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Be safe with this well-vented lid. Quick-dry pads beat stink, and a sleek adjuster dial makes perfecting the fit simple. bellbikehelmets.com…
Don’t let the old-school vibe fool you; while the style is midcentury, no vintage shades ever sported such fancy lenses (they’re coated with both an anti-reflective and hydrophobic coating). And though it’s blue mirror on the outside, the view is greenish copper, which amps contrast, while polarization kills the…
Town Crossover Sure, you can sled or snowball-fight in your technical puffy. But you might appreciate the extra padding that this machine-washable wool-nylon beast provides. The huge collar pops up as high as your ears—and stays there. 4.6 lbs; TAGS: wool, machine-washable, heavy-duty…
BARGAIN SOFT SHELL The Ascent’s house-brand, fleece-lined soft-shell fabric is windproof and nearly waterproof. Raindrops beaded and poured off the stretchy face fabric for hours, while a three-point adjustable hood sealed out blowing snow. And when we picked up the pace, the core zips let us dump heat. So what’s…
GOLITE‘s windproof BLACK MOUNTAIN THERMAL WIND PANTS might seem beyond the budget, but think of your winter workout gear as a vacation investment—your ticket to transcending the slop and sleet to a warmer, sunnier plane.
The synthetic fur on the inside of the Kirus is so soft, you’ll want to go sockless. Don’t; they’ll stink. But do wear them in a blizzard. They’re waterproof, and they can stand up to slippery sidewalks (thanks to sticky rubber) and your dressiest ski-town dinner date (the silhouette…
USER-FRIENDLY RIPPER Top pros like Bruce Irons, Joel Parkinson, and Luke Egan all ride Aussie shaper Jason Stevenson’s designs; the 6’5″ 300KW thruster we tested is identical to the one Egan surfs on in competitions. The bottom features a speedy, single-concave shape that transitions into a double-concave section near the…
Though it’s more than a year old, the Jefe, like its Tsangpo-stomping predecessor the Gus, has no equal as a creek and expedition boat. The long waterline, medium chines, displacement hull, and heavily rockered bow allow the boat to accelerate, track through turns, climb out of holes, and get…
TWICE AS FUN, TWICE AS HARD How much do you really trust your paddling partner? How solid is your marriage? The Topo Duo may have the answers. It’s the only two-person whitewater boat in production. A strong paddler can right both the boat and an accompanying novice, but beware: There…
GET UP, STAND UP Last year saw stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) move from the wacky fringe to the pages of Us Weekly, as seemingly every celebrity picked it up. With the fad still on full burn, shapers are racing into the SUP market, which is what makes the C4 special. It…
Like the cushy longboards that initially bore the Bing name, the single-fin Lovebird is gorgeous, with a gloss coat, fabric-inlaid deck, and pigment-colored bottom and rail wrap. But this isn’t some artsy old-school replica. (The brand was relicensed in 2000.) We tested our 9’2″ model in a variety of…
Top Touring Boat Paddle the nearly 18-foot-long Infinity as a day boat and it's fun if a bit cumbersome. Load it and head out for a week or more and it really shines. Serious paddlers looking for a comfy boat will love the Infinity's large cockpit and raised foredeck, which…
Get bang for your buck. The Big Air XP package comes with a beginner-friendly belay device (for catching your partner while she lead-climbs) and a locking carabiner (so you can secure your harness’s belay loop to the device, not shown). bdel.com…
Why they ruleThanks to light-sensitive photochromic tinting, the brownish glass lenses make an unheard-of plunge from dark (87 percent of visible light blocked) to the stygian depths of full-on snowfield blinkers (95 percent). » The Advances have all the features of traditional glacier glasses—flexible side shades, bendable wire-core temples, and…
Why They RuleA company that satisfies legions of birders—some of the fussiest buyers—obviously knows its optics. Focusing is superfast and precise, but not overly sensitive. You see it, you nail it. » The image is breathtakingly sharp, like an Ansel Adams glass-neg enlargement. » Though Steiner spec’d the Peregrines for…
The question: Do you buy a mountain bike with big travel or less weight, stable angles or lively handling? Ellsworth’s Epiphany eliminates the compromise, riding an inspired line between cross-country and downhill. You get a bike with five-plus inches of front and rear travel in a package that weighs…
At six pounds 13 ounces, the Reverse Combi is the heaviest of the eight new-for-2005 shelters we tested—and is probably the most tent you’ll want to carry. But this Gear of the Year’s thoughtful design and creature comforts threw our usual light-is-right rules out the mesh window. Perhaps bigger is…
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 best soft shells are jackets that rarely spend time in the closet—they’re always in use. Such was the case with the Cipher. Its chest, tops of the arms, and part of the back panel are armored with Gore Windstopper fabric, while the rest of the jacket…
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. A paradigm-shifting camera, the D3 has a new sensor with incredible low-light sensitivity that, with a high-speed shooting rate (nine frames per second) and a new autofocus system that locks on to moving subjects like glue, can make images that were literally impossible to capture before now.
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. The AG is one highly engineered board, but all that technology disappears when you hop on it, and this directional twin-shape was our favorite all-mountain board. 2. Heavily reverse-cambered boards, with a rocker shape from tip to tail, can be a little squirrelly for riders used to traditional…
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…
Good for Backcountry We’re not too nuts about the term “all-purpose” either, but we hope you understand our point: Whatever you do, from resort skiing to snowshoeing, we’ve got the perfect jacket for you. Some, like the North Face Free Thinker II, are bedecked with nearly a…
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 have to hand it to big-mountain legend Jeremy Jones for launching a successful board line during the recession. Straight out of the gate, Jones’s boards won over our testers. In the end, though, it was the versatile Mountain Twin that had them wishing we could extend our test…
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…
ALL BUSINESS Sporting a mini (12-inch) zipper and an aggressively athletic fit (looks like it’s designed to fit a lollipop), the Epic is the leanest, meanest bag here. You can even use it sans tent: Its waterproof, taped shell was unfazed by damp nights. The catch? It’s probably too constrictive…
Don’t worry about dropping it in the drink—this three-mode light (spot, wide, and red for night) is waterproof up to 33 feet. 3.9 oz; uwkinetics.com…
A TINY SUMMERWEIGHT BAG The North Face claims that its revamped line of Flight Series bags are the first synthetic sacks to rival equivalently rated down bags in weight and compressibility. We were skeptical, but this 40-degree comes pretty darn close. The secret? It’s stuffed with Climashield’s newest stuff,…
With few bells and whistles, this lightweight bag, made with PrimaLoft MXL insulation, compresses to the size of a 12-pack—making it ideal for the fast-moving backpacker. Just don’t push it: There’s no collar, and a few testers got chilly on nights colder than 35 degrees. 25°, 3.3 lbs;…
Campers who feel claustrophobic in tight mummy bags will love the Cochise’s stretchy construction. The baffles of this 15-degree, synthetic-fill bag are sewn with elastic fabric, so you can squirm around without resistance—and even sit cross-legged to cook or read. The other upside to this elasticity: When you stop…
A Minimalist Sack The sleeping bag, deconstructed. The ultralight (1.4-pound) 700-fill-down Haven has no zippers and, thanks to the giant hole in the underside of the bag, a fifth less insulation and fabric than your average 20-degree bag. Uh, what? Yep, you actually “enter” the Haven through that hole and…
Water Wise Getting cold? Tired? It’s started to rain? The answer is the same: hot drinks. This 20-ounce bottle will keep your favorite beverage steamy for up to six hours (or cold for up to 24). Get the combo pack ($4 more) and you’ll also get a “café cap” that…
Quench your thirst with a PVC- and BPA-free bottle like this one, with its just-the-right-size opening to avoid spills. mysigg.com…
The Imperial has plenty of trick features—like shell material that helps distribute the rider’s weight and rubber ice spikes on a Vibram outsole for better hiking traction. But testers most appreciated the simple lacing system, which allows you to quickly lock in the ankle and toe areas separately.
The lightweight, flexible frame is vented from all sides, and the lens is festooned with no fewer than 18 vents. In other words, it’s practically impossible to fog these goggles up. Plus, it’s available with a prescription insert. adidas.com…
Built on the same chassis as Völkl's bestselling alpine ski, the Mantra, the M Rock is lighter (there's no metal in it), and its wood/PU core makes it slightly less forgiving—and more fun—in powder. 133/94/113, 7.8 lbs; volkl.com  Bonus: Hands-down the best resort AT ski we tested. “I'd put…
Testers praised the Targa Ascent's bomber construction, but flat-out raved about its uphill performance: A free-pivot mode offers touring without resistance, which means you'll conserve power for that extra lap. 3.1 lbs; genuineguidegear.com  Bonus: The heel piece flips vertically to serve as the climbing bar.  Bummer: Difficult to…
Off the stair rail or the gap box, this binding is a top performer that's ergonomically shaped for women. The UnderWrap.2 Heel Hoop is slimmed down and cored out in the toe region for a super-responsive feel. Choose among several strap positions (capped or regular). romesnowboards.com    …
MOST VERSATILE Good for Big Mountain The most confidence-inspiring ski in this year’s big-mountain field, the Blower offers impressive stability in all conditions. At 110mm underfoot, it’s more than fat enough for powder and crud skiing, but the wood core, vertical sidewalls, and 26m round-turn sidecut…
You know your buddy with the dollar-sign cuff links and flashy ski jacket? The Freerides, with their plush, lined straps and faux-leather accents, are for that guy. komperdell.com…
Because the Bug’s vents are recessed between its two slightly overlapping shells, you get a 100 percent puncture-proof helmet that breathes moderately well. pocsports.com…
Good for Touring You can find a lighter AT boot, but our testers felt the Radium had the best downhill performance-to-weight ratio. Credit the Radium's alpine heritage—an overlap shell—and the Pebax reinforcements in the thermomoldable liner, which add stiffness but almost no weight. Walk mode is a little clunky,…
TELEMARK Good for Telemark The Bombshell wins again. She's, well, bomber, with five settings that allow for a handful of telemark styles; a solid, stainless-steel toepiece; and a six-inch, front-mounted compression spring that's 20 percent softer than the men's counterpart. 3.1 lbs; twentytwodesigns.com    …
Its solid performance and great price made this our top pick for intermediate riders. Nice touch: An antimicrobial coating helps keep them from funking up the condo. ridesnowboards.com…
BIG MOUNTAIN Good for Big Mountain You'll feel like you're cheating on huge powder days. The only women-specific rockered (upturned tip and tail) ski on the market, the Voodoo Pro also has tapered tips and tails, so they don't get hung up on pillows of poof. But what sets…
Good for Resort Can’t stand mushy boots? With its high-density EVA and synthetic leather in the shell, the Journey is the stiffest boot here. Testers also liked the ergonomic tongue, which hugs your shin for immediate response. dcshoes.com…
The lightest option here (it weighs just 15 ounces), this airy helmet was our top choice for touring. If you’re a hothead like me, you’ll love the way the vents flow air through the helmet as well as in between the outer shell and the liner.
ALPINE TOURING Good for All Mountain Though it remains unchanged from last season, the Skookum proved itself an overall champ for its balanced uphill ergonomics and downhill chops. The interchangeable tongues are no gimmick: The downhill tongue stiffens the boot by 20 percent. It's easy to see why one…
All Mountain Aptly named for the exposed adjustable pivot beneath the toe, the Axl is a free-pivot touring binding like its forebear, the legendary Hammerhead. Testers found that the underfoot pistons, sleek cable routing, and heel throw provided more downhill chops than any similar binding on the hill. And unlike…
The Custom’s been a staple board in Burton’s line for 15 years, setting the standard for how a snowboard should ride. Every year, Burton refines it just a little more—and this year’s is the best yet thanks to its mixed-camber profile, a snappy carbon backbone, strands of strategically woven…
Like the original, only better. The leather uppers are now seam-sealed and waterproof. When combined with the nine-millimeter-thick felted-wool inner boots—rated to 40 below zero—this is a pair of kicks worthy of ice fishing in Minnesota. 5.2 lbs; sorel.com…
JUST RELAX Every ski in K2’s line features rocker this season. In addition to floating a ski, rocker can be designed to help initiate a turn. Such is the case with the easy-skiing Aftershock. And where skis like the Nordica Enforcer and Völkl Kendo require near-constant attention, it’s possible to…
Why They’re CoolRockered Vibram soles endorse an effortless, natural walking motion. Why don’t more companies use ’em? » On a trek through Arizona’s White Mountains, the shallow, omnidirectional lugs gave me solid traction over dirt and needles, and excellent grip on smooth rock. » The polyurethane midsole is a step…
ROCK THE GLOP The little brother of Rossi’s S7 powder ski, the new S6 features U Rocker—bent up at the tip and tail, flat underfoot. As you’d expect, it floats in crud and fluff, but that flat section adds edging confidence. You can arc the ski into a big sweeping…
Like the Energise, this pack’s air-cooled suspension prevents sweaty-back syndrome. Stretch-woven side pockets didn’t rip when caught on branches, and zipper finger loops made gloved entries a cinch. 2.6 lbs, 1,500 cu in; www.ospreypacks.com Crowd pleaser:It’s available in five different capacities.
Finally, embrace your inner nordic dork with CASCO‘s frameless, photochromic NORDIC SPIRIT COMPETITION SHIELDS.
When the going gets tough, the tough tighten up their Enigmas. Like an up-armored light hiker, the Enigma has the body of a sneaker and a Vibram sole shaped for cruising, but it plows through mixed terrain like a Hummer. Rigid support won’t wilt under a heavy pack, and…
Telemark This Colorado-made wood-core ski has traditional camber, making it extremely poppy and carvy in tight quarters, yet it’s easily “disengaged” due to its tapered tail. Loves floating in powder and chopped-up crud but lacks punch and bite on firmer snow. 160/110/130, 8.1 lbs. TAGS: powder, playful…
ONE TOUGH CUSTOMERThe Breeze Low keeps its cool in warm weather with ultrabreathable nylon mesh, deployed here on both side panels and tongue. But the Breeze is no featherweight: Bands of leather cradle the scuff-prone mesh, shielding it from abrasion, and a plastic armor plate below the midsole guards against…
WIDE BUT NIMBLE You don’t need to be a big company to make a big ski. Liberty, a small manufacturer in Avon, Colorado, has created a giant-killer with the Helix. An eco-friendly bamboo-and-poplar core gives it a light and poppy feel—but the Helix is still tough enough to land hard…
SPEED DEMON Can a running-oriented hydration pack double as a daypack? Yes, if it's designed as well as this one. During trail runs in the mountains above Santa Fe, the Riff's compression straps, foam back panel, and perfectly sculpted harness made for a stable, slosh-free ride. Yet on hikes the…
THE PLAYER Instead of carrying your iPod in your jacket, stow it safely in the padded compartment of this 1,281-cubic-inch pack. The controls and phone jack mount on the ergonomic shoulder straps, and you can work the buttons with gloves on. Tunes or no, the Audex has ample room for…
GREAT ANKLE SUPPORT In a world of Honda Elements and Subaru Outbacks, the Ranger is a Ford Bronco: old-school and well-built but certainly not flashy. The crux of this classically designed boot is the collar. Leather strips on the outer surface offer stiff resistance to ankle rolls, while the inner…
Hard on your gear??If the answer is yes, the Deva is your friend. The rubberized bottom and 210-denier ripstop nylon were the burliest of the packs we tested. While the top comÂpartment of this massive bag transforms into an over-the-shoulder daypack in seconds, the waist belt’s ratchÂeting system isn’t…
Made from recycled plastic bottles, this backpack keeps your surf stuff organized with thoughtful features like a seam-sealed wetsuit pocket, tarp-lined surf-wax keeper, and insulated cooler pocket. dakine.com…
With flat lace loops that don’t interfere with cinching snowshoe bindings, ample insulation, and a waterproof-breathable membrane, the Lynx can handle the wet and cold as well as any boot here. And with its trim and understated style, it blends nicely for urban use. 3.1 lbs;…
Why It’s CoolA pickup is great for hauling many kinds of things—kayaks, lumber, muddy mountain bikers—but is surprisingly ill-suited to bicycles. Even trucks with pre-drilled fork mounts in the bed leave you with a wheel to tie down and no storage room. The Rec-Rac changes all that. Twin C-shaped clamps,…
Simple and Smart Although they’re best known for making school bags, JanSport also has a long track record making technical performance packs—like the 2,074-cubic-inch Salish. From long day hikes to more gear-intensive scrambles to local crags, it consistently received high marks as a comfy, versatile pack. An externally accessed hydration…
This is the warmest boot we tested this year (rated to 60 below zero). The key is a removable, quick-dry felt liner, with an inner heat-reflective layer that also helps draws moisture out of the boot, plus the mid-calf height keeps the snow out with the pull of a…
Size, Price: 70 oz, $23Flow Rate: 2*Funk Fighter?: Zip top opening for easy cleaningFilter-Compatible?: Yes, with $4 adapterValve Shutoff?: NoGotta Love: Dump an ice try in the zip topBummer: Pre-hike test of zip seal is criticalSplat Test: Splatted *Ratings: 1=Average, 3=Excellent…
Why They’re CoolThe Stormfronts reverse the paradigm of waterproof footwear construction. By using Gore-Tex XCR fabric on the exterior of the shoe, rather than tucking it in the lining, they move the first line of moisture defense out where the rubber meets the road—or where the nubuck meets the thaw-muck.
Ever had one of those days when your feet felt so light it’s like they weren’t quite touching the ground? The X-1/C is the next best thing to bottling that feeling. The secret is shaving every possible gram while still retaining the essentials: cushion, traction, and stability. The Encapsulated…
BEST FOR ADVENTURE RACING You run where others walk? Then this is the shoe for you. After cruising up Colorado’s wickedly steep Mount Sanitas Trail, one tester gave the Active Trail Pro props for its reinforced sides, protective toe cap, and branch-busting undercarriage. Plus the Vibram sole adhered to everything…
If you train like a mailman—neither rain nor sleet will stop you—reach for these submersibles. The seamless upper is sealed with a Gore-Tex XCR liner and reinforced with a see-through TPU rand, which toughens the shoe without marring its clean look. The masochists among our crew raced up Colorado’s…
SMOOTH OPERATOR Don’t mistake the minimalist Streak for a beefed-up road shoe—it’s more like a big-mountain shoe that’s been eating mostly salad. Though it has the airy mesh upper of a pavement pounder, underneath is a pliable plastic rock guard and sticky dual-density outsole that can handle full-speed switchbacks. With…
HEAVY SUPPORT, LIGHT FEEL Even the best shoes can’t turn a severe overpronator into a neutral strider. But the AdiStar Control makes trompers feel like bounders. Sure, it offers a wide base, rock-solid medial posting, and a beveled, decoupled-heel crash pad that will serve heavier runners or severe overpronators. But…