America kicks ass. I’m talking about our terrain, the landscape. The white sands and steep cliffs that make up the coast, the mountains that rise from river valleys, the backcountry lakes tucked into flowering meadows…and all the adventure you can find. We’ve got desert and we’ve got rainforest. We’ve got bullet-proof cliff faces to climb and waist-deep powder to ski....

　　Arapahoe Basin has always been about as far from a megaresort as a ski area can be. 　　It’s a place where the entire staff shows up at 5:30 a.m. to shovel snow on a powder day, where you’ll find the chief operating officer parking cars or taking out the trash, and where all proceeds from its most popular events go...

　　Theres still a lack of diversity in the outdoors.Thankfully, many organizations, nonprofit groups, brands, and individuals are taking action to change that. In recent years, dozens of organizations and education courses have expanded opportunities for certifications, participation, clinics, and more. So, we decided to create a roundup of opportunities for this upcoming year that focus on equity in participation and...

　　The more I gear I test the more I find myself starting sentences with, “I’m not ultralight but …” 　　NEMO’s new Mayfly OSMO would introduce itself the same way. Only, it can end that statement with, “You’ll love me anyway.” 　　As someone with a sweet spot for modifying cheap gear, I wouldn’t call $400 MSRP “budget.” However, compared with most...

　　Full transparency: It’s tougher for me to test and review fixed-blade knives compared to folders. With a folder, you can throw it in a pocket and use it when the situation arises. But a fixed-blade knife is a whole other vibe. 　　In modern society, fixed blades have a very specific vibe that relegates them to the woods, a campsite, or...

　　On my first inhale after leaving the puddle jumper that had brought us to the Kittila Airport, my nose hairs froze. Despite it being 9 a.m., the stars still winked overhead, here at the top of the world. It was minus 4 degrees outside. 　　Descending the gangway onto the icy tarmac in Finnish Lapland was a dream come true. I...

　　Dear Sundog: A few years ago I bought a groover for river trips, thinking it a necessary bit of group gear. My river friends didn’t own one, and we always had to scramble to borrow/rent/steal one for each trip. It was expensive, like $400, once I got the accompanying seat and rocket boxes that fit into my rowing frame, but...

　　There’s nothing like a string light to make a tent, hammock, or back of a car a cozy home away from home. Whether you’re out on a solo car-camping adventure, making fireside meals with friends, or relaxing in your hammock in the park on the weekend, the glow of a string light can make the mood exactly what you want...

　　On a warm April morning, I gaze at a ghost tree towering above me. Its leafless canopy seems to be staring up as well, in similar disbelief, at the 500-foot-high sandstone cliffs surrounding us. 　　There’s a cluster of 70-foot-tall cottonwoods on this river-bottom spot, dead for decades yet seemingly frozen between the worlds of the living and the dead. Their...

　　Kneeling for hours in grubby conditions, fending off sparks and debris, stashing greasy tools — work pants have to deal with a lot. Whether you are a professional tradesman, or DIY fiend paying your dues on personal projects, narrowing in on the perfect pair of work pants for your needs is important for efficiency and safety on the job site....

　　The Wall of Death, a cylindrical wooden stage where talented riders pull off all sorts of stunts on motorcycles, was once a mainstay of American carnivals. Only a handful are in use today, passion projects for a few dedicated fanatics. “You’re not going to make too much money doing this,” says New York City photographer Jay Kolsch. “You have to...

　　A good camping lantern is an outdoor essential. Its a major help while cooking, is great for nightly camp games, and sets just the right outdoor ambiance. Sure, you could just use a flashlight or headlamp, but a lantern lights up the entire camp and makes two-handed tasks easier. 　　While there isnt a single best camping lantern for everyone, we...