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SKULLCANDY‘s lightweight CHOPS HEADPHONES. With arms that wrap firmly behind your ears, they keep the tunes coming at you loud and clear.
Let there be light transmission! Kowa’s new 44mm lenses use patented multi-coating technology to enhance brightness. Ideal for glassing wildlife at twilight, this brute produces exceptional color and detail. 10.5×44; kowa-usa.com…
聽 London, Rio, L.A., and Tokyo on the itinerary? With 24 cities ringing the crystal, all you need to do is dial in the appropriate metropolis and you’re in the (time) zone. txwatches.com 聽 聽 聽 聽…
This inch-square jobbie’s familiar interface and blue-on-black screen make navigation a cinch. Multiformat USB; www.mobiblu.com…
BUCK’s 172 MAYO TNT locking knife tucks a surgical-sharp three-inch blade into an ultracool titanium handle. (800-326-2825, www.buckknives.com)…
Looking for high performance at a low price? The N5 tracks lap times, stores data for 30 workouts, and offers the usual gamut of zone alarms, calorie counting, and percent of max—and doesn’t require a Ph.D. to use. nbmonitors.com…
The G4’s cool, buffed shell, recessed ports, and ergonomic edges house Apple’s most powerful mobile command center to date. We love iLife—an included suite of powerful programs that edit and organize photos, movies, music, and more. With 64 megs of dedicated graphics memory, a hard drive that buckles its own…
Stalking powder on the mountain all day? This is your multitalented timepiece, with weather-forecasting barometer, altimeter, digital compass, inclinometer, thermometer, timer, and more at your icy fingertips. quiksilver.com…
Keep your most essential files (baby photos, passport and driver’s-license scans, the great American novel) on you at all times with the two-gig USB “blade.” Oh, and it’s a sweet little pocketknife, too. swissarmy.com…
Tiny capsules filled with a luminescent gas will keep the hands and numbers on the LUMINOX ULTIMATE FIELD CHROMO 824 ($650) glowing continuously for 25 years.
The base of the HIGHGEAR ALTITECH2 ($150)—a digital multitool that reports temperature, altitude, and barometric pressure—pivots at a 90-degree angle to sit on a level surface. Presto! Alpine-start alarm clock. When you break camp, its carabiner clips to your backpack.
HI-DEF, IN HAND The V1253 is a fine still camera, thanks to 23 scene modes that match almost any scenario imaginable, plus a macro mode that can focus as close as two inches. But with its ability to capture HD-quality videos, and in such a minuscule package, this may be…
Whether you’re spying landmarks while at sea or just finding your bearings, the Navigator’s compass leads the way. This 20-ounce marine binoc took on stream dunks and foggy conditions with aplomb. 7×30; steiner-binoculars.com…
Call SUUNTO’S X9 ($699), the first GPS watch that’s more serious navigation tool than cyborg fashion statement. The integrated satellite receiver shows lat/long coordinates, stores waypoints, and delivers ETA and distance predictions for your destination.
Why It’s CoolFive-by-sevens printed up at near-35mm-film quality, which is a real testament not just to electronics but to the quality of the f/2.8 lens. The bonus here is a 27mm-equivalent wide-angle, which is great for shooting landscapes, and a 110mm-equivalent 4x optical zoom. 禄 The videocam-style swiveling LCD preview…
Delivering huge, rich sound in a slim package, the Max speaker system is a must-have travel accessory. Dock your iPod or iPhone—or use the aux jack for other devices—and listen for 3.5 hours per charge. alteclansing.com…
Good for Backcountry We’ve never really liked previous integrated probe-shovel combos—they’ve been either short (the probe), cumbersome (getting it out of the shaft of the shovel), or both. The Arsenal is different. The ten-inch-wide blade and sturdy aluminum construction can move serious snow. And the seven-foot-ten-inch 240…
Why It’s CoolA rather stunning metering system compares the kind of shot you’re about to take with an onboard file of more than 30,000 “image maps.” Instantly locating the closest match, the N75 balances the exposure perfectly. 禄 This sucker will shoot almost two frames per second and, once you’ve…
Our criteria for a good travel speaker: light, tough, and sounds good enough to keep playing once you’re there. The last one is usually the deal breaker, but the iP49 docking station flips open and pumps out surprisingly rich, bassy notes. Plus it has FM radio, alarm clock, equalizer, and…
The Talon delivers images as sharp as binoculars twice the price, plus it’s easy to use, 100 percent waterproof, and backed by a lifetime warranty. 8×42; www.vortexoptics.com…
Trust us: It’ll make you a better photographer. The simple, intuitive M8.2 demands that you actually turn the aperture ring and shutter-speed dial manually, not just fondle screens. Luddite madness? Or a call for patience and thoughtfulness? The latter, no question. After days of shooting in Vancouver,…
The price of our favorite tide watch drops by nearly half, putting it within reach of the dirtbag surfers who want it. www.ripcurl.com…
Four two-inch speakers—a pair of twist-off satellites, on three-foot tethers, and a subwooferlike bass unit—make this 40-watt aluminum system bump like a P-Funk track. www.thinkoutside.com…
With an anodized-titanium handle swaddled in carbon fiber, XIKAR’s XI 158 EXCURSION knife is a techie’s dream cutter. (888-266-1193, www.xikar.com)…
Lose the chest strap. With a touch of the finger, the 10M takes accurate readings in four to five seconds, twice as fast as other strapless monitors. Don’t look for lap features or data storage, but you do get the usual zone alarms, a stopwatch, and a calorie counter.
Meet your new cross-country training partner. With its integrated GPS receiver, the FORERUNNER 201 ($161) from GARMIN spits out continuous pace data on its widescreen LCD. Input your time and distance goals, and a little animated sprinter lets you know whether you’re really whupping it, or falling behind.
Beneath the waves, this scuba bad boy—an air, nitrox, and gauge computer with electronic compass, four-button operation, and giant matrix display—is king. suunto.com…
How’s this for a pendant? String it around your neck and—no matter the disaster—you’ll always have a half-ounce, 1.8-inch talon handy. buckknives.com…
Named for the speedsters who wear it on the track, TAG HEUER’S FORMULA 1 ($600) is an all-around performer, even away from the asphalt. This rugged Swiss Miss serves up easy-to-grasp ridges on the crown, a unidirectional bezel, and a 200-meter depth rating for fumble-proof visibility on land and sea.
If you’re heading way off the grid (think Nunavut) and need real-time weather data, invest in BRUNTON’S ATMOSPHERIC DATA CENTER PRO ($249). The handheld instrument pulls in 24-hour trend graphs for temperature, barometric pressure, and altitude. Beam the data to your PC via an optional infrared receiver ($49).
ALL-WEATHER BADASS Digicam designers must not get out much; the 790 SW is one of only two made to scoff at the elements. (The other is Olympus’s even tougher, fancier, pricier 1030 SW.) Rubber gaskets seal out dust and render the camera waterproof to ten feet down—a feature we tested…
Ideal for backcountry scoping, the Infinity features rugged, powerful optics. With a durable yet light-weight chassis, it’s primed for all conditions. 8.5×45; bushnell.com…
Big. And burly. With its roomy grip, double-pointed aluminum blade, and virtually unbendable shaft, this was our favorite shovel. 40 in extended, 29 in collapsed, 1.8 lbs; life-link.com…
Super-zoom digicams have come into their own. Check out the ten-meg 565’s specs: RAW shooting, exposure lock, built-in image stabilization to reduce image blur, a 20x zoom that stretches from 26mm to a ridiculous 520mm, to name just a few of its SLR-like capabilities. Over a week in Mexico,…
An upgrade to Minox’s proven, staff-favorite HG line, the powerful APOs deliver great edge-to-edge color quality in a tough but lightweight magnesium package. But that don’t come cheap! 8.5×43; minox.com…
Why It’s CoolThe Z1’s silver plastic body oozes style—and garners envious looks on the trail. That said, the beauty is beyond skin-deep. 禄 At its highest resolution, the 3.2-megapixel Z1 will reel off five frames in less than five seconds. And when I took lower-res shots of a friend mountain-biking,…
Slap Happy This watch’s fumble-free solution to recording your splits: Smack it! The slap-sensitive face works great (and is especially useful when wearing the watch under long sleeves). Plus, the enormous display is very easy to read. Note: Accidental bumps can trigger the timer, and the wrist strap is not…
Straight to Video Annoyed by menus, toggles, and buttons with inscrutable little symbols? You won’t find them here. Swing the lens arm up and this deceptively high-powered camera is ready for action. Separate buttons allowed us to take video and stills without changing modes, and by swiveling the lens unit…
The iPad adds 3G connectivity to the debut version’s wi-fi so you can Web-browse, watch movies, or read the new issue of your favorite outdoor magazine from your car or a park bench. No, it won’t replace your laptop just yet, but in our go-everywhere testing, it lived up to…
Get superior optics in a pocket-friendly package with this super-sleek palm-size model, updated this year for improved light transmission at dawn and at dusk. 8×20; www.zeiss.com…
These “green” binocs use lead-free glass and non-chloride rubber, plus the case is made with eucalyptus pulp. And they’re both water- and fog-proof, a claim verified after we dropped them in a stream. 10×25; nikonecobins.com…
Don’t be fooled by the swank stainless-steel casing: The X6M provides hardcore features, including compass, feet-per-minute altitude tracker, weather gauge, and PC connectivity. www.suuntousa.com…
Fancy yourself a Mr. Fixit? You’ll never lack for the right screwdriver with this foldout tool and its six interchangeable bits (Phillips, flat, and Torx). Fix failed? The ‘biner clip can pop open a cold bottle of consolation. www.leatherman.com…
The BENCHMADE 921 SWITCHBACK knife features an ultrasharp 3.4-inch blade for smooth slicing, plus a bonus two-inch cutter tucked in the back. (800-800-7427, www.benchmade.com)…
Not sure if you need a heart-rate monitor? End the debate with this bargain: It has basic functions (percent of max, calorie burn, and vibrating or audible HR zone alarm, but no lap splits or data storage) in a reasonably low-profile design. www2.oregonscientific.com…
If you want a serious heart-rate monitor, there’s simply no getting around that chest strap. Many chafe and leave red marks, but POLAR’s new M61 ($169) employs a soft fabric electrode to more comfortably tune in to your ticker. The unit also sets up your own target exercise zones, whether…
Music, photos, and video, sure—but FM, dual-orientation display, line-in recording, and a mike, too? This diminutive dude does it all. And talk about cute. PC only; creative.com…
This is as tough (and pretty) as a hatchet gets, plus the nigh unbreakable handle features a stow-away saw. gerbergear.com…
Just as Apple polished its Mac over the years, NIKE has perfected the user interface on the OREGON SERIES ALTI-COMPASS ($199). Huge numbers deliver the most critical information, and a clever system of rotating buttons allows you to scroll through barometer, thermometer, weather, and altitude readings.
The TRIPOD DATA SYSTEMS RECON ($1,500) is the ideal PDA for extreme environments. This Windows-based handheld withstands immersion for up to 30 minutes and repeated drops onto rock.
From a forge known for out-standing innovation and design comes this watersport knife, which features a combo blade with a snub nose—lest you poke a hole in your hose or raft—and an antigravity sheath (i.e., you can mount it upside down). crkt.com…
This little Napoleon (think small but powerful) packs high-performance optics into a lightweight, compact package that feels balanced and substantial in hand. 10×25; minox.com…
Made of lightweight carbon fiber, this sturdy probe is long enough for real rescues and thick enough to feel solid in chunky debris. 8 ft extended, 16 in collapsed, 8.7 oz; genuineguidegear.com…
The LX3 has ended up in the pocket of more than a few pros we know. Why? For starters, it has a hi-res 10.1-meg sensor, can shoot RAW files—the best format for creative post-processing—like a DSLR, and features a tack-sharp Leica lens that zooms out to an ultrawide 24mm…
This versatile polycarbonate binoc has an upgraded, open-bridge design, creating a grip more comfortable than on previous Excursion models. The 400-foot-plus field of view is ideal for spotting game out in the wide open. 8×36; bushnell.com…
A titanium body and extreme ease of use made the fast-and-light TG5V our favorite sea-to-summit shooter. Record in full 1920×1080 hi-def, capture four-meg stills, geotag everything with the built-in GPS, and save to an upgradeable 16GB internal flash. sonystyle.com…
Front of the Pack A GPS watch without compromise. The Forerunner 110 measures distance, heart rate (with $50 strap), and real-time pace. The interface is intuitive, uploading to a computer is easy, and the watch itself is smaller than a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Add it up and you’ve got…
Pocket Philharmonic We’re all iPod junkies, but Micro颅soft’s Zune HD was a nice surprise. As a video player, it’s comparable to the iPod Touch, and for pure audiophile pleasure we daresay it’s better, with warmer tones and sharper high notes. What’s missing? Non-Windows functionality, a camera, and easy navigability. The…
It has a date window, military-time markers, rotating bezel, 100-meter water resistance, and not much else—except for the great Swiss Army design that spawned a thousand imitators. This time with a cool European black-on-black feel, antiglare crystal, and comfy rubber strap. TAGS: classic, cool…
Why They’re CoolWhat do you get when you shell out a few more shekels than you would for the Olympus? A sharper image (thanks to phase-coated prisms), better low-light viewing (credit a slightly larger objective lens), and a broader field of view. 禄 You also get a close-focus distance of…
These nimble, pocket-friendly field glasses delivered surprisingly crisp images for their size (and bargain-basement price), and they also performed well in the wet. 8×26; carsonoptical.com…
This classy timepiece, which pairs well with both suit and parka, steps beyond the usual analog chronograph with an altimeter. www.st-moritz.com…
Finally, an excuse to have a bottle opener on your key chain without having to go back to college. www.buckknives.com…
SEASONED PROBy relocating the bulky GPS antenna to a separate arm-mounted pod, Timex kept the watch relatively svelte and undeniably light on the wrist. For gram-shaving racers, this is big; they can train with the GPS and the chest strap, then leave both at home when they step up to…
TRES HERMESSpice up your morning five-miler with 125 of your favorite songs. With its pack-of-gum-size wireless sensor clipped to your laces, the MP3 Run tracks your speed, distance, and pace. Hit a button and the unit will cut into “Eye of the Tiger” with a progress report (“Time, three minutes;…
Is it safe to skip that water break? The ACUMEN EON-202TRT PYR ($269), a heart-rate monitor with an internal dehydration calculator, will let you know. Before you head out, program the outside temperature and humidity into the wrist unit via a key-chain gauge, then follow its advice on how much…
Wait, you’re not using those earbuds that came attached like a crummy little toady to another device, right? Good. But you should still upgrade to the deep, rich sound of these noise-isolating, dual-driver numbers. ultimateears.com…
Ditch the tool belt; just stick this crafty gizmo in your back pocket and roll. And if you’re not drinking wine, the hammer opens beer bottles. (No joke; look closely.) spyderco.com…
CASIO packed the SOLAR TRIPLE SENSOR ($250) with a compass, a barometer, a thermometer, a depth gauge, five alarms, and a rotating bezel—then tucked in a solar cell. Not only will the battery stay juiced on the power of daylight, but big digits and the included backlight make it your…
Thanks to the popularity of two-way radios, it’s getting harder to find a quiet channel in some of our nation’s more popular national parks. MOTOROLA solves this chatter glut by offering 99 subcodes in its TALKABOUT T6500 ($79 per pair). The rechargeable NiCad-powered handsets have one watt of power, good…
A do-it-all multitool that shaves weight down to five ounces without sacrificing utility. The standard fare (pliers/wire snips, blade, screwdriver set) is augmented by a carabiner-like clip that’s good for cracking open a bottle of beer. leatherman.com…
APPLE’S Lilliputian IPOD MINI ($249) is the new standard for hauling music. At four ounces, the hard-drive-based device is lighter than previous Pods yet still delivers up to 50 hours of sound. Its tough anodized-aluminum case and an optional neoprene armband ($29) clinches it as the most trail-worthy of the…
Colltex’s supple, smooth-gliding mohair skins use a pressure-sensitive glue that binds tighter when weighted but is still a breeze to peel. We received these in late spring, so we can’t speak to durability. But first impression? Wow. colltex.com…
Like the podium-topping Canon, the D90 shoots photos and HD video, but at less than one-third the price. Consider it the Corvette to Canon’s Lamborghini—i.e., it’s not the most luxurious, but it’s still one very sweet machine: 4.5-frames-per-second shooting, a 12.3-meg sensor, and a best-in-the-industry, super-hi-res three-inch LCD screen.
Ideal for birdwatchers—but great for anyone who prefers seeing things afar in high definition—these palm-size Leicas fold down compactly. And at 9.6 ounces, they’re the lightest binocs we tested. 10×25; leica-camera.com…
This shock- and waterproof videocam, which features a 170-degree lens and five-meg sensor, is easily attached to your person, ski, snowboard, helmet, bike, or surfboard via mount kits ($20–$40). Shoot 30-frames-per-second video or set it to take a still every two or five seconds.
Heart Matters A heart-rate monitor should be both intuitive and powerful. This affordable one does well on both counts, automatically telling you what heart-rate zone you should be aiming for and uploading your workouts to training software with an optional $55 FlowLink cradle. polarusa.com…
Slick Amphibian A unique mix of racing style and military fatigue, the new “khaki” Formula 1 is, at less than $1,000, a really good deal from TAG. Water-resistant to 200 meters, with a scratch-resistant crystal, it’s built to handle field duty, but the hipster look suits any urban setting.
We like this American watchmaker for its unique designs that hold up to the elements while looking great with a suit. This patriotic, red-black-and-blue number has a soft calf-leather strap, 100-meter water resistance, and dials for date, seconds, and 60-minute timing. TAGS: urban, sporty…