Gear
Archive
I've always wanted to try a onesie. Good idea? Bad idea?
These new bags will replace two or more piece of gear in your pack and in your closet
While getting outside and playing with gear is a dream, it isn't my favorite part of my job—it's the people I work with. I have found that outdoors people—for the most part—are really good people. So, it makes sense that give-back programs are popular in the outdoor industry, and there are a lot of them to navigate. Which are the best?
The Neoteric’s fancy fabric— Polartec’s NeoShell—might be the ideal material for a resort ski jacket. It’s breathable, quiet, stretchy, and totally waterproof. And Eddie Bauer employs it perfectly.
With a tight 14.3-meter turn radius, a powerful system-style binding, and Head’s World Cup race construction, this Austrian setup should have tossed us Yanks around by our Cinnabons.
DPS took its deeply rockered Lotus 120—which sports a long pintail, tapered tip, and just a smidge of sidecut underfoot—and added a convex base to the shovel of the ski. That’s right, the base is actually spoon shaped in the front third.
The Annex 108 doesn’t really have a weak spot. The wood core and metal construction make chatter a nonissue.
It’s been years since we picked a thickly padded road runner as our top shoe. But the 1260v3 demanded the recognition. Yes, it goes overboard on the comfort, with a pillowy tongue and heel collar and spongy mesh in the upper. Yet it’s still efficient, so it was a welcome partner on long hauls.
Rossignol’s honeycombed tip and tail shed mass where it’s vital—away from your body. As a result, it’s effortless to throw the Soul 7 sideways in the trees or whenever you need to scrub speed.
The 2013 cyclocross silver medalist was aboard the X-Night Ultegra, which was overhauled from last year.
With ice-ax retention you can release with the pack on, gear loops for ’biners and belay devices, and an integrated crampon pocket, the Matrix is purpose-built for ski mountaineering. But you don’t have to rope up to appreciate how light, roomy, and useful the Matrix is.
The Black Everest, one of 13 new models from Louis Garneau using a Boa cable closure, finally nails it. The steel lacing, tightened by twisting a glove-friendly, ratcheting knob, snugs a soft plastic frame around your boot for a fit that feels custom.
Burton has been building snowboards in Vermont for more than 30 years. Along the way, it learned a thing or two about what makes a board well balanced.
Rossi is the industry leader when it comes to balancing rocker (upturned tip and tail), camber (for edge hold and glide), and taper (the pin shape in the front and back, which delivers a loose feel in and out of turns). This year it packed all that institutional knowledge into the Super 7.
The first 16-DIN tech binding, the new Beast features a “return to center” toe piece. As you ski, the binding deflects to absorb shock. It’s one of the reasons, safety-wise, alpine-style bindings outperform tech bindings.
The Halogen can’t do it all, but it does so much so well that it rates as one of the most versatile winter jackets we’ve ever tested.
Riders looking for a big-mountain twin tip will love the Venture Skylar
The Helldorado is nimble in strangled chutes but stable and absorbant when you’ve got room to open it up.
Looking for a little inspiration for your next ride? Look no further than cyclist, triathlete, and double amputee Hector Picard.
Whether you think e-mountain bikes are a godsend or an abomination, as companies like Currie Tech prepare to roll out whole lines of electric-assist trail rides for 2014, it’s clear the debate is upon us.
Snow is coming (and already here if you're in Colorado). Time to get my ski gear in shape?
Clothing that’s purpose-built for serious outdoor activities has been migrating to the city for several years now.
Giro’s Combyn helmet is made from the same material used to protect football players’ noggins.
For its redesigned Super 7, Rossignol found the perfect balance of rocker (upturned tip and tail), camber (underfoot for edge hold), and taper (for easy turn entry and exit).
I'm wondering could you recommend some sunglasses that could block 100% UV and 82-91% visible light. I want to use it for high altitude climbing and snow activities.
The Black Diamond pack that promises to set a new standard for avalanche survival gear
After a friend's recent near-miss with disaster in the backcountry, our writer has been thinking about risk, personal responsibility, and what it means to be "ready" to go the wild.
A closer look at how air bags increase your chances of surviving a deadly slide
I'm looking for a badass camp shoe that is also comfortable and up for a good rock scramble.
I'm in search of the Holy Grail of water bottles. Something that keeps my coffee hot and my G&T cold. It should also be able to take a serious beating.
The Kona Ironman is this week, so we take a look at the latest and greatest new gear from Hincapie, Zoot, Barracuda, and Felt
It’s hard to go wrong with either the Bianchi Oltre XR or the Wilier Cento1 SR. Choosing between them, however, proved easier.
Government shutdown be damned, an all-star team of ski and snowboard bigwigs converged in D.C. this week to support Obama's climate plan.
April Showers or Labor Day deluge—new gear to keep you dry
The latest and greatest outdoor-gear projects from Kickstarter, Indiegogo and other fund-me sites.
Think you can squeeze in another season with that old lid? Read this first.
The remarkably well-priced Theory features damping wood-core construction, powerful vertical side walls, and energetic carbon fiber stringers.
This gold-standard shell holds its own come wind, rain, snow, or shine—and plays well with others
Long popular in Europe, kid-hauling bikes with an electric assist are catching on stateside and opening up new roads for family adventure.
Speciality ski and snowboard manufacturers team up to tell snow sliders to buy local
Maximalist shoes are all the rage in my running circle. Should I try to get over how they look and give them a shot?
There are quite a few cool kid- and cargo-hauling utility bikes at this year’s show. But there are a bunch of reasons why Xtracycle’s new Edgerunner is our favorite.
Now Shimano unveils the R785 levers, which are optimized to work with Ultegra Di2. Because they are electronic and not mechanical, the R785s are trimmer than their SRAM equivalents, with sleek ergonomics that closely match Dura Ace and Ultegra feel.
The Forefront is as lightweight and airy as many XC helmets, thanks to a highly breathable honeycomb-style polymer called Koroyd, yet it has the lower rear coverage and extra protection of an enduro-style lid.
This disc-exclusive aluminum frame takes tires up to 45mm, has internal cable routings to keep out the grit, a color-matched carbon fork to cut the rattle, and is built longer, lower, and slacker than your average road bike for fire roads, gravel grinding, and basically going wherever you please.
E-bikes and fat bikes are once again getting a lot of buzz at this year’s Interbike show. And while the e-bikes get faster and sleeker and cooler looking and fat bikes get lighter and more tricked out, we only found one bike that embodies both trends: Felt’s concept e-fat bike, which mates an electric motor from Bosch to a rigid-framed fat bike.
The GoPro founder on failure, finding a passion, and making your hardest-working decade count
It’s not too late to reboot your career. Just ask David Lang, who bounced back from a layoff by launching a thriving underwater-exploration startup in a matter of months.
A late-summer weekend at Angel Fire bolsters our writer's belief in all the benefits of the bike park
What are the coolest and most unexpected uses of duct tape in the outdoor world?
Finding gear in my size is impossible. What are the best products for bigger guys?
You love to read product reviews and research the hell out of every purchase. Here's what you should bookmark.
Women’s different hydration needs have historically been ignored because research on women in sports has lagged. Until now.
We pitted the Spot Honey Badger against the Jackal K9 in search of the finest one-geared ride. So which one’s tougher, dog or badger?
After thousands of miles on the bike this summer, we’ve settled on our favorite new cycling apparel
What gear do filmmakers use to capture the insane aerial shots we see in ski videos?
If you thought you knew Fuji, think again. This muscly all-arounder might just be one of the most underrated race bikes on the market.
Everything you need to plan the perfect Grand Canyon summer escape
I'm in search of the Holy Grail of water bottles. Something that keeps my coffee hot and my G&T cold. It should also be able to take a serious beating.
Should I buy that new down jacket sooner rather than later? I keep hearing rumors that clothing prices are set to jump. Is there any truth to the chatter?
A camera can capture things the human eye can't—including star trails.
A few simple exercises can cure plantar fasciitis
We rode the 2014 Epic at Specialized’s Leadville 100 launch and walked away wondering, as always, whether there’s any better race bike out there.
Hack your way to comfort in the great outdoors
The best way to keep your water supply squeaky clean
PowerIce, a cross between a hydration drink and a popsicle, might just be the perfect summer nutrition product for athletes
On a riding trip in the north woods this summer, Salsa showed off deft new redesigns of its venerable Spearfish and Horsethief models
Bringing my pricey DSLR out on adventures scares me. But that's why I bought it. How can I can keep my gear safe?
In an already fast and remarkable year at the Leadville 100 mountain bike race, Matt Dewitt made history as the first double amputee finisher
I'm looking to buy my first pair of climbing shoes, and I'm completely lost. What features should I be looking for?