Overland Expo West is always full of amazing adventure rigs, and this year the buzz was around electric vehicles. This was the first time we saw not just one, but two fully-electric trailers. It was exciting to see brands take the technology that’s been proven in electric cars and find clever ways to bring it into overlanding, and the RD...

　　Do you know what the absolute perfect Mother’s Day gift is? A well-coordinated family activity in the great outdoors with mom’s loving children not complaining about any of it, the entire time. 　　But we know that a family hike, backpacking trip, camping overnight, bike ride, paddle, or climb can be hard to pull off, especially with everyone involved and happily...

　　If youve ever seen complete strangers exchange a joyous shout and fist-pump over a shared team jersey, you know the power of good merch. When you wear something representing an organization you care about, youre immediately part of a special club. That sense of membership can be key to feeling a sense of community and belonging. Of course, not all...

　　With the exception of Scotsmen in kilts, skirts tend to stoke controversy in the outdoors. The first women mountaineers—like Henriette d’Angeville, who, in 1838, became the second woman to ever successfully climb Mount Blanc—didn’t have much of a choice but to hike in a skirt or dress, given the gendered fashion norms of the nineteenth century. But in the 1900s,...

　　Summer is right around the corner, so here are two ways to ensure it’s the best one yet. 　　1. Kick off summer with the 2025 Outside Festival, May 31 and June 1 in Denver, Colorado. The event blends music, film, keynote speakers, outdoor brands, and great food in the ultimate celebration of adventure. Last year’s inaugural event drew nearly 20,000...

　　Training for a long-distance trail objective is no small feat—it takes time, dedication, and a whole lot of grit. Now, imagine doing that while earning two master’s degrees, building a career as a pianist and composer, and maintaining a newsletter. Sound impossible? Not for Mountain Hardwear athlete Liz Derstine. The trail-running powerhouse, professional musician, and writer is proving that it’s...

　　Don’t let sweltering summer temps stop your next car-camping trip or overlanding odyssey. A portable air-conditioning unit can open up a new season on the road. Or, for a family who lives the adventure life full-time, traveling with the finest new wireless AC unit can be a “total game changer.” So says outdoor filmmaker Katrin York, currently based on Oahu’s...

　　Thanks to instant coffee, which has been commercially available since the late 1930s, saving weight in the backcountry and still getting zooted on caffeine is not new. When I started raft guiding a century ago in the late ’90s, we used to mix up heaping spoonfuls of Folgers with General Foods International Coffees Suisse Mocha and Orange Cappuccino powders to...

　　I, like many, feverishly guard my Yeti gear. My water bottle cabinet is stacked with Ramblers and my garage has four different-sized coolers neatly stacked and waiting for my family’s next adventure. The cooler and drinkware brand’s stuff is so good that it’s found a permanent place in my rather large but ever-rotating gear collection that’s fed by my job...

　　Last Mother’s Day, as the mom of a one-year-old, I wanted anything that would make getting outside with a baby in tow easier. Now I’m a mom of two under two, so the theme of this year’s Mother’s Day gift guide is convenience and versatility. With a 23-month-old and a 7-month-old crawling all over me at any given moment, I...

　　Most of the big sales on gear fall around a holiday: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and for outdoor enthusiasts, REI’s anniversary. Every May, REI hosts its biggest sale of the year with steep discounts (up to 50 percent off!) on top products from favorite brands. Heres why gearheads should get excited about one of the biggest sales...

　　I remember the first time I saw someone sleeping in their vehicle for fun. It was 1999. I was in Vail, and I hit a parking lot après party with a dude who was sleeping in his Ford Ranger pickup. He had built a plywood sleeping platform with all of his ski gear stored beneath, allowing him to camp out...