Gear Picks
5 Items Under $20 to Help You Ditch Single-Use Plastic
Why use a throw-away plastic fork and spoon when you can simply BYOS (spork)? Here are five items that will help you build a zero-waste kit that you can keep in your backpack or car.
Featured
$18.00
from Amazon
Got leftovers? Or maybe you want to take a sandwich on the road? Skip the plastic wrap and containers with this organic option made with beeswax. The reusable wrap seals tight around bowls and containers, keeping food fresh. This starter pack comes with three.
$12.00
There are some fancy, expensive totes out there built by some of our favorite outdoor companies, but if you’re looking for a simple option that can help you use less plastic at the store, keep this one in your trunk. It’s made from unused hammock material and can hold up to 25 pounds.
$10.00
from Backcountry
If straws are wreaking havoc on our wildlife, imagine what all those plastic forks and spoons are doing to our fauna. Yes, the titanium build might be overkill for a to-go lunch, but it won’t rust and it’s so light you won’t even notice it in your pack.
$15.00
Eliminate your personal latte waste with this 12-oz. coffee cup. It has a spill-proof and screw-tight lid that collapses into a tiny disc, so you can keep it in your pack all the time. The best part? It’s made from dishwasher-safe food-grade silicone.
All Gear
$20
$14
from Huckberry
30% off
These Swiftwick Yosemite socks held up during columnist Joe Jackson’s most recent 50-mile race. “I’ve tested over 100 pairs of athletic socks during my time working as Outside’s Gear Guy,” he wrote. “The best socks for blister prevention over long distances are Swiftwicks.”
$350
$270
from Garmin
23% off
We included the Venu in our 2020 Winter Buyer’s Guide roundup of the best smartwatches. It has over 20 preloaded sport modes, a built in GPS, and can store music. It also has an incident detection feature which will direct a paired phone to dial an emergency contact in the event of a crash.
$299
$254
from Backcountry
15% off
“At ten inches long, this model packs a mighty massage into a compact design,” wrote tester Christine Yu of the Hypervolt. “It delivers good percussion at three speeds and is no louder than a set of hair clippers.” It was also one of our favorite recovery tools of 2019.
$19
$13
from REI
32% off
The Traverse Peak placed second in our Gear Guy’s test of the best hiking socks. “The Traverse felt more like a running sock than the others I tested—in a good way,” he wrote. “All the tight, stretchy material lent it an excellent locked-in fit, and it never bunched while I was hiking.”
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Kodiak Power Cakes
$10 Per Box
Fuel for your frontier like professional climber and Kodiak athlete Emily Harrington. When it comes to choosing a hearty breakfast that can power her through challenging projects, she prefers Buttermilk Power Cakes. Why? She says it’s the best (and tastiest) way to start her day when there’s a big adventure ahead.
$19
$15
from REI
21% off
The Phd Run Light Elite sock won our test of the best running socks. “It wicked better and dried faster than most of the 58 other socks we tested, seemingly regardless of weather or trail conditions,” wrote tester Cory Smith.
$16
$13
from REI
19% off
Need a new pair of workout socks? Look no further than the Elite Max. “These socks are some of the most comfortable we’ve tested,” wrote Buyer’s Guide tester Jenny Earnest. “Thick recycled-polyester fabric cushions your feet, and a secure heel tab keeps them from slipping down.”
$850
$750
12% off
The Fenix 6 is the ideal companion for folks that are serious about training. That’s why we think it makes a great tech gift. It “has the same bells and whistles as its predecessors, but features a larger display, a pacing mode that’s great for runners, and over 2,000 ski maps,” our tester wrote.
$109
$87
from Evo
20% off
What made our Buyer’s Guide testers fall in love with the Alice? Comfort. “With a wide yoga-style waistband, a buttery Italian chamois, and smart silicone placement to keep the legs from creeping up, the Alice is a good choice for long days in the saddle, with or without shorts on top,” one tester wrote.
$79
$32
from Backcountry
59% off
We featured the Sol Defender in our 2021 Summer Buyer’s Guide roundup of the best climbing gear. “The Sol Defender looks like a normal hoodie, but it’s packed with technical qualities, like its UPF 30+ rating, durable polyester blend, and wicking grid interior,” we wrote.
$100
from Backcountry
Gear Director Will Taylor reviewed the Burnt Rock in our 2021 Summer Buyer’s Guide: “Merrell’s no-nonsense, stylish casual shoe can pedal you from the office to the trailhead and then provide the stability you need to hike to the summit. It’s stiff enough for good power transfer, and the light upper breathes well on warm days,” he wrote.
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.