Gear
Archive344 *** 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…
It would be neat to have something that would allow me to communicate with the guys I ride with and track my speed.
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,…
This year our two new categories of winter gear, air-bag-equipped packs and fat-tired mountain bikes, also proved to be the most popular around Outside's headquarters. The packs didn't surprise me, as we have a pretty good crew of backcountry skiers here. And after an avalanche killed three people in…
Not sure which snowboard is right for you? Match your terrain of choice with one of our tester-approved boards.
In many cultures, your life depends on your knife. A knife is the tool you use to prepare food, hunt and dress animals, work skins, cut firewood, clear brush and vegetation. In southern cultures that knife is a often a machete. In northern Europe, the indigenous…
The Scarpa Maestrale RS is an upgraded four-buckle Alpine Touring Boot with a self-proclaimed 120 flex for all things backcountry
Tundra buggies resemble a kind of double-wide, offroad school bus, with plush suspension, a massive 460 International Diesel engine, and tires that run at 12psi to float over mud and snow. They’re jacked up about 10 feet, partly for clearance, but mostly to prevent any curious polar bears from climbing…
Duffel bags have no shape. Packs are meant to carry, not serve as suitcases. And wheelie bags have their limitations on stairs and over cobblestones, not to mention that they’re awkward in the overhead compartment. After over 1,000 flights dissatisfied with his suitcases, Nathan Kukathas joined…
One pair of thin-to-midweight ski-specific socks is all you need. We’re fans of Wigwam’s Xenon Pro.
Got Gaiters? Our favorites are still Outdoor Research's light, packable, breathable Verglas.
Let’s start with nature’s wünderfabric. Not only is merino wool (sourced mostly from sheep in New Zealand’s Southern Alps) a sustainable, bio-degradable fabric, but gear makers have figured out how to make it softer and thin enough to wear on a hot summer day.
If you ski mostly in wet snow, like the stuff in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, then you need something waterproof. In drier climes, like the Central Rockies, a water-resistant soft-shell glove should suffice. The more leather it has, the more waterproof it’s going to be.
From minimalist speedsters to winter-ready mountain scramblers, we’ve got you covered.
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
Choosing the right bindings is just as important to your snowboard experience as your board and boots. We've selected three of our favorite bindings to help you find what's right for you.
We put 70 jackets through the wringer—running, skinning, skiing, and hiking. After nitpicking over pocket placement, breathability, and ever other detail under the sun, we settled on these six.
Scaling rock and ice in the winter is serious business. Bring the right stuff.
Frigid temperatures, biting wind, blowing snow—if you’re well outfitted, it doesn’t really matter.
Whether you’re at the resort or deep in the backcountry, if your boots don’t fit properly you’re miserable. Not sure about size or which brand fit you best? Consult a fitter. To narrow your choices, match the boot to the binding you’re pairing it with.
You now have two choices when it comes to telemark bindings: 75mm (traditional duckbill) and the newer NTN. The former is favored for its simplicity, lower cost, and greater variety of boot choices, but NTN is vastly more powerful and releasable, and it’s better-suited to driving today’s fattest skis.
It’s all about fit. Too loose and your head is a yolk inside an eggshell. Too tight and you’ll get migraines from all the pressure points. Most of today’s helmets have features that allow you to maximize fit.
Rather sort your sock drawer than run on a treadmill? Us too. Here’s the gear you’ll need to keep running outdoors all winter long.
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?
Most goggles feature fog-resistant double lenses, but the cheap ones are built flat and bent into the frame, creating distortion, which can cause headaches. Invest in optically correct spherical lenses. Polarization? It cuts reflected light, but it can mask ice, too.
We tested out the best backcountry and alpine boots to help you find the best fit for your ski experience.
Dynafit-style tech bindings, like the Radical and the La Sportiva RT, are the only ones that offer a true free pivot, meaning there’s no hardware attached to your boot heel or sole. They have fewer moving parts, ice up less, and require 15 percent less energy from you than other bindings.
As backcountry skiing has boomed, so has splitboarding. In the past five years, participation has quadrupled, and companies from Black Diamond to Burton to K2 have tossed their hats into the ring with split-specific gear.
The nimble, lightweight Velvet Guru stands head and shoulders above the competition in a park setting.
First things first: your pack will be heavier. You’ll be packing more food, fuel, and layers. As for shelter, if you’re not expecting high winds or heavy snowfall, you probably don’t need to upgrade to a four-season tent; a sturdy (read: not ultralight or mostly mesh) three-season model should see you through.
Like riding in slippers, the Boa Coiler is one comfy boot.
Our testers raved about the great energy transfer that the DVa delivers.
When the results were tallied after our on-mountain evaluations, these were our female testers’ favorite planks.
Our Vermont-based test crew started with a field of more than 30 snowshoes and narrowed them down to these three favorites.
The first question to ask yourself is: Down or synthetic? Synthetic insulation is water-resistant, dries quickly, and is usually not as marshmallowy as its natural counterpart, which makes for better layering.
Go deeper with our favorite telemark and alpine touring bindings of the year.
We found three fashionable boots ideal for snowshoeing and general winter tomfoolery.
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.
For a secure, three-closure fit, try the Infuse snowboard boots.
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.
At first glance, the Santa Cruz TRc (as in Trail Carbon) seems to fit neatly between the California company's venerable Blur XC model, a nimble, fast race platform with four inches of travel, and its more enduro oriented 5.5-inch Blur LT. Indeed, looking at the TRc stats on paper (five…
From wool-insulated workout wear to the hardest hard shell we’ve ever seen, this year’s backcountry jackets are an eclectic crop. Material upgrades and smart design leaps have made outerwear a locus of innovation. (Molecular-level polymer coating, anyone?) But enough lab-speak.
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.
After air bags saved lives in several high-profile slides last year, demand (and curiosity) has never been higher. In 2011, there were five manufacturers making air-bag packs. This winter there are at least 10, and an increasing number of cat- and heli-ski operations are outfitting their clients with them.
Six rugged timepieces that are up for any adventure, be it on snow, water, or dirt.
Unfortunately, you can’t just wear your sorels everywhere. Sooner or later you’re going to have to come down from the mountains and return to civilization. But fear not. Bring the spirit of the slopes with you everywhere with our favorite après shoes.
Your skis might be flashier, but your boots are the more critical piece of gear. You could roll the dice and buy online, but we highly recommend getting them the old-fashioned way: in person. The more knowledgeable the shop is, the better.
Sharing powder shots, filming your friend's huck, and keeping in touch have never been easier with gadgets like Fujifilm's XP170 and the DeLorme InReach communicator.
New Balance Winter 110 Trail Boots Like the Salomon Snowcross CS, the uninsulated Winter 110 is essentially a minimalist running shoe (9 ounces; 4-millimeter heel-to-toe drop) wrapped in a waterproof-breathable gaiter. The outsole lugs shed snow like a champ. Got Gaiters? Our favorites are still Outdoor Research's…
Cyclists, climbers, alpine skiers, and trail runners are all crossing over to nordic skate skiing for two simple reasons—it’s fun as hell, and it delivers a freakishly efficient full-body workout. First know this: skate skis aren’t alpine skis; you don’t choose them by length alone.
Whether you’re looking for glacier glasses, everyday drivers, or racy speedsters, we’ve got the right pair for you.
It makes no difference to Mother Nature whether you’re a few hundred feet outside the resort boundary or deep in the backcountry. At a minimum, if you plan to ski any uncontrolled slope, you need four things: a buddy, a beacon (worn over your midlayer, not stuffed in your pack), a shovel, and a probe.
Originally created for epic winter races like the Iditabike, fat bikes lately have gotten as big as … well, their oversize tires. In addition to dedicated snow events—and the list of those is ballooning—we’ve seen these beefy bad boys at 24-hour races, on tour in the desert, and, most recently, at the Leadville 100.
You’re late getting home from work, and your buddy will be over in 10 to pick you up for the epic mountain bike ride you’ve been scheming all summer. You still need to get dressed, but you also need to find your wrenches, chain tool, patch kit,…
Jason Diamond looks at how the Hudson Bay's gone from a treasured heirloom blanket to a vintage fashion piece
For years, runners have been told that technology—bags of air, gel, shock absorbing and overbuilt arch and heel support—is supposed to make running better. Still, there is no proof that overbuilt support systems reduce injury or make running better for you. In fact, there are many studies now that show…
Aaron Gulley reviews the best utility bikes for the value-minded buyer
October solitude on the Rio Chama. Photo: Katie Arnold Last weekend we went camping on the Rio Chama in northern New Mexico. This wilderness canyon is one of our favorite places in the Southwest, and we figured it would be one of the last warmish weekends…
Whether you’re night riding, hiking, skiing, cooking or just rummaging around your tent, a bright and long-lasting lamp can make a big difference between loving the great outdoors and cursing it. Light and Motion’s new USB-rechargeable Solite 250 will help you choose the former.
I want to keep biking deep into the fall—maybe even winter. What’s the most important piece of gear to stay warm?
Why would I pay over $100 for “compression” tights, when I can run in perfectly warm leggings for half that?
Two Portland, Oregon-based companies—Danner Boots, an outfit that has been dedicated to quality craftsmanship for more than 80 years, and Tanner Goods, a group of young designers and craftspeople—have collaborated on a new boot as part of Danner Stumptown’s collection. Called the…
I really want to see birds and other animals up close. What are the most powerful binoculars I can get?
Package deals aren’t always winners, but this one is. To celebrate its 100th birthday, Stanley—celebrated manufacturer of insulated mugs and bottles used around the world—is giving you a present. It’s a stainless steel, vacuum-insulated travel mug that slides inside a leak-proof, BPA-free water bottle, meaning…
Gear Tester Andrew Forsthoefel has just finished his cross-country walk. It took him nearly a year. At approximately 2,000 steps per mile—he’s had plenty of chances to count—Andrew has taken more than six million steps on his way from Pennsylvania to the Pacific. Forsthoelfel sent us notes on his shelter…
Tires have been a major headache for me this season. Early on, every time I went out I had a flat tire of some manner—often a sidewall slash from our desert Southwest rocks. I spent a lot of time whinging about the state of bike tires, and the more I…
Filmmaker Taylor Steele's last movie, Here and Now, took the viewer through a single day in the life of more than a dozen surfers from around the world. His latest project, This Time Tomorrow, follows surfers Dave Rastovich and Craig Anderson as…
Steger Moosehide Mukluks are the ultimate winter boot. That’s why they’re routinely used on major expeditions in the Arctic, Antarctica, and for events like the Iditarod. Patti…
A chill is in the air, and it feels like my morning jaunts are under threat. How should I prepare to keep running through the winter?
Boyscout blades are a dime a dozen, but SOG’s Blade Light Folder (BLT-50N) takes camping knives to a new level. This steel-blade folding knife has six LED lights, three molded into the handle on either side of the blade, to…