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1. The Aura is downright spacious (35 square feet), with two doors and two big vestibules. It’s plenty sturdy, easily withstanding 50-mph winds without guylines. And light: The Aura flirts with the four-pound barrier, the two-person freestanding tent’s equivalent of the four-minute mile. 2. Talk about usable space:…
1. Remarkable for its smart blend of features, capacity, ergonomics, and durability, this 9.9-pound duffel hits the sweet spot for most travelers. Its shell—420- and 630-denier nylon, with 1,680-denier ballistic-nylon reinforcements at crucial wear points— is a suit of armor. Add a tough back panel, bumper, and wheel…
It used to be that sleeping bags’ degree ratings were determined in various ways, so conventional wisdom dictated that you buy a bag with a temperature rating at least 10 to 15 degrees lower than the lowest temperature you’d expect to be camping in. That’s starting to change. For…
We’ve tested plenty of snowshoes with serious bite, and others that are extraordinarily comfy, but what makes the Mountaineer so impressive is how well it performed in both those categories. Thanks in part to two independent toe straps, the binding perfectly cradled every boot we jammed in it, from…
1. This is simply the most adapt-able winter-specific storm shell we tested. The key is Schoeller’s new waterproof-breathable fabric with c_change technology, a membrane with a polymer structure that opens up when you get hot and contracts when you cool down. Translation: Testers didn’t overheat when their buddies did…
Why It RulesThe Airjet’s two-minutes-flat pitching saved me when I was hustling to beat some sleet: Thread two cross poles and a brow pole through the sleeves, then stake out six points. Done. » The Airjet stood taut as a kettledrum—even under two inches of wet snow. » Thanks to…
Talk about kids in a candy store. Contemplating the 20-surfboard quiver we assembled for Buyer’s Guide testing this year, our wave riders felt as if they’d been given the keys to Wonka’s brand-new surf factory. We had longboards, guns, funboards, thrusters, and fish—yet there was one stick our testers…
By Stephen Regenold The manufacture and sale of artificial rock-climbing holds is a small industry and one of those esoteric tiny areas of dedicated people and passionate companies that makes the outdoors world so neat. An even tinier niche focuses on artificial holds and…
By Stephen Regenold The twice-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show is an exhibition of thebest outdoors equipment in the world. New this year, GearJunkie.comlaunched an inaugural “Best in Show” award for the Summer Market tradeshow, held in early August. After four days in…
Jansport D2 External Frame Pack Yes, this is a brand new backpack, and it's for sale (or will be, in spring 2011). In 1972, Jansport put out a grande-size aluminum-frame backpack (revolutionizing the look of retro gear for decades to come). It was a high-volume, high-load pack capable of…
As I mentioned in a Facebook post that went up during Outdoor Retailer this week, skorts are everywhere. Practically every gear company that makes women's apparel–be it Mountain Hardwear, North Face, Patagonia, or Arc'teryx–is making…
Today is the last day of this summer's Outdoor Retailer show. Stand-up paddle-boarding continues to be the hot new sport, while the major theme in footwear is still less is more: Partly driven by the barefoot running trend, all the major running shoe companies are bringing increasingly designing more pared-down…
Outside's Sam Moulton reviews Black Diamond's Z-Pole. It's a carbon-fiber trekking pole that weighs in at 260 grams and costs $150. –Erin Beresini…
Outside's resident runner, Justin Nyberg, checks out the French antidote to barefoot running: Hoka. This super-cushy recovery shoe retails for $169. –Erin Beresini…
Here are a few more of the most interesting gear we found today on the floor at Outdoor Retailer: Hard Goes Soft—The New Storm Shell I don't know who this guy is, but I like his jacket. This is Mammut's new Kento storm shell, and it has one thing…
Eighteen months in the making, Patagonia's P26 light hiking shoe is finally here. Alicia Carr breaks down the shoe that Patagonia developed with input from Appalachian Trail hikers. It retails for about $185. –Erin Beresini…
Shannon Walton from Schoeller Textiles introduces black fabric that's specially treated so you can wear black on hot summer days. –Erin Beresini…
NAU Clothing's Caitlin Murphy introduces the NAU Gust Jacket, one of the nicest technical lifestyle pieces we've seen. It's made out of 100% recycled polyester, and is durable and water repellent. Portland-based clothing company, NAU, develops products by three main principles: beauty, performance, and…
Outside's Alicia Carr introduces the North Face Hedgehog. Lightweight, more durable and more comfortable than previous models, the Hedgehog is one of our favorite light hiking shoes–and it's the same price as previous models! The GORE-TEX version costs $110, and the…
Not only is Salt Lake City swathed in warm temperatures, the outdoor industry has also arrived en masse for Outdoor Retailer 2010 Summer Market. Tomorrow, Outside editors (myself included) will start to scour the showroom floor for spring 2011's hottest new products by visiting booths like the…
By Stephen Regenold It's trade-show time again. This week, you'll find me (and thousandsof other “gear junkies”) in Salt Lake City at the Outdoor RetailerSummer Market, a twice-annual exhibition of the latest gear andequipment made for playtime outside. Here's a peek at some of…
There’s a lot of great gear coming for Spring 2011, and most of it is on display now in Salt Lake City at the Outdoor Retailer convention—the biannual mecca for gear junkies of all stripes. Here are a few items to keep on your radar: Alien Cocoon…or Running Shoe? Something’s…
By Stephen Regenold The twice-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show, which will take place this summer in Salt Lake City from August 3 to 6, is a peek at the future of gear. The items displayed on the trade-show floor are…
By Stephen Regenold Each winter, the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City brings together 40,000 attendees to ogle the latest in outdoor apparel and gear. Here are a few products that stood apart from the rest.
Day 2 of Outdoor Retailer Winter Market has just ended. It's been a long day of looking at new product. My brain is a bit fried, but here's what I can tell you. The color purple. You're going to see a…
By Stephen Regenold The twice-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show gives a peek at what's to come in the world of outside gear. The winter version begins today. Here's a quick look at a few hot items: Polarmax…
Hate burning through batteries on your cell phone? Petzl has a sweet looking new headlamp in the works that has a rechargeable battery. I haven't tried it, since it's a prototype, but what separates it from other rechargeable headlamps on the market is you can swap out the lithium polymer…
The Gear Junkie already gave you a peek at some of the new products debuting on the showroom floor during day one of the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. I've noticed two trends from gear makers—hybrid jackets (i.e. a hard shell lined with a compressible…