Gear
ArchiveYou 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…
Outside picks the best watches of March, including the Bulova Precisionist Champlain Collection.
Ever since I got an iPad for Christmas, job one has been figuring out how to keep it out of my daughters’ clawing, desperate hands. (There should be an app for that.) But no sooner had I read The New York Times’ top travel apps for kids…
Things were going well for Ed Warren and his ice-climbing partner until they got hit with an avalanche. Read True Tales Behind the Web’s Best (Worst) Moments for the behind the scenes story.
Black Diamond's new Carbon Megawatt is light enough for touring and fat enough to float atop soft snow.
Wearable cameras aren’t just changing the way we watch sports—they’re changing the way we play.
Scott's Off-Grid Goggle allow you to adjust the shape of the frame to fit your face.
Atomic and Salomon have collaborated to create a powerful alpine touring ski binding.
I need a new ski pack for resort and backcountry skiing. I'm looking for something that can carry skis, water, and my gear on day trips out of bounds, but won't get in the way on chairlifts.
Sport climber Emily Harrington sends a 5.14b in Rifle, Colorado. See what it took in Andy Mann‘s short film. …
Veteran alpinists Mark Richey and Steve Swenson attempt Saser Kangri II, the second highest unclimbed mountain in the world. More at theoldbreedmovie.com.
Conrad Anker and Ali Carr talk about the new jackets in The North Face’s latest lineup. Read Anker’s story of the failed ascent that inspired the new gear.
A barefoot running shoe for winter. Ali Carr talks footwear at 2012’s Outdoor Retail Show. Read more here.
A smartphone compatible goggle that lets you pick your tunes while riding.
In 2005, I bought a Mountain Equipment Co-Op Composite 2 softshell jacket. It's the best purchase I have ever made. Unfortunately, seven years later it's starting to pile. I need a replacement. What do you recommend? Blair Turner, Saskatoon, SK
Gates Pass, trip number seven. Photo by Jen Judge. The 2012 Outside Bike Test ended on Saturday, and thank goodness. After seven days of straight riding, I needed a rest day. But we had plenty of fun. Between a total…
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,…
Sierra Designs DriDown technology, unveiled at Outdoor Retailer, allows down to retain its insulating properties even while wet.
A few weeks ago I wrote about a handful of charities that give bicycles to those without. Now I've just learned that CrankBrothers is in the midst of a charity auction for Wheels For Life (WFL),…
Outside Presents the 2012 Gear of the Show awards for OR Winter Market, including The North Face Powder Guide ABS Vest.
Top 10 Winter Bike Commuting Essentials
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…
Beat up. That’s how I feel after the mountain bike phase of our 2012 bike tests. Here are the numbers: 76.5 miles of singletrack over 14 laps, 15 hours of ride time, 18 testers, 28 bikes, and 27 tubes. The latter is frustrating: Though every single tester rides tubeless…
Outside picks the most fuel efficient cars, including the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid.
Outside picks the essentials for February, including the Yamaha Super Ténéré.
A combined heart-rate monitor and GPS watch will supercharge your training. Motorola's Motoactv is one of the best on the market.
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…
Outside picks the style essentials for February, including the Timberland Earthkeepers 2.0 Cupsole Moc Toe boots.
A look at how managers at Ouray, Colorado’s Ice Park prepped the walls for their 17th annual ice-climbing competition. A film by Allison Otto and Sam Bricker.
I received a zero-degree down sleeping bag over the holidays and I'm eager to do some winter camping in Colorado later this month. I've been on plenty of warm-weather trips, but this will be my first winter camp. What else do I need to stay warm?
While staying in touch is mandatory and part of an expedition for me, some people want to get away from it all and escape the modern noise that comes with 24 by 7 communications. If that is your case, then take a sat phone for safety but don’t use it…
The Penske, loaded with 56 bikes, en route to the 2012 testing grounds. Ever wonder how we decide what bikes to cover in the magazine? The short answer: We ride the bejeezus out of a lot of bicycles. And we’re riding this week. Finding the best…
The story of 53-year-old climber Alf Randell and why he decided to prioritize climbing over money. Read more about him here.
In case you hadn't heard, headphone technology has gotten much better—and more specialized—since the advent of the mp3 player
Outside picks the essential tech tools, including the OtterBox Defenders Series case.
Velocomp, creator of the iBike Dash CC Cycling Computer, has just announced the first “smart” cycling computer—iBike POWERHOUSE. iBike POWERHOUSE works with your iPhone or iPod touch to help you reach specific fitness goals in the least amount of time possible. The computer comes with one exercise…
I’m looking for an all-purpose jacket that looks decent around town when it’s cold and wet, but also wouldn’t be out of place on a winter hike or snowshoe trip. Not a rain shell–something that has a little warmth. Any suggestions?
The volume of bike gear that passes through my office is staggering. A few stats from 2011: This year I've tested 18 helmets, more than 20 pairs of cycling shoes, and over 100 bicycles (I ride at least 15 miles per bike; many more for the ones we cover). The…
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?
The first ascent of a 5.14d by a woman. Read Adam Roy's list of the best climbing stories in 2011 here.
Michael Muller and his crew head to Fiji with the Travel Channel to photograph seven species of sharks in five days. See Muller’s shark photos here.
What are the best adventure gifts for a shopper on a budget?
Struggling to find a gift for the guy who has everything? Or perhaps you've been an exceptionally good boy this year, and you'd like to reward yourself. Either way, we rounded up a few of our favorite things, price be damned. A word of caution: while the list starts out…
Behind the scenes with Jimmy Chin and the Camp 4 Collective as they gear up for a shoot in Wyoming’s Tetons.
If you’re like me, you probably still have some holes (ahem, a lot of holes?) to fill on your holiday shopping list. Have no fear: There’s still time to score the season’s most coveted loot for little rippers, naughty or nice. Icebreaker Bodyfit Base Layers …
Wondering what to get the favorite women in your life for the holidays? We’ve honed in on the best holiday gifts for your better half, whether she's a shredder, cyclist, or simply likes to stay warm. Nobis Farrah hat: If you're going to get her a warm hat, get her…
Your mom is right: Everybody actually does need more wool socks. So get your favorite outdoorsy type a pair or two of those, but also consider the stuff below—they're some of our favorite gifts under $50. For the world traveler: A TSA compliant multitool? It’s true—such a thing exists.
Outside picks the essentials for January, including the Patagonia Reversible Flannel jacket.
Outside picks the essentials for January, including the Westcomb Switch LT Hoody.
Outside picks the essentials for January, including the Rapha Cycle Club espresso machine.
When I ski or engage in other outdoor winter sports, my hands get cold–really cold. Any suggestions for a fix?
Outside picks the essentials for January, including the Icebreaker Oasis Crewe Razor Shirt.
I didn't take my first cold-weather ride of the season until last week. I'd been dodging it like a hypochondriac recoiling from a sniffling child. It happens like this every year. Autumn in Santa Fe is bright and dry and crisp and glorious, and I…
Bear with us, here. We don't cover golf shoes—or any golf apparel or gear for that matter—very often. But we just had to share these. Adidas's new Golf Samba, which will be available this spring, looks exactly like the iconic soccer cleat we all grew up wearing, and…
If you're in New York City this holiday season, make your way downtown (Prince and Mulberry to be exact) to see AETHER's AETHERstream. Yes, it's been there since the middle of November, so you might be reading this and thinking, “Been there. Done that.”…
Columbia, which has spent the better part of the past few years focusing on new technologies and products,just announced that it will aslo be getting back to its roots. Next Fall (2012), Columbia will reissue its famous Bugaboot, one of its most popular styles. Normally, we wouldn’t…
You could take off your gloves, unfold the resort map, and figure out where you're going—or where you want to go. Or you could peel back your jacket cuff and peek at your altimeter. Or you could get all that info without even taking your eyes off the fall line.
Versatile outfits, shoes, and other gear made with world travelers in mind.
So you're shopping for someone who shuns modern technology? This rugged, timeless gear is sure to be a hit.
Classic boots, a backcountry-ready axe, and other awesome gifts for hikers.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 gift guide, including the Lib Tech C2BTX snowboard.
A newbie-friendly board, a watch that knows the tides, and other essential gear for the paddler on your list.
The best gear for fly-fishing fanatics, from quick-drying water shoes to a handmade paddle.
The best holiday gifts for climbers, from peak baggers to Himalayan mountaineers.
SRAM, the folks that make really nice bike compenents, has gotten all arty for a good cause. The company has commissioned 47 sculptors to make art from SRAM bike parts, all to be auctioned off starting this Sunday, to raise money for World Bicycle Relief (WBR). WBR…