Gear Picks

This suitcase-style backpack is perfect for keeping everything organized and separated while traveling. The internal padded laptop sleeve keeps devices up to 15-inch safe and a small pocket on the front fits documents, your phone, or a notebook. You can carry the Mission three ways: suitcase, shoulder, or backpack style.

For long days on a bike, this is the helmet you want. When we reviewed it back in 2015, our tester Aaron Gulley wrote: “The Z1 has 31 gaping vents, breathes better than André Greipel in a sprint, and kept us cool on even the muggiest afternoons.”

When the Skyrise came out in 2016, we said it was “the most utilitarian rooftop tent we’ve seen yet.” The 2-person version weighs just 95 pounds and comes with a built-in mattress. The mesh windows on three sides allows plenty of ventilation and the skylight lets you stargaze during clear nights.

Outside columnist Jakob Schiller wrote an ode to these shorts and praised them for their versatility. “Buy two pairs, and I promise that they’ll be all you need from June through October for the next five years,” he writes.

Our writer tested 29 backpacking stoves in 2018, and the Primetech was his favorite. “It’s reasonably priced, simmers well, boils quickly, and comes with everything I needed to cook in the backcountry,” he wrote.