FOR FULL-THROTTLE, TECHNICAL RIDERS The Juliana powers through rocks, roots, and other trail detritus at full speed. One tester cleaned the gnarliest line that Stowe, Vermont, has to offer—while a pod of guys gaped as they walked the perimeter. Both the four-inch-travel RockShox Reba Team front shock and the rear…

The most refreshing trend in skiwear: technical ski jackets that are stylish enough to wear around town. The water-resistant J-Turn looks as good with jeans as it does with ski pants. quiksilver.com…

In a word, refreshing. Not only does this polyester base layer have an antimicrobial treatment, mesh underarm venting, and a low-key graphic; it’s also slim-fitting and a bargain. dakine.com…

The next best thing to wearing a hat hand-knit by a loved one? One designed by Swedish freeskiers Kaj Zackrisson and Sverre Liliequist, who founded Kask in 2004. kaskofsweden.com…

A new technology from Gore (called 2 in 1) allows you to adjust insulation. Sounds gimmicky, but it works: Flip the insulation to the back of your hand, and dexterity improves dramatically. kombisports.com…

Walk the walk: Thanks to a bamboo lining, organic cotton, and natural rubber, this jute-laced felt boot is eco-approved. Plus tiny bumps on the insole deliver a well-deserved foot massage. simpleshoes.com…

Large, stretchy back panels dump heat, while a more tightly woven polyester front blocks the wind without feeling like plastic wrap. 8 oz; columbia.com Bummer: A bulky internal stuffsack in the left pocket adds unnecessary weight.

With no fewer than eight pockets (three of them zip-pered), adjustable cuffs, and zip-off legs, these quick-drying nylon pants are ideal for any kind of adventure travel. aigleusa.com…

This is the first amphibian from running powerhouse NB. Portholes allow water and sand to drain, and a Vibram sole doggedly grips rocky terrain. newbalance.com…

Gore-Tex, supertough yak leather, and rubber have never looked, nor felt, so good together, and the springy footbeds and grippy soles let you tromp trails and tour town with equal ease. eccousa.com…

If I were still a boy, this would be my wubby. This midweight merino-wool top is good-looking enough to wear to work but plenty technical (thumb loops, articulated arms, and a front zip) for backcountry skiing and backpacking. icebreaker.com…

THE WHOLE PACKAGE Good for Resort System jackets might seem passé to some, but the reasonably priced three- in-one Rodeo Magic, which can be worn as a shell, a midlayer, or both, is a pretty sweet (and, of course, versatile) garment. While not as waterproof…

We found it nearly impossible not to get a wedgie when walking in Assos’s top-of-the-line long-distance/training bibs. But on the bike, the anatomical chamois was as comfortable as any we’ve ridden, and the mesh straps seemed to disappear. assos.com…

They’re waterproof. The outsoles are specifically designed for increased traction on wet surfaces. And they fit and feel like running shoes. In other words, they’re like your old clunky duck boots, only much, much better. llbean.com…

Backcountry/Free-ride FlyLow broke into girls’ gear with a waterproof-breathable and lightly lined soft shell that’s warm enough for skiing but, thanks to ample pit zips, great for touring as well. flylowgear.com…

Good for Trail Our crystal ball sees a bestseller. The baffles are fully packed with midlevel, 650-fill down, which helps keep the price low but didn’t noticeably affect the compressibility or the warmth. Interior pockets are big enough to hold a bottle, gloves, or skins. 1.2…

Inexpensive sunglasses don’t get much better than this. The Eightball has more than just badass looks, a snug and secure fit, and great coverage going for it. It also sports polarized lenses and grippy rubber nosepads, making it a stylish shade that’s up for any adventure.

By welding, and not stitching, this waterproof-breathable soft-shell glove to a leather palm, Spyder made the most comfortable glove in this year’s test. spyder.com…

Mountain Most of the mountain-bike shorts we tested had a lot going on: multiple pockets, vents, and doodads. Not the streamlined Rambushes: They're easy to adjust, have just one pocket, and, most important, they're made of a comfy wool chamois that's naturally odor-resistant. smartwool.com      …

Multisport Mixer An active type in casual-shoe clothing (and with sustainability cred), the comfy Sight Hemp features the tough eponymous fiber, a scrappy lugged sole, and an antimicrobial lining. If it weren’t such a great all-terrain traveler, it’d be in our mix of light hikers. merrell.com…

You can pretty much bet on a short, fierce thunderstorm on your hike. This shell has welded seams and a cinchable but ample-size hood to make sure not a drop of rain gets through. And when the weather clears? It scrunches to the size of a grapefruit in your…

Relieve pressure on your hands by donning the mesh-backed Veer. Its leather palm gives excellent grip on shifters and full hand protection. pearlizumi.com…

This easy-wearing aviator update features ergonomic, eye-shaped polarized lenses for smart coverage, a snug and streamlined fit, and an impressively feathery weight. Spring-loaded hinges add comfort and durability. TAGS: lightweight, polarized, comfort…

Buy More Passes With its subtle herringbone-like weave, square buttons, and asymmetrical front pockets, the Mohave is stylish in a low-key way. So when we saw the reasonable price tag, we figured Scott blew the budget on flair. Wrong. This insulated hard shell is brimming with smart touches, like wrist…

HOTHOUSE How good is Arc’teryx at making jackets? So good that it’s managed to build a streamlined, stylish soft shell that thrives in the backcountry but looks at home in the city. On bitter Minnesota evenings, when everybody else started reaching for their puffies, our tester stayed toasty in the…

Think of your winter workout gear, like SALOMON‘s lightweight, breathable MOMENTUM II SOFTSHELL JACKET, as a vacation investment—your ticket to transcending the slop and sleet to a warmer, sunnier plane (in your head, anyway).

CW-X‘s REVOLUTION TIGHTS will serve you well. Through a miraculous feat of fabric engineering, they combine light, stretchy CoolMax sections with firm muscle-supporting panels without a tangle of seams.

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…

When you start gearing up to cling to walls of ice in the dead of winter, it’s no time to skimp, and PETZL‘s versatile and redesigned QUARK ICE TOOLS are a good place to start.

A harness is more than just something to hang by. You’ll want it to be durable with plenty of gear loops for carabiners, like the featherweight (only 11.2-ounce) R-280. Sure, it might look paper-thin, but its strength-dispersing technology uniformly distributes your body weight for maximum comfort.

1. This is simply the most adapt-able winter-specific storm shell we tested. The key is Schoeller’s new waterproof-breathable fabric with c_change technology, a membrane with a polymer structure that opens up when you get hot and contracts when you cool down. Translation: Testers didn’t overheat when their buddies did…

Why It RulesThe Airjet’s two-minutes-flat pitching saved me when I was hustling to beat some sleet: Thread two cross poles and a brow pole through the sleeves, then stake out six points. Done. » The Airjet stood taut as a kettledrum—even under two inches of wet snow. » Thanks to…

Talk about kids in a candy store. Contemplating the 20-surfboard quiver we assembled for Buyer’s Guide testing this year, our wave riders felt as if they’d been given the keys to Wonka’s brand-new surf factory. We had longboards, guns, funboards, thrusters, and fish—yet there was one stick our testers…

Ready to go pro? Then you already know that tricks are for kids—and success hinges on huge air. Enter Dagger’s Crazy 88, our Gear of the Year selection. This boat is a masterly equation of length, width, weight, and volume distribution, all of which pull together when the time comes…

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…

1. The Stratocruiser 25 is a chameleon. It’s stylish enough to wheel inconspicuously through swanky hotels, but still tough enough for epic-trip abuse. After 18,000 air miles and a half-dozen rattling safari drives in South Africa, it posted a perfect unscathed score: no tears, breaks, or blown zips. Credit…

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. The Aura is downright spacious (35 square feet), with two doors and two big vestibules. It’s plenty sturdy, easily withstanding 50-mph winds without guylines. And light: The Aura flirts with the four-pound barrier, the two-person freestanding tent’s equivalent of the four-minute mile. 2. Talk about usable space:…

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. Remarkable for its smart blend of features, capacity, ergonomics, and durability, this 9.9-pound duffel hits the sweet spot for most travelers. Its shell—420- and 630-denier nylon, with 1,680-denier ballistic-nylon reinforcements at crucial wear points— is a suit of armor. Add a tough back panel, bumper, and wheel…

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…

It used to be that sleeping bags’ degree ratings were determined in various ways, so conventional wisdom dictated that you buy a bag with a temperature rating at least 10 to 15 degrees lower than the lowest temperature you’d expect to be camping in. That’s starting to change. For…

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…

We’ve tested plenty of snowshoes with serious bite, and others that are extraordinarily comfy, but what makes the Mountaineer so impressive is how well it performed in both those categories. Thanks in part to two independent toe straps, the binding perfectly cradled every boot we jammed in it, from…

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…

Testers reached for the burly Vector when they knew they’d be in changing conditions—like atop Mount Elbert, a Colorado fourteener. Spiked rails and a bear claw of points underfoot bit into hard-packed snow and ice. “I never had to take my gloves off when adjusting my shoes,” one tester…

Got a small noggin or narrow face? The multilayer, face-conforming foam and small frame will fit you right. scottusa.com Bonus: Extra-wide outriggers on the strap ensure a snug fit with or without a helmet.

From ripping the steeps at Silverton to carving groomers at Loveland, these twin tips were the ultimate hero skis. Their wood core makes them feel indestructibly stiff while bombing descents, yet their lightweight construction means they climb easily too. 128/98/121, 8.4 lbs; rossignol.com   Bonus: Super stable in crud.  …

With an alpine-style toe piece, a DIN of 13, and a heel lock to prevent an inadvertent switch to touring mode, the Naxo is ideal for aggressive big-mountain skiers. In touring mode, a smartly designed pivoting mechanism saves you energy by mimicking your natural uphill stride. 4.9 lbs; bcaccess.com  …

This lightweight, composite-baseplated binding reacts instantly to commands. With the new Speed Zone strap technology, one pull and the ankle strap cinches tight. Custom-fit the Escapade with tool-free adjustments for strap length and forward lean. burton.com      …

BACKCOUNTRY CHOPS Good for Big Mountain Smooth, light, supple, and quick. Those were the most common words our testers used to describe the Coomba. The 22m sidecut and wood-core board is easy on your legs, and the ski is lightweight enough for hiking or touring. The…

These limited-edition beauties come with their own carrying case and feature Leki’s proprietary Trigger grip system: An integrated harness pops onto and off of the pole’s grip, so you don’t have to constantly shove your gloved hand in and out of the straps. The technology is also available in…

Designed specifically for the park and pipe, the Shiv’s eight vents do an adequate job of cooling, and the detachable magnetic goggles clip is a smart feature—just don’t lose it. giro.com…

Good for Big Mountain One boot for both AT and tele? Yup. Because the X Pro doesn't have a duckbill like traditional telemark boots, it's compatible with the new NTN binding. But thanks to its standard sole and Dynafit tech fittings, it also works with Dynafit AT bindings.

CHEAP THRILLS Hardcore ‘shoer? Hard up for funds? The fiercely clawed, all-terrain TSLs were the favorite among our more committed testers with value in mind. The bindings aren’t as intuitive as others, but the combination of macro- and micro-adjusting buckles helps them fit a wide range of boots and shoes…

With a unique V-strap system that uses only one ratchet at the heel, the Contraband is a cinch to tighten. And the toe strap may look like a big rubber band, but it’s more secure than it appears.ridesnowboards.com…

Good for All Mountain A first of its kind for expert women, the incredibly precise and powerful Competite is not your average girlie boot. The women-specific cuff is snug in all the right places, while the race-inspired liner provides a remarkably close fit—letting you feel every bump on the…

Good for Resort Testers loved the ability to customize the stiffness of the Sonic, thanks to traditional laces. In addition, an inner lacing system snugs tight—and never loosens—which means you don’t have to worry about retying halfway through the day. thirtytwo.com…

Good for Resort A slightly detuned version of Nordica’s famed Speedmachine boot, the all-mountain Hot Rod skis incredibly well right out of the box. And because its boot board is rubberized polypropylene (instead of polyurethane), it dishes up the smoothest ride here. nordica.com…

Front vents above the goggles force air between the helmet’s two layers, while the back vents draw air away. The result: chimney-like airflow that doesn’t whistle across your head. Flip a lever to open six additional vents on the helmet top, or flick ’em closed when the snow starts…

TELEMARK Good for All Mountain The four-buckle Custom overpowered the toughest bindings and even some testers. Those who could handle it gave it props for cuff/bellows flex and stiffness. As with other boots in BD's Power Series, the Custom's liner has a Boa closure system that clamps down hard…

Fast and Light A standout as one of the most versatile skis in the test, this city kid is really a country boy. Testers found the slightly rockered, variable-sidecut Manhattan quick and snappy in tight trees but at its best with a good head of steam. “Turn it to 11…

Last year, Arbor applied its version of multicontact edge technology—they call it GripTech—to its first hybrid-camber board (the Draft). It was a winning combination, literally, taking home last winter’s Gear of the Year award. Now, GripTech and hybrid camber are featured in six of Arbor’s boards, from park hounds…

Good for Backcountry Scrap—not Trash—would be more accurate: This 2,196-cubic-inch daypack is made out of leftover bits of sailcloth. It’s a cool story, but it also makes sense: The fabric is remarkably weatherproof and durable. The rest of this streamlined pack is equally clever. Aluminum stays lend…

WELCOME TO BIG BOY The Sultan 85 features the resilient wood core, powerful vertical sidewalls, and two sheets of vibration-quieting Titanal that elite skiers demand, but thanks to the addition of an “early rise” tip—a hint of rocker up front—you won’t have to muscle it into turns. Which means you…

Why It’s CoolWe’re huge fans of Osprey’s compression scheme—pack sidewalls wrap tortilla-style around your stuff. Not only is the setup exceptionally stable for hauling ropes and other heavy gear; it cinches down nicely on small loads, too. » The mountaineering features are so cleanly designed, they’re barely noticeable: ax loops,…

I NEED A MIRACLE They look like traditional cambered fat skis, but step into them and the tips and tails lift into a rocker shape. It’s been called “adaptive rocker” and it offers two benefits: the added float and loose feel of rocker, and the extended contact point of camber…