Primer: Water Purification in the Outdoors
Clean drinking water in the wilderness is never guaranteed. In this roundup review, Gear Junkie looks at a half-dozen purification products made for the outdoors.
Outside ‘Gear of the Year’
In its next issue, due on newsstands at the end of this month, Outside magazine will announce the Summer 2011 winners of its Gear of the Year awards. Here’s a sneak peek. . .
Review: Nimbus Trace 62
It’s built to carry loads of 40 pounds or more. A strange, gill-like panel was made to “fit the topography of your back.” Our writer tests the burly new Nimbus Trace 62 from Granite Gear.
Test: 3 oz. Jacket
It weighs about 3 ounces and packs in a tiny stuff sack smaller than a fist. But the Cirrus Pull-On from Rab can add enough warmth to save the day on a hike or a remote climb.
Test: $20 Gerber Machete
The $20 Gerber Gator Jr. machete is no heirloom piece. But it does the work of two tools and might make you look tougher, too.
Adidas Enters U.S. Outdoor Market
Athletics behemoth adidas AG is entering the U.S. outdoor marketplace with footwear, apparel, outerwear, and optics. Gear Junkie gets a Q&A with an adidas managing director for a peek at the company’s ambitious plans.
‘Birdseed’ Energy Bar
A compressed block of nuts and seeds — flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower — make Raw Crunch bars appear to be made for the birds. Gear Junkie takes a taste test.
Best OfView All
Bite-Size Energy ‘Solids’
Sidewalk chalk or energy food? Gear Junkie tests “the strangest energy food he has yet to try,” Hammer Nutrition’s chalky, hard Perpetuem Solids.
$220 Benchmade Pocketknife
Lovers of high-tech materials will geek out on this titanium and carbon-fiber knife from Oregon-based Benchmade.
12 Questions With Andrew Skurka
Back from his six-month “Alaska-Yukon Expedition,” ultra-light backpacking phenom Andrew Skurka sits down for a Q&A with Gear Junkie.
‘Best in Show’ awards (part II)
Part II of Gear Junkie’s “Best in Show” series highlights top products from the Outdoor Retailer trade show and includes touchscreen gloves, an alpine “smock” jacket, and a GPS device that connects to your smartphone.
‘Best in Show’ awards (part I)
The twice-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show, held in Salt Lake City, is an exhibition of the best outdoors equipment in the world. Gear Junkie offers part I of our “Best in Show” gear list from the hundreds of new products that debuted in Utah last week.
OR Trade Show: 2011 Teaser
The Gear Junkie crew is off to Utah this week and the twice-annual Outdoor Retailer trade show. Here’s a quick visual tour of a few new products that have already caught our eye.
Six Outdoor Essentials
Equipment can break. Your body can wear down. These six items have helped Gear Junkie endure and work through bad breaks, gear malfunctions and pain.
22-Gram Backpacking Knife
A freakishly light and affordable backpacking knife, the 22 GRAM from Baladeo aims to please even the staunchest go-light backpackers.
‘Off-Leash’ Dog Collar
The Release N Run collar has a tiny retractable leash hidden inside. It was designed for people who frequent dog parks and natural areas where your dog can run free.
Water-Carrying ‘Vest’ Pack
Need to run or hike fast with water and little else? A hydration vest is a good option. In this column, Gear Junkie tests the new E-LITE vest from Hydrapak.
Trip Report: Hornby Island, B.C.
Hornby Island, a dot of land in British Columbia’s inside passage, was the venue this fall for a solo trail run adventure. Gear Junkie recounts the run with an interactive SPOT map (including photos and GPS details!) created for the trip.
Bear Grylls Gear
We reviewed Gerber’s Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife last month. In February, the company will unveil a complete line of “Bear”-branded products. Gear Junkie offers a first look.
11-inch Camp Knife
SOG’s evolution of the 1838 “Bowie”-style knife includes an integrated sharpener and a polymer handle over-molded with a rubber grip. Writer T.C. Worley gives the blade a full and multi-faceted test.
‘Top 10’ Gear of 2010
Drum roll. . . GearJunkie’s annual ‘Top 10’ Gear picks award the best of the best outdoors equipment after a year of use and abuse around the world. Congrats to Rab, Inov-8 Ltd., Icebug, Garmin, Ibex, Suunto. . .
Long-Distance Radios
Not your grandfather’s walkie-talkies. Motorola cites 35 miles as the maximum communication range for its new handheld Talkabout radios.
Oakley All-Metal Sunglasses
Oakley’s latest sunglasses are made of metal. A stout aerospace aluminum offers durability as well as performance features for moderate activity outdoors.
Review: Vasque Transistor
The Transistor FS shoe has no footbed and a low-to-the-ground design. Contributing writer T.C. Worley put them to the test this fall.
Bear Grylls Knife
Bear Grylls, he of the broadcast television hit “Man vs. Wild,” has designed a knife for Gerber. The “Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife” comes to market this month for $60.
Review: ULTRA Headlamp
Overkill for the average hiker, but an essential tool in certain high-stakes nighttime scenarios, Petzl’s ULTRA headlamp is in the running as the brightest on the market.
External-Frame Backpacks
Clunky remnants of another era? Not so claim several backpack manufacturers who have brought external-frame models back to the retail floor.
Origins of Swiss Army Knife
Swiss Army Knives are symbols of utility and smart design known the world over. Gear Junkie traveled to Switzerland this summer to investigate the history of the iconic brand.
‘Best in Show’ awards
GearJunkie.com’s inaugural “Best in Show” awards highlight a dozen innovative new products seen at the Outdoor Retailer trade show this month.
World’s Scariest Hikes
Shoulder a pack. Lace up your boots. Now, don’t look down. My recent article for Travel+Leisure covers 10 of the planet’s scariest hikes.
Gear Made in the USA
The outdoors industry has no shortage of goods that come from overseas. But a surprising number of brands tout products originated in the USA. Gear Junkie investigates.
