I waited way too long to succumb to mountain bike hip packs. For years, I hoped the fanny pack fad would fade. Coming from a downhill racing background, I shunned any pack at all costs. I’d strap everything to my bike and stuff my pockets with tools and snacks. 　　Id do anything to avoid something bouncing around on my back...

　　Subaru doesnt really do new very often. Its not that the company doesnt completely redesign, restyle, and re-engineer its vehicles. Its that those changes are hidden under nearly identical wrappers. 　　The latest Forester is another example of that. The 2025 Subaru Forester shares nothing at all with the previous generation, but if you had told me it was just a...

　　The first time I met Robbi Mecus, she told me she liked my skirt. I was 25, working as an interior caretaker in the Adirondack High Peaks, my first job with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). My male supervisor had recently told me the skirt was unprofessional. But Robbi loved it—she lamented the fact that she couldn’t...

　　Greasy, sunscreen-coated skin is a discomfort for many outdoor enthusiasts. The oily lotion on your hands makes it hard to grip rock, and the layer spread onto your arms and legs becomes a grit and dust magnet on hiking trails. But the sun doesn’t care what your plans are. If you don’t protect your skin while recreating outside, you’ll pay...

　　My favorite place to camp is a spot in California’s eastern Sierra Nevada, outside the town of Mammoth Lakes, called the Inn at Benton Hot Springs. The small hotel has a private campground with 12 sites out back, and each comes with its own mineral springs-fed hot tub. You can pitch a tent or park your van on a spacious...

　　We once again found ourselves in the shoulder season, so we once again looked for gear that could handle conditions on both ends of the extremes. Pieces that could wick moisture as well as they could keep us warm from unexpected temperature drops, as well as pieces that transition just as easily from the trail to the coffee shop. These...

　　In a surprising—but not unheard of—determination, the Teton County Coroner ruled the death of Jackson Hole, Wyo., ski instructor Peter Wuerslin a homicide. The 71-year-old Jackson resident was involved in a serious collision on April 14, and was on life support in an Idaho hospital until his death on April 17. 　　Wuerslin, who was skiing on the intermediate Rendezvous trail,...

　　Mother’s Day can stump gift-givers. While presents handmade by adorable children go a long way, so does fun apparel and gear that lets moms do their thing in the great outdoors. 　　For outdoorsy women who are new moms, this Outside gift guide is full of great choices. But here’s a gift idea for moms at any stage: How about an...

　　Few outdoor brands in the hunting space do direct, on-the-ground conservation work like KUIU. Conservation Direct is a program the brand established to make a meaningful positive impact on wildlife populations. 　　In a time when big talk doesnt always lead to big action, KUIU is putting serious money where its mouth is. The companys conservation program is completely funded by...

　　Here’s the dream: Quit your job and hit all 64 national parks in one huge multi-month road trip where you live mostly in a van and finally see all of these iconic landscapes for yourself. To call that dream unrealistic is an understatement, at least for me, for a variety of reasons (see “quit job,” above), though it’s been accomplished...

　　There’s an old adage among mountaineers: “Climb high, sleep low.” It takes time to adapt to a lower-oxygen environment; in theory, this strategy aims to periodically expose the body to higher altitudes, which avoids putting too much stress on climbers all at once. But in practice, acclimatization isn’t so straightforward. The process varies widely depending on factors like general fitness...

　　Moms who hike are the coolest. Theyre out there enjoying nature, introducing their babies or kids to the trail and the outdoor lifestyle, or just sharing a meditative stroll through the woods with them. Or maybe theyre using nature to escape from their kids for a quick moment of peace and relaxation. Either way, its inspiring and exulting to see...