GJ Week in Review: Bear Selfies, El Cap Speed Record, Gear Mishaps

A recap of top stories for the week of May 27 to June 2, 2018.

1) Climbing Season Closed: A Look Back at Record Year on Everest

2018 will go down as one of the most successful climbing years ever on Mt. Everest.

2) Full Price Be Damned: How We’d Spend Our REI Discount

REI’s anniversary sale is here, and we want to help you navigate the sea of deals. Check out what our editors would love to add to their gear closets.

3) 10 Annoying Outdoor Gear Mishaps We All Hate

We embrace the outdoors because it offers peace, quiet, and beauty. But it also serves up some massively irritating – and all-too-familiar – fusterclucks.

4) Red Light MTB: Brandon Semenuk Hits Gaps at Night

Watch mountain biker Brandon Semenuk ride an eerily illuminated course at night – and make it look easy.

5) First Look: Wild Country Revo Revamps Assisted Belay

Fall fast, and the Wild Country Revo kicks in to catch you even if your belayer fails. Here we give you our take on the nuanced assisted-locking belay device.

6) White House Exempts Guides From Minimum Wage Mandate

Guides and outfitters operating on federal lands will not have to abide by the $10.10 minimum wage requirement.

7) Gearo: Shop Virtual Aisles for Outdoor Rentals

Gearo, an online outdoor gear-rental marketplace, soft-launched this week. Founder Justine Barone said her startup was “born out of the idea to make outdoor rental gear more accessible and sustainable.”

8) Ironman’s Friendly Takeover of Ultra-Trail Australia

One of the biggest names in the triathlon space, Ironman will bring global attention to the Ultra-Trail Australia 100K as its new owner.

9) Build the Perfect Kit: Best Women’s Road Cycling Gear

Rain or shine, race or commute, gear up to ride in any conditions. These are our picks for great women’s cycling gear to keep you on the road and in the saddle.

10) Honnold, Caldwell Set Speed Record Up ‘The Nose’ of El Capitan

The Nose of El Capitan is one of the most iconic big-wall rock climbs in the world. Today, it has a new speed record thanks to Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell.

11) Screaming Deals: Gear Savings of the Week

Smartwool, The North Face, Big Agnes, and Outdoor Research gear is on sale this week. Our weekly column finds the best deals from across the web to save you money on outdoor gear.

12) Anti-‘Bear Selfie’ Campaign So Silly It Just Might Work

One PSA campaign is helping parks bust the now infamous ‘bear selfie’ trend.

13) Scoot Commute: Citywide e‑Scooters Hit US

Kick, kick, full throttle – Lime’s new electric scooter-share just hit Denver’s city streets. So I hopped on to see how it works.

14) Win Your ‘In’ to Outpost 2018 and $500 to Get There

Outpost is the anti-trade show for the outdoor lifestyle. That’s why everyone wants to be there.

15) YETI Takes On Water Coolers, Launches Backpack

Fly fishers, kayakers, construction workers … and soccer coaches? The YETI Panga Backpack and Silo water cooler double down on core users while stretching in new markets.

16) Stealth Fisherman: Flycraft Inflatable Driftboat Review

The trailerless, portable, inflatable Flycraft Stealth Fisherman weighs just 100 pounds fully-rigged for two anglers. We floated several rivers for this review.

17) Walmart Rod Lands Record-Breaking Catfish

Hauled from a Virginia lake, the catfish ‘Big Earle’ has been dubbed ‘a true river monster.’

18) Desk to Trail: 3 PT-Approved Stretches

How long till you can kill the screen, jump in the car, and hit the nearest trail for a post-work workout? Not so fast. Limber up with these physical therapist-recommended stretches.

19) 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.

20) Truck Bed for Your Back: Crushproof ‘RuckBucket’ Reinvents Backpack

Part beer koozie, part cat litter bucket, the RuckBucket aims to be three packs in one unusual design.

21) ‘Type 2’ Fun: Movie Explores Our Love of ‘Sufferfests’

Most outdoor athletes understand the concept of type-two fun. Why do people do things that hurt? This video explores the phenomenon.

22) End of an Era: Canon Discontinues Film Cameras

Goodbye darkrooms, enlargers, spools, and funny-smelling chemicals. Canon’s final film camera is no more.

23) Tiny Home From City Bus: Video Tour Family’s Abode

One family renovated the inside of a city bus to comfortably sleep four and go on adventures. Learn the secrets to maximizing space and outfitting a bus.

24) The Ultimate Guide to Getting Outdoors With a Toddler

Getting outdoors with a toddler can be overwhelming. But with the right gear and a few helpful tips, the entire family will enjoy playing outside.

25) Fullest Suspension! Guy Makes Bike Out of Springs

Have you wondered how a bike would ride if the frame was made entirely of springs? One wild YouTube creator cut the frame out of a bike and built himself a next-level ‘full-suspension’ mountain bike.

26) Get Fast, Have Fun in Idaho Backcountry Bike Camps

Rebecca Rusch will teach you to crush gravel and shred singletrack like a seven-time world champion.

27) Trekking the White Rim Trail in July: The Best Bad Idea

Want to see what goes wrong when two very funny friends hike across Canyonlands National Park in the middle of July? Thought so.

28) Your Next Summer Project: Restore a Vintage Trailer

Save a little money, add some personal flair, and enjoy an eye-catching ticket to outdoor adventure. Check out these classic fixer-upper pull-behinds.

29) GearJunkie Insider: Hydro Flask Unbound Series Cooler Design Story

Hydro Flask, a brand known for insulated bottles, recently launched its newest product category: soft-sided coolers. We talked with the brand’s lead designer for an inside look at its new line.

30) Zinke Designates 19 National Recreation Trails

The Department of the Interior designated National Recreation Trails in 17 states this week, improving the visibility and funding of lesser-known destinations.