Once again I find myself kneeling at the altar of the Gear Guy, seeking truth, wisdom, and equipment bliss. After having lugged my Gregory Whitney to Rainier’s Camp Muir on two occasions, I looking to shave more weight. Do the load-carrying suspension systems in lighter packs measure up to what I getting with my Gregory pack? Please, enlighten me. Stan El Dorado Hills, California

I’m an avid hiker and getting back into running, too. I love my Vasque hiking boots, which offer a lot of support, cushioning, and a cradled heel. But none of the running shoes I have tried offer the se fit. Can I run a 5K in hiking boots? Just kidding, sort of. Any suggestions? Matt Downingtown, Pennsylvania

I've decided to do the Lotoja Classic this year, a 206-mile ride from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I've done several century rides and the distance doesn't intimidate me (although it probably should), but the elevation does. I live at sea level and there are several climbs over 7,000 feet. How can I best train for the altitude while living at sea level? Thanks!

I’m climbing Mount Washington for the first time this winter. I have The North Face’s Mountain Light Jacket and Denali Jacket. Do I need a down jacket too? Dan Wilmington, Vermont

I'm going backpacking in the north Olympic National Park beaches later this month and wondering what to bring for footwear. We're carrying full packs, but I'm thinking my hiking boots won't be great on slippery rocks and boardwalks. Any advice? Paula Augusta, Maine

Over 30 years, we've had some monumental cover moments—and some we're not exactly proud of. Now is your chance to tell us what you think. Click below to vote for the best and the worst covers of all time.

I’m looking for a road bike with good speed to handle my 10- to 40-mile daily commute. I'll need it to hold up well in Seattle winter and rain. I've heard the Schwinn Super Sport DBX or the Kona Sutra would be good choices. Any advice? Chris Seattle, Washington

I’m a wildland firefighter, and I need a very lightweight, compact sleeping bag while on the job. Also, I will be going to Alaska or the Tetons to be a dog-sled tour guide and to do some snowshoeing, so I need a nice bag in the cold. Given that my price range is under $200, what are your suggestions? Straton Logan, Utah

My friends and I are interested in learning how to whitewater kayak. Can you recommend a good two- or three-day course in California or Oregon? Thomas H. Los Angeles, CA

We're asking you, our readers, to define the world Outside: the best travel destinations, adventure products, fitness strategies, lifestyle accessories, and more. We'll publish the results in our November 2007 issue. Don't wait—cast your votes now!

One of the most highly respected strength-training equipment designers in the industry Mark Nalley has signed on at Star Trac to work with the company on additional improvements in and expansions of its strength line. Nalley, the founder of Flex Fitness, which Star Trac bought after he had sold that…

I’m looking for a fast and light sit-on-top kayak that tracks well. I paddle a Feelfree Move on the Russian River with a couple who have a tandem Hobie, and I can never keep up with them. What do you think about the Cobra Explorer or the Hobie pedal kayak? Chrissi Cloverdale, California

I need a new jacket, but I’m not a big fan of bulky hardshells or anything too puffy, such as down jackets. Would a fleece or a soft shell jacket keep me warm enough in Colorado’s winter? Do you have any suggestions? Rachel Colorado Springs, Colorado

Boutique bike manufacturer Seven Cycles can build you a custom-fit, precision-crafted, $9,500 machine that looks like a MoMA sculpture and rides like a Maserati. Are you worthy?

I've heard that most vegetables and some fruits have "negative calorie content" because the body burns more calories digesting them than they have in their nutritional value. True or bull? If true, which foods have this property? Jenni Belmont, CA

I’ve always packed clothes in zip-lock-type bags, but I’m sick of my clothes ending up in different places in the pack. I’d like to switch to one dry compression sack. Any recommendations? Also, is there anything lighter than the Ursack that you would recommend for food storage? Dan Vail, Colorado

I’m considering buying two-way radios for group bicycling outings. What features should I look for? Jes Atlanta, Georgia

Introducing a master's course in adventure, fitness, gear, sports, sex, and so much more. Because it's a big world out there—and you need to be prepared.

I recently received a pair of 20-year-old Trappeur Gaston Rebuffat boots. I can’t find any information on them at all, but I do see them in almost all old climbing pictures. These babies feel like they’re made out of wood. Is there anything I can do make them more comfortable, or should I just give up? Travis Anchorage, Alaska

With its mad-genius creator, an A-list team of writers, and actors who know how to rip, can HBO's new left-coast drama, John from Cincinnati, finally get surf culture right? Jon Cohen peeks into the green room.

You were told that Everest base camp is an insult to the true spirit of mountaineering. (Harrumph.) But why weren't you told about the excellent bars, the butter people, and that friendly Playboy bunny from Poland? The author spends a month at the world's most exclusive party town.

Take one desert island, insert one strapping lad, and see how long he survives. That's the recipe for our half-starved, sunburnt castaway, who lived to tell the tale.

When Out of Bounds columnist Eric Hansen tested his mettle at Standford's Human Pain Research Laboratory for his August 2007 column titled "The Wimp Gene," he discovered that that he's not a huge fan of the hurt, thanks very much. Listen to a podcast v

If you're still not convinced you've found paradise after reading, "Yes, Real People Live Here" in the August, 2007 issue of Outside, you're in luck. We've profiled a slew of the best towns in the U.S. Here, dive into the archives for more places to hang your hat, kayak, surfboard, or crampons.

For the August 2007 feature story, “Powder Keg” we sent Josh Dean and Alex Tehrani to lay some tracks at the highest ski area…in Iran. Here, flip through some of Tehrani’s outtakes from their epic, see more images from his previous assignment for Outside, and read an interview with the…

I want to take my three year old biking on very well maintained trails on my mountain bike. He is about 33 pounds. Should I go with a bike seat or a towed carriage/trailer? Christopher Brooklyn, New York

I’m going on a cold-weather camping trip, but my sleeping bag is not very warm. I don’t want to buy a new bag. What can I do to make it warmer? Dalva Palo Alto, California

How can I prevent my tent from warping in all the worst places, shrinking at some points and stretching elsewhere? This leads to sagging in the rain. I never pack them wet and never let them dry in the sun. And thanks for all the advice; I have been a reader for the past ten years.

In our July 2007 Tour de France special, “Stage Fright” we featured a series of stateside rides that mimic those on Le Tour. Here see maps of those rides by clicking on the links below.

Sometimes one culture just isn’t enough. Steeping yourself in the South of France is great, but drop in to an Asian-themed resort on a French island and you’ll leave feeling like a true global denizen. Here are three hotels that import their home country’s ethos. Banyan Tree…

Not every playboat is for whitewater. Maximize your summer fun on lakes, rivers, and oceans with these versatile sit-on-top kayaks.

Is Boy Scouts of America doing enough to keep kids safe?

Try summiting one of Southeast Alaska’s 16,000-foot peaks and you’ll run into a few potholes—literally. Thousands of pits (or moulins), up to 300 feet deep, scar 3.2 million glaciated acres of Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, and more and more visitors are trading in a summit bid to rappel…

They stared combat in the face and lived to enlighten us, 2,500 years apart

Five perfect adventure lodges for your next escape

If we're wrong, we'll eat last year's Floyd Landis cover

History repeats itself—and we don't mind—with these seventies-inspired shades

WORKBENCH Fix a Flat A man doesn’t like to admit he’s never changed a bike tire. But there’s shame, and then there’s hiking ten miles when you could be riding. Let us help you avoid both indignities. Always carry…

British adventure filmmaker JUSTINE CURGENVEN, 33, elevates sea kayaking to the highest level of action sports: cool videos!

For more than 150 years, sophisticated anglers have lusted after bamboo fly rods—specifically, those made of Chinese Tonkin cane—but they’ve always faced the same drawback: The nodes between segments, like hinges, cause weak points. Now, Colorado rod builder Bernard Ramanauskas, 36, has developed a chemical treatment that stiffens the wood’s…

Why we love gadgets: a crushproof camera, a portable weather station, and more

It's the fishers, not the fish, that pose danger in the deep

Go with the flow, say ChiRunners, and your legs will follow

On July 7, more than 100 bands, including Sting and his old Police mates, will rock all seven continents for Al Gore’s Live Earth concerts. And while the idea of partying to save the world has been around since Bob Geldof’s Live Aid, in 1985, this spectacle has a twist:…

Levi Leipheimer rises to the top of U.S. cycling

And in bloody high style, too—God save us all.

It's not nice to fool Mother Nature, but as the mercury rises, a crop of weather-changing scientists want to try

From chef Vitaly Paley and USA Cycling coach Michael Manning, as featured in July 2007's "How to Do Everything (Well, Almost)"

Six high-octane sports drinks

Create your personal hydration plan

Groundbreaking new research shows there's a better way to fill your tank

Discover the pleasure and pain of pro-caliber climbs with these U.S. mountain monsters

Can beer be considered a valuable source of carbs for post- training refueling? Marc Montreal, Quebec

I’m looking for a 30-degree sleeping bag that works well for both backpacking and a six- to 12-month world trip. It should weigh less than three pounds and compress to the smallest size possible when packed. Also, down or synthetic? Nick Redondo Beach, California

I’m looking for a camera mount that can be attached to my kayak and used for camcorders and/or digital cameras. Any ideas? Mark Hamburg, New York

Last week, the Gear Guy responded to a question about kayaking with dogs. We got such a response, that we decided to revisit the question: Can a dog still be man’s best friend out on the water?

I have bad knees from running and think that poles might help with my hiking. I doing the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim this fall and want your opinion on a good mid-range trekking pole. What do you recommend? Heidi Chicago, Illinois

I’m new to climbing and have been to several stores both local and online looking for gear. I concerned with safety and see all different brands (SMC, Petzl, Omega), shapes, materials, and sizes of carabiners. Which one is best? Don Bellingh, Washington

We purchased a Sierra Designs Bedouin 6 tent thinking it would be the perfect size for our family of four. But it’s just a little too small. We need something that’s just a foot or two wider and longer. Any suggestions? Dawn Minneapolis, Minnesota

My husband and I have two weeks at the end of our year-long stay in Germany before returning home to the U.S. and would like to do an extended backpacking trip in the Alps. Do you have any suggested routes? Eileen K. Germany

I going trekking in Peru and Bolivia this July and would like to take a soft shell pant that combines around-town style, warmth for alpine hiking, and affordability. What recommendations do you have? Ron San Francisco, California

I need a camera that’s water resistant (or waterproof), can withstand being banged around a bit, has a bit of zoom, and can be charged using a 12V solar power system. Lots of cameras out there seem to have a couple of these features, but not all of them. Do you have any suggestions? Rachael Springtown, Pennsylvania

A Playboy bunny, massage tents, martinis, bootleg movies, high altitude golf. As correspondent Kevin Fedarko reports in the July 2007 feature story, "High Times" the scene at Everest Base Camp ain't what you'd expect. Here, listen to an audio version of the story and hear an interview with Fedarko.

For the July 2007 feature story "Me. By Myself. For a Long Time. (Very Long.)", we sent Thayer Walker to the uninhabited island of Isla Pargo with little more than a dive mask, a knife, and the clothes on his back. Here, see video diary segments from his time on the island, a gallery of his photos, and hear a podcast interview with the man himself.

My husband and I are boaters, and we’re looking for sleeping bags that are super-light and cool for warm weather. Is there such a thing? Claudia Wainer, California

My dermatologist told me to stay out of the sun, not well received advice by a committed recreational athlete. Does anyone make a summer-weight, long-sleeved cycling jersey with UV protection? I need full coverage, because I tend sweat off sunscreen pretty quickly. Michael San Francisco, California

Colorado River guide Michael Ghiglieri publishes irresistible books about the weird, wicked things that kill people in national parks. With a bestselling Grand Canyon necrology behind him and a new one on Yosemite coming out this spring, he talks to KEVIN FEDARKO about accidents, suicides, and murders—and why forensic gawking can actually

Think of fitness like your portfolio: don’t let short-term thinking limit long-term gains.

I recently purchased what were supposed to be great boots, only to have them rip my heels apart. I narrowed the problem down to the point where a combination of ses meets in the heel of the boot. My old boots were leather lined and didn’t have the ses of death. So, where can I find leather-lined boots these days, and how can I protect my heels when hiking regardless of the boots? Tanya Washington, D.C.

I live near the ocean, and every part on my bike that isn't aluminum or titanium is rusting. Is there something that could help save my bike?

I would like to take my Labrador retriever kayaking with me. What kayak would you suggest using? And any tips on kayaking with my dog? Inger Irvine, California

When our man dons a tumpline and dhoko for a five-day trek in the Himalayas, he discovers two things: Nepali porters may be the toughest workers in the universe, and there’s simply no way he can measure up

(Santa Fe, NM) May 29, 2007 – Outside’s Go , the new travel and style magazine for active and affluent men, today announced that Walker Mason has been named Publisher. Mason will be based in the New York office and will report to Chairman and Editor…

Ballston Spa, NY – May 30, 2007 – ReserveAmerica, the United States’ leading recreation reservation service, and Outside magazine, the voice of America’s active lifestyle, have formed a strategic marketing and advertising alliance. The two companies will develop integrated media and marketing campaigns featuring their respective assets and resources,…

I’m interested in your opinion of the single-walled Mountain Hardwear EV3 expedition tent. I haven’t seen a valid review anywhere, but I have heard that there are some concerns with ventilation. The tent is obviously bomber, but what else can you tell me? Joe Los Angeles, California

Our coverage of this year's Tour includes up-to-date standings, blog entries from our resident cycling fanatic, and exclusive photo galleries from both the race and the mayhem that occurs behind the race. PLUS: Epic rides within the U.S. where you can stage your own Tour.

Expedition bloggers Tom and Tina Sjogren love a great adventure. But if they don't like yours, get ready for a fight.

Leave it to the road-trip experts—college students—to invent a more efficient ride

A journey from model surfer to model/surfer

Escape the heat with these can't-put-down reads