Everything
I looking for a rugged, water resistant pair of long hiking pants that can be worn in warm weather conditions. What do you recommend? Karl Newton, NJ
Ben Sherwood talks about the secrets and science that can save your life.
I will be going up to 23,000 feet and need to do a documentary film there. Which camera and battery set do you recommend for HD shooting. Huma Beg Islamabad
My son is completing Cub Scouts this spring and moving on to Boy Scouts in the summer. I searching for a sturdy tent for his use in the Boy Scouts, who average about a three- to four-mile hike in on most of their trips. I would like to find a one- or two-person tent that would allow for his gear to be stored inside and still have some room for dressing and sleeping. The weather in our area (Southeast United States) is hot, wet summers with thunderstorms and moderately cold, dry winters. Cost is a consideration because I expect this tent to be replaced at least once before he finishes Scouts. Jack Charlotte, NC
Schoeller Dryskin ses to be the material of choice in soft shell pants, followed by Schoeller Dynmic. There is also a stretch-woven polyester used by Patagonia in the Guide Pant (which I believe is now discontinued) and a lighter version of the se material used in the Simple Guide Pant. Can you discuss the pros and cons of the Schoeller vs. the material used in the Patagonia pants? How they perform one vs. the other. And the temperature range in which each can be used comfortably. In short, which do you recommend? Scott Lubbock, TX
I can't find a good mountain-biking seat that doesn't make me feel like I was violated after a long ride. One friend suggested stuffing my shorts with Vaseline. I ride a fair ount, and it's always pretty bad after a long one, but even a moderate 20-miler leaves me walking like I have a pole in the pipe for a day or two. What gives? What can I do? Jayson Los Angeles, CA
Every year, we receive hundreds of subÂÂmissions from our readers. Some make us laugh. Some make us wince. Some make it into the magazine. (So don’t give up.) Recently, we dove into a teetering pile of stories and found a few moments in which our readers’ gusto and/or narrative prowess…
It's year ten of the REVOLUTION. Venezuela's oil riches are vanishing, and el presidente's "Yankee devil" rhetoric has created the world's most hostile environment for Homo turisticus. PATRICK SYMMES goes looking for adventure, and comes back with a tale that will haunt him forever.
You stand on a 300-foot cliff and think, “Mommy!” Ted Davenport stands there and thinks, “Sick air!” The difference, neuroscientists are finding, may lie in the very anatomy of our minds.
Having constructed the greatest flotation device mankind has ever known, our fearless writer embarks on an ill-conceived, possibly insane crossing of alligator-infested North Florida via a string of seriously imperiled and incredibly beautiful rivers. (Yeah, it's a tube.)
India's Shark's Fin is a 6,500-foot rock route that's twice as long and just as steep as anything on El Capitan, and once left me defeated. When I took it on for the second time, at 45, a blizzard promptly pinned our team to the wall like insects. Which made me wonder: was the mountain telling me something?
From African safaris to Indian trekking to Brazilian backpacking, the right gear will make the trip
My sons are serious cyclists in their twenties and want to do a bike trip with Mom and Dad in Alaska this summer. Can you recommend something challenging for them that won't kill us? P S. Highlands Ranch, CO
Who has the greater chance of survival, a person alone, or a group? Chris British Columbia
What is a healthy resting heart rate, and how can I get mine down? What would a super athlete's be? And what is a dangerously high resting heart rate? Cillian Dundalk, Ireland
What is the best stretch for cardio and weight-lifting workouts? Brandon Mosul, Iraq
I dislocated my shoulder rock climbing. What kind of exercises should I do to reduce the risk of it happening again? Eric Las Cruces, New Mexico
What is the best time of day for aerobic and anaerobic exercise? David Centennial, Colorado
When you're charting a new course, these gadgets will keep you on track
Go to Argentina and find the best steak on earth, we told him. It was a dream assignment for our favorite swashbuckling gourmand—until he found himself staring into el ojo de la vaca.
But don't worry, we've stacked the deck in your favor. Welcome to Expedition Planning 101. Your assignment: Read the tips on gear, first aid, and food; pick one of our five ready-to-roll itineraries; and then get out the door. Just remember to be humble—Ma Nature won't be intimidated by your trash-talking buddies.
I'm snowboarding with some friends in the backcountry. We get split up ong the trees and I wake up with a bloody, broken leg. What should be my course of action? David Centennial, Colorado
I train very hard in the spring and summer by cycling. I seem to peak in mid-July, and by mid-August my aerobic capacity drops off. I fatigue easily and struggle to keep up with my cycling group. What is going on and how can I prevent this next year?
I've got the opportunity to raft the Tat River in Alaska this August. My major concern—even more than icebergs and grizzlies—is that I'm going to be deathly cold the entire 12 days. I'm a small woman at 5 foot 4 and 110 pounds, with a history of frostbite and Reynaud's to boot. Advice for warm, waterproof clothing? Or should I just stick to beach vacations? Andrea Minneapolis, MN
I still try to find my holly grail of mountaineering jackets but despite the vast variety my quest is unfinished! After using dozens of jackets, I can't still find one that can beat the versatility of my old Lowe Alpine Foraker (backpacking, mountaineering, skiing, and discrete for urban use). I just want handwarmer pockets and chest pockets for loading the essentials (all with storm flaps—the linated water-resistant zippers seem just.. resistant), two-way main zip with double storm flap, enough length to cover my hips from those backstabbing breezes, and enough abrasion resistance to withstand skiing, backpacking, and thorny rocks. Did I mention water-windproofness and breathability? Pit-zips are optional! Some help from your gearness? Jimmy Washington, DC
I planning a trip to the Grand Canyon (from rim to rim to rim) and would like your advice on the best GPS. I'm looking at the Oregon 200. Thanks. Kran Avondale, PA
What boot would give me the most bang for my buck when hiking south on Appalachian Trail in the early spring through summer, considering durability and water-tightness? Ian Nottingh, PA
I'm going on a four-day hike to Machu Picchu in May. I plan on taking my Canon Rebel XS digital SLR camera with me as well as a zoom lens. I'll be wearing a multi-day backpack for the hike. What would you recommend I use to carry the DSLR so that it is protected and still readily available for photos? I was considering a belt pack but was unsure how that would affect the backpack's belt straps. Rachel Newark, NJ
I'm looking for luggage to use on a ten-day eco-tour of Costa Rica. Do you have any suggestions? Mark Buffalo, NY
I a 5'8" female and wondering if I should get a women-specific sleeping bag. Is there really a difference? I'm a very cold sleeper, so I'd like a zero-degree bag. I also don't want to spend $300 dollars on it. Any suggestions? Thanks. Jessie Baltimore, MD
A couple of friends and I want to take a spring break trip sea kayaking. Although we own play boats, we would need to rent sea kayaks. We are college students, so we need to keep the cost at about $1,200 or so for the whole week. We would prefer the East Coast, but if costs and/or weather make this difficult, we would try some West Coast flavor, too. What do you suggest? Lucas Benton, AR
Yukon Quest champion Sebastian Schnuelle talks about eating vacuum-packed McNuggets, cooking for canines, and taking on Lance Mackey.
Every year, thousands ofericans race. Very few of them win. All of them have a blast. Isn't it time you joined the party?
What's a good down sleeping bag for a side/stomach sleeper who rolls around and gets cold easily? My 15 degree bag just doesn't cut it when the temp drops below 40, even with a liner. Joey herst, Massachusetts
My good friend is going to a Thai Message course in Laos, and then on to Bali and perhaps Nepal. I looking to get her something that would be useful in a small pack. Any ideas? Nick Santa Monica, California
What heart-rate monitor has the best basic features and fit for a woman? Chris Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
I'm shopping for a snowshoe that will work on uphill ascents and long trail hikes, as well as on packed and soft snow. What snowshoe is best to get between the Crescent Moon Gold 13 and the MSR Lightning Ascent? I'm 5'6" and 125 pounds. Outdoor Girl New York, New York
My wife and I are expecting our first child this summer. We plan to hike and camp with the baby in the southwest. What are some gear concerns I need to think about? How young can we start and do I need to be concerned about altitude and little lungs? Brian Chinle, Arizona
I hike relatively rough terrain in deep snow and ice while carrying a 30-pound pack. I also periodically snowshoe. What boot can handle all these conditions and activities? Mirja Concord, Massachusetts
If a shark doesn't kill you, shallow-water blackout or a giant propeller might. But the spearfishermen freediving the oil rigs off Louisiana's coast don't let that get in the way of the hunt for fresh tuna.
They say you can't go home again—to the strange, remote, threatened South American jungle where your larger-than-life, field-scientist dad discovered an extremely rare, weird-looking species called Lophostoma schulzi. They're probably right. But we did it anyway.
With the help of an NBA star, our man tries out two new fitness tools: a vibrating plate and the TRX Suspension Trainer.
How do you swing a great job in the islands? Ask these five guys, all of whom have figured out how to balance a career with the relaxed lifestyle of the Bahamas.
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 then—the 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.
