Gear
ArchiveA pedal-based cycling power meter
The coolest, newest toys for the road and the trail
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?
An airy hideaway above Zambia’s Zambezi River
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.
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…
A luxury sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest
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.
The chemistry-led quest to create the world’s best super chalk blends for climbers and weight lifters
A high-value—but heavy—trail-oriented 27.5er from Colorado’s Front Range
A do-it-all midlayer for women that blends wool and synthetic fabrics
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…
The two-in-one, take-apart boat
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.
Better gimbal, better drone
What’s the mega-star to do after the worst crash in sports history? Start at the bottom and work his way up again.
Ten lightweight, inexpensive products to keep you clean and happy on the trail
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
Designed for urban commutes, short hikes, and air travel
Mountains Plus helps usher in new era of digital currency
Because you don't need expensive gear to enjoy the backcountry
Take refuge under an ancient oak
Chasing peak performance at the Arizona Trail 300
This fitness tracker could change everything—as long as the company marketing it actually exists.
One of the best new heart-rate monitors on the market
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.
An iconic pair of sunglasses make a comeback.
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.
Five of the icon's most influential inventions
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…
The Stacked Cabin, nestled in a forest near Muscoda, Wisconsin, is the perfect Midwestern retreat.
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.
A Chilean startup transforms discarded, deadly fishing nets into cruiser boards.
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,…
Professional coach Candace Shadley dishes her secrets on how to become a better mountain biker.
A beautiful, fast, and ridiculously light fatbike.
There’s more than one way to lace a crossover mountain bike shoe
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 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.
The world’s lightest minimalist sport sandal
For die-hard outdoor enthusiasts
Are you ready to watch this week's "Game of Thrones" season premier surrounded by nature?
The must-have memento from America's most iconic marathon is a boldly colored windbreaker to help you run happy.
A surfing, skateboarding, sailing icon
What’s the best avalanche airbag technology on the market?
A versatile, well-behaved, eager gravel grinder
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.
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.
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…
Don’t let giardiasis turn you into a weak, dehydrated mess
An $800 setup for the wannabe pro mechanic
This fattie brings new meaning to earning your turns.
Last year, Patagonia released the Encapsil Down Parka—probably the most technically sophisticated down jacket ever made. In addition to a slew of innovative design features, Patagonia used a process called “plasma deposition” to make the down inside the jacket hydrophobic. Rather than rely soley on chemicals,…
Your winter gear and grooming goods have something in common.
This aluminum longer-travel 29er is just more proof that big-wheeled trail bikes are here to stay.
A voice-activated, Wi-Fi-enabled cooking machine
The popular fitness app gets (even more) social.
The widest viewing camera in the world
At last, a shoe that pedals like a cycling cleat but walks like a hiker