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Classic boots, a backcountry-ready axe, and other awesome gifts for hikers.
The best gear for fly-fishing fanatics, from quick-drying water shoes to a handmade paddle.
Versatile outfits, shoes, and other gear made with world travelers in mind.
A newbie-friendly board, a watch that knows the tides, and other essential gear for the paddler on your list.
The best holiday gifts for climbers, from peak baggers to Himalayan mountaineers.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Merrell Wilderness Canyon boot.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the K2 Rescue Shovel Plus.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the L.L. Bean Polartec Power Dry Quarter-Zip Lightweight base layer.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Oakley Holbrook sunglasses.
A limited-edition carbon fiber stand-up paddleboard designed by the best in ocean sailing
Carabiners that use magnetic forces, not springs, to open and close
A satellite-based text-messaging and tracking device
A lightweight, foldable bike that let’s you access the inaccessible
A stylish single-speed commuter that's as functional as it is indestructible: the Globe Bikes Roll 2 bicycle.
Casual-but-sharp button-downs and lace-ups for the summer season, including the Dockers Convertible Mobile men's button-down.
Casual-but-sharp button-downs and lace-ups for the summer season, including the Merrell Primed Moc.
Casual-but-sharp button-downs and lace-ups for the summer season, including the Vans Del Norte men's casual shoe.
Casual-but-sharp button-downs and lace-ups for the summer season, including the Eddie Bauer Legend Wash Poplin men's shirt.
Casual-but-sharp button-downs and lace-ups for the summer season, including the Tretorn Rodlera Mid Mesh men's casual shoes.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Benchmade Mini-Onslaught knife.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Powerbar Pure and Simple.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Jetboil Sol Ti stove.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Rab Fusion Pants.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Black Diamond Ultra Distance Trekking Poles.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Bear Grylls/Gerber Ultimate Kit.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Black Diamond Storm headlamp.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Princeton Tec Byte headlamp.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Brunton RL 6 headlamp.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Surefire G2X Tactical flashlight.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Light and Motion Solite 150 headlamp.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Energizer Triple Beam LED.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Therm-a-Rest Ventra Down Comforter.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Coleman Portable Propane Coffeemaker.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Mountain Hardwear Corners 3 tent.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Eureka! Catskill Table.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Ruff Wear Highlands Bed.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Saris Bike Porter Trunk 3 bike rack.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Yakima SkyBox Pro 12 Onyx rocket box.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Coghlan's Heavy Duty Camp Grill.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Montbell Burner Sheet.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Therm-a-Rest BaseCamp Mattress.
Serious toys to get the newest members of your clan addicted to winter fun
There are certain skills every Outside guy should possess. For this, the first installment of our four-part fundamentals series, we address the basics of adventure.
Now more than ever, the world could use some bright ideas. Like these.
For easy camp duty—reading, washing dishes, re-staking the rain fly in the middle of the night—the AAA-powered Gizmo is a bargain. Three tiltable LEDs provide plenty of light for the price and weight. 2 oz; bdel.com…
A LUXE BAG FOR BIG DUDES Norway-based Ajungilak (now owned by Mammut) started making sleeping bags nearly 120 years ago, and the accumulated experience shows in this deluxe, full-featured sack. For starters, the Altitude is made with top-shelf materials, like 780-fill down and a burly, highly water-resistant nylon shell. Plus…
WARMER THAN IT LOOKS When warmth matters most, grab the G50. On a late-fall backpacking trip in New Mexico’s Pecos Wilderness, with temperatures plummeting into the single digits, one tester (who had forgotten his puffy) simply battened down the G50 and said, “I’m fine.” The surprising warmth-to-weight is due to…
Hats with built-in speakers have been around for years, but a faux-shearling-lined plaid Bomber that also plays tunes? Who can resist? bulabula.com…
Thanks to interchangeable tongues (one stiff, one hinged for touring) and a sole that's compatible with every AT binding on the market, the Spirit 4's are this year's most versatile boot. 7.6 lbs; scarpa.com Bonus: Smart touches include tour-friendly Dynafit tech fittings and lighter-weight thermo-moldable liners. Bummer: Some…
These burly cotton-twill cargo pants are softer than Carhartts but tougher than what you got at the Gap. dickssportinggoods.com/NikeACG…
Because the Bug’s vents are recessed between its two slightly overlapping shells, you get a 100 percent puncture-proof helmet that breathes moderately well. pocsports.com…
Portable Purification We’ve been big fans of Steripen’s UV-light wands for years. You just swish it around in your one-liter bottle for 90 seconds and it zaps everything from viruses like hepatitis to protozoa like giardia. This newest version is smaller, has a new optical water sensor that can sense…
Mountain-Ready Eddie Bauer went all out to create its new line of high-end outerwear, packs, and accessories, enlisting the help of an A-Team of mountain guides like Ed Viesturs and Dave Hahn. You can tell. The Rainier Storm has everything we look for in a versatile shell: easy-to-adjust pit zips,…
Utility Warm early in the a.m., cool at noon, and itch- and stink-free, highly breathable, and water-repellent at all times, the merino-wool Giro impressed the hell out of us. There are also three rear pockets and a full zip for the hottest climbs. ibexwear.com …
Expert Fisherman Using the underwater pedal-powered flippers and knob-controlled rudder, you can propel the Mirage across the lake hands-free so you can fish, shoot pics, sip a drink. Prefer to paddle? The flippers remove in a snap (OK, the press of a button) and you're free to paddle it like…
A STOUT, LIGHTWEIGHT HYBRID The split-personality Vario uses a weight-saving design—two sides are single-wall, two are traditional double-wall—to achieve an impressive weight/strength/space ratio. And it’s even roomier than it appears, thanks to a brow pole over the center of the tent and precurved poles that maximize interior space. The only…
BARGAIN SYNTHETIC Confession: I was nervous diving into the 20-degree Klickitat when the forecast called for below-freezing temps. Its uninspiring loft just doesn’t say “sweet dreams.” But I stayed plenty warm, making this inexpensive sack one of the year’s best deals. The trick? A new synthetic insulation, called Climashield XP,…
REFRESHINGLY UNFUSSY When Jackson, Wyoming–based Cloudveil promises a do-it-all mountain soft shell for under $150, the smart money gives it a try. So our Jackson-based tester did everything in it: He biked to work in light rain and snow, boot-packed up Glory Bowl in 20-degree weather with just a lightweight…
Perfect for backcountry or nordic skiing: A touch of spandex gives this soft and lightweight wool beanie a snug fit. smartwool.com…
Because all the LightSpeed’s major seams are sealed, it’s the most waterproof glove we’ve ever tested. mountainhardwear.com…
The perfect summerweight waterproof/breathable rain pants. So light (11 ounces) you’ll always pack them, they’re capable of fending off even the nastiest afternoon thunderstorm. groundwear.com…
Designed specifically for the park and pipe, the Shiv’s eight vents do an adequate job of cooling, and the detachable magnetic goggles clip is a smart feature—just don’t lose it. giro.com…
Pocket Rocket When you want the hyper-efficency of a Jetboil stove, but need to cook for two to four people, it’s hard to beat the Helios. The company’s proprietary FluxRing (a baffle on the bottom of the included two-liter pot) helps conserve energy, while the upside-down canister stand lets you…
Ignore the Forecast All-purpose windbreakers like the nonstretchy Shadowland have been around for a while—and with good reason. More lined than insulated, the Shadowland is essentially what you’d get if you fused your softest, fastest-wicking base layer with your favorite wind shell. Translation: It’s a remarkably versatile and highly wind-…
Utility Whether touring or just pleasure-cruising, these lightweight soft-shell cycling trunks are our top pick for simple, relaxed, chamois-free bottoms. Quick-drying after a rainstorm or roadside swim, acceptable at the bistro or B&B, and sporting four pockets, they're a godsend. outlier.cc …
Take It Anywhere The greatest thing about canoes like the Explorer LT is their versatility. There's enough room (1,100 pounds of capacity) to tool around with dogs, lunch, and kids—or pack up camping supplies and head out for a week. And because it has a moderate amount of rocker and…
SMALL FOOTPRINT, BIG PROTECTION If high winds—or cramped tent sites—are in the cards, the aerodynamic Viperine is your very sturdy ace in the hole. Thanks to its compact, narrow footprint, we were able to pitch the Viperine in spots too tight for a traditional dome-shaped tent. And when the wind…