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Following up on Donald Katz's "The King of the Ferret Leggers"
London is being called the Twitter Olympics—there were more Olympics-related tweets on one day in May than there were during the entire Beijing Games. Here are the Twitter accounts, sites, and apps that matter.
Women's cycling is neglected throughout the year. But every Olympic season, our interest in most women's sports peaks—only to quickly wane. With Americans set to compete for gold in London and new races on the horizon, is it finally women's cycling's time?
How Brother Colm O'Connell became the guru of Kenyan running
In this weekly roundup, we scour the Web for our favorite long-form magazine and newspaper articles, collecting them here and on Longreads.com and Twitter. This installment focuses on the animals—and languages—we're eradicating, the dopers we're catching and the fight su
ϳԹ reviews the best triathlon gear of 2012, including the Felt B12 triathlon bike.
Lewis dishes on the nuances of slackline tricking competition, the newest event at the Teva Mountain Games in Vail
ϳԹ reviews the best gear for the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Arc'teryx Incendo.
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’t panic too much over price.
With Shimano XT parts (plus an XTR derailleur), Trek’s proprietary dual-chamber technology in both shocks, and adjustable geometry, this aluminum model is the best value.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Merrell Mariposa waterproof jacket.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including 2XU's 3/4-length compression tights.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Summer Buyer's Guide, including the Cannondale Ryker bike helmet.
I'm looking to maximize my triathlon training days. Could you recommend a few places?
ϳԹ reviews the best barbecuing gear of June 2012, including the Primo Oval Junior.
The Quidditch World Cup sounds dorky, and make no mistake: it is. But these sorcery-loving Harry Potter fans play pretty rough, as Eric Hansen found out when he captained a bad-news team of ex-athletes, ultimate Frisbee studs, slobs, drunks, and some people he knows from Iceland. Brooms up, and may the best Muggles win.
A low price tag and a quality build make this among the best wetsuits for newbies.
Major League Baseball’s long tradition of warming up for the season with oddball adventures
We asked four top fitness coaches for their tape-it-to-the-fridge-door advice. Here's what they told us. (Bonus: We kick your excuses to the curb.)
Where are the best places in the world to learn to BASE jump?
Six nightmare scenarios that keep the best adventurers up at night
According to the Peltzman effect, helmets and seat belts cause people to ski, drive, and ride more recklessly, if only slightly. We don’t suggest you trash your lid, but consider these numbers.
California’s San Quentin State Prison is home to a ball field where you can take your cuts against convicted felons. This I had to try.
New workouts, a marathon birth, and revolutionary new studies: Here are the headlines that defined health and fitness news in 2011
From bureaucratic wrangling to the death of the sport's most exciting star, the sport of running was in flux a year before the Olympic Games
The best sites for bouldering news, beginner-friendly advice, and longform adventure journalism
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the CW-X Insulator Stabilyx tights.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Oakley Holbrook sunglasses.
And if the South African track sensation makes it to the start line for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, we may never look at disabilities—or competitive sports—the same way again.
They control the lands you play on, the athletes you worship, the gear you buy, even the food you eat. Meet the 25* most influential people in the world outside. *Ranked in order of influence
Save time and money by shopping online. Just don't get carried away.
What are the best sunglasses that lighten and darken with changing light conditions?
What goes on behind the scenes at cycling’s biggest races? We know just the man to ask.
I'm looking for polarized prescription sunglasses, ideally with interchangeable lenses. I fly fish, paddle, sail, cycle, and ski, and I have a big melon, so smaller-fitting frames won't work. Am I asking for too much in a single pair of sunglasses?
Cooling Agents: Our favorite ultralight gear for sweltering summer runs, including the Oakley Fast Jacket sunglasses.
Most alpinists call it a great year if they summit one 8,000-meter peak. Last spring, a Swiss mountaineer tried to knock off three.
Inside Floyd Landis’s clandestine campaign to torment his former boss
Tour De France Preview: Doping scandals or no doping scandals, we still love the Tour. Here's why you should, too.
Design and Technology Special: The world's most streamlined and innovative new gear, gadgets, tools and toys, including Revo's Backbay sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Oakley Batwolf sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Kaenon Hard Kore sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Revo Guide sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Bollé Vortex sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Julbo Zulu Sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Rudy Project USA Gozen Sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Optic Nerve Dolby sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Maui Jim Backyards sunglasses.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Native Apres sunglasses.
They say that becoming a dad means your days of big trips and serious adventure are over. They are so wrong.
A look at the outermost limits of human performance, from the fastest marathon and longest swim to smokingest fastball and deepest freedive.
Can you recommend a few options for sunglasses that will not fog up while running and cross-country skiing? Thank you very much!EricMilwaukee, Wi
Soccer's hardest-working man has spent a lifetime developing the endurance, speed, and smarts needed to close the deal when it counts.
Remove the plastic side shields from these mountaineering-specific shades and you’ll resemble any Boulderite. But once you reach the high country, evade sunburned eyeballs by snapping them back on: Studies show they’ll block about 85 percent more light than going without. julbousa.com…
Bargain-priced but equipped with polarized poly lenses and sticky rubber. suncloudoptics.com…
These full-wrap shades with interchangeable smoke lenses won’t fog on climbs but will protect eyes on fast descents. e-rudy.com…
These shades are stylish and technical. Peripheral vision is great, and they stay firmly in place when running around on the beach. Go for the polarized version ($220) if you’re heading for water. oakley.com…
For optical clarity, glass is best in class; it’s naturally much clearer, plus it doesn’t scratch. The only downside for casual use? It costs a lot more than poly. But here the modern yet classic design and wire build are equally high-end, so it would be a shame to…
All-conditions excellence marks the Fasano’s hi-def optics: The polarized, amber lenses are also photochromic, adjusting to light intensity on the fly. So you can trust these to take care of your eyes from dawn to dusk, whether you’re on the road, on a sunny deck slopeside, or in a…
Before you start looking, know exactly what you’ll use your shades for: Generalist sporty street designs get you around town and through low-impact pursuits; bigger challenges call for sports-specific numbers. When it comes to superfine optics, glass is unparalleled, but chances are you’ll want lighter polycarbonate (plastic) lenses if…
Don’t let the old-school vibe fool you; while the style is midcentury, no vintage shades ever sported such fancy lenses (they’re coated with both an anti-reflective and hydrophobic coating). And though it’s blue mirror on the outside, the view is greenish copper, which amps contrast, while polarization kills the…
Sportsman These brown-tint polarized lenses had us fooled; so superfine are the optics, we were sure we were looking through glass. Nope, it’s Maui’s proprietary Evolution material. The company won’t say much about the stuff except that it’s some new kind of plastic. Indeed, in a quietly stylish, manly wrap…
This easy-wearing aviator update features ergonomic, eye-shaped polarized lenses for smart coverage, a snug and streamlined fit, and an impressively feathery weight. Spring-loaded hinges add comfort and durability. TAGS: lightweight, polarized, comfort…
Extreme Protection French specialist de l’alpinisme Julbo gives side-blinkered glacier glasses a sexy, multisport makeover. Photochromic lenses in brownish tint go from dark to really dark, ideally suited to ultrabright no-shade zones such as high alpine and deep desert. Since they’re polarized, they’re also water-worthy and a perfect match for…
Despite the name, these aren’t just for fishermen. The Brine is a world-class multisport unit with polarized copper lenses and well-placed, low-profile hydrophilic rubber. Costa’s new 580P lens is made of an ultralight poly with glasslike clarity, meaning you get superior optics but can charge hard and not sweat…
Aigle Shems – Midweight Jackets: Reviews With a soft fleece interior and warm, durable merino wool/nylon exterior, this jacket combines our favorite fabrics in one versatile top. 1.9 lbs; aigleusa.com Patagonia Pau – Footwear: Reviews (Terry Heffernan) The coolest mocs we’ve ever laid eyes…
Stylish Jock Split the difference between performance eye gear and streetwear—and between too cheap and too pricey. There’s lots to like here for less than $100. Brown-tint poly lenses, by optics meister Zeiss, revealed detail and depth and were exactly as big and wrapped-back as they needed to be for…
Driver/Hiker Hit the highway, then hit the trail. Serengeti brings its signature superfine optics for driving into the realm of outdoor exertion with these sporty poly Polar PhD lenses in a wide wrap design that looks upmarket and uptown. Gray-tint polarized lenses showed the world sharp and bright. A big…
Mad Multisporter The Jawbone is available in multiple lens options that include vented, polarized, and photochromic. We loved the polarized persimmon seen here, but our favorite was the vented copper-mirrored Fire Iridium, which offered crisp, hi-res views and made this big wrap look like it might bite, with its toothy…
Ironman in Training With this three-lens set, racing-bred Rudy takes the high ground—high performance, high quality, and, yes, high-end pricing that’s still sensible after you figure what three ultra-premium sport shields would run. Two of the three snap-in, single-piece lenses are photochromic: Clear took us from no light to pretty…
All-Day Cyclist Makes sense that a sunglasses maison in Pacific coast Canada, where sunlight gets fuzzed up with airborne moisture, would get the tint right. Orange photochromic poly lenses destroyed mist and punched up depth in low to medium light. We prefered this slender wrap on a road bike: The…
Racy Sailor A featherweight sports wrap, tricked out with Bollé’s nautical Offshore Blue poly lenses, the Kicker played against type for watersports shades, which tend to be massive Mac Daddy numbers. But the combo of sharp optics and blue tint, with antiglare polarizing—plus a lens coating to make water sheet…
Even though the V90s have a small fit that’s friendly to female faces, the interchangeable bronze mirror lens on these impact-resistant shades still successfully shielded the sun during a brutally hot Arizona 5K last fall. With extra lenses available—like amber and clear—at $20 a pop, you’ll be covered no…
I'm starting to outfit for a trip to climb Denali via the West Buttress next year. My Julbo Nomad glacier glasses that I've used for years still work, but they've never fit well and always give me a headache. Additionally, since I wear prescription glasses, I would like to have a pair made with my script included. For five years, I've had great results with my Rudy Project cycling glasses that with photocromatic lenses. Reading your review of the Zyon Sailing glasses (noticing the removable side shields), I'm curious if I could have one eyeglass to replace them all? Would the Zyon photocromatic lens be dark enough for mountaineering? Or is a special hi-altitude lens required? I really don't want to have two pairs of custom prescription glasses made, especially if one is only going to be used during mountaineering. Joseph Washington, DC
There's no better way to get in shape than to prepare for a triathlon. Here's your guide to the ultimate first-time experience.
There's the gear you want, and there's the gear you need. After much internal debate, we present the 25 products every guy should own.