The Lander runs on either white gas or a butane canister but works best in liquid mode in sub-zero weather. 11.2 oz; brunton.com…

It’s only overpriced if you lose it. This pocket-size, hard-anodized-aluminum flashlight is practically indestructible—and unbelievably bright. 3.8 oz; surefire.com…

In years past, a freestanding two-person shelter this light (sub-four pounds) would have been either as cramped as an MRI machine or as flimsy as a $5 umbrella. Or both. Sierra Designs keeps the Vapor Light sturdy and saves weight by using Jake’s Foot pole anchors along with superlight…

Extend the body of this two-in-one flashlight and it converts into a lantern with a 360-degree LED bulb that casts a warm orange glow. Plus, it conveniently takes four sizes of alkaline batteries (AAA to D). 7 oz; brunton.com…

Built for the Long Haul If you’ve got big plans this summer—or you’re the mule for a weekend family trip—you want a beast like the 5,200-cubic-inch XT 85L. The suspension system, a hybrid of old-school frame construction and new-school torso padding, didn’t flinch when one tester loaded it up with…

Fire up Primus’s well-built and easy-to-light Atle 2 Burner Camp Stove. primuscamping.com…

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…

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…

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:…

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…

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…

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…

While you can continue to use your daypack, eventually you’ll want to upgrade to something climbing-specific, like this 2,250-cubic-inch hauler, built roomy enough for a rope, a sling full of quickdraws, and extra layers. Why else do we love it? Ski loops mean it can double as a winter…

Size, Price: 70 oz, $21; 105 oz, $22Flow Rate: 1*Funk Fighter?: Antimicrobial treatmentFilterCompatible?: NoValve Shutoff?: YesGotta Love: Saucepan-style handle makes for easy fillingBummer: Second-rate bite valve makes for low flowSplat Test: Survived *Ratings: 1=Average, 3=Excellent…

Why They’re CoolThe translucent outsoles are made of a house-brand polymer that, according to Brooks’s R&D crew, lasts 30 percent longer than that supersticky rubber you see on approach and climbing shoes. It also improves wet and dry skid resistance by 20 percent. In the lab, anyway. » The road…

The debate between bigger and lighter ends here. On an early-fall trip in the Wind River Range, Black Diamond’s Skylight performed like a big top, allowing a pair of testers (one over six and a half feet tall) to stretch out and stay dry. The shelter weathered a gusty…

MAKE TRAINING FEEL LIKE RACING Sometimes you float through your training runs like a butterfly, while other times every step stings like a bee. But since you’re no Muhammad Ali—sorry, you’re a midpack dude prepping for a charity marathon—you’ll like this smooth-riding, ultra-comfy trainer. On both good and bad days,…

Cameras haven’t been this cool since Nikon brought on the digital era in 1999 with the D1. Now it’s all about the convergence of still and motion photography. Cameras from the simplest point-and-shoots to pro-level DSLRs can now shoot HD video. So stop worrying about mega­pixels and figure out…

SMOOTH, CUSHIONED VERSATILITY Lucky number 13? It is if you count a commitment to research as good fortune. The 13th version of this all-purpose favorite is the result of years of accumulated R&D. This Kayano boasts thicker gel cushioning units in the heel than previous models, resulting in an even…

Tent walls condensing like a steam room? Roll over and go back to sleep in the Sierra Designs Trade Wind. The down bag’s waterproof shell is impervious to weather that will wilt the feathers of lesser bags like, well, a cold shower. But that’s not all. Premium down fill,…

STABILITY IN MOTION Ever watch a caterpillar crawl over your knuckles? The weather-resistant, soft-shell Shadow Dragon takes a page from the little bugs: the outsole’s 12 protruding lugs, which gave us a noticeable boost in stability on the small rocks, roots, and other obstacles of Boulder’s Mesa Trail. 11.5 oz;…

Stripped-down light hikers can leave weekend adventurers craving a little more of everything. But, just like my pre-ramble, all-you-can-eat Southern breakfast, the Eclipse XCR fills the plate. Balancing strength and flexibility, this waterproof Gear of the Year winner made a meal of Alabama’s rugged Pinhoti Trail in a hard winter…

CAN TAKE THE HEAT The 874 is built like an elite road racer: a slender torso atop a powerful lower body. A weird physique for a shoe? Perhaps, but the combination of an almost lacy, two-layer mesh upper wedded to a thick midsole and luggy tread works extremely well on…

1. The fashion statement says, more or less, “Prepare to lose, girlie man!” But over-the-top style is not new to Oakley. The main reason the Radar crushes the competition is its truly remarkable lenses, with their anti-everything-that-screws-up-the-view surface treatment (see #2). 2. Mash your thumb against the lens. No,…

This featherweight back hugger stays in place during even the most jarring bob-and-weave trail running. Pack sparingly: There’s space for only energy bars, keys, and a light shell. The spongy back panel is soft but gets sweaty. Two-liter reservoir included. 12 oz; www.kelty.com…

1. If there’s parity in reincarnation, this two-in-one trunk will be reborn as a tank. It easily passes dress code at luxe hotels, but its 420- and 1,680-denier fabrics, brawny wheels and housings, and beefy bumper guards and kick plate are meant for rough stuff. A ten-day tour of…

ROCK AND ROAD Sometimes run roads, sometimes trails? This hybrid combines ample cushioning and a road-shoe-like fit for pounding pavement, with a bi-directional tread that gripped even the sloppiest terrain. Though pillowy, it’s still responsive. Faster testers appreciated the smooth transition from heel strike to toe off. The tight mesh…

1. Fire roads. Technical trails. Even races and runs with short stretches of pavement. Regardless of what they were doing, testers reached for the Mountain Masochist more than any other shoe. And although it weighs less than 11 ounces and feels light and agile overall, it has just enough…

em>Packed Trail In a word: smooth. The Cascadia 4 can handle both big miles and varied terrain, making it an ideal training shoe for trail marathons or ultras. The environmentally sensitive BioMoGo midsole (which, Brooks claims, will break down in a landfill 50 times faster than most…

Good for Backcountry Such is the silky, soft feel of this lightweight, insulated number—the warmest pair here—that it belies the waterproofness and breathability of the proprietary Helly Tech XP fabric. You almost feel like you’re in your jammies. Zip vents at the inner thighs provide extra exhaust.

Good for Trails If you run both roads and mellow trails, be good to your budget: Buy one shoe that can handle both. The Boulder Canyon has the guts of a neutral road shoe—a single-density EVA foam provides ample cushioning on pavement. But it also has grippy,…

GEAR OF THE YEAR “You can never have a bad day on the Coomback,” said one tester of the most adored ski in this year’s test. Returning with refined tip rocker—which allows the ski to plane, surf, and smear in powder without giving up control on hardpack—the Coomback was lauded…

The Gripper On the worst running surfaces of our test—loose dirt, rock slabs, and muddy sidehill traverses—the Rockridge excelled. Prominent lugs and sticky rubber combined for a gluelike grip on all surfaces, making these an “epic adventure partner,” as one tester put it. The mesh upper was supremely breathable, thanks…

Saves Some for Later Last fall, we picked Nike’s amazing LunarGlide+, with its unique Dynamic Support midsole, as our Gear of the Year. Nike built the new LunarEclipse+ on the same platform but opened up the toe box, and took its stability one notch further, bracing the heel with a…

Besides exposing your naïveté, gaper gap—the bit of exposed forehead between your goggles and helmet—also exposes your forehead to ice-cream-headache­inducing cold. Scott’s new Fix, with its strap routed through the goggle’s frame (instead of bolted to it), eliminates that gap. scottusa.com…

Good for All Mountain If powder days are a rare treat, then how your utility ski handles hardpack is your number-one consideration. With its 20-meter turn radius and aluminum-alloy damping layers around a core of ash and silver fir, the MX88 lives for ice. True, all that…

ULTRA-RESPONSIVE In the X8, Burton brings the baseless binding back—with major improvements. Thanks to a cushioned platform, you get the main benefit (incredible feel) without the usual drawback (it has unlimited stance options). The deck’s negative core profile—thin underfoot for more flex, thick everywhere else—enhances the hair-trigger response, while its…

The micro-brimmed, crash-helmet styling of the Holt—often worn with goggle straps on the inside—is the choice for the park-and-pipe set. Come summer, the winter pads are removable for a warm-weather skate setup. smithoptics.com…

With four buckles and a dual-density shell, Scarpa's top-of-the-line T-Race is basically an alpine boot with a bellow. This year, it's been upgraded to include Scarpa's signature Intuition custom thermo liners, which are lighter, easier to mold, and have fewer pressure-point-creating seams. 8.6 lbs; scarpa.com   Bonus: The heavy-duty cam-lock…

Designed by pro freeskier Alison Gannett, this lightweight twin-tipped big-mountain ski satisfied even our most aggressive testers. 134/100/125, 7.2 lbs; karhu.com      …

THE CHANGELING Good for Groomed Runs Twist the Power Switch on the tail 90 degrees from “dynamic” to “power” mode and the Tigershark morphs from a damp, stable cruiser to an unrelenting high-energy carver. The switch engages two slender carbon-fiber rods inside the ski that load up…

Giro’s new Pop Top design is quick and easy. Flip the main switch, lift the double lens out of the frame, and replace it with the included low-light lenses. giro.com…

Good for Touring Extremely light for its width, the wood-core Manaslu impressed testers most when the snow got funky. While the tip is slightly rockered, the back third of the ski has more sidecut, which allows for quick turns in steep and tight terrain. Note: The pre-cut inserts are…

Fatter underfoot than the K2 (below) by 7mm, the Aurora delivers off-piste versatility without sacrificing edge control. Credit goes to the Aurora’s beefy wood core and titanium construction, and Marker’s new iPT WideRide binding design, which sends more power to the edges of fatter skis. “It held, even on…

A SOFTY WITH GUTS This true twin spins like a top with incredible control, but thanks to its predictable flex and soft feel, it’s an extremely forgiving board—and a great choice for intermediates looking to take it to the next level. It won’t let you down: Testers were surprised by…

Testers loved everything about the women-specific Molotov, from the way the winged highback wrapped around their calves to the gel cushioning under the ball of the foot. The downside: This binding is compatible only with Burton’s new (and super easy and quick-to-adjust) EST mounting system.

Good for Resort Whereas most of the boards here have either traditional or reverse camber, the Travis Rice is a combo. The mixed camber—reverse between the bindings; traditional at either end—of this super- aggressive board makes for a remarkably stable and smooth ride that’s quick to…

Good for All Mountain If the Watea 94 were ten millimeters wider, you’d call it a big-mountain ski. From the “powder hull” tip—it’s shaped like the prow of a ship—to the loose and playful feel, this ski was built with the resort powder skier in mind. On…

Would you buy your teenage son a $200 goggle? We wouldn’t either. Optic Nerve’s Antero has a clarity-boosting spherical lens, the likes of which could once be found only on high-dollar units. nerveusa.com…

TELEMARK Good for Touring Finally, a fatter offering from Ski Trab. The handmade Stelvio Light XL outskied every other superlight entry in our test. “A ski mountaineer's dream,” said one of our peak-seeking purists. “It's like it's not even there,” said another, noting how surprisingly powerful the carbon-wrapped, honey­comb…

The Vantage is a freak for climate control, with no fewer than 14 sealable vents; the front four independently close for more or less A/C on the descent. Its slim profile, good interior air channels, and easily adjustable fit made this our favorite helmet of the test. TAGS:…

Telemark Downhill power and touring prowess can coexist. “The best balance of the bigger NTN boots,” said one tester. The Prophet’s muscle comes from its alpine-boot-inspired overlap cuff, while the silky bellows provides an even and predictable flex. Best for bigger-volume feet. 8 lbs; TAGS: big mountain, NTN…

The Elevate has everything we’ve come to expect from Oakley. Helmet-compatible outriggers. A wide-view spherical lens. An internal skeleton that evenly distributes pressure to your entire face (not just your nose). But also something new at this price: polarization. The effect is a near-total elimination of glare.

Road This value-priced lid kept testers cool (28 vents!) on even the most sweltering days. www.louisgarneau.com Bummer: Not everyone will love the exposed-foam look.

RACE CARVER If you spend 80 percent of your time wailing high-speed carved turns on groomers, the AC50’s are for you. The most powerful and dynamic carvers we tested this year, they’ll track unwaveringly back across the fall line when you lay them over. Despite the ample width underfoot,…

The TITLE 9 NO SWEAT STRING BIKINI has lightweight, wicking CoolMax Alta fabric to regulate temperature when the going gets hot. (800-342-4448, www.title9sports.com)…

The Quest likes to ski the resort, boot-pack, and occasionally go on tours. Sound familiar? While it weighs about 30 percent less than your average alpine boot and has a walk mode, it’s no softie on the way down. “This is truly a go-anywhere boot for better skiers,” said…

A RACE-READY BARGAIN Raleigh reclaims some of its Tour de France-winning heritage with its new line of full-carbon, race-specific frames. The Supercourse is the most wallet-friendly of the bunch, but the cost savings come from the components. The frame is the same one Raleigh’s sponsored riders race, and you can…

Rome’s new lacing system allows you to tighten down four different zones—the liner, forefoot, ankle, and upper cuff—with just two lace pulls. It’s ridiculously easy, and it works. Plus these boots had the best out-of-the-box feel of any we tested. TAGS: great laces, no break-in…

This no-nonsense shoe is plenty stiff, has an aggressive tread, and sports a synthetic leather upper tough enough for the roughest trails. It performs as well as some cleats twice the price. bike.shimano.com…

  Aluminum poles are heavier, stiffer, and (usually) not as pricey as carbon-fiber sticks. But style don’t come cheap, and if you want the retro day-glo paint job and pimpin’ straps, well, you’re going to have to pay for it. scottusa.com          …

At just nine ounces, the über-flashy S-Works is the lightest lid on the planet. Deep vents, Kevlar reinforcement, and an ingenious full-head fit system make it as sensible as it is light. specialized.com…

  This is the stiffest of the Italian company’s new freeride boots. Made for experts looking for gnarly terrain, the low-volume Agent contains shock-absorbing rubber to cushion hard impacts. tecnicausa.com          …

Somehow, Bontrager managed to squeeze all the features of a high-end shoe—heat-moldable insoles, carbon-reinforced soles, removable toe spikes—into this extremely well-priced model. Fits narrow and medium-width feet best. bontrager.com…

Cross-Country Comfort Though this aluminum cross-country racer doesn’t boast the exotic carbon fiber and secret build techniques of the bikes above it in the Spark line, it does have the same semirelaxed geometry and efficient 4.3-inch-travel design that have made those bikes popular endurance racers. “I know it’s a race…

Utility For Town or Country Need a tour-ready, highly walkable shoe that delivers stiffness and a grabby tread pattern—and is also pretty styling? Here you go. The tough leather upper took a beating and easily brushed clean, the roomy toe box was comfortable on long rides, and the reflective…

Top Box It’s pricey, yes, but it’s also the Rolls-Royce of rocket boxes. The sleek design helps decrease wind drag and preserve gas mileage, yet its 15 cubic feet of storage still easily fits five pairs of skis. And the solar-powered internal light that automatically comes on when you open…

Disproving conventional wisdom that gray lenses make for a flat, blah view, Maui Jim’s high-tech PolarizedPlus2 lenses add contrast and depth to reveal colors in all their throbbing glory. The optically ground glass yields superb clarity and detail, with a dark tint for searing brightness. And the oversize frames provide…

VERSATILE, AFFORDABLE Lose your glasses every other month? Don’t be embarrassed. Just buy these bargain shades and stop losing your money too. You get pink/red photochromic lenses that are good to go all day, and detailing like an adjustable metal nosepiece, sticky rubber where you need it, and antifog vents…

Sample the fun, colorful prints—think hula girls and wine bottles—of PATAGONIA’s fast-drying CAPILENE SILKWEIGHT BOXERS. (800-638-6464, www.patagonia.com)…

This no-nonsense Canadian company specializes in “practical high performance”—a quality exemplified by the generically named but brilliantly engineered Rain Jacket. I stayed comfortably dry while cross-country skiing in a wet snowstorm, thanks to highly breathable eVent fabric and spare but effective features, like a huge chest pocket and a…

Meet one of this summer’s best road shoes: The mostly mesh upper keeps your dogs cool and dry, even when the rest of you is melting. 11 oz; www.pearlizumi.com…

Despite the name, there’s nothing feminine about this hard-riding, go-anywhere rig—except the women’s fit, of course. The racers among us loved the aggressive position, which made for fast handling on tight trails but still provided plenty of hookup in back on loose, sketchy climbs. On one log-riddled trail, a…

Why They’re CoolNative freshens the familiar in both substance and style. Trip on the two-tone nylon frame: It’s dark on top and fades to a see-through pale-ale color you almost want to drink. » The design stretches the slender temples, with a beguiling little S-curve at the end. The temples…