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Three new, surprising offerings from a heritage knife maker.
A portable sound system built for the demands of the outdoors
A cooler that does double duty as an air conditioner.
We tested five of the best. Here's how they stacked up.
Essentials that will get you to your destination feeling fresh, healthy, and ready to compete.
We put five stainless-steel water bottles through the ultimate test, including punting them off a 50-foot cliff and shooting at them with a rifle. Here's how they stacked up.
It's a long weekend, perfect for that family wilderness getaway you've been dreaming about.
We've got the Vanagon packed, but where and how should we unload it for a picture-perfect base camp?
Tech to ensure you thrive on the sand and in the water this summer.
For the sake of your spine and your sanity, heed these rules
The roomiest, sturdiest, and most stylish hanging nests of the year
Track down some made-here-at-home gear to celebrate the USA in style.
Yes, it's possible to abandon the stakes, poles, and fly. Tuck into these alternatives next time you need some shut-eye outdoors.
From camping expeditions to solo summit attempts, these six items could save your life in the backcountry. At the very least, they’ll make you sleep better at night.
Before you go off the grid camping and hiking, tap the latest apps that will help you plan your trip, your trails, and where to pitch your tent. Even if you don’t have service, many of these apps will remain handy. AllTrails | (AllTrails, Inc.) A catalog of hiking…
There's a group of people who believe that in a world of extreme natural disasters, being ready for any catastrophe is more than just a precaution. It’s practical.
Woolrich’s Civil War blanket was a favorite in the mid-1800s and is still beloved today.
I'm in search of the Holy Grail of water bottles. Something that keeps my coffee hot and my G&T cold. It should also be able to take a serious beating.
I'm in search of the Holy Grail of water bottles. Something that keeps my coffee hot and my G&T cold. It should also be able to take a serious beating.
The outdoors can be deadly if you're unprepared. But these gear items will help you make it home alive—even if everything else goes wrong.
When it comes to holiday giving, you should never have to choose. This year, our editors have pulled together 68 perfect ideas—priced from $4 to $50,000—guaranteed to make anyone on your list feel like a million bucks.
The Klean Kanteen Classic is a water bottle that's solid, simple, and easy to drink from—and that's what counts
ϳԹ reviews the the best gear of Outdoor Retailer, including the Nemo Spoon Series Sleeping Bag.
I'm gearing up for an upcoming trip to the Himalayas, but my family isn’t so psyched for me to go. Should I invest in a satellite phone?
Meet the preppers, a rattled, robust survivalist movement whose members just hate being called survivalists. Emily Matchar investigates the 21st century's wildest new apocalyptic scene.
The ShedRain WindJammer is the best umbrella for your money
ϳԹ reviews the best adventure gear for man’s best friend.
Your sleeping bag is only as good as the pad underneath it. We recommend either of these two: the Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core, which employs both horizontal and vertical baffles, resulting in a comfier pad you're less likely to slide off in the middle of the night, or the lighter and warmer Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite.
Who says you can't eat, drink, and sleep in your car as well as you do at home? These products, from the three-gallon Nemo Helio portable shower to the low-profile, synthetically-insulated Montbell U.L. Therma-wrap to the 16-pound, 55-inch long REI Camp Table XL, are all about upping the comfort factor.
The fiberglass mashup is stable, fast, and light, and thanks to the unique seating system, you can pilot it kayak style (double bladed) or with a canoe paddle.
The best gear for fly-fishing fanatics, from quick-drying water shoes to a handmade paddle.
Design and Technology Special: The world's most streamlined and innovative new gear, gadgets, tools and toys, including Stanley's Nineteen13 Lunchcase.
Design and Technology Special: The world's most streamlined and innovative new gear, gadgets, tools and toys, including the Presso espresso maker.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Surefire G2X Tactical flashlight.
I having trouble finding a skillet that is lightweight yet will not burn. I using a Primus canister stove and able to adjust the heat low enough. I use my equipment for bike touring, backpacking, and canoeing, so I looking for something that is both small and light. Brad Rantoul, Illinois
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Coleman Portable Propane Coffeemaker.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Byer of Maine Trilite Wash Station.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Eureka! Catskill Table.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Coghlan's Heavy Duty Camp Grill.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Montbell Burner Sheet.
Is there such a thing as a bike-compatible leash? — Patricia Schneiderjohn St. Louis, Missouri
I need to purchase an avalanche beacon for my son who is skiing in Montana. The decision has come down to either the Ortovox Patroller (which I can buy off the NSP website at a pretty good price) I can source a Pieps DSP for a very good price (I have really good connections through my work). The cost difference will end up being about $80.00. Model to model, is the Pieps that much better than the Ortovox model?CliffNew Boston, NH
Serve up good, strong, and hot coffee courtesy of GSI Outdoors’ double-walled and insulated 30-oz Java Press. gsioutdoors.com…
Because it’s two inches wide and has grippy rubber strips for added traction, Gibbon’s Jibline is the perfect slackline for beginners and kids. gibbonslacklines.com…
Quench your thirst with a PVC- and BPA-free bottle like this one, with its just-the-right-size opening to avoid spills. mysigg.com…
GRAND SHELTERS’ lightweight (five-pound), sturdy, and easy-to-use ICEBOX forms perfect blocks.
Yeah, it’s just a beach chair—a beach chair that’s made of ash and stainless steel, has big and small cargo pockets, and can be carried hands-free, like a backpack. Most important, this baby reclines like you’re in business class, so you can tap in to the perfect nap angle.
It’s like having MacGyver in your pack. This first-aid/survival/gear-repair kit has everything from zip ties to EMT shears to a firestarter. Even better, there’s a mini LED headlamp and instructions on how to use it all. 1 lb; adventuremedicalkits.com…
The ribs really do make it easier to hold on to. But our favorite thing about this old-school-looking aluminum bottle is its proprietary liner that fights off gunk build-up and other unwanted nasties. 5.6 oz; mysigg.com…
Water Wise Getting cold? Tired? It’s started to rain? The answer is the same: hot drinks. This 20-ounce bottle will keep your favorite beverage steamy for up to six hours (or cold for up to 24). Get the combo pack ($4 more) and you’ll also get a “café cap” that…
Simply pop open Eureka’s collapsible aluminum Chenango and start setting the table. eurekatent.com…
GSI Outdoors’ Pinnacle Camper is a 23-piece mess kit with everything from two pots and a frying pan to four insulated mugs and BPA-free plastic plates. gsioutdoors.com…
If you really want to impress, bake a cake, cinnamon rolls, or a lasagna in GSI Outdoors’ aluminum 12″ Hard Anodized Dutch Oven. gsioutdoors.com…
From game-changing new materials (like moisture-wicking cotton) to evolutionary leaps in engineering (like a rotating helmet for extreme crashes), the avant-garde of 21st-century gear has just one thing in common: a total disregard for the status quo.
What's the best axe for chopping wood? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
WHERE TO USE IT: Cold water and stiff currents make Washington’s San Juan Islands a serious destination for kayakers. But with good forecasts and maps from Anacortes’s Sea Kayak Shop (seakayakshop.com), they can also be the most rewarding, with frequent orca and humpback sightings. Take a lap…
WHERE TO USE IT: Lake Winnipesaukee, near New Hampshire’s White Mountains, is 72 square miles of tree-lined coves and some 300 sprawling islandsnot to mentionwaterfront cabins with long wooden docks. Rent one on the quieter northor east side of the lake (from $1,000 per week; preferredrentals.com), then…
Do you recommend using a hammock or tent when camping in the tropics?—The EditorsSanta Fe, New Mexico
The outdoor accoutrements that made the cut for our second annual celebration of the best in design and technology.
The battery in my iPod can't make it through a cross country plane trip. This makes me very concerned about the practical application for batteries in automobiles. How is the auto industry doing on progress towards battery-powered cars? Will we ever see them in our lifetime? Bob Virginia
It seems like corporations are now rolling out all sorts of new "green" products and saying, "Buy our stuff, it will save the world from the apocalypse." Are they being genuine, or is this just the ultimate guilt trip passed on to fatten their bottom line? Billy Burlington, Vermont
I'm getting ready to move out to Oregon and relying on my diesel 1984 Mercedes - converted to run on waste vegetable oil, to get me out there. I'd really like to make it the whole way on grease, but haven't figured out the best way to do it. Do you have any advice that you could share? Heather Durh, North Carolina
What is the greenest backcountry water bottle? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
1. MT. BORAH CUSTOM With seven-week turnarounds and minimum orders of just six pieces, Mt. Borah makes customcycling gear easier than ever. Jerseys from $83; mtborahcustom.com 2. VITTORIA OPEN CORSA EVO CX The handmade CX can handle pressures up to 200 psi and is…