I ran my first marathon in a basketball jersey. Not just any basketball jersey, a vintage Chris Webber Golden State Warriors number, bright blue and straight from the mid-nineties. As racers lined up at the starting line of the Sunflower Marathon in Mazama, Washington, I looked out of place next to technical T-shirts and space-age microfibers. But in many ways, that was also kind of the point: Did it really matter what I was wearing? We were all about to run the same race, did we have to look the same too?

Running is an intensely personal experience. Beyond the run club hoopla and Strava route sharing, getting up and going is an internal affair, one driven by any number of motivations, but ultimately completed by a team of one. So why, then, has running fashion (and function) become such a crowd-sourced affair?

Sweat-wicking material, temperature control technology, flat seams, lower friction points鈥攖he innovation in our outer appearance has never been as good as it is today. But it鈥檚 also intimidating. The pressure to get the exact right gear as everyone else can add an extra barrier of entry to the run game, and for some it can be a downright turnoff. Let鈥檚 be real, dropping an extra $200 on an over-designed tank top isn鈥檛 exactly screaming 鈥済o out there and have some fun.鈥�

Truthfully, for most of us, the shirt that we feel most comfortable in is, and always will be, the ultimate running shirt. Not nanotech, lab-engineered comfortable, but 鈥淗ey, this is me鈥� comfortable. That might mean a baggy cotton tee, a high school era cutoff, or a vintage basketball jersey. Comfort does not come in a singular box.

Sure, chafing is a scourge on the planet (this is one of the world鈥檚 only universal truths), but most of us simply are not out there pushing the technological limits of our sportswear on our morning jog. We are, however, fighting to get out the door in the first place, battling a laundry list of excuses (and a few sore muscles) in the process. Frankly, adding a uniform to the mix just gives me one more reason to hit the snooze button.

Running is a pure pursuit: one foot in front of the other for as long as we can. The rest? That鈥檚 all extra. Let鈥檚 start treating it as such. This isn鈥檛 hockey鈥攖here are no pads, no jock straps, no laser-cut helmet designs or skates making the millisecond difference in our daily neighborhood loop. Let鈥檚 keep it simple, folks. If putting on a familiar shirt gets you to the start line, that鈥檚 a win that even the most highly specialized workout top can never deliver. So get out there and let that garment game fly.

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I moved West single and starry-eyed. With and mountains to climb, I knew the area was going to attract people that liked the same things as me, and maybe even one who liked me a little bit too. In fact, I was pretty adamant that a mutual passion for the mountains was going to be the make-or-break facet of my future dating life.

Then I met Will and Laura. Will was a typical Pacific Northwest transplant, coming in hot from four years of college in Vermont with aspirations to ski, hike, bike, and kayak his way across the whole region, and then maybe the world. He had turned his purple Chrysler Town & Country minivan into a verified rolling gear shed and loved anything that got him into the mountains. He also loved Laura. She, however, could do without the peaks that called Will鈥檚 name, claiming to hate skiing and only camping if it involved an electronic music festival. To top it off, she revealed that , and that she had no plans to break that streak anytime soon.

I was floored. Here were two people who had been together for years that hadn鈥檛 done something that I considered a pre-req for any kind of longevity in the dating game. Not even a single hike? Nada. I assumed this wild admission must be some sort of relationship denial or communication breakdown, but what I learned was much more revealing.

You see, Laura was totally down with Will鈥檚 mountain obsession. She talked openly (and quite candidly) about Will being more fun to be around when he came back from a hike or a day in the snow鈥攁nd that trading a few hours apart was more than worth it. Will echoed the sentiment. Laura was passionate about her art and pottery. That wasn鈥檛 really Will鈥檚 speed, but you know what was? The lit-up Laura that came back from her studio sessions.

Still in my early 20s, I had really only seen relationships as dusty mirrors. This, though, was the first time I watched partners support each other鈥檚 passions rather than share them. I鈥檓 pretty sure that鈥檚 when the Earth started shaking under my feet. It was uncomfortable, but refreshing, that kind of perspective shift you don鈥檛 really want but might kind of need. Since getting to know Laura and Will, I鈥檝e . While there were many pros and cons lists and plenty of overthinking, I鈥檝e met some great people, untangling a bit of my identity and the activities I love in the process. That last part is a continual journey, but it鈥檚 comforting knowing there鈥檚 plenty of connections to make off the beaten path. Hey, most will even tolerate me going off to do my own thing once in a while (if I ask nicely, of course).

I鈥檓 not saying I know a lot about a lot, but thanks to Laura and Will I find myself holding onto a simple truth: Standing on top of a mountain with your person is amazing, but finding someone who will let you be who you are鈥攈iker, potter, or otherwise? That one鈥檚 hard to top.

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You鈥檙e ten minutes from the trailhead and an hour from home when you realize the snacks are still on your kitchen counter. Big bummer. Stopping at the last gas station between you and four hours of hiking, you know this is make-or-break time, the difference between a magical day on the trail and a grown-up meltdown. So how can you save the day for under $15? Here are six considerations for those looking to score some last second calories without breaking the bank.

1. Slim Jim ($1)

Not the most elegant of the meat sticks, but this classic snack packs a protein punch鈥攕even grams to be exact鈥攆or much less than its other beef jerky competitors. Bonus points for being flexible, thin and incredibly pack-friendly, a Slim Jim offers you a nice calorie baseline in a pinch.

2. Honey Roasted Peanuts ($4)

Roasted nuts are full of burnable calories and make for great trail fuel. While almonds offer a balance of iron, calcium, and magnesium, we鈥檙e opting for peanuts that are higher in protein and fiber. That tasty coating of honey and sugar could give you a boost on a steep incline. Plus, taste, you know?

3. Pedialyte ($3.50)

Skip the sugary sports beverage and grab that drink 听your sick kid lived on once for some real replenishment power. Pedialyte is high in electrolytes and sugar that help replenish what you lose while sweating on the trail, and offers 780 milligrams of potassium and 7.8 milligrams of zinc per serving. Combine with water for longer days on the trail.

4. Bananas ($1)

This kind of depends on the gas station, but many (like 7Eleven) will offer some bananas hanging out by checkout. Bananas are high in potassium, which helps prevent cramping and boosts your blood sugar to keep energy levels from crashing during your day hike. If bananas aren鈥檛 available, dried apricots are a good alternative.

5. Snickers ($1.75)

The ultimate backcountry snack, Snickers might be the most useful candy bar of the lot, combining peanuts, chocolate, and caramel into a delicious energy pop when you need it most. I tend to pack a Snickers for summit days, breaking off a half at the top for a reward, but also that necessary protein and sugar kick. The second half can provide some emergency calories on the return trip, 听but also tastes great in the parking lot.

6. Hard-Boiled Egg ($1)

Believe it or not, lots of gas stations have them, and they’re always cheap. Hard-boiled eggs, while not the most glamorous trail snack, are a great emergency option for replenishing energy and repairing muscle tissue after or towards the end of a long day on the trail. Protein rich, these trail MVPs provide all nine amino acids and are easy to throw in the top of any hiking pack. Bonus points for pickled hard-boiled eggs, which offer lots of anti-inflammatory benefits to offset that post-hike rigor mortis.

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I鈥檇 put on tire chains before, and I might have set a speed record for attaching them had I been in my own driveway. But, somewhere on the side of a snowy mountain pass in the tiny alpine country of Andorra, all that muscle memory evaporated. We鈥檇 bought the correct chains for our vehicle down in town, but now they didn鈥檛 seem to fit around the tire on my rental car. Temperatures were plunging.

While I Googled tire chain tutorials, my partner smacked the frozen chains against the ground, hoping to gain a little elasticity. After an hour of struggling, a friend with four-wheel-drive vehicle showed up, and we opted to leave our rental ride on a snowy shoulder.

As we rolled back to town, I assessed my abysmal performance with the car. I am not a bad winter driver鈥擨 live and work in the mountains after all鈥攂ut driving a new car in dreadful conditions torpedoed my experience.

Driving a rental car鈥攐r any vehicle that’s not yours鈥攊n the snow is inherently uncomfortable. A lack of preparation can make things worse, quickly. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to avoid the pitfalls I experienced on my doomed Andorran adventure.

Set Yourself Up for Storm Driving Success听

If you鈥檙e traveling to a snowy area, or a place where you could run into winter weather, your preparation must start well before you get the keys. Most rental car agencies offer four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options (even internationally), but these vehicles get booked fast. If you’re traveling in winter, secure your rental car with enough lead time.

Check if your rental company offers a cold-weather package. These packages sometimes include comforts like ski racks, heated seats and steering wheels, and also remote start capabilities, so the car can begin defrosting before you enter the driver鈥檚 seat.

Rental car agencies that operate in snowy regions of the United States typically offer all-weather and snow tire options, but check with an agent to confirm your rental is equipped with the proper winter rubber. Remember that all-weather tires are generally suitable for a wide range of conditions, but winter tires are specifically designed specifically for snowy and icy driving conditions.

You should also assess your driving routes prior to your trip. Say your next trip is to the desert, but is there a mountain pass between the airport and your sunny oasis. Knowing exactly where inclement weather may occur, or pinch points can happen, will help you be better prepared when unexpected weather rolls in.

Consider downloading driving map apps that integrate weather forecasts and extreme weather updates into their routes like Navver or DriveWeather so you can prepare for what鈥檚 ahead in real time.

These Tools Can Make or Break Your Trip

There are a few key pieces of equipment that can make or break your winter car rental experience. Here鈥檚 a few we can鈥檛 go without.

Ice Scraper

To keep your windows and mirrors clear, make sure you have an ice scraper that鈥檚 up for the job. Again, this item is an easy add, but an even easier one to forget. Most rental car agencies will provide a scraper for free upon request, but you might want to consider bringing a small one of your own, just in case.

Check out the Hopkins SubZero 80037, which is equally good for scraping ice as it is for shoveling and sweeping snow.

Windshield Wiper Fluid

Underrated and understated, wiper fluid can be the difference between seeing the road and staring through an iced-over windshield. Reduced visibility is a major cause of winter accidents, so keeping your visual pathways clear is a huge safety boost. Wiper fluid has a lower freezing point than water and will prevent your wipers from icing up, but that stuff can go fast鈥攅specially in the heart of the storm. Make sure you鈥檝e got an extra container of wiper fluid in the car anytime you head into the mountains. Remember that wiper fluids come at different temperature ratings鈥攇et one that will freeze well below zero.

An Emergency Kit

You never want to expect the worst, but you do want to plan for it. Having a properly stocked emergency kit is a big plus for driving your rental car in the snow. What should you bring? For starters, add a flashlight, first aid supplies, a phone charger, a blanket, water, and a non-perishable snack or two. If you鈥檙e forced to pull over and spend the night in your vehicle, it鈥檚 important to stay warm and fueled up, all while keeping your devices charged for potential emergency contact.

We recommend the Haiphaik Emergency Roadside Kit.

Tire Chains鈥擸es or No? Well, it Depends.

While tire chains are commonly used in snowy regions around the world, rental car agencies don’t always provide them. In the U.S., agencies typically dissuade renters from using them on their vehicles, and some, like Hertz and Enterprise, prohibit their use entirely. The agencies maintain that their cars are fully equipped and winter ready.

Other agencies, such as SIXT, Avis, and Europcar, will offer the option to rent tire chains or a tire sock, which provides extra traction. Some others permit chains, but do not provide them. Make sure to check with your rental agency before booking, as these policies often change.

We recommend the SCC Auto-Track.

Check Your Car Before You Go

An individual rental car might see hundreds of drivers each year, and each one treats the vehicle a little differently. Before you roll out of the rental lot, make sure to go through a quick safety checklist.

First, clear all snow and ice from the car. This might sound like overkill, but as the car heats up and snow starts to slide, roof snow can fall onto windshields and obscure vision at intersections or when pressing on the brakes.

Next, check the tire pressure and tread. We mentioned that most rental car fleets have winter tires, but if those tires are noticeably under-inflated, they provide less traction in icy and snowy driving conditions. You should also take a second to check the wiper fluid, as that鈥檚 going to be the difference between an iced over windshield and unobstructed vision on the road.

Lastly, take a look at the wipers themselves. If they鈥檙e caked in ice or wearing thin, that鈥檚 going to affect performance and, ultimately, your view while you drive through that next storm. Again, rental agencies should be replacing these, but sometimes things slip through the cracks, and winter travel is one game that rarely offers do-overs.

Snow Driving Tips

Know Your Comfort Level

Ok, it鈥檚 time for a serious self-awareness test: How comfortable are you driving in the snow on a scale from one to ten? If that number is low, it might be wise to simply wait out a storm or leave for your destination a little earlier.

If you rank a little higher on the scale, think about other drivers on the road. Are you driving at night? Are you in a place where people are also accustomed to driving in snow? Are you driving highways or side streets? Is the area you鈥檙e traveling through equipped for plowing and snow removal? Driving in a snowstorm in New York City is a very different experience than a snowstorm in Dallas, for example.

Low Gears Are Your Friend

A little manual control goes a long way when the mercury dips, so don鈥檛 be afraid to shift into lower gear to get a bit more grip on the road. This is especially helpful while heading downhill when a rash application of the brakes could send you sliding.

Avoid Cruise Control

Driving at high speed in inclement weather is obviously not a great call, but believe it or not, cruise control can also cause unforeseen headaches on highways and interstates. This automatic setting doesn鈥檛 account for changing road conditions and can actually cause loss of traction on slippery surfaces. It may be a temporary inconvenience for road warriors, but stormy weather calls for an active foot on the gas and brake and those hands on the 10s and 2s.

Understand the Challenge

Winter driving comes with challenges, but a little snow in the forecast shouldn鈥檛 reroute your entire itinerary. Like most driving, the more road time you log in adverse conditions, the more accustomed you will become to slippery roads and windblown highways. A new-to-you car can throw a bit of a wrench in that equation, but following these easy steps and being flexible with travel plans can go a long way in making your winter rental woes a thing of the past.

The post Driving a Rental Car in the Snow Is a Recipe for Disaster. Here鈥檚 How to Stay Safe. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I鈥檓 not usually a one-word text guy, but when this name flashed across my phone screen last week, I knew something big was coming.

A quick follow-up confirmed it: Candide Thovex鈥攆lying Frenchman, breaker of the ski internet鈥攚ould be helping usher in a new era of freeski competition as part of the first-ever Natural Selection ski event. The skier鈥檚 skier was back.

This event, , is modeled after the highly successful snowboard-focused Natural Selection Tour (NST), created and curated by legendary snowboarder Travis Rice. Debuting in Alaska in 2025, Natural Selection Ski will be part of a broader series, including skiing, biking, and surfing competitions. The snowboard iteration of the event has captivated audiences worldwide, showcasing head-to-head runs down big mountain courses that mix natural and man-made features. With the polish of high production values and streaming accessibility, the snowboard NST has become a new benchmark, putting snowboarding events in the same conversation as other popular streaming spectacles like the World Surf League (WSL).

Now it鈥檚 skiing鈥檚 turn. Rice has tapped top-tier freeskiers like Thovex, Sammy Carlson, Kristi Leskinen, Chris Benchetler, and Michelle Parker to ensure the event stays true to its freeski roots. These athletes form a unique advisory board that will keep NST authentic to freeskiing, and rumors suggest some of them, including Thovex, may be its first competitors.

But this is much bigger than just Candide. The Natural Selection Ski represents a turning point for the sport during a time of transition and uncertainty. For years, freeskiing has searched for ways to showcase its most talented athletes, but that鈥檚 no easy task for a sport built on defying convention. Attempts to define freeskiing inevitably fall short, as the very spirit of the sport lies in its creativity and disregard for boundaries. This has driven freeskiing to evolve beyond traditional freestyle, but it has also made it challenging to package the sport for a wider audience.

Historically, freeskiing has been showcased through film鈥攁 seasonal highlight reel of the best runs, stunts, and moments鈥攂ut these lack the immediacy and excitement of a live sports event. The X Games took a shot at bringing some of these athletes to the screen, but it鈥檚 never fully embraced the raw, high-alpine terrain that freeskiing often requires. And while Red Bull Cold Rush鈥攁 beloved event held between 2009 and 2016 that featured four big mountain disciplines over a week鈥攚as a fan favorite, it hasn鈥檛 been revived. Today, the Freeride World Tour (FWT) is the main competitive series, gathering a global roster of athletes for big mountain challenges. However, with its recent partnership with the F茅d茅ration Internationale de Ski (FIS), FWT now faces concerns from fans and athletes alike about increased governance from FIS, which is seen as rigid and rule-bound鈥攁 tricky match for a sport that thrives on freedom and creativity.

Enter Natural Selection Ski鈥攁 fresh and much-needed alternative. Snowboarding faced a similar identity crisis until Rice launched NST in 2021. He had hosted one-off events that became snowboarder favorites since 2008, but with NST, Rice introduced the world to a refined, live-streamed version that embraced the cinematic nature of big mountain snowboarding. His formula was simple yet game-changing: gather the best athletes, pick visually stunning locations, build impressive courses, and bring in pro riders as commentators. Broadcast online, the event was a huge hit, delivering a visceral viewing experience that traditional formats rarely achieve.

While the FWT has aimed for similar goals in recent years, NST鈥檚 production quality has resonated differently with audiences. NST鈥檚 broadcasts capture the sheer scale and excitement of the slopes, with dynamic camera angles and a production team that amplifies the adrenaline. The question now is, can NST replicate this formula with skiing, biking, and surfing? The freeskiing community should be hopeful鈥攊t鈥檚 a chance to see the sport in living, trick-stomping, and cliff-dropping color.

The signatures of freeski icons like Thovex and Carlson signal a promising start. These athletes had largely stepped back from competition as freeskiing shifted deeper into backcountry and high-alpine pursuits. Their endorsement is a vote of confidence in NST鈥檚 vision and direction, and with its debut in April 2025, NST could mark a new beginning for freeskiing on a global stage.

While NST has only one ski event planned for 2025, it has expressed interest in expanding the series as it gains traction. As skiing evolves in response to changing interests, technologies, and landscapes, NST is poised to bring back the raw energy and excitement that first drew many to the sport. With the potential to reach new audiences across screens big and small, NST offers a way to redefine how we experience freeskiing, taking cues from the success of WSL in surfing and NST itself in snowboarding.

So, here鈥檚 to what鈥檚 next. With a proven formula for success and an eye toward reaching more viewers, NST could be the game-changer that finally brings freeskiing to mainstream audiences. They鈥檝e got Candide on board, and that鈥檚 a text worth responding to.

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The Olympic Games is far from a set menu when it comes to the lineup of events. While the 100-meter dash, gymnastics, and swim events are expected courses each four-year installment features new flavors, while others are taken off the table. and takes a few off the table as well. Breakdancing called 鈥淏reaking鈥� in Olympic parlance, will make its debut at the Paris Games,听while karate, baseball, and softball have departed. But if you ask me, the most impactful Olympic losses happened long ago. Chariot racing, which never really made the jump from the Ancient Olympic Games, might look pretty neat with a drone follow cam. I think Pankration, a grappling event believed to be invented by Theseus when he defeated the minotaur in the labyrinth, is ready for its renaissance.

A century ago, when the Olympics last time landed in Paris, the lineup of sports looked dramatically different. We wanted to see just how much that menu has changed over the last century. Let鈥檚 face it, we鈥檝e outgrown the telegram, the icebox, and the silent film. Our sports look a little different, too. Here鈥檚 a look at five competitions from the 1924 Paris Games that won鈥檛 be served up in 2024.

Art

Yes, you read that right. For nearly 40 years, art competitions were included on the Olympic program, awarding medals across five disciplines: music, architecture, literature, painting, and sculpture. Eventually these Olympic competitions were discontinued in 1954听due to concerns about amateurism versus professionalism, but not before Olympic gold medals were awarded to nearly 50 participants.

The 1924 Games were considered the apex of the Olympics鈥� art era with almost 200 participants over all disciplines. During these Games, Hungarian Alfred Hajos earned a silver in the architecture event, adding to his two swimming golds from the 1896 Games and becoming one of only two participants to ever win an Olympic medal in athletics and art.

Art wasn鈥檛 without its controversies. In 1924 there were no medals awarded in the music competition鈥攋udges decided that none of the musical compositions was worthy of the Olympics. Judges in architecture also did not award a gold medal that year.

Rope Climbing

A short-lived Olympic competition within gymnastics, rope climbing only made it into four Olympics (in 1896, 1904, 1924, and 1932) before getting cut down after the 1932 Games. The competition format was simple: the athlete to climb to the top in the quickest time won.听Climbers could only scale the smooth, unknotted rope with their hands (no feet allowed), covering 25 feet (the 1896 Games required 41 feet of climbing and only two athletes reached the top). Rope climbing was also part of the all-around gymnastics competition.

Czech gymnast Bedrich Supcik won the 1924 gold medal in his first ever rope climbing competition, posting a time of 7.2 seconds. The event originally judged similar to gymnastics, and an athlete could be awarded a perfect 10听the rope in under 9 seconds, but after a 22-way tie for first, judges decided to award the gold medals based on time, locking Supcik鈥檚 place in Olympic history.

French Cane Fighting

Canne de combat, a French martial art using a wooden cane as a weapon, was a demonstration sport at the 1924 Games, and a nod to the host country鈥檚 history. Similar to fencing, “La Canne”, as it鈥檚 often called, features two competitors battling each other with slightly tapered, chestnut canes. It was originally considered a form of protection for upper-class citizens in large cities like Paris, but earned a large following in the sporting world.

In 1924, the sport featured a single match between a college professor and a French La Canne champion named Beauduin. The winner has been听lost to the annals of history.

Tandem Cycling

And you thought your tandem ride home from the Margarita Night at your local taco joint was scary. How about pedaling a tandem bicycle on a sloped velodrome for an Olympic gold medal? No this is not a drill, tandem cycling was a real live event at the 1924 Games (and for many years after). Two-person teams once went head-to-head (and clip-to-clip) in the velodrome for Olympic glory. The event was finally removed after听the 1972 Munich Games.

The 1924 edition of this psychotic pursuit involved five teams, with two semi-final heats, one bye round, and a three-man team final. The French team of Lucien Choury and Jean Cugnot prevailed in the final, with Denmark and the Netherlands taking second and third respectively. It was later reported that in between the semi final and final, Dutch rider Maurice Peeters polished off an entire bottle of cognac to quell the nerves. Bold move, Cotton.

Running Deer Shooting

Shooting is still a big part of the Summer and Winter Games, but in the early parts of the 20th Century, these competitions were a little more dramatic. One of the most celebrated was the 100-meter running deer competition. In this event, a deer target mounted to a carriage was pulled 25 yards in four seconds, and participants would have to shoot the 鈥渁nimal鈥� from a distance of 100 meters. The speed at which the target moved was not uniform, as the carriages carrying them were sometimes simply rolled down hills. Different areas of the target carried different point values, and the shooter with the most points at the end of 50 deer runs won.

American John Keith Boles . The career army officer would go on to serve in World War II and would never compete in another Olympic event.

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Two years ago, Florian Palluel hit a crossroads. His employer, the France-based company Picture Organic Clothing, had emerged as a sustainability-driven player in the outdoor industry, building technical snow and surf apparel from recycled and organic materials while maintaining a minimal carbon footprint. The company had even secured B Corp certification, a status reserved for businesses that meet the highest standard of social and environmental performance. But, as Picture鈥檚 newly elected sustainability manager, Palluel had found a significant crack in his company鈥檚 green exterior. 鈥淲e were honestly not that good on packaging,鈥� he said.

Like many companies in the outdoor space, Picture relied heavily on plastic polybags to protect its products in transit. For Palluel, it was a harsh realization that Picture, despite its sustainability efforts, was actually contributing to one of the industry鈥檚 stickiest problems.

He began to research packaging alternatives, contacting larger outdoor companies like prAna and tentree that were already on their own sustainable-packaging journeys. Both had opted to roll-pack their soft goods, then pack multiples into a large master polybag instead of individually wrapping them, which helped each company drastically reduce single-use plastic waste in its packaging. But roll-packing requires human intervention, training, and tends to cut into efficiency鈥攁nd therefore profit鈥攚hich is why it鈥檚 not more widely adopted.

In 2018, REI released its Product Impact Standards, challenging outdoor companies to step up their sustainability efforts across the board, or be left out of REI storefronts. For Picture, the call to action couldn鈥檛 have been louder.

Within a year the company had its own system in place, combining the roll-pack method with a third-party package reuse company. So far, the brand has reduced its polybag use by 53 percent, while removing 425,000 polybags from its supply chain. Palluel acknowledges that there鈥檚 still plenty of work left to do.

鈥淲hen you want to remove polybags, it can鈥檛 be done overnight,鈥� Palluel said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a process.鈥�

For prAna, that process has been over a decade in the making. The clothing company first pledged to eliminate polybags back in 2010 and estimates that it has taken over 20 million plastic bags out of the supply chain during that time, according to prAna Director of Sustainability Rachel Lincoln. Still, the company has since realized that its individual impact isn鈥檛 enough to curb the problem鈥攊t needed to get other brands on board.

鈥淲e should be sharing our secret sauce with other brands wanting to make the switch to responsible packaging,鈥� Lincoln said.

Collaboration is Key

Driven by that desire, prAna started the Responsible Packaging Movement (RPM) in August 2020. RPM offers members educational resources like how-to guides and a live speaker series to help brands like Picture start their own shifts toward sustainable packaging. There are currently 77 brands that have joined RPM from the outdoor industry and beyond.

RPM isn鈥檛 the only show in town. The Plastic Impact Alliance (PIA) launched in 2019 after Kristin Hostetter (editorial director of 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal) wrote an editor鈥檚 note about the outdoor industry鈥檚 plastic waste problem at Outdoor Retailer. The letter sparked so much interest that she decided to form a coalition of brands to share ideas and bring about change. The PIA currently has more than 400 members鈥攃ompanies across the outdoor industry dedicated to eliminating plastic waste from their businesses.

Last summer, PIA members exhibiting at Outdoor Retailer hosted 170 water stations around the show floor and found reusable solutions for their in-booth show events, nixing untold plastic bottles from the show floor. And a new, private PIA LinkedIn forum serves as a place where members can collaborate, share, and brainstorm solutions. 鈥淲ater bottles and cups at trade shows were the low-hanging fruit,鈥� Hostetter said. 鈥淧ackaging鈥攁nd in particular polybags鈥攊s much harder to eliminate. But the problem is real. Retailers have sent me photos of mountains of polybags they get saddled with every time a shipment comes in.鈥�

PIA member NEMO recently launched an innovative partnership with DAC (also a member), dubbed the 100K Polybag Elimination Project, to replace the polybags that encase tent poles with reusable Repreve fabric ones. Both companies are hoping the initiative takes off鈥擝ig Agnes, Hilleberg, and REI are already in talks with DAC. Next up for NEMO is tackling the larger polybags used to ship sleeping bags.

There are plenty of other brands reimagining the way goods travel. Picture has teamed up with Finnish shipping company RePack to help recapture packaging from consumers instead of tossing more garbage into landfills. Picture buys the packaging from RePack and provides postage for consumers to send empty packages back to RePack, where it is sold back to Picture, essentially 鈥渃losing the loop鈥� and using far less energy than traditional recycling, said Palluel. Toad&Co has been using a similar reusable shipping bag (LimeLoop) since 2018.

But an even bigger challenge lies beyond direct-to-consumer shipping. After all, most product reaches the U.S. wrapped in polybags from manufacturing centers in Asia and Europe.

鈥淲e told our factory in Turkey that if the bigger brands like prAna can make the shift away from plastic packaging, there鈥檚 no reason for Picture not to do it as well,鈥� Palluel said. And it worked.

Raising the Bar

The industry-wide accountability established by RPM and PIA is proving to be a powerful driver of change, but the outdoor industry is also targeting change at the legislative level. PrAna and other outdoor brands have begun working with 5 Gyres鈥攁 nonprofit dedicated to ending global plastic pollution鈥攖o demand legal action.

The nonprofit helped introduce the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act of 2020 in Congress, an act that forces companies producing plastics to either develop sustainable end-of-life solutions for plastics or turn away from them altogether. The act didn鈥檛 pass in 2020, but was reintroduced in 2021 backed by over 400 environmental advocacy groups. Congress is set to vote on it later this year.

鈥淲e are definitely headed in the right direction,鈥� Lincoln said. 鈥淏oth brands and manufacturers want this change鈥攗nraveling the system will just take time.鈥�

The post Elephant in the Room: How the Outdoor Industry Is Tackling Its Dependence on Polybags appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

听paddles a thin line. At 25, the professional big-wave surfer from Spain鈥檚听Basque Country has already challenged some of the most legendary waves on the planet, riding giants at听 near Bilbao and picture-perfect tubes at Namibia鈥檚听. But he also nearly lost it all in 2017.

Surfing Nazar茅, in Portugal, a wave that can reach up to 80 feet in height, Gonz谩lez crashed at high speed. His inflatable life vest,听a survival tool adopted by nearly every big-wave surfer, failed to inflate, and he had to endure a massive five-wave set, where hold-downs from one wave can keep surfers underwater for over 30 seconds at a time. Gonz谩lez was on the brink听of unconsciousness when a rescue jet ski听swooped in to save听him from the swirling whitewash.听

Despite his near death experience, Gonz谩lez was back in the water in a little over a week, chasing mega swell in听northwest Ireland. The Basque surfer鈥檚 uncanny ability to experience and compartmentalize trauma, like his close call at Nazar茅, has helped him continue to find success on the Big Wave Tour鈥攖he gold standard for competitive big-wave surfing鈥攚hile navigating the mental peaks and valleys of a sport that demands 100 percent focus not just to succeed听but to survive.听

Gonz谩lez, who has been surfing off听the Basque Country鈥檚 coastline for nearly two decades, credits his early accomplishments听to mental and physical preparation outside听the water. We caught up with the big-wave听savant after the debut of his miniseries , and with the professional surfing season in full swing, to learn how he deals with fear, establishes limits, and maximizes his time in the water when the going gets big.

Train the Body, Train the Mind

Gonz谩lez thinks big-wave surfing is 80 percent mental, but he says that his physical conditioning allows him to keep his mind sharp and alert in critical situations.

鈥淚f you aren鈥檛 strong physically, I don鈥檛 think your mind has a chance to withstand the large amounts of water that can crash on you in these big waves,鈥� he says.听

For Gonz谩lez, that physical training begins five months before the听season, which typically starts in late fall, and includes in-pool and gym sessions five days a week. He also works to develop proper breathing techniques that become essential when he needs to shift into survival mode after a big fall.

To prepare for such a听scenario, Gonz谩lez simulates crashes in a pool, getting his heart rate up before submerging himself underwater. He says that knowing how long you can hold your breath听doesn鈥檛 really translate to surfing and surviving in big waves, because it听doesn鈥檛 account for the wave jostling, disorientation, and surges of adrenaline that deplete your normal oxygen supply. Gonz谩lez considers traditional breath holding a static training situation, while surviving a big wave hold-down听is a dynamic one. One of his most strenuous exercises consists of swimming full-out for 50 meters and then immediately swimming the next 25 meters completely underwater. After a 30-second break, he swims another 25 meters underwater before resting for two minutes. Then he repeats the cycle four more times.听

In another exercise,听 places four dumbbells at five-meter intervals in a 25-meter pool. Gonz谩lez swims underwater to the first dumbbell and waits for his trainer鈥檚 signal (usually two stomps on the pool edge)听before moving on to the next. Not knowing how long he鈥檒l have to wait keeps him alert in between bursts of physical output. Slowing down at each dumbbell helps Gonz谩lez evaluate and connect to his breath in the midst of physical exertion and fatigue, a process he carries over into his surfing.

鈥淵ou naturally have your adrenaline through the roof,鈥� he notes. 鈥淏ut we practice how to relax in that situation.鈥�

It鈥檚 a technique that he credits with his survival at Nazar茅. Held down by wave after wave,听confidence in his physical preparation saved his life.听

鈥淚 had to force myself to stay calm, relax, and听not move anything,鈥澨齢e says. 鈥淭hat way I鈥檓 not consuming energy, and I can try and hold on for as long as possible. In the end, it鈥檚 all about survival鈥攂ut those are situations you never want to experience.鈥�

Let Fear Be a Teacher

When he crashed at Nazar茅, Gonz谩lez was coming off a breakout season and surfing at a world-class level. He admits he was听overconfident for such听a big day鈥攁nd it nearly cost him.

鈥淚 think the person who isn鈥檛 afraid when they are surfing giant waves is going to have some serious problems,鈥� says听Gonz谩lez. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter how well-informed you are, or how strong you are mentally and physically鈥攖he ocean always wins. It鈥檚 important to keep those mental checks in mind, because if you don鈥檛 you can easily die.鈥�

Gonz谩lez believes that all surfers, regardless of their ability level,听can and should learn from their听fear.听He says it鈥檚 essential to听consistently check in with yourself听before paddling out, asking:听Is this wave too big? Am I comfortable if I have to bail? Is there a safe entry and exit for my ability level? These questions can听help put fear in perspective, away from the cloud of adrenaline. Sometimes听the timing just isn鈥檛 right.

鈥淟ast听year I suffered from pneumonia, and I came back to a really good winter of surfing鈥攚e had big storms and big waves,鈥� remembers Gonz谩lez. 鈥淏ut I didn鈥檛 feel good in the water. I was afraid. If you don鈥檛 feel like you can control that fear against anything, you shouldn鈥檛 be in the water.鈥�

Be Patient

Grant 鈥淭wiggy鈥� Baker, Gonz谩lez鈥檚 surf idol and a three-time big-wave champion, didn鈥檛 win his first world championship until he reached his forties. In Gonz谩lez鈥檚 eyes, the legendary South African is a prime example of gradual improvement over an extended period.

鈥淏aker听has been catching big waves for a long time,鈥� Gonz谩lez says. 鈥淏ig-wave surfing is really all about experience鈥攅xperience that you acquire from surfing big sessions that make you a better all-around surfer.鈥�

Even for pros like Gonz谩lez, surfing continues to be a lifelong learning process and a humbling one. You expectations should be realistic, he says, and your progress slow听but incremental. Respecting such lessons听is paramount to a healthy life catching waves.听

鈥淔or a while, you are going to be afraid of waves at three feet, five feet,鈥� notes Gonz谩lez. 鈥淭hen you move on to six feet and bigger. Step by step. It鈥檚 a slow evolution. Of course, you have to see your limits, and that鈥檚 the good thing about big waves鈥攕eeing that barrier. That limit continues to push itself, and someday the day will come when it鈥檚 too much. Until then, I鈥檒l be in the water, no doubt.鈥�

The post Training for Big-Wave Surfing? It’s All in Your Head. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Everything fell apart at 2,500 feet. Julio, Alberto, Fernando, and I had spent the day skiing听secluded Spanish peaks, carving easy turns into forgiving corn snow, and putting close to 14 miles on our ski听legs. Climbing out of the high-alpine amphitheater, we watched airplane contrails crisscross the late-day听horizon. A wet slide听rumbled downhill in the distance. As you so often do in the mountains, we felt at once untouchable and insignificant.听

As we rounded听the corner to our exit ridge,听texts that had been hanging听in dead-zone service limbo came rushing forth on our phones,听an onslaught of panic and confusion. The coronavirus听had arrived in Spain a few weeks ago, but it听caught up with us on the crest of the Valley of Valde贸n in the north-central part of the country. 鈥淲e lost Madrid,鈥� murmured Julio, who, along with Alberto and Fernando,听works as a professional mountain guide. Clients that were set to arrive from Spain鈥檚 capital city, fearing that they would be officially locked down within the next few days, were canceling their weekend clinic. The trio continued reading the bad news aloud. A group of Valencians听who had booked months in advance听had backed out as well. Summer tour groups were听pulling the plug鈥攆rom Spain, England, Germany鈥攐ne after the other. In the span of minutes, my group of new friends watched a third of their annual income evaporate. Julio鈥檚 impenetrable smile waned. The mountains that had seemed so invulnerable听hours before were no longer a shelter from听the world鈥檚听terrifying new reality.

Numb, we chased the sun until it hit the last jagged outcroppings of limestone and gneiss. As it disappeared, we made our way听down toward the dark unknown below.听

I had landed in Europe two weeks earlier, on assignment for a U.S. ski magazine, and was eager to reconnect with the continent I had called home for three years. I moved to Spain in 2017 to freelance and learn a new language, and it was my first time back since听returning听to the U.S. in听November. My plan was to make my way up听to Bilbao in Spanish Basque country before chasing snow in听the north of Italy.听

For most of the winter, the听coronavirus听had been stealing headlines in听China, and it had already made landfall in Italy when I arrived in northern Spain on February 26.

Its spread through the Italian countryside was enough to set off alarm bells, especially the rapid rise of cases in Lombardy, a northern region听whose capital is听Milan. Every morning I monitored the numbers, and, as the virus touched down on the Spanish island of Tenerife and then the capital of Madrid, I started a tally for Spain as well.

But the virus still听felt foreign, far away.听I settled into the Basque routine I had carved out during the years I lived in Iberia. I went to a Saturday soccer match, packing in with thousands of red-and-white-clad fans to cheer on the local pro team, Athletic Bilbao. I spent the evenings with old friends in the plazas of Casco Viejo, enjoying听sidra听and听pintxos,听the Basque听version of cider and tapas,听as kids in school uniforms chased each other around. I even caught the last day of carnival in a nearby village, sharing food with a raucous local community group. Irreverent, the sign above their stand mirrored my own feelings of denial: 鈥淗ere we eat together, we drink together, we kiss each other. Coronavirus, you鈥檙e not invited to the party.鈥�

On March 8, I made the decision to cancel my trip to Italy as the number of cases there topped 7,300. In Basque country, despite occasional news of case clusters around the peninsula, I still somehow听felt safe. Newspapers showed Athletic Bilbao鈥檚 victories on their covers. At the time, those听sick and dying from the virus were hidden on page three.听

Trying to adjust my assignment, I rerouted my plans to a mountain range in the north of Spain, connecting with Julio through a friend.听

On March 10,听a day before we were to meet in the mountains, the momentum abruptly shifted. The case tallies for Spain I鈥檇 been scribbling in my daily travel journal听started听jumping鈥攆rom 13 to more than听2,200 in a little over two weeks鈥攁nd Madrid announced the closure of all听of its schools, effective immediately. We didn鈥檛 realize it then, but it was the first move in a domino cascade of efforts听to control a pandemic that was already well underway. Within an hour, Vitoria, the capital of Basque country, shuttered its听schools as well, with the promise of more closures in the coming days.

After the bad news on the mountainside, I was grappling with our new reality in a Bilbao Airbnb听when President Trump announced his sweeping European travel ban. For the second time in six hours, I was inundated with texts, this time from friends and family in the U.S. I frantically tried to reassure my loved ones that I was safe听and that I knew I had less than two days before the ban would rupture travel between the two continents indefinitely. I鈥檒l be honest: I went to bed angry.听I had two weeks left on my trip, why should I have to leave? Why all the fearmongering?听

I woke up defiant, ready to stick it out in Bilbao, where I felt equipped to weather this storm,听despite the many cases already reported around the city. But I had woken up to a different Europe. The streets that normally pulsed with a human current sat empty. Instead, lines of agitated people听trailed out of grocery stores, and restaurants hung 鈥渃losed鈥澨齭igns. The warm morning greetings always accompanied by听dos besos听(two kisses) were replaced by looks of distrust and uncertainty. This was not the welcoming city I was used to. This was something else:听Paranoia. Fear.

That afternoon听an expat friend called to tell me she was locking herself into quarantine at home. Julio texted that he didn鈥檛 think they would be skiing much after the announcements. But my focus was now far from the mountains.

I thought of my sister back in the U.S., seven and a half months pregnant, who was somehow still more worried about me and my safety.听Was I going to get stuck here and miss the birth of my first niece? Worse yet, would I be a health risk by returning and being in the same room?听My mind raced, as my initial confidence听unraveled.

My instinct as a world traveler has always been to adapt to the situation on the ground, to endure and find a solution. But what if my presence could potentially put others鈥� health at risk, not only in Spain听but back at home? As everyone scattered, I suddenly felt alone and exposed in a place that now felt more foreign than ever before. The script was rewriting itself in real time. I thought of my sister. I knew it was time to go.听听

Calling to change my flight, I hit a wall of four-hour wait times and dropped connections.听A mass exodus of American tourists were听jamming听the phone lines. I eventually managed a ticket change by working through the lesser used Spanish help hotline,听sliding just under the lowering travel-ban door. I left with pangs of guilt, feeling as if I were听leaving my Spanish friends to fight this new battle alone.

The layover in Paris was like a disorienting family reunion, except instead of aunts and uncles, it was other U.S. citizens鈥攁听whole lot of us. A Florida flight attendant hoping to squeeze her friend into standby. A man from听Portland, Oregon,听who had just finished a ski trip across Finland. An entire class from an Alaskan high school that had cut its听senior trip in half. Like everyone I spoke to, I was听operating on the hope that, if we could just get on that flight, everything would be all right. But once in my听seat, the shame that maybe I was听bringing the virus home with me听started to seep in.

Two days later, Spain entered total lockdown. My friends can only leave their apartments to get food and medicine. Some can escape to walk their dogs. Anyone else will be fined by the police,听who patrol the streets 24 hours a day. The total number of sick now tops 20,000.

From the comfort of Basque country, I watched as .听Then听my friends and I went and made them ourselves. Soccer games, festivals, parties鈥攚e lived like Italy鈥檚 situation could never happen where we were, let alone in the U.S. We didn鈥檛 know it would go this far.

Now, with听听from the State Department telling U.S. citizens in international countries to come home immediately or be prepared to stay put, thousands of others face听an even more difficult decision. As I sit in self-quarantine听thousands of miles from Spain,听trying to do my part to end the COVID-19 cycle, I worry听that Europe鈥檚 story is already starting to repeat itself at home.

The post What It Was Like in Europe as the Coronavirus Spread appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

When professional skier embarked on his quest last year听to climb and descend all of the lines in the iconic book听, he knew he was signing up for his most ambitious mission to date. His project, dubbed the听Fifty, is听taking听him from 听in Alaska to the remote backcountry of and up to , with lots of lonely road in between. 鈥淓ach line has its own aspect that gets me pretty stoked: physical challenges, mental challenges, or incredible aesthetics,鈥� says Townsend. 鈥淓very line is a stepping stone. You have to adapt throughout the year, continue to evolve.鈥�

In his first year of what he hopes will be a听three-year endeavor,听the Lake Tahoe skier climbed nearly 200,000 vertical feet and drove 11,500 miles. He鈥檚 learned how essential it is to keep his body and mind sharp while facing听fickle ski conditions, , and limited downtime. We caught up with Townsend to see what he鈥檚 learned about taking care of himself after year one of the Fifty and how he鈥檚听preparing for his next epic North American winter.听听听

Preseason Training Matters听

鈥淟ast year I thought I would use the project to get into shape. That worked well to a point, but I was going so hard that, at the end of the season, I fell off a physical cliff. I couldn鈥檛 get off the couch for three days. I tried to ski three more lines, but it took me about two months to fully recover.鈥�

鈥淚t happened because I was focused on cardio and aerobic fitness, which I figured I would just naturally develop as I skinned, boot-packed, and bushwhacked at altitude. But midway through the season, I realized I really needed to have some baseline strength to carry me through this project. Right now听I鈥檓 spending听two to three days in the gym听and two to three days hiking each week.鈥澨�

Don鈥檛 Max Out Your Heart Rate

鈥沦颈苍肠别 early summer, I鈥檝e been training my body to work hard at a low heart rate, so听I鈥檒l do a steep hike with a very heavy pack, but I鈥檒l do it slowly, keeping my heart rate between 50 and 80 percent of its max output. The goal here is to build strength without building up too much lactic acid, which lets me train more. After high-intensity exercise, you have to rest and recover. Anaerobic training lets me work out more and build more muscle听but without the long recovery time. It also increases heart efficiency, which means getting your heart to pump more oxygen to your muscles so you don鈥檛 build up lactic acid.鈥�

Hit the Gym for Long-Term Gains

鈥淚鈥檝e been very active in the gym for most of my career, and I鈥檝e learned that strength training is the most important part of injury prevention. Strong muscles are what prevent your tendons and ligaments from tearing. I don鈥檛 see the gym as a place for performance听but for prevention. I don鈥檛 necessarily need to lift more than the guy next to me, I just want to build the strength I need to stay healthy all season long.鈥�

鈥淥lympic-style lifting, which refers to overhead lifts听involving a full range of motion, is the single best thing I鈥檝e done for my ski career. Moves like the use so many different muscles in unison. You鈥檙e guaranteed to get an efficient full-body workout that creates power and explosiveness, which is especially good when I need to push through a turn in variable conditions or hold onto an edge above serious exposure.鈥�

Down Days Don鈥檛 Mean Off Days

鈥�Recovery 鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�媋nd rest are the most essential pieces of this project, and last year, I don鈥檛 think I focused on it well enough. This year听I鈥檒l make sure that in between big days听I perform recovery movements鈥�stretching, doing yoga, or going for very light ski tours, walks, or bike rides. Rather than letting my muscles tighten听up, I need to get some blood flowing to keep my muscles听loose, help them听flush lactic acid, and rebuild more efficiently.鈥�

鈥淎s much as ski touring is about strength, it鈥檚 also about natural movement. It puts lots of pressure on your glutes and hip flexors, and if you don鈥檛 keep those loose and well stretched, you can lose efficiency and develop overuse injuries. For me, one of the听biggest challenges of the project is skiing a听huge day, then driving eight to twelve听hours. I usually try and power through the drive and then spend an hour in the back of the truck stretching and foam rolling, but there鈥檚 really not much you can do to recover when you are driving.鈥�

Eat What Makes You Feel Good

鈥淎fter a long day, my body is tired and usually craving immediately satisfying foods, like fatty meats and processed sugar. But I鈥檝e learned that something like a big steak is tough for my stomach to process听and leaves me feeling weighed down. A hearty meal centered on grains and veggies gives me more energy.鈥澨�

鈥淎nd even when I鈥檓 burning up thousands of calories a day, I do try to stay away from processed sugar. Instead, I look for natural sugars, like fruits, that come packed with other nutrients. It鈥檚 a constant battle to stay away from the junk and focus on听food that fuels. When it comes to the road, I stay away from anything at the gas station and load up on sparkling water, strong black coffee, kale chips, mixed nuts, and salads.鈥�

Keep Your Mind Light

鈥淢entally, there鈥檚 no way to prepare for a project like this other than just going for it and adapting along the way. In the moment, I need to focus completely on the line I鈥檓 skiing. I can鈥檛 think about听the project being bigger than that鈥攊t stresses me out and can affect my听decision-making.鈥�

鈥�Jimmy Chin taught me the importance of active mental recovery, which听for me听means not staring at a computer all day and doing my best to not stress. I do whatever I can to relax when I鈥檓 not skiing: read, walk, meet some friends. Learning helps me unwind the most, so I listen to a lot of podcasts. Lately, I鈥檝e also been reading听books听about the American West,听like听, , and Downriver.鈥�

鈥淟ast season听my mind was working full throttle: lots of endorphins, lots of adrenaline. I was constantly somewhere听between totally psyched and completely burned out. That won鈥檛 be any different this year, but now听I can at least anticipate听what I鈥檓 going to feel like at the end of the day.鈥�

The post Cody Townsend’s Ski Project Almost Broke Him Last Year appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.