Gear
Archive
I’m looking for a minimalist shoe for running on trails with a lot of rocks and brush. What do you recommend?
The Big Easy. Photo: Robertson/VeloDramatic In Morgan Hill, California, last Saturday morning, a small peloton riding a phalanx of Roubaix SL4s, Tarmacs, and Venges rolled out on a loop that Specialized CEO Mike Sinyard calls The Big Easy. The 60-mile circuit,…
From the L.L. Bean Signature Cowlneck to the Lole Amy Cardigan, Outside contributing editor and The Adventuress columnist Ali Carr Troxell picks her 10 favorite sweaters for the current snow season
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.
I’m looking forward to spring skiing—and to staying comfortable without a heavy jacket. What do you recommend for those days when a hardshell is overkill?
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.
Outside reviews the best gear from Outdoor Retailer's 2013 Winter Show, including the Leatherman Hail.
Ali Carr Troxell spoke to Climbing's Julie Ellison and Jes Nelson, a manager at Bent Gate gear store, after they climbed the 5.7 route about the experience and what pieces of gear were pivotal
In fall 2013, Patagonia will celebrate its 40th anniversary, proving once and for all that responsible business can also be profitable business. In the words of Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, “only those businesses dancing…
I’m starting to get into slow-shutter photography and other artistic effects using my iPhone. What are the best tripods for keeping my phone completely still while taking pictures?
The Outdoor Retailer show is just around the corner. And new product announcements are rolling in fast. Here's a quick look at some of the most promising bags we'll see in outdoor stores this summer and fall. BOREAS BOOTLEGGER: This 3-in-1 adventure bag, the “Russian Dolls” of day…
Here are some options for setting yourself up for your best performance on snow this season
Feeding and making notes between laps at Starr Pass. Lesson number one from this year's Tucson test: A full week of hard riding is tough this early in the season. Six straight days was nothing that a hot tub, some ice plunges, and a little…
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,…
(Jan 2013) Detroit, MI North American International Auto Show Volkswagen's Ulrich Hackenberg presents the Cross Blue Concept car at NAIAS. Photo: NAIAS The latest update of the National Climate Assessment, a federally-mandated report written by a panel of 240 scientists, was released…
Nike claims to solve hygiene and slippage problems with its new Studio Wrap, but the slipper-like shoe could compromise your connection with the mat
Airbags are a hot topic in the snowsports industry, and Mammut is introducing an evolution of its Snowpulse system at next week’s Outdoor Retailer Show that it’s calling a new category in the airbag market—protective airbags. The new Snowpulse PAS (protective airbag system) airbags…
From a skibob to a teleboard, Outside presents a definitive compendium of the snow-sliding tools and toys that will take your breath away. Safety not guaranteed.
Surveying the road bike spread at Gates Pass. Reviewed. I’m always amazed how different magazines and blogs interpret that word. Some publications call in a product, use it a time or two, and then print their opinions—which yields a pretty cursory and…
I’ve started using my mobile phone to view topo maps when on the mountain. What app would you recommend to look at them offline?
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…
In the first installment of her new The Adventuress column, Ali Carr Troxell, who has over 16 year of snowboarding under her belt, reveals her favorite jackets for the current snow season.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gyD-em6jp_0 Extending its already formidable lead in the category, Garmin has launched two new powerful GPS cycling computers that will eventually replace the Edge 500 and Edge 800 units. The new Garmin Edge 810 and Edge 510 look to…
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…
I'm looking to invest in some body armor for the slopes this winter. What should I get?
Redesigned in 2012, the Arbor Poparazzi is a directional-shaped, women’s specific snowboard with a rockered profile meant for everything from powder to park laps
Home on the range: Stio's Jackalope pom-pom makes its East Coast debut. Photo: Katie Arnold It might seem a little presumptuous to declare Stio the outdoor brand of 2013 only a week in, but I have no qualms nominating the new mountain-lifestyle clothing company for…
Hydration packs aren’t always the most exciting subject. They have a reservoir to hold your drink, they stash your tools and food and your gear. They often have straps that, sure, can draw your load in toward your body, but they sometimes flap and snap and…
Can I use my three-season tent in the snow? Or should I cough up the money for a four-season model?
We test bike gear year-round at Outside, from our desert test trip in January and endurance races like the Arizona Trail Race, Breck Epic, and Triple Bypass, to daily road and…
Are Terminator-style heads-up displays a gimmick—or an adventure-sports breakthrough?
And four options for a piece of gear that could save your life
Training bikes have finally shifted gears, integrating mapping functions to simulate road rides and adding tools like cadence sensors and power meters. Here are the three best to get you through winter’s indoor doldrums—and have you cleaning up come spring.
Senior year at the University of Colorado, Boulder was a big one for Jeff Popp. That was the year when, as captain of the U.C. snowboard team, he was honored as a first-team All-American. It was also the year that he decided to avoid the “white collar…
Inspired by a Canadian officer’s World War II utility bag, Tilley's Intrepid Bag has a timeless vintage look that's hard to peg down. It has a certain safari feel to it, a messenger bag aesthetic, albeit one made from leather and waxed canvas. It's pared down functionality…
Bryan Papé believes that a bike is more than just a frame, two wheels, and a bunch of components. He sees the bicycle as an instrument of social change. “After clean water and sanitation, one of the biggest impediments to economic development in Africa is transportation,” Papé…
The pool bores me. But I swim a few days a week during the winter to stay fit. Is there any waterproof gear that can make it more interesting?
The only thing ski season is harder on than your knees is your face.
Haven’t done your holiday shopping yet? (Shame on you.) Picky cyclist in your life whom you’re never sure what to get? (Aren’t we all?) Relax. You still have some time, and we’ve got you covered. Presenting 11 gifts that any reasonable cyclist would love to receive, from inexpensive stocking-stuffers to big-ticket…
The Moonlander's bulbous doughnuts soak up bumps like suspension and blast over sand dunes and through mud with monster-truck ease.
One of the hardest parts of leaving the mountain is stowing a pair of soggy boots for the airplane. What’s the best option?
Thule makes great roof racks, bike and ski and boat mounts, rooftop boxes, and snow chains. It makes laptop and table bags that Apple likes so much that they're sold in the company's stores around the world. Thule's luggage is…
Photo: 350.org Your aunt, the environmental lawyer who sued British Petroleum. Your Fulbright scholar cousin who recently returned from India, where he's developed a highly efficient solar cookstove. Your old roommate, the vegan who went undercover to expose cruelty on a chicken farm. What, in…
Pro riders Mike Clark, Brandon Dosch and Chad Kerley show the tremendous difference in protection between certified and non-certified helmets.
Here in the Southwest, autumn has been mostly warm and choking dry, turning the trails to rubbly moondust and me into a total whiner about even the faintest whiff of cold. I've braved a few icy mornings and misjudged the light a few times to end up out in the…
According to Mountain Hardwear, the Ghost Whisperer (hooded) is the world's lightest down jacket—seven ounces, 850-fill down, two pockets, and a ripstop shell that's down- and wind-proof and water repellant
Last year, my snowboard pants didn’t work out so well—I was sweaty and wet most days. This season, how do I keep my lower half from becoming a hot mess?
Do you wish you could take your dog for a spin, but aren’t sure how to manage the mechanics? Love to take your Lab for a lap on the local singletrack, but don’t have a way to roll with him safely to the trailhead? Biking with a dog can be…
“One must always go back to the fundamentals. And get your face out of the computer.” So said Alex Moulton, an engineer and the designer of a handmade, small-wheeled steel bike with rubber suspension, who died this past Sunday. He was 92. The Brit…
The Arc'teryx Keibo is a moderately insulated, synthetic-fill snowsports hard shell with a relaxed fit
I do a lot of ice and mixed climbing in rocky areas of New England. What are the best crampons for me?
Holiday gift guides abound this time of year. But they're mostly filled with gifts that you hope you'll get, not gifts you'll give. Stumped as to what to buy your lady this season? This guide is for you. 1. NAU DOWN LOOPNER SCARFShe'll wear it as a scarf, and…
I have a marathon coming up in a few months. How can I get online coaching tailored to my ability? Oh, and how can I get it for free?
In the 1990s, Dan Coyle started making wooden helmets for himself and his buddies for whitewater kayaking, as well as wooden eyeglass frames and paddles. It was a hobby, a use for Coyle’s chainsaw and grinder. Coyle noticed that, structurally, wood is similar to rigid, closed-cell…
Jon Kennedy shows off his Diamondback at White Mesa. Photo: @portermtb. Review season is upon us here in Santa Fe, with stacks of bikes arriving on the UPS truck each day, daily rides underway, and Outside's annual Tucson…
Last week, on a safari in South Africa’s Kgalagadi (Kalahari) Transfrontier Park, I picked up my SLR with the long lens to photograph a lioness and her kill at a watering hole, and the strap simply fell off the camera. I got lucky—my $2,000-worth of electronics…
When it comes to holiday giving, you should never have to choose. This year, our editors have pulled together 68 perfect ideas—priced from $4 to $50,000—guaranteed to make anyone on your list feel like a million bucks.
Finally put an end to searching for wall outlets, or carrying a bouquet of charging cables and converters for all the electronics in your bag. World travelers, itinerant wanderers, and absent-minded electronics users: with Timbuk2’s Power Q Laptop Backpack…
I can’t seem to find a warm hat I like. They get sweaty when I’m playing hard, then freeze my noggin when I’m standing still.
If you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the person who has everything, consider giving an IOU note with HX-1 written on it. That's the name of toymaker Hirobo's one-person, single-seat, remote control electric helicopter, which won't be ready until at least next year. The wait is a…
Lots of surfers take pride in spending as little as possible on a wetsuit. What do you get if you spend more? In the best cases, exactly what you pay for.
“Working at the Cheat Suite.” Photo: Janis LeMieux Roughly a month ago, on the evening of October 25, master woodworker and paddlemaker Keith Backlund took his last breath in the Stalker, Pennsylvania, home where he grew up. Since then, a stream of remembrances and…
How breakable are the new glass water bottles? Can you take them outdoors, or are they only for the office?
In recent years, GT Bicycles has been the Rodney Dangerfield of bike brands—they don’t get enough respect. The company continues to roll out hard-working, high-value bikes that are too often overshadowed by marquee brands. Case in point: the Zaskar 100 9r Carbon…
When world renowned alpinist/speed climber Ueli Steck has a new gear idea, his sponsors hit the drawing board to turn that idea into product. So when Steck told Scarpa he wanted the lightest insulated boot…
I’m no Apolo Ohno, but I have been curious about speed skating ever since I saw people doing it on a local river last winter. I have never seen speed skating equipment in stores. Do the skates cost an arm and a leg?
Bicycling is the best way to see a city. If you agree with that statement, you'll want to sign up with liquid.com. It's a new worldwide network of bike owners and would-be bike renters that seeks to connect the two groups with an ease never before…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=AZRwlcz0pxU Like much of New York City, the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, best known in cycling communites as the host to an eccentric, annual urban criterium in October, is still reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. In light of the damage, Red…
If you feel like merely filming yourself when you’re going big isn’t enough, or maybe that you'd like to be the star of your very own Truman Show, check out Memoto’s 007-style camera, which constantly records your life with…
I’d like to do more biking on dirt roads in the countryside, but my road bike just can’t hack it. I’ve been hearing about new “gravel” bikes. What’s the deal?
Ski more powder, score cheap lift tickets, and avoid avalanches
There’s a clever new LED safety light for night running/biking. Is it any good? And who invents this stuff?
Great gear will only get you so far. Be kind to what you put in it. Here are some tips for taking care of your feet on the slopes.
344 *** Local Caption *** 62201 Professional fishermen have always known how to be ready for a storm. They dress for constant soaking by choppy seas, unanticipated and often torrential rains, pummeling winds, and mishaps that can range from stalled engines to tangled nets. Now you can…
While Nemo’s Hunker won't stand up against the toughest conditions, after you’ve been out hiking or skiing all day, it can be rejuvenating to duck out of the wind or weather. Nemo’s Hunker let’s you sidestep the elements quickly and easily so that you can rest,…