GJ Week In Review: Michigan Ice, Ikon Pass, Best Camp Slippers

A recap of top stories for the week of Feb. 18–24, 2018.

1) Watch: Run From Tokyo to Japanese Mountain Trails

Run from downtown Tokyo to the summit of nearby Mt. Nabewari in a day-long adventure with Columbia Sportswear.

2) Stand-Up Paddling the BWCA: A New Way to Explore

Is a stand-up paddleboard appropriate transportation for four days in Boundary Waters Canoe Area? One man decided to find out, alone.

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 Sorel, Patagonia, and Victorinox.

4) Velcro to Pool Noodles: 10 Bike Hacks for MTB, Road, and Commuting

These 10 tips for biking help save money and just might get you out of a ride-ruining mishap.

5) Sasha DiGiulian Swings Axes on Michigan Ice

Sasha DiGiulian had climbed 5.14 rock but wanted a baptism on ice. In a two-week session, friend and ice climbing guide Angela VanWiemeersch stepped up to help her push personal boundaries on the frozen walls and freestanding columns of Michigan’s U.P.

6) Review: Black Diamond Shadow Climbing Shoe

Black Diamond Equipment just released the Shadow climbing shoe, its first aggressive shoe designed for steep sport climbing and bouldering. We put the Black Diamond Shadow to the test on Mexico’s Potrero Chico for this review.

7) Mountain Biker Meets Paraglider and Takes Flight, Literally

Watch Kilian Bron, with the help of a paragliding friend, get what is doubtless the most air of all time.

8) 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.

9) Trail Slipper: Teva Ember Moc Review

Part sneaker, part puffy, Teva’s Ember Moc may soon be part of many campers’ gear collections. We reviewed it outside, inside, and around town.

10) 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 skier’s routine!

11) When Fingers Are More Than Cold: Raynaud’s Disease

When do cold fingers and toes become a more serious condition? Raynaud’s disease causes painfully cold, and often pale, digits.

12) 10 Best Outdoor Documentaries Streaming on Netflix

These 10 documentaries streaming on Netflix will inspire outdoors adventure.

13) U.S. Wins First Gold in Cross-Country Skiing

In winning gold, Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins have done what no other U.S. skier has done before. The duo won the women’s team sprint freestyle race at the Pyeongchang Games and ended one of the longest medal droughts in Olympic history.

14) 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 Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Salomon, SOG, and more.

15) Full Send! The Best Ski Fails of 2018 From Jerry of the Day

This compilation from Jerry of the Day brings the best (or worst) blunders of the winter ski and snowboard season in one video.

16) From Camp to Home: The Best Slippers to Keep Your Feet Warm

We found the best slippers for women and men. From sitting around the campfire to hanging at home, these slippers are sure to keep you cozy.

17) Beal Escaper: Real-World Test

The Escaper provides a rope-releasing mechanism for full-length, single-rope rappels. I put it to the test on the walls at Potrero Chico, Mexico.

18) Ikon Ski Pass to Rival Vail’s Epic: Prices Announced

Look out Epic Pass, there’s a new multi-resort ski pass in town. It’s name is Ikon, and it just released pricing today. Copper Mountain, Aspen, Revelstoke, Jackson Hole: Shut up and take our money.

19) Access This Backpack on the Move, No Removal Required

The Mammut Spindrift 14 is one seriously clever backpack. Designed for fast and light backcountry ski missions, you don’t need to take it off to access most of the gear inside. Oh, and it has a built-in windbreaker.

20) 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.

21) The Birthplace of American Sport Climbing: The Story of Smith Rock

Smith Rock, one of the world’s most iconic sport climbing destinations, wasn’t always bolted sport climbing paradise. This is the story of Alan Watts, Smith Rock climbing pioneer.

22) Garmin Xero A1i Bow Sight Review: Field and Hunt Tested

The Garmin Xero A1i and A1 bow sights allow archers to range targets and set virtual sight pins with a single tool. It’s a major innovation in archery. We went to Texas to put the Garmin Xero to the test for this review.

23) $6,500 MTB vs. The Big Flyer: Who Will Win?

Ok, this isn’t a serious review. But it’s done in a serious tone and is pretty damn funny.

24) ‘Driverless Shuttle’ to Use Largest Bike Path in Minneapolis

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

25) 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.