A recap of top stories for the week of April 15–21, 2018.
1) Monday Bargains: 4 Steals to Start Your Week
Looking for great outdoor gear at an amazing price? Check out these discounts and sales from Osprey, Deuter, uvex, and Burton.
2) Invisible Battery: Bosch Launches Radical e-Bike System
Crack open the frame, plug in the battery, and snap it back together: Bosch’s latest e-bike innovation, the PowerTube 500, hides the power inside the bicycle.
3) 5 Reasons to Try OutDry Extreme
Columbia launched OutDry Extreme in 2016 as a waterproof-breathable solution in its jackets. The technology continues to evolve and has found its way across the brand’s top products in footwear, pants, gloves, and more.
4) Best Backpacking Stoves of 2018: Let’s Get Cooking
The right stove makes life on the trail better. From solo-canister to four-season multi-fuel options, we’ve tested and found the best backpacking stoves.
5) Breathtaking Timelapse Captures ‘El Capitan’ Speed Climb
Watch Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds break the speed record on the famed Yosemite climb, The Nose of El Capitan, in an astonishing 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 44 seconds, in Oct. 2017.
6) Injured, Cold, Remote: My Near-Disaster in Greenland
When a modest afternoon ski outing went awry, I found myself with a broken leg and dislocated shoulder in a remote corner of Greenland. This is my story.
7) ‘Pump Track to Pub’: Giro Unveils Streetwise MTB Shoes
Capped with Vibram’s stickiest rubber yet, Giro’s Riddance line showcases shoe styles designed for time on and off the bike.
8) The Mystery of the Missing Hiker Emoji
Do you remember an emoji of a hiker with trekking poles and a helmet? You’re not alone.
9) Tree Huggers & Hunters Unite: Patagonia Founder Joins BHA Rendezvous
Patagonia and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) come from different sides of the outdoor recreation aisle. But with a mutual goal of protecting public lands access, an alliance could make a powerful statement.
10) Park of Mirrors: Watch 2 BMX Riders Shred One-Of-A-Kind Arena
This bike park is completely covered in mirrors. Watch the riders hit jumps and rails, only to wonder where the next feature actually is.
11) No Frills Pack: Thule AllTrail 35 First Look
Minimal features and an unassuming profile: Thule shoots for a single-quiver pack with the AllTrail 35. I tested it hiking and scrambling for this first look.
12) Man to Trike 12,000 Miles for Veterans
With two surgically reconstructed knees, Gregory Hook hopes to fully circumnavigate the lower 48 states on his recumbent Terra Trike. He hopes to raise $25,000 for veterans struggling with PTSD.
13) 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 discount gear from Big Agnes, ENO, SOG, and more.
14) ‘Ultimate Metric’: Strava Revamps Suffer Score With ‘Relative Effort’
Runners, cyclists, swimmers, gym rats, and more – Strava’s latest algorithm promises to go beyond pace and time to reveal which athletes are working the hardest.
15) Swing Light: Salamandra Kevlar-Carbon Ice Axe Review
Carbon, Kevlar, and craftsmanship produce incredibly light yet robust tools, Elite Climb’s Salamandra ice axes.
16) Go to National Parks on Saturday: They’re Free!
April 21st kicks off National Park Week, and the National Park Service is celebrating with free admission to all parks on Saturday!
17) Fastest Known: Trail Running Trend Hits Stride in 2018
Long an obscure pursuit, FKT today nears critical mass. Major brand sponsors, media coverage, Red Bull stunts, and athlete Kilian Jornet are driving the movement into the mainstream.
18) MSR Hubba Tour 2 Tent Review: Weather Storms in Style
Forced to spend outside time inside? The MSR Hubba Tour 2 Tent Review is an adventure touring tent for those bad weather days.
19) Surly Lowside: Your First Bike, All Grown Up
Surly dusted off an old favorite, the Rat Ride, with modern fit and geometry. The result is a stripped-down bike for ‘the scenic route’ around town..
20) New Stumpjumper Ad Is Pure Marketing Gold
History and comedy combine to make a wonderfully entertaining ad for the return of a classic, the Specialized Stumpjumper mountain bike.
21) NY Offers Free Camping and Gear Lottery
Tents, sleeping bags, stoves, firewood, and more: New York will award some lucky first-time campers a fully stocked camp experience.
22) 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.
23) 2 Months, 2 Chairlift Accidents: Should You Worry?
A couple recent ski lift-related accidents brought up the question: How risky are chairlifts?
24) El Cap Rope Solo: The Remarkable Climbing Feat Few Will Understand
Pete Whittaker’s rope solo of El Cap in less than 24 hours is a niche climbing endeavor of absolute insanity.
25) Free Gear Fridays: Huge Sticker Giveaway
Garage Grown Gear and GearJunkie are partnering up for the Huge Sticker Giveaway! Ten winners will each receive stickers from 50+ incredible small and startup outdoor companies.
26) Car-Friendly Camp Trailer Triples in Size
Meet the Tipoon – a modular, mobile, lightweight pod that goes from tow mode to camp mode at the push of a button.
27) Lance Armstrong Settles Doping Lawsuit for $5 Million
Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong settled his eight-year legal battle with former teammate Floyd Landis and the federal government. He agreed to pay the US government $5 million and more than $1.5 million in legal fees.
28) Warmest Jacket Yet: Patagonia Grade VII Down Parka Review
Patagonia’s Grade VII Down Parka is a belay jacket designed for the most hardcore alpine conditions. I took the parka on an ice climbing trip last February for this review.
29) Fund Your Dream Vacation With KOA’s Adventure Grants
Kampgrounds Of America is offering thousands of dollars to fund people’s dream adventures. And you could be eligible.
