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Wave Runner “It feels like a racer with more cushioning,” said one tester. Indeed, this neutral trainer may not be as feathery as the Kinvara (page 50), but at a mere ten ounces it’s no slogger, either, thanks to a redesigned TPU “wave plate” (Mizuno’s springy cushioning device) and new,…
Cannondale is now manipulating carbon fiber for high-end race bikes as well as anyone, but the company hasn't completely abandoned its deep aluminum heritage. The Six 5 weds a carbon rear end and fork, which minimize painful road vibrations, to a stiff aluminum front triangle for pedaling efficiency. The frame…
Mountain Anticipating a trip to Moab in July? The Instinct’s cooling system has gaping channels that funnel air through like a fan. www.specialized.com Bonus: The on-off mountain visor is fast and easy.
Why It’s Coolhen the Trek engineers responsible for keeping Lance Armstrong in yellow had lightened the man’s frame as much as they could, they turned to aerodynamics. Using a wind tunnel, the team refined the tubing on what would become the Madone to eliminate tiny drag differences that purportedly added…
A fit system perfectly adjusts the Boss to your head—up, down, and around. And the smart closure on the strap is easy to manage even while you’re bouncing about on the trail. Bummer: Why no visor? uvexsports.com…
HEAD FOR THE HILLS In 2007, the mountainous Giro d’Italia and the best-climber’s jersey at the Tour de France were both won on Cannondales. It is with that climbing pedigree in mind that the company launches its new SuperSix. This is the same full-carbon frame Cannondale’s top pros are on…
SUPERSIZE MELast year’s Peregrines scored Gear of the Year by delivering sharp images and brilliant color rendition. By cranking the big objective lenses up to 50 millimeters—generally the upper limit for handhelds—and dialing back the magnification just a hair, Steiner is improving on greatness in a 26-ounce package. Bound for…
Most people’s feet tilt down and out when they dangle. As with all Specialized Body Geometry shoes, the carbon-soled S-Works are designed around this natural cant, to reduce knee and foot strain. specialized.com…
Why They’re CoolThe body is magnesium, the center axis shaft is titanium, there’s not a scrap of plastic in the focusing mechanism, and the whole works is rubber-armor-coated. » They’re good to go from minus 13 degrees all the way up to 131. Binoculars don’t come any more durable, and…
The fully-custom, carbon-and-titanium XS can save your ass, literally. One tester spent 19 hours on it—in a single weekend—and was still able to walk afterwards. Indy Fab, an employee-owned boutique builder in Somerville, Massachusetts, is known for its artistry (check the laser-cut lugs) and regularly pulls down awards at the…
Built for iPod (with a flip-down universal dock) but compatible with other devices, this retro unit features a 2.5-inch satellite speaker. Position it up to six feet away, for true stereo, or detach when space is tight. www.tivoliaudio.com…
Utility City, Smarter Our favorite commuter helmet, the Section is the lightest in its class and sports eight vents. Too few? If you ever yard-sale in this hard hat, you’ll appreciate its tougher shell and rounded profile—which won’t twist your neck like a more aerodynamically shaped helmet can when…
BRUNTON’s LAMPLIGHT pulls double duty as a flashlight for twilight wood gathering and a lantern with 360 degrees of alpenglow. (800-443-4871, www.brunton.com)…
Mr. Versatility Naming this sly cyclocross beast “Fox” (in Italian) was perfect: Whenever we got in a sticky situation, its big all-terrain rubber, triple chainring, and forgiving steel frame saw us through in style. And if you’re not riding your local trails or CX course on the weekend, you can…
The GT3 helps track recovery times and adjusts your zone alerts quickly midrun—great for fartlek training and intervals. The manual is a little puzzling, but the payoff is worth the decoding time. cardiosport.com…
Research in Motion wraps all of the classic BlackBerry features—e-mail, Web browser, personal organizer, phone/QWERTY keypad, and more—into a sleek, palm-size package that doesn’t make you look like you’re using a butter dish to make calls. Should your trekking porters turn tail on you, odds are your worldwide-roaming BlackBerry will…
Whether you’re surfing, boating, or fishing, suss tidal data for 275 preprogrammed global locations, or add your secret stashes to the lineup with lat-long coordinates. At the office, black out the digital display for a clean analog look. $300; reactorwatch.com…
Climbing the hills, but also the ladder? The SWISS ARMY STARTECH 4000 ($395) packs many useful mountain metrics—like temperature, altitude, and cumulative vertical ascent across a day, week, or season—into a cool black analog-and-digital package.
We consider it essential gear for boring dinner dates. Made to hang from the delicate wrists of snowboarders and skate punks, the analog TICKET ($200) is one of NIXON’s slickest models to date. The ultrathin Swiss quartz movement gives the case a thickness of just a few millimeters.
THINK OUTSIDE’S STOWAWAY BLUETOOTH KEYBOARD ($150) connects—without cables—to any Palm or Pocket PC handheld that supports the wireless Bluetooth protocol. You’ll feel like you’re tapping away on a laptop, until you fold the seven-ounce full-size pad down into a five-and-a-half-by-three-inch package.
GOOD WITH FACES For photographing family, friends, or a mob of dirtbags, the S12 is a beautifully simple solution. It boasts a 12-meg sensor, a sharp 3x zoom, and an advanced movie mode, but its best feature is a face-recognition function that detects as many as 15 unruly mugs and…
Gearing up for a long haul on two wheels or feet? This GPS-enabled training android measures speed, distance, and heart rate, and the included software creates three weeks of workouts and tracks performance. polarusa.com…
This workshop-sturdy unit can accommodate all bike sizes yet weighs less than 20 pounds and packs into a 39-inch-long carrying case. pedros.com…
We double-checked the weight of every bike—and a lot of the other gear—on these pages with this user-friendly scale. Hang it from a work stand or roof beam, and see if those new wheels are as light as the manufacturer claims. (They probably aren’t.) feedbacksports.com…
The X-Fi lets you wirelessly stream tunes and photos from your computer, listen to FM, record voice memos, and expand the memory with an SD card. Plus, it restores the quality of digitally compressed music. Yes, you really can tell. PC only; 16–32GB; creative.com…
Elvis would approve. On snow or sea, slide on any Costa with the company’s top-of-the-line 580 polarized glass lenses and you’ll be amazed. Glare dies. Colors vibrate. Depth perception jumps. Silver mirroring, spring-loaded hinges, sticky rubber temples, and a gold scheme just sweeten the deal. costadelmar.com…
Good for Backcountry Along with the system of beeps, arrows, and measurements that traditional avalanche beacons produce to help you find your buried friends, the S1 also draws you an easy-to-read picture, with precise distances and locations. It’s quick on the draw, too: When you open it,…
Sportsman These brown-tint polarized lenses had us fooled; so superfine are the optics, we were sure we were looking through glass. Nope, it’s Maui’s proprietary Evolution material. The company won’t say much about the stuff except that it’s some new kind of plastic. Indeed, in a quietly stylish, manly wrap…
Pinch Hitter With nine tools (pliers, scissors, two screwdrivers, etc.), this tough little keychain-ready steel number is perfect for all those times a full-size multitool would be excessive. leatherman.com…
If you’ve got the game to sport the aggro look—especially the loud and proud orange frames—the Instinct won’t let you down. Julbo’s new Zebra photochromic proprietary resin lenses work magic in low light, pointing up detail and contrast so much that you’ll swear you’re wearing high beams. The wide,…
Mapping Maven This super-powerful GPS takes personal navigation to a new level. Testers were shocked by how eyeblink-fast it updated location on its gorgeous 4.3-inch screen—as if the satellites were just overhead—and how easy it was to enter a destination and then find arrival times, elevation, traffic alerts, and, of…
We didn’t expect the first hybrid Android smartphone/GPS device to do both jobs so competently. Preloaded with maps for North America—with worldwide ones downloadable from Garmin’s store—it uses cell towers and satellites, for better, faster mapping (especially in rural areas) than any other phone can offer. The camera, music player,…
The HOT CHILLYS SALSA SEAMLESS CAMI is made of nylon infused with silver for antimicrobial protection. (800-468-2445, www.hotchillys.com)…
Want no-compromise magnification without a weight penalty? At 19 ounces, the Echo is the lightest full-size model we tested. 10×32; www.brunton.com…
The Script’s lenses filter blue light for excellent depth perception and detail, and a curved three-tone frame provides optimal fit. www.oakleywomen.com…
Everybody wins with this cotton button-up: Its gauze weave lets cool air in—and your stink out. www.hornytoad.com…
Why They’re CoolTweak the omni-adjustable nosepiece and wire-core temples on the rad Ketyums and achieve new personal bests—in speed, daring, whatever. » The temples and frames are fashioned from a proprietary metal alloy, jointed over the eyebrows to allow for flex. » The mirrored copper poly lenses have an anti-mirror…
ROSE-COLOREDThe Rhino’s copper-tint, polarized lenses tune out optical noise to reveal a richer reality. From a hilltop in Calabasas, California, distant homes looked like close-up toys. The wondrous convergence of extreme clarity and dense, reddish tinting picks up detail in the worst glare-hells, even the sun-on-snow variety. Wear these plastic…
Great traction isn’t limited to the Kailua’s sole. When I was tromping around the jungles of Panama, the combination of overlapping Velcro straps and a grippy footbed kept my wet feet firmly and snugly in place. columbia.com…
With a tiny Bluetooth-enabled cell-phone headset built into the thick temples, the Confidant is simultaneously cool and practical. Even better, the earbud is removable—and, if you break it, replaceable—and Zeal didn’t shortchange the photochromic lenses. The impressive tint-density range (23 percent to 87 percent light transmission) can handle everything…
Designed with wide, curved lenses to optimize peripheral view, the Grapevine is sporty enough for a day hike, but fashionable enough for the city. oakley.com…
BEST FOR BACKCOUNTRY Unlike a lot of windproof soft shells, which rely on an embedded membrane, the Winter Guide’s gale-thwarting abilities come from a supertight weave, enabling it to breathe better than most. During a day of ski touring in Washington’s North Cascades that involved everything from cold descents to…
HIGH-PERFORMANCE HIPSTER Newcomer Scapegoat absolutely nailed “performance casual” with the Rosti, which instantly felt like an old favorite. It’s ideal for resort cruising and sidewalk surfing. On the slopes, the waterproof-breathable fabric, PrimaLoft One insulation, and meticulous seam-taping stood up to driving squalls at Beaver Creek. It doesn’t have tons…
Perfect for backcountry or nordic skiing: A touch of spandex gives this soft and lightweight wool beanie a snug fit. smartwool.com…
With aviator-like coverage (but up-dated design) and color-enhancing light-brown optics, these big boys will serve you equally well driving to the hill or hucking the disc. bolle.com…
Now you really can wear Crocs year-round. Remove the faux fur for washing. crocs.com…
FAST AND LIGHT This is about as hi-def as polycarbonate gets, man. Visual champagne. The polarized lens—reddish brown but called VR28 Black Iridium—accentuates depth and contrast, makes colors jump out and throb, and provides wonderful acuity. A frameless, featherweight single-blade shield gives big rectangular coverage and protection with attitude. Add…
FAST BUT SMOOTH The Contessa Speedster is like a gateway drug: perfect for your first century or club ride. For starters, Scott nailed the women-specific cockpit design. More important, whereas most aluminum bikes feel fast at first but irritate some riders with their rigid feel a few hours into the…
These synthetic hybrids aren’t just comfortable to pad around in; they also cinch down tight, via a one-pull lacing system, for fording fast waters and hiking moderate trails. ecco.com…
Backcountry skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, skate skiing. We did it all in this versatile soft-shell glove. seirus.com…
I love waffle patterns like this—they trap warm air close to the body for remarkably toasty first layers. Bonus: The relaxed cut and tattoo-like graphic on the shoulder make it stylish enough to wear around town. hotchillys.com…
The only true skiing-compatible puffy here (removable powder skirt, hood, music port), the Diablo is lined with heat-reflective metal, like a space blanket, for warmth without the Michelin Man bulk. 2.2 lbs; golite.com…
It’s just big enough to carry a multi-day load, but because there’s nary an unnecessary strap or frilly feature here, it’s also ultralight. The roll top cinches the pack tight, and finding things is a snap, thanks to its enormous opening. 3.4lbs, 3,050 cu in; mountainhardwear.com…
Heading someplace hot and wet? The Cruiser is your jacket. It’s cut from eVent fabric—arguably the most breathable waterproof fabric on the market—and has big pit zips for extra venting. As for keeping water out, the combination of an extra-tall collar and four-adjustment-point hood is as good as it…
Classic Argyle Knit Like wearing your favorite sweater on your feet. But because these cotton-knit boots have the classic plush Ugg sheepskin insole, they’re more supportive than they look. uggaustralia.com…
Good for Backcountry The inner synthetic layer disperses sweat on contact for quicker evaporation, while any condensation from your jacket instantly beads right off the wool exterior. After wearing it nonstop on three Cascade volcanoes, our tester was addicted. dakine.com…
Good for Resort It’s the love child of a high-end mountaineering jacket and a toasty resort parka! Combining Gore’s most durable waterproof-breathable fabric, Pro Shell, with PrimaLoft’s top-of-the-line insulation, the Sentry wowed every tester in the field, besting everything from arctic gusts on the lifts at Colorado’s…
Streamlined Protection Martinis. Lobster rolls. Jackets. At the end of the day, each is only as good as its main ingredient. And that’s why the Brisk was so universally lauded this year—it’s cut from Gore’s Windstopper fabric, a perennial tester favorite that strikes a good balance between protecting you from…
In cool weather, Marmot’s Trail Wind Jacket rarely feels clammy, thanks to its moisture-wicking fabric and underarm vents. marmot.com…
Even though the V90s have a small fit that’s friendly to female faces, the interchangeable bronze mirror lens on these impact-resistant shades still successfully shielded the sun during a brutally hot Arizona 5K last fall. With extra lenses available—like amber and clear—at $20 a pop, you’ll be covered no…
Not only is this racer-back tank adorable on its own; it’s also a smart next-to-skin layer. The built-in shelf bra has you covered when it comes to support (even if you’re a C cup), and the nylon-spandex combo is soft to the touch, wicks moisture, and won’t make you…
To turn your power into forward momentum, you need stiff footwear. These have a carbon-nylon sole for extra rigidity. Plus, mesh inserts and vents create airflow around your feet. louisgarneau.com…
This mid-height snow boot is stuffed full of that patented Ugg sheepskin lining to shield you from the harshest temperatures, but it’s also a better overall performer better than their other models. That’s thanks to a waterproof ballistic-nylon upper, wet-and-snow-resistant Vibram outsole, and waterproof-breathable eVent lining. It’s solid underfoot,…
Twofer The big selling point here is obvious: You get both a warm, burly ski shell plus a thick, synthetically insulated sweater that can be zipped in to boost the warmth. Both jackets are constructed with Columbia’s new Omni-Heat lining, a matrix of metallic dots that reflect heat back to…
Keep your nether regions toasty with I/O BIO‘s full-body, merino-wool PILOT SUIT.
Throw on this 540-fill faux-down jacket (our warmest here), insulated side in, when you’re at the resort. The waterproof, breathable, neon-sunshine hard shell will keep you safe from the elements (and from getting lost). Afterwards, turn it inside out for a street-smart lime puffy. TAGS: reversible, neon, technical…
SKINS SPORT SOX provide both compression and insulation for calves, which get colder more quickly than upper-leg muscles.
On this wave glutton, I had to stop myself from gobbling up more than my fair share of rides. Designed by legendary shaper Al Merrick, this seven-foot-six-incher is basically a scaled-down longboard. The payoff: It’s versatile enough to handle ankle biters as well as pitching six-foot faces. The 21-inch…
With exceptional primary and secondary stability and surprisingly speedy acceleration, the Tsunami blends beginner-friendly handling with performance that won’t leave you wanting once you’ve mastered the basics. Everyone who paddled it—from testers to their mothers—had fun. A high-backed seat provides superb support, and with seven sizes available, it fits…
A DO-IT-ALL BARGAIN This is the shortboard for surfers with champagne taste and a box-wine budget. The six-foot-plus Glider was designed by Al Merrick, the revered shaper at Channel Islands Surfboards, and then mass-produced in Thailand by Global Surf Industries. It’s a classic all-around shape, and in both medium-size beach…
EXPEDITION BOAT The Delta Sport 17’s full-volume hull, from bow to stern, means dry decks and more than 55 gallons of covered storage—not counting what you can cram around you in the cockpit. Translation:It’s possible to haul up to 350 pounds of gear in this expedition-ready boat. It’s tough:…
It’s five bucks cheaper and every bit as comfortable and secure as any leash we’ve tried. Plus, it’s the first leash made from recycled rubber. Comes in six-to-nine-foot lengths. wavetribe.com…
Packable Sailboat “I can hardly believe it,” remarked one tester, “but it really does sail like a legit boat.” That pretty much sums up our take on the inflatable Smartkat. It took testers about an hour to assemble, but once on the water this 15'7″ masted catamaran, which is capable…
Eventually, you’ll probably own multiple pairs of shoes for different types of rock, but at first you want something with a flat last and ample support that’s agile in a variety of conditions, like SCARPA’s Thunder shoes. scarpa.com…
Long a champion of oversize aluminum tubing, Cannondale shifts gears to create an all-carbon rig that’s fast enough for testosterone-addled group rides but much more comfortable than its trademark metal frames on epic outings. With slack geometry, a moderately upright riding position, and the superior road-damping qualities of carbon…
Why It RulesThe Momentum is exactly what it needs to be. Thanks to a slim, clean cut and spare styling, this piece will keep you comfortable on the crags as well as in the city. » The Schoeller Dryskin fabric functions by virtue of its construction: A tight, double weave…
Last year, Wave Sport’s designers must have taken the same trip through the wind tunnel that Lamborghini techs made recently. Gone are the rococo flourishes and hard angles, replaced by spare, fluid lines. But where the Project’s predecessor, the ZG, allowed comfort and speed to compromise performance, this year’s…
Why It RulesThis heart-rate monitor and wrist-mounted coach makes everything—except the huffing and puffing—a snap. Think of it as the one-handed corkscrew, the clip-on bow tie of fitness equipment. Yes, it’s that easy to use. » Don the chest strap to measure beats per minute, and secure the plastic foot…
Why It’s CoolIt’s one of the few solo tents I can get dressed inside of without doing Pilates. The 36-inch ceiling let me sit posture-perfect. The 20-square-foot floor spans seven and a half feet, with enough room to sleep and also stash my clothes and other essentials. » The all-mesh…