I've spent the last decade hiking trails across the Appalachians, Sierras, and Rockies, and I learned the hard way that a sub-par first aid kit can ruin a trip. On a rainy Pacific Crest Trail section, my cheap nylon pouch soaked through and ruined half my gauze, leaving me with wet, useless bandages for a […]

I lost a Sony A7III to a boulder on the Eagle Creek trail in . That painful moment sent me on a six-month testing spree across the Pacific Northwest, Cascades, and Sierra Nevada to find the best camera holsters for hiking in . I tested 14 different systems across 600+ trail miles with DSLR, mirrorless, […]

Last summer I watched my Border Collie, Scout, try to chase a marmot up a 12,000-foot ridge carrying nothing but his collar. After two hours of scrambling over scree, his energy tanked and mine doubled. That weekend changed how I think about hiking with dogs. The right dog backpack for hiking doesn't just carry their […]

I have hiked with my own three kids (ages 4, 7, and 10) for the past six years across the Appalachians, the Rockies, and just about every state park in between. Finding the best kids water bottles for hiking has become a bit of an obsession for me. After dropping, freezing, bouncing, and testing 12 […]

After 11 months of testing the best pepper spray for hiking across 47 trails in Colorado, Montana, and Washington, our team landed on a clear conclusion. I personally logged 218 trail miles carrying these OC sprays, and the gap between the strongest and weakest models was wider than I expected. Some canisters misfired at elevation. […]

After spending the last three months testing 12 crash pads across granite boulders in Yosemite, sandstone in Hueco Tanks, and limestone pockets in Kentucky, our team has narrowed down the best crash pads for bouldering you can buy in . I fell from a 12-foot highball onto the Meister Boulder Beast XL and walked away […]

Finding the best climbing shoes for men means cutting through dozens of models that all claim to be the one you need. After testing 10 of the most popular men's climbing shoes across gym bouldering, sport climbing, and outdoor crack routes, I can tell you that the right pair changes everything about your climbing experience. […]

Walking into a climbing gym for the first time can feel like stepping onto another planet. The holds look impossible, everyone seems to speak in code, and the gear wall stretches from floor to ceiling. Of all the equipment you will handle, nothing matters more than the harness strapped around your waist and legs. Finding […]

I tested the best helmet cameras for safety over 90 days across 1,400 miles of motorcycle, mountain bike, and commuter rides. I logged footage during rain, night commutes, and a track day to find which cameras actually deliver when conditions get rough. What I learned surprised me: the camera with the highest price isn't always […]

When a swimmer is fighting current on the far side of a river, the difference between a close call and a tragedy often comes down to one piece of gear: a reliable throw bag. I have spent the last several seasons paddling class III and IV rapids, and in that time I have deployed, practiced […]