What do you do if you want to clean your puffy jacket, but you don’t have the machinery or materials to do so at home? Turns out, it’s pretty simple. In this episode of The Gear Shed, in an attempt to restore a much loved and oft-abused down jacket to its former glory, we put a dirtbag method to the test—and were impressed. Follow along to see what you need.

The post You Don’t Need a Fancy Washing Machine to Clean Your Down Garments appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

���ϳԹ��� gear director Will Taylor likes to ride bikes, but he’s a simple man. His quest for a rig that could handle gravel, commuting, light singletrack, and bikepacking—basically everything but mountain biking—led him to the ($1,155 and up). It’s a relatively inexpensive steed that does all of the above and more. Here, he walks you through the benefits of this utilitarian steel setup. 

Will recommends:

• ��($80)
• ($39)
• ($65)
• ($160 and up)
• ($70 each)
• ($500 for wheelset)
• ($200)
• ($179)

The post Finding a Multi-Purpose Bike That Fits Your Needs appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

No matter how experienced a backcountry skier you are, it’s crucial to triple-check your equipment before you head out for your first tour of the season. From battery corrosion in your beacon to damaged skins, a lot can happen when your gear isn’t used for months. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are some of the steps I take to make sure my touring kit is dialed after a summer in hibernation. 

Note: It is strongly recommended that you take an American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education course before recreating in the backcountry for the first time. You can sign up for a class .

Associate gear editor Kelly Klein recommends:

��($200)

��($170)

��($70)

��($56)

��($13)

��($220)

��($550)

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Cross-country skiing is one of the most accessible ways to slide around on snow. It’s significantly cheaper than alpine skiing—both the gear itself and the day passes to nordic ski areas, which typically cost under $40. Plus, you can do it anywhere it snows, from groomed trails to flat hiking trails, fire roads, golf courses, or your local park. But figuring out what gear to use can prove challenging: there are many different kinds of skis, poles, and boots, not to mention a host of sport-specific apparel. Here, senior gear editor Ariella Gintzler walks you through her kit and explains what you should and shouldn’t spend money on.

The post Nordic Skiing Is the Best Beginner-Friendly Winter Sport appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

���ܳٲ��������reviews editor Jeremy Rellosa is the king of weekend adventures. As such, you’ll never find him without everything anyone might need for a last-minute camping setup. In this episode of the Gear Shed, Jeremy digs through his beloved camping box and explains why these items are essential to his outdoor lifestyle. 

Jeremy recommends:

($20)

($15)

($160)

($12)

($50)

($62)

($6)

($2)

($6)

($7)

($150)

($5)

($30)

($190)

($9)

The post The Essential Camping Gear That Lives in My Car appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

It’s no secret that waxing your skis consistently is one of the best ways to ensure they stay in top condition and last as long as possible. However, getting them professionally waxed every week will cost you quite a bit of money. I was privileged enough to have parents who launched me into the ski racing world, although they understandably didn’t want to spend on getting my and my siblings’ skis professionally waxed for every race. So we picked up a few tips from our friends at the local tuning shop, invested in the right equipment, and learned how to wax our skis at home. These are some of my favorite tips I’ve kept with me—including which gear to skimp on and what’s worth the money.

���ϳԹ��� associate gear editor Kelly Klein recommends:

($250)

($120)

($50)

($16)

($65)

($24)

($8)

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If you’re the kind of person who runs cold, shoulder-season layering is hard. Your natural instincts tell you to overdress, which causes you to drench your many layers in sweat and wind up freezing, so then you overcompensate and underdress. It’s a struggle that ���ϳԹ��� senior gear editor Ariella Gintzler knows all too well. She has spent a considerable amount of energy searching for the insulation pieces that work for her specific needs. Here, she walks you through the best shoulder-season fleeces and jackets for people who run cold.

Ariella recommends:

($159)

($99)

($260)

($189)

($175)

($109)

The post Our Senior Gear Editor Explains How She Stays Warm in Winter appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

I usually believe that our bodies need fewer things than we put on them. In the past, I approached my skin-care routine with a similar mindset: for both my face and body, Dr. Bronner’s was for cleaning, Lubriderm was for moisturizing. This made me feel like a true pragmatist: I was saving money, I was bucking the trend of using hyper-specific products to solve made-up problems, and I was constantly coated with a thick layer of emollients.

My skin, however, was not happy. Or at least, it could have been happier—it was often uncomfortably dry and unnecessarily red and inflamed. Then one day, as the story often goes, I tried my partner’s face wash: . “Game changer” doesn’t do this experience justice. My skin felt cleaner than it had in months. But I needed more.

Within a few days, I was the proud owner of a proper skin-care routine from Youth to the People. This included not only its Superfood cleanser but its , , and, most notably, its  ($48). All of the products were great, but the latter resulted in the most notable improvements. The mask is really a thick, water-based overnight cream, made with moisturizing squalene, redness-reducing prickly pear, and maqui berries, which the company says support cell regeneration. It provides a rich, hydrating experience that leaves your skin feeling plump and nourished in the morning. Almost immediately after starting to use it, my skin tone was more even and my face less puffy. With the Superberry mask, I was finally taking advantage of an overnight treatment. In fact, it’s actually the best period of the day to .

Having a skin-care routine—particularly one that I’ve invested some money in—has prompted me to take better care of myself in general. It forms the foundation of a more holistic bedtime routine: I’ve started stretching before bed, avoiding screens at night, and thoughtfully reflecting on my day. The sum of these parts is greater than one product alone. You can see the proof on my face.

The post The Hydrating Vegan Mask That Soothed My Unhappy, Dry Skin appeared first on ���ϳԹ��� Online.

Every year, we put dozens of skis to the test to determine the best new models of the coming season. In this video, test director Marc Peruzzi, gives you peak behind the scenes of our 2022 test in Steamboat, Colorado, from categories to formulas, to the skiers that make it all happen.

To read about the skis we liked best, check out this article.

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