Spring is for pretty much every outdoor activity out there—skiing, camping, biking, running, climbing—you name it. Outsides editors put the season to good use this year, camping out next to raging rivers, skiing late-spring lines at our local resorts, and running those favorite trails that are finally accessible thanks to melted snow. Below are the pieces of spring gear that...

　　Training for a long-distance trail objective is no small feat—it takes time, dedication, and a whole lot of grit. Now, imagine doing that while earning two master’s degrees, building a career as a pianist and composer, and maintaining a newsletter. Sound impossible? Not for Mountain Hardwear athlete Liz Derstine. The trail-running powerhouse, professional musician, and writer is proving that it’s...

　　Most of the big sales on gear fall around a holiday: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and for outdoor enthusiasts, REI’s anniversary. Every May, REI hosts its biggest sale of the year with steep discounts (up to 50 percent off!) on top products from favorite brands. Heres why gearheads should get excited about one of the biggest sales...

　　Cameras present a unique challenge in the backcountry or on an adventure. They’re often heavier, always more expensive, and usually more fragile than any other outdoor gear you’re hauling around (including your phone). That means you need a trustworthy camera bag that carries exceptionally well, is easy to access, protects your gear from drops, falls, and the elements, and is...

　　Elite athletes have a remarkable ability to focus on what they can control and let go of what they can’t. They are process obsessives, honing in on the manifold factors—like diet, exercise, and recovery—that can make the difference between being first and being a footnote. Nutrition, weight lifting, and mental performance have all taken turns revolutionizing training, yet aside from...

　　You probably know Katie Burrell from Instagram, where she’s built a sizeable following by skewering outdoor stereotypes and having World Cup race ski-sharp takes on how relationships live and die on trails of all sorts. But she’s also a seasoned standup comedian who wrote and starred in 2023’s homage to 80s ski comedies, “Weak Layers,” all of which is why...

　　Do you know what the absolute perfect Mother’s Day gift is? A well-coordinated family activity in the great outdoors with mom’s loving children not complaining about any of it, the entire time. 　　But we know that a family hike, backpacking trip, camping overnight, bike ride, paddle, or climb can be hard to pull off, especially with everyone involved and happily...

　　If youve ever seen complete strangers exchange a joyous shout and fist-pump over a shared team jersey, you know the power of good merch. When you wear something representing an organization you care about, youre immediately part of a special club. That sense of membership can be key to feeling a sense of community and belonging. Of course, not all...

　　The ocean is far more than a backdrop for Dr. Guy Harvey—it’s been a lifelong inspiration and the heart of his work. From his childhood in Jamaica to his career in marine biology, Harvey has dedicated his life to protecting the sea. Through his artwork, scientific research, and numerous outreach programs, he has sparked a movement for ocean conservation, educating...

　　Yellowstone National Park’s paint palette is a vibrant collection of hues: deep purple and fiery red wildflowers, warm gold grasses, cool green sagebrush, and polychromatic geysers. It has inspired artists like Tahoe City–based painter Bryn Merrell and many others throughout history, including Yellowstone Bourbon, to pay homage to the park’s natural wonders. ...

　　Minnesota is not always top of mind when it comes to outdoor adventure, but it should be. Just ask lifelong “Land of 10,000 Lakes” local Dave Simonett, lead singer of Trampled By Turtles. Dave grew up in Mankato and spent his youth exploring its rolling woods. And when he formed Trampled in Duluth in 2003, something surprising happened. His love...

　　With the exception of Scotsmen in kilts, skirts tend to stoke controversy in the outdoors. The first women mountaineers—like Henriette d’Angeville, who, in 1838, became the second woman to ever successfully climb Mount Blanc—didn’t have much of a choice but to hike in a skirt or dress, given the gendered fashion norms of the nineteenth century. But in the 1900s,...