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Nate Mitka

Nate Mitka performed hundreds of reviews for GearJunkie before he decided to make the product he was reviewing, instead of reviewing it. After a number of years on the product team for one of the largest outdoor brands, Nate is back doing what he loves: telling stories by means of splitboarding, climbing cracks, trail running, gardening, attempting to surf, and cooking around the campfire. You’ll find him scarfing down the best pizza in Denver (2x blind taste test champion) after his high- and low-octane pursuits in the mountains.

Wrap Yourself in ‘Aluminum’ Tyvek From The North Face

A fully functional cape and respirator mask are the latest releases from The North Face. Launching at select stores in Berlin and London on March 9,…

Written by Nate Mitka March 07, 2018

Canada Makes National Parks Free for Kids in 2018

The Canadian government announced national parks will now be free for people 18 years old and younger. The move is part of Canada’s 2018 federal…

Written by Nate Mitka March 02, 2018

France Bike-Share Ends After Mass Destruction, Theft

Inspired by viral social media hits, underage vandals destroyed more than 3,000 Gobee bikes and stole more than 1,000, effectively shutting down the business in…

Written by Nate Mitka February 28, 2018

Try Overlanding Out West Without Buying a Thing

Roof-top tents and overland rigs are expensive. Pacific Overlander makes it easier to camp from your car with overland rentals outfitted with Toyota and Land…

Written by Nate Mitka February 27, 2018

Marine Habitat the Size of Great Britain Now Protected

To protect the 81,000 sq. mi. of water, the nation paid off $21 million of its national debt that was owed to the UK, France,…

Written by Nate Mitka February 23, 2018

8 Surprising Trends From Mammoth ‘Outpost’ Retreat

What will next year look like in the outdoors? We attended an active lifestyle branding event called The Outpost and came away with eight observations.

Written by Nate Mitka February 23, 2018

‘Driverless Shuttle’ to Use Largest Bike Path in Minneapolis

Minneapolis Greenway bike and pedestrian commuters will face a new form of traffic during a weekend in April – a self-driving shuttle.

Written by Nate Mitka February 23, 2018

Average Skier Finds Loophole, Lands Spot in Olympic Halfpipe

Do you watch the Olympics thinking, hey that doesn’t look so hard, I could do that! No? Well, you better check out this Hungarian halfpipe skiers routine!

Written by Nate Mitka February 20, 2018

Click On, Ride Down: Burton Step On Binding Review

Burton fueled the hype machine with the Step On binding. But are they any good? We put them to the test for this review.

Written by Nate Mitka February 20, 2018

Jim Bridwell, Yosemite Climbing Pioneer, Dead at 74

One of climbing’s greats passed peacefully on Feb. 16. Jim Bridwell, born July 29, 1944, advanced modern big wall climbing and inspired generations of climbers to…

Written by Nate Mitka February 16, 2018

Report: Outdoors Economy Is Bigger Than Oil

The Bureau of Economic Analysis valued U.S. outdoor recreation at $373.7 billion, contributing 2-percent of the U.S. GDP.

Written by Nate Mitka February 15, 2018

Climbing Goals: $70,000 Grant Opens for Non-Sponsored Climbers Only

The Live Your Dreams Grant awards climbers of all ages, experience levels, and disciplines to think big and perform the climb of their dreams.

Written by Nate Mitka February 12, 2018

First Look: Vans Breathable, Variable Flex Snowboard Boot

Built for backcountry snowboarders, the 2018/2019 Vans Verse Snowboard Boot combines the latest in fit technology, moisture management, waterproofing, and venting for long tours and…

Written by Nate Mitka February 02, 2018

You Can Now Uber a Bike

Open the app, find a bike across the city, unlock it with a PIN, and ride away. Uber Bike intends to shake up urban transportation…

Written by Nate Mitka February 01, 2018

World’s First Drone Rescue Saves Distressed Swimmers

The lifeguard launched a Little Ripper drone to perform the rescue in New South Wales, Australia. It cut the rescue time from six minutes to…

Written by Nate Mitka January 18, 2018

Today Is the Day You Give Up, According to Strava

The fitness tracking app analyzed 31.5 million global activities to find when people are most likely to lose motivation after New Year’s. Today, January 12,…

Written by Nate Mitka January 12, 2018

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.

Written by Nate Mitka January 12, 2018

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…

Written by Nate Mitka January 09, 2018

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.

Written by Nate Mitka January 08, 2018

Polish Climbing Team Attempts First K2 Winter Ascent

This January, a veteran Polish team will try and make history by scaling one of the world’s most dangerous mountains during the worst season of…

Written by Nate Mitka January 02, 2018

Free ‘First Day Hikes’ Kick Off 2018 in All 50 States

The First Day Hikes program aims to get people outside, exercising and connecting with nature—on day one of the New Year.

Written by Nate Mitka December 28, 2017

Star Gazing Paradise: Idaho Awarded First US ‘Dark Sky Reserve’

Central Idaho is home to 1,400 miles of pristine starlight. And it’s now one of just 12 certified night sky ‘reserves’ worldwide.

Written by Nate Mitka December 22, 2017

Will It Be a White Christmas? Interactive Map Shows Odds

Hoping for a snow-covered holiday? Check this map to see what history says about your city’s odds.

Written by Nate Mitka December 21, 2017

Michigan Ski Resorts Have More Powder Than Vail

The drought in Colorado is providing for dismal snow totals at resorts. Michigan, however, is doing well this season, with a number of resorts doubling…

Written by Nate Mitka December 19, 2017

You Can Zip Line Over the Mississippi During the Super Bowl

During Super Bowl LII, attendees can take part in a high-flying zip line over the river in Minneapolis. The zip line will span more than 800…

Written by Nate Mitka December 14, 2017

Clean Hiking: Granite Gear Seeks 25 Garbage-Collecting Trekkers

The ‘Grounds Keepers’ program will sponsor 25 individuals to clean trash along major section hikes and popular public trails in 2018.

Written by Nate Mitka December 14, 2017

Grant Offers Splitboarders Gear, Cash To Ride

Interested in backcountry snowboarding but can’t afford the gear? Jones Snowboards and the American Alpine Club offer two new grants for amateurs only.

Written by Nate Mitka December 13, 2017

If There Were Only Trees: Maps Show World’s Forests

Robert Szucs analyzed satellite data to create stunning images of the world’s forests from above. Now you can hang these maps on your wall.

Written by Nate Mitka December 11, 2017

Patagonia Leads Bears Ears Coalition, Sues Trump Administration

‘It is as if he took a whole person, slashed it, and left us with a couple of limbs.’

Written by Nate Mitka December 07, 2017

Your Whole Camp Kitchen in a Box

Dubbed an all-in-one kitchen system, the EatOut combines a kitchen utensil rack, main storage, two gas stoves, and three tables all in a compact box.

Written by Nate Mitka December 05, 2017