Gear Picks
Pro Tip: Cord Organizers Are a Travel Essential
Don’t get lost in the tangle and try one of these five options
Featured
$60.00
from REI
Peak Design takes a more holistic approach to organization with its Tech Pouch, which opens a bit like an accordion and has slots that can accommodate sunglasses, a wallet, phones, and boxier items like a MacBook wall plug. There are smaller slots for thin cords and pens, as well as a pass-through slot and an exterior pocket, so you can connect your phone to a battery on the inside of the pouch.
$25.00
from REI
We’ve been impressed with Thule’s luggage for a while now, and the PowerShuttle takes its bomber nylon design and shrinks it to offer an organizer with a series of pockets and elastic straps and enough room for batteries, wall adapters, cords, and headphones.
$30.00
from Backcountry
Instead of a bunch of elastic straps, you get a few mesh zippered pockets with Osprey’s Ultralight Roll. It’s simple and effective, and the beauty of pockets is that they’re big enough for whatever you need to take with you, from cords to pens to a deck of cards or multiple batteries. And they keep small items, like JumpDrives or SD cards, safe.
$15.00
from Amazon
The Joto Organizer is just a sleeve, but one side is packed with customizable elastic straps so you can fit dozens of items, from keys to cords to pens as well as SD cards, your phone, and notebooks. The back side has a thin zippered pocket, great for a passport or some cash.
All Gear
$128
$99
from Lululemon
23% off
“This sleek 17-liter pack holds more than it looks like it can,” wrote our tester, who included it in our roundup of the best men’s summer workout gear. “Outer mesh pouches swallow socks and shoes, and a big top-loading interior pocket fits a change of clothes and everyday essentials.”
$325
$244
from Backcountry
25% off
The original Ghost Whisperer is our Gear Guy’s favorite lightweight down jacket. The 800-fill-power down is toasty, and the feather treatment helps it stay dry longer, even in wet environments. If you’re concerned about weight, this is the jacket you want—it weighs less than eight ounces.
$24
$16
from REI
33% off
If you’re a skier who wants less cushioning, these are the socks for you. “Icebreaker’s take on the superthin ski sock features moisture-wicking merino wool, nylon, and Lycra,” wrote associate editor Abigail Barronian. “It has little cushioning to speak of, but it still feels substantial, striking a good balance between weight, warmth, and breathability.”
$430
$360
from REI
16% off
We featured the Recon LT beacon in our Winter Buyer’s Guide roundup of the best snow safety gear. “The device’s ergonomic shape and low-profile harness make it comfortable to wear and easy to forget about until you need it, and the advertised 50-meter range held up during tests in the glades of the Sangre de Cristos and in the Alaskan alpine,” wrote our tester.
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$249.95 / quarter
from Cairn
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$160
$128
from REI
20% off
Our Gear Guy considers the Fall Line the best and most reliable pair of ski gloves. “No other piece of gear in my ski kit sees more use than the Fall Line,” he wrote. “After all these years, the reason I love them is simple: they’re the right tool for keeping my hands warm while skiing—and tinkering with my gear—all season long.”
$250
$187
from REI
25% off
Columnist Wes Siler crowned the FirePit the best portable grill ever. It works as both a fire pit and an efficient grill, thanks to the fan that makes the pit run “virtually smokeless,” Siler wrote. “With the fan running on high, the entire thing went from cold to ready-to-sear in under 15 minutes.”
$85
$64
from REI
25% off
The Tarantulace is one of the best climbing shoes for beginners. “Rather than the sharp-angled toe of most climbing shoes, the Tarantulace has more of a squared silhouette that offers a bit more wiggle room,” contributor Olivia Harlow wrote in her roundup of the best gear for those new to the sport.
$50
$37
from REI
26% off
If trail weight is an issue, you can’t beat Hydro Flask’s Trail Series bottles, which are 25 percent lighter than their original versions. They’re still double-wall insulated to keep beverages cold for hours. You can fit two pints in their larger, 32-ounce bottle making it perfect for a happy hour sunset hike.
$35
$25
from Huckberry
29% off
Gear columnist Jakob Schiller loves the Weekenders. “They look great, have high-quality lenses, and are so affordable that I won't worry about them getting a little bit dinged up,” he says. “It's rare to find one pair of shades I want to wear for 80 percent of the things I do outside—and even rarer to find one at this price.”
$300
$255
from Huckberry
15% off
“Quite simply, this is the perfect travel pack,” wrote our Buyer’s Guide tester of the 45-liter Peak Design pack. “ There are pockets for just about everything, including a hidden one for passports, a soft-lined one for sunglasses, and a padded one for a laptop.”
Gear Picks is a curated selection of products we’ve tested and heartily recommend. We stand by this gear—and the brands that sell it—and many of our editors and writers use this stuff weekly. Whenever possible, we provide a link to a past review so you can make sure it’s something that suits your lifestyle—ideally at a steeply discounted price. Happy shopping—and gear-picking.