A recap of top stories for the week of Dec. 31, 2017–Jan. 6, 2018.
1) Lined With Gold: Columbia Unveils Olympic Ski Uniforms
The 2018 Winter Olympics are just six weeks away, and some athletes have additional inspiration with gold-color insulation inside their Columbia jackets.
2) Crazy Russian Hacker Opens Canned Sleeping Bag From 1952
YouTube’s Crazy Russian Hacker peels open a giant sardine can from 1952. But inside is no snack; it’s a U.S. military-issue sleeping bag.
3) Monday Bargains: 3 Steals to Start Your Week
Looking for great outdoor gear at an amazing price? Check out these discounts and sales from MSR, Hestra, and Cabiniste.
4) GoPro Discontinues ‘Karma’ Drone, Lays Off 250 Employees
After the fourth-quarter 2017 earnings report, GoPro announced today it would cancel production of its Karma Drone and exit the drone market.
5) Security Flaw: Google ‘Free Bikes’ Stolen by the Hundreds Each Week
Google’s campus bike program has a significant theft problem – so the Silicon Valley behemoth is cracking down.
6) Columbia Makes ‘Difficult Decision to Depart Outdoor Retailer’
The Portland-based gear and apparel giant didn’t say if it would return to the massive bi-annual event. And it won’t be the only brand missing from the exhibition floor.
7) Planting Soon: Wall of Forest Across England, Coast to Coast
In light of the rising population and “dramatically low” tree planting rates in England, officials urged a need for change. The Northern Forest is a 25-year plan to plant 50 million trees and generate £2 billion for the economy in the process.
8) From Runt to Record-Holder: Kilian Jornet’s Lifetime of Training
The world’s fastest ultra-endurance athlete gives an inside look into how his life has always revolved around training.
9) Hike, Run, Travel: Best Women’s Leggings
One-year test: Here are the best women’s leggings for yoga, hiking, running, travel, and winter. Plus, three tips to keep leggings healthy.
10) El Cafe-tan? Outcry Against Proposed Starbucks in Yosemite
Yosemite National Park will soon be home to a Starbucks. But outdoor enthusiasts oppose the plan and launched a petition to block it.
11) First Look: YETI Camp Chair, Cooler Backpack
YETI announces new products for spring 2018. Headlining the charge are two brand firsts: the Hondo camp chair and Backflip cooler backpack.
12) Screaming Deals: Gear Savings of the Week
Our weekly column finds the best deals from across the web to save you money on outdoors gear. Check out the deals from Mountain Hardwear, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, PrAna, and more.
13) CES 2018: Top Tech for Active and Outdoor Lifestyles
The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) concentrates the best of today’s (and tomorrow’s!) tech into four days of gear demos and product launches. We combed this year’s offerings to find top products for outdoor enthusiasts and fitness freaks eyeing gear for 2018 and beyond.
14) Timelapse: Log Cabin Built By Hand
Watch a man build a primitive rustic log cabin alone in the woods – in five minutes. It’s as serene, and inspiring, as it sounds!
15) Emerging Gear: Outdoor Products This Week
From next-gen tech to ingenious innovation, our weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design.
16) Apparently You Can Get Mauled By a Bear in Florida
A Naples, Fla., man says he’s lucky to be alive after a bear attack in his backyard left him with 41 stitches across his face.
17) Jack Wolfskin: A Quest to Build True ‘Eco’ Jacket
Recycled fabrics, PFC-free treatments, and an innovative production process for its jacket membranes make this outerwear line unique.
18) Tolls Proposed on Utah Ski Roads
Faced with bumper-to-bumper traffic, one Utah legislator thinks tolls could ease congestion. The proposed tolls would affect two iconic roads in Utah, Little and Big Cottonwood canyons.
19) Most Impactful Climbers: 2018 American Alpine Club Awards
Margo Hayes, Alex Honnold, and Sally Jewell were among the recipients for the American Alpine Club’s annual climbing awards.
20) 1 Second Per Day: The Continental Divide Trail in 4 Minutes
A group of hikers recorded one second per day on the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail from Mexico to Canada. The resulting video captures the splendor of the CDT.
