Gear
Archive
Our Vermont-based test crew started with a field of more than 30 snowshoes and narrowed them down to these three favorites.
Go deeper with our favorite telemark and alpine touring bindings of the year.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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,…
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.
Whether you’re looking for glacier glasses, everyday drivers, or racy speedsters, we’ve got the right pair for you.
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…
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…
I really want to see birds and other animals up close. What are the most powerful binoculars I can get?
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…
We’re still digging through our notes from Interbike. In addition to our Gear of the Show picks, a flurry of cool new bikes, and stacks of interesting-looking…
I see people using increasingly high-tech hiking poles. What’s the deal?
Wild Things was founded 31 years ago to provide alpine climbing apparel and hardware for the world’s most extreme expeditions. The co-founder, Chamonix-born Marie Meunier, wore Wild Things on the first ascent of the South Face of Chacraraju, Peru,…
Though the complete bikes are the lowest hanging fruit at Interbike, the show floor is full of parts and components bling. Here's a collection of small bits and pieces that we're most psyched to try out in the coming months.
The Klean Kanteen Classic is a water bottle that's solid, simple, and easy to drink from—and that's what counts
The heart of the Solar JOOS Orange is a quick-charging, high-efficiency, mono-crystalline solar panel meant for people who see more sunlight than fluorescent light
Bold, fun, functional, hot. That’s what Shredly is all about: performance sports shorts—and tops—that women will reach for first when they're heading for their bike, skateboard, paddleboard or backpack. Good looks and functionality are the anchors of the Shredly brand. Each Shredly fabric is painstaking created for athletic women. Designs are…
A new online bike-rental service provides an alternative to other bike-share programs
It's getting cold, and I need a light, packable jacket for the trail. What should I buy?
We're back from the festival in the desert and still swimming through the flood of new bike gear. There's tons of interesting new products on the horizon, including a rash of 650B mountain bikes and more than a few disc-brake road bikes. Check here for our…
The light's disappearing earlier and earlier, but I'm not ready to stop riding.
Since the 1980s, most apparel has been made somewhere in Asia, and a lot of it, particularly casual basics like sweatshirts, t-shirts and polo shirts, feels cheap and poorly made—or at least way overpriced for the quality of the finished product. American Giant aims to…
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.
The Cascade Flyer. Photo: Erin Berzel My work commute consists of 10 steps through my house, to my home office. Plus, I do not have children. Still, I find myself jonesing for the Cascade Flyer, a bike that is a commuter-cargo-tandem-kid-carrying hybrid and…
I’ve never tried fly fishing, and it's hard to find a buddy who's willing to show me the ropes. What’s the best way to get started?
Today at Interbike, North America's largest bicycle trade show, Thule, leading manufacturer of bike, ski and cargo carriers, announced two new bicycle fork roof-mount carriers—the Thule Sprint and Circuit. We’re most enamored with the Sprint because it has features designed specifically to…
The gear you need—and the perfect Scotch—for fall fly-fishing season.
Dealing with your climbing rope at the crag is often a tangley affair. Most rope bags are some sort of sack that holds a detached tarp. While you’re climbing, the tarp is out of the bag with the rope piled on top of it, protecting the rope…
I've been looking into the new Garmin Fenix. Is it any good?
In 1994, Steve Sullivan (Sully) and Brian Cousins (Cuz) had an idea for a line of technical clothing, one that wasn’t just about bagging peaks and extreme expeditions. They founded Jackson Hole, Wyoming-based Cloudveil, a company that made technical clothing with heavy western cowboy-style influences and…
What’s the deal with Bluetooth? My phone supposedly has it. Can I connect camping and workout gadgets with Bluetooth to my phone—and will they work?
Downhill mountain bikers, moto riders, extreme skateboarders and anyone else who is likely to have a rib-crushing crash: take a look at this. POC’s new low-profile VPD 2.0 Jacket is a non-restrictive compression shirtthat will protect your back as well as…
In Powderwhore's first ski trailer for its 2012 Choose Your Adventure, Chris Davenport is on a boat, one in Antarctica, skiing sick lines, singing and dancing and raising the roof. He’s probably crooning so contentedly because he is in one of the…
Kickstarter has been the source of many outdoor gadgets and gizmos. We've written about several here on The Gear Shed, from seatpost bottle openers to sidecountry ski carriers to 360-degree video cameras and cases that convert your iPhone into a helmet cam.
Nothing says autumn like campfire s'mores. There is a certain delight in getting little bits of bark in your mouth from the stick you jammed your marshmallow on, and in the sticky fingers that come from smooshing your marshmallow, chocolate and graham crackers together. Unless, that is, you are camping…
Some of the graphics on skis and snowboards are really spectacular. Who draws this stuff?
Most of us have ditched our point-and-shoot cameras and we're taking photos with our phones. iPhone cameras are pretty darn good, and by using a phone as your camera, you carry one device and you can…
The holy grail of backpacking is a suspension system that makes your pack carry as if you have nothing on at all. It's an admirable goal, and pack designers are making progress toward it. Black Diamond made solid inroads with its reACTIV…
In an effort to assert their authenticity and iconic status, Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and O’Neill are teaming up on a full line of clothing and accessories made by O’Neill and plastered with PBR logos. Board shorts, tees, coolers,…
We're not sure what inspired a couple of inventors to name their new ski bag the Douchebag. If it was just a ploy to get some attention then, well, it worked. But it wasn't the name that made us want to introduce you to it here…
I'd like to take better wide landscape shots when I'm traveling, but I'm not interested in investing in a really expensive camera.
An interview with the founder of the One World Futbol Project, the makers of a virtually indestructible soccer ball that's being donated to children in need
It’s not the first inflatable tent, but it might be the most affordable and easiest to use. By replacing traditional poles with inflatable “AirPoles,” Kelty’s family camping-sized shelters set up in under a minute with a dual-action floor pump, the kind you’d use to pump up an…
From Ibex wool to Princeton Tec headlamps, outdoor gear is increasingly being manufactured in American factories. Tom Vanderbilt explores the amazing new economics of insourcing.