Everything
I've been a backpacker for 30-plus years, and recently I've noticed my knees complaining after steep downhill stretches. I'm considering making a shift to ultralight gear, and I think a lightweight trail-running shoe is a good start. Can you offer some suggestions for someone making this switch? Kurtis Seattle, Washington
Sixty seconds. That’s how long it takes you to roll over and go back to sleepor, with the push of a button on the Jura-Capresso Impressa J5, brew up a perfect cup of espresso to get you into your gear closet and out the door. Before you’ve even registered what…
Apparently, 19th-century naval reenactments aren’t sexy enough for prime time. Since spring 2007, when the Discovery Channel poached Digging for the Truth star Josh Bernstein, the History Channel has been striking back at the number-one adventure network. First came last year’s surprise hit Ice Road Truckers. This year brought two…
This year’s trail bikes are lighter and more forgiving than ever. We tested the best.
From showroom cookers to backyard fire pits, choice cuts of beef to slaw-covered brats, perfect margaritas to domestic sixers, it’s summer. Time to move the kitchen outside.
PORTSMOUTH ISLAND, NORTH CAROLINA – On a weekend last summer, while the rest of the beachgoing world descended upon overrun sand traps like Nags Head and Virginia Beach, I took a 4×4 and a shortboard and made for Portsmouth Island. There are a few selling points to this skinny, 18-mile-long…
Americans—at least 16 million of us—love to play soccer. David Beckham was supposed to make us care about watching. But after seeing the British underwear model get paid $32.5 million for just five appearances with Major League Soccer’s L.A. Galaxy in 2007, fans are turning to a homegrown hero. Taylor…
Following the lead of NBA guard Stephon Marbury, whose $15 Starbury basketball shoe is sold through budget retailer Steve & Barry’s, Laird Hamilton hits S&B shelves in May with his surf line, Wonderwall. The collection will feature some 250 graphic T-shirts, polos, pants, and boardshorts—all for less than $15. “The…
June 5–8, bouldering’s World Cup returns to the U.S. for the first time in two decades, at the Teva Mountain Games, in Vail, Colorado. And Chris Sharma, who’s been living in Spain of late, comes with it. The 27-year-old Californian is one of the world’s strongest technical climbers but has…
When is the most effective time after weight training to take protein? Alexander Waterloo, Ontario
Do you have any recommendations for a good weather-tight, car-camping, summertime, family tent (for six people)? Charles Fort Smith, Arkansas
I just discovered that I love bouldering and would like to plan a vacation around it. Where are some bouldering spots for beginners? Mike Boise, ID
You have written quite a bit about road bikes that range from $2,000 to $4,000. What about entry-level bikes? REI’s Novara brand has bikes for $799. Chris Seattle, Washington
I snow cp, warm-weather cp, and do moderate mountaineering, so I need a good all-around sleeping bag. Is the Mountain Hardwear Lyell (rated to -15 degrees) suitable? Chris Seattle, Washington
1. WILSON AVP REPLICA BALL You might not be able to spike like Misty May-Treanor, but you won’t be able to blame the ball. This soft, composite-leather volleyball is a facsimile of what the pros use. $15; wilson.com Women’s Beach Gear Essentials 2. LOLË…
1. SHELL MontBell's Mistral Parka is a hooded squall shield that vents well enough for sweaty runs and packs down to a softball-size bundle. $110; montbell.com Trail-Running Gear Essentials 2. SUNGLASSES The new VR50 lenses in Oakley's Flak Jackets block blue light to make trail details…
Ultrarunning ambassador Dean Karnazes shares his secrets for going, going, going …
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…
I’m an experienced road runner, and now I want to train for an off-road triathlon. Where should I start with trail-runners? Chris Indianapolis, Indiana
I can't find an accurate pedometer to take hiking with me. I've tried several different brands and have found them all unreliable when it comes to calculating mileage hiked. Any recommendations? Lori Grand Junction, Colorado
Ethanol is so 2007. The future of biofuels is all about chocolate, chicken litter, and, yes, algae.
Life in Chile’s Atacama Desert is hot, dry, and tough. That is, unless you’re lying poolside at Tierra Atacama, the latest luxury hotel to open in the unlikely tourist boomtown of San Pedro. Just blocks down the street from Explora’s iconic Hotel de Larache, 32-room Tierra Atacama is run by…
“Agonizingly vivid” is a fair description of Storm Over Everest, yet another rehashing of the 1996 disaster, by climber/documentarian David Breashears. Premiering May 13 on PBS’s Frontline, the two-hour film combines interviews with survivors, including guide Neal Beidleman and climber Beck Weathers (but noticeably no Jon Krakauer) with footage gathered…
We’re not quite ready to call Portland, Oregon, a drinking town with a cycling problem, but HOPWORKS URBAN BREWERY, near the Clinton district, is persuasive. The biodiesel-powered brewery has been pumping out suds for just seven months and recently sponsored the PrestoVelo cycling team. In Hopworks’ new brewpub, which opened…
Perfect health is a worthy goal, but not at the expense of your sanity
A new bio of Miki Dora, the original maverick surfer, gets his story right
In which we take back the drinking trip from the wine snob. Here's how to mix world-class adventure and tasting, from Kentucky to Japan.
The plan: Pair up six of our favorite globe-trotting photographers. Ask them to comb their hair. Subject them to one another's creative visions.
How did Billy Poole, an aspiring big-mountain skier, die during his first Warren Miller shoot?
Your life needs a soundtrack. This go-anywhere gear lets you bring stereo-quality tunes wherever the adventure takes you.
Swooping through your first full-rail turn on a Hess surfboard requires a suspension of disbelief. This thing is made of wood? Hand-constructed from sustainably harvested poplar, cork, and amapola by San Francisco shaper Daniel Hess, it’s a piece of art as much as a performance wave-rider. Unlike the clunky wooden…
Are backpacking boots made with fabric uppers stiff enough for good ankle support and protection against sharp rocks? I'm looking at the Kayland Apex Trek for a trip to Alaska, where I will glacier walk with crampons. Most of my other packing is done in the lower 48. John Evanston, Illinois
I’m headed out to Quetico for little over a week, and I need women's underwear that will last a long time, limit chafing, dry fast, and rinse well. Any suggestions? Nicole Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
I want to know about Vibr rubber. What is so special about it? Badrim Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
A maverick fashion mogul has assembled a team of cycling's most infamous riders. And wait till you hear how he plans to save the sport.
In your dreams. (You couldn't keep up anyway.) But that doesn't mean you can't learn a few things about maximizing your summer fun from surf goddess Malia Jones.
Thirty companies outshined the rest in our first annual study of the nation's most well-balanced workplaces
Spring is here. Time to wipe the cobwebs off your bike, oil your chain, and kick your fitness into a new gear. Here's how.
I'm turning 30 this summer and would like to take skydiving lessons. Can you recommend a safe but fun place to go somewhere on the West Coast? Megan P. San Diego, CA
I will be hiking for four days - gaining altitude each day to a total of 16,000 feet. What is the best way to train for this given that I have no access to altitudes of any kind for training? Jackie R. Aurora, Ontario
EVEN TO A NONSCIENTIFIC OBSERVER LIKE ME, there are several obvious peculiarities about the life and work of Garrett Lisi. For instance, despite his being 40 years old and possessing a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, he has held few steady jobs—and those the likes of hiking guide and snowboarding instructor.
Where does a week of doing nothing add up to something great? On a road trip down the still-wild spine of Baja, in search of secluded beaches, the best fish taco, and a much-needed dose of adventure.
I’m going backpacking in South Dakota’s Badlands, and everything I read says that you have to bring in your own water. For a four day trip, that could mean as much as five gallons. What type of water containers should I use to most effectively carry this much water? Junior Minneapolis, Minnesota
I have just acquired a Quest Starlight tent that’s in pretty good shape. But, the older fellow who sold it to me said that it likely wouldn't hold up to several days of rain. Can I make the fly waterproof enough so it won't wet-out if rained on for a long time? What about the floor? Ken Calgary, Alberta
Seven people with the sweetest jobs around share their secrets on how they got the gig
The world needs Anderson Cooper. And vice versa. We go fork to fork with the CNN correspondent on how Outside kick-started his life, the perils of vacation, and how to make contact with a rebel group. (Hint: It's not like the bar scene in Star Wars.)
Seeking ambitious individuals hungry for life-affirming employment in emergent industries. A firm understanding of the need to balance work and play is preferred. Ideal candidates think big, enjoy travel, and are plagued by a voice that keeps repeating, You can do better than this.
Other than color, is there any difference between men's and women's boot in the se model? I specifically interested in the La Sportiva Glacier. Chris Geneva, Illinois
I'm in the military and will be stationed in Aviano, Italy, in June. I would like to purchase a road bike in Italy for half ironman and ironman triathlons. How do I find a reputable bike shop abroad, and what manufacturer would you recommend? Michael San Antonio, Texas
I would rank my outdoorsyness at a seven. I love backpacking, but I don’t get out as often as I would like. I did, however, recently backpack South erica and survived winter in southern Argentina with a cheap-o tent. Now I want to invest in a good two-person tent. What do you suggest? Alex San Francisco, California
For the past five years I lived out west, but I’m now in Indiana for a year. To make the best of my stay, I’m looking for new goals to tackle and have decided to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. What is the best backpack to take on that challenge? Charles South Bend, Indiana
Leave San Francisco behind on a three-day, 30-mile trek that starts just beyond the Golden Gate Bridge
My husband and I are looking for relatively lightweight, zero-degree sleeping bags that can be zipped together and are suitable for backpacking. Any advice? Kathy Kremmling, Colorado
What are the advantages of a full suspension bike versus a hardtail? I bike on trails and roads. Jake Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Finding Outside‘s Best Places to Workcompanies that make it easy for employees to balance productivity with an active, eco-conscious lifestyleis no easy task. If you know a nonprofit or for-profit company based in the U.S. with more than 15 employees that deserves mention, shoot us an email. We don’t want…
What is the best way to loosen up your hstrings? And how can I improve their flexibility long term? J Vansy Myrtle Beach, SC
What is the best type of sock to wear on a day hike? I a naturally sweaty person and often my socks get so wet that is causes blisters. Not pretty, I know, but that’s the truth of it. Nick London, England