Gear
Archive
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?
The present, future, and far-out prospects of wearable technology.
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…
The new XTR 9000 mountain bike component set adds 1x11 functionality, but the real story is even more choice and versatility.
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.
Timbertek's packable Baked Potato is a tough and tiny surfboard
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.”
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…
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?
Despite their ubiquity, fitness trackers have yet to earn their place in the professional ranks—or deserve a spot on your wrist.
Run with 36,000 strangers, and someone else will probably have on the same outfit—or at least the same shoes.
The most wholesome flip-flops in the world?
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…
Google Glass and World Wildlife Fund team up to save the rhino
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.
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
The chemistry-led quest to create the world’s best super chalk blends for climbers and weight lifters
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…
Who needs interchangeable lenses when one pair of glasses can do it all?
A new era of super-fast charging is on the horizon, and that could mean outdoor tech that lasts longer and goes farther.
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…
This new seat post provides the comfort of an endurance road bike without all the cost.
Five companies are making some of the finest handcrafted goods in the country right next to each other in the southwest corner of Colorado.
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.
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…
Our list of 10 must-have items for a debauchery-filled summer
Mountains Plus helps usher in new era of digital currency
Because you don't need expensive gear to enjoy the backcountry
This fitness tracker could change everything—as long as the company marketing it actually exists.
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.
The Stacked Cabin, nestled in a forest near Muscoda, Wisconsin, is the perfect Midwestern retreat.
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…
Five of the icon's most influential inventions
A new company launches into the cycling apparel world
"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.
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.
Professional coach Candace Shadley dishes her secrets on how to become a better mountain biker.
There’s more than one way to lace a crossover mountain bike shoe
The computer company plans to revolutionize how we work out, and it has the hardware (or at least the patents) to prove it.
Aerodynamics and comfort don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Camping at the start of spring is pure magic: the rivers are opening up, the days are getting longer, and most of the country gets deluged with life-giving rain. Okay, so while the rain might not be your favorite part of camping, if you come at it with the right…
Bikes, boats, and boards have started coming off a printer rather than an assembly line. And that could mean better, less expensive gear for you.
The must-have memento from America's most iconic marathon is a boldly colored windbreaker to help you run happy.
Are you ready to watch this week's "Game of Thrones" season premier surrounded by nature?
One hundred percent wool isn’t just for winter’s base layers. So don’t be sheepish about swapping your synthetics for a more natural alternative this summer.
What’s the best avalanche airbag technology on the market?
I can’t think of a better alpinist to answer this question than Steve House—guide, author, Patagonia ambassador, and founder of the Alpine Mentors Program. House has climbed some of the highest peaks in the world with his remarkably clean, fast, and light style. The…
A personal robotic lawn mower that runs on the grass it cuts
A new breed of adventure-ready cameras make capturing your journeys easier than ever, no matter where you're headed.