The Goods: Road-Race Day
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1. BROOKS INFINITI JACKET The billboard-size logo on the back will make you feel like a pro during warm-ups, while reflective touches make it great for chilly dusk workouts. $100; brooksrunning.com
The Goods: Road-Race Day
2. TRIGGER POINT PLANTAR FASCIITIS KIT The antidote to flimsy racing flats and sore heels? A postrace foot massage. Included is a roller, two massage balls, and a how-to DVD. $110; tptherapy.com
3. ADIDAS ADISTAR SINGLET Slim-fitting and exceptionally sheer, this polyester singlet is as close to running shirtless as officials will permit. $45; shopadidas.com
4. JULBO OFF ROAD These full-coverage, photochromatic glasses are so light and comfortable, at least your face can relax. $150; julbousa.com
5. SUUNTO T4C Light and slim, this watch tracks cumulative time and last-lap splits while doubling as an HR monitor and coach during workouts. Beware: fine-print display. $240; suuntowatches.com
6. ASICS GEL-BANDITO This speedy, 8.2-ounce race flat offers just enough cushioning and moderate pronation control for half-marathons and up. $100; asics.com
7. NIKE PINNACLE RACE DAY SHORTS Short but not too short. Full slits and silky, quick-drying fabric allow unrestricted forward movement. $40; nike.com
8. TEKO ECOMERINO ULTRALIGHT MICROS These wool-polyester socks have a second-skin feel, thanks to smoothly blended stitching. $14; tekosocks.com
The Goods: Endurance Mountain Bike
1. CYCLEOPS FLUID2 TRAINER Warm up before races or log winter miles without risk of frostbite. The progressive resistance gets harder as you shift gears. $330; cycleops.com
2. LIGHT & MOTION STELLA 180-L With a beam that reaches more than 30 feet up the trail, the 10.6-ounce Stella LED is the ultimate helmet-mount backup. $300; bikelights.com
3. LUPINE BETTY 6 The lithium-ion battery is the size of a cigarette pack but lasts three hours at full strength, and the bulb seems brighter than a car’s high beams—just what you want in a main light. $1,000; gretnabikes.com
4. HOPEY BICYCLE STEERING DAMPER Do you wash out in turns when you’re tired or bouncing through technical terrain? This hydraulic system keeps your front wheel tracking straighter for improved control. $230; hopey.org
5. SCOTT SPARK LTD Though expensive, the Spark makes no compromise between weight and suspension, packing four-plus inches of travel into a bike that weighs just 20.6 pounds—lighter than many top hardtails. $8,300; scottusa.com
6. NOMAD 12-VOLT PORTABLE WASHER Use this compact pressure washer to clean your bike between muddy laps. $170; nomad2go.com
7. LOOK QUARTZ PEDALS There are other pedals as light as the 3.5-ounce Quartz, but none shed mud as well as these large, stable platforms. $100; lookcycle.com
8. LOOK PRO TEAM JACKET With a zip of the sleeves, this 10.4-ounce piece transforms into a wind vest. $160
9. CASTELLI PROLOGO JERSEY In cooler temps, this quick-drying jersey does double duty as a wicking base layer. $80; castelli-us.com
10. GARMIN EDGE 705 This GPS-enabled unit lets you track rides, download topo maps, monitor heart rate, and even sync up with a power meter. Download the data to your PC after the ride. From $500; garmin.com
The Goods: Road Trips
The Goods: Road Trips
1. YAKIMA SKYBOX PRO 16 This aerodynamic, 80 percent recycled rooftop trunk has 16 cubic feet of space. $520; yakima.com
2. INTELLIGENTFIRSTAID KIT A calm, clear female voice guides you through the steps with this emergency-supplies stash. $130; intelligentfirstaid.com.
3. ETÓN VOICELINK FR1000 EMERGENCY RADIO If the batteries run down, you can hand-crank to power this weather-resistant AM/FM/weather radio, walkie-talkie, alarm clock, flashlight, and cell-phone charger. $150; etoncorp.com
4. ALPINE BLACKBIRD PMD-B200 Dock this rechargeable handheld GPS ($750) in its complementary in-dash media player (not pictured; $1,000) for a touchscreen audio/video/navigation system. alpine-usa.com
5. CONTIGO AUTOSEAL WEST LOOP Spill-proof travel mug. Nuff said. $20; gocontigo.com
6. OUTDOOR RESEARCH EXPED MULTIMAT A tough, waterproof ground cover vast enough for two to spread out on. $38; outdoorresearch.com
7. CHARLYBOX Fill half with two liters of H20, half with dog food, snap together, and go. $60; dwr.com
8. XTREMEMAC INCHARGE AUTO Car-charge iPods, iPhones, and anything with a USB port. $20; xtrememac.com
9. MOUNTAINSMITH TOUR FX Brilliant: a camera-gear hauler in a well-designed and -balanced lumbar pack. $85; mountainsmith.com
10. KELTY BINTO BAR Separate your mobile mess kit into three bags and stow em under this collapsible organizer s wind-shielded prep board. $120; kelty.com
The Goods: Hiking
The Goods: Hiking
1. CLOUDVEIL STASH CREEK HOODED JACKET Stretch panels and a trim fit make this our go-to element-resistant shell. $120; cloudveil.com
2. NALGENE HDPE FILTER FOR GOOD WATER BOTTLE Nalgene donates 40 percent of the profits from each 32-ounce bottle (it’s just a bottle; there’s no filter) to the Blue Planet Run Foundation. $10; filterforgood.com
3. GSI OUTDOORS BACKPACKING COOK SYSTEM Two cups, two bowls, pot, lid, fry pan, and folding gripper all nest neatly in a stuffsack. $60; gsioutdoors.com
4. CRAZY CREEK HEXALITE LONGBACK CHAIR Lighter (just 18.5 ounces) and, with its higher back, even comfier than the original. $44; crazycreek.com
5. LULULEMON CHIEF SHORTS Loose cut, funky details, quick-drying. $80; lululemon.com
6. L.L.BEAN WOOL-BLEND RAGG SOCKS Under-engineered by today’s standards but still as comfy and durable as ever. Two pairs, $18; llbean.com
7. TEVA ARAVALLI SHOES Breathable mesh + a cinch-chord lace system + ample shock absorption = the perfect light-hiking shoe. $75; teva.com
8. EDDIE BAUER SPRING SOFTSHELL VEST This DWR-coated vest quickly became a coveted staple for testers. $68; eddiebauer.com
9. MSR HYPERFLOW MICROFILTER Light (7.4 ounces) and fast, it pumps enough water in one minute to fill three Nalgenes. Downside: Its end cap screws onto Nalgene-like bottles only. $100; msrgear.com
