Everyone knows that to get the best ski boot fit, the liners need to be heat molded to fit the contours of each person’s feet. Tecnica, a popular and trusted ski boot brand, is now bringing this line of thinking to trail running shoes. Rather than provide a shoe shape that is predetermined, forcing the Read more ›
One of the most important, and perhaps overlooked, aspects of training is recovery. Without proper recovery, your body doesn’t build strength but instead becomes depleted. The best training plans build in rest as an important part of the process, and most fitness trackers and smartwatches offer some sort of sleep tracking to help monitor nightly Read more ›
The original Personal Anchor System goes dynamic for added safety Metolius introduced the original Personal Anchor System (PAS) in 2001-2002, bringing a new, convenient, and quick option for tethering to anchors. This PAS, which is still available in two versions, is constructed of webbing sewn into individual loops interconnected like a chain; each loop carries Read more ›
It sounds pretty easy. A great wading boot should provide solid ankle support, fit comfortably, and ensures a firm grip on slick rocks in moving water. Only the best bring all those aspects to together in one boot. And even fewer have the kind of primo in extras that get serious fisherman to take notice—stuff Read more ›
While the majority of Gear Institute’s Best New Gear Awards were awarded during Day 1 of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market trade show, the GI editors reserved a few for gear gems found during explorations of the trade show floor. We awarded 9 awards initially, based on pre-show exposure to the gear, but by the Read more ›
Legendary boulderer and longtime cobbler, Fred Nicole, helps Five Ten knock it out of the park with the Aleon Fred Nicole is a name that has floated around high-end bouldering for decades. The reserved Swiss boulderer garnered a mythical status in the ’90s, visiting established bouldering areas and quickly dispatching the hardest problems with a Read more ›
The annual Outdoor Retailer Summer Show kicks off this week, and gear makers from around the world are debuting the new products and innovative ideas for gear slated to hit shelves in time for next year’s summer adventures. After preview peeks at many of the innovations, the Gear Institute team identified a few worthy of Read more ›
Black Diamond’s innovation marches forward with these products being shown at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market this week in Denver Camalot Z4 What? Another camming device line from Black Diamond? This seven-piece line solves an age-old problem for crack aficionados. A patent-pending RigidFlex stem performs the magic, creating a single stem cam that stays rigid Read more ›
The Thomas & Thomas Zone rod series fills a significant niche in fly fishing: The all-purpose rod trout. During extensive field testing of the 9-foot, 5-wt Zone, we found a lot to love about the rods. The medium-fast action of the Zone proves ideally suited for both gentle dry fly placement, and delivery of heavy Read more ›
Finally, a braking assisted belay device that can do it all! The variety and use of braking assisted belay devices are continuously expanding. Edelrid got into the game with the original Mega Jul in 2012 and the simple, effective, and durable device won many fans, including this author. Braking assistance with the Edelrid Jul system Read more ›
Let’s say you have decided that you want to reduce your pack weight for an upcoming multi-day backpacking trip, and you have made a commitment to an ultralight backpack. Now what? In order for an ultralight backpack to be comfortable, it requires skillful packing, and more importantly ultralight gear to go inside of it. An Read more ›
Imagine if a jacket could be designed with only one layer of material. Now imagine that jacket operated like a dog’s fur to keep you warm. Most insulated clothing requires at least three layers to function properly: insulation sandwiched between a shell material and a liner fabric. Depending on the insulation type, quilting or baffling Read more ›