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Thanks to the hydrophilic rubber at the nose and temples, the ultralight Stradas were our favorite choice for trail running and mountain biking. tifosioptics.com…
For sockless sneaking, these way-soft lace-ups are hard to beat. The look is swanky tennis shoe, but the reality is exceedingly comfortable walkabout-wear. clarks.us…
Thanks to its flat seams, jersey knit, and a touch of stretchy synthetic material, this was our favorite lightweight merino-wool top. io-bio.com…
SKI SHARP Good for Resort Look as good as you ski. The Spectre is for the guy who wants street-smart style but not at the expense of top-end technical performance. Beneath the understated, retro tweed is a waterproof-breathable Gore Performance Shell membrane protecting the jacket’s blizzard-ready…
Testers loved the tagless, adjustable waistband and removable chamois. And because most dirt jerseys are too baggy to secure an iPod, the MP3 pocket and headphone port make sense on these shorts. zoic.com…
They might be slip-ons, but that doesn’t mean the fit is sloppy. The Drakes are actually a surprisingly snug and techy shoe, with (mostly) waterproof uppers, a sticky outsole, and a reinforced toe box. ahnufootwear.com…
Resort Roomier than most resortwear, this waterproof jacket has a brushed-polyester lining, fuzzy collar, and removable hood. patagonia.com…
Because it’s lined with thick sheets of partially recycled synthetic insulation (PrimaLoft Eco), you get big-time warmth without looking like the Michelin Man. Compresses down to volleyball size and is trim enough to wear under a storm layer. 2.2 lbs; mountainhardwear.com…
Go extra large with the Rx-ready Tone, which features high-end Zeiss polycarbonate lenses and plenty of coverage. This piece is perfect for scoping lines on the slopes or just hanging out on an après deck. Burly stainless-steel hinges complete the solid build. giro.com…
No sloppy fit here. Because the Cocoon’s Gore-Tex barrier—called Xtrafit—is permanently fused to the rest of the glove, the inner layer never shifts around annoyingly. scottusa.com…
Mountain With one zippered pocket out back, a semifitted cut, and wind-cutting stretch polyester, the soft-shell-like Launch was a tester favorite on fall rides. Of course, truth be told, we saw said tester wearing it around town just as often. pearlizumi.com …
Rambler The renowned comfort of Dansko doesn’t just come in a clog. This looks like a leather hiking boot but is actually a walking machine (especially suited for the high-arched), up for lower-impact trail forays, with four plush layers underfoot. dansko.com…
There’s nothing like slipping into something as soft as butter when your limbs feel like Jell-O. This French terry track jacket features feminine details (an empire waist and side tie) but is as comfortable as your college sweatshirt. oakley.com…
Be safe with this well-vented lid. Quick-dry pads beat stink, and a sleek adjuster dial makes perfecting the fit simple. bellbikehelmets.com…
Don’t let the old-school vibe fool you; while the style is midcentury, no vintage shades ever sported such fancy lenses (they’re coated with both an anti-reflective and hydrophobic coating). And though it’s blue mirror on the outside, the view is greenish copper, which amps contrast, while polarization kills the…
Town Crossover Sure, you can sled or snowball-fight in your technical puffy. But you might appreciate the extra padding that this machine-washable wool-nylon beast provides. The huge collar pops up as high as your ears—and stays there. 4.6 lbs; TAGS: wool, machine-washable, heavy-duty…
BARGAIN SOFT SHELL The Ascent’s house-brand, fleece-lined soft-shell fabric is windproof and nearly waterproof. Raindrops beaded and poured off the stretchy face fabric for hours, while a three-point adjustable hood sealed out blowing snow. And when we picked up the pace, the core zips let us dump heat. So what’s…
GOLITE‘s windproof BLACK MOUNTAIN THERMAL WIND PANTS might seem beyond the budget, but think of your winter workout gear as a vacation investment—your ticket to transcending the slop and sleet to a warmer, sunnier plane.
The synthetic fur on the inside of the Kirus is so soft, you’ll want to go sockless. Don’t; they’ll stink. But do wear them in a blizzard. They’re waterproof, and they can stand up to slippery sidewalks (thanks to sticky rubber) and your dressiest ski-town dinner date (the silhouette…
Why It’s CoolYou can paddle it, sail it, and fold it up to take with you wherever you go, making this the definitive kayak for adventure travelers. » A beefy hull and keel strip protect against tears on coral or ice. » You can change the hull shape from a…
Why It’s Coolt looks like a fiberglass-composite boat—but the price says plastic. It’s cut-sheet plastic, thermoformed into a material Perception calls “Airalite.” Deployed here in the Carolina 14.5, the company’s quintessential day-touring boat, the material makes a formerly rotomolded craft stiffer, lighter, and sleeker. » While the gloss factor makes…
ROOMY PLAYBOAT With a roomy cockpit and extra-large foot bumps—which can accommodate up to size 13 feet—the Agent is the best big-dude boat with agile performance. It’s not as speedy as Dagger’s previous freestyle boats, but thanks to an ultra-loose, yet edgy, double-release chine and a heavily flared stern…
CLASSIC LONGBOARD Bob McTavish shaped the original Fireball in 1994. Since then, his 9’1″ performance longboard has become a hard-to-find classic—until late 2007, when Global Surf Industries started mass-producing it. Our GSI model rode well in a variety of conditions, from crisp East Coast beach rollers to a point break…
The Golden has the solid flex and feel of wood—it’s available in either ash or padauk—and because its blades are coated with a polymer similar to what’s used for spray-in truck-bed liners, it’s practically indestructible. wavedogpaddles.com…
Versatile SUP Stand-up paddleboarding continues growing, with more and more SUPers taking to lakes and whitewater. On a five-day, 65-mile trip down the Yellowstone River, the well-rounded ATB (29.5 inches wide and 4.9 inches thick) was stable yet fast, while extra rocker in the nose and tail reduced purling in…
Short shorts are never a good thing when you’re above your belayer. These knee-length capris will give you the right coverage without hindering your ability to move. Plus, the stretchy nylon fabric can stand up to scraping the wall. lolewomen.com…
A couple years back, Brunton bagged its first Gear of the Year award with the burly, waterproof, scalpel-sharp Epochs. For 2005, greatness gets an upgrade. The new Brunton Epoch Zoom invites you to view the whole horizon, then drill in tight with the touch of a lever. Result? Another trophy…
Why they rule“Biomex” sounds like genetically engineered food from El Paso, but it’s really just Lowa’s name for an external ankle support. The hinged, rigid-plastic cuff locked my ankles in place on loose, off-camber talus—even as I teetered under a 35-pound backpack. Indeed, they aced the hairiest stability test I…
Wheel it, shoulder it, sit on it, kick it—Osprey’s Meridian 22 adeptly adjusts to any adventure and absorbs every road-inflicted insult. It relieves you of attachment anxiety, since it’s carry-on legit, but magically stows everything you need for an around-the-world journey. Can’t resist picking up that wooden mask in…
Remember that high school buddy who souped up an old Datsun 510, then went looking for suckers to race? The Taku is his kind of jacket. At first glance this 2005 Gear of the Year pick is just another storm shell, but a closer look reveals a whole lotta functional…
At 3.2 ounces, the COLEMAN F1 LITE is the lightest new lantern, with a mesh globe in place of delicate glass, and minimalist styling. Alas, it’s not the brightest. The F1’s 38 watts won’t flood a campground—reading Raymond Chandler while sitting more than five feet away soon strained the eyes—but…
LIGHT Die-cut foam reduces weight and bulk, and raised “berms” along the perimeter, which prevent you from rolling off, make this featherweight feel wider than it is. The minimalist cushion is best for smaller (or tougher) hikers. 20′ x 72′ x 1′, 1.2 lbs; pacoutdoor.com…
Why It’s CoolThe gaudy gray-and-orange patterns of the bag’s nylon shell start to look pretty attractive when you remind yourself how little you forked over here—this is the biggest bang for the buck on the market. Fashioned with a taffeta lining and stuffed with DuPont Thermalite insulation, the 30-degree Super…
1. No gimmicks here. The North Face’s new X-Radial suspension is the real deal. The secret is a lightweight aluminum, X-shaped frame that’s reinforced on the top and bottom to deal with heavy loads (up to 55 pounds) and actually pivots at the center of the X, which means…
Most high-wattage lights are prone to overheating, but not the L3. Heat-diffusing plastic fins allow this three-watt lamp to blaze without any time constraints. Search-and-rescue types will love the bright, concentrated beam, but it’s pricey for a camp light. 8.7 oz; www.brunton.com…
1. Hi-res still camera and hi-def videocam. Sure, digicams can shoot video. But not like this. Video is recorded through high-quality interchangeable lenses on a full-frame 35mm sensor, providing the type of manual focus and other controls previously available only to Hollywood DOPs. Stunning. And the .mov format makes…
If you’ve lusted after a high-end, ultralight three-season sack but balked at the price, stop hemming and hawing and buy the Arroyo. It weighs just a zipper fob over a pound and a half, thanks to 800-fill down, and delivers conservative warmth with a comfortable, full-zip design. A nautilus-type…
Good for Resort Resort jackets used to come in two varieties: There were the big, bulky numbers designed to keep you warm on the chairlift, and there were the lightweight shells you could take into the backcountry. But innovations in insulation, ventilation, and waterproof-breathable fabrics have…
MR. BIG ‘N’ TALLWith its X-pole design and meshy walls, the Alcove 2 looks unremarkable at first. Then you notice the scoop built into the door frame, which helps create a 14-square-foot vestibule—double the size of those found on many packable tents. I worried about the mesh near the top…
The Squall seems spartan. It isn’t. Well, except for the hipbelt, which is simply unpadded webbing, but that’s all you really need. Plus what’s on the inside is equally important. Within this top-loading, 27-liter pack, everything has its place: There are sleeves for your probe, shovel handle, hydration bladder,…
GREAT SPACE-TO-WEIGHT RATIO Nemo Equipment made quite a splash when it debuted its impressively sturdy inflatable tents a few years ago. But this year’s Losi, the company’s first three-season poled tent, is a lot more affordable—and practical—for most of us. When guyed out, the two-door Losi was as unflappable as…
BARGAIN SYNTHETIC Confession: I was nervous diving into the 20-degree Klickitat when the forecast called for below-freezing temps. Its uninspiring loft just doesn’t say “sweet dreams.” But I stayed plenty warm, making this inexpensive sack one of the year’s best deals. The trick? A new synthetic insulation, called Climashield XP,…
BEST ULTRALIGHT The Kilo’s polyester taffeta lining is decadently soft, and because it has extra amounts of lofty 750-fill down in the feet and shoulders, it delivers on its temp rating. It’s so small and light one tester stashed it in her purse. 35°F, 1.3 lbs; rei.com Bonus:…
This stainless-steel-and-aluminum beast (25″x16″x8″) lights itself and has an antimicrobial cutting board, hard-anodized aluminum griddle, and integrated storage bins. 33 lbs; coleman.com…
Thanks to an orange filter, the three-watt-LED Polaris creates a warm, natural glow. Only drawback: It’ll undoubtedly be the only gadget at the camp powered by (heavy) C batteries. 15 oz; brunton.com…
Thanks to its mostly mesh canopy, the double-door Adobe received high marks for warm-weather stargazing and ventilation. But what really impressed us was its performance in an early-season Wasatch snowstorm. The full-coverage fly kept pelting snow from drifting through the mesh, while the tent’s unique pole structure—a pair of…
A quick twist of the X-Zoom’s barrel-like lens focuses the beam—spot mode threw the light 450 feet—but it can be dialed back for a diffuse, longer-lasting glow. 7 oz; mammut.com…
Portable Purification We’ve been big fans of Steripen’s UV-light wands for years. You just swish it around in your one-liter bottle for 90 seconds and it zaps everything from viruses like hepatitis to protozoa like giardia. This newest version is smaller, has a new optical water sensor that can sense…
If you really want to impress, bake a cake, cinnamon rolls, or a lasagna in GSI Outdoors’ aluminum 12″ Hard Anodized Dutch Oven. gsioutdoors.com…
Speed is Your Friend Racers and fitness snowshoers, these are for you. And, no, you’re not missing something; there’s no binding. Instead, running shoes or lightweight boots attach directly to the shoes’ PVC-free decks with included, easy-to-use hardware and a couple of punches with a power drill. (Yes, it permanently…
The Link is the only goggle on the market with a lens that’s both polarized and photochromic. It cuts glare, and, if you drop from a sunny ridgetop into a shady couloir, the tint automatically fades to let in more light. zealoptics.com…
Fine-tune support with the Decade’s unique locking lace system. And don’t worry about taking them off right away: The liner, with its memory-foam footbed, stayed comfortable when the bar was standing room only. northwave.com…
Testers praised the Targa Ascent's bomber construction, but flat-out raved about its uphill performance: A free-pivot mode offers touring without resistance, which means you'll conserve power for that extra lap. 3.1 lbs; genuineguidegear.com Bonus: The heel piece flips vertically to serve as the climbing bar. Bummer: Difficult to…
Off the stair rail or the gap box, this binding is a top performer that's ergonomically shaped for women. The UnderWrap.2 Heel Hoop is slimmed down and cored out in the toe region for a super-responsive feel. Choose among several strap positions (capped or regular). romesnowboards.com …
MOST VERSATILE Good for Big Mountain The most confidence-inspiring ski in this year’s big-mountain field, the Blower offers impressive stability in all conditions. At 110mm underfoot, it’s more than fat enough for powder and crud skiing, but the wood core, vertical sidewalls, and 26m round-turn sidecut…
You know your buddy with the dollar-sign cuff links and flashy ski jacket? The Freerides, with their plush, lined straps and faux-leather accents, are for that guy. komperdell.com…
Because the Bug’s vents are recessed between its two slightly overlapping shells, you get a 100 percent puncture-proof helmet that breathes moderately well. pocsports.com…
Good for Touring You can find a lighter AT boot, but our testers felt the Radium had the best downhill performance-to-weight ratio. Credit the Radium's alpine heritage—an overlap shell—and the Pebax reinforcements in the thermomoldable liner, which add stiffness but almost no weight. Walk mode is a little clunky,…
TELEMARK Good for Telemark The Bombshell wins again. She's, well, bomber, with five settings that allow for a handful of telemark styles; a solid, stainless-steel toepiece; and a six-inch, front-mounted compression spring that's 20 percent softer than the men's counterpart. 3.1 lbs; twentytwodesigns.com …
Its solid performance and great price made this our top pick for intermediate riders. Nice touch: An antimicrobial coating helps keep them from funking up the condo. ridesnowboards.com…
BIG MOUNTAIN Good for Big Mountain You'll feel like you're cheating on huge powder days. The only women-specific rockered (upturned tip and tail) ski on the market, the Voodoo Pro also has tapered tips and tails, so they don't get hung up on pillows of poof. But what sets…
Good for Resort Can’t stand mushy boots? With its high-density EVA and synthetic leather in the shell, the Journey is the stiffest boot here. Testers also liked the ergonomic tongue, which hugs your shin for immediate response. dcshoes.com…
The lightest option here (it weighs just 15 ounces), this airy helmet was our top choice for touring. If you’re a hothead like me, you’ll love the way the vents flow air through the helmet as well as in between the outer shell and the liner.
ALPINE TOURING Good for All Mountain Though it remains unchanged from last season, the Skookum proved itself an overall champ for its balanced uphill ergonomics and downhill chops. The interchangeable tongues are no gimmick: The downhill tongue stiffens the boot by 20 percent. It's easy to see why one…
All Mountain Aptly named for the exposed adjustable pivot beneath the toe, the Axl is a free-pivot touring binding like its forebear, the legendary Hammerhead. Testers found that the underfoot pistons, sleek cable routing, and heel throw provided more downhill chops than any similar binding on the hill. And unlike…
The Custom’s been a staple board in Burton’s line for 15 years, setting the standard for how a snowboard should ride. Every year, Burton refines it just a little more—and this year’s is the best yet thanks to its mixed-camber profile, a snappy carbon backbone, strands of strategically woven…
Good for SnowshoeingFor fast-and-light excursions in cold temps, the waterproof, lightweight Multiterra Ultra is our favorite. Its Vibram sole afforded best-in-class traction on frost-covered trails, and when the snow fell, the insulation was just enough for aerobic snowshoeing. hi-tec.com…
JUST RELAX Every ski in K2’s line features rocker this season. In addition to floating a ski, rocker can be designed to help initiate a turn. Such is the case with the easy-skiing Aftershock. And where skis like the Nordica Enforcer and Völkl Kendo require near-constant attention, it’s possible to…
If your ultralight pack gets kicked around like a stray dog, buy this Rottweiler. The tough-skinned Endeavor Summit is made with VX07 sailcloth, which is incredibly abrasion- and tear-resistant for the weight. (For the price, the bottom should be similarly reinforced.) The stiff single-stay-and-framesheet suspension is mated to low-bulk…
ROCK THE GLOP The little brother of Rossi’s S7 powder ski, the new S6 features U Rocker—bent up at the tip and tail, flat underfoot. As you’d expect, it floats in crud and fluff, but that flat section adds edging confidence. You can arc the ski into a big sweeping…
Why They’re CoolI accidentally wore them mountain-biking—the lightly lugged soles grabbed my pedals, and the stiff fiber insole let me stand up and honk on hills. » I accidentally wore them to town—an EVA midsole cushioned my stride on sidewalks, and the stylish mesh-and-nubuck uppers fit right in at Barnes…
Finally, embrace your inner nordic dork with CASCO‘s frameless, photochromic NORDIC SPIRIT COMPETITION SHIELDS.
Get the body and sole of a traditional boot in a stylish, wear-anywhere package. The upper is more leather than mesh, for superior support and long life, and glove leather on the inside molds to your foot. The stiff Vibram sole held firm on Adirondack rocks and rubble, and…
Telemark This Colorado-made wood-core ski has traditional camber, making it extremely poppy and carvy in tight quarters, yet it’s easily “disengaged” due to its tapered tail. Loves floating in powder and chopped-up crud but lacks punch and bite on firmer snow. 160/110/130, 8.1 lbs. TAGS: powder, playful…
BEEMER ON YOUR BACKThe all-mesh suspension design not only kept me dry on a two-hour uphill slog, but also held the bag snug against my back as I ducked under trees. The top-loading maw swallows everything except a sleeping pad (lash it on the sides or top), while the segmented…
WIDE BUT NIMBLE You don’t need to be a big company to make a big ski. Liberty, a small manufacturer in Avon, Colorado, has created a giant-killer with the Helix. An eco-friendly bamboo-and-poplar core gives it a light and poppy feel—but the Helix is still tough enough to land hard…
KEEPS YOU COOL Admit it: Ever since you retired your fanny pack, you’ve missed being able to hike in the heat without soaking your T-shirt. With a curved suspension that lets air flow across your back, the Garmsal cools without compromising its carrying ability—or your cred. The crossed aluminum stays…
HUT CHAMP A two-in-one pack is the smartest choice on a hut trip, and the Windpack is one of the year’s best. The main pack’s 2,550 cubic inches easily swallowed sleeping bag, clothes, and tequila on a three-day hut tour in Colorado. And chasing face shots, the detachable, 500-cubic-inch yo-yo…