Home > News

‘Checkpoint MN,’ Moonlight Skier, BWCA News: GearJunkie Week In Review

Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

A recap of top stories for the week of Dec. 11 – 17, 2016.

weekinrev121616

1) Pickup Topper Becomes Livable Pop-Top ‘Habitat’

‘Pop open’ your truck camper with this spacious new evolution of overland camping.

2) Favorite Gifts: GJ Editors Must-Give Picks

Our editorial team picked our favorite pieces of gear for 2016 that we’d give the special people in our lives. These are outdoorsy gifts at their best.

3) Bicycle Gymnastics Just Melted Our Brain

Handlebar handstands, dizzying wheelie spins, and doubles synchronized bike acrobatics. Jaw, meet floor.

4) Neon Skiing Under Moonlight Looks Surreal

Eerie and beautiful, this stunning take on night skiing raked in a heap of independent film awards.

5) First Look: Patagonia’s ‘Permeable’ Nano-Air Light

The super-breathable Patagonia Nano-Air Light builds on the success of one of the brand’s flagship jackets.

patagonia jacket

6) What It’s Like To Survive An Avalanche

Watch as pro snowboarder Travis Rice takes a horrible ride in an avalanche in Alaska, and lives to tell about it.

7) Patagonia ‘Black Hole’ Backpack, Lighter For 2017

The redesigned Black Hole series of packs from Patagonia include this 26-liter daypack we put to the test. It comes to market next spring.

8) First Look: Rare ‘Aerogel’ Insulated Oros Parka

The jacket uses a space-age insulation ‘inspired by NASA.’ But is it any good?

9) The Case For: An Old Wool Sweater

Pro tip: This is the best (least expensive) layer that everyone can afford.

10) Readers Write: Your Gear Questions, Answered

Winter riding, photography, and fat bikes are addressed in our ‘Readers Write’ installment this week.

ice road biker

11) Casting For Gifts: 10 Presents For Anglers

There’s a little bit of voodoo mixed into the art and science of catching fish. Fishermen, on the other hand, are pretty straightforward.

12) Emerging Gear: Outdoor Products This Week

From a fat tire bike trailer to expanding summit pack, our weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design.

13) Idaho Wilderness Act May Trigger 2017 Protections

The Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Act will likely be among the first wilderness acts facing the 115th Congress.

14) Reckless Advertising: Alex Honnold’s Free Solo Speed-Climb

Alex Honnold’s latest viral video is wildly entertaining, but it dramatically dismisses the danger of free-solo climbing for the inexperienced.

Alex-honnold-stride-health-free-soloing

15) Massive Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Launches In MN Today

Get your share of more than $45,000 in prizes in the fourth edition of Checkpoint Minnesota.

16) Boundary Waters: Mining Leases Denied

Mining rights will not be renewed on critical parcels near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in a big win for environmentalists.

17) Three Keys To Set Up Your Own ‘Mobile Office’

Our Mobile Office correspondents have three key takeaways from their two years of working (and playing) on the road.

18) ‘Hotel In Alps’ Is Surreal Mountain Retreat

You take the helicopter, we’ll take the hard way.

hotel-in-alps-at-night

19) UPS Now Delivers By E-Bike

The traditional bike messenger rig is about to get a lot bigger and a lot browner.

20) An Unlikely Knife: Tiny ‘Morakniv Eldris’

Morakniv recently created a fixed blade knife so small that you may mistake it for an April fool’s joke. But it packs a ton of performance into a tiny package.

21) 30 Great Gifts Under $30

You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get great gifts for those who love the outdoors.

Subscribe Now

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!

Join Our GearJunkie Newsletter

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!