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Of all the headlamps we tested, the Lucido TX-1 sends light the farthest (a whopping 345 feet), and its beam never wavered, even over a weeklong back-packing trip, thanks to three AAs. 5.8 oz; mammut.ch…
ULTRALIGHT AND COMPRESSIBLE Testers liked Big Agnes’s almost entirely recycled synthetic sack (the Skinny Fish; $180) just fine but were blown away by the down-filled Zirkel’s warmth-to-packability ratio. Like all the company’s bags, the Zirkel integrates the pad right into the bag via a sleeve on the underside, which, in…
EFFICIENT MOUNTAINEER Our most organized testers especially liked this tough, sensible 1,850-cubic-inch pack. Internal pockets hold snow-safety gear, valuables, and a hydration bladder. 国产吃瓜黑料, five more: two on the side, one in the lid, one on the hip belt, and one shove-it pocket on the back panel. The ski and…
Nothing is worse than being rudely awakened by rain when sleeping out sans tent, which is why testers had high praise for the 15-degree Shield. For starters, the 800-fill down is wrapped in a proprietary waterproof-breathable fabric that’s nearly as tough as Mammut’s burliest shells. And if it starts…
Ultralight and Packable The Vapor 15 is the lightest 15-degree-rated bag on the market; it stuffs down to the size of a Nerf football—and isn’t much heavier. Unfurl it, though, and you’ll find the high-end, 850-fill insulates like a bag that weighs almost twice as much. Of course, to make…
Swift Sticks Three things we look for in trekking poles: light weight, comfy grip, and easy length adjustment. The new Aergons hit the trifecta. At 17 ounces, they’re respectably light. The mostly cork grip is ergonomic, and the newly designed locking levers are strong and simple to use—even with gloves…
Because it’s two inches wide and has grippy rubber strips for added traction, Gibbon’s Jibline is the perfect slackline for beginners and kids. gibbonslacklines.com…
BIGFOOT WITH BIG TEETH Whoever was wearing these snowshoes spent most of the time breaking trail. In deep snow, the Lacrosse offered the best flotation of any shoe here, and its aggressive claws also kept testers feeling secure on ice. The optional Pilot II binding (far superior to the baseline…
OVERACHIEVER We had to keep looking down to remind ourselves that this is a 152. The Drift blasted through crud that typically slows up similarly sized boards, plus its rubber sidewalls damped chatter. And it’s fast. The Drift kept up with the big boys鈥攕ome 159s, even a 162. In the…
At a pound less than Karhu's in-bounds version, the Jak BC is a featherweight climber made with carbon components and the new environmentally friendly Greenlight Core, which is made of sustainably harvested Chinese wood. 124/90/113, 7.1 lbs; karhu.com 聽 Bonus: Lots of pop for such a light ski. 聽 Bummer:…
Thanks to a DIN of 16, an innovative toe-height adjustment, and a beefy plate underfoot, the new Duke outperforms all other AT bindings on the descent. Or, as one tester put it, “The playing field has totally changed.” 5.6 lbs; markerusa.com 聽 Bonus: There's nearly zero ramp angle, so you…
This day tripper has a wraparound binding so easy to put on, you can do it with bulky gloves or cold hands. The women-specific shape is tapered, with upturned toes and tails to make your stride more natural. 3.6 lbs; tubbssnowshoes.com. Pair them with: ULU CROW RABBIT…
SCARE-THE-TOURISTS FAST Good for All Mountain “It feels like a World Cup race ski and a powder ski had a love child,” said one tester. Part of the completely revamped line of skis from Blizzard, the Magnum 8.7 features the company’s Powerframe construction—essentially stacking more of…
The Tartan’s ergonomic grips are the most comfortable of any here, and the aircraft-grade aluminum should stand up to years of abuse. scottusa.com…
Good for Big Mountain This year's Ravyn received a facelift (new graphics) but otherwise returns unchanged. It remains relatively light for its footprint but still impressed testers with its damp feel and edge-to-edge prowess. “The harder the Ravyn is pushed, the easier it is to ski,” said one tester.
Good for All Mountain Testers praised the Push for its terrain-soaking dampness and remarkable out-of-the-box fit. Credit the snowboard-boot-like Boa liner (a nexus of metal wires you ratchet down tightly). “The best off-the-shelf fit and feel of any boot liner out there,” one tester noted. It's a bit softer…
BUILT FOR SPEED A teardrop shape and snappy return make these lightweight shoes a good pick for midwinter running or aerobic hikers. An extra toe claw delivers more power during quick-stepping toe-offs, and the easy-ratcheting binding feels stable in running shoes or low-profile boots. The frame is a magnesium alloy,…
By using different materials in different parts of the binding, EVA padding in the baseplate and gel-infused ankle straps, the United pulls off a nifty trick: It’s soft enough to take the sting out of flat landings but stiff enough to feel solid on firm snow at high speeds.
Good for Telemark While not a women-specific boot per se, the NTN-compatible TX is now available in women's sizes, providing testers with their first look at this sleek boot-and-binding system. Across the board, the results were clear: NTN provided our women the most arcing power they'd ever experienced. Bonus:…
The pounds you carry on your feet tax your body more than the pounds you carry on your back. That’s why our testers were such big fans of the Backcountry. At under three pounds a pair, they’re the lightest 30-inch snowshoes we’ve ever seen. To achieve such a low…
Good for Resort The first alpine boot made from sustainable (and recyclable) materials, the Renu has a shell made with a castor-oil-based plastic, a cork insole, and a bamboo-fiber liner. Experts will want something stiffer, but it’s plenty firm enough for intermediate to advanced skiers.
TELEMARK Good for All Mountain With the same footprint as Doug Coombs's original namesake ski, the new Coomback features a low-rise rockered tip for better flotation. “Nimble, agile, lightweight, and able to handle heavy pow with ease,” said one Alta-based tester. With tip and tail holes for K2's new…
ALPINE TOURING Good for Touring The Virus Tour, designed by extreme-skiing pioneer Glen Plake, impressed testers with a split, hinged tongue that allows seemingly limitless articulation for skinning or scrambling. “Incredible range of motion,” said one tester. We also love its smooth, if somewhat soft, flex. A thermomoldable EVA…
Big Mountain The Freeride has been the go-to AT binding for years. Why? It’s an all-around performance-driven binding that accepts alpine and AT boots. Switching between ski and walk mode, as well as adjusting the heel riser, happens with the flick of a pole. Taking a cue from its little…
Each size of this all-mountain twin is adorned with a different dude, like John Lennon, Albert Einstein, or Martin Luther King Jr. But all the dudes ride the same: Thanks to a robust poplar-and-beech core, it’s the stiffest and most carve-ready board here. Like the Rossignol One Magtek, it’s…
Don’t let the faux-fur detailing fool you. The winter-specific sole held well on snow and ice, and the suede is 100 percent waterproof. www.hi-tec.com…
STREET-LEGAL ROCKET The Enforcer wowed us with its off-the-chart stability at high speed and penchant for tearing through piles of crud with nary a twitch. Credit its wood-core, vertical-sidewall, metal-reinforced construction and monster sidecut. The downside? The Enforcer can take its toll on lighter skiers. “It’s not a lazy-afternoon ski,”…
This pack is like the diet that promises all the ice cream you want—lose weight with no compromises!—except the Ki works. At slightly more than two pounds, it’s as light as legit packs get, yet the padded hipbelt and rigid polyethylene frame, combined with excellent compression and stability, let…
Designed by Nordica’s big-mountain and park athletes, the brand-new Ace of Spades has an upright stance designed to give you a solid, well-balanced platform for skiing switch and landing big airs. And should you land in the backseat, extra room around the big toe helps disperse some of the…
Why They’re CoolDefying their given name, the two-pound-12-ounce Alpine Trails are great warm-weather boots, with breathable all-leather construction and no waterproof lining. 禄 The high-topped uppers fended off whistling-thorn acacia in Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve, while protecting my ankles from rocks and (I hoped) mamba bites. Support was excellent for…
Yes, the graphics are a bit much, but testers couldn’t get over how stable this reverse-camber park rat was. “I went for any lip I saw,” one tester said. “It was so responsive.” Credit the true twin shape and its shallow sidecut, which also made arcing in and out…
Take the collective experience of a century of Italian bootmakers, add Gore-Tex, and subtract most of the leather and you get this Old World/New World mash-up. It’s a hiking boot with the support to carry a heavy load, and it feels much lighter than its weight suggests. Our feet…
Ultimate Power Need more leverage on your reverse-camber or mixed-camber board? Rome Snowboards is bringing it to you via a system of interchangeable canting beds in its new 390 Boss binding. Picture a wedge with the thickest part under the outside of your foot—when you push against it, you can…
NEED FOR SPEEDAt slightly less than two pounds, this no-frills climbing bag doubles as an elegant overnighter. Handy compression straps cinched my sleeping pad and poles to the outside without a lopsided feel—but the Speed holds just over 1,800 cubic inches, so you’ll want to leave the frying pan behind.
聽 Break poles like Bode breaks rules? BD’s strongest carbon-fiber pole has a lower Kevlar wrap to further protect them against your skis’ edges. Plus oversize baskets stayed afloat even in powder. Heading into the backcountry? Also available in a collapsible version, with an aluminum upper shaft, as the Carbon…
BEST EVERYDAY PACK Consider the RPM a showcase pack from the less-is-more school of design. Climbers who loathe extraneous doodads will love the lean construction, but so will anyone looking for a simple, lightweight, do-anything hauler. On hikes and even long runs, the padded (but frameless) back panel and well-cushioned…
BASIC BAG If you could turn an old metal lunchbox into a ski pack, it would look like this鈥攁 utilitarian, bargain-priced hauler. The 1,647-cubic-inch pack held all the tools we needed for a daylong ski-mountaineering trip, stayed out of the way when we spent a morning making laps at Vail,…
PREFERS TECHNICAL TRAILS The mashed-up name says it all: smear + edge = “smedge.” True to the equation, the Smedge is a serious approach shoe that won’t let you down when the trail gets vertical. Plastic overlays fortify the shoe’s mesh, so it won’t tear. And like a rock shoe,…
Backpacking is more fun with lighter loads. That’s why we loved the weekend-size Xenon, which can hold more than a week’s worth of comforts yet is surprisingly light. The women’s moldable hipbelt fits a variety of body types comfortably. Ditto the easy-to-adjust suspension system. 5.9?lbs, 4,100 cu in; ospreypacks.com…
This was the most secure daypack we tested this year. Credit the superstretchy harness system, which twists with the body. Smart: The Maya’s internal compression system turns the pack into a tight bundle in one pull. 1.6 lbs, 1,040 cu in; gregorypacks.com…
The lightly insulated Winter Trek is ideal for shoulder-season hiking before the snow flies. Once it’s on the ground, this is a great boot for aerobic snowshoeing or hiking. Runs narrow. columbia.com…
Top Ultralight Lunch-hour hikes. Mountain-bike rides. Long trail runs. At 600 cubic inches, the Fluid 10 is just big enough to fit the essentials—shell, camera, lunch, etc.—without any wasted space. The light, ridged polypropylene frame颅sheet gives it some stability (and a bit of ventilation) without adding too much bulk or…
After a week slogging through wet snow and mud with a fully loaded pack in New York’s High Peaks, one tester was sold. “Impressive grip—and way more supportive than they look.” Two other props: A heat-reflective lining ups the warmth factor, and they’re just low-key enough to wear around…
Good for Trails Even when the weather was truly heinous, the Razor helped us get in our runs. Wrapped in a waterproof, highly breathable eVent bootie that extends above the ankle, this unique shoe kept our feet warm and completely dry. The Vibram outsole proved adequate on…
Why They’re CoolLet the marathoners worry about shoe mechanics—here’s a fat-foot Cadillac for the rest of us. 禄 Reebok’s top-of-the-line cushioning road shoes padded my peds like a down pillow. But it was the perforated heel that sold me. The innocuous-looking row of holes along the outer heel reduced skidding…
Hydration packs don’t come with more features than this. On a day hike in Utah’s Owl Canyon, the Isis’s leakproof three-liter reservoir toted plenty of water, the main compartment stowed lunch and more, and the large exterior pocket and cinch cord held extra layers. Even fully loaded, the pack…
OFF TO THE RACES Designers got out their knives—very sharp ones at that—and stripped the 790 down for speed: It’s a full five ounces lighter than some shoes here. Not surprisingly, the featherweight design didn’t impress any testers in the cushioning or armor departments, and it’s probably not the best…
Don’t resign yourself to bad form. My clunky stride isn’t pretty, and the Radial’s boldly curved outsole helped my foot roll from heel to toe more smoothly than usual—and get quicker rebound. That smoothness, combined with a triple-density EVA midsole and cushy air pad in the heel, made this a…
SPEEDY BUT GRIPPY Fact: The Italians make great shoes. Lesser known fact: They dominate competitive mountain running. That combined mastery is evident in the Crosslite, which is all about getting through the rough stuff as quickly as possible. A race-ready shoe with a minimalist design, the knobby-lugged Crosslite combines the…
With four easy-access storage pockets, a water-resistant iPod pouch, and a three-liter reservoir guaranteed against punctures for life, this updated classic is a smart pack for long rides and hikes. 1.4 lbs; www.camelbak.com…
HARD-CHARGER Good for Technical TrailsFor a debut shoe from a brand-new company, the Ignition gets enthusiastic Rookie of the Year props. It handled technical, rocky trails with aplomb, but unlike many other burly mountain-running shoes, it also felt remarkably light and nimble. Large, well-spaced lugs on the outsole clung…
em>Packed Trail If you run on a mix of pavement and dirt—often in the same outing—you’ll appreciate the Voza. To prove the point, we tested these lightweight trail runners on the streets of L.A., where the shoe’s midsole, and especially the amply cushioned heel, proved remarkably comfortable.
Good for Trails At a mere seven-plus ounces—almost half as much as the sturdiest trail runners—this feather颅weight flat initially seemed like it would be too flimsy for everyday running. Even though it’s designed for elite trail racing, we midpack runners still loved its fast and incredibly spry…
If I bring my dog Pontouf on a long run, I saddle him with Ruff Wear’s light, slim SingleTrak pack, which carries a liter of water. ruffwear.com…
Wave Runner “It feels like a racer with more cushioning,” said one tester. Indeed, this neutral trainer may not be as feathery as the Kinvara (page 50), but at a mere ten ounces it’s no slogger, either, thanks to a redesigned TPU “wave plate” (Mizuno’s springy cushioning device) and new,…
Mountain Scraping the bottom of your bike budget? The Slant blends surprising performance (21 vents and the secure ErgoDial fit) with sleek good looks in a killer value. www.bellbikehelmets.com…
With a thermo-regulating Outlast liner, this futuristic Italian helmet is a Renaissance performer: great in any weather. trialtir-usa.com…
FREERIDE FUN Kona keeps upping the ante with its perennial freeride favorite, the Stinky, and this year’s version is the sweetest one yet. Designers added new swingarms to stiffen up the seven-inch rear shock (nice), but the big news is a brand-new rear brake system—dubbed D.O.P.E.—that allows the rear disc…
SUPERSIZE MELast year’s Peregrines scored Gear of the Year by delivering sharp images and brilliant color rendition. By cranking the big objective lenses up to 50 millimeters—generally the upper limit for handhelds—and dialing back the magnification just a hair, Steiner is improving on greatness in a 26-ounce package. Bound for…
Suffer from hot feet? Then the superior ventilation of the P.R.O. may be just what you’re looking for. And when the pace quickens, the anti-slip heel and carbon sole get the power to the pedals. pearlizumi.com…
Why They’re CoolThe body is magnesium, the center axis shaft is titanium, there’s not a scrap of plastic in the focusing mechanism, and the whole works is rubber-armor-coated. 禄 They’re good to go from minus 13 degrees all the way up to 131. Binoculars don’t come any more durable, and…
One of the most versatile bikes we tested, the 928 Carbon is comfortable enough for mountain centuries and quick enough for hard efforts on twisty courses. With its race-inspired geometry and compact gearing, the Mono-Q earned high marks as an efficient climber, though testers would have liked to see wider…
Built for iPod (with a flip-down universal dock) but compatible with other devices, this retro unit features a 2.5-inch satellite speaker. Position it up to six feet away, for true stereo, or detach when space is tight. www.tivoliaudio.com…
Mountain Moto Style The Cyphon was a surprise hit. Testers initially thought this hard-shelled hybrid would be heavy and not very ventilated, but it’s lighter and cooler than it looks. Riders in hot climates might want a helmet with more vents, but for everyone else, it’s airy enough.
BRUNTON’s LAMPLIGHT pulls double duty as a flashlight for twilight wood gathering and a lantern with 360 degrees of alpenglow. (800-443-4871, www.brunton.com)…
Mountain Off-Road Rambler On the bike, the M-161s are reasonably stiff, if a touch heavy. But if you're planning on doing any hike-a-bike, you can't beat this burly shoe. The uppers are well armored and the rubber sole and replaceable spikes afforded best-in-test traction. 1 lb;…
The GT3 helps track recovery times and adjusts your zone alerts quickly midrun—great for fartlek training and intervals. The manual is a little puzzling, but the payoff is worth the decoding time. cardiosport.com…
Research in Motion wraps all of the classic BlackBerry features—e-mail, Web browser, personal organizer, phone/QWERTY keypad, and more—into a sleek, palm-size package that doesn’t make you look like you’re using a butter dish to make calls. Should your trekking porters turn tail on you, odds are your worldwide-roaming BlackBerry will…
Whether you’re surfing, boating, or fishing, suss tidal data for 275 preprogrammed global locations, or add your secret stashes to the lineup with lat-long coordinates. At the office, black out the digital display for a clean analog look. $300; reactorwatch.com…
Climbing the hills, but also the ladder? The SWISS ARMY STARTECH 4000 ($395) packs many useful mountain metrics—like temperature, altitude, and cumulative vertical ascent across a day, week, or season—into a cool black analog-and-digital package.
We consider it essential gear for boring dinner dates. Made to hang from the delicate wrists of snowboarders and skate punks, the analog TICKET ($200) is one of NIXON’s slickest models to date. The ultrathin Swiss quartz movement gives the case a thickness of just a few millimeters.
THINK OUTSIDE’S STOWAWAY BLUETOOTH KEYBOARD ($150) connects—without cables—to any Palm or Pocket PC handheld that supports the wireless Bluetooth protocol. You’ll feel like you’re tapping away on a laptop, until you fold the seven-ounce full-size pad down into a five-and-a-half-by-three-inch package.
GOOD WITH FACES For photographing family, friends, or a mob of dirtbags, the S12 is a beautifully simple solution. It boasts a 12-meg sensor, a sharp 3x zoom, and an advanced movie mode, but its best feature is a face-recognition function that detects as many as 15 unruly mugs and…
Gearing up for a long haul on two wheels or feet? This GPS-enabled training android measures speed, distance, and heart rate, and the included software creates three weeks of workouts and tracks performance. polarusa.com…
This workshop-sturdy unit can accommodate all bike sizes yet weighs less than 20 pounds and packs into a 39-inch-long carrying case. pedros.com…
We double-checked the weight of every bike—and a lot of the other gear—on these pages with this user-friendly scale. Hang it from a work stand or roof beam, and see if those new wheels are as light as the manufacturer claims. (They probably aren’t.) feedbacksports.com…
The X-Fi lets you wirelessly stream tunes and photos from your computer, listen to FM, record voice memos, and expand the memory with an SD card. Plus, it restores the quality of digitally compressed music. Yes, you really can tell. PC only; 16–32GB; creative.com…
Elvis would approve. On snow or sea, slide on any Costa with the company’s top-of-the-line 580 polarized glass lenses and you’ll be amazed. Glare dies. Colors vibrate. Depth perception jumps. Silver mirroring, spring-loaded hinges, sticky rubber temples, and a gold scheme just sweeten the deal. costadelmar.com…
Good for Backcountry Along with the system of beeps, arrows, and measurements that traditional avalanche beacons produce to help you find your buried friends, the S1 also draws you an easy-to-read picture, with precise distances and locations. It’s quick on the draw, too: When you open it,…