Everything
What made big news last month? Scroll down to find out. Here are the top 10 posts from October. At least you'll be armed with good dinner party conversation. Number 10: The Top 10 Adventures in Scotland Number 9: The Top 10 Things To…
The blogosphere lit up after news broke last week that a financial manager would not face felony charges after a hit-and-run on a cyclist in Colorado. Here's the latest with updates from involved parties and reactions…
Dean Potter and Sean Leary set a new speed record for the Nose route of El Capitan on Saturday. The pair climbed the 2900-foot route in two hours, thirty-six minutes, forty-five seconds, just twenty seconds faster than the record set by Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayama in 2008. In…
I’m a minimalist—even when it comes to carrying a medical kit. On big weekend tours, you should take a full medical kit like one by Adventure Medical Kits. But do you need to take the full shebang every time you step out for a two-hour mountain bike…
From Eastern Rises, winner Best Film on Mountain Sport, 2010 Banff Film Festival. Courtesy of The Banff Center The Banff Mountain Film Festival wrapped up yesterday, with Jason Burlage’s Mi Chacra taking home the grand…
The documentary, Free Shane & Josh, is 25 minutes of explanation of how three American hikers crossed near the border of Iraq and Iran and were detained by the Iranian military last year, Wend reports. Sarah Shourd, the one of the three hikers who…
Like untold thousands of American inventors before him, Dan Martinson created something new after a bit of frustration at the limitations of a standard product he had sitting around the house. In Martinson's case, it was bungee cords. “I found it very difficult to keep anything on the front of…
Lucky Chance started getting attention from the mainstream media last year when a video appeared on YouTube of him BASE jumping off the “Death Swing,” a 100-foot-long, clifftop rope swing in Australia's Blue Mountains. Chance, a 27-year-old stuntman, rock…
Photo courtesy of Red Bull. Ultra-marathoner Karl Meltzer can outrun a horse. To prove it, Meltzer recently completed the first-ever run of the full 2,064-mile Pony Express route in 40 days, finishing on October 25. The run commemorated the 150th…
Specialized Pro Rider Rebecca Rusch graced the stage among the boys last week for the premiere of Race Across the Sky, a documentary about the Leadville 100-mile mountain bike race. I got…
Courtesy of Rescate Mineros on Flickr. Edison Peña finished the New York City Marathon yesterday with a time of 5:40:51, less than three weeks after being rescued from the collapsed gold and copper mine in Chile, the…
We all knew it was coming. As previously reported, the summit by 13 year-old Jordan Romero from the Tibet side of Everest created shock waves throughout the mountaineering community … and authorities. Joining Nepal’s minimum age limit (16 from Nepal) to climb Everest, the China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA)…
A helicopter owned by Fishtail Air has crashed on Ama Dablam while rescuing two Japanese climbers above 16,000′ according to multiple Asian news reports. It was on the north side of Ama Dablam, not the normal Southwest route taken by the vast majority of all teams. This is a…
Kelly Slater, ASP/Kirstin Scholtz Kelly Slater clinched his 10th ASP World Title while notching his 45th tour victory at the Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto…
With Halloween and elections this week, you might have taken your eye off what else happening in the world outside. We've got you covered. Here's the stuff you should click on. Worth Watching This Weekend:Chilean (Miner) Edison Pena in NY for Marathon (…
The climate cycle known as La Niña has remained steady through October, Surfersvillage Global Surf News is reporting. Characterized by below average surface water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, La Niña typically affects the western United States…
Kelly Slate in France (Will Bailey/Quiksilver) As competition resumes after an emotional week at the Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico, Kelly Slater will be gunning for his…
How do you remove mildew from backpacks, waders, and other outdoor gear. I recently brought out my gear for a weekend trip and discovered a lot of mildew on my gear. I looked at the Nikwax website, but do not see any products for mildew.
What are some good edible desert plants? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
By Stephen Regenold With strong words and pointed language aimed at the outdoors industry, big promises on new technology, and theatrical skaters twirling amid spotlights on synthetic ice at an events center in the meatpacking district of New York City,…
Energy drinks like Rockstar and Red Bull are dominating the US drink market. And just like the people they energize, they're not slowing down; sales of the super-caffeinated pick-me-ups are supposed to exceed nine billion dollars in 2011. Studies have shown…
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a list of most wanted criminals and apparently the authority to make membership meaningful. On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that the EPA had Albania Deleon, 40, tracked down in Santo Domingo and extradited from…
Photo courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik on Flickr. Ski manufacturer Armada recently sent cease and desist letters to several ski companies, including Rossignol, for breaching Armada's patent on certain kinds of rockered skis, Gnolls.org reports. Rossignol fired back,…
Chrissie Wellington unexpectedly withdrew from Ironman Kona this year, citing an illness she couldn't shake on race day. It broke a winning streak that had lasted three consecutive years for the Brit.
Submit a 500-word essay or one-minute video clip to The Best Dive Job in the World and you could win $15,900 worth of dive equipment, seven months on…
LOWA ALBULA GTX LADY, $280 Ah, November. That brief time of year when the air is crisp, the forest a carnival of color and the last of the Lady Frankenstein face paint has finally scrubbed off behind your ears. There couldn't be a better time to…
Courtesy of surfglassy on Flickr. The Tarrant County, Texas medical examiner has begun an autopsy of Andy Irons, the professional surfer found dead in a Dallas hotel room Tuesday, but important answers have yet to come in the…
Credit:© ASP / CESTARIThe ASP and Rip Curl decided to cancel today's Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico, postponing the next round until Friday, November 5. Instead, competitors paddled out in memory of three-time ASP champ…
News continues to come out about the death of Andy Irons. Reports of dengue fever and a methadone overdose are both swirling around the web. We'll continue to keep you…
If you were only going to take one pair of shoes or boots to Belize to hike in the jungle, visit some ruins, and screw around on some zipline and cave tubing tours, what would you take? I'd love both a male and female option (for my companion).-AdamBoulder, CO
I'm going to Vancouver for a week on business and would like to peel off for two to three days of being outdoors. Any suggestions for a fit gal who likes to be outside, but has to be back and in a cocktail dress by seven o'clock each evening? -Mathilda Dallas, TX
A crisp turn in chilly water during the Coldwater Classic Canada. Photo Courtesy O'Neill When people think surfing, usually tropical islands, neon-blue water, and surf trunks come to mind. But with constant improvements in wetsuits and an ever-expanding surf population, the sport is flourishing in…
Seven years ago, Florida resident Hitesh Mehta embarked on a journey that took him through 46 countries in six continents. The purpose of his trek? To find the world's greatest ecolodges–places where tourism and sustainablility combine to create one-of-a-kind, environmentally friendly vacations. The result?…
Several sources are reporting three-time world surfing champion Andy Irons has died. He was 32. A statement issued by his family said this: “Irons, 32, withdrew from a professional surfing event in Puerto Rico last weekend due to illness, and passed away during a layover en-route…
By Stephen Regenold This time of year it's expected that ice cream shops and fast-food restaurants might add a dash of holiday-inspired ingredients to dessert items to evoke some seasonal spirit and extra sales. But what about energy-food brands? Two of the biggest players,…
By J.J. Kelley Perhaps you want to create a YouTube video of your cat riding a vacuum robot. Maybe you want to make an insightful feature-length film that will tug at the hearts of your viewers. Both are examples of a documentary, and…
Good for Backcountry Scrap—not Trash—would be more accurate: This 2,196-cubic-inch daypack is made out of leftover bits of sailcloth. It’s a cool story, but it also makes sense: The fabric is remarkably weatherproof and durable. The rest of this streamlined pack is equally clever. Aluminum stays lend…
You could plan a vacation around the Passage: hours on sundecks, strolls in bucolic settings, long drives with the top down. Just mind the drool when you first gaze through these state-of-the-art photochromic polarized ground-glass lenses. The classic look (not stodgy!) is sexed up with metallic mirroring, and the…
Why they ruleThanks to light-sensitive photochromic tinting, the brownish glass lenses make an unheard-of plunge from dark (87 percent of visible light blocked) to the stygian depths of full-on snowfield blinkers (95 percent). » The Advances have all the features of traditional glacier glasses—flexible side shades, bendable wire-core temples, and…
If a moon boot gave birth to a trail runner, it would look like the Ochoco. But we doubt it would run as well. The padded ankle, soft tongue, and firm arch support gave us blissful feet after long hours pounding the trail. The just-right midsole has enough cushioning…
Behold the Gear of the Year: A 16-ounce, 900-fill-down wonder that’s destined to be the new sleep standard for fastpackers and anyone else who appreciates gossamer weight in a three-season bag. Marmot’s ultrastuffable Atom practically vanishes into your pack. 1. How feathery is the Atom, with its über-premium down and…
HIGH-MILEAGE CUSHION If you’ve followed a marathon training program, you know what a grind it can be to crank out those 18- to 22-mile runs about a month before race day. Not so with the dreamy Praya NC, a lightweight trainer that derives cushioning from a thick foam midsole and…
RAIN BEATERThe big deal with this one? No sticker shock on a piece that can match the performance of jackets almost twice as pricey. A stylin’ hoodie with taped seams, the Mithril weighs in at 22 ounces, and though I doubted OR’s claim that its stretchy Ventia fabric was waterproof,…
Tired of the Matrix-inspired graph-ics favored by most bike-apparel companies? Get your very own maillot jaune with this boldly simple polyester jersey. twinsix.com…
Face it: You’re too old for the PlayStation. Still, an all-business laptop would be pure drudgery. Lucky for you, Alienware—the Miami-based notebook-gaming powerhouse that custom-manufactures some of its systems with twice the computing oomph of an Xbox—has released a hybrid that can crank through the “Legendary” level of Halo 2…
Weight saver: Don't be fooled by this stove's tiny dimensions. It cranks out big heat, adjusts down to a simmer, and has four serrated pot supports that are surprisingly stable for the size. A hingelike joint enables the Flex to fold flat and pack away like a deck of cards.
No cranking required to loosen and tighten the super-secure twist locks on these aluminum poles. And, as with the others, long foam grips let you instantly adjust to frequently changing terrain. 18 oz per pair; leki.com…
This updated classic has multi-position eyecups that fit well with glasses or without, ergonomic thumb grooves, and excellent clarity in all light. 10×42; bushnell.com…
Despite nasty conditions—slushy snow on the way up; a boulder-strewn snowmelt streambed on the descent—one tester reported dry feet and not one slip, even on ice. Credit the Gore-Tex liner, grippy outsole, and stiff midsole. asolo.com…
The Throttle pulls off a rather nifty trick: In addition to being superlight—they weigh less than a pack of Gu Energy Gel—the grippy temples also make them the most comfortable glasses here. nativeyewear.com…
This stripped-down boot has a low flex point and an upright feel, but is plenty stiff enough to crank high-speed turns with confidence. head.com Bonus: Its micro-adjustable alloy buckles were easy to fine-tune, even in bulky gloves. …
Thanks to tough—and 100 percent recycled—fabric on the rear, knees, and ankle cuffs, these weather-resistant pants can handle everything from ice climbing to bushwhacking. patagonia.com…
Whether you’re cutting blocks to build a snow shelter or testing slope stability, this light and compact (12-inch) metal saw won’t let you down—it’s durable enough to cut through wood or ice. bcaccess.com…
Hate cold toes? This is one of the first boots with an integrated, rechargeable heating system in the liner—crank it to a cozy 104 degrees for up to six hours. Caveat: The liner lacing always seemed to loosen by midday. burton.com …
1. The Triumph is like the best hotel mattresses: soft and springy but not mushy. Articulated outsole lugs and a five-layer sandwich of foam, rubber, and thermoplastic in the heel absorb the impact of each foot strike while retaining a remarkable responsiveness. And thanks to its forward-leaning tilt, the…
Great glass on the cheap. The Echo’s clarity and color ren-dition are impressive in all light conditions. But we especially like these all-purpose binocs for the grippy, rubber-coated housing and ergonomic feel. 10×42; brunton.com…
TAKES IT EASY Good for Packed Trails If cushion is king for high-mileage training or heavier runners, then the Supernova reigns supreme. Its pillowy crash pad is perfect for cruising on mellow trails. And despite its speedy geometry—the shoe is tilted slightly forward—the forefoot foam doesn’t feel gutted.
Good for SnowshoeingFor fast-and-light excursions in cold temps, the waterproof, lightweight Multiterra Ultra is our favorite. Its Vibram sole afforded best-in-class traction on frost-covered trails, and when the snow fell, the insulation was just enough for aerobic snowshoeing. hi-tec.com…
Thanks to hydrophilic rubber pads and swappable lenses, the Dea can handle the sweat and variable light conditions of an aggressive mountain-bike session. But the fashionisto style is all about riding a cruiser to Sunday-afternoon beers. tifosioptics.com…
Arguably the most anticipated bike of 2009 (it was kept behind glass at bike industry trade shows last fall), the triathlon/time-trial-specific P4 hosts several radical advancements. To hide the rear brake from the wind, engineers tucked it inside the frame, behind a removable panel. They also designed a wing-shaped bottle…
Cannondale is now manipulating carbon fiber for high-end race bikes as well as anyone, but the company hasn't completely abandoned its deep aluminum heritage. The Six 5 weds a carbon rear end and fork, which minimize painful road vibrations, to a stiff aluminum front triangle for pedaling efficiency. The frame…
Yes, it cranks. But the true test of stoves this size is how well they simmer—and the Bantam passed our (scientific) evenly-cooked-pancake test with flying colors. White gas only, 10 oz; brunton.com…
Don’t let the faux-fur detailing fool you. The winter-specific sole held well on snow and ice, and the suede is 100 percent waterproof. www.hi-tec.com…
Thanks to a luxurious shearling lining, this is the warmest dress boot we’ve seen. It’s ideal for dressy dates in the dead of winter in places like Chicago and Jackson Hole. Be careful on ice—the smooth soles aren’t that grippy. johnstonmurphy.com…
Besides exposing your naïveté, gaper gap—the bit of exposed forehead between your goggles and helmet—also exposes your forehead to ice-cream-headacheinducing cold. Scott’s new Fix, with its strap routed through the goggle’s frame (instead of bolted to it), eliminates that gap. scottusa.com…
Elvis would approve. On snow or sea, slide on any Costa with the company’s top-of-the-line 580 polarized glass lenses and you’ll be amazed. Glare dies. Colors vibrate. Depth perception jumps. Silver mirroring, spring-loaded hinges, sticky rubber temples, and a gold scheme just sweeten the deal. costadelmar.com…
Glacier glasses are back with this mean mirrored-lens number, which eschews old-school side shields for an all-encompassing wraparound design. But the Egg Square’s coolest feature? It folds down to half the size of other shades, hinging at mid-temple and nose. carrerasportna.com…
Buy this self-powered all-band radio/flashlight/mobile-device charger/etc. for someone you love, then stash it in their trunk in case of emergency—or for car camping. Not only can you hand-crank for juice; you can sit back while the sun, via a solar panel, does the work for you.
Necessary addition to your starter kit: a chalk bag. Keeping your hands dry is essential for better grip. This bag offers easy access—and is available in feminine prints. metoliusclimbing.com…
For optical clarity, glass is best in class; it’s naturally much clearer, plus it doesn’t scratch. The only downside for casual use? It costs a lot more than poly. But here the modern yet classic design and wire build are equally high-end, so it would be a shame to…
Fast and Light Designed to tackle the steepest Wasatch skin tracks and the deepest Utah powder, the three-year-old Switchback is still the lightest and least expensive free-pivot tele binding around. Testers gave props for its icing-resistant toe piece and its easy-to-operate, spring-loaded mode switch. “It’s not for driving big sidecountry…
When you start gearing up to cling to walls of ice in the dead of winter, it’s no time to skimp, and PETZL‘s versatile and redesigned QUARK ICE TOOLS are a good place to start.
MAMMUT‘s super-comfortable TOGIR SLIDE HARNESS has loops designed specifically for ice screws and tools. A lightweight dry rope (i.e., one that’s treated and won’t suck up water)…
Why They’re CoolThey’re smaller than the Pentax and the Olympus 8x’s, yet the Katmais offer superior low-light vision—better to my eyes than anything else here, save the Steiners and Leicas. » They’re powerful enough to render detail, yet they sweep across an impressive 335-foot field of view. » The glass…
Disproving conventional wisdom that gray lenses make for a flat, blah view, Maui Jim’s high-tech PolarizedPlus2 lenses add contrast and depth to reveal colors in all their throbbing glory. The optically ground glass yields superb clarity and detail, with a dark tint for searing brightness. And the oversize frames provide…
Size, Price: 64 oz, $23; 100 oz, $25Flow Rate: 2*Funk Figher?: Yes, with cleaning tablets, sold separatelyFilter-Compatible?: YesValve Shutoff?: YesGotta Love: Big Bore wide opening: Throw in the ice!Bummer: Rigid valve can be tough on teethSplat Test: Survived *Ratings: 1=Average, 3=Excellent…
Size, Price: 70 oz, $23Flow Rate: 2*Funk Fighter?: Zip top opening for easy cleaningFilter-Compatible?: Yes, with $4 adapterValve Shutoff?: NoGotta Love: Dump an ice try in the zip topBummer: Pre-hike test of zip seal is criticalSplat Test: Splatted *Ratings: 1=Average, 3=Excellent…
One tester spirited away the Apache as soon as it arrived and only returned it a few weeks later, after we threatened to withhold his pay—and even then it took a few days. The Apache is simply one of the most fun cross-country bikes we’ve ridden, especially for the…