It’s been over a month since I’ve been under the tutelage ofpro downhill bike racers. Still,not a day of riding has passed without me crashing and flying through dirt athigh speed. I have put every piece of armor to use, and I was evendeveloping perma-cramps from braking in my hands…

I want to upgrade from a cheap pair of compact binoculars. Assuming I had a pile of money burning its way out of my pocket, would I see much difference between a pair of Nikon Travelites and Leica Trinovids? Also, are there any other models I should look at (through)? Joe Lawrenceville, Georgia

I do quite a lot of bushwalking in the Japan Alps and have been carrying my Canon SLR with standard lens, and occasionally an extra telephoto lens—all told, a hefty load. I'm not such a serious photographer to need all that extra weight, but I would like better photos than a disposable or compact can produce. After some research I had decided to splurge on a Contax T3, but then I saw a new Pentax SLR—the "*ist"—that weighs only 335 grs (presumably that's the body only). So, with a matching lens, it still comes in at about half the weight of my current camera. I presume the optics are plastic, hence the low weight. Which would you choose? Excellent fixed lens or zoomable plastic? Dian Tokyo, Japan

Quiksilver Pro France, Hossegor, La Graviere 2012 - Semi Final 1 (© ASP/Cestari)Slater on the way to his tour victory number 51. Photo: ©ASP/Cestari Surfer Kelly Slater nabbed his second straight ASP World Cup Tour victory of the year when he defeated wildcard Dane Reynolds in three-to-five foot…

Christian Vande Velde atop the USAPC podium. Photo: Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda In a recent press conference at Aspen's Little Nell Hotel, organizers of the USA Pro Challenge announced the host cities and overall race course for the 2013 edition of the tour of Colorado. And though routing specifics are still…

Even the pros indulge. Take a plate off of their tables, and learn how to prepare the ultimate fruitarian, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free holiday meals.

Tips from the world’s top-ranked slopestyle skier

Slipping into the frigid drink when you're trying to land a steelhead is akin to sliding off an icy precipice when you're reaching for the summit. It can leave you somewhere between wet and uncomfortable and hypothermic and hurt. That's what inspired one of the leading equipment innovators…

Andean Adventure Hitting the road for Tierra del Fuego December 20, 1996 We are finally approaching the starting point for our cycling journey. Each day we get closer to Tierra del Fuego. From Lima we flew to Santiago and spent one night there. We did some repair…

Cycling legend Rebecca Rusch discusses Blood Road, the new documentary on her journey down the Ho Chi Minh trail to find the crash site where her father disappeared.