For over two decades, the Gear Institute team has dug through mountains of gear to find the best gift ideas for holiday giving. This year, we continue that exhaustive work with the following Gift Guide for Outdoor Adventurers. Jetboil MightyMo Group Cook Set A dozen different things can go wrong when planning group camp outings, Read more ›
These cases have been used and abused in my adventerous and spontaneous life to determine if they’re right for you. The end of summer signals the release of a new Apple iPhone and this year we’ve made it to the 16 Series. And though the iPhone 16 models aren’t a large departure from the 15’s, Read more ›
Autumn is the ultimate hiking season for most of the northern hemisphere – temperatures are cool, colors are bright, and crowds are diminished. Though most adventurers don’t need incentives to get out come fall, we found a few gear items to make your pre-winter excursions more enjoyable. Biolite Charge 100 Max Today’s digital world means Read more ›
For a few decades, electronic fences (e-fences) have allowed dog owners to set up invisible boundaries to keep their dogs contained in safe locations – mainly yards and fields at home. A new generation of devices, though, take those e-fences on the road. And while not all of them work efficiently in all situations (especially Read more ›
Sometimes products just plain make sense. For decades, campers have lugged chests full of ice and/or frigid water from home to camp to keep their food and beverages chilled. All the while, the campers themselves sweated in the heat of a summer camp. IcyBreeze lets campers enjoy that inner chill even when not sipping on Read more ›
Just as the vehicle you choose to be the “mobile” in your mobile adventuring is essential to the success of that venture, the right awning can turn you from a weekend warrior to a semi-pro outdoor nomad who takes their Monday morning Zoom meeting in the middle of their favorite state forest. It’s a slippery Read more ›
I started getting paid to hike – or rather, to write about my hiking adventures – when I was 23. Now, 35 years and upwards of 34,000 trail miles later, I have many great memories, countless stories in print (including hundreds of reviews and stories here at Gear Institute), and several creaky joints – my Read more ›
For centuries, those who slept outside – armies, travelers, stock herders, hikers, etc. – relied on a ‘bedroll’ for their sleeping needs. The classic bedroll consisted of only a canvas ground sheet, a blanket or two, and maybe a small pillow. Today, though, the bedroll looks a bit different, thanks to the designers at Born Read more ›
The personal cooler was a mainstay in modern society when I was growing up. My dad took an Igloo Playmate with him to his suit-and-tie job every day. By 1980s standards, it was the bee’s knees. But let’s be real here, those things didn’t keep anything cold for more than a couple of hours. That Read more ›
When Orvis unveiled the Helios 3 series of rods in 2017, the Gear Institute test team declared them nearly perfect. The 9-foot, 5-weight Helios 3 earned a score of 99/100 – the best score of any trout rod we’ve tested in nearly 20 years. Enter 2024, and the new Helios series (NOT Helios 4 – Read more ›
Having spent the last few years focusing mostly on accessories, limited edition tools, and new colorways on some of their classics, Leatherman closes out 2023 with their most advanced multitool to date — the Arc. Leatherman’s current multitool offering is pretty vast. You could set yourself up nicely with a tool like the Rev for Read more ›
Review by Dan A. Nelson The apparel brand, Kuiu, grew out of one man’s (and his family’s) love of backcountry hunting. Jason Hairston launched Kuiu after a long professional journey that led through the creation, development, and ultimate sale of his first apparel brand. After that commercial success, he wanted to develop a new product Read more ›