Gear
Archive
Amphibian A webbed sneaker-sandal mash-up? About time! My new favorite summer shoe, the Paradox resembles a light hiker but is brilliant in the wet stuff, secure while crossing rocky rapids and perfect for watersports where you need more protection than you’ll get in a sandal. chacousa.com…
Black Diamond’s Aspect harness has intelligently designed seams that don’t dig or chafe, while the three speed buckles provide maximum safety and flexibility in a light, affordable package. bdel.com…
1. An awkward name may be the J S3’s only weakness. It has a perfect blend of agility and support: An airy top half made from a durable, ultralight mesh nylon keeps weight down—and debris out—while an innovative wraparound tongue provides an exceptionally secure fit. 2. Flexibility is key…
For decades, world-class athletes have conditioned their feet—and upped the speed at which they shift from one foot to the next—by leaving their shoes at home. Nike gets barefoot-running religion with the Free, which distills the training shoe to its very essence. For an ultra-minimalist platform, this year’s Gear of…
Squeeze-bottle filters are handy for travelers and day hikers who don’t need to treat large volumes of water. Take one as a backup for a pump filter, or skip the pump if all you want is a bit of refreshment on the run. Be warned, though: Since bottle-style units rely…
1. The Gore-Tex XCR–lined Sandstone has a strip of airy mesh along the tongue (where it can best release the foot’s heat) and leather/tightly woven mesh along the sides, where durability is key. The upshot: No sweaty feet or blisters—even after four back-to-back 12-mile days—and no blowouts. 2.
Why It’s CoolAgnes replaces the hood with a rectangular pocket that you stuff with your clothes (tip: stick to the clean stuff) to make a pillow. Given that you won’t be braving arctic nights in this summer-weight bag, a hood is less critical—and the pillow feature is pretty plush. »…
1. It’s long enough to float in powder and generate white-knuckle speed on groomers, but still light enough for easy spins and big airs through the park and off backcountry booters. “This behemoth makes turning thoughtless, spinning simple, and powder a pleasure,” said one tester. 2. Palmer debuts its…
With eight settings, the Spot sports an impressive range of beams. Its low weight and intense one-watt LED make it a great choice for multiday treks. 3 oz; www.bdel.com Bummer: Changing batteries is a chore.
1. Introducing the rare smartphone that earns the title. Most do-it-all devices compromise one system for another, but the N95 shines as both multimedia and communication device, with Wi-Fi, GPS, and FM to boot. And the intuitive setup makes operation a snap: Slide the panel up for the keypad…
Conjuring a packable, synthetic cold-weather bag is a tough trick, but EMS pulls it off by stuffing the Velocity 5 with highly compressible PrimaLoft Sport insulation, wrapping it in a superlight Pertex Quantum shell, and pairing it with a compression stuffsack. The bag is a smart, affordable choice for…
1. At 50 square feet, this three-person model is as big as many four-person tents but weighs the same as some built for two. Even more impressive, it achieves this balance without sacrificing livability. Thanks to an efficient architecture, ultralight poles, and thinner fabrics, the Losi still boasts two…
PENNY WATCHERThe Aztec and I got off to a rough start when I incorrectly rigged its guylines in a cold rain. All was forgiven when this size-XL camper dove inside and found more than seven feet of internal length, and more than five of width at the front door. My…
You might not recognize all the new jacket ingredients these days, but the main courses remain the same. There are still waterproof-breathable hard shells for full-on deluges, breathable and stretchy soft shells for just about every other kind of weather, and the growing category of lightly insulated jackets for…
A PORT IN ANY STORM If protection—not weight—is your chief priority, the three-person Tengu is your shelter. It’s what’s commonly known as a Euro (or dry-pitch) tent, because you clip the poles to the tent’s fly, not its body. The upshot: In a storm you can pitch the Tengu with…
BETTER THAN YOUR BED Letting your car do the carrying for you? Sleep like royalty in the Luxor. It has 650-fill down on top and synthetic material underneath, where feathers get squashed. Fittingly, it has a laundry list of creature comforts, such as a flannel-like liner, handy pillow sleeve, and…
With seven angle settings and eight brightness modes, the tiny Cosmo is ideal for everything from washing dishes to scavenging for more firewood. 2.9 oz; bdel.com…
PLENTY OF ELBOW ROOM With elastic in each baffle, this bag expands as you toss, turn, and even sit up cross-legged to cook or play cards. When you finally stop thrashing, the bag’s elastic keeps the thick sheets of MontBell’s house-brand synthetic insulation close to your body, so you won’t…
CLIMBER’S FAVORITE The stripped-down Prolight 27 performs best when it’s going up. How do we know? After spending time in Colorado scaling multipitch climbs in Eldorado Canyon and summiting (and then skiing down) Longs Peak, our American Mountain Guides Association–certified tester didn’t want to give it back. “It was perfect,”…
Apparel manufacturer Ground has hit the tent on-ramp at full speed. The Ajanta, its first three-season tent, is an impressive debut. An intuitive, hubbed pole architecture makes it easy to set up, while such details as arched vents on the fly kept condensation to a minimum, even on a…
Base-Camp King A zero-degree-rated, 650-fill down bag for $219? It’s not a misprint. The Coromell saves a few bucks by using duck down. While duck and goose down are virtually the same performance-wise, you generally pay a bit more for goose down’s superior reputation. And Kelty certainly didn’t skimp on…
Pocket Rocket When you want the hyper-efficency of a Jetboil stove, but need to cook for two to four people, it’s hard to beat the Helios. The company’s proprietary FluxRing (a baffle on the bottom of the included two-liter pot) helps conserve energy, while the upside-down canister stand lets you…
Serve up good, strong, and hot coffee courtesy of GSI Outdoors’ double-walled and insulated 30-oz Java Press. gsioutdoors.com…
Built with a wood core and vertical sidewalls, these snappy skis performed great in any snow. On an overcast morning at Copper Mountain, they sliced their way down ice and groomers and, when the sun came out in the afternoon, they were just as reliable in the bumps or anywhere…
Interchangeable lens, done right: Flip open the hinged front gasket, pop in a different lens (it ships with two) and in a matter of seconds you’ve got the right tint for the conditions. carrerasportusa.com…
A pair of FULs weighs just four pounds. But unlike other light-weight boots, they don’t skimp on freestyle flex or overall comfort. Credit the internal heel landing pad and secure harness, which held our heels in place during hard toe-side carves. ridesnowboards.com…
Julia Mancuso took hers to Olympic gold. On you, foam insulation, a honeycomb Aramid air layer, and multiple pad configurations make for a snugger (and slimmer) alter-native to the traditional bobblehead-style racing helmets. pocski.com…
WINTER TRAINER This snowshoe has a message for triathletes and runners trying to stay in shape during the winter: Get off the treadmill and go outside. By building an integrated snowshoe/boot system, the TSL saves weight and delivers better energy transfer than you get with traditional bindings. The Step-In Race…
CRUISE MISSILE Good for PowderSchlepping most oversize (and heavy) rockered skis up on a boot-pack can be spirit-crushing. Not so with the Megawatt. At ten pounds six ounces a pair, they’re markedly lighter than the norm. But they don’t ski wimpy. Although the Megawatt sports a rockered tip, it…
This intermediate-level boot’s duck-footed stance allows your feet to angle out slightly, which leaves you standing in a more natural position and makes for quicker energy transfers. It takes some getting used to, but the position does make it easier to get your skis on edge.
Two sports, one helmet. That’s the idea behind WRSI’s highly adjustable snow- and kayak-ready Fresh Roy. The only downside: With no vents, it’s the least breathable helmet here. Get the optional detachable face mask ($40) if you take big risks but like the way your face looks.
Good for All Mountain With a max DIN of 12 and full alpine- and AT-boot compatibility, the Freeride Plus remains the go-to binding for aggressive alpine skiers who spend equal time in and out of bounds. Downhill performance isn't quite as rock solid as the Baron, but the Freeride…
TELEMARK Good for Telemark Like all the women-specific telemark and AT skis we tested, the Joule didn't stand up to our most aggressive female skiers. But it held its own in tricky backcountry conditions, and it's impressively light for its dimensions. 125/95/112, 7.3 lbs; bdel.com …
Because the Marshall has a low-profile sole and footbed, testers agreed it affords the best snow feel. Narrow feet? This boot is probably too wide for you. romesds.com…
At 1.9 pounds per pair on our scales, these unisex shoes are remarkably nimble. While they meet US Snowshoe Association racing requirements, they work just as well knocking around your local trails. northernlites.com…
Good for Resort The problem with some boots with a Boa lacing system—wire laces you ratchet snug—is that you can’t fine-tune the fit. The Thraxis solves that by letting you tighten the liner and the upper and lower portions of the shell separately. It works: Testers…
Good for Frontside Last year’s Gear of the Year award winner comes back this season with an updated look, but the same explosive turn shape and no-nonsense edge hold. Essentially a World Cup race ski—wood core and sandwich construction—with a bit more girth, the Classic 80 is…
Because of its high-cut shell and 11 metal-screened vents that channel air in but keep snow out, I could feel the air rushing around my head, making this the perfect lid for those warm spring days. Available in ten different graphic options. nutcasehelmets.com…
ALPINE TOURING Good for All Mountain With unrivaled downhill performance, the DIN-16 Duke does anything a resort binding can—huck air, carve rails, hammer bump lines. Just don't think of it as an AT binding. It's an alpine binding with a walk mode. Yes, the Duke will tour when you…
A top-quality helmet with a (literal) twist. The inner shell rotates on impact, potentially reducing the twisting forces transmitted to your brain. Eight offset vents provide extra protection from pointy objects (like a branch or ski pole), but they restrict airflow a bit. TAGS: rotates, best protection…
Alpine Touring The Quadrant’s four buckles, consistent flex, and 40 degrees of touring motion make it BD’s best all-mountain option yet. Testers praised the stout overlap upper cuff and the way the Boa closure system in the boot’s liner cradles your ankle. 7.8 lbs; TAGS: all mountain, Boa…
We may buy a small pack with the aim of paring down, but the Massif’s designers know us better than we know ourselves—we’ll still cram it full. And thus they have installed the best load-carrying system we’ve seen in a lightweight pack. Mammut’s aluminum Butterfly frame delivers rigid vertical…
A side-mounted Boa lacing system equalizes the tension between the upper and lower boot, and an oversize Velcro power strap seals the deal. The result: exceptional heel hold and a soft, responsive flex for everything from pillow lines to the park. TAGS: versatile, Boa…
Good for Backcountry This was our favorite pack for skiing around the resort. With its low profile, the Agent sits comfortably on a chair and stayed glued to our backs, even when hopping tight chutes out of bounds. Better yet, because the loops for its simple and…
FAT AND FURIOUS The Atlas was designed for guys who charge down 50-degree faces at downhill racing speeds. And what does that mean to you? Only this: The Atlas is fat enough for the deepest snow, but it handles like a traditional ski. So you can load it up and…
Go ahead and cram this pack full on the hottest day. The stiff Butterfly suspension supports a load of rocks, and a mesh panel lets air cool your back. 3.1 lbs, 1,830 cu in; www.mammutusa.com Bonus: A rain cover is included.
The XCELERATOR SKATE NIS BINDING lets you microadjust your position on the ski to locate your personal sweet spot.
While all the shoes here are made specifically for women, we found that the Terrastryder’s lower- volume forefoot, cushioned ankle, deep Achilles cutout, and sloping collar combined for the best fit of the bunch. It feels more like a sandal than a boot but still has bootlike stability,…
All Mountain With a lower cuff, a super-comfortable walk mode, and a grippy sole, the intermediate, all-mountain Delight was a tester favorite. While it’s not quite as stiff as the Inferno (above), it delivers an impressive balance of power transfer and all-day comfort. Plus, quilted down in the lower liner…
CRAG BAG PLUSTapering like an inverted missile nose cone, this two-pound-ten-ouncer is one sweet summit-poacher. The main chute easily gulps down a stove, fuel, clothes, and a tightly compressed sleeping bag. The front hopper accepted my Nalgene and a couple of energy bars, while exterior diagonal lash points secured my…
The instrument of choice for the Austrian national ski team, this basic carbon-fiber pole has a Velcro strap for easy adjustment. Light, simple, and inspiring. Just knowing that the world’s best ski team uses them makes you feel fast. komperdell.com …
MOST WATERPROOF When Moab's worst rainstorm in years coincided with our weekend plans, the Dryshield prevented a soggy retreat. In conditions that would have soused a lesser pack's contents, the 500-denier, polyurethane-coated packcloth kept our stuff bone dry. Its streamlined features—there's little more than mesh pockets and ax loops on…
CHAMELEON When worn alone, the Outtabounds’ detachable 728-cubic-inch yo-yo pack was perfect for riding lifts. Insert it into the main pack and you have a 2,300-cubic-inch combo with stable support, effective compression straps, and simple carry system (lash your board vertically or skis diagonally). It proved the perfect package for…
THE WETTER, THE BETTER Not surprisingly, sandal maker Chaco’s first-ever light hiking shoe excels in soggy conditions. As one of our testers shimmied down a waterfall drainage, he bloodied a knee, but, thanks to a full-coverage rubber rand, the Canyonlands escaped scratch-free. The low-profile outsole provided plenty of friction as…
Organizers will appreciate the many pockets in this petite daypack. There’s also a hydration sleeve and a bottom pocket for the stow-away rain cover. Despite all these features, it’s (relatively) light and streamlined: The harness system and removable waist belt are supportive but not bulky. 2.7 lbs, 1,500 cu…
Marmot knows how to mold a harness to a woman’s body. The Diva’s hipbelt and shoulder straps conformed to multiple testers’ torsos, and we loved this pared-down pack for long but still fast-and-light hikes. 3.1 lbs, 2,150 cu in; marmot.com…
The quick-cinch laces and trademark toe bumpers are a given for Keen. But what impressed testers most was the warmth-to-weight ratio: The waterproof-breathable Growler is every bit as warm as the Lynx but weighs just a bit more than Columbia’s Omni-Tech. 2.6 lbs; keenfootwear.com…
Urban Hiker Half messenger bag, half backpack: That’s the easiest way to describe this 1,500-cubic-inch urban hauler. With a well-cushioned 15.4-inch laptop pocket and a DWR-coated, splash-resistant flap closure, it’s the perfect pack for biking to work or walking to the coffee shop. Thanks to the same breathable mesh padding…
The Trunk Rack, Evolved I’ve never been a big fan of trunk-mount racks—the clips and straps loosen and need to be tightened or, worse, scratch your car. The brand-new Raceway is different; it attaches via an easy-to-adjust ratcheting cable system that (so far, anyway) has yet to loosen or scratch…
Like the Sorels and Patagonias, these boots have a metallic lining—aluminum in this case—that reflects heat back to your foot and boosts warmth by about 20 percent. Its lower cut and sneaker-like comfort make it great for day hikes, but you’ll need gaiters if you’re going snowshoeing in powder.
TAKES IT EASY Good for Packed Trails If cushion is king for high-mileage training or heavier runners, then the Supernova reigns supreme. Its pillowy crash pad is perfect for cruising on mellow trails. And despite its speedy geometry—the shoe is tilted slightly forward—the forefoot foam doesn’t feel gutted.
Why They’re CoolWith their mainly mesh uppers, the Lightspeeds excel on smoothish trails in hotter climes. On a warm day in southern Minnesota, I ran in a pair of conventionally vented shoes, then switched to the Vasques—and instantly blissed out with the sensory equivalent of propping my feet up in…
SEAMLESS DREAMTrot out the Lizards for trail-running where the term “trail” is generous. Seams in the uppers won’t blow out from abrasion—because there aren’t any. Even the synthetic-leather trim is heat-welded rather than stitched. A fat rubber toe cap provides further armoring. Serious shoe abusers, such as adventure racers and…
TOUGH, LIKE THE ROCKS YOU RUN ON Thankfully, a little dirt will tone down these kicks to an acceptable level of garishness. And then you can tell your friends that the Fruity Pebbles-colored upper is reinforced with a nylon mesh that’s tough as chain mail, and that the outsole might…
A quick-connect hose makes these reservoirs easy to refill (you can remove the reservoir without rethreading the hose and bite valve through the pack's hydration port). 48–100 ounces; nalgene-outdoor.com …
We can only imagine the highly caffeinated sessions that produced the Overdrive. No detail has been left out or unexamined, from integrated drain holes in the outsole to a protected gaiter strap channel under the arch to drawcord lacing that adjusts easily even with cold or gloved hands. Innovative tubular…
LOTS OF CUSHIONING The Testament II was a bit too sluggish for our most gazelle-like testers but well received by our heavier and slower (read: normal) runners. Impact energy is centered by a cushy, concave heel and transferred smoothly down a springy plastic shank to the luxuriously soft forefoot. “It…
What do you get when you cross a running shoe with the British military? Sounds like a joke, but that’s actually what UK Gear did to come up with the PT-03, the toughest road shoe we’ve seen. Using the British Army Physical Training Corps for testing, designers gave the PT-03…
Mild Stability If the 769 were a coffee drink, it’d be a quadruple espresso. That highly caffeinated feel is due in part to a lightweight midsole compound and deep flex grooves under the toes. Which is not to say it’s jittery: A midfoot shank and a dual-density…
Testers liked this solid, supportive training shoe best for long road runs. And while it’s a great pick for logging lots of base mileage for spring marathons, it can handle speedy fall jaunts like a 10K, too. A secure arch wrap and heel make for an agile stride, and…
Stability Road Runner For mild to moderate overpronators, the CT Stamina 2 offers stability with noticeable comfort. The stable heel cup gives way to a light and flexible mesh upper. And for a stability shoe, there's significant cushioning. Testers loved the Stamina 2 for distance training, but its light weight…
Arguably the most anticipated bike of 2009 (it was kept behind glass at bike industry trade shows last fall), the triathlon/time-trial-specific P4 hosts several radical advancements. To hide the rear brake from the wind, engineers tucked it inside the frame, behind a removable panel. They also designed a wing-shaped bottle…
Mountain Benefit from trickle-down technology with the Hex. It has chunky mountain styling, a removable visor, and the same superior fit (courtesy of the Roc Loc 4 system) featured on Giro’s top-end lids. www.giro.com…
Why It’s CoolThe R2000 is built with Optimo, a proprietary aluminum alloy that Cannondale says is 15 percent stronger than conventional blends. The result: a very durable bike built with less material—this one checks in at 17.5 pounds. It felt pert and spunky as I jammed around my favorite no-mercy…
This lid ups the ante on air conditioning, squeezing in 29 vents with the help of an exoskeleton that protects your skull with minimum bulk. louisgarneau.com…
A SHOT OF ESPRESSO This twitchy Italian racer just misses out on being the lightest bike here, but the weight is well spent. Bianchi added extra material along the drivetrain of this full-carbon frame to produce an all-arounder that excels under the heavy loads of climbs and sprints. Handling is…
Beyond the bling, the Limited is one serious shoe. The stiff carbon-fiber outsole wraps the heel to stabilize the foot, and a complete pair weighs about as much as the magazine in your hands. scottusa.com…
Good for Backcountry Because both the head and shaft are made out of aluminum (with steel tips), the Corsa weighs half as much as normal axes (just 8.8 ounces). Of course, that lack of heft also makes getting purchase in blue ice more difficult. Think of it…