For us gear hounds, the Summer Olympics can feel like a never-ending parade of sweet outdoor apparel. And why not? After all, nobody deserves to use the best of the best more than the worlds greatest athletes. The rest of us might just be playing at greatness when we chase after the latest super sneaker — but what a fun...

　　Czech climbing brand Ocún might not be on your radar, but its new shoe, the Sigma, proved why it should be. The aggressive, high-performance lace-up shoe was perfect for those looking to send harder projects outdoors. 　　I tested the Ocún Sigma for months inside and outdoors on rugged Iowa limestone, primarily on sport routes, as that’s the shoes target discipline....

　　Early on, I adopted a blurred background for Zoom meetings — no one needed to know I might be taking that meeting from the parking lot of my favorite local trail. And I don’t see the way I work changing any time soon. If anything, I see myself working more remotely and spending more time on Hipcamp looking up future...

　　Your local park might be getting some improvements thanks to a new injection of funding from the federal government. The National Park Service announced a record-breaking $325 million allocation from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) on Thursday. Each state will receive at least several million dollars, as well as additional funding for U.S. territories and the District of...

　　Tragedy struck the CrossFit Games at Marine Creek Lake in Fort Worth on Thursday morning when 28-year-old Serbian athlete Lazar Đukić drowned during a competition. 　　Dukic was participating in a run-swim event that included a 3.5-mile run followed by an 800m swim. But he went missing near the finish line around 8 a.m. while swimming with other competitors, according to...

　　Airline travel is rough on luggage, and when some carry-on baggage bashing is inevitable these days, there seem to be two practical approaches: Frequent fliers may elect for the crème de la crème of bags — sturdy, long-lasting, and, often, pricey. Others, however, just need the dang bag to get there in one piece — without forking over half your...

　　Some vehicle awnings were quick to deploy and retract, but folded in winds I considered weak. Others required much more effort and sometimes two people to set up. Putting them away could be incredibly inconvenient and time-consuming. And I didnt consider any of them adventure-ready, meaning I could get them up as soon as a rainstorm blew in, and they...

　　Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching — even when doing the wrong thing is legal. — Aldo Leopold 　　I begin this story with this classic Aldo Leopold quote because, lets face it, mistakes happen. At one point or another, every hunter makes mistakes. Some are small and insignificant. Some lead to longer treks...

　　2024 is turning into the year of fully updated all-terrain (AT) tires. The latest, hitting the market in September, is the Nitto Terra Grappler G3. 　　The original Terra Grappler hit the market back in September 2009. The second-generation Terra Grappler G2, still on the market today, came out in 2014. Tire tech has greatly improved over the last decade, and...

　　Few states hold as many hidden treasures as Nevada. Minerals, mountains and majestic, sparsely populated landscapes are par for the course. But less high on the Nevada adventure radar? Hot springs. Lots of ’em. 　　Sure, the state looks incredibly dry when you’re zooming through on I-80, but that topography hides some of the most geothermally active zones in the United...

　　In August 2023, Slovenia suffered massive floods that affected two-thirds of the entire country. At least seven people died, with property damage amounting to billions of euros. 　　As the European nation struggles to rebuild, it will get a little help from a homegrown hero: cycling star Tadej Pogačar. The Slovenian road cyclist — affectionately known as Pogi to his fans...

　　There’s no better feeling than slipping into a warm pair of down booties after a long day of skiing. Especially when the booties you’ve bought are easy to throw on and pretty much mold to your feet after a few wears. 　　I rocked the L.L.Bean Womens Mountain Classic Quilted Booties during a seemingly never-ending winter here in Colorado. For the...