There are a nearly infinite number of battles on the Internet, but we at 国产吃瓜黑料 get fired up over some more than others. The latest? The recent debate about whether sweatpants are poised to replace leggings, ye olde Millennial staple, as peak athleisure wear.

It鈥檚 a tale as old as time. The up-and-coming generation on whom the nation seems to be focused rejects the clothing of the generation that preceded it, choosing their own style that makes whatever came before seem hopelessly lame and outdated. In this case, Gen Z is opting for looser, baggier clothing鈥攅ven at the gym.

For the uninitiated, take as the paradigm of what鈥檚 cool right now. Then read , where redditors debate getting rid of their black leggings forever.

So, are leggings actually out? Who works out in sweats anyway? Because we at 国产吃瓜黑料 pride ourselves on asking the big questions, we put two staffers head-to-head on the issue. Here鈥檚 what they had to say.

Sweatpants Are Definitely the New Leggings.

First, an admission: leggings do have a place in my life, and it鈥檚 a really important one. They are the only pants that allow me to actually maintain tree pose when I do yoga. More billowy bottoms create a situation where, no matter how firmly I press, my heel continuously slides and I spend the whole pose resetting my foot with my hand. So, thank you for your service, leggings.

That said, I certainly do not spend my days in leggings. I do not believe they鈥檝e earned the leisure half of their purported athleisure status. I don鈥檛 like to have anything suctioned to my skin for an entire day. When I realize I have unwittingly spent a lot of time in a pair of leggings, I peel them off as quickly as possible and can practically feel my legs sigh in relief.

I also feel like I bring the wisdom of experience to this debate. I鈥檓 a dyed-in-the-wool Millennial (a fine 1988 vintage, in fact), so I came of age at the peak of the leggings frenzy and thus spent years hanging out and exercising in them. It took a lot to finally admit that I just didn鈥檛 like leggings鈥攅ven when they were considered the go-to sportswear.

These days, I spend most of my non-exercise time in jeans and barrel-style workwear pants. I don鈥檛 mind structured fabric (in fact, I like it), but I don鈥檛 want anything tight on my lower half. My legs like some room to move in their clothing cocoons. That said, I have really gotten into the matching sets game, and I have a few pairs of joggers with matching sweatshirts. These serve me extremely well because they can easily transition from 鈥減ut-together mom at drop off鈥� to 鈥淚 am actually now going to do a quick plyometric workout.鈥� I know the whole 鈥渂usy mom鈥� routine might read as boring or tired (we won鈥檛 get into the whys of that), but when you are a parent trying to accomplish some subset of the endless tasks assigned to you in the course of a day, an outfit that can do more than one thing is valuable. A certain masculinity comes with a matching sweats set versus a leggings and sweatshirt outfit, and our culture gives a little more grace鈥攐r at least less excoriation鈥攖o the masculine.

Then, there鈥檚 the actual feeling of working out in sweats. When I exercise in sweatpants, my joints feel a greater range of motion. When I run in sweats on a cold-weather day, they keep my legs cozier and they allow me to work up a bigger sweat. I鈥檓 like a wrestler. I鈥檓 Rocky running up the stairs. I like that.

And what if I got dressed for the day with every intention of doing an afternoon workout that didn鈥檛 come to fruition? Well, in that case, I got to spend the day in sweats instead of leggings. That鈥檚 a win, too.

鈥� Ryleigh Nucilli, columnist and former digital managing editor听

My Leggings Will Never Be Replaced.听

I get it, Gen Z: sweatpants look cool and casual. You can sleep in them and then go straight to the gym, where it may appear to any passerby as if you just wandered in off the street and began working out by happy accident. That鈥檚 a kind of cultivated nonchalance that I鈥攁s a type-A, semi-professional, wannabe athlete鈥攐nly dream of one day possessing. But, let me tell you, whippersnappers: I, too, was once hesitant to board the leggings bandwagon. 鈥淟eggings aren鈥檛 pants!鈥� my mother would chide in the early 2010s. 鈥淰isible panty lines are unseemly!鈥� my high school friends would gasp. But you know what? Leggings are goddamn practical, and I鈥檓 never going back.

For one thing, the stretch is unmatched. If I鈥檓 climbing, I want to be able to hike my leg up by my face without having to adjust the crotch of my pants first. If I鈥檓 running, I want to maximize my stride without fighting fabric. I love being able to stick a phone in a thigh pocket without feeling like it鈥檚 going to bounce around and whack me in the leg with every step. And, as a very sweaty person, I like the thinness of the material and the sense that I have a second skin rather than some cumbersome exoskeleton with a fat waistband and cloyingly fuzzy interior.

Leggings are also practical outside of sports use. They鈥檙e stretchy enough that I can sit criss-cross applesauce in my office chair or high-step into my van to put groceries away. They take up very little room in a suitcase, and they double as a base layer on ski trips and ice-climbing outings.

It is true that leggings leave little to the imagination, and, as such, not everyone finds them sufficiently versatile for post-exercise use. However, I believe that stigma is rooted in the sexualization of women鈥檚 bodies and on a . Shaming people for wearing leggings in public is an unfortunate misogynistic offshoot that shouldn鈥檛 stop us from dressing in ways we find practical and comfortable.

All that said, what people think of my leggings is neither here nor there. I鈥檓 wearing them for athletic pursuits first and foremost, and I don鈥檛 do sports for the aesthetics, or to feign only casual interest. I do sports to clear my mind and push my limits鈥攁nd I鈥檒l be damned if I let my clothing get in the way, even in the name of convenience or fashion. And if I end up wearing my leggings home afterward, or to the grocery store, or to lunch with friends? So be it. Hot take, mom: leggings are pants. And I鈥檒l keep wearing mine until the day I die.

鈥� Corey Buhay, interim managing editor

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If you鈥檝e been daydreaming about all the trips you鈥檒l take come summer, it鈥檚 time to turn dreams into reality. But with so many options鈥攆rom hiking and biking to rock climbing and outdoor yoga鈥攊t can be hard to prioritize. Fortunately, there鈥檚 one place you can go to tick off your entire summer bucket list: the . Located in Denver, this two-day event blends adventure, fitness, and community with soul-soothing music from big names like Khruangbin, Sylvan Esso, and Lord Huron.

It gets better: REI just launched a sweepstakes giving away a trip for two to the 2025 国产吃瓜黑料 Festival. , then start planning your summer of adventure. To give you a head start, we鈥檝e put together this list of ten travel must-haves.

Travel Duffel

REI Co-op Big Haul 34-Inch Rolling Duffel

Finally: a duffel that comes in all-wheel drive. REI Co-op鈥檚 burly Big Haul roller bag sports oversized wheels and a sturdy chassis designed to handle cobblestones, gravel, and anything in between. Add to that a TPU-coated 400-denier shell and a set of sturdy grab handles, and you鈥檝e got a bag that鈥檚 expedition (or festival) ready.

Backpack

Cotopaxi Allpa 35 L Travel Pack

A do-it-all daypack belongs at the top of your packing list, and the Allpa 35 L really does do it all. A burly TPU-coated 840-denier nylon outer shell defies scrapes and scuffs, and the interior is fully sectioned off with zippered mesh panels. The network of pockets keeps gear impeccably organized, and a plush hipbelt makes for effortless carry.

Toiletries Bag

Peak Design Wash Pouch

Yes, your quart-size plastic bag will work as a ditty bag. But if you鈥檙e serious about travel, it鈥檚 time for this upgrade. Made of waterproof fabric, the Peak Design Wash Pouch sits upright on a counter or hangs from a towel bar via a hidden hook. Its four-liter capacity is big enough for a long trip, and the TPU-coated nylon is a breeze to clean.

Headphones

Shokz OpenRun Pro2 Headphones

These techy headphones combine bone-conduction technology with more traditional air conduction, lifting the high notes and dropping the low notes for a more immersive audio experience. The OpenRun Pro2鈥檚 noise-reduction feature filters out transit chatter, and the open-ear design keeps you alert to your surroundings whether you鈥檙e crossing busy streets in Barcelona or sneaking in a run around your Denver hotel.

Insulated Bottle

Owala FreeSip 24-Ounce Vacuum Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is tough in any time zone, but it鈥檚 even tougher when you鈥檙e switching between them. The genius of the Owala FreeSip is its push-button top, which keeps the built-in straw germ-free, all while enabling effortless sipping. That makes it much easier to keep drinking, whether you鈥檙e on buses and trains or exploring high-elevation trails. Now add vacuum insulation and a carry loop, and you鈥檝e got the perfect summer bottle.

Versatile Footwear

HOKA Transport Shoes

Travel often involves pounding concrete and standing in long lines, both of which can be hard on the joints. Fortunately, well-cushioned footwear鈥攍ike the HOKA Transport鈥攃an defend against fatigue. The Transport鈥檚 5mm heel-to-toe drop helps roll your foot forward into the next step, and its soft EVA foam absorbs impact. Another nice touch: eco-conscious materials like recycled polyester and sugarcane-based foam.

Travel-Ready Pants

REI Co-op Trailmade Pants

Breathable enough for hiking, stylish enough for sightseeing, and soft enough to wear as pajamas, the Trailmade Pants are the perfect all-in-one travel trouser. Its four pockets are each big enough for a passport, and the adjustable elastic waistband defies slippage whether you鈥檙e crushing a steep trail or dancing to a music festival encore.

Lightweight Fleece

Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody

It can be hard to find a hoodie that鈥檚 both packable enough for travel and insulated enough for chilly airplanes and cool evenings above treeline. Enter the R1 Air Full-Zip. This 100 percent recycled fleece is warm, quick-drying, and equipped with three zippered pockets. Pull it out for a cozy night around the campfire or stuff it in a pack pocket for an emergency layer on long hikes.

Packing Cubes

REI Co-op Expandable Packing Cube Set, Small/Medium/Large

Whether you鈥檙e living out of a duffel or just trying to keep your favorite socks from wandering off in your tent, packing cubes are the secret to staying organized on the go. 搁贰滨鈥檚 set is better than most because each durable nylon cube features an extendable zipper, so you can add or subtract volume as needed, and a mesh panel lets sweaty gear breathe.

Smartwatch

Garmin fenix 8 AMOLED Sapphire

How鈥檚 this for a magic trick: The fenix 8 makes the worst part of traveling鈥攖he logistics鈥攖he best part. With an intuitive display, precision mapping, turn-by-turn directions, on-the-go texting and calling, and up to 29 days of battery life, this smartwatch is designed to keep you seamlessly on track, no matter where your adventures take you.

is the nation’s largest consumer co-op, with a growing community of 24 million members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips, and outstanding customer service. More than a retailer, REI is a purpose-driven and values-led company dedicated to enabling life outside for all.

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There are two ways to take the near-constant news about maintenance backlogs on public lands: let yourself get discouraged鈥攐r step up and start giving back. Amid national park service layoffs, funding freezes, policy changes, and a general tightening down of the economy, many trail organizations have been left scrambling for funding. That means they need your help now more than ever. Here are three empowering ways to give back, score matching funds, and get involved in protecting your favorite trails.

Donate to Trail Karma to Snag a Funds Match

For about a decade, the program has enabled trail users to donate to local organizations to protect trails near them. And this year, Toyota has partnered with 国产吃瓜黑料 to help readers鈥� dollars go even further. The company is currently donating a total of $20,000 to 20 different small trail advocacy organizations across the U.S., including in the Ozarks, the Cascades, the Southern Appalachians, Pike鈥檚 Peak National Forest, and Maine鈥檚 North Woods. On top of that, it鈥檚 making $80,000 available in matching funds. There鈥檚 no cap on the amount each trail organization can earn within that $80,000鈥攚hich means that if you can round up enough friends to donate $80K fast, your favorite trail could have $160K of improvements coming its way by the end of the year.

Create a Trailwork Event Through The American Hiking Society

Since its founding in 1976, the American Hiking Society has worked hard to build, maintain, and protect some of the nation鈥檚 most classic trails. It鈥檚 perhaps most famous for its , which galvanize hikers across the country to build and restore classic routes. Join a local event, or create your own for a trail in need. Looking for other empowering ways to chip in? Consider donating. 国产吃瓜黑料 has even partnered with AHS to sweeten the deal: or more over the course of a year, and you鈥檒l get a free subscription.

Sign Up for an IMBA Volunteer Day

Mountain bike trails take some serious abuse, and they require constant maintenance to keep the ride fun, flowy, and safe. That鈥檚 where the IMBA comes in handy. The International Mountain Bicycling Association partners with dozens of smaller trail advocacy organizations across the state. Use the to find your local group, then reach out to sign up for upcoming volunteer days. Swing a shovel, learn about sustainable trail design, and leave knowing you were part of the solution.

The post Your Trails Need You Now More Than Ever. Here Are 3 Ways to Give Back. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Will Dunn owes his life鈥攁nd maybe his marriage鈥攖o his REI Co-op Half Dome tent.

鈥淭he tent was a gift from my now-in-laws before we were in-laws,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was my first backpacking tent, and it got us through some pretty delightful hikes鈥攁nd some pretty harrowing ones.鈥� On one trip, Dunn and his now-spouse were backpacking in Utah鈥檚 Canyonlands when a windstorm swept in out of nowhere.

鈥淲hen it hit us, it hit hard鈥攖here were rocks and sticks beating down on the sides of the tent, and we didn鈥檛 know when it would end鈥 sure was happy to have that shelter.鈥�

Dunn鈥檚 love letter to his Half Dome is one of thousands. After all, when a tent has been around since 1980鈥攁nd is built to last through decades of use鈥攊t should be no surprise that it has racked up a serious fan club among REI members. And in this case, the Half Dome didn鈥檛 just exist for 45 years鈥攖hanks to member feedback it remained at the forward edge of shelter design for its category. It still is. That鈥檚 not surprising considering that when the tent first debuted in 1980, it revolutionized backpacking for a whole generation of hikers.

The Origins of a Legend

If you wanted to buy a tent back in the late 鈥�70s, your options were pretty limited. You had your heavy synthetic dome tents, flimsy A-frame pup tents, and the old-school canvas numbers your local scouting troop probably lugged around on character-building expeditions. You could choose between a lightweight design and a livable one. Very few brands were building shelters that ticked both boxes鈥攖hat is, until decided to reinvent the tent back in 1979.

The goal: straighter walls and more livability, all in a lightweight, weatherproof package. Ambitious? Yes. But the team tackled the challenge the same way it did with any new gear project. It polled REI members, gathered feedback, and set to work creating something that really answered the needs of the hiking community.

After a few iterations, the REI design team drew up a cross-pole design with a single entryway. The vertical walls made it easy to organize gear, get dressed, and play cards without bumping nylon. That first tent, released in 1980 and dubbed the Half Dome, was already a game changer. Then David Mydans got ahold of it.

Mydans was a backpacker and climbing bum who got his start at Chouinard Equipment before REI brought him on as a product designer in 1988. He was famous for spending hours on the cutting room floor, sewing up prototypes and tearing them apart, creating gear piece by piece the old-fashioned way.

鈥淧roduct design at REI is still very hands-on, but he was really passionate about it,鈥� says David Crumrine, 搁贰滨鈥檚 current gear design lead. When he started thinking about tent design, Mydans knew he was tired of crawling over his backpacking partners to get to his sleeping bag. He also knew REI Co-op members wanted more livability. 搁贰滨鈥檚 ethos has always been to let member feedback drive innovation, and the Half Dome鈥檚 progression owes a lot to that philosophy. But for years, further improvements to the tent鈥檚 livability proved elusive. Then, around 2000, Mydans had an epiphany.

鈥淗e realized he could create a tent with two doors and two vestibules,鈥� Dunn says. (Since that fateful Canyonlands trip so many years ago, Dunn has become 搁贰滨鈥檚 staff historian and archivist.) After months of tinkering, Mydans turned his epiphany into a prototype: a two-door tent that was comfortable, lightweight, and easy to set up. He dubbed it the Half Dome 2.

Wind Testing on Highway 410

Of course, comfort and convenience weren鈥檛 the only essential criteria. If this thing was going to work for hardcore backpackers like Mydans, it also needed to be protective.

Enter wind-resistance testing 1.0. Back then, product quality and safety standards hadn鈥檛 really been established yet. REI often had to create its own to make sure new gear was up to snuff. To test wind resistance, REI fashioned a DIY 鈥渓aboratory鈥�: an employee鈥檚 green pickup truck with a giant wooden platform bolted onto it. Whenever the gear team had a new tent to test, they鈥檇 lash it to the platform and drive down a stretch of Highway 410 at 65 mph. A passenger would observe the tent and take diligent notes while the walls flapped thunderously in the wind.

鈥淭he testing was actually pretty scientific for the setup they had. They鈥檇 test a tent with the door closed, door open, guyed out, not guyed out鈥攜ou name it,鈥� Dunn says. REI did this from the mid-1970s all the way up until 1993. (The iconic green pickup is now retired; in the 鈥�90s, the co-op switched to wind tunnel analysis. Today, it relies more on computer modeling and in-depth materials testing.)

Awards and Innovation听

When the two-door Half Dome 2 launched in 2001, campers quickly fell in love with it. Then, Backpacker Magazine put the Half Dome on the map, awarding the tent a coveted after two staffers survived a blizzard in it in 2002.

Backpacker also gave the tent an Editors鈥� Choice Gold Award in 2010. That鈥檚 about the time Mydans introduced a new dual hub design that vastly improved the tent鈥檚 interior space and livability. (Again, this was a piece of member feedback the gear team took to heart and brought to life.)

Later, the tent got inducted into the Backpacker Gear Hall of Fame and earned 国产吃瓜黑料 Magazine鈥檚 Gear of the Year Award. For the editors, nominating it felt like a no-brainer.

鈥淭he Half Dome鈥et a new standard in livability and affordability for a two-person tent,鈥� Backpacker then-editor-in-chief Dennis Lewon .

But the story doesn鈥檛 end there. Over the years, REI kept pushing the envelope. As with its other products, the co-op leveraged new materials and modern technology, finding ways to do more with less weight. Ultimately, designers were able to dramatically expand the Half Dome鈥檚 interior space without making it any heavier. The tent became the centerpiece of . The fan club only grew.

鈥淭he Half Dome is the bestselling tent at REI by a large margin,鈥� says Rick Meade, a senior product manager and the brand鈥檚 former tent buyer. 鈥淲e call it the Goldilocks of tents. It鈥檚 like your all-wheel-drive SUV鈥攊t does everything well, and it鈥檚 your trusted companion for all your adventures.鈥�

A New Take on a Timeless Classic

Now, REI is once again relaunching its fan-favorite Half Dome, once again with member-requested updates.

鈥淲e did a complete nationwide study a few years back where we went to all the major regions of the U.S., getting out with co-op members in the field and doing interviews,鈥� Crumrine says. 鈥淚 remember being with a member in their house and just filling up their living room setting up their new Half Dome tent. We鈥檝e done that kind of thing with other products over the years, and we always learn so much through that cooperative research.鈥�

The new tent doesn鈥檛 just leverage those recent takeaways鈥攊t also stands on the shoulders of 45 years of member inputs and feedback. The result: an all-new Half Dome 2, Half Dome 2 Plus, and Half Dome 3.

The new tents boast best-in-class comfort, more interior volume, and better weather protection than ever before. All the tent鈥檚 outer coatings now have nonfluorinated durable water-repellent (DWR) that helps moisture bead up on the surface, and the rainfly material is more durable thanks to an all-new ripstop reinforcement. And like all REI gear, it鈥檚 and backed by the co-op鈥檚 100% satisfaction guarantee. In sum: It鈥檚 a tent by the people, for the people.

鈥淲hat I really love about the Half Dome tent is its intersection with design and community,鈥� Dunn says. 鈥淚t meets those community needs. It鈥檚 everybody鈥檚 tent.鈥�

Give Back Bonus

REI Co-op is teaming up with the National Parks Conservation Association to defend America’s favorite places. Your Half Dome tent purchase helps power this partnership. From March 25 through April 30, REI will donate 20% of proceeds from full-price Half Dome tent sales to the National Parks Conservation Association. Since 1919, the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks.

is a consumer cooperative that exists to inspire and equip everyone to get outside. Everything it makes is created with the mindset and community of a co-op. From the backyard to base camp, 搁贰滨鈥檚 products are designed to be best in class for the great outdoors and the greater good.

The post The Goldilocks Tent That Changed It All, 搁贰滨鈥檚 Iconic Half Dome Turns 45 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

When Malou Anderson-Ramirez left her family ranch in Wyoming for an East Coast boarding school at age 15, she felt like she鈥檇 landed on another planet. Suddenly, she was surrounded by kids who spent their nights and weekends practicing piano or playing team sports. Meanwhile, she was used to spending her spare time feeding animals or birthing lambs.

鈥淢y parents taught us that you can鈥檛 sit down to dinner or breakfast if there are hungry animals outside,鈥� Anderson-Ramirez says. 鈥淲e were raised with the notion that they鈥檙e kin, and kin take care of each other.鈥� That sense of connection drove her to pursue a career in animal-assisted therapy, then, eventually, back to her family鈥檚 ranch on the border of Yellowstone National Park.

In 2009, Anderson-Ramirez and her husband dedicated themselves to transforming the ranch into a center for education and regenerative agriculture. Her 鈥攁nd the animals that call it home鈥攈as never been stronger. 鈥淚 try to be a voice for the wildlife who need someone to speak for them,鈥� she says.

Boots on the Ground

Get to know the park inside and out on these top five hikes.听

Trout Lake Loop (1.2 miles)

For a short-but-sweet loop hike just off the main road, target Trout Lake, an alpine tarn north of Soda Butte Canyon. Go early in the morning, when the water鈥檚 glassy surface reflects the peaks of the Absaroka Range.

Avalanche Peak (4.6 miles)
This 10,568-foot summit offers sweeping vistas of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including a bird鈥檚-eye view of Yellowstone Lake. Start at the peak鈥檚 eponymous trailhead and switchback straight up to the iconic summit.

Fairy Falls (5.6 miles)
Experience all the park鈥檚 greatest hits in a single afternoon on this half-day romp. A gently rolling trail will carry you past the neon marvel of Grand Prismatic Spring, 200-foot Fairy Falls, and two geysers, Spray and Imperial.

Mount Washburn (6.4 miles)
Tackle the climb to Mount Washburn鈥檚 10,243-foot summit, and you鈥檒l be rewarded with panoramic views of the craggy Washburn and Absaroka Ranges. Pro tip: Aim to summit at sunrise, and climb the historic fire lookout tower for an even better vantage point.

Continental Divide Trail to Shoshone Geyser Basin (20 miles)
This one鈥檚 an all-day affair, but it鈥檚 well worth the sunrise starting gun. Head out from the Lone Star Trailhead and trace the Firehole River for 20 miles, winding past spouting geysers, boiling springs, and other thermal features.

Raise a Toast: Horsefeather

Celebrate a great day in the national park with this custom recipe and , which was founded in 1872 to honor America鈥檚 first national park, and which continues to the national park system today.

Glassware: Collins

Ingredients

• 2 oz Yellowstone Select Bourbon
• 4 oz ginger beer
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Lime wheel or wedge for garnish

Instructions

• Fill Collins glass with ice.
• Combine all ingredients into the glass and top with ginger beer.
• Add two dashes of Angostura bitters and gently stir.

Established in 1872, was crafted to honor the sprawling wonder of America鈥檚 first national park. It鈥檚 what first inspired us to create approachably smooth whiskey for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and why we still do it today.

The post A Real Yellowstone Rancher Shares Her Story appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

John Murtiashaw could not catch a break. In the fall of 2023, Murtiashaw, 38, was working as the sales manager for Appalachian Gear Company (ACG), an apparel brand based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Murtiashaw, an eight-year veteran in the outdoor industry, loved the job and his coworkers. There was some serious buzz around the product, and he felt like he was doing good in the world.

Then, in May 2024, AGC went out of business, leaving Murtiashaw, his coworkers, and the brand鈥檚 customers shocked and heartbroken. At the end of the summer, after hustling from one job interview to the next, Murtiashaw found work at another North Carolina-based outdoor company, tent-maker Diamond Brand. A few weeks later, right after Murtiashaw received his first paycheck, Hurricane Helene annihilated the region. The factory flooded, the shuttered, and Murtiashaw was out of work again.

鈥淲e got three feet of water inside the factory,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e tried to keep going for a few days, but then we had a meeting.鈥� Management told employees that it was impossible to continue the business with that much damage. They were all let go.

鈥淚t was devastating,鈥� Murtiashaw said.

Murtiashaw鈥檚 story is familiar to those who work in (or adjacent to) the U.S. outdoor recreation industry. According to the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), a trade group made up of outdoor businesses, that鈥檚 a lot of people: the U.S. outdoor industry鈥攚hich includes everything from outdoor apparel manufacturers, to guiding companies, to ski resorts鈥攃urrently employs five million people and accounts for more than two percent of the nation鈥檚 gross domestic product (GDP).

But throughougt 2024 and 2025, a litany of outdoor gear brands鈥攆rom Patagonia to Orvis to REI鈥攈ave announced revenue shortfalls, downsized their staff, or shuttered altogether. The Outdoor Retailer Trade Show鈥攐ne of the industry鈥檚 biggest events鈥攄eclared in September that it would drop to just one show per year, combining its summer and winter gear conventions into a single annual event.

The turmoil has generated local and national headlines. It鈥檚 also forced many workers, from entry-level employees to business owners, to analyze the micro and macroeconomic forces that are putting financial pressure on businesses. 国产吃瓜黑料 spoke to a dozen sources to try and understand the roots of the industry鈥檚 woes. These sources cited a laundry list of hurdles that the industry faces, from climate change and natural disasters, to supply-chain aftershocks that are still rippling outward from the COVID-19 pandemic. Uncertainty over national politics,听and even competition from indoor activities, were also on the list.

鈥淏usiness has been really tricky,鈥� said Bryce Phillips, founder and CEO of ski-and-bike retailer Evo. 鈥淭hese last two years after the high of COVID听have been particularly challenging.鈥�

None of the sources we spoke to could say whether or not the pressure facing the outdoor industry would abet anytime soon.

The Pandemic Boom and Bust

While the pandemic may feel like ancient history, it鈥檚 still having very real impacts on the U.S. economy. Supply chains and product inventory in the U.S. still haven鈥檛 rebounded to normal levels in multiple sectors. That鈥檚 certainly the case for many manufacturers and retailers in outdoor recreation.

Demand for outdoor gear surged during the pandemic, as millions of people sought refuge outdoors. Many manufacturers and retailers ran low on inventory as bikes, skis, and other gear flew off shelves. Brands, which had finished their orders months before, couldn鈥檛 restock fast enough.

鈥淣ever in our history have we experienced anything like what happened when COVID kicked off,鈥� Phillips said. Stores were selling out of critical equipment.

鈥淥n the cycling side for example, chains, chain rings, brake pads鈥攖hey were impossible to get during the pandemic,鈥� said Sean Smith, show director for the Outdoor Retailer trade show. 鈥淭he idea for some brands was that if there鈥檚 demand, we鈥檙e going to fill it. People want our stuff, we鈥檙e going to get it to them.鈥�

Many brands ordered huge increases in inventory and hired additional staff and managers to keep up with demand. Surging revenue helped fund this uptick in infrastructure.

For a brief and beautiful moment, the outdoor industry was exploding. But, according to some of the sources we spoke to, some businesses failed to predict that the good times wouldn鈥檛 last forever.

According to Phillips, swelling margins masked unchecked spending. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think any of us managers in the business are loose cannons by any means,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 human nature: when everything is working well, you鈥檙e more apt to spend鈥攁nd less apt to catch costs that are creeping up.鈥�

The Inventory Problem

As demand boomed, outdoor brands and retailers continued to increase their orders for new product. But when a warm, dry winter struck North America in 2021 and 2022, that slammed the brakes on ski-pass and lift-ticket sales. That was tough on Vail Resorts, which posted losses for several quarters before it ultimately announced layoffs in 2024. Sales of skis and winter apparel were down, too, which affected both Evo and Patagonia, representatives from both companies said.

Then, in mid-2022, the COVID-19 vaccine became readily available. People went back to offices and returned to indoor activities, like concerts and parties. Studies from OIA show that, around this time, the surge in outdoor activity leveled off: after three years of consistent growth, consumers鈥� average number of annual outdoor outings dropped by almost 7 percent in 2022, and by another 11 percent in 2023.

It鈥檚 not that people aren鈥檛 going outside鈥擮IA鈥檚 2024 participation survey indicates that the overall number of outdoor recreation participants is still up year over year. But according to that same report, the bulk of new participation is by casual outdoor users鈥攖hink picnickers, day hikers, and bird watchers. The percentage of more hardcore users鈥攖hose who make more than 50 outings per year鈥攊s dropping, OIA found.

According to Kelly Davis, OIA鈥檚 research director, the dip in core participation is tied to a handful of dynamics. Screens, social media, and other activities are increasingly placing demands on consumers鈥� time and money, she said. What鈥檚 more, young people are exercising and spending time outdoors for different reasons than they used to.

鈥淭hey are out there for their mental health more than for their physical health, and outdoor activities are where they found community during the pandemic,鈥� Davis says.

The bad news is that these hardcore outdoor enthusiasts were the folks most likely to buy a second mountain bike, a new rack of trad gear, or a high-end backcountry ski setup. With the loss of their purchasing enthusiasm, sales of these products have crashed back down to earth, said Matt Powell, a longtime outdoor industry data analyst and founder of Spurwink River Consulting. The reason behind that rise and fall in the data, Powell suggests, might simply be because people in the grips of pandemic lockdown overestimated how much time they鈥檇 spend outdoors when restrictions lifted.

鈥淎 lot of people bought product above their needs or skill level during the pandemic, and then didn鈥檛 have a good experience with it,鈥� Powell said. 鈥淧eople tried new activities and found they didn鈥檛 like them or they were too hard.鈥� Outdoor industry analysts incorrectly interpreted the flurry of buying activity as the mass arrival of new lifelong customers. In reality, many were just dabblers.

Yet, most brands continued to order inventory in 2022 and 2023, assuming that sales would continue to grow. And since these companies order a year in advance, many brands have been saddled by excess inventory.

鈥淭he business brands were planning for never materialized, but the inventory sure did,鈥� Powell said. Retailers were suddenly bogged down with way too much stuff. So they stopped buying new inventory, and just sat on the piles of old product they already had, hoping it would eventually sell.

鈥淎s a result, there hasn鈥檛 been a lot of newness out there,鈥� Powell said. 鈥淪o even the customers who do want to buy haven鈥檛 seen anything that feels new and exciting. I don鈥檛 care what you say鈥攖his business is a fashion business. And when there鈥檚 no newness in the market, people get bored.鈥�

Worse, many outdoor retail stores were forced to offer steep discounts to offload all their extra inventory鈥攁 task made even more difficult by inflation, which hamstrung consumers鈥� buying power.

鈥淭he steep discounting caused this domino effect,鈥� said Eric Henderson, founder of outdoor industry PR firm Meteorite. When some brands sell gear for pennies, the rest have to drop their prices to keep up. That didn鈥檛 help anyone鈥檚 bottom lines. The discounting was an especially big hit to smaller brands, which already operate at razor-thin margins, Henderson said.

Inflation Drives Prices Up

If you鈥檝e been buying milk, eggs, gas, or pretty much anything else over the last three years, you鈥檙e already familiar with the serious impact inflation has had on the U.S. economy. In August of 2022, it hit a record high of 8.3 percent. That made everything more expensive. Since then, inflation has dropped鈥攊t now sits at a very reasonable 2.8 percent鈥攂ut prices remain high. Then there were the interest rate hikes in 2023, which left some consumers with higher mortgages or car payments. That ate into folks鈥� discretionary spending even more, and many haven鈥檛 yet had time to refinance after the 2024 rate drops.

鈥淧eople are still spending鈥攃onsumer spending in 2024 was up year over year鈥攚ith all this uncertainty and the impact of inflation, people have had to be more discerning,鈥� said Chris Sword, a professor for the University of Colorado鈥檚 Outdoor Recreation Economy program. It appears that some consumers have chosen so-called 鈥渞evenge travel鈥� over a new bike or ice axe this year.

The revenge travel phenomenon got a lot of press in the year or two after the pandemic, but data shows that consumers鈥� pent-up, post-pandemic wanderlust is still playing out. According to the 国产吃瓜黑料 Travel Trade Association, a for-profit advocacy group for the travel industry, travel operators are serving 54 percent more clients this year than last. The average trip cost? More than $2,000. The catch is that much of the revenge travel so far has been international. That trend is also projected to continue: Americans took eight听percent more trips abroad in 2024 compared to 2023, according to data by travel research company AXA. That means those dollars don鈥檛 always flow back into the U.S. economy.

Experts told听翱耻迟蝉颈诲别听that, between 2022 and 2024, consumers were choosing to spend on travel or gear. Many chose to travel. Between that, the dusty inventory, and the warm winter, demand for outdoor gear dried up across most categories. A few items,听such as running shoes, have maintained strong sales. But overall, growth stagnated.

鈥淲e had an extreme two years of demand that none of us could have ever imagined, followed by a two-year hangover,鈥� said Evo’s听Phillips.

鈥淭he general vibe from the brands I鈥檝e talked to is that flat [growth year-over-year] is the new good. If you鈥檙e flat, you鈥檙e going to be fine,鈥� said Henderson 鈥淚f you鈥檙e down? That鈥檚 when the panic button gets pushed.鈥�

Brands Lay Employees Off to Cut Costs

In 2024 many brands realized the boom times weren鈥檛 coming back, Henderson said. When that happened, they took long and hard looks at their budgets.

鈥淪uddenly, the music stops, and you鈥檙e looking at your P&L and scrutinizing all your costs in a way you weren鈥檛 before,鈥� Phillips said. That process can reveal some ugly truths. Some brands discovered they had a glut of extraneous personnel that they may have needed in 2020 but just couldn鈥檛 keep busy anymore.

At the end of last summer, with the fiscal year coming to a close, companies started to get nervous. One source told听国产吃瓜黑料 that many brands simply wanted to polish up their bottom lines and pump up their 2025 projections before they closed their books.

Enter the layoffs.

Throughout 2024 and into 2025, the outdoor industry generated a steady cascade of bad news. On January 25, REI laid off 357 staffers, including 200 at its Sumner, Washington, headquarters. It was the REI’s third layoff in 12 months. “Outdoor specialty retail has experienced four quarters of decline鈥攁nd that trend has been worsening,” REI’s CEO, Eric Artz, .

Then, on September 19, Outdoor Retailer officially nixed its second show. A week later, Vail laid off 14 percent of its corporate staff. On September 30, Patagonia employees were pulled into a call announcing the brand would cut one percent of its workforce. On October 4, Orvis laid off eight percent of its employees. On October 11, footwear brand Vasque shut down. LL Bean announced its second layoff of 2024 in December. In January, apparel company Alpine Parrot, which designed apparel for plus-sized customers, abruptly shuttered. (国产吃瓜黑料 Inc., the parent company of OUTSIDE, wasn’t immune from the layoffs, and in February 2025 let go of 23 employees.)

For current (and aspiring) outdoor industry staffers, it felt like gut punch after gut punch. But if the economic headwinds鈥攖he excess inventory, the high costs, the supply-chain woes鈥攁re years-old, why did these layoffs and closures happen in 2024 and 2025?

鈥淚 think there are a lot of [brands] who tried to hold on as long as they possibly could, and then had to make a difficult decision,鈥� said Bruce Old, head of global business operations at Patagonia. 鈥淲here we have settled is that we don鈥檛 think that the market and some of the risk around the world is going to change significantly.鈥�

In other words, the industry is close to finding its level after the pandemic. While Old hopes trends will continue to stabilize, the reality is that level may be lower than many brands had hired for.

Now, it remains to be seen whether the recent layoffs are enough to course-correct.

鈥淚t鈥檚 better to make hard decisions deep and early than small and late,鈥� said CU鈥檚 Chris Sword. 鈥淪o, we鈥檒l have to wait and see if these brands cut deep enough to course correct.鈥� If they didn鈥檛, layoffs could continue into 2025.

An Uncertain Future

Adding to the witch鈥檚 brew is the shifting political landscape. Political uncertainty historically leads to consumer reticence鈥攁 reluctance to buy and an impulse to hoard savings. That goes for brands and consumers alike.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing it in the U.S., and on the international side too,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淎 lot of people are in this wait-and-see mindset on the economy. Are we going to see increased tariffs on goods coming from China? That鈥檚 a legitimate concern. There are a lot of brands waiting to see what will happen next.鈥�

Throughout the early months of 2025, brands have had to endure the threat of the Trump Administration’s evolving agenda on tariffs. In February and March, the U.S. either imposed or threatened tariffs on goods imported from Mexico, Canada, and China.

Matt Tucker, director of client development for Circana鈥檚 sports equipment business, has seen that reluctance play out in Circana鈥檚 outdoor industry sales data. But a closer look reveals that things aren鈥檛 all bad: According to Tucker, the outdoor industry market is down two percent since this time last year. However, the industry has grown 31 percent since 2020. That鈥檚 some pretty strong long-term growth.

Henderson believes the post-pandemic pendulum swing has finally come to a stop. It鈥檚 stabilizing now, he said, and growth (and hiring) should both resume in 2025. But if you鈥檙e looking for an outdoor industry job, don鈥檛 hold your breath. Most of the managers interviewed for this story said their biggest lesson from the past few years was acting too fast, hiring or making changes before they had all the data. Going forward, many will be playing it safe.

鈥淲e鈥檙e patiently assessing what鈥檚 happening and proceeding with caution,鈥� said Corey Simpson, Patagonia鈥檚 communications manager. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like getting a sketchy avalanche forecast. It could be good, or maybe we鈥檙e just drinking coffee at the truck today. We just have to keep assessing as we move forward.鈥�

As for Murtiashaw? He鈥檚 feeling cautiously optimistic. For now, he鈥檚 still looking for work in the outdoor industry, but he鈥檚 not as set on it as he once was.

鈥淚 have friends in tech, and they don鈥檛 seem that different from me. Honestly, they seem happier,鈥� he said. The tech industry has had its own woes this past year, but Murtiashaw sees some real appeal in selling a product that isn鈥檛 physical and therefore isn鈥檛 affected by local and international factors beyond employees鈥� control.

鈥淵ou鈥檒l likely see me in the outdoor industry again, and loving every minute of it,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 hard to ignore friends who seem professionally stimulated, stable, with ample time to enjoy outside of work, and wonder if they鈥檝e found a better way.鈥�

The post It鈥檚 Been a Turbulent Period for the Outdoor Industry. Here鈥檚 Why. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Last fall, tech entrepreneur and multi-millionaire Bryan Johnson spent two hours having all the plasma in his body removed. There was nothing wrong with his plasma; he simply hoped that replacing it would help him achieve eternal听youth. 听So, despite very limited scientific evidence, Johnson swapped it all for a protein-based fluid called albumin.

It鈥檚 not the first time Johnson鈥檚 pursuit of immortality has made the news. The 47-year-old allegedly spends about $2 million on anti-aging treatments each year. In 2023, he injected himself with a liter of plasma harvested from his then-17-year-old son. At the time, Johnson he was trying to 鈥渂ecome like an 18-year-old.鈥�

I turn 32 this spring. That鈥檚 not old, but it鈥檚 old enough to have gotten my first few wrinkles. Over the last few years, I鈥檝e watched my friends get laser facials and boob jobs. I鈥檝e watched them spend a fortune on face creams and dyes, an endless and expensive game of whack-a-mole with their laugh lines and battle scars. Sometimes it doesn鈥檛 work, and I feel validated. Sometimes, it does, and I feel I鈥檝e been left to grow old alone.

As women, we鈥檙e taught that we are desirable as long as we鈥檙e beautiful. We鈥檙e useful as long as we鈥檙e young. But it鈥檚 not just the cosmetic aspects of aging that scare me. I鈥檓 also afraid of the pain and endless surgeries my grandparents鈥攂oth in their mid-80s鈥攁re enduring right now. I鈥檓 afraid of having to hang up my ice axes and skis, and give up steep trail runs for slow walks around the pond. I鈥檓 afraid of the day that achy knees cost me access to all the places I love.

That fear is very human鈥攁nd very common. While Johnson may be one of the more extreme longevity obsessives, he鈥檚 far from the only one.

You may have heard of 81-year-old real estate mogul Kenneth Scott, who spends about on 鈥渧ampire facials鈥濃�攁 skin treatment involving injections of your own blood plasma鈥攕upplements, and other unproven therapies. Or posh gym chain Equinox, which recently launched a $40,000-per-year membership aimed at helping its members live longer. Other folks go the budget route, paying just $10 to $100 per month for , an off-label immunosuppressant that鈥檚 recently become the darling of longevity zealots.

With the advent of experimental new therapies, pop-science books like The Blue Zones, and big-name wellness influencers like Andrew Huberman and Wim Hof, more people than ever are tapping into the longevity trend. According to research firm Grandview, the current longevity market was valued at $37 billion in 2020. By 2028, it鈥檚 projected to .

I get it; I鈥檓 not immune to the allure. But still, when I first started reading about the extreme lengths people go to for longevity鈥攖he plasma swaps, the drugs, the weird diets鈥攎y initial reaction surprised me. It wasn鈥檛 bemused curiosity; it was a flash of fist-balling, brow-sweating, red-hot anger. It pissed me off. I just couldn鈥檛 put my finger on why.

Bound By Biology

It鈥檚 said that there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. And while a privileged few have proven that extreme wealth can help you avoid taxes, they have yet to successfully fend off death. With infinite money and resources, most problems seem solvable. But how much control do we really have over our lifespans?

To find out, I called up Cambridge professor Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan, a Nobel laureate in chemistry and author of Why We Die: The New Science of Ageing and the Quest for Immortality.

I chose Ramakrishnan because of his expertise in this field. But, more importantly, he鈥檚 not peddling anything. Unlike other top longevity authors and researchers,听Ramakrishan isn鈥檛 selling a training plan, video course, or pill. He doesn鈥檛 own any longevity-coaching startups, and he doesn鈥檛 have any supplement sponsors forking over a commission.

Our lifespan is dictated by factors outside of our control, Ramakrishnan told me. All our cells undergo regular wear and tear just from living, eating, and surviving. Different species have adapted different strategies for dealing with that wear and tear. Some animals have robust mechanisms for cleaning out problematic cells, which helps them live longer. But developing and maintaining those mechanisms takes energy and biological resources.

That cost might be worth it for a large animal, which isn鈥檛 likely to get eaten quickly. An elephant, say, is going to last a while, so it makes practical sense for the species to develop some strategies for cleaning out dead cells and living longer so it can reproduce more and defend the community group.

Small animals, on the other hand, tend to get eaten pretty early in life. To work with that constraint, they evolved to grow, mature, and reach reproductive age as fast as possible. It never benefitted them to develop sophisticated biochemical machinery for dealing with old age because they never got there. For millions of years, small animals evolved under that constraint. Everything about a rabbit or mouse鈥攆rom their rapidfire puberty to their litter size to their fast metabolisms鈥攁dapted within the bounds of this shorter life. Same with human beings. All of our machinery is adapted to work within a medium-sized lifespan.

In other words, our capacity for longevity is built into the blueprint of our species. It鈥檚 the framework鈥攏ot a feature you can freely dial up or down.

The Illusion of Control 听

Still, some human beings live longer than others. Take Jeanne Calment, the oldest woman who ever lived. She died in 1997 at the age of 122. Allegedly, she also smoked a cigarette and drank a glass of port wine every night.

鈥淪he was simply lucky that she didn鈥檛 come down with cancer or other diseases,鈥� Ramakrishnan says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely luck involved.鈥�

There鈥檚 also genetics. In an old but often-cited on twins, researchers found that about 25 percent of longevity was heritable鈥攊n other words, predetermined by your genes. The remaining 75 percent can be influenced by individual lifestyle factors.

But when it comes to those lifestyle factors, we don’t have as much control as we’d like to think. According to the Social Determinants of Health, a for thinking about factors that influence overall health, our personal habits鈥攍ike eating, smoking, drinking, and exercising鈥攐nly account for about 30 percent of influencing factors. The rest are structural and social forces far harder to control: about 40 percent of a person鈥檚 health is determined by socioeconomic factors, 10 percent by their physical environment, and 20 percent by their access to healthcare.

Even if radical new therapies did come online in our lifetime, there are bigger forces at play here. A in the journal Nature indicates that people cannot live much longer than they do now. There is a cap on the human lifespan, and we鈥檝e reached it. No one has lived to 120 since Calment died. There鈥檚 no guarantee that anyone ever will. At least, not until we cure all cancers, dementia, and other neurological diseases鈥攕omething Ramakrishnan says is still very far off.

The truth is we have little control over our lifespans. Many of us obsess over what we eat and how we exercise not because these habits hold the secret to health and longevity, but because we feel helpless, and are comforted by the illusion of control. But even if you eat and exercise perfectly, you can still die young.

When The Plan Goes Awry

My father wasn鈥檛 perfect. He often worked too much. He stayed up too late. He had a weakness for Little Debbie Nutty Buddies. He once binged an entire season of Game of Thrones in a single sitting even though he鈥檇 sworn to my brother and I that he鈥檇 wait to watch it with us (we鈥檒l forgive him someday). And often, at the dinner table, he would make me laugh so hard I鈥檇 shoot orange juice out my nose.

But he did a lot of things right, both as a dad and as a health-conscious American man. He ate mostly rice and vegetables, wore sunscreen, and woke up at 5:00 A.M. every day to run five miles and lift weights. He was thin. He had a rich social life. He was a good husband and father. He spent time outside. And despite all that, he died from an out-of-nowhere heart attack at age 53.

Six months before my dad鈥檚 funeral, I lost my dear friend and former boyfriend Alexander. He was a vegetarian. He fasted. He鈥檇 just taken the MCAT and was on track to be a doctor. He exercised and stretched. He even flossed every day. And he right before he turned 25.

Both of them听did practically everything right. And they鈥檙e gone.

And that, I realized, is why I鈥檓 angry.

Johnson often wears a T-shirt that says 鈥淒on鈥檛 Die,鈥� as if it was that easy. As if, for my dad, it was avoidable鈥攁nd all his fault for not doing the right things or adopting the correct obscure therapies soon enough.

As if, instead of spending his free time with his family, he should have been flying to Dallas to get his plasma replaced or consulting with overpaid doctors about a custom nutrition plan. As if that would have saved him. As if any of us could be so arrogant as to pretend to play defense with the Reaper.

Can You Extend Your Life?

Of course, it鈥檚 Johnson鈥檚 prerogative to spend his free time pursuing various therapies and longevity-boosting routines. We all have our hobbies. And maybe it鈥檚 not my place to say this is a less-worthwhile use of time than dodging cactuses on a steep trail run under the hot Colorado sun, which is how I spend many of my free afternoons.

The good news is that some studies show that lifestyle choices can make some difference鈥攁nd even help offset our genes. One long-term study published in 2021 examined more than 350,000 individuals with DNA markers indicating they were genetically predisposed to early death. The study showed that exercise and other healthy habits reduced that chance of early death in those populations by . The effects aren鈥檛 necessarily dramatic. The researchers estimated that even if you adopt such habits by age 40, they鈥檙e only likely to add about five years to your life. Still, eating relatively healthy and exercising: definitely good for you.

The nitty gritty of what you eat or how you exercise tends to be less important. A recent study shows that only exercising on weekends is just as beneficial for your health as sticking to a strict daily routine. Concepts like the Blue Zone Theory鈥攚hich purports that people living in certain areas of the world hold the secrets to longevity鈥攔est on shaky science, according to critics.

However, some research shows that how much you eat does matter. In animal studies, animals placed on restrictive diets tend to live longer than those that aren鈥檛. A quick caveat, though: these fasting studies often use animals on a gluttonous, all-you-can-eat diet as the control group. They don鈥檛 always compare fasting mice to mice who eat in moderation.

鈥淪o these studies might just show that all-you-can-eat isn鈥檛 healthy, not necessarily that fasting is the benefit,鈥� Ramakrishnan says. Regardless, the science does indicate that caloric intake makes a difference.

Sleep is another big lever you can pull. One of more than 700,000 U.S. veterans showed that folks who slept at least seven hours a night lived 18 percent longer on average. And even if you don鈥檛 sleep a ton, sticking to a can also increase your life expectancy.

Cold-exposure therapy and contrast therapy (the practice of alternating between heat and cold) are also commonly touted as ways to boost longevity. But while cold therapy has been shown to help 鈥攂oth contributors to chronic disease鈥攖he effects aren鈥檛 necessarily long-lasting. Longevity studies thus far have mostly been limited to mice and worms. There鈥檚 no evidence that cold exposure can make human beings live longer.

Does Biohacking Really Work?

So, what about the biohacking stuff鈥攖he rapamycin and the lasers and the thing Kenneth Scott does where he bathes his face in his own blood? Does that give us the power to take back control?

Ramakrishnan calls some of these therapies 鈥減romising.鈥� Rapamycin, for example, mimics the effects of calorie restriction by targeting similar metabolic pathways. In mice, rapamycin has been shown to extend lives by 20 percent. But humans aren鈥檛 mice.It’s also only FDA-approved as an immunosuppressant for organ transplant patients, because it helps prevent the body from rejecting the new organ. Its side effects include slower wound healing and a higher risk of infection鈥攖he opposite of what you want if you鈥檙e trying to live forever.

Stem cells are another promising (albeit new) area of research, Ramakrishan says. So are genetics鈥攊.e., reprogramming cells. However, both involve injecting human beings with new cells or new DNA, which is difficult to do safely.

Johnson鈥檚 plasma replacement strategy represents another approach: cleaning out senescent cells that have stopped dividing because they鈥檙e too old. Scientists think they can have a domino effect on nearby cells, causing them to become senescent, too. This is an enormously complex process, though. And while plasma replacement sounds good in theory, it might not actually address any of the root causes of senescence. We just don鈥檛 know yet.

In other words, the science on all of this is new. The studies that do exist are small and mostly inconclusive. And many of the folks who say otherwise are trying to sell you something.

Yes, there are some promising therapies and drugs on the horizon, Ramakrishnan says, but it could take decades before they鈥檙e available. Plus, they鈥檙e expensive and time consuming.

As I researched, I started to do some mental math, adding up all the time I鈥檇 spend planning out therapies, working to pay for them, and agonizing over whether or not they worked. I realized it wasn鈥檛 worth it: I was more likely to spend years missing my life by trying to extend it. Perhaps the right question to ask isn鈥檛 how to live a longer life, but how to live a better life.

The Gift of Growing Old

When I started writing this story, I wanted to punch Johnson in the teeth. For his dumb shirt. For his arrogance. But now, I just want to shake him. He鈥攁nd all of his adherents鈥攁re missing the point: the hours you spend swapping plasma or getting your skin lasered to look younger are hours you could be spending with your family and friends. The money you spend on rapamycin could go toward a plane ticket to visit that college roommate you haven鈥檛 seen in ages, or to a date night with your partner. Spend it on a scuba certification, a telescope that lets you see the stars, a skydive, a dance lesson, a concert. On any one of a million things that make this life worth living.

I think of the afternoons I鈥檝e spent flopped on my housemate鈥檚 bed, talking between sunbeams about what it means to grow older. I think of the pre-party minutes we鈥檝e spent examining each other鈥檚 roots, our new freckles, the pudgy bellies we laughed over. I have such fond memories of growing up鈥攅ven when it was hard or painful or ugly. I want fond memories of growing old, too.

Alexander never got the chance to watch his hair go gray, or to see time etch his laugh lines into place. He will be 24 forever. I think often of how much he鈥檚 missed.

If I鈥檝e learned anything from his death鈥攐r that of my dad鈥攊t鈥檚 that aging is a privilege. It鈥檚 precious and bittersweet and wonderfully human. It isn鈥檛 easy. But nothing worth doing is.

The post It鈥檚 Time to Give Up on the Longevity Experiment appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If it weren鈥檛 for travel, Margie Goldsmith, age 80, says she would have died at least three times by now. Ten years ago, the globe-trotting author and travel writer endured a risky surgery for pancreatic cancer. Two years later, the cancer returned. A few years after that, Goldsmith was diagnosed with lung cancer. She survived it all, she is sure, because she鈥檚 been a world traveler for 50 years.

You鈥檒l be forgiven if you鈥檙e a little skeptical. After all, globetrotting isn鈥檛 often a prescription for the ill or infirm. But recent research suggests that travel and tourism could have powerful impacts on your health and even longevity.

How Travel Helps to Slow Aging

According to a this fall by Fengli Hu, a PhD candidate at Edith Cowen University in Perth, Australia, travel could be a powerful tool for slowing down the aging process. Hu鈥檚 main theory is fairly straightforward: Many of the lifestyle practices medical and mental-health experts endorse鈥攍ike social engagement, appreciating nature, walking, and learning new things鈥攁re intrinsic to travel.

But the novelty of Hu鈥檚 research is that it creates a foundation for thinking about travel in terms of entropy. Travel, she writes, is a way to maintain a 鈥渓ow-entropy state鈥濃�攊n other words, a state of optimal health and efficient bodily function. Since she published the paper, dozens of media outlets have covered her work.

In a video call with 国产吃瓜黑料, Hu says she didn鈥檛 expect so much attention, especially given that the research is only theoretical at this point. She鈥檚 just begun to set up the related experiments, which will be completed in 2025. But the interest makes sense.

She says, 鈥淢any people are looking for a way to keep young and healthy, and travel can be a cost-effective way to improve their physical and mental health and slow down the aging process.鈥� It鈥檚 cost effective, she says, because folks don鈥檛 necessarily have to travel to pricey, far-flung locations to experience the benefits.

The theory of entropy comes from physics; it refers to the natural tendency of systems to move from a state of organization and order to one of chaos and disorder. Entropy has also been used as a framework for thinking about aging and disease. When you鈥檙e young and healthy, your internal systems run smoothly. That鈥檚 order. As you age, cellular mutations and dysfunctions proliferate. That鈥檚 disorder鈥攁 high-entropy state.

Entropy almost always moves in one direction, Hu says, 鈥渂ut can be mitigated or slowed down with certain measures.鈥� Being a tourist, she says, may be one.

Travel鈥攖hat is, relaxing, leisure-focused travel鈥攈as the power to reduce stress, it encourages exercise, and it forces you to meet and socialize with new people. All of that keeps you sharp and optimizes your body鈥檚 performance and efficiency. As a result, Hu says, it could help you stave off physical and mental decline and potentially live longer.

How Travel Relieves Stress

Goldsmith started traveling when she was 32, in the wake of a nasty divorce. She needed something to pull her out of depression, and she鈥檇 always wanted to go to the Galapagos. So, she went.

鈥淭hey say you can move a muscle, change a thought,鈥� Goldsmith says. 鈥淲ell, it turns out you can also move your location and change a thought.鈥�

The change was exhilarating. Since then, Goldsmith has traveled to 149 countries. Travel has made her a more generous, compassionate person, she says. It鈥檚 also made her more resilient.

鈥淚 look at people my age, and they look like my grandmother,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e bent over with arthritis and they鈥檙e not moving. That will never be me. Travel gives you a more active life, a bigger life. It will keep you young.鈥�

So far, experimental studies seem to support both Goldsmith鈥檚 experience and Hu鈥檚 research. One of the best-known is the Helsinki Businessman Study, a 50-year experiment involving more than 1,200 Finnish participants who filled out lifestyle and habit questionnaires between the 1960s and 2010s. In a , Timo Strandberg, MD, PhD, found a strong correlation between vacation time and longevity.

Participants in the intervention group鈥�600-plus men who were given a strict health-and-nutrition regimen during the early years of the study鈥攈ad a 37 percent higher chance of dying before their mid-70s, if they took fewer than three weeks of vacation per year. Those who took more than three weeks of vacation per year lived longer. Why?

鈥淭hese men who had less vacation were more psychologically vulnerable to stress,鈥� Strandberg said in a video call with 国产吃瓜黑料. That stress included participants鈥� family and work obligations, as well as the added pressure to stick to a structured health-and-fitness regime. Taking more vacation seemed to benefit participants in the intervention group, likely by keeping their stress in check, Strandberg says.

Surprisingly, the amount of vacation time participants took seemed to have no correlation to longevity in the control group鈥攖hose who weren鈥檛 given a health and fitness routine to stick to. The upshot? Giving yourself extra rules and routines can be stressful, no matter the intention. And the more stress, obligations, and prescribed regimens you have in your life, the more critical vacations may be. (Fitness fanatics, we鈥檙e looking at you.)

The Case for More Frequent Vacations听

Stress of any kind can have cumulative negative effects.

鈥淥ne theory is that your acute stress鈥攚hich can be good and healthy and help you avoid danger and so on鈥攃an turn into chronic stress,鈥� Strandberg said. 鈥淭hen that will show up in biological terms and in different markers in the body.鈥� A vacation has the potential to act as a reset, chipping away at your total stress load and bringing it back down to healthy levels.

Strandberg adds that while the health benefits of a vacation include stress relief and lower cortisol levels, the effects are only temporary. As a result, he recommends taking several four- to five-day vacations throughout the year rather than a single three-week vacation. That way you鈥檙e continually keeping your stress in check rather than saving it all up for a single blow-out.

Kiki Keating, a travel curator and trip guide based in New Hampshire, is a firm believer in frequent travel. Keating, who identifies as 鈥渁 very young 62,鈥� just hiked 90 miles along the Portuguese coast and has a handful of other trips鈥攊ncluding an overseas tour she does every year with her 86-year-old mother鈥攐n the docket for the coming year. The travel keeps both active, and it gives them something to look forward to. That sense of purpose, she says, is key to both living long and facing setbacks with determination. She鈥檚 watched many people use an upcoming trip as a life ring to pull out of depression or weather an injury or illness.

Goldsmith is one. Her first pancreatic surgery was extremely dangerous, a six-hour operation that only 25 percent of patients survive. But she felt she would make it; she had places yet to see.

As she recovered, dreams of travel motivated her to keep moving. 鈥淎s soon as I got out of the hospital, the first thing I did was travel,鈥� she says. Likewise, when facing a knee-replacement surgery earlier this year, she booked trips to Ireland and Scottsdale to give her something to look forward to鈥攁nd motivate her to do everything she could to recover faster.

Travel Keeps Your Mind Sharp

But you don鈥檛 have to be in advanced years to benefit from frequent travel. Keating has also seen it impact how her adult children face challenges and deal with stress.

鈥淭ravel helps you to be more relaxed when you鈥檙e adapting to something new,鈥� Keating says. 鈥淲hen you go to a place with a new culture and a language you don鈥檛 speak, it can feel hard at first. Then, after a day or two you鈥檙e like, 鈥極h, I take this metro and follow this red line and go to the blue line, and I know how to say hello, and this is where I like to eat.鈥� You remind yourself you can learn new things and adapt, and that gives you confidence.鈥� Today, she says, her kids鈥攁ll of whom traveled with her when they were younger鈥攁re good at taking adversity in stride. That鈥檚 a tool they鈥檒l use for the rest of their lives to minimize stress, and it could pay big dividends in terms of wellness.

It鈥檚 not just about stress, either. A small 2018 study by Craig Anderson, a UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow, shows that experiencing awe can help . Other research, including a that followed more than 6,700 older adults, indicates that travel could also ameliorate cognitive decline. Mental stimulation鈥攊ncluding learning new languages and visiting museums鈥攈as been shown to help by up to 47 percent.

It wouldn鈥檛 be much of a stretch to say that challenging yourself to navigate a new place or learn new customs would have some of the same benefits.

鈥淭ravel is sort of like riding your mountain bike on a technical trail,鈥� says Stephanie Pearson, 54, a professional travel writer who鈥檚 been globetrotting for more than 30 years. 鈥淵ou have to be in a similar flow space to navigate foreign languages, customs, and travel logistics. So I really think it does something cognitively to your brain. It also helps you reset and focus and see the world in a different way.鈥�

Pearson adds that she鈥檚 felt a similar level of focus and challenge on trips near home as to far-flung places like Bhutan and New Zealand. As long as there鈥檚 an element of awe, discovery, and getting out of your comfort zone, she says, your mind and body stand to benefit.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to fling yourself across the world to have an awesome adventure. You can drive to a nearby park or city that you鈥檝e never visited and have a rewarding experience,鈥� Pearson says. 鈥淭he benefit lies in having that curiosity.鈥�

Corey Buhay is a freelance writer and editor based in Boulder, Colorado. She is a member of the U.S. Ice Climbing Team, which takes her to Korea, Switzerland, Czech, and Slovakia each winter. She dreams of one day being able to travel when the weather is actually warm. Her recent stories for 国产吃瓜黑料 range from mountaineering bromance, with 鈥�After 50 Years of Friendship, These Alpinists Just Bagged (Another) Unclimbed Peak,鈥� to trail-running records in 鈥�Forget Pumpkin Spice Lattes, It鈥檚 FKT Season,鈥� to loss in the mountains, with 鈥�Years After My Mentor Died in the Backcountry, I Retraced His Final Footsteps.鈥�

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In the chaos of year鈥檚 end, it鈥檚 easy to forget to prioritize yourself. After all, few of us have time for serious goal-setting or self-care amid the airport runs, in-law-wrangling, and countless other rings of the family circus. Inevitably, the New Year sneaks up on us before we have any time to plan or ponder. By the time we figure out what we want our resolutions to be and what stuff we need to make them happen, we鈥檙e already a month behind.

Don鈥檛 let that happen this year. Instead, take a few minutes right now to set some intentions for 2025. Then, take advantage of deep Black Friday discounts to order what you need and set yourself up for success. To give you a head start, we pored through press releases and deals lists to round up the ten best deals on the market.听

Looking to reduce stress in 2025? Drink Less? Get strong? Sleep better? Finally get over that niggling injury? We鈥檝e got you. Find time for yourself this holiday season with these top wellness-focused听sales.

1. Drink Less

Athletic Brewing Non-Alcoholic Beer

On sale November 25

With NA options this good, you won鈥檛 want to stop at Dry January. Athletic Brewing has made a name for itself with its wide range of athlete-friendly recipes and creative flavors (think: crisp IPAs, fruity sours, or darker brews perfect for the cooler months).听From Monday, November 25 ,听through Monday, December 2, customers who join the brand鈥檚 will receive 30 percent off their first order. That鈥檚 $10 to $11 per six-pack听rather than the usual $14 to $15. Better yet: you can order up to eight sixers. Buy in bulk, and the savings add up fast.

2. Start Meditating

Manduka enLight Meditation Cushion

On sale November 25听

In theory, meditation is something you can embrace anytime, anywhere. In practice, it鈥檚 often hard to make yourself do it unless you have a set routine鈥攁nd a designated spot. Enter the enLight Meditation Cushion. Simple, comfortable, and elegant, this pouf is both a visual reminder of the commitment you鈥檝e made to yourself and a portable self-care routine. The microfiber cover is incredibly soft, and the wool inner pillow is springy and non-allergenic. It also comes in a range of colors to fit unobtrusively in any room.

3. Do More Yoga

Liforme Radiant Sun Yoga Mat

On sale now听

Consider this mat your yoga cheatsheet. Liforme鈥檚 mats are all equipped with subtle, printed,听symmetrical guidelines to help you dial in your body awareness and make sure you鈥檙e stretching evenly on both sides. That slight aid can be an enormous help, whether you鈥檙e new to yoga or looking to advance your practice. The non-slip surface is ideal for sweaty hands and feet, and the natural rubber base and eco-polyurethane top are both environmentally friendly.

4. Explore Wilder Places

Garmin Fenix 7X Pro Solar

On sale now

If you鈥檙e looking to spend more time in nature鈥攁nd get lost less鈥攜ou can鈥檛 do better than this ruggedized, high-powered, expedition-ready watch.听The Fenix 7X Pro Solar lets you download maps directly to the device. The watch uses satellites to triangulate your position and show you where you are on the map 鈥攚hich means you鈥檒l always know your exact location, even when you鈥檙e off-grid and out of service. A bevy of fitness settings lets you gather data on everything from your sleep and recovery to your performance on off-trail backpacking trips and technical tail runs alike. It also has a built-in flashlight and some of the best battery life in the business: up to 37 days.

5. Sleep Better

Dream Silk Sleep Pillowcase and Mask Bundle

On sale now

Imagine if every side of the pillow was the cool side of the pillow. That鈥檚 sleeping on silk for you. Silk is something of a supermaterial. First, it naturally regulates temperature. And unlike cotton, it won鈥檛 suck the hydration out of your skin or hair while you sleep. The smooth texture helps prevent hair tangling and breakage and naturally wicks moisture. Dream takes all of those benefits up a notch using extra high-quality silk infused with antibacterial silver ions. Between November 18 and December 19, you can get both Dream鈥檚 silk pillowcase and silk sleep mask (either bundled or separate) for 30 percent off. The brand鈥檚 best-selling , which claims to promote nasal breathing and help stop snoring鈥攊s also on sale for 30 percent off.

6. Recover From an Injury

Hyperice Hypervolt 2 Pro Massage Gun

On sale now

Percussive massage can help warm up muscles, break up knots, and be an invaluable part of a physical therapy or recovery routine. So, whether you鈥檙e looking to rehab a current injury or prevent a future one, consider the Hypervolt 2 Pro as part of your plan. The handheld massage gun has five different head attachments and a powerful motor, which means it鈥檚 strong enough to loosen up even the stiffest muscles. And from November 21 to January 8, it鈥檚 $70 off.

7. Get Stronger

Momentous Protein Powder

On sale November 25

Momentous gets all its products NSF- and Informed-Sport certified. So,听if you鈥檙e new to the space and worried about safety and purity, this is a great place to start. Athletes who are into creatine (a well-studied supplement used to bulk up and enhance recovery) should opt for the ($97), a combo pack featuring protein, creatine,听and omega-3. Or, if you鈥檙e just trying to up your protein intake without breaking the bank, choose between Momentous鈥檚 whey and plant-based protein powders ($30 to $49).

8. Reduce Stress

Plunge Evolve Air Pro Inflatable Cold Plunge

On sale now听

Cold-exposure therapy is having a moment, and not just due to the Wim Hof Effect. Emerging research shows that frigid dips and improve mental health. And these days, you don鈥檛 even have to go to a fancy health spa to reap the benefits. On sale throughout the month of November, the Evolve Pro Air lets you practice a cold-water immersion routine at home. The inflatable pool is made of a durable, insulated material and only takes 15 minutes to set up. You can fill the basic version ($1,012)听with ice or purchase the version with a chiller ($2,967) to keep the water at a steady 37 degrees Fahrenheit. If contrast therapy is more your game, you鈥檒l also want to look at Plunge鈥檚 sauna options: the ($8,917) offers a compact design and has a traditional stone heater that gets up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. Get Faster

Polar Pacer Pro

On sale now听

The Polar Pacer Pro was built for speed. Whether you鈥檙e looking to finish your first 5K or shave minutes off your marathon time, this lightweight sports watch has everything you need to understand your performance and dial in your training. Keep it simple by tracking your splits and mile times, or dive into the nitty gritty of your running economy, heart rate, and V02 max. Built-in cycling and running tests let you establish your baseline and track it throughout the year, and advanced analytics will alert you if you鈥檙e overtraining and at risk of injury.

10. Optimize Performance

Whoop 4.0

On sale November 25

At long last, the fitness tracker with the enormous fan following is on sale. The Whoop 4.0 is designed to monitor everything from sleep and recovery to stress and physical strain. It lets you quantify how you鈥檙e feeling鈥攎entally, physically, and emotionally鈥攁nd offers insights to help you get back on track. From November 25 to December 3, you can sign up for 12 months of Whoop analytics (the Whoop 4.0 tracker device is included for free) and save $40 on the annual fee. Sign up for two years and you鈥檒l also save $40 on the total.

The post 10 Black Friday Wellness Deals to Give You a Head Start on Your 2025 Resolutions appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On November 14, Jenni Lowe, president of the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation (ALCF) and widow of climbing legend Alex Lowe, announced that the nonprofit she founded in his name will officially dissolve before the end of 2025. The nonprofit鈥檚 assets鈥攊ncluding the iconic Khumbu Climbing Center鈥攚ill go to the Juniper Fund, a Nepal-based charity helmed by celebrity mountaineers Melissa Arnot Reid and David Morton. Jenni Lowe first initiated the handoff process about a year ago.

鈥淚t just felt like time,鈥� she told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淚鈥檓 approaching 70 years old, and I feel as though I鈥檓 ready to change direction in my life.鈥�

The ACLF has been a force of change in the Khumbu region of Nepal since its founding 25 years ago. Jenni Lowe initially launched the ALCF alongside leading alpinist Conrad Anker to help indigenous mountain communities and to honor her late husband, Alex Lowe, after he was killed in an avalanche on Shishapangma in 1999. At the time, Alex Lowe was considered one of the best alpinists of his generation, establishing bold first ascents in Antarctica, Baffin Island, and in the Himalaya. He was only 40 when he died, and he left three young sons behind.

The cornerstone of the ALCF鈥檚 work was The Khumbu Climbing Center, a facility that helps provide safety education to Sherpa guides and other members of indigenous climbing community. Together with Anker, Jenni Lowe helped build the KCC from the ground up. Since its launch in 2003, the facility has provided life-saving training to hundreds of climbers.

From here on out, the KCC will continue under the umbrella of the Juniper Fund, a well-regarded nonprofit that has worked alongside the ALCF for more than a decade. The Juniper Fund鈥檚 mission to support the families of Himalayan high-altitude workers, especially those grieving loved ones killed in the mountains, dovetails with that of the ALCF. That made the hand-off an easy decision, Lowe told 国产吃瓜黑料.

鈥淭he Juniper Fund does amazing work,鈥� Lowe said. 鈥淲hen I started the ALCF, I was this young widow, and I had deep compassion for the women over there who I saw as in my shoes. The Juniper Fund stepped in to provide support to those families in a beautiful way.鈥�

Lowe hopes the transfer of assets from the ALCF to the Juniper Fund will be complete by the end of 2025. That includes all monetary assets, the building that houses the KCC, and other resources. The ALCF鈥檚 board of directors will continue to be involved throughout this process, Lowe said.

Arnot Reid described the transfer as an opportunity to build on the Juniper Fund鈥檚 existing mission. But, she said, it鈥檚 important to emphasize that the KCC isn鈥檛 getting passed off, per se; it鈥檚 a powerful organization in its own right, and it鈥檚 simply getting a new financial backer.

鈥淭he KCC is run in Nepal by Nepalis, and it鈥檚 an incredibly successful and really well-run organization,鈥� Arnot Reid said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 need our intervention to run the incredible programs they already have; they just need our support financially and awareness-wise to continue to bring their mission to people who aren鈥檛 aware of it.鈥�

Arnot Reid said the Juniper fund is committed to supporting the KCC鈥檚 existing work and has no plans to alter or add to it at this time. Instead, the Juniper fund will work closely with the organization鈥檚 Nepali representatives and follow their lead.

But while the work will remain the same, Arnot Reid says Jenni Lowe鈥檚 leadership will certainly be missed.

鈥淛enni is a role model for me,鈥� Arnot Reid said. 鈥淪he worked really hard to make things happen in a space where people said it wasn鈥檛 possible, or 鈥榃e can鈥檛 do that,鈥� and she did it with grit.鈥�

That鈥檚 something Lowe is equally proud of: she said in her time at ALCF, the nonprofit accomplished more than she could have ever dreamed of.

鈥淚n the beginning, it was just a way for me to walk through the grief of losing Alex. I had no idea what I was getting into when I first started the foundation, but it was a huge gift to my life,鈥� Lowe told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淚 love that community and I’ll miss them. But I feel satisfied and happy with what we鈥檝e done. It鈥檚 time to make my world a little smaller.鈥�

The post The Nonprofit Founded to Honor Alex Lowe Is Closing After 25 Years appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.