By Stephen RegenoldCaffeine. Taurine. Glucuronolactone. These are the energizing–and sometimes controversial–ingredients that have fueled untold millions of outdoors and action-sports types since 1996 when a previously unknown blue-and-silver can appeared on shelves in the U.S. market.Red Bull Energy Drink is now a fixture from cyclocross races to bouldering walls…

Featuring tech inserts, rubber soles, and hike-modes with plenty of range of motion, these boots make short work of long, uphill slogs

These traditional women's downhill ski boots are built for ladies who charge the resort

By Stephen RegenoldMate a hooded sweatshirt with a base-layer top and you'd get the Ibex Hooded Indie. This hard-to-categorize piece, which is new this fall, includes a long zipper on the chest, a tight-fitting hood, and sleeves equipped with thumb-hole cuffs.It is made in the U.S. with a thin…

By Stephen RegenoldDubbed an “arctic slip-on,” the Fairbanks Snow Sneakers are a strange low-top option for winter use. Made to protect from the snow and cold, the shoes have waterproof leather uppers and felted wool lining. The tough outsole tread is said to have been inspired by snowmobile tracks.The…

By Stephen RegenoldIt stuffs down to a size smaller than a baseball. Its manufacturer, Sea to Summit Inc. of Perth, Australia, suggests using it as a keychain. But unpack the Ultra-Sil Day Pack and its crinkly “siliconized” Cordura nylon quickly takes shape, a backpack materializing from a tiny ball right…

By Stephen RegenoldWhen you pay $38 for a pair of socks–that's $19 per foot, excluding tax–they had better be something special. The EX-Celerator Socks from Injinji Footwear, which have individual toe slots and an over-the-calf compression fit, do indeed qualify as special.Putting them on is a task. The compression…

By Stephen RegenoldTouted to be a “storm fortress” with a pedal-specific cut, the Cyclical Shell offers a solid waterproof/breathable top with a svelte look tailored for commuters and the urban single-speed set. It employseVent fabric, which is commonly used in outdoors- and mountain-oriented outerwear, to make a form-fitting, sweat-dispensing…

By Stephen RegenoldJeans rarely do double duty as performance wear for active types. But this month Quiksilver releases three sport-specific pants that are fashionable enough and can squeak by for cyclists and skaters looking to jump a curb or kickflip a set of stairs while wearing denim on their…

By Stephen RegenoldHigh-performing heated boots have long been a Holy Grail in the footwear world. With its new men's Bugathermo and women's Snow Hottie models, Columbia Sportswear Company took a stab at making the ultimate heated boot. The boot features built-in rechargeable batteries and on-boot controls to provide three…