This classy timepiece, which pairs well with both suit and parka, steps beyond the usual analog chronograph with an altimeter. www.st-moritz.com…

Utility City, Smarter Our favorite commuter helmet, the Section is the lightest in its class and sports eight vents. Too few? If you ever yard-sale in this hard hat, you’ll appreciate its tougher shell and rounded profile—which won’t twist your neck like a more aerodynamically shaped helmet can when…

Finally, an excuse to have a bottle opener on your key chain without having to go back to college. www.buckknives.com…

Mr. Versatility Naming this sly cyclocross beast “Fox” (in Italian) was perfect: Whenever we got in a sticky situation, its big all-terrain rubber, triple chainring, and forgiving steel frame saw us through in style. And if you’re not riding your local trails or CX course on the weekend, you can…

SEASONED PROBy relocating the bulky GPS antenna to a separate arm-mounted pod, Timex kept the watch relatively svelte and undeniably light on the wrist. For gram-shaving racers, this is big; they can train with the GPS and the chest strap, then leave both at home when they step up to…

TRES HERMESSpice up your morning five-miler with 125 of your favorite songs. With its pack-of-gum-size wireless sensor clipped to your laces, the MP3 Run tracks your speed, distance, and pace. Hit a button and the unit will cut into “Eye of the Tiger” with a progress report (“Time, three minutes;…

Is it safe to skip that water break? The ACUMEN EON-202TRT PYR ($269), a heart-rate monitor with an internal dehydration calculator, will let you know. Before you head out, program the outside temperature and humidity into the wrist unit via a key-chain gauge, then follow its advice on how much…

Wait, you’re not using those earbuds that came attached like a crummy little toady to another device, right? Good. But you should still upgrade to the deep, rich sound of these noise-isolating, dual-driver numbers. ultimateears.com…

Ditch the tool belt; just stick this crafty gizmo in your back pocket and roll. And if you’re not drinking wine, the hammer opens beer bottles. (No joke; look closely.) spyderco.com…

CASIO packed the SOLAR TRIPLE SENSOR ($250) with a compass, a barometer, a thermometer, a depth gauge, five alarms, and a rotating bezel—then tucked in a solar cell. Not only will the battery stay juiced on the power of daylight, but big digits and the included backlight make it your…

Thanks to the popularity of two-way radios, it’s getting harder to find a quiet channel in some of our nation’s more popular national parks. MOTOROLA solves this chatter glut by offering 99 subcodes in its TALKABOUT T6500 ($79 per pair). The rechargeable NiCad-powered handsets have one watt of power, good…

A do-it-all multitool that shaves weight down to five ounces without sacrificing utility. The standard fare (pliers/wire snips, blade, screwdriver set) is augmented by a carabiner-like clip that’s good for cracking open a bottle of beer. leatherman.com…

APPLE’S Lilliputian IPOD MINI ($249) is the new standard for hauling music. At four ounces, the hard-drive-based device is lighter than previous Pods yet still delivers up to 50 hours of sound. Its tough anodized-aluminum case and an optional neoprene armband ($29) clinches it as the most trail-worthy of the…

Colltex’s supple, smooth-gliding mohair skins use a pressure-sensitive glue that binds tighter when weighted but is still a breeze to peel. We received these in late spring, so we can’t speak to durability. But first impression? Wow. colltex.com…

Like the podium-topping Canon, the D90 shoots photos and HD video, but at less than one-third the price. Consider it the Corvette to Canon’s Lamborghini—i.e., it’s not the most luxurious, but it’s still one very sweet machine: 4.5-frames-per-second shooting, a 12.3-meg sensor, and a best-in-the-industry, super-hi-res three-inch LCD screen.

Ideal for birdwatchers—but great for anyone who prefers seeing things afar in high definition—these palm-size Leicas fold down compactly. And at 9.6 ounces, they’re the lightest binocs we tested. 10×25; leica-camera.com…

Although it was designed for ice climbing, the Minus One proved ideal for everything from backcountry skiing to cold-weather mountain biking. It’s waterproof, light and supple, reinforced in all the right places, and surprisingly warm. It fits snugly; consider upsizing. TAGS: versatile, warmer than it looks…

This shock- and waterproof videocam, which features a 170-degree lens and five-meg sensor, is easily attached to your person, ski, snowboard, helmet, bike, or surfboard via mount kits ($20–$40). Shoot 30-frames-per-second video or set it to take a still every two or five seconds.

  The Vapor’s lightweight plastic upper protects your feet from all things pokey or prickly, but thanks to a foldable heel, it also converts to slipper mode. The only downside: The plastic isn’t very breathable. merrell.com          …

Heart Matters A heart-rate monitor should be both intuitive and powerful. This affordable one does well on both counts, automatically telling you what heart-rate zone you should be aiming for and uploading your workouts to training software with an optional $55 FlowLink cradle. polarusa.com…

With black lace and stretchy microfleece that mimics cashmere, the FLEUR D’HIVER LUCY camisole is flirty and functional. (208-726-2263, www.fleurdhiver.com)…

Slick Amphibian A unique mix of racing style and military fatigue, the new “khaki” Formula 1 is, at less than $1,000, a really good deal from TAG. Water-resistant to 200 meters, with a scratch-resistant crystal, it’s built to handle field duty, but the hipster look suits any urban setting.

If God is in the details, the Zorro is heaven-sent. The hood, which adjusts behind the head and below the chin, cinches out of view with or without a helmet—making it the best we tested. The gaping chest pockets easily accept backcountry skins or salami, and the solid pocket…

We like this American watchmaker for its unique designs that hold up to the elements while looking great with a suit. This patriotic, red-black-and-blue number has a soft calf-leather strap, 100-meter water resistance, and dials for date, seconds, and 60-minute timing. TAGS: urban, sporty…

The ultimate summer jersey: The soft MicroSensor fabric wicked sweat well, and the mesh panels kept air circulating—even at high noon in Tucson. www.pearlizumi.com…

If you care about visual perfection (price be damned!), move up to this deluxe unit. The Golden Ring offers superior crispness, images brighter than those in other models, and a smart focus lock that keeps sharpness immune to clumsy fingers so that you can, well, focus. 8×32; www.leupold.com…

Why They’re CoolThis petite sports wrap loves things strenuous and sweaty, while remaining—dare we say it?—a lady. The design slenderizes the familiar wrap by squeezing the lens into a pleasing feline shape. On a small face, nothing is lost in coverage. » The view is pretty, too, through poly lenses…

Why They’re CoolThe temples are made of bendable nylon—think Gumby—that remembers the shape you give it. » Glare is no match for the polarized copper-tint lenses, which yield a brilliantly high-res, high-contrast view. » The look is plenty smart, too, with wide temples plus wide, boxy lenses. » All is…

The poly/nylon Synapse scores a near-perfect balance between breathability and weather resistance. Despite the bantam weight, it includes a stowable hood, hem drawstring, and stash pocket. 4.1 oz; orgear.com…

With their Teflon-coated, water-resistant face fabric and fleecy liner, the Lodges are perfect for cool-weather hiking or camping. But unlike with most technical pants, the jean styling just needs a belt and you’re ready for dinner. royalrobbins.com…

A WATERPROOF SOFT SHELL, FOR PEANUTS In the future you’ll be able to get the perfect jacket: soft-shell performance, storm-shell protection, and windbreaker economy. Until then, we have the Gamut, a bargain-priced waterproof-breathable soft shell that has taped seams for real-weather protection. It’s not quite the future—the proprietary fabric wets…

BEST ALL-AROUND From lunch-hour sprints to a Sunday century, the Cannondale Synapse does it all. It’s as responsive, stiff, and zippy as high-end machines twice the price, but thanks to its relaxed geometry, it’s also comfortable on the longest days. Credit the full-carbon frame, which absorbed bumps even on Vermont’s…

At six bucks a pair, these synthetic, well-padded ergonomic socks are a bargain. powersox.com…

This two-in-one combo conceals a zip-in fleece track pant that serves as a midlayer on cold days and an instant lounger back at the condo. Also hidden within: a binding wrench that doubles as a bottle opener. 686.com…

Lounging around the condo? The Chill’s sheepskin lining and wool-fleece footbed are as slipperlike as a shoe gets. Have to shovel out the car? They’re also available in a mid-height boot version, the Encore Trek, for $130. merrell.com…

Perfect for spring days at the resort: not as quick-drying as the Stormtracker (below), but much more stylish. dakine.com…

The PrimaLoft-insulated 4 Pines is a full-featured ski jacket in disguise, complete with goggle pocket, powder skirt, and smart fleece patches that enhance wicking in the back and underarms. 2.6 lbs; cloudveil.com…

Most coated nylon shells are windproof saunas. Here, moisture buildup is minor in cool weather, and two front vents control airflow so you don’t have to unzip every five minutes. 3.8 oz; nike.com…

SUMMER-WEIGHT CHAMP Meet our new warm-weather favorite. The track-suit-inspired Avido was a godsend in the middle of summer when we didn’t want to stuff a full-on rain shell in our packs but then got blasted by cold winds up in the hills. The reason, as one tester pointed out, is…

Just twist the Whisper’s arms and insert your lens color of choice. It comes with three polarized options: clear, rose, and brown. smithoptics.com…

Whether the name applies or not, you’ll definitely be well-heeled in these office-worthy but street-tough oxfords, which prove that handcrafted high style and all-day comfort can collide. bornshoes.com…

Good for BackcountrySkiing in this soft shell is as close as you can come to doing sports in your jammies. But with a raised back waist, reinforced knee patches, and kick patches at the ankles, the water-resistant Randonee is worthy of fair-weather resort skiing or a backcountry hike.

MR. VERSATILITY Good for Backcountry Looking for something you can backpack in all summer and then ski in come winter? The Troll Wall is your jacket. Simply detach its powder skirt and you’ve got a lightweight—just 19 ounces—and easy-to-pack rain shell you can wear year-round. The…

COLD To make this ironclad but breathable jacket, Patagonia took a layer of 700-fill down, lined it with mesh, then topped that off with a waterproof hard shell. The fleece-lined chin and adjustable powder skirt are nice touches. patagonia.com…

Wasn’t Doc wearing these at the end of Back to the Future? But seriously, testers raved about Rudy’s photochromic red tint, which pumps up contrast and depth and self-adjusts in sunlight and shadow. We also loved the way the snug, featherweight polymer shield just disappears—no edges or obstructions in…

Climbing. Hiking. Backpacking. We knew the Offwidth was a winner when every tester filled out the “best for” line of our test card differently. True, it isn’t the most breathable or element-resistant soft shell around, but that’s actually a good thing—you can wear it for a wider range of…

Good for Backcountry It stretches and feels like a soft shell, but thanks to a waterproof-breathable membrane, taped seams, and waterproof YKK zippers, the Higgins repels snow and rain like a top-of-the-line hard shell. And, as with most stuff FlyLow makes, the Higgins can take a beating.

Good for Backcountry With its removable soft-shell bib/upper, waterproof-breathable eVent bottom, full zips, and scuff guards, the Revenant is the most feature-packed offering in our lineup. Testers loved the option to keep or ditch the top, depending on the latest plan of attack. westcomb.com…

Where I live, we do the Santa Fe Double in springtime: a morning ski tour followed by a bike ride. This lightweight, neoprene-cuffed, Gore Windstopper glove was my favorite for both. dakine.com…

Road Our bib tester, “the Sharkman,” rode 3,653 miles in roughly half a dozen bibs over the past 12 months. These are his favorites. Pearl Izumi will tell you it's the sculpted and seamless chamois and breathable fabric; the Sharkman reported “no hot spots, no bunching,'' and an overall “outstanding”…

All-Day Cyclist Makes sense that a sunglasses maison in Pacific coast Canada, where sunlight gets fuzzed up with airborne moisture, would get the tint right. Orange photochromic poly lenses destroyed mist and punched up depth in low to medium light. We prefered this slender wrap on a road bike: The…

Stretching is easy thanks to a mesh vent at the waist and a gusseted crotch. But the real reason all our testers—petite or tall—loved them is because they come in three lengths. movingcomfort.com…

Bargain-priced but equipped with polarized poly lenses and sticky rubber. suncloudoptics.com…

Breathable mesh-and-foam midsoles make these sporty Mary Janes perfect for roaming around a foreign city. An EVA footbed provides support, while a toe bumper ensures no stubs. keenfootwear.com…

Technical Top-shelf (800-fill) down + ultralight 15-denier ripstop nylon + an extremely athletic fit = as light and compressible a puffy as you can get. Our favorite feature: side zips that allow you to quickly dump heat or futz with inner layers. Least favorite: no zipper on the front kangaroo…

ALPINE DO-IT-ALL Take a hard-shell jacket, stuff it with sleeping-bag insulation, and you’ve got the Gravitor. It’s made with the same synthetic insulation as Mountain Hardwear’s sleeping bags. It sounds bulky, but it isn’t. The warmest jacket here, the trim-fitting Gravitor was designed with cold-weather climbing and hiking in mind.

When paired with high-quality base layers, PATAGONIA‘s supple and breathable WIND SHIELD JACKET is all you need 90 percent of the time.

On the coldest winter days, we turned to this waterproof full-grain leather-and-rubber snow tromper. A layer of Thinsulate insulation, felt lining, and deep herringbone tread make it the most stormproof boot here.

You’ll get the right support with HANDFUL‘s feminine but run-worthy BRA.

High-Performance Softboard Not long ago, the words “soft surfboard” would’ve drawn jeers from core surfers. Now comes the ultralight Y-Quad, a truly high-performance softboard designed by Tom Morey, inventor of the boogie board. The semihard slick-skin deck and bottom suggest a glassed board, but the soft rails and boxy tail…

Designing a one-boat quiver is always a compromise, but the Rx (a.k.a the Prescription) is no horse by committee. It can both play and run downriver, because it combines a flat freestyle hull—for spinning on a wave—with a progressive rocker and relaxed chines behind the hips, where eddy lines…

CREEK SPECIALIST The Habitat incorporates the trademark roominess of Wave Sport’s previous creekboats, but its new hull design is carvier, more forgiving, and not as flat-bottomed (read: you won’t crush your spine boofing). At just over eight feet, it was fast enough to cut across eddy lines on the Colorado,…

MOST VERSATILE The Avocet LV slices through ocean whitecaps as well as it holds a fast, true line on a glassy lake. This British-hulled boat—low-profile, high foredeck—has great secondary stability, which will build confidence in beginners learning to tour. But you won’t outgrow it, either. With fore, aft, and day…

Designed by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard’s son, Fletcher, the quad-fin Quark is one of the lightest, greenest, most durable boards we’ve seen yet. Its fishlike characteristics include a nearly 20-inch width, high flotation, and mild swallowtail that make even the mushiest surf entertaining. Meanwhile, the Quark has mucho acceleration…

Fitness King Paddling to get a workout? This lightweight performance touring kayak absolutely flies when you put your head down and hammer. “It sprang from stop to go like a racehorse,” reported one tester after zipping across Lake Champlain and back. The Cat 5's deck is arced high to accommodate…

Black Diamond’s Aspect harness has intelligently designed seams that don’t dig or chafe, while the three speed buckles provide maximum safety and flexibility in a light, affordable package. bdel.com…

1. An awkward name may be the J S3’s only weakness. It has a perfect blend of agility and support: An airy top half made from a durable, ultralight mesh nylon keeps weight down—and debris out—while an innovative wraparound tongue provides an exceptionally secure fit. 2. Flexibility is key…

For decades, world-class athletes have conditioned their feet—and upped the speed at which they shift from one foot to the next—by leaving their shoes at home. Nike gets barefoot-running religion with the Free, which distills the training shoe to its very essence. For an ultra-minimalist platform, this year’s Gear of…

The Miox is the first significant advance in backcountry water purification in years. Dip the unit into a pond to fill its thimble-size reservoir. A built-in table-salt compartment creates a brine solution, which the device—it’s slightly larger than a fat highlighting pen—then zaps with a small electrical charge. Dump the…

1. The Gore-Tex XCR–lined Sandstone has a strip of airy mesh along the tongue (where it can best release the foot’s heat) and leather/tightly woven mesh along the sides, where durability is key. The upshot: No sweaty feet or blisters—even after four back-to-back 12-mile days—and no blowouts. 2.

Why It’s CoolHere’s a sound argument for topping off your gear closet with an affordable, ultralight bag for warm-weather overnights. The Phantom takes up less room in a backpack than some fleece jackets and weighs less than a bag of gorp. » The zip is three-quarter-length (to trim weight) and…

1. It’s long enough to float in powder and generate white-knuckle speed on groomers, but still light enough for easy spins and big airs through the park and off backcountry booters. “This behemoth makes turning thoughtless, spinning simple, and powder a pleasure,” said one tester. 2. Palmer debuts its…

Why It’s CoolThough this stove is sweet enough at rest—when folded up, it’s so small it fits into the hollow beneath its own fuel canister—the Crux unfurled is engineering elegance: The burner head rotates on a ball-and-socket joint and locks into place with a reassuring snap. Small pot-support arms swivel…

1. Introducing the rare smartphone that earns the title. Most do-it-all devices compromise one system for another, but the N95 shines as both multimedia and communication device, with Wi-Fi, GPS, and FM to boot. And the intuitive setup makes operation a snap: Slide the panel up for the keypad…

You don’t need to attempt an unclimbed summit in Tibet to appreciate this tent, but that’s what our tester did. After weathering 50-mph winds while hunkered down at 16,600 feet, he says, “The Spire is one of the best tight-quarters, two-man mountain tents available.” The secret? A top-strut pole…

1. At 50 square feet, this three-person model is as big as many four-person tents but weighs the same as some built for two. Even more impressive, it achieves this balance without sacrificing livability. Thanks to an efficient architecture, ultralight poles, and thinner fabrics, the Losi still boasts two…

SLEEK SLEEPERMountain Hardwear welded bag-length sheets of its new Thermic CF insulation inside a nylon sandwich to make a uniformly warm 15-degree sack that’s compressible and affordable. On a late-season attempt on the North Cascades’ Liberty Bell Mountain, I clunked into camp with frozen toes, easily shoved my size-12 feet…

You might not recognize all the new jacket ingredients these days, but the main courses remain the same. There are still waterproof-breathable hard shells for full-on deluges, breathable and stretchy soft shells for just about every other kind of weather, and the growing category of lightly insulated jackets for…

BARGAIN BASE CAMPER We packed a family of five into this spacious dome, and no one had to jostle for room. Its 65 square feet of floor space and five-foot eight-inch ceiling height feel castlelike if you’re used to Lilliputian backpacking tents. Two huge doors and 12 organizing pockets make…