Published
The Halogen can’t do it all, but it does so much so well that it rates as one of the most versatile winter jackets we’ve ever tested.
With the number of urban cyclists surging, more and more riders are taking part in alleycats, informal races inspired by the routines of working bike messengers. Here’s what you need to know before taking your steed to the starting line
Are fixies the true soul of cycling? Or are they just a ridiculous fad blighting urban streets? Two cyclists duke it out.
You see strange things when you head up R&D at Patagonia. Like goose down floating in illuminated tubes. You go to strange places. Like secret labs inside white-washed corporations in Austin, Texas.
The Ghost Whisperer is built for both the alps and the urban outdoorsman.
From wool-insulated workout wear to the hardest hard shell we’ve ever seen, this year’s backcountry jackets are an eclectic crop. Material upgrades and smart design leaps have made outerwear a locus of innovation. (Molecular-level polymer coating, anyone?) But enough lab-speak.
Races like the Tough Mudder and Warrior Dash are exploding in popularity. We asked two of the sport's top athletes about the gear that helps them get onto the podium.
A low price tag and a quality build make this among the best wetsuits for newbies.
Nordic skiers and cold-climate runners will love this aerobic-oriented jacket, which has a wind-blocking front face and a thin, breathable back.
ϳԹ picks the best gear for your alpine-touring setup, including the K2 WayBack skis.
Top 10 Winter Bike Commuting Essentials
We break down the best sites, Facebook and Twitter accounts, and apps for travelers, bikers, gear nerds, and more
Cross-country skiing is among the world's great human-powered modes of movement. Whether you ski classic or skate, here’s the gear you’ll need to get started.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Canada Goose HyBridge Lite jacket
High-end options include the Moots' Psychlo-X Cyclocross, a $2,900 frame that's made of titanium and has a lower bottom bracket and shorter chainstays for speed and control.
After competing in more than two dozen adventure races, Stephen Regenold breaks down his go-to outdoor gear
Four softshells hard enough for any weather, including The North Face's Jammu.
Four softshells hard enough for any weather, including Columbia Sportswear’s Key Three.
Four softshells hard enough for any weather, including Millet’s Trilogy Limited WDS Hoodie.
Four softshells hard enough for any weather, including the Eddie Bauer First Ascent Hyalite.
All you need is the right iron, two slices of bread, filling, and heat.
A man in skin-close, anatomically-contouring athletic tights is a man with his priorities in the right place. I am going to stake that claim. There are haters of the body-hugging look, no doubt. But I say vanity and self consciousness about style — decency even! — must at times be…
FORCE FIELD If you’re often out in the wet conditions typical of places like the Pacific Northwest, a classic Gore-Tex shell like the Albaron is an indispensable outer layer. It’s cut from Pro Shell, Gore’s best material, so it’s the most water- and windproof piece here, with user-friendly pit zips,…
ALPINE DO-IT-ALL Take a hard-shell jacket, stuff it with sleeping-bag insulation, and you’ve got the Gravitor. It’s made with the same synthetic insulation as Mountain Hardwear’s sleeping bags. It sounds bulky, but it isn’t. The warmest jacket here, the trim-fitting Gravitor was designed with cold-weather climbing and hiking in mind.
SMART INSULATOR Like the Gravitor (left), the Prima Fusion is also an insulated hard shell—with a few key differences. First, it’s insulated only in strategic areas along the chest, back, shoulders, and tops of the arms. The uninsulated sides, helmet-compatible hood, elbows, and pit-zip-equipped underarms make it cooler but…
PUFF LIGHT Of all the jackets we tested, none saw as much field time as the Xenon. The slightly puffy top is stuffed with enough PrimaLoft insulation to be worn alone down to about 30 degrees. And while its face fabric appears thin and fragile, it’s anything but. One tester…
BARGAIN SOFT SHELL The Ascent’s house-brand, fleece-lined soft-shell fabric is windproof and nearly waterproof. Raindrops beaded and poured off the stretchy face fabric for hours, while a three-point adjustable hood sealed out blowing snow. And when we picked up the pace, the core zips let us dump heat. So what’s…
HOTHOUSE How good is Arc’teryx at making jackets? So good that it’s managed to build a streamlined, stylish soft shell that thrives in the backcountry but looks at home in the city. On bitter Minnesota evenings, when everybody else started reaching for their puffies, our tester stayed toasty in the…
It isn’t quite the holy grail, but for high output in bad weather, like ski-touring in a storm, this jacket gets darn close to solving the weatherproof-breathable equation. While it’s not technically waterproof—the seams aren’t taped—one tester stayed dry for hours in sleet and wet snow. And when the…
Last year, when I wrote about a pair of bike pants from Outlier clothing, I noted the company's products are made for a “small, affluent market niche.” Indeed, Outlier's tagline–“Tailored performance clothing for cycling in the city”–nods to the New York City-based company's theme of design that treads a line…