Gear
ArchiveBy Stephen Regenold Managing a large camera on a hike can be a pain. Big SLR cameras with long lenses are such a hassle that I often opt to leave them behind when heading outdoors. The KEYHOLE Hands-Free Camera Harness, a $30…
By Stephen Regenold High-performing heated boots have long been a Holy Grail in the footwear world. With its new men's Bugathermo and women's Snow Hottie models, Columbia Sportswear Company took a stab at making the ultimate heated boot.
By Stephen Regenold This gear won't be in shops until the spring or next fall, but here's a peek at a few innovations and out-there items coming soon to an outdoors store near you. Glowing Sandals: Never trip in the dark again. A small…
Courtesy of Flickr Alexander Kendrick, a 16-year-old from Los Alamos, New Mexico, has invented a device that allows cavers to text to the surface of the Earth from deep underground, NPR reports. It's basically a…
I've been searching for an elusive jacket for more than six months. My ideal selection would be a soft shell for fall/winter/early spring activities. The jacket would need a detachable/stowable hood, armpit zips, and two or more pockets for stowing gear.
By Stephen Regenold The ProGrid Razor shoes are a high-end winter trail-runner with integrated gaiters and a lightweight Vibram outsole touted to provide “exceptional traction and grip.” An eVent lining adds waterproof protection to the upper for puddles or slushy days on…
I use snow-shoes for winter backpacking and I love it; but I think I could cover more ground and enjoy it more if I used skis. Can you recommend a cross-country ski binding that will accept my perfect fitting Asolo TPS 535 hiking boots? James Orem, UT
I was a little disappointed when Wavemaster America’s CEO, Steven Moser, told me that the Waterman stand up paddleboard (at left, red board on right) I was picking up from his house in Palos Verdes, California, was not designed for surfing steep or sizable waves.
We're entering the midway point of the Outside bike-test week in Tucson, Arizona, and we've had a pretty special toy to play with during the first part of the week. The photos are below. It's not part of our test, but it probably offers a hint of what life will…
By Stephen Regenold Each winter, the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City brings together 40,000 attendees to ogle the latest in outdoor apparel and gear. Here are a few products that stood apart from the rest.
One of my health resolutions this year was to drink more water. Should be easy, right? Except for the fact that I sit at a desk all day, and when the water fountain's out of sight, it's out of mind. I needed a water bottle, and not one that would…
Day 2 of Outdoor Retailer Winter Market has just ended. It's been a long day of looking at new product. My brain is a bit fried, but here's what I can tell you. The color purple. You're going to see a…
By Mary Catherine O'Connor Headed for the hills this weekend? Feeling bad about wheeling up in your A4 Wagon with nothing but your gear and Learn Cantonese audio books? You're in luck: new ride-share and resort-bound bus services have been cropping up, connecting drivers with…
Justin's Picks: The Most Noteworthy Gear of Winter Outdoor Retailer 2010 Part 1: If you're as geeked about gear as we are here at Outside magazine, you probably already know that the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake…
By Stephen Regenold The twice-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show gives a peek at what's to come in the world of outside gear. The winter version begins today. Here's a quick look at a few hot items: Polarmax…
Hate burning through batteries on your cell phone? Petzl has a sweet looking new headlamp in the works that has a rechargeable battery. I haven't tried it, since it's a prototype, but what separates it from other rechargeable headlamps on the market is you can swap out the lithium polymer…
The Gear Junkie already gave you a peek at some of the new products debuting on the showroom floor during day one of the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. I've noticed two trends from gear makers—hybrid jackets (i.e. a hard shell lined with a compressible…
Nokia, the world's number one phone maker, has a full navigation suite now available to any compatible smartphone for free, Wired.com reports. The suite includes maps, updates, driving and walking directions, guides from Lonely Planet…
Sanyo has introduced the Eneloop hybrid bike to the U.S. market. It costs $2,300, weighs about 50 pounds, and has a lithium-ion battery and 250-watt motor activated by a button on the left handlebar, according to…
By Stephen Regenold Visions of the Michelin Man might come to mind, but for untold thousands of winter lovers, horizontally-banded, ultra-insulated puffy down jackets have become the ubiquitous choice for the coldest of days. I am one of these mini Michelin Men. In Minnesota,…
By Stephen Regenold “There is a fine point where an athlete could freeze up, break down or thrive.” That is a tagline from Craft, a Swedish maker of clothing catered to runners, cross-country skiers, and cyclists. During activity or not, the average body functions best at…
As a newcomer to a cold climate, I've found several outdoor sports I enjoy. I've figured out how to keep my body and digits warm, but my face gets so cold it goes numb and my eyeballs feel like they'll freeze in their sockets. I've gotten a mild case of frostbite on my face. How can I keep my face warm and protected?
By Stephen Regenold My plane ticket is booked. The training schedule I've committed to for months is winding down. The great adventure that is the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race, a weeklong endurance event through Tierra…
Your dog likes to roam around outside for several hours a day, so why not make good use of play time by strapping a solar panel and battery pack to its back? …Right? That's what one guy thought, anyway, as shown in this YouTube video that was featured on…
I need a soft-shell jacket with high breathability that I can also use for casual wear most of the time. I'm going to use it on spring and cool summer nights. Basically something I can wear with a T-shirt after hiking or rock climbing, something highly breathable and wind proof, but it doesn’t need to keep me too warm. Should I wait until new models come out in spring or buy one now? Ugur Istanbul
By Stephen Regenold Send a Tweet from the backcountry, track your GPS position anywhere on the globe, text-message a friend out of cell-phone range, or blip out an SOS signal in an emergency situation via a roving satellite network. These are the touted features of a GPS/satellite…
The best thing about the auto-industry shake-up? A sudden glut of well-priced, fuel-efficient, and adventure-ready cars and trucks.
One might think that jeans would’ve suffered neglect due to all the highfalutin’ Space Age materials on the market today. After all, they’re slow to dry and stretch out between washings. The knees blow out with minimal provocation. But these limitations have only strengthened my love for them. With synthetics…
Do emergency blankets make a good alternative for a sleeping bag, in terms of ultra-light backpacking? Would they be good for repetitive use? Steve Edmonton, Alberta
I trying to find the best boot setup for my job. I a professional dog hiker. My job entails hiking five to six miles a day three days a week with 13 dogs throughout the winter in mountainous terrain. Generally I moving so much that I sweating and warm, but after I start my descent my feet are sweaty and start to freeze. I use sock liners and hiking socks with my Vasque Sundowners or Asolo's with Outdoor Research gaiters and Yaktrax Pros. Is there a special winter boot out there or setup you recommend? John Missoula, MT
Hi, I want to get my husband some cold-weather gear for paddling (wet suit, paddle jacket) so he can kayak year round. What products would you suggest to keep him warm? Casey Fayetteville, AR
Julia Mancuso The first time we heard about Julia Mancuso, she was winning gold in the 2006 giant slalom, in Turin, after top U.S. contender Lindsey Vonn was injured in practice. The Lake Tahoe native went on to have a career-best season, but in the years that…
Hi! I'm trying to decide on a jacket to use as an insulating midlayer for backpacking this winter. I want one that's warm while sedentary, but really breathable while doing aerobic activity. I’m not sure what to go with: fleece, soft shell, or down? The Arc’teryx Hercules jacket seems to be promising because of the high loft fleece interior and superior breathability, although I'm concerned it might not be warm enough. The mercury usually dips into the low teens here in late winter. Any advice? Matt Birmingh, AL
I'm convinced there's no objective info out there about bike wheels anymore. I want a set of lightweight aero road-bike wheels for racing, but do real people actually pay $2,000 bucks for carbon deep-dish wheels? In other words, are carbon wheels disposable, are budget carbon wheels worth a look, and would an aluminum clincher wheel really be just as good for crits and road races? What's an aspiring racer on a budget to do? John Lexington, KY
By Stephen Regenold From whitewater kayaking in Colorado to trekking in Belize, the past 12 months proved to be another epic year of adventure. Along the way, I put dozens of outdoors products to the test–tents, packs, boots, bikes, and knives among the mix. These…
By Stephen Regenold It stuffs down to a size smaller than a baseball. Its manufacturer, Sea to Summit Inc. of Perth, Australia, suggests using it as a keychain. But unpack the Ultra-Sil Day Pack and its crinkly “siliconized” Cordura nylon quickly takes shape, a backpack…
This year I began tossing some of my older, deformed wool socks for swamp-running and replaced them with socks from Vermont-native sock company Darn Tough (socks from $14). I picked up my first pair of neon striped boot socks in a discount bin in…
Body Glove's Eco Loose Fit Surf Shirt ($50) scores points on many levels. Not only is the material buttery soft, the shirt is good for more than its name lets on. On a recent trip to southern Africa, I wore it diving, surfing, rock climbing, and…
Nobody likes the numb, tingly feeling you sometimes get in your man-parts after a long bike ride. That is why I was really excited to try the Scratch Pro saddle ($150) from Prologo. And, hey, if 2008 Tour de…
I?m looking to invest in a sleeping bag and want to know how to choose the proper temperature rating. You?ve said that it must be rated ten degrees warmer than the coldest temperatures expected. Why is that? And is that in degrees Celsius? Also, I will be purchasing a tent, so how much do I rely on the tent and how much on the sleeping bag? Is the tent only for the wind and rain, or can it be really warmer? Vladimir Tokyo, Japan
I need a camera tough enough for whitewater kayaking and canyoneering (i.e., water- and shock-resistant), one that can handle expedition trips off the grid (i.e., takes AA batteries). Last year we did an 18-day trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and my boyfriend brought along a 12-pound solar power pack for recharging camera and camccorder batteries?no kidding! Problem is, it didn't work (long story). Oh, and if I could ask for one more thing, it would be a viewfinder in addition to the usual LCD screen. I've been looking in vain for this camera since my very old beloved Pentax Optio died. Does this camera exist, or I doomed to having only my memories to remember my adventures? Sharon Notre De, IN
The pros at Bent Gate Mountaineering team up with Serac Adventure Films to provide winter gear advice.
I love gadgets. I always have. Gadgets are handy little devices that usually aren’t necessary, but are still fun to have along for the ride. The Highgear Terrapod ($70) is a gadget, and a rugged one at that. I've gotten along fine on backpacking journeys for…
By Stephen Regenold You may think of Case Logic Inc. as a company that makes briefcases for laptop computers. (I did, at least.) But the Longmont, Colorado, company, which is owned and operated by Thule, has a line of organizational products that stretches from GPS…
A few years ago, I bought a pair of hiking boots with a molded sole. Spent $250 for the things. I have to admit that they were comfy. They lasted less than a year; the sole ce off both boots, and because of the way the sole was attached there was no way to repair them. I just had the third sole put on a pair of Lowa's that I bought in the late ?70s. As far as I'm concerned these new boots are for the throw-away crowd who face all the adversities of hiking across the parking lot of the local mega box. I'm looking for a new pair of boots with the good "old" style welt and a similar rugged construction. Or, at least, something that can be repaired. Leroy Fayetteville, AR
My biggest problem with my current daypack is that my back gets very sweaty, even with a quick-dry shirt. Do you know of any daypacks that allow for more airflow between the pack and my back? Christopher St. Louis, MO
The Lolë Women’s Travel pants ($80) were designed specifically for me, I’m sure of it. Okay, so maybe they weren’t, but they fit like they were built for my needs, wants and activities. The travel pant looks like a dressier trouser, stretches like your favorite…
By Stephen Regenold This winter, I have kicked my athletic training into high gear. In February, I am traveling to Chile to captain a team in the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race, anultra-endurance event through Tierra del Fuego. The multi-day race will include long treks, mountain-bike segments, climbing,…
The 2010 Vuelta a Espana route has been announced, Velo News reports. The race will begin with an evening stage in Seville on August 28. Riders will then cover over 3,300 km in the 21-stage race. This year's Vuelta includes only one time trial made…
The Flash 65 by REI ($150) is fairly elusive to the eye. It seems like just another backpack with nothing special to offer. Fortunately, this pack is loaded with smart features and the fit is awesome. Designed to be a lightweight pack at two pounds…
Researchers are MIT have designed a bike wheel that saves the kinetic energy generated by braking and stores it for later use, when the rider needs a boost, The New York Times reports. The energy goes into a battery inside the wheel's hub, a sleek…
Jimmy Winkelmann might have a sense of humor, but The North Face isn't laughing. The gear and apparel giant is suing the 19-year-old founder of “The South Butt,” a line of apparel parodying The North Face's logo and motto, claiming Winkelmann's brand of humor…
If you have a winter-sports junkie on your shopping list, and you've seen Outside's third annual Winter Buyer's Guide, you've got your ski-coat, hard-shell, and soft-shell needs taken care of. To fill in the gaps, we found ten great jackets for…
Spot Messenger emergency beacons have become popular with backcountry users as a low-priced way to summon help when outside of cell-phone coverage areas. Today, however, the company issued a statement that it would be accepting free returns of the new, smaller version of the beacon—the Spot 2—after the company…
By Stephen Regenold With its new high-top trail shoe, Inov-8 stakes a simple claim: The Roclite 288 GTX is “the lightest-weight waterproof boot on the market.” Its GORE-TEX membrane provides a waterproof barrier. It weighs about 10 ounces per foot in a men's size nine–half the weight…
Whether you're looking to get some holiday shopping done, or just need to upgrade your gear stash, a web site to watch is SteepandCheap.com. Much like Woot! and other bargain sites, SteepandCheap offers daily deals on outdoor apparel and gear, with products…
Dear Auntie Nellie, Thank you so much for the closet-full of holiday sweaters. I particularly love the one with the reindeer branded festively across my chest–the sewn-on bells were a nice touch too. And not annoying at all. This year, I thought I might lend you a hand in…
I like clothing that encourages you to use it and abuse it. The tags attached to my new Lululemon Contender Jacket ($108) read: “Play hard and sweat hard.” It also claimed it was “created to withstand five years of physical athletic abuse.” After wearing it…
By Stephen Regenold Snow is on the ground. Lights are twinkling in neighborhood trees. Time to find gifts for the outdoors lovers on your holiday list. Here are a few of my favorite things from this year, a half-dozen holiday gift potentials for the…
It took a lot for me to let go of The North Face down sleeping bag I’ve had for about two decades, in spite of its becoming flatter and flatter by the year. It had been with me through the Andes, North Africa, much of Europe, and…
We always knew the stats were rigged, but now comes proof: A team of Dartmouth economists discovered that ski resorts report 23 percent more new snow on weekends than during the week, even though government weather data shows no such “weekend effect.” The resorts least likely to exaggerate? Those with…
By Stephen Regenold Jeans rarely do double duty as performance wear for active types. But this month Quiksilver releases three sport-specific pants that are fashionable enough and can squeak by for cyclists and skaters looking to jump a curb or kickflip a set of stairs while wearing…
This fall, Warren Miller Entertainment (WME) sued Level 1 Productions for having Warren Miller (the man) narrate a segment of its new ski film, Refresh. Miller, 85, responded by intervening in the suit and entering into arbitration with WME, a company he sold in 1988thus relinquishing the right to use…
By Stephen Regenold Mate a hooded sweatshirt with a base-layer top and you'd get the Ibex Hooded Indie. This hard-to-categorize piece, which is new this fall, includes a long zipper on the chest, a tight-fitting hood, and sleeves equipped with thumb-hole cuffs.
Powder snobs often overlook Vermont's small, friendly skiing, which means more fun for the locals—and you. Here's where to get your Green Mountain State fix this winter.
Over the past few years, we've written about and reviewed a bunch of gear from Nau, makers of stylish and eco-conscious technical outerwear and clothing for men and women, like the jacket the bearded gentleman is wearing above. If you're not familiar with their stuff, check it…
Can you recommend a heart rate monitor? I'm looking for a do-it-all model, that a ten year old or adult can use. I want a model that constantly monitors heart rate, downloads to a computer, and doesn't cost a mint. Dave Sierra Vista, AZ
I do a lot of winter hiking and would love to know what boot will provide the warmth I need that is also very light. I'm only 101 pounds and the ones I have now are not working for me! Jeanette Gilford, NH
I found the perfect place to test out the La Sportiva FC 1.1 Hikers ($105), the Moosehead Lake region of Maine. I set up up a series of day hikes to put the shoes to the test. Let’s start with the cosmetics: these…
Are gaiters really necessary or just another piece of equipment to spend money on? If gaiters are needed, then what should I be looking at to find the best functioning/performing gaiter for the price? It seems from everyone I've talked with, or reviews I have read so far all speak to the band/tie that goes under the boot always failing. What is your experience with gaiters? Matt Stevens Point, WI
By Stephen Regenold Dressing right for aerobic activity in cold weather is a continual challenge. With its new Animagi Jacket, The North Face offers a hybrid option that insulates where needed but also breathes. Horizontal panels and a high neck give the Animagi the look…
What do you think of the Patagonia Hibernation Parka? Philip Mill Valley, CA
By Stephen Regenold Take a watertight polycarbonate container and cram it full with gear. That's the gist of a GearPod, the namesake new product from GearPods Corporation of Polson, Montana. The company (gearpods.com) offers a line of ready-made adventure and survival…
Presenting nine foolproof rules to keep in mind when scouting for presents (or just a little swag for yourself), plus 67 great products we couldn't keep under wraps.
I’m planning a three-month trip to the Big Island and wanted to have some way to keep in contact with my travel companions. We are thinking about buying a set of walkie talkies. If we purchase these in Ontario will they work in Hawaii? Or do we need to purchase them in Hawaii? Can you suggest the best model to buy? Diane Ontario, Canada
How can you tell when it's time to change your trail running shoes? Carlos Mexico City, Mexico
I'm in the market for some good ol' fashioned, single-leather-upper hiking boots. Nothing against the space age looks of most boots today; I just long for the time when boots looked like, well, boots! Aside from the Vasque Sundowners, do you have any recommendations? I liked the Zberlan Panthers, and the Made in Italy nostalgia is a plus. Price being on the back burner, I'm looking for that old-school Sundowner, Panther, Banff style boot; ideally of high quality. Thoughts? Ben Bern, NC