Gear
ArchiveTo help Mom relax, recharge, and get ready for whatever’s next, whether it’s your bucket-list trek—or hers.
French press, espresso, or Clif Shot?
After an Ontario motorist struck and killed a teenage boy, the family sued her. But the driver sued right back, claiming her hardship was as bad as theirs. We’re left wondering: who's to blame?
Cycling’s most infamous rider has been looking for work lately. We caught up with him at his latest bike-shop gig to hear a few pointers about what to do when you break down. Read the full story here. …
A wilderness retreat overlooking one of the largest lakes in the country
Would your mother or wife prefer to be climbing, boating, or running rather than brunching this Sunday? If the answer is yes, read on.
Off-roading gets high-tech
Your Marty McFly dreams just came true
Yes, I write about gear for a living, I have access to the most sophisticated toys and tools in the outdoor world, and I’m constantly geeking out over tech details. But I’m keenly aware of the fact that the gear does not make the athlete. I was a much better…
Yes, the devices can be valuable training aids when properly employed, but they’re hardly the essential tools some athletes make them out to be.
Blame the late introduction of the Under Armour suits, plus other crucial mistakes
From ultrathin condoms to high-tech women's skis, the world's strongest and lightest material has almost limitless possibilities. But the real breakthroughs so far have come in the world of sports.
The so-called father of the long-travel 29er is still quietly building one of the most capable five-inch trail bikes out there.
To answer this question, I turned to our Summer Buyer’s Guide jacket tester Ryan Stuart. He lives and recreates on Vancouver Island (where they measure rainfall in feet every spring), and he spends about 70 days a year in the wet testing the newest rain jackets for Outside. Before buying…
From terminator-style cycling shades to earphones that track your every move, wearable technology promises to change the way we train. But I had to ask, is it wearable?
From the coolest kayak we’ve ever seen to a super grippy water shoe, this is the gear you need for those quiet days on the river.
The present, future, and far-out prospects of wearable technology.
The new XTR 9000 mountain bike component set adds 1x11 functionality, but the real story is even more choice and versatility.
Function and fashion for the outdoors
Portable outdoor toys that play big and travel small
I’m not the type of person who becomes deeply attached to my belongings. But when I sold my things and moved into my Honda Element, the rig naturally grew on me. After all, it was home. Fast forward years later with many adventures and shenanigans in between, the “Toaster" was eventually totaled out with beyond-needed repairs. It was time to bid farewell. These are a collection of images that memorialize my time on the road in the “Toaster.”
All your technology—from GoPro to GPS—is useless in the backcountry once the batteries die. And that’s when these six sun-powered chargers come into play.
A pedal-based cycling power meter
The coolest, newest toys for the road and the trail
Timbertek's packable Baked Potato is a tough and tiny surfboard
Tiny adventure tools that prove size doesn't matter
With the launch of the Salsa Bucksaw, the question shifts from whether fat bikes need full suspension to what’s a four-inch fattie capable of?
An airy hideaway above Zambia’s Zambezi River
Craft beer and outdoor pursuits complement each other perfectly. But just as we battle the elements to summit a mountain, we also battle the elements to keep good beer cold when we take it outside. So while sun and warm weather are great reasons to crack open a cold…
Run with 36,000 strangers, and someone else will probably have on the same outfit—or at least the same shoes.
Despite their ubiquity, fitness trackers have yet to earn their place in the professional ranks—or deserve a spot on your wrist.
Cotopaxi isn’t the first outdoor company built around philanthropy, but the two-week-old water bottle and backpack manufacturer is the most exciting to watch right now. Cotopaxi’s founder, Davis Smith, has a vision to change the world through business. And thanks to a brilliant marketing launch, a direct-to-consumer…
A luxury sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest
Google Glass and World Wildlife Fund team up to save the rhino
The most wholesome flip-flops in the world?
A medium-fast fly rod that's affordable and good looking
This isn’t just an excellent garage-organization tool. It’s the ultimate race bag.
The chemistry-led quest to create the world’s best super chalk blends for climbers and weight lifters
A do-it-all midlayer for women that blends wool and synthetic fabrics
A high-value—but heavy—trail-oriented 27.5er from Colorado’s Front Range
Who needs interchangeable lenses when one pair of glasses can do it all?
Yes, sun hats are one of the most effective ways to prevent skin cancer. But did you know they can also keep the heat from zapping your energy? During my decade as a raft guide, I found I was much more energetic at the end of the day when I…
First, you should start by thinking about this question in a different way. It’s not about breaking in the boot to fit your foot, but breaking in your foot to fit the boot. If that sounds painful and a bit mystical, don’t worry. There are some easy steps you can…
A new era of super-fast charging is on the horizon, and that could mean outdoor tech that lasts longer and goes farther.
The two-in-one, take-apart boat
Five companies are making some of the finest handcrafted goods in the country right next to each other in the southwest corner of Colorado.
This new seat post provides the comfort of an endurance road bike without all the cost.
With inspiring local attractions like Wolf Creek Ski Area, the town of Telluride, and the San Juan National Forest out the back door, it’s no surprise that some of the finest handmade outdoor goods emerge from the 160-mile corridor between Montrose and Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Outside recently hit the road…
Ten lightweight, inexpensive products to keep you clean and happy on the trail
What’s the mega-star to do after the worst crash in sports history? Start at the bottom and work his way up again.
Better gimbal, better drone
Designed for urban commutes, short hikes, and air travel
Our list of 10 must-have items for a debauchery-filled summer
Because you don't need expensive gear to enjoy the backcountry
Take refuge under an ancient oak
Mountains Plus helps usher in new era of digital currency
This fitness tracker could change everything—as long as the company marketing it actually exists.
Chasing peak performance at the Arizona Trail 300
One of the best new heart-rate monitors on the market
An iconic pair of sunglasses make a comeback.
Five of the icon's most influential inventions
The Stacked Cabin, nestled in a forest near Muscoda, Wisconsin, is the perfect Midwestern retreat.
From a unique heart-rate monitor to a cutting-edge computer built into a pair of sunglasses, this is the brand-new gear you need to get faster this season.
Using 6 Go Pro cameras and a custom sqaure (ish) shaped mount, Jonas Ginter was able to create a trippy effect for a timelapse around town. Ginter esentially took the distorted look we’ve come to love from action cams and completely maxed it out.
Summer Buyer’s Guide tester Billy Brown currently has an office, a closet, and a garage overflowing with next year’s light hikers. The founder of Trek Tech blog and his testers have run about 120 boots through the ringer over the past year. In other words, he…
"I bought my first VW Westfalia Vanagon camper back in 1999, and have since owned five of them. I finally settled on a gorgeous 1991 model—lucked into via Craigslist for $9,000 a few years ago."
One of the most traditional and storied frame builders is helping to usher in disc brakes for the road.
A new company launches into the cycling apparel world
While you don’t need fancy running shorts, a pair that doesn’t work can ruin your run. (Chafing is hard to ignore.) The best shorts should make you feel like you’re running in the buff—without having to worry about picking up a public-indecency charge. We’ve been testing running shorts since October,…
A Chilean startup transforms discarded, deadly fishing nets into cruiser boards.