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