Though he’s just 24 years old, Kai Lightner has been a kitchen-table name in the rock climbing world for more than a decade. After years of steady performance in the competitive youth circuit, Lightner took the outdoor world by storm in the spring of 2013, when during a four-week period he sent his first four 5.14s—including Southern Smoke (5.14c). He’s...

　　Salt Lake City’s Salt Palace was alive and bustling this week as hundreds of members of brands, retailers, and media gathered for the annual Outdoor Retailer (OR) Summer 2024 show. 　　Since OR left Denver in 2021 and returned to Salt Lake, the largest and most recognizable brands — Patagonia, YETI, Marmot, The North Face, and others — have declined to...

　　The longer the ride distance or greater the overall cycling volume, the more critical the touchpoints on a bicycle are. Gender, body dimensions and shape, rider flexibility, specific riding postures, and other highly individual factors make having the perfect fit at the handlebars, pedals, and saddle difficult. Throw in personal preference, and the optimal fit seems like a minuscule target....

　　Crossovers are undeniably in demand these days, making up the hottest vehicle sales segment in the U.S. They offer car-like comfort with the cargo-carrying capacity and cabin area of an SUV, with off-road capability that can keep up with many of those SUVs. 　　The crossover was born when automakers decided to blend the capability, size, and 44 benefits of its...

　　Caroline Gleich is a renowned climber and skier, a climate activist, and now the Utah democratic party’s candidate for US Senate. But what would she actually do in Washington? And does she have a chance of getting elected? Gleich joined author and conservationist Luis Benitez onstage at the Outside Festival in Denver in early June to talk about how life...

　　By the time we’d reached the bottom of the Cayman Trench, some 2,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, I’d lost feeling in my legs. My neck was aching, and my ears felt as though they were going to explode under the mounting pressure. “Heavy,” said the passenger sitting next to me. He stared out the window with shell-shocked eyes, and...

　　Few things are better than putting together a fishing kit that gets the job done well without absolutely destroying your wallet. Redington has long been known to accomplish just that task. 　　The brand has been making fly fishing gear and equipment since 1992. With a focus on quality performance at a manageable price point, Redington aims to be both “adventurous...

　　In late May, Shilletha Curtis published her memoir about hiking the Appalachian Trail. A week later, Curtis, who is also known by her trail name “Dragonsky,” completed the final leg of the 2,190-mile pathway. 　　Her journey had begun nearly four years earlier. In 2020, Curtis—unemployed after COVID-19 ravaged the veterinary office where she worked, her longtime struggles with mental health...

　　The East Face of the Matterhorn towers over the Swiss village of Zermatt. Wind hammers the peak and strips snow from its craggy buttresses. From town, the sheer wall of rock and ice looks impossible to ski. But the forbidding slope was first skied by Toni Valeruz in May of 1975, and this year, snow and weather conditions aligned for...

　　The countrys largest Indian Tribe, the Navajo Nation, spreads across a huge swath of the Southwest. Its roughly the size of West Virginia, with a population of over 250,000. 　　But until recently, the area didnt have a single bike shop. 　　It’s a tough situation, said Scott Nydam, a former professional cyclist. These kids are in a really tough spot. 　　In...

　　I like a good burger as much as the next girl. This past weekend at a family cookout, I indulged in a damn good one. But each delicious beefy bite brought with it a bitter aftertaste. You see, I’m an environmentalist hell-bent on making daily choices that support a healthy planet. And beef, I’m sure you’ve heard, has a hefty...

　　In late May, Shilletha Curtis published her memoir about hiking the Appalachian Trail. A week later, Curtis, who is also known by her trail name “Dragonsky,” completed the final leg of the 2,190-mile pathway. 　　Her journey had begun nearly four years earlier. In 2020, Curtis—unemployed after COVID-19 ravaged the veterinary office where she worked, her longtime struggles with mental health...