Summer Buyer's Guide
Archive
The latest trend in surfboard design is stout, full figures. All four of the boards we selected, from the short and fat Third World Exotic Surfboards Ghostbuster to the 5'11" Lost Bottom Feeder, are under seven feet long, maneuverable, and built with plenty of width and thickness to make catching waves easy.
These shells offer equal parts protection and comfort. We reviewed the Columbia Flyin' Dry, with its waterproof, breathable membrane and roomy back pocket; the Marmot Tempo Hoody, which kept our tester toasty on mountain runs and hikes during a windy season; the super-stretchy First Ascent High Season; and others.
Reviewing shoes used to be straightforward. Lightweight shoes were meant for racing, heavily cushioned shoes were meant for efficient runners who racked up lots of miles, and stability shoes鈥攚ith a section of dense rubber under the arch, a.k.a. a medial post鈥攚ere meant for people whose feet collapse inward.
Kicks designed specifically for the female foot, including The North Face Single Track Hayasa, best for mixed road and trail runs; the Salomon XR Mission, best for long trail runs in rough terrain; the New Balance 890V2, best for a cushy on up-tempo runs; and the Pearl Izumi Kissaki, best for high-mileage marathon training and racing.
There was a time when shoe companies took their bestselling road models, slapped some dark colors on them, toughened up their outsoles, made them uncomfortably stiff, and marketed them as trail shoes. And guess what. Hardly anyone bought 鈥檈m. Thank goodness that those days have finally come to an end.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Merrell Mariposa waterproof jacket.
Our five favorite gadgets for everything from recording splits to rocking out, including the New Balance Tri-Viz with four built-into-the-brim LEDs that can operate in three different settings; the Timex Ironman Run Trainer With GPS; and the Motorola Motoactv, a lightweight wristwatch that packs music and heart-rate tracking.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer's Buying Guide, including the Prana Piggyback yoga-mat strap.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear for the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Arc'teryx Incendo.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the 5.10 Coyote Canvas climbing shoes.
A whitewater-specific design that can take multiple hits and should accommodate just about every head size and shape. (It comes with an assortment of pads for fine-tuning the fit.)
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including 2XU's 3/4-length compression tights.
Geology professor at Prescott College; winner of the 2011 Tour Divide, a 2,700-mile self-supported mountain-bike race along the Continental Divide
From GoPros to iPhones, cameras are everywhere. But that doesn鈥檛 mean the demise of 鈥渞eal鈥 cameras, as some have predicted. Instead, manufacturers have responded to the proliferation of do-everything smartphones by continuing to improve image quality while simultaneously piling on the best features that can dream up.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Oakley carry-on roller bag.
Professional backpacker, author of the Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide
Think of them as smartphones for your wrist. The latest sport-specific watches will do practically everything but plan your next adventure for you. We review six of the best, including the Wenger Aerograph Cockpit Chrono and the Timex Intelligence Quartz Tide-Temp-Compass, which brings digital functionality to classic analog design.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Roxy 10'6" SUP.
After months of torture-testing the latest crop of outdoor gear, we've compiled a list of our 14 favorite items, from the REI Igneo sleeping bag to the Blue AC1 road bike
Where carry-ons are concerned, thin is in, and you鈥檒l do well to avoid the wide-body rollers that can be cumbersome on smaller planes. If you鈥檙e looking for a larger bag to check, look for a balance of durability and weight: every pound off the bag means another pound of stuff you can squeeze in and still meet the 50-pound rule.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Cannondale Ryker bike helmet.
Whether you鈥檙e talking sea kayaks or canoes or whitewater crafts鈥攂oat technology has reached a plateau where small advances, design tweaks, and material innovations make a big difference to enthusiasts. This year we see evolution in all categories, with the lightest, most progressive sea kayak in some time.
The performance gap between mid-tier and high-end optics is closing. Here are our favorite pairs of binocs to see you through any situation, including the Leupold Hawthorne 7x42, with its roof-prism design to cut size and weight, and the Bushnell Legend Ultra-HD, which are impressively bright and sharp鈥攅specially in low light.
Ease your load with these packs, including the Gregory Sage 45, which testers loved for its back panel, which perfectly fits the lumbar spine; the North Face Minera 30, a simple daypack with a widely adjustable chest strap and lightweight hipbelt; and the Black Diamond Onyx 75, a no-frills, long-haul, remarkably light pack.
Though there are many larger, better-known SUP manufacturers, Pau Hana is quickly carving out a name for itself with fast, well-priced boards like the fitness and adventure-ready Crossfit.
New technologies and improved designs make it easier than ever to get all of your gear to the trailhead. This year, we reviewed Yakima鈥檚 all-new blade-slim crossbars, which reduce drag over traditional round bars, and the Sylvan Sport Go, an extremely well made 840-pound trailer that swallows up all your weekend toys.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Tern Link P7i.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert Carbon 29.
These six gadgets, from the AT&T Pantech Element, a waterproof, Android-based 8.3-inch tablet, to the Mophie Juice Pack Outdoor Edition, which doubles the battery life of your iPhone 4 or 4S, to the Steripen Freedom, a tiny water purifier, won't revolutionize your life on the road. But we promise they'll make it a lot easier.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Blue AC1.
Two truths: First, we need sunglasses for protection against malign solar wavelengths that cause eyestrain, burning, itching, headaches, and much worse. (And the corollary, that inadequate protection from inferior shades is worse than nothing at all.) Second, buy up for downright delicious visuals. But don鈥檛 panic too much over price.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Cannondale Bad Girl 1.
Several continents and many blisters later, we can tell you one thing: these were the six most versatile and adventure-ready kicks we wore this year, from the Sorel Derby LTR to Rockport Eastern Standard Casual Mid PT to the Clarks Originals Majorca, with a moccasin design that will conjure up our dad鈥檚 days as a scout.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Scott Contessa Spark RC.
Still fumbling around with wires and a prehistoric bike computer? It's time for a performance boost. Here are six ways to enhance your next ride, from the headlight-taillight combo Light & Motion Urban 500 to the data-collecting Garmin Edge 200 to the iBike Sports iDash Phone Booth, which you can buy as an all-in-one bike computer.
Whether you're running rivers or just running back and forth between the house and the lake, you need the right footwear. We review six new water shoes, including the Sperry Top-Sider Son-R Feedback Bungee, the Adidas Boat Lace DLX, and the Keen Turia with its tester-friendly debris-blocking mesh upper and grip.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Linus Gaston 3.
You can extend or collapse the Kialoa Pupu according to your height and whether you鈥檙e surfing or touring, so if you need one paddle to do double-duty, this is it.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Contour+ POV camera.
With an extra 15 liters of expandable space, our Gear of the Year winning pack, the Deuter ACT Zero 50+15, works for day hikes and multiday trips.
A revolutionary design–spiral, elastic baffles–not only allows you to twist and turn at night, but also holds the insulation against you for fewer cold spots. Our Gear of the Year winner. $379…
It’s sticky sole and lightweight helped, but it was the perfect fit that won the Garmont Zenith Mid our Gear of the Year award.
The lightest down bag on the market, this 15-degree, 850-fill sleeping bag won't weigh down your pack at just 1.4 pounds. $439…
An affordable zero-degree bag that our testers agreed was the warmest zero-degree bag yet. $219…
Light, fast, and comfortable: Three reasons the Bolle Vortex is our Gear of the Year winning sunglass.
Ultralight backpackers will praise this 2,014-cubic-inch minimalist pack for its perfectly designed organizational pockets and breathable back panel. $175…
Four-season performance with three-season weight: Introducing our Gear of the Year winning jacket, Columbia’s Peak 2 Peak.
Sticky rubber keeps these lightweight trail runners glued to the dirt, especially excelling on mellow, rolling trails. $100…
Our Gear-of-the-Year-winning hiker stomps technical terrain with a toothy Vibram sole and breathes like the best of them. $110…
Water- and wind-resistant, the Nau Lightbeam 100%-recycled polyester staves off the elements with a low-profile design. $175…
An airy, mesh version of the waterproof Moraga OXT, this shoe is the perfect summertime day hiker. $110…
New to mountain biking? This affordable women's-specific ride dampens chatter with full suspension while lower-profile tubes make climbing easier. $1,550…
Masked in a proprietary waterproofing nano-technology, the multi-sport V-Lite Thunder can handle any weather condition. $90…
Thanks to fender mounts, our Gear-of-the-Year-winning road bike can, not only excel as a racer, thanks to a carbon fiber frame, it can double as a commuter. $2,630…
This “comfort-performance” road bike is designed to keep your spine happy, while keeping you moving fast. $3,000…
Designed like a pro racer's bike but with a less-expensive weave of carbon fiber making it peloton- and wallet-friendly. $3,750…
Overpronate? This stability shoe is all about controlling your motion, without compromising a springy feel. $140…
Ultralight, waterproof, breathable, reinforced panels: all the ingredients that make up our Gear-of-the-Year-winning jacket. $200…
Yes, Thule makes luggage, and it’s just as tough as their roof racks. Presenting our 2011 Gear of the Year winner.
These new shoes are toeing the line between trail and road runner. One reason the North Face Double Track won our 2011 Gear of the Year award.
Our Gear of the Year winning bag offers comfort and warmth down to 15 degrees, and it weighs less than 2 pounds.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Watershed Waterproof Tote.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Dry Case DC13.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Nemo Cosmo Air camping pad.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Black Diamond Storm headlamp.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Princeton Tec Byte headlamp.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Brunton RL 6 headlamp.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Surefire G2X Tactical flashlight.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Light and Motion Solite 150 headlamp.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Energizer Triple Beam LED.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Benchmade Mini-Onslaught knife.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Powerbar Pure and Simple.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Jetboil Sol Ti stove.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Rab Fusion Pants.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Black Diamond Ultra Distance Trekking Poles.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Bear Grylls/Gerber Ultimate Kit.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Scarpa Terra GTX hiking boot.
国产吃瓜黑料 reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Keen Red Rock Low hiking shoe.