Everything
I have a new pair of Scarpa Trek Pro hiking boots and wore them for a week inside for up to four hours. They seemed great, so I went out in the bush for 2.5 hours and ended up with huge blisters on my heels. Was I too hasty or bitious in my first outing? And what is the best way to treat blisters? Alison Victoria, Australia
I'm looking for a backpack for commuting (note: I'm not interested in panniers). The ideal pack would have a ventilated back and expandable volume—some days it's just for work clothes, but some days I'll throw in a book or my computer. Internal pockets would be good, and water resistance is a plus. Designer Dan The District of Columbia
The tricks, techniques, and gear of our favorite photographers. PLUS: Your Best Shots!
Has there ever been a better time to get away? Presenting the definitive guide to our nation's greatest 21st-century adventure hideouts—50 places between the lines where you can still ditch the crowds, get lost, and recharge.
When is the most effective time after weight training to take protein? Steven Washington, DC
I'm looking for a backpack for commuting (note: I’m not interested in panniers). The ideal pack would have a ventilated back and expandable volume—some days it's just for work clothes, but some days I’ll throw in a book or my computer. Internal pockets would be good, and water resistance is a plus. I'd also like my Eagle Creek clothes organizer to fit inside. Is this too much to ask for? Dave Sierra Vista, Arizona
A boy with dwarfism. A man with dorkism. Whenever Ross and I hit the trail, things have a way of not working out.
Meet Outside's Fittest (Real) Men in America. Emulation is encouraged.
I pretty filiar with the Outback Oven, in which you have to bake in a pot or a frying pan. But I recently saw the new Backpacker Oven and wondering if you have used this or if you think this might be something to look into. Dave Lancaster, California
The DNC horde has left and Denver is its old relaxed self again. Use it as your launchpad for a weekend in Grand County.
Meet José, emblem of New York City's wildlife renaissance—and the Big Apple's newest Casanova
A nation of 1,190 island specks spread over 116 square miles of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives looks like something out of a myth. And parts of the country could well become just that if sea levels rise: The highest elevation is a mere eight feet above. Only about 200…
Climashield is increasingly being used in sleeping bags and insulated apparel these days. How does its performance and weight compare with other synthetics such as Polarguard Delta and the Primalofts? Steve Olympia, Washington
I planning a trip out west this summer and would like to go to Redwood National Park and do some camping. I trying to get there as cheaply as possible. Do you have any suggestions for how I should get there? Heather Old Town, ME
The guy many consider the most talented snowboarder in the world (check out That’s It, That’s All, on DVD in September) prefers Ayn Rand to South Park? Favorite Books: Atlas Shrugged (1957). “Rand writes about [finding] the power of self through will. People underestimate themselves.” Films: Zeitgeist:…
Thanks in large part to Al Gore, environmental documentaries have moved from low–rent anonymity to bankable cinema. These three DVDs get the entertainment/inspiration balance right.
Was a famous American scholar and self–styled curator up to no good in Nepal, or is he just a scapegoat for all wealthy expats?
A peek under the living roof of San Francisco's newly rebuilt, half–billion–dollar monument to nature
New York chef Tyler Florence has a fresh backdrop now that he's moved to Mill Valley, California. The host of the Food Network's Tyler's Ultimate embraces his new coastal lifestyle with two cookbooks, the Kitchen Handbook and Dinner at My Place, both due out this fall. Here are five tips from Florence to keep you dining in the open air long into Ind
It's the only way to save the crown jewels of American public land
This month's 560–page Fallen Giants, by professors Maurice Isserman and Stewart Weaver, is the most exhaustive narrative history of Himalayan climbing to date. It's also the subject of this month's quiz. Pencils out—begin!
A Patagonia scion helps reinvent his family's company as a surf brand
A bachelor and two housemates (plus chickens) versus a married man with an infant (plus onesies). Who saps more watts from the grid? Armed with a new device that monitors their real-time energy use, Grayson Schaffer and Christopher Keyes engage in a carbon-footprint smackdown—squarely on the grid.
Earlier this year, the prince met with members of Cycle of Life, a British biking charity that was about to depart on a 5,000-mile ride through Africa. Reporter CHARLIE NORTON was on hand for the royal send-off.
What weight of fleece (for a jacket) would you recommend for late-summer backpacking in the Pacific Northwest? I’m hiking the Wonderland Trail in early September and don’t know if 100 will be warm enough or if 200 will be overkill. Steve Puyallup, Washington
Shaun White, the snowboarder, skater, and now fashion designer (!), recently launched his new casual line with Target. Following the big-box store’s other celebrity releases, the “Shaun White” line is mostly sporty T-shirts and hoodies, printed with graphics drawn by White’s brother, Jesse. Kind of makes us wonder whether anyone…
Does wearing an ankle brace when hiking form a dependency, preventing your ankle from getting stronger? Also, do you advise wearing an ankle brace on both ankles for extra protection, or just on the ankle with which I have previously had problems? Ben Hagerstown, Maryland
I just returned from Mt. Rainier where we experienced rainy, cold weather (not unexpected). I noticed my Marmot Couloir sleeping bag felt dp around the feet in the morning. Is there anything I can do to prevent this in the future?
Designer Thomas Meyerhoffer has reinvented everything from computers to snowboards to cell phones to helmets—while surfing every day. His secret formula? Ignore IKEA, listen to the ocean, and make work and play one and the same.
Almost fifteen years after the genocide, tiny Rwanda is suddenly a hot adventure destination, the new darling of multinational investors, and, says mountain-bike legend Tom Ritchey, one extra-long bicycle short of a comeback
Two dream vehicles for the modern explorer—because real adventure happens beyond the road
Any suggestions for a travel jacket that can also hack it as a weather-protection piece and meeting wear? It doesn't have to look like a three-piece suit, but it should up the ante on standard backpacking gear. Rick Edmonton, Alberta
I have very underdeveloped pectorals to the point that they are almost breast like. I run and workout often but it doesn't seem to help much. What can I do to fix this problem?
Have you tested the SPOT satellite messenger, specifically the tracking function that adds extra cost? Do you think it’s worth it? Stephanie Providence, Utah
Our picks for the shows you can’t miss at the folk rocker’s favorite outdoor venues.
Outside senior editor Sam Moulton reviews the lightest, fastest, and sleekest new products on the market.
I’m looking for a compact and lightweight backpack that I can take running. It should move with me securely through rough terrain. Do you have suggestions? Jay Vancouver, Washington
How do you feel about trail-runners versus hiking boots for light backpacking and day summits? Also, can you put crampons on trail-runners if you encounter snow? Phong Seattle, Washington
Our group of four to six people takes a yearly fly-in fishing trip on a remote lake in northern Ontario. I'm in charge of water filtration. I have two MSR pump filters and still come up way short on water supply. Do you have any recommendations for a large group that can’t stand the taste of iodine? Ed Hburg, New York
It's a lot easier than you think to train for an Olympic-distance triathlon. And if you follow our newbie-friendly plan, it's also a blast.
After news reports revealed that our trusty Nalgenes contained a hormone-disrupting toxin called bisphenol-A, or BPA, drinking out of anything suddenly seemed like a high-risk activity. While sipping from polycarbonate clearly won’t kill you, we started wondering where else BPA (or other nasties) might be hiding in our bottles. This…
Whether you're an urban fitness junkie or a mountain racer, we've got your feet covered
A British freediver attempts to counter her archrival by swimming a natural tunnel on a single breath
In the tradition of the 1986 Run-D.M.C.–Aerosmith collaboration, rapper Ludacris and raunch-rocker Tommy Lee will star in Battleground Earth, a reality show premiering Sunday, August 3, on Discovery’s Planet Green. The premise: The bad boys tour the country in biodiesel buses and tackle “eco-challenges” along the way. At one point,…