I live just over 18 miles from, and 1,345 feet in elevation below, my office in Santa Fe. The drive takes about 20 minutes, but I need a good hour and a half when I’m on my road bike. I don’t have that much time to spare most mornings, nor do I have the mental toughness to don spandex for such a slow, grinding sufferfest.Ěý

But the commute seemed perfect for an e-bike like the —a Class 1 pedal-assist machine, which meansĚýit has a top speed of 20 miles per hour and there’s no throttle, so you get power through pedaling. There’s a 400-watt-hourĚýbattery tucked neatly behind the saddle, and four modes (eco, tour, sport, and turbo) that correspond to wattage. The lowest, eco, feels like a very slight tailwind, while turbo rockets the bike up to its 20-mile-per-hour max in just a few pedal strokes. Depending on the mode and the terrain, I found that the Medeo had between a 35-to-110-mileĚýrangeĚýon a full charge. The Medeo weighs just over 49 pounds.ĚýĚý

In May, I set out to put this e-commuter through its paces and determine whether it could serve as an effective replacement for my car. How many driving trips would it spare me? How much gas could it save?Ěý

I chose the Medeo for the simple reason that it offers one of the best e-bike values out there. It’s well-made and sturdy, with a powerful Bosch motor, and at $2,500, it’s on the low end of the e-bike price range—yes, still expensive, especially when compared to regularĚýbikes, though not when compared to cars or all the money we spend on auxiliary auto needs like gas and insurance. The Medeo looks and rides basically like a nice cruiser; it has a step-through frame, upright positioning, rim brakes, and an aluminum build. Without a motor, you could get an equivalent bike for well under $500. But you’re not going to find a decent e-bike—and by that, I mean an e-bike with a smartly integrated battery, not just one strapped haphazardly to the frame—for less than about two G’s.Ěý

If that $2,500 bike prevents you from having to own a car, well, case for the high price tag closed. If it just prevents a few car trips a week, the math becomes hazier. But you’re still saving on gas and wear and tear on your fossil-fuel-guzzling vehicle. I calculated that one round-trip on the Medeo would save me about 1.5 gallons of gas in my 2012 Subaru Outback—about $4.50 at current New Mexico gas prices. At that rate, I’d have to ride the Medeo over 550 times to make it pay for itself. (Obviously, that number would be cut in half if gas prices doubled. It would also go down if I were driving a less fuel-efficient vehicle, like my Toyota Tacoma.)Ěý

I alsoĚýlive in the West, where public transportation is limited in rural areas, and weekends often take me 100 miles from home. In other words, I’m not at the point where I can trade in my car for an e-bike, so on gas savings alone, it would be hard to justify a $2,500 bike. But what about the health and general mental-well-being benefits?Ěý

On my first morning with the Medeo, I quickly realized that it enablesĚýlaugh-out-loud fun: push the “plus” button to take the bike to its most powerful mode, turbo, and it zooms up hills at a cool 19.7 miles per hour (hit 20 and you can immediately feel the governor take over and slow you down). I felt like a Tour de France rider with a serious tailwind at my back as I started the long climb to Santa Fe. It’s a joyful experience, and one that I worry will ruin road biking for me. Here’s to never slogging up a climb again!Ěý

The speed didn’t last (keeping the bike in turbo up a 1,300-foot hill quickly decimates the bike’s range), but I found I could still comfortably cruise in tour mode at about 15 miles per hour—still faster than what I could do on my nonmotorized road bike. By the time I crested the last hill to town, I had a ten-mile range in turbo and a very solid 40 in eco, plenty of charge to get back home, which would be downhill the whole way. The ride to work had taken just over an hour. The ride back was even faster, as I coasted almost the whole time. Note: aĚý50-pound cruiser descends like a lumbering brontosaurus.ĚýĚý

The Medeo is, at its heart, a cruiser: it’s best at flying through city streets and beating cars at green lightsĚýwith its powerful motor. It relishes smooth bike paths. On the road, at speed, I started to notice some cruiser issues—tire wobble, the positioning gets uncomfortable over a long period of time, it simply doesn’t know how to corner. And the ride to work still took me over an hour (about threeĚýtimes longer than if I took the car).Ěý

SoĚýwhat did I learn after riding the 36 miles and 2,690 feet of vert on the Medeo for a week? It certainly made the climb to work much more enjoyable. I’d say I’dĚýride the thing once or twice a week in the future (somethingĚýI can’t commit to on my regularĚýroadĚýbike). The Medeo saved me about 7.5 gallons of gas, or $22 over five days. Not bad, but not astonishing either. At that rate, I’d have to ride it 113 weeks to break even on cost.

If you plan to buy an e-bike like this for a long commute, IĚýsuggest upgrading to a racier model; something like the Gear of the Year–winning Orbea would be absolutely ideal. That’s the bike I’d buy if I had $6,800 lying around, which, let’s be real, is more than a used Civic would run you. But that used Civic expels emissions and does nothing for your mental health, so there’s that.ĚýĚý

The other obvious downside to the Medeo is weight. Remember, it comes in at almost 50 pounds. That makes it exceptionally unwieldy and almost impossible to get up more than one flight of stairs. This is the big advantage money will get you: pay $6,800 for that Orbea, and you get a bike most of us can actually carry, at 25.6 pounds.ĚýĚý

Should you get one? If you have a shorter commute through a city (I’d say anything less than tenĚýmiles) and you think you will ride this thing 80 percent of the time, then that seems like an easy yes to me.

The post Can a $2,500 E-Bike Replace Your Car? appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Ěý($119)Ěýdid not immediately convert me to a believer. I was skeptical of it: a baggy, shapeless, blueish-gray strip of fabric hanging in my closet. I judged it as maybe a little dowdy.ĚýA little too weird.

This went on for weeks until one day, when I was nearly out of clean work clothes, I tried the thing on. And I fell in love. Over the course of the past year, I’ve worn this one-piece for work, gardening, pub crawling, traveling, and hiking. It’s perfectly comfortableĚýand well suited to all those activities. ĚýĚý

Big credit goes to the fabric, which is the same stretchy recycled polyester-spandex blend that Patagonia uses in some of itsĚýrunning shorts. The material makes for a jumpsuit that’s incredibly light and airy, withĚýperformance chops. I feel like I could happily jog in this thing (let’s be real, I’m not really running), but I haven’t actually done this, because the legitĚýrunners in the şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř office would judge me hard.ĚýWhat impressed me the most? The Fleetwith doesn’t come off asĚýparticularly sporty; the fabric has a muted, almost linen type ofĚýlook and feel.

Then there’s the cut. The pants are loose without being boxy, and the top above the lightly cinched waist is trim but certainly not tight. It creates anĚýathletic silhouetteĚýthat doesn’t restrict movement. The Fleetwith alsoĚýbreathes very well (thanks to straps that crisscross in back)ĚýandĚýlooks polished enough to wear to the office—at least to ourĚýSanta Fe–based headquarters. Lots of companies make that claim about their stuff, but few actually deliver.

The details are spot-on, too. I especially like the big pockets in the front and back (thank you, Patagonia!), including aĚýzippered one big enough to hold an oversizeĚýiPhone.

Patagonia sent me my first Fleetwith forĚýfree as a test sample. I just bought a second one—not because of any durability issues with the original, but because I like blackĚýandĚýthis product happens to be in stock for the first time in what seems like a year. I plan to bring both rompers on my two-week trip to Spain and Morocco this summer; that should take care of almost my whole wardrobe, no stowaway bag needed.

Should you buy one? If you’re an active woman who likes to travel and be comfortable at her desk, definitely.ĚýHeck, you should probably get two.

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A few months ago, , Kelly Slater’s surf-fashion-eco-concious apparel company, launched its first ever women’s line. And we, the women editors of şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř, are here to tell you that the collectionĚýreally, really rocks.

I tend to be skeptical of outdoorĚýcompanies’ forays into the world of lifestyle apparel. The end result, especially for women, tends to be too beige and too boxy.ĚýGranted, Outerknown is known for making sharp-looking, wearable men’s stuff, so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by the quality of the women’s clothes. But still, it’s rare for a company to nail a brand-new collection for lady shreddersĚýand that is absolutely what Outerknown appears to have done.

A few weeks ago, the company shipped a box of eight products to our Santa Fe office for our staff to test. (We did not specifically request this gear, nor did we pay for it.) We did happily wear the clothing throughout the month and found that it appears uniformly well made (durable, sturdy fabric that’s still soft and supple) and that the cuts were fun and cute.

Take my favorite piece, the . If Carhartt partnered with Lululemon to make a full-length jumpsuit, I imagine you’d get something like Outerknown’s S.E.A. It’s made from a mix of cotton and linen, which makes for fabric that looks burly, yet feels buttery. I can’t imagine I’m going to run into any wear issues with this thing, at least not for years. I’ve worn it to work, then into my garden, and it’s ideally suited to both places. Do I look like a mechanic? A little bit, yeah. But at least I feel like a sexy one when I’m in it.

Really, the only obvious flaw we’ve seen across the collection is in sizing: many pieces seem to run pretty small and I’d suggest sizing up if you’re thinking of buying. The extra-small and small seem to run fairly true to size, but the medium and large were tiny. One of our editors ended up with a large cropped sweatshirt, even though she almost exclusively wears medium in other brands. I guess that’s the skinny surf industry for you.Ěý

Here’s what the other editors had to say about the pieces they tried.

Vintage S.E.A. Tee ($48)

I’m always on the hunt for chic basics that will last. checks all the boxes: high quality, a nice cut, and thoughtfully made. The Vintage S.E.A. Tee—that stands for Social and Environmental Accountability, referring to the ethical standards behind its manufacture—is knit and dyed in Los Angeles, and sewn in Mexico in a Fair Trade Certified facility, meaning the makers have been paid a premium to produce it.Ěý—Ali Van Houten, editorial fellow

Currents Dress ($128)

is lightweight and flowy, and the fabric is semi-sheer—all things that add up to keeping you cool on warm days. Plus, it’s super cute, with big bell sleeves. The dress is made entirely of organic cotton, which uses less pesticides than conventional cotton. —AV

Solstice Hoodie ($118)

I wear everywhere from at the climbing gym to the office. At first, I was a little skeptical of how the shorter crop would look on my long torso (I'm 5’11”), but the sleeves fit perfectly and the mid-section hits just below my bellybutton—I wear a workout tank underneath for a layered look. The Solstice is fitted enough that it’s flattering but baggy enough that it hides my post-climbing burrito babies. —Abigail Wise, online managing editor

Costa Shirt ($98)

This is . Wear it with black pants and flats to dress it up or denim cut-offs to dress it down. Plus, the linen-nylon blend looks even better a little wrinkled, ideal for tossing it into the bottom of a suitcase. —AW

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Osprey Raven 10 Hydration Pack ($140)

The svelte Raven gives mountain bikers everything they need: a wide hip strap, well-placed pockets with enough storage for essentials, and a meshy back panel that cools like a Vornado.

Ortlieb Handlebar Pack ($160)

If your ride will be taking you way out there, opt for this durable nine-liter roll, which fits any bar style. Waterproof ripstop nylon keeps bikepacking accessories like a sleeping bag secure and bone dry.

Giro Riv’ette CS Gloves ($35)

Sometimes the cheapest gear is also the most essential. Gloves protect in a crash and take the sting out of rough roads and trails. The Riv’ettes are thin and light, so you get all the benefits without even noticing you’re wearing them.

Velocio Breton SE Jersey ($169)

Velocio’s are the most breathable jerseys we’ve worn. They’re silky smooth and cut long to stay put when you’re in the drops. Bonus: we love the classy prints.

7Mesh WK2 Bib Shorts ($150)

Yoga pants with a chamois? The WK2 pairs the comfort of leggings with premium bike padding. The thin shoulder straps are a nice touch, offering riders the superior fit of bibs without making pit stops a chore.

Specialized Propero III with ANGi Helmet ($130)

Skip spendy helmets and go with the Propero. It’s got all the safety chops and many of the same features (top-notch fit and venting systems) at a more reasonable price.

Wild Rye Freel Shorts ($119)

Wild Rye nailed the stretchy-durable balance here: the Freel moves just right in the saddle, but the fabric isn’t so thin that an errant piñon will shred it. Water repellency kept us dry in brief showers.

Feetures Elite Light Cushion Mini Crew Socks ($18)

Cycling socks must be at least four inches tall, have some flare, and be equal parts compressive and comfortable. Feetures delivers on all three counts.

Wild Rye Sandia şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Shirt ($95)

Thanks to Wild Rye, the benchmark for bike jerseys has been elevated. We love the Sandia’s long sleeves, which protected our skin on long days in full sun and when we inevitably found ourselves crashing down a rocky mountainside.

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Smith Wildcat Shield Sunglasses ($209)

The Wildcat is big, loud, and sure to turn heads. The lenses are premium, too: crystal clear, with more coverage than you’ll possibly need.

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On Saturday morning, President Trump announced via Twitter theĚýresignation of his Department of the Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke.Ěý

Zinke has been plagued by scandals practically since the day Trump appointed him to oversee this country's 500 million acres of public land. For the full list of investigations into his business dealings and conduct, check out our tracker: the list includes possibly trying to fire the DOI's Inspector GeneralĚýandĚýquestionable uses of taxpayer money.

According to the Washington Post, the probe that finallyĚýconvinced the White House that Zinke had to go concerned a shady real estate deal in the Secretary's home state of Montana. It's a complicated investigation that was referred to the Justice Department in October. Here's how we described the situationĚýearlier this year:Ěý

Zinke may have violated conflict-of-interest laws when a foundation under his name worked on a real estate deal with Halliburton chairperson David Lesar. The Interior Department’s internal watchdog opened an investigation—the 11th to date during Zinke’s 16 months at his post—because the secretary stood to personally profit from the deal. Halliburton is one of the largest oil drilling and fracking companies in the world, with projects highly affected by DOI policies.ĚýThe short version is that Zinke met with Halliburton executives at DOI headquarters in August, and they discussed the Interior Secretary’s Great Northern Veterans Peace Park Foundation, which is trying to build a park in Zinke’s hometown of Whitefish, Montana. A month later, Zinke’s wife signed an agreement allowing a developer connected to Lesar to build a parking lot on land the foundation owns. Lesar is also backing commercial development in Whitefish, including retail shops, a hotel, and microbrewery, that would be set aside for Zinke and his wife. Plus, with all the development nearby, the land Zinke owns would greatly increase in value.

Many conservationists are happy to see Zinke go.Ěý“Ryan Zinke will go down as the most anti-conservation Interior secretary in our nation’s history,” Jennifer Rokala, executive director of the Center for Western Priorities, . “Surrounding himself with former lobbyists, it quickly became clear that Ryan Zinke was a pawn for the oil and gas industry. We can expect more of the same from Acting Secretary David Bernhardt, but without the laughable Teddy Roosevelt comparisons.” (If you want to read more about how ZinkeĚýreallyĚýstacks up to Roosevelt, read our writer Wes Siler's opinion.)ĚýĚý

ZinkeĚýoversaw a number of initiatives that enraged both environmentalists and outdoor industry representatives during his time in office. Under Trump's orders, he led the charge to shrink a number of national monuments. He launched a Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee, then filled it with businesses and other interests that advocated for increasing park privatization. He wooed energy extractors to public lands. As Elliott Woods wrote in the şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍřĚýprofile of Zinke:

It could be said that the Zinke doctrine is not multiple use but maximum use. In pursuit of President Trump’s energy agenda, he’s pledged to throw open the gates to development on public lands on a scale that has not been seen for decades, if ever. Interior also oversees offshore leasing. In October, Zinke announced the largest lease sale in U.S. history, involving nearly 80 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico, including areas where a moratorium has been in place since the Deepwater Horizon spill.Ěý

All that said, conservationists aren'tĚýexactly rejoicing at the resignation. ZinkeĚýstands to be replaced by his former deputy,ĚýDavid Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyistĚýwho will take over the DOI immediately as acting director. (Trump is said to beĚývettingĚýa number of Republican candidates for the top job.)ĚýLast month,ĚýSiler spoke to a DemocraticĚýCongressional stafferĚýabout Bernhardt. The source “described Zinke’s corruption as 'penny grifting,'Ěýbut warned that Bernhardt could be a 'puppet master.'”ĚýĚýĚý

“If Zinke is a swamp monster, then Bernhardt is the bigger, meaner swamp monster who shows up just when the heroes of this bad movie thought they’d won,” SilerĚýwrote.Ěý

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Performance tops with tons of character.

Pearl Izumi Versa ($70)

We love the Versa’s casual polo style and contrasting front pocket. So much so that we wear it not only when we ride, but also to the beach, on the boat, and to the bar on warm evenings. The lightweight polyester is buttery against your skin and wicks away moisture. It also tends to absorb odors, so we suggest keeping it to a single wear between washes.

Café du Cycliste Zahira Diamant ($163)

This bold jersey drew us in immediately. The West African print provides excellent visibility, but the Zahira Diamant is more than just a fashion statement. The feather-weight fabric is airy enough for blazing desert days, the full-length zipper makes venting a breeze, and the fit is more generous than many road designs, so you won’t bust out of the seams.

Rapha Ode to the Sun Souplesse Flyweight ($175)

The Souplesse is no workhorse—it’s a refined thoroughbred designed to make long afternoons in the saddle as comfy as those spent on the couch. We break out this women’s top on the hottest days: the airy, membrane-thin fabric is basically one big vent, thanks in part to hundreds of tiny perforations in the torso.

Sombrio Alder ($55)

The Alder is simple and subdued, which is a welcome change from the loud, flowery prints too often found on women’s jerseys. We appreciate the fit, too, with a drop hem in back and just a touch of bagginess. The polyester is low-tech, wicks moisture effectively, and provides lots of ventilation on steamy summer days. The best part? It’s the cheapest top here.

Kitsbow Collared Henley ($120)

Gravel bikes raise the question: road kit or mountain? Fortunately, this henley splits the difference with a trim but not awkward fit and merino-poly fabric that’s cool in the wind but tough enough to take the abuse of errant rocks and branches. And God bless companies that produce apparel in bright hues that draw motorists’ eyes, like this Moab-orange heather.

Yeti Turq Air LS ($100)

Cut from a stretchy poly-spandex blend, the Turq Air is so sheer and cozy, it almost feels like silk pajamas. A perforated grid pattern lets cool air in and moisture out, so you can wear it on all but the stickiest summer days. It’s our top choice for long rides in the mountains—the UPF 30 fabric keeps the sun off our arms, and long sleeves ensure we’ll stay warm if the weather changes.

The post The Best Bike Jerseys of 2018 appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Nothing makes a ride like a sweet pair of shorts.

POC Raceday Enduro Shorts ($130)

These are meant for going fast downhill, but the Raceday has become our go-to on big-mountain outings. The massive side-zip front pocket is a handy place to stash a phone, bar, and tool, and the stitched-in elastic-Velcro belt makes fit a cinch. Over-the-knee scalloped tailoring adds a touch more protection.

Gore C7 Pro 2in1 Bib Shorts ($200)

The C7 Pro’s materials and economy of fit won us over. The design is genius, combining well-made bibs with built-in baggies so you don’t have to, and eliminating spandex creep below the hem of your shorts. The pad is also a highlight—better quality than you typically find at this price.

Assos T.Ă©quipe Evo Bibs ($220)

Assos bibs are the plushest on the market, but the price tag can be prohibitive. Enter the T.équipe, which is affordable and also comfier and higher-performing than most brands’ premium offerings. It retains the Swiss company’s expert tailoring and proprietary materials while adding a slick ventilated pad that won’t chafe.

7mesh WK2 Shorts ($130)

Our testers prefer bibs. Or they did until they pulled on the WK2. A massive waistband that puts yoga tights to shame, combined with a women-specific cut and chamois, makes these our favorite bottoms. What’s more, shorts are cooler and more conducive to nature’s call. Consider us converts.

Wild Rye Freel Shorts ($109)

Even after a summer spent mashing through piñon and juniper, these women’s shorts have yet to tear or fray. Not only are they durable, but they’re insanely comfortable, with stretchy nylon fabric and a wide waistband. The Freel is best on cool days—all that durability sacrifices breathability—when you want to get after it. Plus, cactus.

Rapha Brevet Cargo Bibs ($270)

Cargo bibs aren’t new, but the Brevet resets the bar, with two full mesh pockets in the rear and another on each quad that are nearly big enough to fit an iPad. We were able to carry everything we needed without dragging around a heavy, sweaty hydration pack. Oh, and Rapha’s thick pad takes the sting out of washboard.

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Cool and casual warm-weather gear.

Yeti Hondo Base Camp Chair ($299)

Nothing beats slipping into a comfy chair after a long day on the move. Made with Yeti’s typical “overbuild it!” philosophy, the Hondo has joints as thick as a car door’s and mesh fabric claimed to withstand 500 pounds. Excessive? Probably. Do we still want one? Most definitely.

Patagonia Brodeo Beanie ($35)

Patagonia’s take on the classic beanie, the Brodeo is fashioned from a nylon-wool blend, making it soft, warm, and durable. We appreciate the subdued colors and easy steeze.

Libratone Zipp Mini Speaker ($249)

This Nalgene-size Bluetooth speaker delivers big sound. It reminded us of our Bose back home but comes in a portable package, with a battery that lasts ten hours on a single charge. Bonus: there are seven fun color options.

Fjällräven Greenland Half Century Jacket ($425)

The Greenland Half Century promises good-looking protection for impromptu excursions. You’re getting a tried-and-true design: the original top debuted 50 years ago and remains basically unchanged, except for the recycled polyester and organic cotton fabric.

Danner Ridge Boots ($360)

Sure they’re pricey, but these might be the only boots you’ll ever need. Canvas and leather uppers stood up to an Oregon downpour, keeping testers’ feet warm and dry. Danner’s light midsole atop Vibram rubber made these our go-to scramblers, minus the break-in time.

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Kammock All şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Field Blanket ($85)

Not your average throw, this three-part package includes a lightweight ripstop shell, a midweight water-resistant layer, and a heavy cuddle buddy with plush fleece backing.

Duer Performance Denim Skinny Fade Jeans ($119)

Suitcase living can be hard on a wardrobe. That’s one reason we’re so excited about Duer’s Performance jeans. With tough, stretchy fabric and a designer fit, they’re plenty comfortable. We wore them on the plane and then on a bar crawl later that night.

The post The Best Summer Night Gear of 2018 appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

VIP style and comfort, even in the cheap seats.

Osprey Ultralight Travel Set ($60)

One way to pack: throw all your crap in a duffel. A better way: throw it in this three-piece travel set, which keeps nice clothes nice, play clothes separate, and everything else together in one place. Includes a bag for folded apparel, plus medium and large packing cubes.

Vuarnet Ice Sunglasses ($340)

Vacation shades are for bold statements, and there’s nothing subtle about these. The lenses are big and round, the side shields are red (not glacier bound? they’re also removable), and the bridge couldn’t possibly get any chunkier. There’s performance to match, with lightweight nylon frames and practically indestructible temples.

Apple AirPods Earphones ($159)

Some call these the Bluetooth headphones to end all Bluetooth head­­phones. Their merits are many. Battery life is solid (five hours), the fit is dialed (they never slip, even from sweaty ears), pairing with an iPhone is painless, and dropouts are nonexistent. What’s not to love?

Lululemon Train Times 7/8 Pants ($98)

Lululemon, master of all things athleisure, nailed these versatile bottoms. We wore them on planes, at the gym, and on hiking trails. We loved them for their wide, stretchy waistband, splash of ventilating mesh along the lower leg, and abundant color options.

Chums Jetsetter Pouch ($35)

The best stash bags are TSA-ready. The Jetsetter unfolds in the middle, like a garment bag, and it makes its contents known through a clear plastic window.

Olukai Pehuea Lau Shoes ($100)

When space is at a pre­mium, we bring along the leather Pehuea Laus. They’re lightweight, drop-in heels help them pack almost flat, and they wear as well on the way to the beach as they do chilling at the bar afterward.

The North Face Mountain 1/4 Sweatshirt ($120)

This is the kind of mid­layer you never want to take off. Soft woven fabric makes it as cozy as your favorite blanket. The cut’s on point, too: long drop hem, tailored cuffs that hug your wrists, and a zip-up collar.

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Three students cluster around a laser cutter as the brilliant red light, guided by a robotic arm, bites into a chunk of green plastic. After a few minutes, the arm jerks abruptly aside and junior Bailey Purser, 22, raises the glass lid to extract two palm-size, kidney-shaped discs. It’s only a mock-up, the ghost of a belay device that’s not yet ready for the crag but could one day be as ubiquitous as the GriGri brake. Which is precisely the point of this exercise: to learn how companies like Petzl and Black Diamond turn a whisper of an idea into the bombproof gear we trust our lives with in the field.

“You have to think about dimensions, measurements, proportions,” says Andrew Deceuster, an assistant professor at Utah State University who tasked the 40 students in his junior design-studio class with creating three prototypes—the belay device, a hammock, and the outsole of an ultra­running shoe—over the course of the fall 2017 semester. “It’s not enough to just draw something in CAD and hope it turns out OK.”

These juniors could very well end up designing climbing gear for a living. They’ll have the right degree for it. In 2015, Logan-based Utah State, tucked in the foothills of the Wasatch Range north of Salt Lake City, launched the , the country’s first undergraduate major created expressly for outdoor-gear designers. (A few other North American universities have similar initiatives. Next year, Oregon State–Cascades, in Bend, plans to launch a product-design major a lot like USU’s. And Kwantlen Polytechnic in Vancouver, British Columbia, has a strong program in performance apparel.)

Purser and her 41 classmates will be the first to graduate from Utah State’s program, in spring 2019. The major—which now has more than 170 students—prioritizes hands-on experience. Sophomores intern at partner brands including Helly Hansen in Norway and Patagonia in California. Juniors design and make apparel. And seniors combine all the skills they’ve learned in a project of their choosing. Students also have access to the 23 industry leaders on OPDD’s advisory board—including representatives from the outdoor industry who guide and, in some instances, help fund the otherwise state-financed program. (Altra, for example, sponsors the sewing and design lab.)

The curriculum is intended to clear a more direct path for students to work in the industry. Gear brands typically recruit people with a graduate degree in industrial design, fashion, or engineering. Cobbling together the additional experience to get hired at, say, the North Face falls largely to graduates themselves. The USU undergrads are on a set trajectory from day one.

To thrive at a gear company, you need more than technical skills. That’s why the OPDD program offers courses that aren’t normally part of a design degree. “Dress and Humanity,” for instance, explores the relationship between consumers and their clothing. “Foundations of Sustainable Systems” looks at the effect humans have on the environment. There’s a course on 21st-century media—the vehicle that brands use to spread product news. And, naturally, there’s a history of outdoor-product design. Its only textbook: , a manifesto that encourages consumers to buy less stuff and advocates putting environmental responsibility above profit.

Unexpected curriculum choices like that come courtesy of Sean Michael, the program director. The 52-year-old has a Ph.D. in wildland recreation management; he’s also a self-described gear addict, a student of the industry whose passion was born out of frustration with the lousy equipment of the 1970s and ’80s. Shortly after I met him, he leaned over my Sorels and reverentially touched the toe seam, which he recognized from U.S. military boots used in Vietnam.

“We want to teach these students the history of products,” Michael says. “But we also want to teach them, when they’re tasked with making a new line of gear, to build something innovative.”

The goal, he tells his students, is not just to churn out the next puffy. He wants to inspire them to redesign the supply chain to make manufacturing more sustainable and cost-effective. Gear companies lose thousands of dollars by leaving fabric remnants on factory floors. Getting creative with that waste—as companies like Cotopaxi do with their scrap reuse programs—saves money, conserves natural resources, and generates street cred. According to a , 27 percent of millennials say they’d pay more for products that don’t harm the planet. “Nowadays consumers aren’t buying a good,” says Adrian Roadman, OPDD’s program coordinator. “They’re buying a philosophy, an experience, a memory, a viewpoint.”

For years that viewpoint, it must be said, has been almost entirely male. Even at USU, close to 80 percent of the students enrolled in the OPDD program are men, almost all of them white. (The campus is in northern Utah, after all.) Most arrived through classic outdoor-recreation conduits: biking, skiing, camping, backpacking. “Adding one woman doesn’t suddenly mean you have a diverse team,” says Roadman. To help empower female students, she started a group called the Outdoor Women’s Association to provide guidance and support for working in the male-dominated industry.

If Michael and Roadman’s vision plays out, OPDD will be less a core product-­design program and more an emerging-leaders accelerator. According to the OIA, the outdoor recreation industry contributes $887 ­billion in consumer spending annually to the U.S. economy. “Majors like this represent a coming of age for the industry,” says Black ­Diamond founder and former CEO Peter Metcalf. “There’s a growing recognition of the size and scale of the business.”

When the first OPDD graduates head into the workforce, Roadman expects their prospects to be strong. Already, she says, 10 to 15 percent of sophomores were offered full-time positions after their internships, and more continue to work at those companies part-time. “It’s a huge compliment,” she says. “Brands are trying to steal them.”

These days, if you want to make a difference in the outdoor industry, it’s no longer enough to love playing in wild places. The battles increasingly happen on a national stage and require strategic thinking. Witness the campaign last year, led by Black Dia­mond and Patagonia, to pull the industry’s marquee trade show, Outdoor Retailer, from Salt Lake City due to Utah’s openly hostile policies toward federal management of public lands. Because of what they’re learning, says Metcalf, “these students, these outdoor recreationists, are going to be the most active voice in the fight for our public lands. Utah politicians probably haven’t thought this through, but they’re sowing the seeds of discontent with their policies when they fund programs like the one at USU.”

The students are ready to carry the torch. Connor Young, a clean-cut junior who favors the de facto USU uniform of cargo pants and a puffy vest, started off convinced that he wanted to create high-end performance apparel. He has worked in outdoor retail since he was a 15-year-old in rural Idaho, where he grew up backpacking and skiing. At USU he quickly fell in love with the people side of the business. Now he’d be just as pumped about a gig at the OIA as one designing gear.

“I’ve realized I could be a mouthpiece for the industry,” Young says. “I could to be an advocate.”

“These kids should make the whole culture better,” says Michael. “The question for us is: How do we produce thought leaders in an industry that needs to be asking the hard ethical and environmental questions?”

First you get them outside. Then, into the classroom.

Axie NavasĚý() is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř's executive editor. Emmanuel Polanco is an şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř contributing artist

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