GJ Week In Review: Gun Bans, Fabric Spokes, Must-Have Trout Flies

A recap of top stories for the week of Feb. 25–March 3, 2018.

1) 9 Must-Have Trout Flies for Spring Fly Fishing

This selection of flies should have a home in your fly box this spring. These are some of the best spring trout flies to catch hungry fish.

2) Monday Bargains: 3 Steals to Start Your Week

Looking for great outdoor gear at an amazing price? Check out these discounts and sales from REI, Chaco, and Barebones.

3) Tell Tepui Your Dream Road Trip, Win $2,000 and Gear

Cruise down the coast, roam through the Rockies, or hightail it through the heartland: Tepui will make 10 getaways a reality with $2,000 and gear!

4) Watch: Ski Bike Makes for Fun Oddball Snow Sport

A ski bike first-timer gets on the weird contraption and bombs downhill in Banff, Alberta. Imagine a bike frame with two skis beneath it.

5) Power of She: REI Partners With Women’s Fitness Brand Athleta

In an effort to get more women outdoors, REI is teaming up with Athleta and expanding its women’s clothing offerings. Beginning Feb. 28, women can shop for Athleta at REI. From hiking shorts to yoga pants, a selection of Athleta brand apparel will be available in 14 REI stores and online at REI.com.

6) Best in Show: Most Beautiful Handmade Bikes in America, 2018

The North American Handmade Bicycle Show wrapped up in Hartford, Conn., this week. More than 150 exhibitors displayed the latest in handmade bicycles and gear. Here are the judges’ picks for this year’s best.

7) Try Overlanding Out West Without Buying a Thing

Rooftop tents and overland rigs are expensive. Pacific Overlander makes it easier to camp from your car with overland rentals outfitted with Toyota and Land Rover vehicles fully kitted for the backcountry.

8) Fischer Hannibal Is Light, Nimble Backcountry Ski

Fischer designed the Hannibal as a light touring ski that excels on the downhill. I tested the Hannibal for several days, focusing on fast downhill skiing for this review.

9) Watch: 5 Easy-to-Learn Ski Tricks

Some simple twists and ski movements are all it takes to learn some impressive-looking ski tricks. Watch this ski tutorial to gain the basics.

10) Hiker’s Dream Knife: Benchmade Bugout Review

The Benchmade Bugout is a useful, versatile folding knife that weighs less than 2 ounces. We put this ultralight folding knife to the test for this review. From the Benchmade Bugout’s excellent action to its effortless carry and cutting ability, it’s been hard to kick out of the pocket.

11) New Crew: Granite Gear Grounds Keepers to Clean 7,500 Miles of Trail

Twenty-five experienced hikers will each tackle 300 miles of trail this year to keep public spaces clean. Meet the 2018 Grounds Keepers team!

12) Freaking Strings! Fabric Bike Spokes Are Stronger Than Steel

These unassuming, flexible fabric Berd bicycle wheel spokes are half the weight of their steel counterparts. Meet the future of high-end cycling.

13) Dick’s Sporting Goods Bans Assault Rifles, Calls for Gun Control

Dick’s Sporting Goods, the largest sporting goods retailer in the United States, will also stop selling high-capacity magazines and guns to people under 21 years old.

14) Denali Climbers May Have to Haul Out Feces

Researchers claim there are already more than 150,000 pounds of human feces on Denali. Gross. New proposed regulations will require climbers to haul almost all feces off the mountain.

15) 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 discounts from Marmot, Mountain Standard, SOG, Eagle Creek, and more.

16) Primitive Cribs: Tour This Swanky Off-Grid Home

Take a tour of this hidden off-grid home, complete with electricity, hot water, and Wi-Fi. It makes living in the woods look glamorous!

17) Strange Currents: Canoeing From Communism in the Czech Republic

The history and culture of the Czech Republic are inexorably linked with a beloved watercraft, the canoe.

18) 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 an entire country.

19) $100K Grant to Fund 1,100-Mile Arkansas MTB Route

The money will help create Arkansas’ new High Country Mountain Bike Route, paving the way for one of the country’s most epic trails.

20) Gawk and Vote: Gorgeous Bikes From NAHBS People’s Choice Awards

Dozens of meticulously crafted bikes are being showcased for the North American Handmade Bicycle Show’s first People’s Choice Award.

21) Gun Control Debate Causes MEC to Drop CamelBak, Vista Brands

Mountain Equipment Co-op will suspend future sales of Bollé, Bushnell, CamelBak, Camp Chef, and Jimmy Styks products.

22) Update Successful: Apple Watch Now Tracks Ski Stats

Measure heart rate, gauge speed, and race against your friends – virtually. Apple Watch owners can now integrate their pow passions with ski-tracking apps.

23) How To Make a Fishing Movie the ‘Easy’ Way

Badfish founders Marty Gallipeau and Dylan Schmitz set off for the crystal clear waters of Belize. Their goal? Catch fish and show everyone how to film it. Turns out that first part isn’t as easy as advertised.

24) 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.

25) Cairn: A Monthly Surprise of Gear Goodies

Once a month, a box of outdoor gear shows up at the GearJunkie office and nobody has any idea what’s inside. But everyone is stoked! Our Cairn box is here, and it’s like Christmas morning.

26) Canyon Built Its Newest MTB for Women From Step One

Europe’s biggest direct-to-consumer bike brand builds its first women’s mountain bike, the Spectral WMN, and a new approach to better serving female riders who rip.

27) Gun Debate: REI Places ‘Hold’ On Vista’s CamelBak, Other Brands

In the wake of consumer petitions, REI announced it will place a hold on products from Vista Outdoor, including brands CamelBak, Giro, Bushnell, and Bell.

28) You Can Run in François D’Haene’s Shoes (and Hat)

François D’Haene ran the entire 100+ miles of the UTMB in a single pair of shoes and socks. Salomon made these shoes, the S/LAB Ultra, available to the masses this week.

29) Big Ice: Angela VanWiemeersch on Iconic First Female Ascent

Angela VanWiemeersch’s first female ascent of HMR, a massive ice climb above Lake Superior, was burly. Her second ascent of the remote, vertical flow was even sketchier. She tells us how to climb the beastly HMR in Michigan’s U.P.

30) MN Distillery to Host First US ‘Cycle Speedway’

Liquor in the front, racing in the back: An upstart craft distillery in Minneapolis will be the first in the U.S. to offer a British form of bike racing to all its patrons.

31) What It Takes: Beer Mile at 9,300 Feet

Four laps, four beers, one mile, and a whole lot of altitude. This video shows Silverton, Colo., is one of the tougher places to host such an irreverent event.

32) Canada Makes National Parks Free for Kids in 2018

The Canadian government announced national parks will now be free for people 17 years old and younger. The move is part of Canada’s 2018 federal budget and follows the success of 2017’s free parks project.

33) Record Fund to Help IMBA Create 100 New MTB Trails in 2018

Partnering with the Walton Family Foundation, the IMBA says it is poised to launch its largest trail fund ever. Launching this spring, the Trail Accelerator grant program will award MTB development funds to communities deemed most in need.

34) 8 Rugged Rentals for Affordable Off-Road Adventure

A new wave of companies in the U.S. rents these rugged campers (and some cool vintage models too). From modified vans to standalone adventure rigs, these rides will get you into the wilds in style.