GJ Week In Review: SHOT Show, Best of OR, Snow-Surfer

A recap of top stories for the weeks of Jan. 21–Feb. 3, 2018.

1) Accursed Button Lift Wreaks Havoc on Snowboarders: Video

How many times will these snowboarders fail to get up the button lift?

2) Am I the Only One Disappointed With the 2019 Ranger?

Ford fans in the United States have lusted for a new Ranger for seven years. Ford finally delivered, but the 2019 version fails to fill me with yearning.

3) Candide Thovex’s Dry Land Skiing Leaves Us In Wonder

Volcanic ash, pasture, and one big stone wall: The best freeride skier in the world shreds everything but powder in the next installment of his “quattro” video series.

4) Monday Bargains: 3 Steals to Start Your Week

Looking for great outdoor gear at an amazing price? Check out these discounts and sales from Marmot, Big Agnes, and Deuter.

5) First Look: Winter 2018–2019 Outdoors Gear

The first Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show, held this week in Denver, will be gear central. Thousands of brands will debut products for the coming year. Here’s our exclusive pre-show peek at some exciting outdoors gear coming to market for fall through winter 2018–2019.

6) Try It: Denver ‘Trade School’ Offers OR-Themed Events

In Denver this week? Brands, artists, athletes, and enthusiasts convene during Outdoor Retailer for five days of ‘outdoor-themed’ events. And you can go!

7) Dreamy Edit: Drone Following Snow-Surfer Is Sublime

An expert drone pilot follows one snowboarder through an eerie forest of untracked powder. Satisfying to watch, to say the least.

8) Diploma-Ski: Best Colleges for Skiers

A good education shouldn’t mean sacrificing the gnar. These colleges offer higher learning and great skiing for the diploma-bound.

skier perched big sky montana — Photo credit: Zach Dischner

9) Dynafit’s Lever System Reinvents Uphill/Downhill Ski Boot

Backcountry and AT boots often require multiple buckle adjustments to switch modes. With a new lever-based adjuster, Dynafit offers an easier way with the Hoji Pro Tour.

10) 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 Outdoor Research, Kelty, Black Diamond, Smartwool, and more.

11) Soft Carry: Otterbox Launches Backpack Coolers

Backpack straps, shoulder slings, soft sides, and modular add-ons help expand Otterbox’s reach into the cooler market.

12) Free Gear Fridays: Eagle Creek Giveaway

Win an Eagle Creek Global Companion 40L pack! Click to enter now.

13) Outdoor Retailer ‘Best In Show’ Winter Gear 2018–19

From ski gear to jackets, winter camping, packs, and more, brands congregate each winter to launch products at the OR Show (official name: Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show). Our team spent the week in Denver evaluating hundreds of products at the event to find the best to-be-released gear for winter 2018–2019.

14) The North Face to Build Public Climbing Wall in Denver

The North Face plans to build its first climbing wall in the Montbello neighborhood of Denver. The project aims to inspire youth and others in the community to engage in outdoor recreation.

15) Skier’s Thumb: The Unusually Common Fall Injury

Skier’s thumb occurs when you try and stop a fall with arms outstretched and you land on your pole’s grip. A hyperextended thumb isn’t an emergency, but it can be debilitating and requires medical evaluation.

16) Adventure Travel: 15 Must-Know Packing Tips

Perfect packing is possible, and we made a list for it. These 15 packing tips were culled from our experiences on the road, including mistakes we made over the years traveling to the Rocky Mountains or as far as Kathmandu.

17) Black-and-White Storm Time-Lapse Is Breathtaking

This stunning 8K time-lapse, filmed entirely in black-and-white, captures lightning storms, dense cloud movement, and awe-inspiring nature.

18) Gore-Tex Pro Waders: SITKA Goes Chest Deep

A first of its kind, the Delta Wader by SITKA Gear is a repairable waterfowl hunting wader constructed with Gore-Tex Pro waterproof-breathable laminate.

19) Lost at Sea: Quiksilver CEO’s Boat Washes Ashore Empty

French authorities launched air and sea search teams to find Pierre Agnes after they recovered his empty boat Tuesday.

20) No-Frills Field Watch: The Bertucci DX3

Meet the Bertucci DX3 Field watch, a basic companion with a single outdoor aspiration – keeping accurate time.

21) 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 Black Diamond, Mountain Hardwear, Smartwool, La Sportiva, and more.

22) Watch: ‘Priest’ on Tiny Bike Bombs Downhill With Road Cyclists

Watch this “priest” crush road cyclists on a comically small bike, with some divine (possibly motorized) intervention.

23) Columbia’s Gert Boyle Wins 2018 ISPO Cup

The legendary “one tough mother” and former Columbia Sportswear President earned the prestigious award, usually given to iconic athletes, at the age of 93.

24) The North Face Introduces Woven Boots

The North Face thinks a woven fabric will mean more comfort in a light hiking boot. The woven Ultra Fastpack III GTX hiking boot marries athletic woven uppers with a waterproof boot design.

25) 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 and further its vision of affordable and reliable transportation.

26) 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.

27) Way Too Close: Proximity Jumper Freaks Us Out

Josh Nicholls doesn’t jump with a wingsuit. He flies horrifically close to hazards, narrowly escaping every time. High-five if you make it through without cringing.