ALPINE TOURING Good for Alpine Touring A smaller version of the nx22 Black, the nx22 White better accommodates women's boot sizing and features Naxo's three-point hinge for ergonomic skinning. In downhill mode, torsional rigidity offers intimate power transfer from boot to ski. 4.6 lbs; backcountryaccess.com  …

Two aluminum posts at each lace hook allow for super-tight lacing that kept our testers’ feet securely anchored in all conditions. Note: This boot fit our high-arched testers best. vanssnow.com…

ALL MOUNTAIN Good for All Mountain Developing an easy-flexing ski that still offers hard-snow performance has long been the holy grail of ski design. With the World Cup–inspired D2 (or Doubledeck), essentially a ski on top of a ski connected by free-gliding joints, Atomic has all but broken the…

Good for Resort Feel free to go big: An extra dose of cushioning in the Grail’s midsole makes for plush landings. Our big-footed testers also liked its low profile; their Shaq-like toes and heels didn’t hang as far over their boards, giving them more control.

Good for Big Mountain The all-new Gotama features both tip and tail rocker like a powder-specific, but Völkl claims it still carves a high-speed turn like a … Völkl. We were dubious. And although the Gotama doesn’t transition smoothly through the entire turn like the other skis…

On a slope full of shiny happy helmets, Pro-tec has a response: canvas. But don’t let the army-issue look and the sweet price fool you: The Ace has two adjustable front vents and two mesh-covered rear vents. pro-tec.net…

Built for the NTN (New Telemark Norm) binding system, the three-buckle, one-piece, overlap-shell Prophet is softer and smoother than the first-gen NTN offerings, which were all about big power and big skis. “This is the only NTN boot to truly match the feel of a normal tele binding and boot,”…

All Mountain From a man who skied it all, a ski that does it all. The late C.R. Johnson spent years developing this ski, and testers found it a fitting legacy. It’s got full rocker at the tip for float, reverse sidecut for smearing, scrubbing, and changing direction, and just…

The best compliment this snowboard received from our testers: “This is a powder champ that doesn’t need to sit in the closet until the big snows come.” The keys to its versatility are Kevlar plates, which transfer energy to the edges for powerful turns on groomers, and bands of…

Why It’s CoolIt’s so simple—a single strap secures the floating lid, and that’s all you see looking at the front of this bag. Not to fear; you get ice-ax loops, daisy chains, and compression straps down the sides, but the absence of front clutter is refreshing. » The suspension is…

Retightening your boots has never been easier. A cord on the outside of the Ryker’s upper cuff lets you control the inner lacing system without having to loosen the rest of the boot. They look dangly, but the external cords never snagged on anything. TAGS: quick-adjusting, all mountain…

Why They’re CoolThere’s a 20-foot-long slab of slick rhyolite near my house, inclined at about 55 degrees. Maybe one out of ten pairs of hikers I try will cling to it at all, but the sticky-soled Ventures just walked right on up. » Surprisingly, the sharp lugs also performed perfectly…

BIG-MOUNTAIN RACER It’s the skinniest ski we tested in the big-mountain category, but with its wood core and two sheets of chatter-absorbing titanium alloy, the Sultan was also among the most powerful. So much so that it would have been overpowering if not for the rockered tip, which effectively shortens…

Ankles prone to rolling? The Breeze’s stable platform makes it incredibly supportive for a light hiker, yet it doesn’t feel clunky. The mostly mesh upper breathes exceptionally well and dries quickly. The Breeze excelled on fast-and-light trips, like a jaunt up and down Vermont’s Stowe Pinnacle. www.tecnicausa.com Bonus:…

Atomic’s WORLDCUP SKATE BOOT is light and stiff.

Can’t bear to leave anything behind, even on a weekend trip? This sleek pack has the biggest capacity of the bunch, with a suspension that can handle 40-plus pounds and a height that didn’t cause instability when I hiked Colorado’s steep Liberty Bell Trail. The pack is on the…

Alpine Touring With its alpine buckle configuration and beefy power strap, the respectably light Shaka is one of the burliest women-specific boots on the market, capable of driving the biggest, fattest skis. Even better, it’s also Dynafit-compatible and, thanks to rockered soles, sure-footed in the backcountry. 7.2 lbs. TAGS:…

LITTLE BIG BOOT A hike on the eight-mile trail to the top of Colorado’s 14,259-foot Longs Peak demands a lot out of a shoe: support, traction, durability, agility, and low weight. That’s a tall order, but the Namche carried the day, performing like a running shoe disguised as an approach…

  Stiffer plastic in the upper cuff and lower shell make the Impact Pro beefy in all the right places. But it also has a soft side: Low-density plastic over the instep makes the boot easy to get on and off. salomonsports.com          …

HARD CHARGER Unless you huck off every cliff in sight, donning body armor is overkill. But a little back protection makes sense for anyone who ventures into exposed, big-mountain terrain. The multitasking, 1,450-cubic-inch Razor is built with a Shield Back System: foam-wrapped polyethylene pads that are part of the internal…

THE PERFECT TRAVEL HIKER We didn’t pick this shoe because it’s good-looking enough to wear to dinner. We picked it because it performs just as well as the other light hikers we chose and you won’t look like a dork walking around downtown later that evening. The mid-sole of the…

Thanks to beefy waterproof-breathable uppers and grippy lugs, the Alby Low is our top pick for inclement weather. Ultra-cushy soles pad finicky feet on long walks, and on a snowy day hike, one tester reported perfectly warm and dry toes. 13 oz; hellyhansen.com…

Why They’re CoolAt a scant one pound 15 ounces per pair, I could feel the V-Lites maximizing my fuel efficiency with every step. Yet the full-height uppers shielded my ankle bones from rocks, stumps, and gravel. » Hi-Tec built the V-Lites around a midsole of shock-absorbing EVA, which made for…

This was the best multi-day haul pack we tested. In terms of both price and usability, the 3,480-cubic-inch El Lobo hits the sweet spot. “Feels lighter than it is” and “really moves with you” were common tester refrains. Credit the Lobo’s X-shaped chassis and dual-pivot hipbelt, which, as advertised,…

Best for Scramble-Hikes Most approach shoes are either too slipperlike for hiking or too rigid for scrambling. But SCARPA’s Epic hits the sweet spot with its combination of a thick, shock-absorbing EVA foam midsole (for the hike in) and a sticky, smear-ready outsole (for the assault on the top). The…

I am an organization freak, so I find Zen when all of my gear has its own place, like in the multiple pockets of this compact 1,200-cubic-inch hydration pack, which holds three Nalgenes’ worth of water. ospreypacks.com…

Sure, you can manhandle your 17-foot sea kayak onto the roof and ding your car in the process—or you can load it effortlessly and dent-free with the SlipStream. It incorporates a roof-long base-and-roller system that attaches to most racks. The movable cradles eliminate boat-car contact, make solo loading easy,…

Size, Price: 68 oz, $23; 101 oz, $25Flow Rate: 3*Funk Fighter?: Antimicrobial coatingFilter-Compatible?: YesValve Shutoff?: Yes, via capGotta Love: Spring-loaded valve barely needs biting; hygienic capBummer: Valve cap bangs around when not in placeSplat Test: Splatted *Ratings: 1=Average, 3=Excellent…

Pick up the pace with this fast-forward shoe. Fans of its predecessor will recognize the familiar heel-cushion design, with its embedded thermoplastic, impact-dispersing “waves.” But now there are three waves rather than two, and they’re angled farther forward. The effect: It improves heel-to-toe transition, propelling you into the next…

SPEED ABOVE ALL Let’s put it this way: If all the other shoes reviewed here are full-suspension bikes, the Wave Creation 8 is a hardtail. The stiffness, which makes this shoe startlingly lively, is the result of two suspended plastic plates embedded underfoot. Some break-in time might be required: “At…

MOST VERSATILE From a fast 5K to a long, slow jog to a moderate trail run, these shoes do it all. The 2120 has a lighter midsole material than its predecessors, and a solid support system helps both heel and midfoot strikers retain a natural stride while gently correcting overpronation.

LONG-DISTANCE TRAVELER Like a full-suspension mountain bike, the Arnuva can barrel over rocky, undulating trails with utmost comfort. The upper is armored against trail debris, and the ultrarunners on our crew deemed it an excellent choice for even the harshest high-alpine trails in Colorado’s Indian Peaks. A Gore-Tex liner keeps…

ROUGH AND STABLE Meet the grizzly bear of trail runners. The XT Wings are tough, unstoppable in rugged terrain, and, best of all, faster than their heft suggests. A broad heel base and medial pronation support provide stability on both flats and descents, while the pull-cord lacing delivers a snug…

Aerated foam backing, mesh shoulder straps, and a two-liter reservoir make this a good summer runner, but check the fit: Some testers found the straps set too far apart for their shoulders. 13 oz; www.thenorthface.com…

STORM CHASER Messy technical trails and foul weather are no longer deterrents for this major update. The new seam-sealed Gore-Tex upper kept testers’ feet warm and dry in cold slop (but it’s muggier in warm temps than its soft-shell counterparts), while the grippy outsole, underfoot protection, and torsional stiffness added…

Technical Terrain The Ascend 4 wins the award for best out-of-the-box fit. The low-to-the-ground silhouette, combined with multidirectional traction, make this shoe impressively agile, while its ample cushioning and structured, supportive heel kept our testers feeling fresh on ten-plus-mile runs. It’s not sturdy enough for nasty scree-filled…

Good for the Road No one likes to stand corrected; fewer still like to feel corrected while they run. Among stability shoes, the updated Sequence plays the part of the gentle guide, offering noticeable pronation correction followed by such a smooth transition to toe-off that the support…

Speed Demon For shorter trail races, no shoe made us feel faster than the Avi-Stoltz. It’s a highly reactive shoe whose comfortable, simple upper felt “like a house slipper,” according to one tester. (Others found the high ankle cuff annoying.) Despite its light weight, the Avi-Stoltz delivers enough support and…

Road The DS Trainer was minimalist before minimalist was trendy, and its 15th iteration is still extremely lightweight and has high-speed specs, gentle stability control, an airy upper, and just enough cushion for moderate-length runs. Our team raved about the fit, aided by pressure-free asymmetrical laces: “It feels like it…

Produced by a Basque collective in the heart of Spain’s Pyrenees and raced by Iban Mayo’s Euskaltel-Euskadi team, Orbea bikes are like cask-aged single-malt: They’re all about small-batch quality. With the Mitis you get classic European geometry — a stretched-out cockpit and a glute-engaging position — freshened up with…

LIGHT AND STIFF “The 595 is less yielding than Dick Cheney on Meet the Press,” quipped one tester. It’s true: The naked-carbon tubes might appear a bit thin, but the integrated seat-tube/seatpost system takes out lateral flex under the saddle. And where stiffness counts—at the bottom bracket, in the head…

This cleat stays cool on the hottest days. It has all the performance features you’d expect—rigid carbon midsole, removable mud cleats—combined with an upper that’s supercooled with swaths of mesh venting. northwave.it…

Surprisingly inexpensive despite its radical design, the fin-like Zuma cuts through the air but not your budget. rudyprojectusa.com…

Heat-moldable sections in the upper give the M230 a custom-fit feel, while the carbon-reinforced nylon soles nail the balance between efficient pedaling stiffness and hike-a-bike walkability. shimano.com…

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…

A Classic Reinvented In an effort to lower the price of admission, Ellsworth offers up the Glimpse, its first-ever non- commuter bike not entirely made in the USA. The aluminum tubes are still produced here, but the shaping, welding, and assembly happen in Taiwan. (You probably wouldn’t have known had…

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…

Utility Multi-Purpose Marvel A water-resistant, breathable, seamless soft-shell upper, rubberized toe box, and an aggressive ride/hike sole made this a favorite multi-condition shoe, and testers loved that its runner-like profile meant it was inconspicuous and comfortable for walking around (quietly) off the bike. 15.4 oz; pearlizumi.com…

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…

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,…

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…

Thanks to hydrophilic rubber pads and swappable lenses, the Dea can handle the sweat and variable light conditions of an aggressive mountain-bike session. But the fashionisto style is all about riding a cruiser to Sunday-afternoon beers. tifosioptics.com…

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…

Road-trip much? While the rest of me sat seething in gridlock under a sizzling sun, my eyes were relaxing behind these polarized photochromic glass lenses, which mitigated glare off chrome, windshields, and all other things shiny while showing the path ahead in exquisite depth and detail. Which made it…

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…

Thanks to dark gray-tint polarized poly lenses that won’t splinter in a crash, the Poseidon rules the waves, from whitewater paddling to surf kayaking. A special lens coating sheds spray, while an inner film layer absorbs glare from the rear, common in highly reflective water settings. Wide-wrapping lenses provide…

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…

MOVING COMFORT’s silky CoolMax-and-Lycra MICRO THONG is designed for all sorts of active endeavors—but she’ll look so good, you might not make it outside. (800-763-6000, www.movingcomfort.com)…

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…

Jessica Simpson glam meets sporty sensibility. Polarized lenses are dark enough for sailing at high noon, and a flexible nylon frame clings gently—but firmly—to your temples. www.kaenon.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…

Need a place to stash your train tickets? Pick one of the six pockets on these poly-cotton shorts. www.timberland.com…

Why They’re CoolPoly lenses hang from nylon frames and temples clad in sticky rubber. » Lenses snap in and out, and you can order other tints, though I can’t imagine improving on the polarized gold-iridium, an omnisport winner that pumps up contrast and depth. » The close fit at the…

GANGSTA WRAPThe O-folk make a flashy and vaguely criminal statement with these gold-mirrored frameless numbers. But the Dartboard happens to be a solid multisport performer. Give this one props for security, protection, and outstanding optics. The warm-brown tint dials up detail and depth, and a polarized poly lens kills glare…

A rubber toe guard armors the forefoot, while little slits in the outsole’s rubber grip tenaciously on rock. Chilling out? Remove the heel strap and wear it like a flip-flop. keenfootwear.com…

GOT BLING? Smith pimps up the sports wrap with a big-frame, big-lens magumba that slips in just enough of the necessities—coverage, security, shatter-resistant poly lenses, depth-enhancing optics—to qualify as legit. OK, semi-legit: bocce, yes; mountain biking, no. Fashionably thick temples aid with peripheral protection, while copper polarized lenses dial up…

The Serpent is stylish enough for casual wear, but thanks to its wraparound shape and nonslip rubber temples, it hugged tight even on the bumpiest of singletrack. bolle.com…

Part geek, part chic: Helly Hansen updates the argyle sweater. The Norse’s wool lining is surprisingly soft, and it’s warm enough to wear without a shell on mild days. hellyhansen.com…