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TAKE IT OFF-TRAIL Like a souped-up Jeep, the Triconi begs to be taken off-trail and over jumbly passes. The reason: The hipbelt and shoulder straps are built into the pack frame with auto-adjusting pivot points. It’s a smart system. The pivots adapt to individual hip curvature and shoulder/torso size, allowing…
Good for SnowshoeingEven on the coldest days of field testing in Vermont, the waterproof-breathable Summit County kept our toes toasty. Plus the insulation is infused with carbonized bamboo to reduce odor. keenfootwear.com…
Hiking, biking, trail running—we did it all with the Diablo. There’s just enough space in this 352-cubic-inch pack to stash an emergency shell, a bike pump, and a snack, especially if you take advantage of its waist-belt pockets, two external stash pockets, and bungee strap. But what really makes…
Tired of storing a rooftop box that hogs garage space like a boat? This soft-sided carrier manages a vanishing act when not in use, thanks to a hybrid design that employs individual molded supports. The water-resistant Ranger attaches securely to your rack and delivers 12 cubic feet of space,…
Long Haulers Of all the full-on backpacking boots we tested this year, none was as comfy as Timberland’s Washington Summit. While it’s tall and rigid enough to handle loads north of 45 pounds, even our most blister-prone tester, who normally avoids big boots like giardia, was wooed by its athletic-shoe…
One-Night Stand The Axios has just the right number of features, like organizer pockets and a stretchy catchall pouch on the front, but (thankfully) no rat’s nest of straps. The mesh back panel also did its job cutting down on sweat, as we experienced on a 16-miler in the Grand…
Backcountry Staple At three pounds, the Cruise is light enough for quick tours and sidecountry laps, but at 30 liters there’s also just enough space to load up for a full day in the backcountry. An external shove-it pocket is the perfect size for climbing skins or a lightweight down…
Why They’re CoolThese resilient and abrasion-resistant runners feel like breezy track shoes. Thank the wire-mesh box under the arch and instep. Adidas calls it the ClimaCool, a.k.a. the CC, but you can call it an underfoot airshaft that vents and drains. » A flexible plate of TPU saved my feet…
CROSSOVER ARTISTTo save weight and increase comfort, Pearl installed a urethane crash pad in the heel-strike zone at the rear of the Float’s midsole, while bolstering the instep with lighter expanded-vinyl-acetate foam. The result is a great compromise between cush and stability, offering even overpronators an excellent all-around ride. Go…
CUSTOM FIT We were on high gimmick alert when testing the Paris Trainers, which use a pneumatic pump to create a custom rear-foot fit. Not all testers felt the benefit (those who did liked the snugness), but we downgraded the alert to low when, even without the pump, the shoe…
LIGHT AND FAST These shoes are as close as you’ll come to sprouting a layer of tread on your feet. The minimalist 790’s are extremely light and low to the ground, providing a nimble feel that’s almost like a racing flat. 6.6 oz; newbalance.com Bonus: These kicks look…
This versatile shoe goes from road to trail—and October to April—with ease. Midsole cushion is pillow-like on rocky trails and flexy enough for roads, and the upper breathes well and resists minor weather (but isn’t waterproof). It’s best for narrow-footed mild pronators. 10 oz; brooksrunning.com…
MID-MILEAGE WORKHORSE If the true test of a stability shoe is how comfortable it is during your last month of marathon training, then the heavily cushioned Kendari is the champ. “It felt great out of the box,” remarked one tester, “and just as good 100 miles later.” The comfort stems…
This futuristic, iPod-compatible shoe—put the wireless chip in the sole and go—is chock-full of women-specific features. Most noticeÂable are flex grooves that are aligned relative to a woman’s lower center of gravity, resulting in a more efficient gait. 10 oz; nikerunning.com…
Cushioning The light, flexible Fast puts a twist on minimalist speed shoes. Designers placed a block of stiff foam in the front of the heel, with softer foam fore and aft, that encourages runners to land lightly on their midfoot, as opposed to riding their heel. It…
The women-only PDQ is a minimalist shoe that’s great for agile runners with good biomechanics. We love the use of partially recycled materials and reduced use of glues and parts overall, though we did notice some early wear and tear. 5 oz; endfootwear.com…
Boing, boing, boing . . . I couldn’t quite hear the springs in this shoe as I bounced down Boulder Creek Path, but I could feel their bounce. Spira sneaks metal springs into the EVA midsoles, and it’s no gimmick. The lively two-inch-diameter coil in the heel puts a noticeable…
Looking to set a new personal best? The Redemption can help with a less-is-more approach reminiscent of a racing flat. Plus midsole thickness descends dramatically from heel to toe—putting you in a forward-leaning position and encouraging quick leg turnover. The effect? I ran the Rock ‘n Roll Arizona Half Marathon…
Trail If you want the rock-solid side-to-side stability of a mountain runner, Gore-Tex for mud stomping, and extra armor for nasty trails, you’re going to pay a slight weight penalty. But we still loved the snug heel and arch (for good agility) and wide forefoot (to accommodate swelling on descents).
Not everyone wants to race, so why are so many bikes constructed with aggressive angles and knee-wrecking gears? Schwinn felt your pain and responded with the Fastback Comp, a roadie with concessions to comfort that hardly sacrifice performance. The proprietary aluminum is rigid enough for effective power transfer, while…
BEST FOR LONG HAULS Comfortable without being sluggish. Fast without being unstable. The Peloton Pro, Schwinn’s first full-carbon race frame, is just right. Testers found the frame, which incorporates two different weaves of the company’s house-brand Black Label carbon, the most forgiving (or vertically compliant) of the bikes we tested,…
Thanks to a supple kangaroo-leather upper and this season’s best application of the wrap-around Boa lacing system, this cleat is comfy as a slipper but still stable and responsive. lakecycling.com…
FAST, NIMBLE TRAIL MACHINE Tomac Bicycles built a cult following in the late 1990s for producing some of the best early dual-suspension bikes, but it quietly folded in 2005. The company has reemerged this year with a line of bicycles that includes the beautifully executed Snyper 140. Using a single-pivot…
Birding on the Cheap Perfect for the neophyte birder who wants quality glass without blowing his inheritance. The DCF NV’s semi-compact design was fast on the draw, and the rubberized exterior helped protect them from inclement weather—and more than one clumsy drop. Their 16mm eye relief allowed for comfortable, strain-free…
Though the mechanical buckle on Mavic’s top racing shoe resists big fingers and super-tight ratcheting—we loved the secure fit of the carbon heel cup and the nearly seamless comfort of the bonded upper. mavic.com…
Training in unfamiliar terrain? This watch wirelessly connects to a heart-rate strap and a belt-or arm-mounted GPS unit for altitude and navigation coordinates. www.timex.com…
The CoilAir had the longest travel—7.4 inches—of any bike we tested this year, except when it didn't. Chain tension keeps the suspension at a pedal-friendly six inches for smooth flats and long climbs. On descents, technical sections, or big drops, a radical suspension design called Magic Link uses a secondary…
Weighing little more than half an ounce, the Two Can is either the lightest little knife we’ve seen this year or the smallest pair of scissors. www.kershawknives.com…
Lively All-Rounder This Massachusetts-based crafter of high-end carbon-fiber frames is renowned for its custom-fit geometry and expertise at mixing comfort, stiffness, and light weight in a single frame. Parlee’s now making more stock-size frames like the Z5—and so far our testers are big fans. “Intensely responsive,” said one. “But in…
ESSENTIALISTSuunto stepped back and asked, “What do athletes really need?” then answered with the t6, which charts heart rate, time, and elevation gain and shares it all with a PC. The bundled Training Manager software is easy to use. An optional wireless speed sensor ($109) attaches to your shoelaces and,…
Because the races are so short, warm up beforehand on a LEMOND FITNESS REVOLUTION BIKE TRAINER. It works with the rear wheel removed, so there’s no risk of shredding your off-road tread on a steel roller.
FLYWEIGHTCountless ambles down to the local java joint validated the TrailAudio’s always-at-hand design. I stocked this two-ouncer with 11 Led Zeppelin albums and clipped it to my belt loop. With a water-resistant casing, this 256MB memory-card-based player is ready for the rain and the rough. Plug it into a USB…
A LIGHTWEIGHT, WALLET-FRIENDLY DSLR A full-featured DSLR can be an awkward load when you’re traveling, especially in cities. Not the D40. I had no problem toting it through the streets of London and Barcelona. At just over a pound, the D40 is one of the lightest interchangeable-lens DSLRs around. But…
This Henry Kloss–inspired beauty, which takes auxiliary input from any player, features a high-precision AM/FM tuning dial, water resistance, rechargeable batteries, and a surprisingly beefy 2.5-inch speaker. tivoliaudio.com…
Find your way in the dark, or signal extraterrestrials, with this limited-edition titanium, true-variable-output, 70-lumen LED torch; it’s the size of your finger, weighs 1.9 ounces, and burns for 50 hours. surefire.com…
Because they stay sticky in a variety of snow conditions and temperatures, G3 skins have long been a tester favorite. This year, thanks to an extra coat of waterproofing and a redesigned tip attachment (which now fits any ski shape), they’re even better. genuineguidegear.com…
Made for music phones—note the mike on the wire— these little hi-fi numbers snug comfortably and stay put. v-moda.com…
Tweeze the unibrow, pick your teeth, drive screws, and, in case you’re trapped in a vehicle as it sinks to the bottom of a river, punch out the windows and slash your seatbelt. swissarmy.com…
The most full-featured of the key-chain strongboxes, SAMSUNG’S YEPP YP-55V ($199) holds 256 megabytes of music in bump-proof flash memory. It plays FM when your mixes get moldy, and records digital files from radio, voice, or aftermarket mike. To fill it up, plug the 1.2-ounce unit into your PC’s USB…
With a new third antenna that delivers more accurate distance-to-victim measurements, a pull-tab-activated search mode, and a directional display, this is the simplest and most intuitive beacon on the market. 8.8 oz; backcountryaccess.com…
Making the switch from point-and-shoot to DSLR? The 10.2-meg K2000 comes with a 27.5–85mm (35mm-equivalent) zoom lens and a flash for the price of some digicams. Plus, at 20.8 ounces with batteries, it’s one of the lightest and smallest DSLRs on the market. Beginner-friendly features include built-in image stabilization…
Looking for something more sophisticated than your basic cell phone but not crazy about stuffing a mini-computer into your pocket? This slim unit is a perfect middle ground. Because the touchscreen provides feedback—clicking and vibrating with each touch—we found texting, especially when multitasking, easier than with most phones. The…
Channel Ponch and Jon with these heirloom-quality shades. Military contractor Randolph offers a number of aviator styles, but the (questionably named) Intruder gets our vote for its modern take on a classic look, rugged build, and quality glass optics. randolphusa.com…
We love the actual physical control dial and gas-gauge-style memory and battery indicators up top of this 12.2-meg digicam, but its wide 24mm lens, ultrabright, three-inch active-matrix OLED display, and HD video are the real sells. samsung.com…
Even if you don’t know your starboard from your jib, it’s nice to have shades that are up to making the run to Tahiti. Though designed to dominate the fishing, sailing, and watersports categories, Costa’s superfine 580 glass is a thrill to wear anywhere. Silver mirroring ups the cool…
Why It’s CoolCanon clearly gets feedback from pros; their cameras are better balanced and easier to hold while scrambling up trails. » The metering system measures focal distance and light from 35 locations within the frame. I captured perfectly balanced images, whether I was using close focus to secure shots…
Time Trialer If this black-on-black piece from Spanish company Festina were a movie character, it would be one of the Nihilists from The Big Lebowski. In a very good way. With a scratch-resistant mineral crystal, 100-meter water resistance, and ultrasmooth movement in its three-dial chronograph, it’s all you’d expect from…
“I’d climb Everest in this jacket,” said one tester. We doubt his fitness but not the jacket’s. A top-tier combo of Gore-Tex fabrics—ounce-saving PacLite in the torso and burly three-layer XCR on the shoulders—provides maximum durability, waterproofing, and breathability with minimum weight. Superb details include two-way pit zips, a…
Like Suunto’s Extreme Edition Silver ($329), this watch has an altimeter, barometer, compass, storm alarm, sunrise/sunset times, etc. It’s also engraved with the signature of Apa Sherpa, who this year made his record 20th summit of the big peak. (It’s an edition of 8,848—the mountain’s elevation in meters.) Plus…
Unlike most cycling gear, which is either solid black or blue (thrilling!) or garish enough to offend your dog, Twin Six’s line of high-performance, retro-hip jerseys won’t make your partner cringe. www.twinsix.com…
Why They’re CoolThe 10×25 configuration is tricky—it’s a lot of magnification in a small package—but Brunton gives the XC10 the most solid, ergonomic, tactilely pleasing body in the field. The rubber-clad housing grips just right, with flat spots on the underside for the thumbs. The barrels stay just where you…
Waffling between a shoe and a sandal? The H2’s blend of protection, support, and air conditioning make it the perfect compromise. Just don’t expect to slip into it like a flip-flop. www.keenfootwear.com…
We’ve heard of one-size-fits-all hats, but bikes? And yet everyone who rode the Lisa RD raved about the comfortable fit. Benefitting from Kona’s comprehensive push in the road-bike realm this year, the Lisa is built with the same responsive Dedacciai Force 7005 aluminum used on higher-level frames, paired with…
COOL CHAMELEONOne of those rare pieces that delivers performance on the trail but still looks sharp on the street, this ingeniously paneled, 19-ounce hoodless number employs two breeds of Gore WindStopper—tough Trango on the yoke and arms, lighter Eiger on the rest—and its versatility is astounding: You’ll stay warm and…
Ounce for ounce, the lightweight and stretchy Contours are the toughest pants here. A DWR coating easily fends off rain, and hard-duty Cordura/Lycra fabric is still breathable enough for hot days. orgear.com…
DRY IN ANY STORM If you go out when others go home, this is your jacket. It’s a tad heavy, but the payoff is uncompromising protection. When a group of five testers ski-toured out of Washington’s Commonwealth Basin in steady rain, the only guy who stayed bone-dry was the one…
With a razor-siped, sticky gum-rubber outsole for traction on slick decks, and rustproof hardware to combat corrosive saltwater, this shoe is right at home on a boat in, say, Belize. columbia.com…
Get socks that’ll outlast your shoes. These seem like they were forged rather than knitted. After a two-month pounding, the merino/nylon/Lycra socks look good as new. darntough.com…
When your snot starts to freeze on your face, grab this goose-down monster. Smart vents in the chest minimize overheating on hard-charging descents. oakley.com…
The water-resistant Aidens can handle snowy driveways and sloppy sidewalks. But because they’re not insulated (but have comfy sheepskin liners), these shoes are a good choice for California winters and other moderate climates. uggaustralia.com…
These pants were impervious to Cascade storms, but still light enough for spring touring. The key: strong and breathable Gore-Tex Pro Shell, and removable suspenders that make for a smooth transition from foul to fair. scottusa.com…
The low-key style, almost hidden pockets, and minimal amount of PrimaLoft One synthetic insulation make it perfect for mild days. 1.2 lbs; merrell.com…
In a single day skiing at Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin, we received four compliments on this striped, belted jacket. Style points aside, it’s also waterproof with fully taped seams, though it doesn’t breathe as well as its competitors. hellyhansen.com…
LIKES TO GO FAST We started testing this aptly named piece last spring, skiing Colorado’s Indian Peaks, and never put it away. It’s made with a tough but stretchy version of Gore Windstopper, a soft, light fabric that breathes incredibly well and still repels the elements. Though it’s not completely…
The Chanel-inspired Elizas are all style, but the view from the bronze-fade lens isn’t quite as crisp as the others here. spyoptic.com…
AFFORDABLE AND VERSATILE Let’s put it this way: If the other jackets here are Audis, the Waypoint is a Toyota. Made from Columbia’s proprietary Omni-Tech waterproof-breathable fabric, it sheds precipitation as ably as pricier jackets and kept testers completely dry fly-fishing in an all-day drizzle off Long Island. The catch…
Good for BackcountryThe relaxed-fit Unltd is like a soft shell that Super Fly would’ve worn. But with Gore’s latest laminate lining, taped seams, and strategically placed Thermolite insulation, you won’t have to suffer for style. scottusa.com…
GO-TO GREEN Good for Resort The only uninsulated jacket here, the Ekolab is a lightweight hard shell with resort touches like a removable powder skirt and helmet-compatible hood. Not only did it win over our testers in heavy, wet snow; it also impressed us with its…
BEST OVERALL This jacket is all about skier-friendly features. Our favorites: an easily removable hood, a powder skirt, zipper tabs big enough for mittened hands, and fleecy cuffs that keep drafts out. The insulated Sofia is warm without looking bulky, but on the coldest days you’ll have to layer up…
The Cimarron might look a little aggro, but it’s virtually indestructible, thanks to its beefy molded-EVA exoskeleton and Keen’s patented toe-stubbing protection. Bonus: A full-length mesh-upper lining keeps feet secure and small pebbles out. keenfootwear.com…
Soft ShellsThe soft Cocona-and-polyester lining makes the Kenosha the warmest wind shell here. It proved its mettle on everything from a whale-watching trip in Maine to a 30-mile mountain-bike epic on the Colorado Trail. We even used it as a midlayer on a spring skiing tour in Rocky Mountain…
Good for Backcountry The Amalgam isn’t quite as breathable as the Lobuche or as tricked out as the Free Thinker II, but it’s better priced and more packable. One thing it doesn’t compromise on, however, is weather protection. When a wet spring snowstorm near Winter Park, Colorado,…
Good for Backcountry Here’s a perfect spring pant. The ultralight Primo features Patagonia’s proprietary H2No waterproof-breathable stretch fabric, half-length side zips for venting, and three pockets. Minimalism at its best means protection without overheating. patagonia.com…
A super-supple yet plenty supportive leather upper atop a dual-density (softer underfoot) all-terrain outsole makes this a perfect trail-to-town hiker/walker. Heck, you might even stash a backup pair in your closet. merrell.com…
Backcountry Staple If you don’t already have a jacket like the Atom LT Hoody in your quiver, it’s time to add one. What’s so great about it? Because it’s lightly insulated with a highly compressible synthetic fill, it’s impressively warm for such a light and packable jacket. Plus its stretchy…
Mad Multisporter The Jawbone is available in multiple lens options that include vented, polarized, and photochromic. We loved the polarized persimmon seen here, but our favorite was the vented copper-mirrored Fire Iridium, which offered crisp, hi-res views and made this big wrap look like it might bite, with its toothy…
Not only does the design show off your back and shoulders, but you’ll never be annoyed by a falling tank-top strap. A shelf bra supports up to a B cup. lululemon.com…
This slim-fitting merino-wool jersey won’t stink as quickly as most, and thinner merino panels under the arms and along the sides helped it dry better than other jerseys we’ve tried. smartwool.com…