Everything
CHRIST HAS RETURNED. No, not the carpenter—the skater. Christian Hosoi (“Christ” to fans) is resurrecting his career at 37. After a drug-fueled meltdown that ended with four and a half years in prison, the legendary aerobat is taking his first high-profile steps toward reentering the competitive fray—touring with skate exhibitions,…
Japanland A Year in Search of Wa By Karin Muller (Rodale, $24) Finding George Orwell in Burma By Emma Larkin (The Penguin Press, $23) EVER SINCE MARCO POLO admired Kublai Khan’s horses in the 13th century, Westerners have sought to understand the romance, mysticism, and…
NEED NEW INCENTIVES TO STAY IN SHAPE? How about gunfights, acrobatics, and international espionage? Spy School, a new fitness program from the Los Angeles–based gym Absolution (www.absolution-la.com), offers a custom menu of health and “adrenaline management” courses designed to turn you into the next Mr. or Mrs.
BROKEN BONES, TWEAKED KNEES, torn tendons: In days of yore—say, last year—these injuries would’ve promptly ended your season of biking, running, or hoops. Not anymore. Doctors are now shifting toward minimally invasive surgical techniques and natural healing stimulants that not only get you back in the game in top form…
How to deal with layover purgatory? Make airports more fun. We've created the ultimate—a fantasy composite of our favorite terminal amenities from around the world. Airport developers, you are cleared for takeoff.
It seemed like a good idea: Two war correspondents escape reality into far Mongolia, stalking an otherworldly fish called a taimen. But in the process of cleansing their souls with icy water and Johnnie Walker Black, they realize it's possible to stray too far from home.
A team of Japanese scientists has observed and photographed the giant squid in the wild for the first time. Read their story and see photos of the squid here.
Who's got the time and energy to make a living, chase their dreams, and leave the world a better place? You do. Sure, it ain't easy. But we've found the tools, ideas, and inspiring examples to help you evolve into the fully balanced life-explorer you were meant to be.
America's multiplatinum surf troubadour rides his dreams like a North Shore break. His secret? If you love what you do, life and work can both be a rip.
Widen the horizons of adventure by taking the controls and becoming a pilot
The growing mob at surfing's premier big wave has tow-in veterans fearing for their lives
Workers, unite! Get dressed, gear up, and turn that commuter grind into a grand detour—you'll kick-start the day
Read "Airborn Again" about the return of Christian Hosoi, in the September issue of Outside, now on stands, then check out some skateboarding legends and new faces from the annals of Outside below.
Read “Let the Bad Times Roll” in the October issue of Outside, now on stands, then dig in to our chamber of horror below for more hair-raising tales of paralyzing fear, backcountry mysteries, and bizarre creatures. Unsolved Mysteries Scary Stuff The O Files: Outside’s Unsolved Mysteries…
It's time for a radical reform of high-altitude mountaineering�and a fresh debate over what it means to climb right
Pioneering climber, explorer, and mapmaker Bradford Washburn has shot some of the most epic mountain photography of all time�much of which has never seen the light of day. Kurt Markus delves into a cache of unforgettable images and reports on the long, full life of an alpine icon.
I on a quest to build my own tent, but where to begin and where to buy all the doodads? Nicole Fort Wayne, Indiana
Oh Gear Guy, please open my eyes and show me who makes the best bags in the biz. Is it Western Mountaineering or Feathered Friends? I'm further confused with reports of two other excellent manufacturers, Integral Designs and newcomer Valandré. David Los Angeles, California
I see a variety of different kayak clothing on the market (i.e., drytops versus wetsuits). I have always been confused about the different weather conditions and types of kayaking in which each type of clothing would be appropriate. Can you help? Philip Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Chris Carmichael wants to answer your most pressing fitness questions. Go ahead, ask him anything.
I'm off trekking in the Italian Dolomites and want to know which stove to take. Self-sealing butane/propane canisters are convenient and light but can be difficult to buy in some areas, and guidebooks never give much advice about which fuel type is most easily available. Ashley Falmouth, United Kingdom
I have a wicking shirt that's several years old that smells like sweat even after being freshly washed. Is there anything to get the body odor out of quick-drying fabrics? Melissa Minneapolis, Minnesota
You've never let me down, Gear Guy, and I know you won't this time either. My entry-level GPS (Garmin eTrex) seems unable to see the sky if there is a tree within 50 feet. On a recent Sierra backpack it did well above timberline but not in forest, even with big clear gaps in the canopy. Would a more expensive GPS do better? Help me, I need my waypoints! Frank Sacrento, California
How good, maneuverable, and sturdy are folding kayaks? Are they only made for the lakes and sea? Would you recommend any specific model and producer? Bolek Hilton, Ontario
What roof rack do you recommend for a Porsche Cayenne if I buy a Trek tandem? Are there any rear-mounted racks for tandems? Rich San Diego, California
The gear world's global Big Tent returns to Salt Lake, and things get dirty. The Gear Guy reports.
My wife and I (non-glasses wearers) are going whale-watching in Canada. We don't want to spend more than $150 for binoculars, and we'd like something with a little durability. What can you recommend? J. Sweinberg New York City
I recently took a pair of Scarpa ZG 65 boots on a massive four-day hike through the Drakensburg Mountains. They ce back completely filthy, so I used some Nikwax products to help clean them up. On the bottle it says that if really dirty, use a "stiff nylon nail brush to assist," so I did. Unfortunately, that caused the inner fabric on one of my boots to become very, very furry. Please tell me how badly I have messed up my boots. Why would they include instructions that would harm one's boots? Kirsty KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
I'm looking for a versatile shoe that would serve as lightweight cp footwear as well as a good option for stre crossings. I've tried neoprene water moccasins and Teva sandals, but neither hits the cp-shoe mark (cold and wet after stre crossings, or in wet conditions). Jes Terre Haute, Indiana
My college-aged daughter will be studying abroad starting in January. The program requires that she bring everything she needs for the entire semester in a single non-wheeled backpack. She won't be camping out but doing homestays in Germany and Tanzania, with some travel in between. Deb Amherst, New Hampshire
I've been looking at sit-on-top kayaks, specifically the Wilderness Tarpon 120 and the Ocean Kayak Prowler 13. I'll probably do most of my paddling in the harbor on calm, flat water. However, I might want to get into some ocean fishing just offshore. Also, I travel frequently up and down the West Coast and was wondering if these models are appropriate for some of the waters further north. Any advice would be great before I plunk down my $1,000 or so. Jim Newport Beach, California
For the past couple of winters, I've been climbing ice and mountains in a used pair of plastic boots that are a couple sizes too big. I bought them because they were inexpensive and fit reasonably well, plus I wasn't sure how long I'd stick with ice climbing. I now ready to drop the cash for a brand-new pair of plastic boots that fit. Any recommendations for a female with slightly narrow and cold feet? Claire Minneapolis, Minnesota
Do I need a pump or chemical purifier for a trip to the Boundary Waters next summer? On past trips I have used Polar Pure, but I know that you sing the praises of pump filters. Will I waste time pumping versus doing some fishing while waiting for chemicals to work? Help me decide, Oh Knowledgeable One! Brad Chapel Hill, North Carolina
I’m looking for a hitch-mounted bike rack. Any stand-outs? And does the anti-sway device on the new version of the Thule Expressway work as well as the old zip-stick method? John New York, NY
What’s better while day-hiking: water or a sports drink? Charles Mt. Holly, NC
I tend to get cold around cp and want to get an ultralight jacket to replace the fleece & two thermals I typically wear. I'm looking at the Western Mountaineering Flight Jacket and the Bozeman Mountain Works Cocoon Pullover. Any suggestions? Chris Santa Monica, CA
Fit or not, it's time to wise up and listen to your ticker. It could be headed for an untimely failure.
Think Utopia doesn't exist? Maybe not yet—but these ten towns are making a play for perfection with adventure-friendly innovation and cool ideas for building smart communities. Plus the hottest concepts in urban revival, combating sprawl, and better hometown living.
Don't undermine your trail-shoe investment with tired socks. A fresh set of condition-specific cushions will turn miles into smiles.
Fifty years ago this August, Sir Hugh Beaver, of the Guinness brewing company, commissioned a London fact-finding agency to compile a book of records so British pub-goers could discuss something besides their aching livers. The resulting Guinness Book of World Records, which issues a new edition each October, has since…
After years of faithfully guarding against the much-hyped perils of dehydration, recreational athletes were hit with some startling news this past spring: Drinking water can kill you. A recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine had news outlets issuing grim proclamations about the dangers of hyponatremia—a potentially deadly…
Can you hear the silence? We’re in a lull between diet fads. Enjoy it while it lasts, because the next hot diet will probably appear within months, killing off the previous rage and, unfortunately, any sound nutritional advice it might have contained. Ask and You Will Receive Got a fitness…
“Never say never, but I have no desire to climb over 8,000 meters again,” says mountaineering superstar Ed Viesturs. Well, you can’t blame him. Over the past 16 years, Steady Eddie has spent an estimated 25 days above 8K (26,240 feet) en route to becoming the first American to climb…
Seven years after his last book, Cormac McCarthy is back—and the old cuss is leaner, meaner, and bloodier than ever. In his new novel, the famously reclusive New Mexican pens a furious tale of Southwestern noir with a body count approaching Tarantino-esque proportions. cormac mccarthy McCarthy is so famous for…
You can't buy it in any store, can't send away for it online, can't meet the author (there are thousands), and you probably won't be able to read it if you do find it, since much of it is written in Hebrew. PATRICK SYMMES follows the trail of an underground global legend: the everywhere-and-nowhere travel bible of Israel's combat-fatigued, footloose vagabond yo
Until early last year, the ivory-billed woodpecker was presumed extinct—there hadn’t been a confirmed sighting of the 20-inch-tall bird, once common in the southeastern United States, since 1944. But in April, after a yearlong hunt involving sophisticated remote sound-recording technology and plenty of neck craning, ornithologists announced that at least…
Are you ashamed of your polypro collection? Try one of these three anti-funk fabric solutions.
What the iPod did for music, the new portable media centers could do for movies. Now all we need to do is convince the suits.
IN THE STORE Unless you're purchasing the same model you always have (and even if you are), you're smart to put running shoes through their paces before pulling out your plastic. Runners have very different gaits, and each shoe fits that gait differently. Your best bet is to visit a…