Come spring, anglers eagerly await the season opener. But rather than letting anxiety build, savvy fly fishers will put their energy to good use, prepping their gear for optimal performance. One of the most important, yet also most overlooked, tasks anglers can tackle is cleaning and rehabilitating their fly lines. Modern fly lines are remarkably Read more ›
The basics of setting up a comfortable camp have altered little over the course of human history: A good shelter, a cozy cooking fire, a comfortable place to rest and relax, and some tasty food and beverages. A basic camp, though, isn’t necessarily a comfortable camp. Today, campers can tailor their backcountry homes to match Read more ›
I’ve never been one of those skiers or riders who can just bear the wind and cold on their face. I’ve worn neckies and Buffs, and tried hoods under my helmet, or jackets with hood helmets, too. Nothing worked as well as I wanted it to, so when I started seeing more fleece hoodies around Read more ›
iKamper launched in 2017 with a blockbuster kickstarter campaign for their rooptop tent, the Skycamp. Building on the success of their crowdfunded Skycamp, iKamper is back with a softshell hybrid rooftop tent. The new X-Cover features a roomier interior (sleeps 3-4), lighter weight design (104lbs), and the ability to load gear on a crossbar rack Read more ›
Head out on a boat for any number of hours and you’ll be quick to realize the importance of effective dry bags. SealLine, one of the leading makers of dry bags, debuts a new line of dry packs this spring. The new bags range from supportive gear haulers to storable day packs. Recently, we had Read more ›
It doesn’t matter if you’re out for an after-work sprint or an all-day epic, you’ll be carrying some essentials on your bike. Water, tools and an extra layer have to be stored somewhere. New options come out every day for carrying essentials right on your bike but there are still many reasons to carry a Read more ›
During the past summer and fall, our testers were given the task of trying out a variety of ultralight packs on the market, from tried and true packs that have been available for years, to brand new offerings for this year. Ultralight backpacks make up an up and coming category that is more specific than Read more ›
Columbia Sportswear has developed proprietary technologies to set their products apart from their competitors for years. From Omni-Shade, Omni-Freeze, OutDry Extreme to Omni-Heat, they make products to help people withstand whatever mother nature throws at them — including the wet and cold Pacific Northwest weather conditions where they are headquartered. Making its debut this winter, Read more ›
Staying upright while wading into a fishable water has always been a challenge. For most of the 20th century and into the 21st, the best tools to reduce the risks were a wading staff and thick felt soles on boots. Felt smears on rocks and grips slimy river growth for a sure grip. But over Read more ›
Many of us rely heavily on our phones in a pinch to map our exact location or to communicate with our loved ones when we’re out on our adventures, but what happens when we’re out of cellular coverage? This is where the market for satellite tracking and communication devices have really picked up. More and Read more ›
This past July we got the opportunity to meet with all the major running shoe brands to get a glimpse of what’s to come in 2019. Here are six all-new 2019 trail shoes we’re stoked to test out. Adidas Terrex Speed GTX This one promises to be one the best all-weather lightweight trail shoe Read more ›
This year we narrowed a wide field of new Light Hikers down to five. While there are far more new footwear model introductions in the Spring, Fall is exciting because of its generally more technical offerings. And, hopefully, Fall means snow is on the horizon. The Light Hiker category has an added layer of complexity Read more ›