Fastest Bike, Origami Kayak, 2017 REI Tent: GearJunkie Week In Review

A recap of top stories for the week of Sept. 25 – Oct. 1, 2016.

1) First Look: REI Upgrades ‘Quarter Dome’ Tent For 2017

The REI Quarter Dome is among the most popular tents sold in the U.S., and for 2017 it’s completely redesigned. We got a first look at the all new Quarter Dome 1-, 2-, and 3-person tents.

2) New Blood: Otso ‘Plus-Fat’ Mountain Bike Review

Two bikes in one, the Otso Voytek blurs the line between plus-size and fat in a modular mountain bike build. We got an early test model for this review.

3) Meet The Major Leaguer Who Survived Cancer, Lives The #VanLife

If you haven’t heard of the Major League pitcher who lives in a VW bus, this is a #VanLife story you can’t miss.

4) Interbike: Trade Show Unveils Future Bike Gear

The future of bike gear takes center stage at the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas. We hit the halls to find the most exciting products for 2017.

5) Did Diamondback Invent The World’s Fastest ‘Super Bike’?

Diamondback claims to have constructed the ‘fastest triathlon bike on the planet.’ Here’s what it did.

6) Dog Safety: 7 Items For The Field This Fall

A few products and a kit you can make at home will make outings with your pup safer and more enjoyable.

7) Lift Ticket Hacks: 30 Ways To Save Money At The Mountain

It’s time to start planning your ski trips. These 30 tips will help you cut costs in your quest to shred the pow.

8) After ‘Year In The Wilderness’ Freemans Come Home

Amy and David Freeman paddled out of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and into history last Friday afternoon, one year to the day since leaving civilization.

9) Origami Boat: Oru Folding Kayak Review

The Oru Kayak is a ‘real boat’ that fits in a backpack. We put it to the test in Minnesota lakes for this review.

10) New Salomon TV Is All Adventure, All The Time

Salomon will combine its video platforms into one mountain sports mega-channel.

11) Eddie Bauer Goes ‘Retro-Technical’ With \Originals Line

Eddie Bauer re-releases some historical jackets with modernized materials this week in a nod toward the founder’s first designs.

12) Updated Icon: Salomon Speedcross 4 Review

Among the more popular trail shoes of our era, Salomon updates its Speedcross for 2016. We took the 4th generation of the shoe on a series of trail and mountain runs for this review.

13) First Look: Primus Tupike For The Campground Gourmet

If your campsite is regularly filled with the aroma of gourmet cooking, the Primus Tupike can match your knife skills and live up to your recipes.

14) Patagonia’s Revised Mission: Do Good

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard revises his company ethos and takes a hard look at humans’ impact on the planet in an updated edition of his seminal work, Let My People Go Surfing.

15) Strange Gear Patent Could Have Major Consequences

One of the outdoor industry’s trendiest and most copied innovations just received a design patent, and the brand that owns it is taking action against competitors.

16) Riding The Radweg: How To Tour Germany By Bike

Ride the ‘Radweg,’ Germany’s 5,000 miles of rustic bikeways. Our editor toured the Bavarian countryside by bicycle and has a few tips to plan your own German bike tour.

17) Emerging Gear: Outdoor Products This Week

A peek at emerging products, culled from crowd-source sites like Kickstarter, PR campaigns, and industry scoops on the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design.

18) The OX Is ‘Packable’ Off-Road Vehicle

A surprisingly versatile and practical off-road vehicle that ‘packs flat’? The OX, is an off road vehicle like no other.

19) Leatherman Signal: How And Why It Was Made

We talked with a Leatherman multi-tool designer about the new Signal, how to repair your own tool, what he’d secretly like to add to the next Leatherman, and more.

20) Run Fast, Get Free Shoes

How’s your back half? If you can finish a marathon faster than you start it, you can win any free pair of New Balance shoes. Here’s how.

21) 2,650 Miles Of Packing It Out: Trail’s End

On 9/29/16, the Packing It Out duo completed all 2,650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. In total, they removed over 720 pounds of trash from the trail. Here is their final report.

22) Rare Sunrise Lights Spectacular Highline Feat

A rare and majestic natural phenomena was just captured in a breathtaking highline attempt.

23) First Look: KEEN APhlex Thrashed, Still Thrives

The KEEN APhlex is a light hiking boot that can stand up to the rigors of off-trail bushwhacking. We put them to the test in the Rocky Mountains for this review.