Everything
It was supposed to be a dream trip: a week along one of Europe's last empty coastlines, riding waves, drinking wine, and sleeping on the beach. And it (mostly) was.
I want to take up cross-country skiing again after a 20-year layoff. What's the latest in gear, not necessarily top of the line but not entry level, that will get me back there again? I'm a classic skier with a passing interest in skate skiing. Can both be done with two sets of skis and the se boots and poles? I remember waxing as something tedious to be avoided at all costs but the waxless skis back then were useless in some conditions—have they improved? Mike Wheaton, IL
I have a Moonstone bivy sack—it has seven graphite rods with both graphite and metal ferrels (similar to tent poles). Does Moonstone still exist? If so, how do I contact them? If not, is there another source for these graphite rods? Geoffrey Cbridge, MA
Each winter, more than 2,500 teams from across Japan compete for one of 155 coveted slots in the annual Showa-Shinzan International Yukigassen, the world's de facto snowball Super Bowl. The February 21–22 tournament, on the northern island of Hokkaido, is also open to international teams, but don't think you can just round up some softball buddies
Upgrade your armory with the coolest knives and multitools out there
Before there was Timbaland, there were Timberland boots. And before pop stars began naming themselves after consumer brands, there was the Abington Shoe Company. Established in 1933, it would eventually blossom into the $1.4 billion footwear-and-apparel behemoth now known as Timberland. Boots were cut from simpler cloth thenthe only indulgence…
Your survival plan for South by Southwest, the annual film-and-music bonanza taking place this month: (1) MAKE A PLAN. With hundreds of bands playing over five nights, picking your spots can be tough. Big names reliably play Stubb’s Bar-B-Que (stubbsaustin.com), and be sure to check out…
With its SoCal sun and NoCal sensibility, Santa Barbara is about the best place in the lower 48 for an early-spring mix of surfing and cycling—and for anyone in pursuit of a good glass of wine. While last November's fires scoured 1,940 acres in Santa Barbara County, the flames spared the city center and the majority of the recreational trails surroundi
Conveniently, 2009 marks both the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. This has fur-and-feather nerds everywhere aflutter. But the occasion should also be cause for celebration among adventure travelers. After all, before the British naturalist's obsession with Galápagos…
Contrary to what the recycled-sandal wing of the environmental movement might think, greening the world takes sacrifice, hard work, and a lot of cash. At least that’s the impression you get from reading Edward Humes’s Eco Barons: The Dreamers, Schemers, and Millionaires Who Are Saving Our Planet ($26, Ecco). Humes,…
Most NFL players spend the off-season recovering from injuries or pumping iron. Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones, 31, spent the spring of 2008 traveling from Switzerland to Singapore, trying his hand at the world's most exotic sports, for his new Travel Channel show, Dhani Tackles the Globe, premiering March 16.
For multisport athletes like you, the trick isn't getting in shape. It's staying there. Here's how.
Times are tough, but growing and killing your own food isn't the answer.
I searching for a light, packable garment to be layered under a shell when I take a break from high-output winter sport like cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. I planning a hut-to-hut ski in Quebec’s Gaspesie and would like to have some "warmth insurance" in case it's necessary (e.g. accident, lunch break, etc.). I considering a light-weight down or synthetic jacket instead of more fleece. David Wesmount, Quebec
As a snowboarder, the one advantage skiers have over me is the ability to get through flats and even skin uphill. I wouldn't go into unfiliar terrain without a guide, but would I be able to use snowshoes to get through some of this terrain in the backcountry. I've never been snowshoeing before, but I'd like to get into some backcountry stuff and don't want a split board. This may not work, but I'm trying to be creative. Michael San Diego;CA San Diego, CA
What is your recommendation for a largish two-man tent? We're both six foot, two inches tall. I'd like to use it for an upcoming AT thru-hike, starting in Georgia in January, and also for some winter Pennsylvania camping. Any chance we can find one that weighs under five pounds without sacrificing durability? Luke Scranton, PA
I have been looking for a lady’s altimeter watch. Why does it seem like the industry isn’t making watches for women? Marilyn Santa Fe, NM
Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely talk about the importance of butter, bacon, and iPods on their record-setting South Pole expedition.
My daughter is anemic and refuses to take the iron pills her doctor gave her. Are there any iron rich foods that would help her? M. Kesto White Lake, Michigan
I take one multivitamin every morning after breakfast. Does it matter what time of day I take it? Craig Dunedin New Zealand
For cycling and running, does Siberian ginseng have any benefits for performance? If so, when is the best time to take it before a race? Andrew Guthrie Edmond, Oklahoma
Where is the most advanced blood analysis and nutrition program being offered? Dennis McGuire Stuart, Florida
I lost 40 pounds through running, biking, and counting calories. Now I want to maintain my weight but have not kicked the calorie-counting habit. I still record everything I eat. Do you have any advice for kicking the recording habit? Daryl Davis Osceola, Indiana
I a trail runner. Keeping in mind the weight and bulk, what should I carry with me if I running on a mix of urban roads and wilderness trails? Andrew Guthrie Edmond, Oklahoma
Do you know how early cultures preserved meat and fish by hanging thin strips on racks out in the sun and wind? Is this method effective? How do you know when food has had enough exposure time? Richard Budd Arlington, Massachusetts
I'm going on a yurt-to-yurt ski/snowshoe trip in the Porcupine Mountains of Northern Michigan in March. What do I need to take with me? Jeanne Bergstrom Rockford, Illinois
Are there beaches in Northern California that are virtually shark-free? I would love to learn to surf but do not want to run into a shark! Wannabe Surfer San Francisco, California
I'm a professional triathlete studying for an Environmental Science degree. I'm moving to erica and wish to get into the environmental industry and continue to pursue my other profession. Any idea how I can go about this? Matthew Sydney, Australia
I seem to remember reading in Outside that research was being done to create thin, adhesive solar "panels" that could be affixed to windows. Any progress on that front? y Minnesota
How does a person living off the grid in a remote area dispose of trash? Raymond California
Is it more environmentally friendly to throw away used tissues or to flush them down the toilet? Nathan Vancouver, Washington
I will be spending three months at Everest Base Cp. What jacket would you recommend? I a 5'1" female, and it seems all the jackets targeted for temps at 8,000 meters are only made for men. Torrey Kailua, HI
To obtain Wildland Fire Certification in March, I must be able to walk or run three miles wearing 45 pounds in less than 45 minutes. The test takes place over varied topography on pavement. Can you recommend a training strategy? Gail Hellertown, Pennsylvania
What's the best way to prepare for an adventure race? Eric Saint Joseph, Missouri
What's the best exercise equimpent for a dorm room that will help me lose weight? Foldable treadmill? Mary Helen Spooner West Sussex, England
My left IT band tightens up every time I go for a run and sometimes I have to stop to stretch it. How can I loosen it up?
I'm having surgery on the big toe on my left foot, which will keep me on crutches for six weeks. The doctor has told me no pressure on the foot, not even from a stationary bike. What can I do to keep from totally losing my conditioning?
He snuck a parachute up the Empire State Building under a fat suit. He says he knows how to fly. Crazy? Maybe. But Jeb Corliss is sure fun to watch.
...makes you stronger, smarter, healthier, and—let's face it—more interesting. Just ask research editor Ryan Krogh, who volunteered for a cage fight.
I was thinking about buying a zero-degree bag. I winter cp once or twice each year and won't go if the temps will be too low (So far the coldest may have been 10 degrees). I have a buddy who is dead set against inexpensive brands. Is there really a warmth difference between an inexpensive zero-degree bag and an expensive one? I not a warm sleeper but a "cheap son-of-a-gun." Are there any recommendations that you can make? Marty Morgantown, WV
I'm moving to Mongolia for work and it's going to get pretty cold (between -20 and -35 Celsius in winter) Any advice on gear for running or cross-country skiing in those temps, or is it just too cold? There weren't be much deep snow. Dave Hong Kong
I spent last Saturday at REI looking at ski gear and got a bit overwhelmed. I was told until I really want to invest in all the "stuff" for skiing, that all I should buy right now is a good hat, gloves and ski pants. What are your thoughts? Joan Redmond, WA
We are thinking of visiting a friend in Nicaragua this winter. Is Nicaragua a safe travel destination? And can you recommend some good, active side trips from Bluefields? y San Marcos, CA
Nick Heil hits the gym with the star point guard of the Denver Nuggets.
The Phoenix Suns star takes a break from running the point, filmmaking, building green gyms, and charity work to talk to WILL PALMER.
We tried to stop our man from revealing the dirty secrets of travel writing. Alas, he refused to be muzzled.
He's got seven yellow jerseys. He's not getting paid. He's 37 years old. So why is Lance Armstrong racing again? Because he still has something to prove—and nothing else hurts so good.
Can a cult fly-fishing novel about a young man coming of age in the wild blow up on the big screen? It's happened once before
No mountain? No problem. As our man discovered, racing up a skyscraper provides a challenge as daunting as many high peaks.
No, you haven't met her somewhere before, and neither had we. Fletcher, a 33-year-old triathlete from Red Deer, Alberta, has spent the last five years coming up through the amateur-triathlon ranks, consistently winning her age group, and is poised to go pro in 2009. How does she practice jockeying against other hard-bodied type-A women who occasionally kick
British Columbia has tried to secure the Winter Olympics no fewer than six times. In fact, the town of Whistler was built for this very purpose: In 1960, four Vancouver businessmen began developing the ski resort 75 miles to the north, hoping to win the 1968 event. They failed. Four…
What’s out there right now that comes closest to the old-fashioned mountain parka (but with modern fabric)? I've never seen anything to compare with my Madden (from about 1978 or so), but alas it's shrunk over the years and no longer fits me when I wear any kind of insulating layer. Mike Austin, TX
What is the lightest solo tent, one that also offers serious protection in storms? Peggy San Jose, CA
The first Filson bag I ever saw was in the callused hands of a wrangler in Grand Junction, Colorado. The next million hung from the shoulders of ad designers, junior corporate lawyers, and artfully disheveled fashion writers in Manhattan’s East Village. That’s right: Bags by Filson, makers of refined hunting-and-fishing…
Travel to Sin City is facing its biggest slump since 9/11: In the past year, Vegas merchants have seen a 6 percent drop in sales. What this means to you: Airfare is cheap, and there will be fewer mountain bikers than normal in Bootleg Canyon, one of the country’s least-appreciated…
First I heard seals. Then coyotes. Then I opened my eyes to a full-frontal view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Such is life at Cavallo Point, a 46-building resort on a renovated army base in the Golden Gate National Parks that opened last July. The first hotel to start up…
In mid-January, survival expert Bear Grylls began the third season of the Discovery Channel's Man Vs. Wild. The series, which has Grylls parachuting into remote wilderness with limited gear, is best known for scenes in which the guy with the accent eats disgusting things—decaying carcasses, grubs, elephant dung. The special on this season's menu: b
A veteran ice-boater takes a shot at the world record for wind-powered speed
It sure sounds like another shameless reality-TV formula: Inspire people to slim down by offering them cash, then film their struggles with health food and sit-ups. But personal trainer Bob Harper, 43, of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, feels no shame at all. The show lets him introduce his holistic fitness…
Don't let the dark of winter slow you down. We tested two dozen next-gen lights to bring you the six best and brightest.
Getting far, far, far away from it all is easier—and cheaper—than you think. Presenting seven adventure-packed Caribbean island escapes. The Over-Under SABA, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES Netherlands Antilles (Philip Oblentz/Digital Vision/Getty) The most challenging part of a trip to Saba, a five-square-mile volcanic island 28 miles southwest of St. Maarten, is…
For 25 years, Shaun Palmer has dominated everything from the snowboard halfpipe to mountain-bike downhills—and earned his reputation as action sports' foul-mouthed bad boy. Now 40, he's cleaned up his act for a run at Olympic gold. Will he find redemption, or die trying?
What are the best boots for climbing Matterhorn?
They've got a slight animal-control problem in Delhi, India: Thousands of wild rhesus monkeys, addled by the sprawl that's taking over their habitat, are dropping out of trees to steal food, chug booze, and murder prominent citizens. Did we mention that many of the victims believe these creatures are gods?
Two of the world's best spearfishermen hunt for fish the size of offensive linemen.
In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit snuck onto the roof of the World Trade Center, rigged a tightrope between the Twin Towers, and spent three-quarters of an hour dancing across the 1,350-foot-deep urban abyss. The caper was all but forgotten until last summer, when James Marsh’s documentary Man on Wire…