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The Key log, a nearly 12-foot-long, 60-pound synthetic log designed for rolling, is without a doubt one of the coolest products we've seen.
Zipperless outdoor gear like the PK 50 is (almost) a trend this year at the show this year
From the floor of the world's biggest outdoor industry meetup, we bring you the up-and-coming companies and products that caught our eye
So-called maximum cushioning running shoes, as the Conquest’s are often referred, are definitely having a moment.
It’s hard to reimagine the sleeping bag, which is why we’re so impressed with the new Backcountry Bed.
Outside reviews the best gear from SIA's 2013 Snow Show, including the Astis Mittens.
Outside reviews the best gear from SIA's 2013 Snow Show, including the Giro Combyn.
Browse hundreds of additional stories, gear reviews, interviews, photo galleries, and more on the latest and greatest items for outdoor adventure and safety from The Gear Shed archive on Outside Online
Outside reviews the best gear from SIA's 2013 Snow Show, including the Rossignol Soul 7.
Outside reviews the best gear from SIA's 2013 Snow Show, including the Dynafit Beast.
Outside reviews the best gear from Outdoor Retailer's 2013 Winter Show, including the Backcountry Access BC Link.
Outside reviews the best gear from Outdoor Retailer's 2013 Winter Show, including the Dakine Utility Vest.
Outside reviews the best gear from Outdoor Retailer's 2013 Winter Show, including the Vapur MicroFilter.
Outside reviews the best gear from Outdoor Retailer's 2013 Winter Show, including the Leatherman Hail.
Ali Carr Troxell sends live updates on her favorite women’s gear
Outside reviews the best gear from Outdoor Retailer's 2013 Winter Show, including the K2 Snowboarding Kwicker System.
You’re reading it here first. In a few days, Black Diamond Equipment will unveil its new collection of clothing to media and retailers at the Outdoor Retailer Trade show in Salt Lake City, Utah. The clothing has been under development for two years,…
The perfect alpine touring (AT) binding for riders who want a high DIN doesn’t exist … yet. This fall, Salomon and Atomic released their Guardian and Tracker, respectively. They’re DIN 16 bindings, as is the Marker Duke EPF. But unlike alpine…
Weight on your feet is more tiring than weight on your back by a factor of five. So lighter boots means you’re less tired when you reach the summit, you get more runs in on a day when you’re hiking for turns, and you get back to…
After months of torture-testing the latest crop of outdoor gear, we've compiled a list of our eight favorite items, from the Never Summer Proto CT/CTX snowboard to the Atlas Race snowshoes
While the minimalism trend has shifted the center of the running universe toward lighter, more neutral designs with lower heels, shoe buyers are still faced with one crucial question: Performance or comfort?
If it’s been a while since you bought telemark or alpine touring gear, you’ll notice that the game has changed quite a bit. Skis that used to be fat are now narrow, almost every new model has some degree of rocker, and Dynafit and Dynafit-style bindings are becoming increasing common at the resort.
Traction, bindings, and weight—these are the biggest differentiators. Let’s start with traction. For steep, icy, or rocky terrain, go aggressive with as many underfoot claws in as many locations as you can get, as well as a heel lifter to save your calves on steep climbs.
If it’s time for an upgrade, start by answering this question: Do you ski almost exclusively at resorts? The defining characteristic of the ones reviewed here is that they’re built for comfort, not aerobic speed.
Think of your pack as a closet on your back. And just as there’s no right way to fold your clothes, there’s no single pack that’s suited to everyone. But allow us to offer some advice.
Those lift-line elitists snickering at your old traditionally shaped skis could use some manners, but they’ve got a point: the new rockered shapes make skiing more fun. Which ones should you buy? There are two schools of thought.
Outside reviews the best gear from Interbike 2012, the largest bicycle trade show in North America, including the Torch T1 Helmet.
Outside reviews the best gear from Interbike 2012, the largest bicycle trade show in North America, including the Electra Townie Go!
Outside reviews the best gear from Interbike 2012, the largest bicycle trade show in North America, including the Scott Genius 700.
Outside reviews the best gear from Interbike 2012, the largest bicycle trade show in North America, including the Ultralight Sports Cirrus Ti and Nimbus Steel Pedal.
I’ve been back in the high desert for a week, and I’ve still got water on the brain. All last month at Stony Lake, my two daughters and I went everywhere by boat: our family’s old beat-up Boston Whaler, my mother’s 1957 cedar strip canoe, and her spiffy new…
The annual Outdoor Retailer Summer Market wrapped up yesterday in Salt Lake City, and Raising Rippers prowled the aisles to find the best new adventure gear for active families and kids. Here are six wow-worthy goodies. BURLEY MYKICKThe company that made its name making bike trailers is launching its…
Outside reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the New Balance Minimus Hi-Rez.
Outside reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the Old Town Heron Junior Kayak.
Outside reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the Fjallraven Kajka.
Outside reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the Columbia Omni-Freeze ZERO Freeze Degree Short Sleeve Crew.
Outside reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the Pieps Global Finder.
Outside reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the Nemo Spoon Series Sleeping Bag.
Outside reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the Big Agnes Fishhook SL 2 Tent.
Outside reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the Petzl Sirocco helmet.
In 2002, Philip Curry, the designer behind Patagonia's now-discontinued Lotus line of lifejackets, decided to get back into the PFD business. He founded Astral Buoyancy to create the highest-quality product possible with cutting-edge design and the least environmental impact.
Your body is 98 percent water. Keep your cells happy and hydrated with these new water-replenishing packs for cyclists and runners that will debut at the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City.
Never worry about being stuck in the wilderness with nothing to eat again—as long as there is a healthy river nearby
Your body is 98 percent water. Keep your cells happy and hydrated with these new water-replenishing packs for cyclists and runners that will debut at the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City. GEIGERRIG BIKE RIG Geigerrig Hydration Packs made a splash last year with the introduction of their air pressure-powered…
Climbers have a lot to look forward to in spring 2013. Check out the gear you’ll be taking to the crag or cliff next year in this, our first preview post leading up to the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City.
Whether you’re catching a wave, splashing in the nearest stream, or chilling at the beach, if you’re a Patagonia fan, you’ll soon have eight new styles of board shorts in 45 different color combinations to wear for the occasion
The best way to beat record high temperatures: spend as much time in the water as possible. Here are a few items to be showcased at the Outdoor Retailer show meant to help enhance your ocean experience.
The best way to beat record high temperatures: spend as much time in the water as possible. Here are a few items to be showcased at the Outdoor Retailer show meant to help enhance your ocean experience. BELLYAK FREQUENCY A speedy rotomolded plastic bodyboat designed for joyriding rivers, oceans…
Never worry about being stuck in the wilderness with nothing to eat again—as long as there is a healthy river nearby. Last year, Washington State-based Fikkes introduced the world’s first fishing pole/trekking pole. The contraption houses a fishing rod blank inside a hollow aluminum trekking pole. With just…
Climbers have a lot to look forward to in spring 2013. Check out the gear you’ll be taking to the crag or cliff next year in this, our first preview post leading up to the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City. Gram-counting purists will be elated by…
Next spring, when you go to replace your favorite lightweight running jacket, biking shell or rainwear, there'll be a new waterproof breathable on the racks. eVent's DVL (short for Direct Venting Lite), incorporates a new membrane, pictured above, that is light and breathable and allows an imperceptible amount of air…
Therm-a-Rest made the first self inflating mattress in 1971. Sleeping in the backcountry suddenly became way more comfortable and pleasurable for most campers. Next spring, the brand, which is part of Cascade Designs, claims it will radically improve your sleep again with a new…
Ali Carr Troxell reviews Outside’s Gear of the Year-winning sunglasses, the Oakley Radar Lock.
Ali Carr Troxell reviews Outside’s Gear of the Year-winning backpack, Eddie Bauer First Ascent Alchemist 40L.
Where carry-ons are concerned, thin is in, and you’ll do well to avoid the wide-body rollers that can be cumbersome on smaller planes. If you’re looking for a larger bag to check, look for a balance of durability and weight: every pound off the bag means another pound of stuff you can squeeze in and still meet the 50-pound rule.
Two truths: First, we need sunglasses for protection against malign solar wavelengths that cause eyestrain, burning, itching, headaches, and much worse. (And the corollary, that inadequate protection from inferior shades is worse than nothing at all.) Second, buy up for downright delicious visuals. But don’t panic too much over price.
After months of torture-testing the latest crop of outdoor gear, we've compiled a list of our 14 favorite items, from the REI Igneo sleeping bag to the Blue AC1 road bike
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert Carbon 29.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Blue AC1.
Reviewing shoes used to be straightforward. Lightweight shoes were meant for racing, heavily cushioned shoes were meant for efficient runners who racked up lots of miles, and stability shoes—with a section of dense rubber under the arch, a.k.a. a medial post—were meant for people whose feet collapse inward.
There was a time when shoe companies took their bestselling road models, slapped some dark colors on them, toughened up their outsoles, made them uncomfortably stiff, and marketed them as trail shoes. And guess what. Hardly anyone bought ’em. Thank goodness that those days have finally come to an end.
From GoPros to iPhones, cameras are everywhere. But that doesn’t mean the demise of “real” cameras, as some have predicted. Instead, manufacturers have responded to the proliferation of do-everything smartphones by continuing to improve image quality while simultaneously piling on the best features that can dream up.
You may have noticed a slight absence from the blog over the last couple of weeks. That's because I was busy checking out the best winter gear from Outdoor Retailer and SIA—and writing reviews of the ten best products for winter 2013. Here…
Black Diamond's new Carbon Megawatt is light enough for touring and fat enough to float atop soft snow.
Atomic and Salomon have collaborated to create a powerful alpine touring ski binding.
Scott's Off-Grid Goggle allow you to adjust the shape of the frame to fit your face.
Sierra Designs DriDown technology, unveiled at Outdoor Retailer, allows down to retain its insulating properties even while wet.
Do you ever get tired of fiddling with your headlamp in an attempt to get just the right amount of light? You need more, but not so much that you drain your battery before your adventure is over? Now your headlamp can do that for you. Petzl,…
Outside Presents the 2012 Gear of the Show awards for OR Winter Market, including The North Face Powder Guide ABS Vest.
The outdoor industry has practically perfected technical fabrics and fillings—they breath, they keep you warm, and they defend you from rain, sleet, wind, and snow. But only recently have companies created technical clothing that inspire compliments when you're out on the town. Here's some of the apparel we'll be testing…
The Outdoor Retailer show is next week! We'll be onsite to see the latest gear for fall 2012 and we'll be handing out awards for Gear of the Show. Here are some attention grabbing early releases for backcountry skiers that just hit our…
On November 25, when most retailers were pushing their flashiest Black Friday deals, Patagonia took out a full-page ad in The New York Times urging people not to buy one of its most popular jackets. Reactions ranged from adulation to contempt. Was this a hypocritical marketing ploy or an honest call to reduce consumption?
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Helly Hansen Odin Mountain jacket.