need a thoroughly mediocre racer who could stomach the sight of way too much beer-addled flesh and report back. So, naturally, we recruited Bike Snob NYC.
Bob Burnquist is on a quest to go bigger and scarier than any athlete has ever thought possible—while also running an organic farm and choosing smoothies over Red Bull. He calls this progress. Behold the enlightened life (and far-out dreams) of the world's greatest skateboarder.
At a Bolivian animal-rehab center, volunteers can adopt a rescued jaguar and take it for daily walks on a leash. Brave and compassionate, or just plain stupid? THAYER WALKER discovers that it may be all three. And he's got the scratch marks to prove it.
Global warming isn't bad news for everybody. In Greenland, the big melt could mean a flood of new revenue from mineral and oil deposits— previously trapped under ice. Flush with prospects, the locals are talking about making a final break from their benevolent colonizer, Denmark. Call it the Thaw Revolution.
The musky is the alpha male of the aquatic world, feared by children and hunted compulsively by grown men. And, yes, catching one really is worth all the fuss.
How a stealth documentary crew revealed Japan's secret dolphin slaughter.
Wooden kayaks weigh significantly less than most modern fiberglass boats, so they are easier to handle on land and faster on water. The catch? These handcrafted works of art can cost as much as a new car. A red-cedar-strip Guillemot Kayaks Night Heron, like the one pictured here, takes Connecticut…
This summer's coolest timepieces share a slick dark palette and sport an array of new features.
After a coffee, a pastry, and some literary-mag browsing at an open-air espresso joint, we stroll to the Pacific. Waves and wind have already welcomed kiteboarders and surfers, but I opt instead for a jog south along 3.5 miles of sweeping, hard-packed beach. I pass dog walkers, kids sandcastling, beach…
Putting off med school to train for the English Channel swimming record? Now that's a gap year. San Francisco-based Laurin Weisenthal, 25, who helped her Harvard swim team win an Ivy League championship and break into the NCAA's top 25, plans to make her attempt at the 25-mile, 58-degree crossing…
This August, the 16th annual Leadville Trail 100 mountain-bike race kicks off in America’s highest city. An expected record of 1,300 competitors will climb more than 14,000 vertical feet at an average elevation of two miles. Lance Armstrong says he’s returning, and Levi Leipheimer has committed too, both hoping to…
For six months last year, Canadian Dave Salmoni, 34, a big-cat expert and the host of Animal Planet’s Predator Versus Prey and After the Attack, lived in Namibia among a pride of “last-chance” lions. The cats had been relocated to a private game park after repeatedly harassing humans on unmanaged…
What do you think about the Lowa Mountain Expert GTX Mountaineering Boots? I used them on Mt. Rainier and they kept my feet plenty warm, but I was wondering if you thought they might be suitable for Pico de Orizaba in Mexico. It is about 4,000 feet higher than Rainier. I don't relish wearing double plastic mountaineering boots anywhere, and hey, the red color of the Lowa is, well, cool . . . Stan El Dorado Hills, CA
We are in need of a new tent! Our wonderful ten-year-old, well-used Walrus has served us well, but the dog ate the vestibule two years ago and the duct tape is old, the pole sleeves are starting to shred, and the poles are fatigued. We need to accommodate four people as well as one dog in the vestibule, and will be camping in the Idaho mountains. We typically car camp, but I would like to add short backpacking trips as our kids are getting older. We tried a tent from REI and we froze over Memorial Day. It is not uncommon to have snow on the 4th of July. We also camp in the more temperate areas of Oregon, so ventilation is good. I really want a new tent just like my Walrus, but I find the choices overwhelming. Can you help limit our options? Thanks! Love your column. Michelle Boise, ID
Whitewater's brightest stars are launching bigger drops than ever. But it'll take more than sweet photos to right this fading sport.
Thayer Walker leashes a jaguar and takes it for a walk.
Paris is romantic, cultured, and sophisticated—and teeming with rollerblading fanatics? An investigation into France's most mysterious obsession.
When you're as well traveled as Aaron Eckhart, picking a favorite town isn't easy.
What's going on inside a top-level MTB cleat? We dissected this $380 model to find out.
What is the best way to treat stre water if you get lost and have no purifier? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Are there mechanisms for overcoming debilitating pain in a survival situation? In other words, if you break your femur in the wilderness, what techniques should you tap into once the adrenaline wears off? Leroy Malibu, CA
What should you do if your boat sinks in the ocean and there is no floating debris? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
What is the most abundant and evenly distributed edible plant in the United States? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
Build Power, Not Bulk The Pillars of Fitness To get in peak shape try out all four parts of our comprehensive series. IF YOU’VE BEEN FOLLOWING our Pillars of Fitness series (“Building a Base,” March, and “Speed Up,” May), congratulations. By now you’ve dedicated yourself to sustainable, year-round conditioning…
What exercises should I do to prevent soreness in my shoulders from paddling when surfing? The Editors
What are the best stretches I can do in my office? The Editors
Which exercises are best for developing strength in mountain biking? Matt Memphis, Tennessee
I would like to conquer Yosemite's Halfdome in September. How can I train for altitude climbing if I live near sea level? Paul Chesterfield, Michigan
I plan to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail next year, so I'm gearing up now so that I'll have time to test everything. I'm experienced, have guided, and I'm looking to go superlight. What's the best pair of trail-runners for the AT? Dave New York, NY
I've owned touring bikes for almost 25 years. When it was time to change my ride, I would automatically go for touring. But I must admit that I don't leave for extended periods as often (a way of saying I'm not touring anymore, actually—but that’s very hard to admit). I don't really need triple chainrings, but I like the possibility of installing racks to carry moderate loads (computer, lunch, extra clothes) when I commute to work. What are my options below 1,000$? Eric Quebec, QC
Healthy. That's the word we kept coming back to. And we don't mean a fit or skinny population; we're talking about a city's cultural vibrancy, economic well-being, and overall quality of life. Presenting our picks for the 10 best cities in America, from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Plus: Our 10 favorite small towns.
I'm headed to Maui in December and would like to do more than just sit on the beach. What are some things a serious athlete could do on the island over a week's time? Mark R. Madison, WI
I'm getting ready to move out to Oregon and relying on my diesel 1984 Mercedes - converted to run on waste vegetable oil, to get me out there. I'd really like to make it the whole way on grease, but haven't figured out the best way to do it. Do you have any advice that you could share? Heather Durh, North Carolina
What is the greenest backcountry water bottle? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico