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The Best Gear for Road-Tripping with Children
Having children means scaling back your adventures. Day hikes to swimming holes replace weekend backpacking missions. An ambitious ski tour becomes a few laps on the local resort’s bunny hill. And road...
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How to Wax Your Skis
The first snows of winter have fallen on the mountain West, a sure signal that it’s the time to pull our skis out of storage and prep them for the season. Below is my step-by-step plan for doing your...
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The Best Hiking Socks, Ranked
While boots often get most of the attention, a good pair of socks is the unsung hero of a hiker’s kit. They wick moisture to prevent blisters and cushion in the right spots for more comfort and less...
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Terms to Know When Buying Skis
Ski jargon can get straight-up overwhelming. Even a gearhead like myself gets bogged down in the endless talk of rocker, camber, and sidecut. In an attempt to wade through the clutter and clearly lay...
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What to Know When Buying Ski Boots
Your boots are arguably the most important part of your skiing setup. The most expensive powder sticks are worthless if your boots don’t fit correctly and therefore don’t transfer the movement of your...
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Tested: 3 Rooftop Tents Worth Buying
Since first trying a rooftop tent three years ago, I’ve become a convert. I now sleep in one on most of my car camping trips. They offer a big platform, plus some separation from the ground and hungry...
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The Right Way to Pack Your Car for a Weekend Trip
While it’s tempting to just toss your gear and luggage in the back of your car and head off on a weekend adventure, deliberate packing is worth the effort. A properly loaded vehicle will ultimately...
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A Kettlebell Is the Best Ski Season Workout Tool
Despite my love of pizza and IPAs, I always thought exercise was so inextricably built into my life that I would never gain too much weight. I test outdoor gear for a living, for crying out loud. But I...
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Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey with a Traeger
When it comes to cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, everyone has their preference. Some choose to roast it in the oven, while the brave dunk it in a deep fryer. Personally, I will always smoke the bird. I...
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Eric Larsen's Race to the South Pole
Explorer Eric Larsen knows the South Pole. He’s completed more polar expeditions than any other American in history, and a few years ago he tried to ride a fat bike there. (Mushy snow derailed the...
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The Gear Guy's Black Friday Deal Picks
Black Friday is a polarizing time; many people storm the Walmarts and Best Buys of the world, racing each other to the flat-screen TVs, while others prefer to stay in and feast on Thanksgiving...
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A Clothesline Is My Most Important Piece of Winter Gear
ABD (always be drying) is one of my cardinal rules for maintaining winter gear. Dozens of friends, colleagues, and pro athletes I’ve spoken with over the years agree. Whether it comes to boot liners,...
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The Best Performance Flannels, Tested
The outdoor basic bro is a unique breed, easily distinguishable by his incessant talk of IPA hop profiles, his many terms for snow (pow, freshies, chunder), and—most important—his tendency to a wear a...
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Putting Performance Pajamas to the (Sleep) Test
As a new father, I don’t enjoy the best quality sleep. But the truth is, I’ve always been a pretty terrible sleeper. This is unfortunate, since getting a certain number of high-caliber Z’s each night...
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How to Layer for Winter Workouts Outdoors
Moisture plus cold makes for challenging outdoor-training conditions. Dialing in your layering so that you’re warm and dry but not likely to overheat is tricky. Overdo the insulation, and you’re apt to...
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Give the Gift of Adventure
This year, don’t take a guess and give the people on your list things they might use. Instead, give them an adventure they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. Research shows that experiences make...
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The Healing Power of Thru-Hiking
The first time Will Robinson set out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, all his friends and family were apprehensive. How are you going to deal with the cold? they asked. Where are you going to find the...
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The Gifts Our Gear Guy Is Buying This Christmas
Gift giving is easy for me compared to what most people go through during the holidays. Because I test and research gear for a living, I have no shortage of ideas of what might be best for each person...
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Testing the Best Hats for Winter Running
The right winter running hat needs to straddle a fine line: It needs to keep your ears toasty enough that they don’t angrily throb in the cold. It also needs to vent well enough to prevent your head...
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These North Face Slippers Are Essential Ski Gear
My relationship with The North Face ThermoBall Traction mule slippers ($50) began when I got them in a goodie bag for running the 50-mile North Face Endurance Challenge in San Francisco in 2013. I...
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