Everything
Like it or not, the kings of action sports have a new hobby. It involves fast cars, big air, and piles of sponsor cash.
This month, NASA astronaut and mountaineer John Grunsfeld, 49, will blast into orbit carrying a 9x12 Zeiss Maximar B folding camera that belonged to his friend Bradford Washburn—a pioneer of aerial photography and Alaskan mountaineering who passed away last year at 96. The camera is the same one that Washburn took on his 1937 expedition to Canada's St.
In early August, after 11 climbers died on the world’s second-highest peak, people wanted to know: Has the Everest circus migrated to K2? MICHAEL KODAS pieced together the events from eight of the survivors and has a straight answer: Sort of.
The team of experts at Core Performance trains everyone from Olympic Gold Medalists to Super Bowl champions and All-Stars in every major sport.
Bike-friendly Congressman Earl Blumenauer talks to Outside’s Matthew Fishbane.
I have a massive backpack, and thus my hiking buddies load me up with everything (last year the record was 70 pounds). I need a much smaller pack that I can use on ultra-light weekends and leaning toward an Osprey Talon 44. Thoughts? John Pleasanton, California
I'm looking for a watch for my husband that offers ski features, such as number of runs, speed, vertical for individual runs, and total vertical. Measuring distances would be good, too, as he is also a runner. I'm willing to spend up to $500 and would like it to look good (maybe something in titanium). Debbie New York, New York
What's the best spring break itinerary for an adventurous family (with boys ages nine and 11) in the Grand Canyon area, with hiking and/or whitewater included? Debbie B. bler, PA
Do you work for a great company? One that encourages you to balance a productive work life with an active, healthy personal life—with things like fitness programs, flexible hours, or other cool perks? We want to hear about it! Tell your human resources director or public relations director to…
My wife and I want to take our two dogs, a miniature poodle and a 70-pound lab, kayaking with us while we fish the marsh and inlet creeks of South Carolina. I dreing, or is there a single kayak that would accommodate us? Jeffrey Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
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 JosĂ©, 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.