Relieved. That’s the only word for how I felt the first morning I stepped into Atomic Backland XTD Carbon touring boots ($1,140). After testing many boots that pinched, folded, or left hot spots by the second lap, I slid into these and immediately relaxed. 　　The fit felt dialed without adding a footbed or a single shell punch. That never happens...

　　The places I like to hike are generally poorly blazed and aren’t easy to find on a map. That way, I get to wander around, foraging and grooming overgrown trails, with the reward of hanging my hammock without being bothered. Because of this, I need to be able to carry axes, saws, ropes, wedges, and the kind of tools most...

　　Form over fashion is my stance on sunglasses. As an angler, hunter, and outdoorsman, I want something that performs in the field above all else. Appearance and general coolness are the last things I take into account when selecting my next set of shades. 　　Almost all of my sunglasses have a full wrap, which certainly isnt cool. Some are passable...

　　While some brands are just starting to use Muscovy down in insulated products, Zenbivy has been doing it for years. But the brand claims its latest rollouts take the power of Muscovy fill even further. Going into 2026, Zenbivy will offer two new ultralight Muscovy technologies, which it says represent the future of Muscovy Down. 　　Muscovy down, for those unfamiliar,...

　　Growing up in Hurricane Alley in North Carolina, I’ve heard the emergency alert warning tone crackle to life on a weather radio more times than I could count. 　　Midland has always been my weather radio of choice, but I always gravitated toward the simpler models. When my editor dangled the prospect of reviewing the new Midland ER310PRO Emergency Weather Radio...

　　When a male hiker was stranded on a mountain near Phoenix for 13 hours last week, he got help from a surprising source: a weight-bearing drone. 　　In a first-of-its-kind mission for the area, the Phoenix Fire Department used a DJI drone to send supplies to the injured hiker on Camelback Mountain, keeping him safe until rescuers could finally reach him...

　　The Department of Homeland Securitys expansion of the border wall has been sparking controversy for years — and now theres a new round of objections centered on an apex predator. 　　This month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) blasted open a mountain in Arizonas Coronado National Memorial, a federally protected wilderness managed by the National Park Service. DHS plans to...

　　Presented by Ram Trucks 　　 　　Packing a truck for a hunting trip is part logistics, part intuition. Every loadout is shaped by variables — weather, terrain, trip length, and who’s riding with you — but the goal is always the same: arrive with a camp that’s safe, efficient, and comfortable enough to recover for the next day’s hunt. 　　After nearly...

　　When I first heard of the Camino de Santiago, I was in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT). I overheard someone exclaim, “You’re telling me there’s a hike in Spain where I can sleep in a bed, take a hot shower, eat and drink as much as I want, and I’m here instead?” 　　Soon, I...

　　In a growing sign of the labor movements rise in the outdoor industry, a strike of the Telluride Ski Patrol has shut down Telluride Ski Resort in Colorado. 　　The unions workers voted to reject the resort owners most recent contract offer on Dec. 8. On Dec. 23, the union announced that with 99% of its members voting yes, it would...

　　On Friday, an in-bounds avalanche buried two ski patrollers on Californias Mammoth Mountain. The resort confirmed on Sunday, Dec. 28, that one of the patrollers, Cole Murphy, died from his injuries. 　　The patrollers were working on the resorts Lincoln Peak when the slide occurred around 7:30 a.m. Both were immediately taken to Mammoth Hospital, where they were treated for their...

　　Tucked away on the edge of town in Carbondale, Colo., is a goldmine of ski history, memorabilia, and sick vintage gear. The warehouse is challenging to find, even when you know where it is. But follow the signs toward Vintage Ski World to an innocuous warehouse door, and beyond it youll find Richard Allen, 73, and his unbelievable collection of...