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The Best Camping Stoves of 2021

Traeger

Camping stoves come in all shapes, sizes and weights, and they burn a range of fuels from white gas to isobutane — the stuff in the squat, lightweight canisters — to propane to wood. Before you buy a stove, think about how you’ll use it. Are you backpacking or car camping? Portable camping stoves range from ounces for an ultralight backpacking option to 60 pounds for a small smoker grill.

Another key factor when you’re shopping for stoves is what fuel is available where you’ll use the stove. For example, if you’re traveling internationally, trying to track down an isobutane canister can be a multi-day project, and picking a stove that burns white gas or even unleaded might save you time, effort and money. And a wood-burning stove might be ideal for forest camping but not so much for high traverses above treeline.

Then, decide how and what you want to cook. For example, a stove that boils water fast might be great for dehydrated meal cooking, but it might not simmer as well as another model. Whichever camp stove you choose, clean it of grease and food when you’re done with your meal. That’ll keep animals away and help your stove last for decades of camping trips.

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Best Overall Stove: MSR WhisperLite International Multi-Fuel Stove

backcountry.com

$109.95

Finding isobutane canisters can be challenging when you’re traveling. That doesn’t matter for this stove, which burns white gas, kerosene and, in a pinch, even unleaded. It’s fast too — boiling a liter of water takes just 3.5 minutes. At 10.9 ounces, it’s sized for backpacking, with wide pot supports that fold for transport. Plus, it’s one of the most efficient stoves in cold temperatures, which has earned it wide trust amongst mountaineers.

Works in cold temps and at altitude
Burns various fuel types

No simmer function
MSR fuel bottle required

Best Upgrade Stove: Traeger Ranger

amazon.com

$399.00

Smoke meat, vegetables and more in your campsite with Traeger’s 60-pound, portable, pellet-powered smoker grill. Bear in mind that you’ll need to power it from your vehicle or a portable power pack to use it, but that enables its Digital Arc Controller, which keeps the temperature consistent. There’s also a warm mode that can keep food from going cold if you’re busy with an impromptu frisbee game. It comes with a cast iron griddle as well as grill grates.

Grill and smoker functionality
Can slow cook without constant monitoring

Requires electricity
Heavy

Best Budget Stove: Coleman Classic Propane Gas Camping Stove

walmart.com

$43.88

For car camping, it doesn’t get more dependable and affordable than Coleman’s Two-Burner. Each burner is independently adjustable and large enough to hold full-size pots or a griddle, and they put out 20,000 BTU of heat while side flaps block any wind.

Dependable
Space for two pots

No igniter

Easiest Stove to Pack: Primus Firestick Ti

backcountry.com

$119.95

Pull the cap off this clever and compact titanium backpacking isobutane stove, and the three spring-loaded, wind-blocking pot supports deploy to reveal a burner at the center. The stove, which screws onto any isobutane canister, comes in a felted pouch that also holds a piezo igniter.

Easy to operate
Rugged
Focused flame profile

Igniter is separate
Somewhat precarious

Best Stove System for Backpacking: Jetboil Stash

rei.com

$129.95

The seven-ounce, insulated Stash is a highly functional, fully integrated ultralight cooking system that can boil water in 2.5 minutes. The included 0.8-liter pot, which has a drink-through silicone top, doubles as a mug or bowl and stores the stove burner, isobutane canister and canister support for ultra-compact packing when traveling.

Fast boil time
Fuel-efficient
Compact packing

Add a second cup if you have two people

Best Ultralight All-in-One Stove: MSR PocketRocket Deluxe

backcountry.com

$69.95

The smallest stove with a built-in igniter is highly adjustable from simmer to boil, and it burns hot, boiling a liter of water in 3.5 minutes. The push-start igniter means no lighter required, and the new, broader burner is wind-resistant. Like many other camping stoves, this one runs on isobutane.

No lighter needed
Easy to adjust heat

Less stable than some stoves

Best Charcoal Grill: Solo Stove Grill Ultimate Bundle

solostove.com

$500.00

This easy-to-light convective airflow stove burns hot and fast so you can have the great taste of charcoal cooking without the hassle or the wait. Its cylinder shape provides a large surface area for food over a lower grate that holds the charcoal. This bundle comes with 13-inch legs, but you can remove them for easier transportation (and better marshmallow roasting access). It’s heavier than other stoves on this list, so consider this one for car camping.

Lights fast and reaches cooking readiness quickly
Legs swap for two cooking height options
Bundle comes with grill tools, charcoal, fire starter, travel bags, grill cover, and tall legs as well as short legs

Heavy and bulky

Best Wood Burning Stove: Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove

amazon.com

$59.95

Vargo’s hexagonal titanium stove burns twigs and other small scraps of wood, which means that you can avoid carrying fuel with you. It’s also hinged and folds flat for travel, making it ideal for ultralight setups. Deployed, the sides form a cone that focuses heat up toward your pot, and one of its panels is hinged so you can add more fuel and control the damping without pulling your meal off the heat. Add in Vargo’s converter stove, sold separately, and you can use this one to burn alcohol, fuel tabs or gels.

Lightest camping stove on this list
No need to carry fuel

More hassle than gas stoves

Most Powerful Stove: Camp Chef Pro Series Deluxe 2-Burner Camp Stove

cabelas.com

$249.99

Simmer, boil, braise, grill and toast over this stove’s two propane-powered cast-aluminum 30,000-BTU burners. Electronic ignition and a 3-sided windscreen help get this standing stove going and keep it burning in all weather. The folding steel tubing legs have built-in levelers and are angled to give the stove stability on uneven ground, and burner covers double as side tables for campsite mise en place. The whole thing is transportable with a briefcase-style handle and runs off regular grill-sized propane tanks.

Available accessories include a grill and pizza oven
Burner covers double as prep space
Hottest burning stove on this list

Buttons that lock legs are finicky

The 13 Best Camping Chairs of 2021

Lightweight seating for every type of camping out there.

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June 10, 2021 / Comments Off

341

These New Bikes and Accessories Can Conquer Any Surface

In case you missed it, the past weekend was a big one in the gravel biking world. The sport’s most iconic event, Unbound Gravel, came back strong. The Flint Hills of Emporia, Kansas were thick with a colorful crowd of bikes and riders — 2,800 cyclists ranging in age from 11 to 88 representing 48 states and 28 countries.

In the end, a couple of hard-charging 30-year-olds — Ian Boswell and Lauren De Crescenzo — claimed the signature 200-mile race’s highest honors, but the big winner was the sport itself, which has a bright future as the world opens back up.

The industry itself has a promising outlook too, not only on gravel but on roads and mountains. The latest product drops provide plenty of inspiration to get out and pedal just about anywhere.

Bikes

Allied Cycle Works Echo

Allied

This new bike perfectly represents the drive to ride anywhere. As we noted last week, the Echo features flip chips and a corresponding dropout design that lets you shift its geometry. In 15 minutes, you can adjust the chainstay length and fork length to transform from a speedy road bike to a nimble gravel bike. Considering Allied’s history of high-performance gravel bikes, that’s super exciting.

Price: $6,000+

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Santa Cruz Blur

Santa Cruz

If you’re looking to fly on slightly rockier terrain, Santa’s Cruz’s latest Blur might be your beast. The brand poured all its experience into making a carbon-framed full-suspension bike that’s light AF. This one tips the scales at 23 pounds, more than half a pound lighter than the previous edition, yet still boasts four inches or more of travel to keep you bouncing along the trails.

Price: $4,599+

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Lyft E-Bike

Lyft

North America’s biggest ebike operator brought loads of know-how to its first ground-up ride. The sleek-looking machine features a connected screen that’s both a dashboard and a speaker, retroreflective paint, beacon lighting effects, a powerful 500-watt motor and 60 miles of range. Lyft is currently beta testing in the Bay Area, with a wider rollout beginning in Chicago expected later this year.

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Civilized Cycles Model 1

Civilized Cycles

If this ebike calls to mind a Vespa, there’s a reason: Civilized’s founder owned America’s largest Vespa dealership. Launching later this month, the Model 1 boasts active suspension to accommodate two passengers and up to 50 pounds of cargo via expandable panniers. Oh and it can move: spin the pedals or twist the throttle and the 750-watt motor will hit 28 miles per hour with a 50-mile range.

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ACCESSORIES

Rapha Performance Trailwear Lightweight Jacket

Rapha

Long celebrated for well considered road apparel, Rapha splashed into mountain biking last week with its smartly designed Performance Trailwear collection. A great example is this lightweight windbreaker, which cleverly packs into its own chest pocket and attaches to your bike frame with an included storage strap, so it’s ready whenever you need it.

Price: $180

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Pit Viper High Speed Off Road DH Pant

Pit Viper

Hailing from a completely different root product — radical retro sunglasses — Pit Viper just launched a flashier but equally technical mountain biking line dubbed High Speed Off Road. Our favorite piece? These unisex nylon/spandex blend pants that feature handy pockets where you need them, laser-cut thigh ventilation, articulated knee panels and steeze for days.

Price: $132.75

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USWE Raw 3

USWE

OK so technically, USWE’s new Raw hydration packs are for off-road motorcycling. But we’d happily combine the Raw 3 with the Blur, Rapha jacket and Pit Viper pants and hit some mountain bike trails. The No Dancing Monkey 1.2 harness system minimizes bounce while the 70-ounce bladder constantly quenches thirst and the clever detachable pocket stores gear and grub.

Price: $129.95

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Gnarly Nutrition Fuel₂O

Gnarly

The latest offering from Gnarly Nutrition just might be the perfect addition to the water in that USWE pack. Every 12-ounce serving features 100 calories of easy-to-digest, energy-boosting sucrose and dextrose, plus electrolytes and HMB, which helps to reduce muscle protein breakdown. Flavors include tropical, limeade and caffeine-loaded cherry cola.

Price: $28.95+

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CHPT3 Most Days

CHPT3

Designed by founder and pro racer David Millar, the premium brand’s first own-made collection promises sustainably made apparel that is elegant, high-performance and accessible to a wide range of riders. The line includes jerseys, shorts, base layers, a wind vest, socks, accessories and the first CHPT3 products specifically designed for women.

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June 8, 2021 / Comments Off

388

The Best Camera Backpacks of 2021

Camera gear is heavy. Even a sparing system consisting of a camera body and two lenses can approach ten pounds. Add in more lenses, batteries, a flash, external hard drive, filters and other accessories, or perhaps even a second camera body, and the heft factor multiplies fast. If you’re toting around this much photography gear, a dedicated camera backpack can be indispensable.

For a long time, though, camera backpacks have been a bit, for lack of a better word, dorky. They’ve been bulky and conspicuous, neither of which are great traits for a bag meant to carry thousands of dollars worth of heavy equipment.

Thankfully, product designers have caught on. They’ve taken advantage of the same materials and features that make bags capable of withstanding harsh weather and hundred-mile backpacking trips. The result is that today’s camera backpacks are more protective, more organized and more comfortable than ever before.

Best Overall

Courtesy

Wandrd Prvke

Simply put, Wandrd gave the Prvke everything you want in a camera backpack: convenient access equipment via back and side panels, organizing pockets for cables and other accessories, a padded laptop sleeve and space for extra layers, snacks or any other gear you might need to bring on a shoot (just how much depends on which size bag you opt for).

These are prerequisites, though; the Prvke stands out because it’s made of a rugged, weatherproof material that makes it functional for various scenarios, because its roll-top design gives it packing flexibility and because it’s discreet and doesn’t necessarily look like it’s full of expensive camera gear. One downside is that you have to purchase Wandrd’s padded camera insert separately (the 41-liter Prvke comes with one), but we do like that these are removable, which means you can use it with other bags too.

Upgrade Pick

Courtesy

Peak Design Everyday Backpack

peakdesign.com

$259.95

Peak Design’s Everyday Backpack is unique among camera bags. Instead of using a removable insert for equipment organization as most do, the bag has three of Peak Design’s FlexFold dividers, which act like shelves and have folding ends for a remarkably customizable storage system. You can take them out if you don’t need them, and you can access them from zippered panels on both sides of the bag.

The list of the Everyday Backpack’s other features is long and impressive — it includes a size-adjustable laptop sleeve that’s separate from the main compartment, tons of stretchy, sleeve-style pockets for small items (we count 12), exterior sleeve pockets for a water bottle or tripod and an expandable lid with a fast-opening magnetic latch. Speaking of magnets, there are a bunch in the bag — they keep some zipperless pockets closed, and a set also secures the shoulder straps to the pack’s back panel when not in use. It’s a small detail but keeps everything nice and compact.

We could go on because Peak Design left no detail untouched (okay, here’s one more: you can attach the zipper pulls to loops for a bit of light theft prevention). The pack is pretty structured, which is good for protection but means it’s not as sleek as others, especially in the larger 30-liter size. For a similar set of features in a slimmer package, check out Peak Design’s smaller Everyday Backpack Zip.

Budget Pick

Courtesy

F-Stop Dalston

amazon.com

$149.00

If you don’t have a ton of camera gear (or simply don’t want to lug it around on your back) and aren’t looking for as many special features, you can save some cash by opting for a more straightforward pack like F-Stop’s Dalston. The bag is set up for side access to your camera via a removable padded insert — it’s not as versatile as others we tested but does the job here — and its roll-top design offers expandable storage for other items on top of that. There’s also a separate laptop/tablet sleeve. There’s one more small exterior pocket on the backpack’s face, but not much else in terms of organization. For photographers with less gear, the design is still ideal.

Best for Action Sports

Courtesy

Atlas Packs Athlete

atlaspacks.com

$395.00

While many of the backpacks here use some version of a removable camera insert for organization and protection. Atlas’s Athlete has one built-in. The brand calls it the Origami Camera Core, and the compartment is separate from the rest of the bag, where there’s room for gear for camping, skiing, climbing and so on. There is an element of customization, though — you can adjust a semi-rigid panel so that there’s either more room in the photo section of the pack or more in the gear section, depending on what you need. Without inserts, you also save on weight and can better manage how the load sits inside the bag.

Atlas also packed the Atlas with features for adventuring. We’ve tested the bag on hiking trips and ski trips and have appreciated how efficiently the Origami Camera Core system divides up the pack’s space and how similarly it functions like a bag not oriented toward photography.

Atlas is currently updating the Athlete — you can preorder the 2021 version here.

Best for Hiking

Courtesy

Wandrd Fernweh

wandrd.com

$349.00

All of the backpacks on this list can accompany you on short trips down a trail, but for full-day or multi-day adventures, you might want to consider something more substantial. Wandrd’s Fernweh takes many features from hiking backpacks — a supportive hipbelt and shoulder harness, breathable back panel, load adjustment straps — and adds camera accessibility. The Fernweh has the same side panel access as the Prvke, and its back panel zips open for a total view of the bag’s contents (this is nice for unpacking when you get to camp, too). The front panel also opens for a total of four entrances to the bag’s insides.

Wandrd’s camera protection and organization system relies on its removable cubes. It’s a bummer that the Fernweh doesn’t come with one, but it’s nice that you can always remove that element and use it just as a hiking pack if you aren’t taking photos.

Best Durable Design

Courtesy

Mission Workshop Integer

missionworkshop.com

$485.00

Mission Workshop’s Integer calls to mind a bike messenger bag, but it has a full set of features for hefting photography gear around urban environments (it works well for shorter outdoor adventures too). Beneath the oversized buckle on its face is a zippered access point to the main compartment. Inside, there’s a removable padded camera insert for your photo gear. You can also reach this section from a side access point for on-the-go shooting and from the top, which helps for packing (we also like that you can zipper shut a separator to create two distinct compartments for photo and non-photo gear).

In addition to access, the Integer excels with lots of organization for smaller items, plus a nifty tripod sling on the side. But a major reason to love this backpack is its construction, which consists of weatherproof two-layer fabric that lends structural support as well as protection. A former Gear Patrol photographer praised its durability and its low-key looks. “I like the idea of people not knowing there’s camera gear inside,” he says.

The Best Camera Inserts

In putting together this guide, we surveyed bag recommendations from Gear Patrol’s former and current staff photographers and the freelance photographers we work with too. Many of them shared a similar insight: the perfect camera backpack doesn’t exist. Many aren’t suitable for specific activities — “I have yet to find anything close to sufficient for distance running,” says Gear Patrol contributor Andy Cochrane — or are made for carrying more photo gear than you need.

The solution: camera inserts. Many of the brands that make our favorite camera backpacks also make stand-alone camera inserts, sometimes called camera cubes, that fit into any bag you already own. “They make anything usable,” says former Gear Patrol staff photographer Chase Pellerin. “It’s not as run-and-gun, but it allows you to turn any bag into a camera bag.” Here are our three favorites.

Courtesy

Tenba BYOB Camera Inserts

tenba.com

$55.95

Tenba’s BYOB line of inserts comes in sizes ranging from single-camera carry up to a complete kit with multiple lenses. They have modular padding, and each one has additional exterior and interior pockets for things like cables, memory cards, etc.

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Peak Design Camera Cube

peakdesign.com

$49.95

Peak Design made its Camera Cube to fit seamlessly into its travel bags, but they function equally well in other bags and backpacks too. It comes in three sizes, and each one comes with full padding and flexible dividers you can move around to create your ideal configuration.

Courtesy

F-Stop Internal Camera Units

shop.fstopgear.com

$39.00

F-Stop also made its camera inserts with its backpacks in mind, but they can work well with others. They come in different sizes and depths, the biggest of which can support full movie-making kits. These, too, have customizable pad inserts that can adapt to any setup.

June 8, 2021 / Comments Off

328

Can a Single Bike Really Do It All? This One Comes Damn Close

One ride to rule them all. That may have been the refrain playing in the heads of Will Hudson and Brian Szykowny when the two lifelong friends got together to start a bike brand, combining their names to form the word Hudski.

The dream? A bike that could cruise city streets as easily as it could mountain trails. The thinking? A lot of stuff that’s awesome for a mountain bike could be great for a road bike too. The result? The Hudski Doggler, which just about gets there.

In truth, the bike is a single platform for three different builds — City, Gravel and Mountain — but they essentially exist on a spectrum, with major distinguishing factors being the sweep of the handlebars, the type of rims and tires and the frame geometry.

I’ve been test riding the City edition here in New York, and it basically feels like someone threw a suit and tie on a mountain bike — in a good way. Even this refined version borrows liberally from the off-road world, and the takeaways I’m about to share tend to concern qualities all three iterations of this $1,999 beast possess. One ride to rule them all indeed.

What We Like

Long and light platform

Hudski

As a mountain biking fan, I dig the geometry of this bike, which supports a relaxed, upright riding position that makes cruising around the city comfortable and fun. It’s also super light weight: an aluminum frame and carbon fork help keep the City and Gravel versions at 24.2 pounds and the Mountain one at 24.9. The shape and weight combined leaves me unable to resist the urge to hop on and off just about every curb I see. The childlike joy of rambunctious go-anywhere biking instantly returned, much to the mild annoyance of my riding buddies.

1x drivetrain

Hudski

A year ago, GP documented why and how the 1x drivetrain was taking over the mountain and gravel bike worlds — and daydreamed about it migrating over to road bikes. Well here we have it, and it’s glorious. Just a flick of a thumb and forefinger lets me toggle through 12 rear chainrings and a massive gear range, more than enough to handle the climbs and descents most city streets and singletrack trails present. The convenience of controlling all the gearing with one hand can’t be understated, especially when I’m, say, squeezing between a cab and a delivery truck as I bomb down Ninth Avenue.

Dropper post

Hudski

A related mountain bike breakthrough we salute is the mighty dropper post, a feature we’ve been itching to see the road world adopt. So it’s rad that Hudski snuck one into all three versions of the Doggler. They sourced from one of our favorite brands, too: Pacific Northwest Components, or PNW. Having a dropper post is pretty indispensable for mountain biking, as it allows you to quickly get the seat out of your way during steep, technical descents. But it’s just as fun to drop the seat in the city. I find myself using it all the time to get low and fast as I coast down the backside of bridges and some of the city’s sweeter downhills, like up around 130th Street in Harlem.

Fat tires

Hudski

Any regular city rider will tell you that the bane of such an existence is roads seemingly designed to flatten tires. With potholes, broken glass and general urban debris being staples of a daily commute, you’d be a fool to hit the streets without packing a patch kit, a 15 wrench and a pump. I don’t worry about it with this bike though. Generous Maxxis Grifter 29×2.0 tires ensure flats are the least of my worries. I can literally roll right through potholes with these tires; dirt and gravel are totally crushable too. The frame and fork allow swapping in the Mountain editions 27.5-inch rims and tires, too, should the true off-road urge strike.

So many mounts

Hudski

With bikepacking on the brain, Hudski outfitted the Doggler with plenty of mounts to accommodate water bottles, locks and luggage. There are two bolts on the seat tube, three on the downtube and four on either side of the fork, plus rack mounts, so you can load up as much as you can possible carry across the city or far out on the trails.

Watch Out For

Wiiiide bars

Hudski

The standard bars here are high risers with a 27-degree sweep. (The gravel and mountain versions are just about flat.) Interestingly, Hudski has provided an option for customization: remove the handgrips, and you’ll find little rulers printed right on the bars, enabling you to have them cut to your exact specifications. However, if you don’t take that step, you’ll have bars that are incredibly comfortable — and insanely wide for city riding. As someone who likes to dart through traffic, I find myself dangerously close to taking out rearview mirrors whilst making moves on narrow or crowded streets.

Versatility adds up

Jordan Rosen

As mentioned, you can modify this bike to make it better equipped to optimize it for other kinds of riding. As is it can definitely handle some off-road action, but swapping in mountain bike tires would definitely make a difference on the trails. But by my calculations, the rims and tires on the Mountain edition will cost you upwards of $300. Considering the base price is already $1,999, that’s hardly chump change.

It can’t do everything

Jordan Rosen

In my testing, the City edition of the Doggler is a pretty fantastic commuter that can handle a bit of off-road activity. My sense is that the Mountain edition is a competent trail bike that can also ride on the street. As much as these bikes do span a spectrum, however, it is cut off at both ends. The City edition can’t compete with a standard drop bar road bike — even a cheap one — for pure speed. And even with its 1x drivetrain and dropper post, the Mountain edition has no suspension, so you can’t exactly downhill on this thing.

Is it For Me?

Great question. If you only have room in your life/living situation for a single bike — and want something that can at the very least handle a wide variety of surfaces and types of riding, the Doggler is pretty tough to beat. Just assess what type of riding you do the most to decide between the three different — but not that different — versions.

Verdict

I started by referencing The Lord of the Rings, and I’ll end by paraphrasing Jerry Maguire: I love the Doggler for the bike it wants to be. And I love it for the bike it almost is. Seriously though. I am a huge fan of the ambition and innovation of this bike, and for what Hudson and Szykowny did not lose sight of when creating it: the simple joy of riding. From the very first moment, the Doggler is fun as hell to ride. Together with all the technical features, that factor makes this bike a big winner in my book. At the same time, I can’t wait to see what these boys come up with next.

Hudski

Hudski Doggler 12 Speed City Hybrid Bike

Hudski

Hudski Doggler 12 Speed Adventure Gravel Bike

Hudski Doggler 12 Speed Rigid Mountain Bike

June 4, 2021 / Comments Off

318

This New Bicycle Promises to Be 2 Bikes in 1

Two years ago, Bentonville, Arkansas-based Allied Cycle Works made headlines when its new gravel bike, the Able, was the ride of choice for both the male and female winners of the country’s gnarliest gravel race, the Dirty Kanza. The major distinguishing feature? A raised chainstay that creates more room for wider tires without lengthening the stays, keeping the bike light, agile and ready for the podium. (We were so impressed, we named it to the GP100 as one of the best products of the year.)

Now, after a year of pandemic-induced virtual racing, the Dirty Kanza is returning with a new, inclusive, inoffensive name, Unbound Gravel — and Allied is back with a brand-new bike that’s poised to change the game once again.

What makes the Echo different? In the simplest terms, it can transform from a speedy road bike to a nimble gravel bike with a few quick changes — meaning, it’s basically two bikes in one.

No, really. Taking a page from the playbook of modern mountain bikes, the Echo features flip chips and a corresponding dropout design that lets you shift the geometry of the bike. In 15 minutes, you can adjust the chainstay length and fork length by one centimeter, attaining the best set-up for a road bike running up to 30mm tires or a gravel bike running up to 40mm tires.

Courtesy

That may not seem like much, but it makes all the difference in the world when you’re looking to go as fast as possible on different kinds of surfaces. Just ask Colin Strickland. He was the male winner of that epic race back in 2019, he’s repping the Echo (that’s him at the top of the page), and he may even ride it at Unbound Gravel this weekend.

One other feature of note: The Echo Stem system is designed in tandem with the fork to cleverly conceal cables while still using a standard headset, making it easy to switch stem lengths, too. The Echo is available now in three trim levels, the Rival, Force and Red.

Allied Echo Rival AXS Complete Bike

Allied Echo Force AXS Complete Bike

Allied Echo Red AXS Complete Bike

$10,645.00

June 3, 2021 / Comments Off

292

How to Swing an Axe, the Right Way

A version of this story first appeared in Gear Patrol Magazine. Subscribe today for more stories like this one, plus receive a $15 gift card to the Gear Patrol Store.

“The first thing that I would do is inspect the axe,” says Peter Buchanan-Smith, author of the new Buchanan-Smith’s Axe Handbook ($20) and founder of Best Made Co., a brand known for selling axes with painted handles that was recently acquired by Duluth Trading Company. Many of us don’t have experience wielding this ancient implement, but if we show up at a friend’s place for a weekend and there’s an axe and some wood, chances are chopping will occur. This makes the first step crucial, albeit boring. A quick once-over should do: “Make sure it’s not broken and about to fall apart.”

Buchanan-Smith’s Axe Handbook

Abrams Image amazon.com

$24.99

$19.95 (20% off)

Next up would be to make sure the blade, called the bit, is sharp. But again, Buchanan-Smith doesn’t expect the occasional swinger to search for a sharpening stone and spend an hour or two honing an edge if it isn’t sharp. (Though the mantra bears remembering: A good axe is a sharp axe.)

As you approach the chop log — which, ideally, is 18 to 24 inches wide, and level — take it slow. Properly handling an axe demands and deserves patience, respect and common sense. Plant your feet firmly on the ground, which will almost always be uneven outdoor terrain. They should be wide apart, with knees slightly bent.

Bucking is the process of cutting a tree into shorter segments that can then be processed into firewood.

Courtesy

With your dominant hand holding the axe handle, called the helve, just beneath the head, and your other hand on the butt, lift the axe across your body until its head is above yours and square to your body. From here, bring the axe down to its target, sliding your dominant hand down the helve to meet your other hand. Don’t lock your wrists — the action is more whip than arc. The goal, Buchanan-Smith says, is to bring the axe straight down, “like a guillotine,” rather than with a sweeping motion.

Like golf, getting good at swinging an axe relies upon muscle memory.

Taking a few slow-motion practice swings is a good idea. If you misjudge the distance to the target too short, you could end up striking the lower portion of the bit, called the heel, or the part of the helve where your dominant hand just was, which runs the risk of breaking. Misjudge the distance too long and watch the axe head go into the ground, or worse, your boot. “An axe is not indestructible,” Buchanan-Smith notes. “Neither is your foot.”

Like golf, getting good at swinging an axe relies upon muscle memory. It’s less about brute strength than an efficient and precise movement — gravity will do most of the work. You want to swing through the target instead of merely at it.

Courtesy

Swinging the axe too hard is one of the most common mistakes beginners make. Another failure is not noting one’s surroundings before beginning to chop. “The scariest incidents I’ve experienced with an axe are when you get caught on something that’s seemingly not a factor, like an overhanging branch that’s no bigger than your pinky finger,” Buchanan-Smith says. “You don’t even notice it, and the axe can get hung up on it and go completely out of control.”

Buchanan-Smith, it should be said, didn’t learn his technique from a teacher as astute as the one he’s become. His first axe was the one he had on his family farm in Ontario, Canada, and he says it was probably too big for him at the time. “I just grabbed it one day and, for better or for worse — probably much more for worse — started chopping away with it.”

“There’s something about the axe that demands more reverence.”

His appreciation for the tool came from time spent at a Northern Ontario summer camp (also attended by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau). Buchanan-Smith didn’t perfect his swing there, but he did learn how to handle and sharpen an axe, as well as how to exercise general safety. A sharp and intact axe was indispensable during a 30-day canoe trip. “By God, you respected that axe,” he says. “It was your lifeline.”

More recently, he took the advice of a friend and invested in a mechanical splitter for his property in the Catskills region of New York. Then a timber worker came to drop off a load of wood. Curious, Buchanan-Smith asked him how many cords he processes in a summer (a cord is a unit of measurement for firewood; in the US, a cord is generally 128 cubic feet). His answer was “eighty, or something ridiculous,” recalls Buchanan-Smith.

That prolific output, the timber worker explained, is only possible when you chop by hand. Mechanical splitters are more powerful than axes, but they’re slower. Buchanan-Smith took note. These days, he’s chopping by hand again, reveling in the meditative quality of such a repetitive, physical chore and the human scale of the tool he swings. “There’s something about the axe,” he concludes, “that demands more reverence.”

Chopping List

As detailed in the Axe Handbook, the axe has a surprisingly vast taxonomy — there’s the double-bit, the maul and the Pulaski, among others, and variously shaped heads that aren’t easily differentiated by monikers like the Maine Wedge, Narrow Wisconsin or Baltimore Jersey. The American felling axe is an excellent place to start. Buchanan-Smith notes that a well-made example can serve for limbing and bucking as well as splitting wood for a fire.

Whether you buy a new axe or an old one, sizing is a crucial consideration. Place the butt in your armpit and hold the head with the same hand; you should be able to wrap your hand around the metal and hold it up without strain. Oh, and steer clear of plastic helves.

Here — three of Buchanan-Smith’s favorite axes and why, in his own words.

Gränsfors Bruk Splitting Maul

Gränsfors Splitting Maul

Gränsfors Bruk Sweden gransforsbruk.com

$205.00

“Most of my axe work is splitting wood. [For that job, this axe is] one of life’s greatest pleasures to swing, it’s highly efficient, and a wonder to behold. I could chop cords for days and never get tired of swinging this beauty.”

Hoffman Farm Axe

Farm Axe

Hoffman Blacksmithing hoffmanblacksmithing.com

$435.00

“This is my favorite American-made axe. Made in limited quantities with long lead times that are well worth the wait. Supremely versatile, exceptionally crafted — if I could only buy one axe, this would be it.”

Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe

Multi-Purpose Axe

Husqvarna amazon.com

$99.00

“Good luck finding a good axe these days under $100, and even better luck finding a Swedish-forged axe for under $100. One of the best bangs for your buck would be the Husqvarna Multi-Purpose Axe. Simple, versatile and affordable. A great utility axe, ideal for camp or home. I keep one in my truck at all times.”

June 3, 2021 / Comments Off

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The Best Sun Shirts of 2021

The very phrase ‘sun shirt’ is a shade oxymoronic, no? I, for one, would rather be bare-chested in the summer sun. Unfortunately, the rewards for going shirtless are agonizing sunburns, increased risk of skin cancer and refusal of service at all my favorite restaurants. Not exactly worth the fleeting feeling of freedom. Sun shirts are a necessity. And while they vary in style, weight, stretch, cut, fabric and intended use, they all have a single common goal: to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays.

It’s worth noting that while experts still recommend the use of sunscreen in conjunction with protective clothing, it can be detrimental to your sun shirt over time. “Our UPF garments do not require any special care,” says Corey Simpson, Patagonia’s communication manager of product and sport communities. “But we do recommend washing them to keep any body oils, sunscreens and other contaminants out of the fabric in order to get the most out of the garment.”

We should also say that there are lots of references to UPF in this story. It means Ultraviolet Protection Factor, and you can learn all about it here. Or if you just want to get to the goods, here are Gear Patrol’s top 10 sun shirts of 2021. Pick your favorites, throw them on, and get ready to have tons of (safe) fun this summer.

Best Overall Sun Shirt

Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Hoodie

The amphibious, quick-drying Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Hoodie is tailored to multi-sport summer days that switch from trail to river and back again. Not only is the relatively affordable UPF 50+ hoodie treated with odor-obliterating Polygiene, but it’s also knit from Bluesign-approved recycled polyester and stitched in Fair Trade Certified factories. Combining style, comfort and safety, it’s the best sun shirt of the entire batch.

Best Upgrade Sun Shirt

Arc’teryx Elaho Long-Sleeve Button-Up Shirt

Don’t let its looks fool you. Despite looking downright classy, the Elaho is loaded with technical chops that make it perfect for extended backcountry trekking and hiking. Made from a light (6.2 ounces!), airy and durable fabric called Alatorre, this shirt keeps you cool and wicks moisture to keep you dry. It also packs more than its fair share of snap-front style — and a skin-friendly UPF 30+ rating.

Best Value Sun Shirt

O’Neill Hybrid Surf Rashguard T-Shirt

You know how loads of people where aviator sunglasses but don’t fly planes? Think of this shirt the same way, because while it does prevent board rash, you don’t have to surf to experience its other benefits. Thanks to a UPF 50+ rating and heathered HyperDry fabric that feels like soft cotton but dries three times as fast, this T is tops in any sunny and/or aquatic situation.

Best Town-to-Trail Sun Shirt

Mammut Lenni Short-Sleeve Shirt

Lenni here is an adventure-ready chameleon disguised as a chilled-out button-down, equally at home at semi-casual gatherings and semi-rad escapades in the sun. A plaid pattern and buttons bring style to the forefront, while the stretchy, Polygiene-treated, UPF 30+ synthetic fabric — complete with a movement fold for extra flex — is all about action.

Best Bug-Fighting Sun Shirt

Toad and Co Debug Lightweight Long Sleeve Crew

This lightweight UPF 20+ long-sleeve shirt boasts Insect Shield technology, an anti-bug treatment that keeps pests at bay for 70 wash cycles, yet is unnoticeable to humans. The thumbhole-equipped Debug is on the heavier side, the jersey material is super comfortable thanks to a polyester blend spiked with an unexpected ingredient: recycled coffee grounds.

Best Adventure Travel Sun Shirt

Outdoor Research Men’s Astroman Short-Sleeve Shirt

Ultralight and packable at just 4.8 ounces, this nylon and spandex blend is our top pick for hitting the road. The UPF 50+ button-down offers even more protection than your average sun shirt: the collar flips up, snapping into a bizarre-looking turtleneck that’s actually blissful on sun-soaked adventures.

Best Sun Shirt for Alpinists

Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody

This UPF 50+ sun shirt is crafted from a Polygiene-treated polyester blend called ‘BD.cool,’ which minimizes stink and keeps you from overheating during rock days. The under-the-helmet hood is perfect: it offers sufficient neck coverage without strangling the wearer, and the durable fabric provides welcome coverage without cloying weight.

Best Sun Shirt for Casual Fishing

Orvis Tech Chambray Work Shirt

Thoughtful pockets, a covert sunglasses wipe and stretchy, quick-drying UPF 30+ fabric solidify this piece as our favorite hoodless shirt for long days on the river, while the casual button-down vibe means you don’t have to swap out of your nerdy fishing duds once the rod’s put away.

Best Sun Shirt for Serious Fishing

Columbia Men’s Terminal Deflector Zero Hoodie

$75.00

$56.25 (25% off)

This UPF 50+ angler’s essential boasts an internal mesh neck gaiter, which helps keep both bugs and reflecting rays off the face — and doubles as a facemask. Deflective points on the fabric exterior (Omni-Shade) and sweat-reactive rings on the fabric interior (Omni-Freeze) suggest it should be omnipresent on both your saltwater and freshwater fishing trips.

Most Versatile Sun Shirt

Backcountry Tahoe 2 Sun Hoodie

This lightweight utility player is loaded with features, including a UPF 50+ rating, a stretchy, breathable blend fabric that lets you move and integrated thumbholes to maximize coverage. Low-profile style rounds out the package, ensuring you’ll be as comfortable running a Zoom meeting as zooming through a run meeting out on the trails.

June 2, 2021 / Comments Off

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What the Heck Is the Difference Between SPF and UPF, Anyway?

If you’ve read our guide to The Best Sun Shirts, you may be wondering what all this talk about UPF is. So welcome to UPF 101.

“Ultraviolet Protection Factor is a standard that measures the effectiveness of sun protective fabrics,” says Corey Simpson, Patagonia’s communication manager of product and sport communities. “It is a specific standard for fabrics. SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is a standard specifically for sunscreens.”

It’s easy to get those similar acronyms mixed up, but it’s crucial to distinguish between the two. In a paper for the Skin Cancer Foundation, researchers Peter Gies and Alan McLennan point out that a UPF rating denotes how much ultraviolet light penetrates through a fabric. And unlike SPF ratings, which only measure for harmful UVB light, UPF ratings consider UVA and UVB, both of which can contribute to skin cancer.

When shopping for sun protective clothing, you’ll find that UPF ratings range between 15 and 50-plus. A UPF rating of 20 is decent — it means that 1/20th (five percent) of UV rays pass through a fabric. Meanwhile, 50-plus is generally the highest rating you’ll see used with regards to outdoor clothing and it references a permeability factor of 1/50th (two percent) or less.

Gies and McLennan detail how fabric density, type, color, weight and thickness are key in determining these UPF ratings. A classic white cotton t-shirt scores a measly five on the UPF scale, dropping down to three when soaked. On the far end of the spectrum, jeans earn a whopping 1700.

What’s more, they point out that initial UPF ratings can change over time: washing a garment can actually shrink existing gaps in the fabric weave, henceforth curtailing the percentage of UV rays that can pass through. Excessive wear will do the opposite, as fabric weakens, tears and stretches over time. Unsurprisingly, UPF ratings can also drop when fabrics are wet.

So just be mindful of these mitigating factors, and you’ll be much less likely to get burned. Literally.

June 2, 2021 / Comments Off

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The Best Place to Learn New Adventure Skills Might Be Online

A version of this story first appeared in Gear Patrol Magazine. Subscribe today for more stories like this one, plus receive a $15 gift card to the Gear Patrol Store.

Last spring, MasterClass‘s celebrity-upholstered e-learning platform attracted $100 million in investment. Lockdown helped: with time to kill and nowhere to go, self-appointed students enrolled in courses on DJing with Questlove and deal making with former FBI negotiator Chris Voss. The course catalog leans toward the theoretical (and entertaining), but one that stands apart is a class on adventure photography taught by climber and photographer Jimmy Chin.

Chin’s syllabus leaves the cerebral space where leadership and creativity might bloom and goes into the backcountry. It suggests something after the end of the videos: an adventure (and a decent photo to commemorate it). Now, a host of new MasterClass-like online learning platforms have arrived to do the same.

These new online curricula make a hammer-to-nails promise, whether it’s explicit or not: Wanna be a mountain biker? A fly fisher? An adventure photographer? Start here, they say. Secrets of skill and etiquette once guarded by experienced guides and cranky locals are now accessible for a monthly fee. And while we can debate how much one can really expect to learn about the outdoors from a computer, tablet or phone screen, the following three options sure aren’t short on production value — or big-name caché.

Roam

Courtesy

Roam was a digital media company before it was an online learning platform, and its roster of founding members is a who’s who of A-list adventurers that makes for an impressive faculty. Each lesson’s production quality is high, incorporating impressive b-roll from the library of expedition footage Roam has at its disposal. The site itself isn’t as polished — there’s no way to track which lessons you’ve already watched, for instance.

Roam’s curriculum features snippets of tutorials — Joey Schusler teaches you how to pop a wheelie, and Conrad Anker demonstrates essential climbing knots — but most of the content takes on the preparatory and mindset aspects of activities like surfing, climbing and mountain biking. The standout is Mark Smiley’s class on route planning, which incorporates screen recordings highlighting obscure websites and tools only a guide licensed by the IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations) would keep in his bookmarks tab.

Price: $15/month or $149/year

LEARN MORE

Crux Academy

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Traditionally, knowledge of outdoor activities percolates through communities via coaching, mentorship and partnership. Crux Academy recreates that more than any other program through an easy-to-navigate interface reminiscent of social media; you can publish posts on course feeds and comment on lessons where instructors, called “guides,” will respond.

Crux’s courses are still limited, though each one is robust, with as many as 50 video lessons that include additional resources like articles and videos for further reading and watching. Participation (via comment) and reflection are encouraged at every step. Course content is all-encompassing, too — Fernanda Maciel’s course on trail running, for example, includes discussions on how to manage training while keeping a day job and dealing with post-race depression.

Price: $10/month (billed annually) or $49 per course

LEARN MORE

Wildist

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Wildist hones in on the intersection of the outdoors and photography with a series of workshops that caters to snapshooters, both amateur and experienced. It recruited the best adventure photographers in the biz to create course content that guarantees you’ll up your Instagram game and suggests that you, too, can get paid to take photos around the world.

It’s easy to navigate the platform and keep track of your progress, and though the workshops are pricey, they’re both varied and comprehensive. Examples include Aaron Brimhall’s lessons about automotive photography and Chris Burkard’s inside scoop on the business side of the job. In addition to photo content, Wildist is beginning to create outdoor-specific workshops too.

Price: $99 to $299 per course

LEARN MORE

May 31, 2021 / Comments Off

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Now’s Your Chance to Score the Ultimate Camp Kitchen Upgrade

With warm weather here to stay, and Backcountry offering 20 percent off one full-priced item, it’s the perfect time to upgrade your camp kitchen setup. While your stickered-up plastic cooler from the late 80s has a certain vintage charm to it, something like Pelican’s IM 50QT Elite Cooler will do a much better job of keeping your goods nice and chilled. Or maybe you’re still slaving away on a foldable two-burner camp stove. Sure, they are classic pieces of camp kit, but Camp Chef’s Pursuit Portable Pellet Grill will have you cooking up Michelin Star-worthy meals right at the trailhead. And what good is a camp-side meal without a quality chair to sit in while you eat it? Lafuma’s R Clip chair not only folds up flat for storage, but also reclines back for unmatched comfort and relaxation at your campsite. Act fast to upgrade your setup before the sale ends on 5/31/2021 (exclusions apply).

SHOP NOW

May 28, 2021 / Comments Off

279

Sony Is Kicking off Summer With a New Line of Wireless Speakers

When it comes to proper warm weather shindigs, you only need a few things to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves. You need: good food and company, plenty of libations and entertainment and, most importantly,…

The post Sony Is Kicking off Summer With a New Line of Wireless Speakers first appeared on Cool Material.

Want to Bring Your Fancy Camera on Summer Adventures? Check Out This Backpack

Professional adventure photographer Alex Strohl has been everywhere. The Arabian Desert, the glaciers of Alaska; you name it, and he’s been there, camera in hand. And yet, in all his wanderings, one thing Strohl never found was a backpack that adequately combined features for carrying camera equipment — bodies, spare lenses, tripods and the like — with those for hauling outdoor gear to remote and often inhospitable places.

So he teamed up with Moment, a photography accessory company, to make the perfect backpack for adventurous photographers. Their creative collaboration produced the Strohl Mountain Light — a 45-liter backpack that calls to mind backpacking bags more readily than the bulky packs that photographers typically carry during trips.

Primary to the design is an ultralight construction — the backpack weighs roughly 2.2 pounds — made of Cordura ripstop. Another core element is modularity that allows the Mountain Light to adapt to various adventures. Like other backpacking packs, its lid is removable and its volume expandable; unlike most of those bags, though, it has lower back access to its main compartment that, combined with a rigid and padded insert, provides fast access to camera gear.

Moment and Strohl also cooked up an exterior camera loader that wayward photographers can attach to the pack’s hipbelt or shoulder straps for even faster access.

a backpack with all its contents spread out beside it

Moment

Chief among Strohl’s requests was that the bag be able to handle outdoor gear, too — so Moment loaded it with everything you’d expect of a high-grade hiking pack. It has a full waist belt, ergonomic shoulder straps with large mesh pockets for a phone or snacks, exterior mesh sleeves for stashing water bottles and extra layers, attachments for ice tools and trekking poles, and compression straps to hold everything stable inside.

If you want one, though, be ready to act fast. Moment only made 200 Strohl Mountain Light packs for its first batch, and each one comes with a limited edition print of one of Strohl’s photos.

Price: $200

SHOP NOW

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May 26, 2021 / Comments Off on Want to Bring Your Fancy Camera on Summer Adventures? Check Out This Backpack
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280

How to Pack for a Microadventure: Ideas and Gear for Summer Travel

“A microadventure is an adventure that is short, simple, local, cheap,” says British author and adventurer Alastair Humphreys, who coined the term back in 2015. The appeal, he adds, “is that they make adventure accessible to people who may have very little outdoor experience.”

It’s been more than a year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, forcing millions of people across the globe into perpetual lockdown. And while vaccines and falling infection rates provide a glimpse of light at the end of this tunnel, it will be a while still before everyday citizens are planning cross-continent escapades in the name of adventure.

The remedy, then, to a long year indoors, is to heed Humphreys’s advice and seek out your thrills a little closer to home: Walk every street in your neighborhood. Forage your own dinner. Bike 100 miles. Paddle the length of a local river. Or drive somewhere no car has been before.

Sound fun? We think so. Here’s everything you need to get out there.

You probably bought a bike this past year. Or at least a Peloton. Who didn’t? Put those chiseled calves to the test by completing what cyclists endearingly refer to as a “century” — biking 100 miles in one go. Don’t worry, bathroom breaks are allowed.

Rapha Core Cargo Shorts

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Core Cargo Shorts

Rapha rapha.cc

$130.00

These shorts feature a mesh pocket on each leg — perfect for securing a phone or loose energy gels — as well a size-specific chamois pad to keep your bum from burning after the first few miles. If you prefer shoulder straps, Rapha also offers a traditional bib format.

Skratch Labs Superfuel Drink Mix

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Superfuel Drink Mix

Skratch Labs amazon.com

$39.50

Not to be taken lightly, Sport Superfuel is for long and grueling workouts. Each serving carries 400 calories of easy-to-digest energy by way of a key ingredient: Cluster Dextrin, which consists of 60 to 70 glucose units that break apart slowly during digestion. In other words, it’s ideal for multi-hour hauls.

Outer Shell Rolltop Saddlebag

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Rolltop Saddlebag

Outer Shell outershell.com

$60.00

Not all saddlebags are created equal. This one, from San Francisco brand Outer Shell, uses a rolltop closure, meaning you can make it as big as it needs to be to hold extra layers, a repair kit or whatever else may come in handy down the road (pro tip: pack more snacks).

Chamois Butt’r Coconut Anti-Chafe

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Coconut Anti-Chafe Cream

Chamois Butt’r amazon.com

$17.44

Don’t forget to lube up. This organic, nongreasy formula calls upon shea butter, vitamins A and E, aloe vera and coconut oil for instant relief on sensitive areas. It washes out easily and won’t damage or discolor technical apparel.

Wahoo Elemnt Roam GPS Bike Computer

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Elemnt Roam GPS Bike Computer

Wahoo rei.com

$380.00

Not just another bike computer, this stalwart offers “Back on Track” rerouting, a colored screen that makes for quick and easy navigation and an ambient light sensor that activates a backlight when needed. Don’t worry about it dying on you, either. Its 17-hour battery life is sure to get you to where you’re going.

Polar Bottle Breakaway Insulated Water Bottle

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Breakaway Insulated Bike Water Bottle

Polar Bottle amazon.com

$14.00

If you’re thirsty enough, any bottle will do. But why suffer through gulps of warm sugar water? This lightweight, insulated bottle can keep beverages cold hours after they’re poured. It comes in two sizes — 20 and 24 ounces — to help you stay hydrated.

Few endeavors are as satisfying as seeking out edibles in the wild, let alone filling a whole plate with them. But even if your first few hauls are lackluster, the hikes alone are reason enough to get out and try. Just be careful about which mushrooms you pick.

Opinel Mushroom Brush

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No. 8 Mushroom Knife

Opinel backcountry.com

$29.95

An absolute must-have for fungi foragers. A curved three-inch blade helps cut even the most delicate of morels, while a boar’s-hair brush delicately wipes away dust and debris without damaging the goods.

Barebones Harvesting & Gathering Bag

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Harvesting & Gathering Bag

Barebones bespokepost.com

$68.00

Barebones turned to vintage orchard bags for inspiration when designing this rugged waxed-canvas carryall. A convertible strap allows for chest- or back-carrying, and a clever drop-out bottom makes quick work of unloading your harvest.

Filson Original Goatskin Gloves

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Original Goatskin Gloves

Filson filson.com

$95.00

Good gloves shield your digits from prickly thorns and the like. And few pairs can outshine those from Filson. These are made with fine-grain goatskin and feature an elastic wrist, guaranteeing a better fit — and better protection.

Tenkara Rod Co. The Sawtooth

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Sawtooth Fly Fishing Rod

Tenkara Rod Co. amazon.com

$195.00

Made for fish in the six- to 18-inch range, this supple 12-foot rod can take on even the most finicky of trout. It’s light, playful and responsive, doing everything you want it to — and then some. An extra $30 will net you a furled line, spool and three hand-tied flies to go with it.

Snow Peak Takibi Fire & Grill

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Takibi Fire & Grill

Snow Peak rei.com

$319.95

$254.99 (20% off)

Highly durable and made for a lifetime of use, this five-piece cooking system includes a grill net and adjustable-height bridge, which pack down into an accompanying carrying case. But you’ll have to find your own wood.

Falcon Enamelware Deep Plates

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Deep Plates

Falcon Enamelware endclothing.com

$59.00

Simple, elegant and hard as, well, steel, these deep-seated plates can take a beating. And don’t worry about a few chips here or there — they call that patina, even in the backcountry.

Word of warning: overlanding is a lifestyle, and once you start, it can be hard to stop, even if you do find yourself stuck in some mud. But you’ll need more than a good off-road SUV to really do it right — and get out of that mud pit.

Gerber E-Tool Folding Spade

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E-Tool Folding Spade

Gerber amazon.com

$69.56

Dig yourself out of sticky situations with this compact folding shovel made from powder-coated carbon steel. It features a serrated-blade edge to take on all types of difficult terrain.

Thule × Tepui Low-Pro 3

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Low-Pro 3

Thule x Tepui backcountry.com

$1,899.95

Our pick for the best rooftop tent is true to its name, minimizing drag and its impact on fuel efficiency — especially when packed. So you can leave it on even when you’re not off to the woods. It sleeps two to three people.

Magellan TRX7 Off Road Navigator

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TRX7 GPS Navigator

Magellan bestbuy.com

$549.99

Magellan has been making GPS systems for three decades, but the TRX7 is its first attempt at hardcore 4×4 navigation— and they nailed it. The unit comes preloaded with more than 44,000 off-road trails from National Parks to public lands — and should you choose to go off off-road, it lets you record your own data too.

Wavian Fuel Can

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Fuel Can

Wavian amazon.com

$129.95

Want to increase your range? Bring more fuel. Rigorously tested, this modern take on a classic jerry can holds more than five gallons of extra gas — which is never a bad thing to have in your reserves.

Warn M8 Winch

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M8 Winch

Warn amazon.com

$638.08

Traveling off-road without a winch isn’t impossible, but it’s not far off, either, as the tool remains the most efficient means to overcome common obstacles. This one is a mainstay in overlanding communities, top-rated for its simplicity and value.

MaxTrax Mini Set

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Mini Recovery Boards

Maxtrax amazon.com

$224.99

Could you use your car’s floor mats to get unstuck from the mud, sand or snow? Sure, but these compact recovery boards do a far better job — and they’re easier to clean.

Sound impossible? You just haven’t tried stand-up paddle boarding, a growing sport that may soon feature in the Olympics. But even if you’re not chasing athletic glory, SUPing is a great workout — not to mention a novel way to explore nearby lakes or rivers.

Bote Breeze Aero Inflatable Paddle Board

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Breeze Aero Inflatable Paddle Board

Bote boteboard.com

$649.00

A fun, convenient and affordable option for first-time paddle boarders, the inflatable Breeze Aero comes in two sizes, with the bigger of the two capable of supporting up to 315 pounds. It comes with a hand pump, repair kit, three-piece adjustable paddle and aero bag for easy storage.

NRS Ninja PFD

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Ninja PFD

NRS rei.com

$129.95

This sleek PFD (personal flotation device) isn’t your average life vest. It’s low-profile, so it won’t get in your way in the water, while mesh fabric on the shoulder straps and inner panels keeps things nice and breezy during extended wear.

Outerknown Apex Hybrid Trunks

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Apex Hybrid Trunks

Outerknown outerknown.com

$128.00

These are Kelly Slater’s signature swim trunks. Constructed from recycled plastic bottles, the fabric is lightweight, durable and fast-drying. These trunks also look right at home in, out of and above the water.

Bare Republic Mineral SPF 50 Sport Sunscreen Lotion

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Sport Mineral Sunscreen & Sunblock Body Lotion with Zinc Oxide SPF 50

Bare Republic amazon.com

$14.45

This mineral sunscreen doesn’t rely on chemicals to save your skin. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide combine for a powerful, reef-friendly option that’s safe for all skin types — and free of parabens, dyes or synthetic fragrances.

Hydro Flask Medium Dry Storage

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Medium Dry Storage

Hydro Flask backcountry.com

$44.95

Keep your phone, keys and other accessories organized — and dry — with this new bag from Hydro Flask. The best feature: a touch screen window that still lets you check your messages or map.

Who says adventures have to happen in the wild? Cities are full of opportunities for discovery. Block off half a day and head for a curious landmark, shop or just some random pin on the map. You never know what you might unearth along the way.

Danner Trail 2650 Campo

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Trail 2650 Campo

Danner backcountry.com

$104.96

Danner’s signature hiking “shoe” can tackle trails and sidewalks in equal measure. It’s lightweight and comes in plenty of colors — including an understated black-and-gray colorway — but doesn’t skimp on support. An external heel counter keeps feet in place, while grippy multidirectional lugs keep you on them.

Mophie Powerstation Plus Mini

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Powerstation Plus Mini

Mophie amazon.com

$26.95

$18.99 (30% off)

You’d be wise to bring a little extra juice, especially if you plan to use a navigation app like Google Maps. This power pack provides up to 13 hours of additional life, while an integrated charging cable means one less thing to pack.

FujiFilm X100V

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X100V

Fujifilm bhphotovideo.com

$1,399.00

Cutting-edge tech in a timeless package — that’s the X100V. Inside the polished aluminum body are a state-of-the-art 26.1 megapixel sensor and a powerful quad-core processor that boosts autofocus performance. The exceptional 23mm F2.0 lens is just the cherry on top.

Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Pack 20L

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Ultralight Black Hole 20L Backpack

Patagonia backcountry.com

$79.00

Patagonia’s Black Hole series is legendary. Made with 100 percent recycled fabric, lining and webbing, this simple, top-loading rucksack is comfortable and durable, and it packs into itself when you’re at home planning for your next little adventure.

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug

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Stainless Steel Mug

Zojirushi amazon.com

$45.00

$25.99 (42% off)

One of the best water bottles you can buy, straight up. It’s lightweight and hard-wearing, and the unique mouthpiece allows for a smooth, steady stream when drinking. Fill it up with hot coffee, cold water or whatever best fuels your concrete trek.

May 26, 2021 / Comments Off on How to Pack for a Microadventure: Ideas and Gear for Summer Travel
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How to Patch a Down Jacket, the Easy Way

So you bought a down jacket. With regular care and washing, it’ll provide versatile, packable warmth for season after season, but eventually, its ultralight ripstop shell will tear. It’ll snag on a branch, scrape against a rock or get caught in a suitcase zipper. Roughhousing with your dog might do it, too — you never know! But what you should know is that patching a down jacket is easy.

Take it from Josh Schill, the repair manager at Patagonia’s Reno repair facility. Patagonia has long been known for its Ironclad Guarantee, which backs up damaged gear with a promise to fix what can be, typically for free. Schill and a team of nearly 100 specialists brought roughly 50,000 items back to full functionality last year alone (and a separate third-party facility handled an additional 25,000 to 30,000).

The majority of repairs that come through, says Schill, are for ripstop items, including down and synthetic insulation jackets. He doesn’t have many patches on his own Down Sweater, but needless to say, he certainly knows how to fix a tear.

Chase Pellerin

What You’ll Need

Medline GoodSense Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol

amazon.com

$10.96

Fiskars Softgrip Scissors

amazon.com

$25.57

GEAR AID Tenacious Tape

amazon.com

$4.99

Step 1: Pull down or synthetic insulation back into the jacket.

If you try to pull it out, you might wind up in a magician’s scarf trick situation. A good way to coax the insulation back inside is to gently pinch the ripstop fabric on either side of the hole and make a rubbing motion with your fingers. This should bring the insulation back into the jacket. If it doesn’t work, use sharp scissors to trim it away.

Step 2: Clean and trim the area around the rip.

Use a rag and some Isopropyl/rubbing alcohol to gently clean the fabric around the rip so that the patch has a clean surface to cling to. If there are stray strands of shell fabric, trim them away with sharp scissors.

Step 3: Prepare your patch.

Schill’s team uses Tenacious Tape to patch down jackets. It’ll stay on through plenty of washes and you can buy it in rolls or pre-cut patches in various colors on Amazon. Either way, you’ll want to trim the patch so that it’s slightly larger than your jacket’s hole. Round the corners, Schill recommends, so that there aren’t any square edges that might abrade or pull away from the jacket.

Gear Aid

Gear Aid

Step 4: Apply the patch.

Carefully remove the patch’s backing, smooth out the jacket fabric as best you can, and apply the patch “just like you’re putting a sticker on a water bottle,” Schill says. Start at one end and press it down gradually to avoid air bubbles or the patch sticking to itself. (If this does happen, Schill notes, don’t worry about it — this is more for aesthetics, and the patch will still stick.)

A Few Things to Remember

Wash your down and synthetic jackets regularly to avoid the buildup of body oils and dirt, which can become abrasive and cause a tear over time. Use Grangers Down Wash or Nikwax Down Wash and follow the garment care instructions on the tag.

Don’t use duct tape to fix holes! “We hate duct tape,” Schill explains. “It leaves a super bad residue which really sucks to repair.”

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

May 26, 2021 / Comments Off on How to Patch a Down Jacket, the Easy Way
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356

12 Tougher-Than-Hell Military-Inspired Backpacks

Once it’s declassified, advanced military technology tends to drip down into civilian goods. It’s how we got GPS, the internet and the Jeep. But the relationship goes both ways, with innovative outdoor products and materials influencing what the military uses, too.

The tactical backpack exists on a spectrum that covers outdoor-specific and everyday use. Like the war zone-ready backpacks worn by service members around the globe, today’s military-inspired backpacks are tougher than hell, with organizational features that go far beyond the capabilities of ordinary backpacks.

Heavyweight reinforced nylon, weatherproofing capabilities and earth tone colors are common themes in these crossover bags. They also often feature PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System) webbing to be MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) compatible. There’s no better catch-all for all the things you carry throughout your day. And the picks in this dirty dozen are the leaders of the pack.

Additional contributions by John Zientek and Michael Finn

GoRuck GR1

goruck.com

$325.00

The GR1 blends commuter-friendly features such as a padded laptop compartment and interior organizing pockets with a tough, take-anything construction. It’s also equipped with MOLLE-compatible webbing on the face and straps, plus a velcro hit for your favorite patch.

GoRuck

Plastic backing plate and a false bottom for extra protection

Low-profile style fits in anywhere from the office to the battlefield

No hydration reservoir compatibility

Mystery Ranch 3-Day Assault Pack

mysteryranch.com

$385.00

This pack’s distinctive three-zip design allows easy access to your gear. An internal sleeve accepts a hydration reservoir — or a 17-inch laptop — while PALS webbing on the sides and daisy chains on the straps and back enable you to carry additional equipment.

Mystery Ranch

Compression straps keep the pack compact when it’s not fully loaded

Futura Frame system goes easy on your back

Utility is high, but so is the price

Red Rock Outdoor Gear Large Assault Pack

amazon.com

$58.95

Red Rock’s wallet-friendly 35-liter pack boasts internal dividers, zippered pockets, padded shoulder straps, adjustable waist and sternum straps and a padded mesh back panel that can also store a hydration reservoir.

Red Rock Outdoor Gear

Compression straps condense the size when it’s not fully loaded

MOLLE-compatible webbing on the back and sides

Made of polyester rather than Cordura nylon

Best Overall Tactical Pack

GoRuck

GoRuck GR1

goruck.com

$325.00

Thirteen years ago, ex-Special Forces soldier Jason McCarthy founded GoRuck with the simple conviction that he could build a backpack unlike any that existed at the time. He wanted one that would be ideal for service members fighting overseas and desk workers heading in for a day at the office. His answer was the GR1 Rucksack, a backpack that has become the standard bearer for military-inspired everyday bags. The GR1 blends commuter-friendly features such as a padded laptop compartment and interior organizing pockets with a tough, take-anything construction. The pack has a plastic backing plate and a false bottom for extra protection and its weatherproof exterior seals up with silent zippers. The GR1 is also equipped with MOLLE-compatible webbing on the face and straps, plus a velcro hit for your favorite patch.

Volume: 26 liters
Weight: 3.2 lbs
Material: 1000-denier Cordura nylon

Best Upgrade Tactical Pack

Mystery Ranch

Mystery Ranch 3-Day Assault Pack

mysteryranch.com

$385.00

Bozeman, Montana-based Mystery Ranch is another one of our favorite pack makers, and this offering is a great example of why. Made in the USA, the 3-Day Assault Pack features the brand’s distinctive three-zip design that allows easy access to your gear at a moment’s notice. An internal sleeve accepts a hydration reservoir — or a 17-inch laptop — while PALS webbing on the sides and daisy chains on the straps and back enable you to carry additional gear. There are also side water bottle pocks, plus internal drop-in pockets and zip mesh pockets. Compression straps keep the pack compact when it’s not fully loaded, and the waist belt tucks away when it’s not needed either. Last but not least, the Futura Frame system keeps your back feeling great during long days on the trail.

Volume: 30 liters
Weight: 4.6 lbs
Material: 500-denier Cordura nylon

Best Value Tactical Pack

Red Rock Outdoor Gear

Red Rock Outdoor Gear Large Assault Pack

amazon.com

$58.95

The value proposition here is borderline insane. For less than 60 bucks, Red Rock’s big-time 35-liter pack boasts internal dividers, zippered pockets, padded shoulder straps, adjustable waist and sternum straps and a padded mesh back panel that can also store a hydration reservoir. The pack also features compression straps to condense the size when it’s not fully loaded, plus plenty of external MOLLE-compatible webbing on the back and sides for securing add-on packs or extra gear. Our only major knock? Unlike most of the packs here, this one is made of polyester rather than Cordura nylon.

Volume: 35 liters
Weight: 3.15 lbs
Material: 600-denier polyester

Best Designed Tactical Pack

Prometheus Design Werx

Prometheus Design Werx S.H.A.D.O.

prometheusdesignwerx.com

$198.00

Suspension, haul, access, durability, organized — these are the guiding design standards that Prometheus Design Werx applied to the S.H.A.D.O. (hence the acronym). The pack leans more toward technical outdoor than tactical, but it’s not without fundamental military-inspired features such as strap-mounted MOLLE-compatible webbing and an oversized Velcro panel for patches. The S.H.A.D.O. is filled with small features that make it a great everyday and adventure pack — a laptop sleeve, hydration compatibility, an external bungee for securing gear — but its most useful component might be a massive, top-to-bottom zip opening into its main compartment.

Volume: 24 liters
Weight: 3.8 lbs
Material: 500-denier Cordura nylon

Best Bugout Bag Tactical Pack

5.11

5.11 RUSH72 Tactical Backpack

amazon.com

$175.00

The “72” in this pack’s name refers to “72-hour capacity.” That number is considered the benchmark for optimal bug-out bags as if you can hang in there that long, help is likely on the way. With its two side pockets and front admin pocket, this pack will easily hold hold three or more days of food, water, shelter and assorted survival tools. The front admin pocket neatly organizes smaller goods, and a sleeve tucked away in the main compartment holds a large hydration bladder. This pack is also almost completely covered with MOLLE-compatible webbing, enabling you to attach anything that doesn’t fit inside onto its exterior.

Volume: 55 liters
Weight: 4 lbs
Material: 1000-denier Cordura nylon

Best Dry Bag Tactical Pack

BRU Active

BRU Active Premium 40L Dry Bag

amazon.com

$110.99

By itself, the main pack here is a top-notch, 100 percent waterproof dry bag that can protect electronics and other delicate gear. It also boasts heavy-duty zippers, buckles and padded strips for a secure and comfortable carry. But Bru’s bag really excels via its handy PALS webbing and the six included MOLLE bags: three large, two medium and one small flashlight holder). Though these mini-packs are not themselves waterproof, they are perfect for stashing clothes, food, tools and other essentials you need out on the road or trail. Hopping in a kayak? Throw the bags in the main compartment, seal it up and you’re good to go.

Volume: 40 liters
Weight: 4 lbs
Material: Tarpaulin PVC

Best Hydration Tactical Pack

CamelBak

Camelbak M.U.L.E. 100oz Mil Spec Crux

amazon.com

$124.39

Lotta acronyms in this roundup already, so why not one more? This one stands for Medium to Ultra-Long Endeavors, and you’ll have enough water for just about any mission thanks to the 100-ounce Mil Spec Crux Reservoir. With tough 500D Double-rip Cordura Fabric, this pack can also carry up to 8 liters of additional cargo in the top and bottom pockets, with the lower one also featuring MOLLE-compatible webbing. The suspension system keeps the pack snug on your back and can be removed quickly via the side release buckle.

Volume: 8 liters
Weight: 1.8 lbs
Material: 500-denier Cordura nylon

Best Urban Tactical Pack

Nike

Nike RPM Backpack

nike.com

$90.00

You won’t find any mention of MOLLE or PALS in Nike’s RPM Backpack description. Still, a full face of one-inch webbing — along with larger Velcro straps for carrying a skateboard — is the defining feature of this everyday backpack. Of all the bags on this list, it exhibits its military inspiration the least, though Nike was the first to bring MOLLE over to an everyday bag with no intention of actual tactical use. Nevertheless, the functionality is here, and the bag’s overall streamlined design can serve as an entry point into the tactical backpack category. (There are also external pockets, a laptop sleeve and a padded back panel.)

Volume: 29 liters
Material: polyester

Best Weekend Tactical Pack

Condor

Condor 3 Day Assault Pack

amazon.com

$90.95

Take away its MOLLE webbing, and Condor’s 3 Day Assault Pack looks a lot like the backpack strap-equipped adventure travel duffels that began popping up recently. Those bags are ideal for weekend trips and minimalist travel, and so is the 3 Day Assault. It has a 50-liter main compartment that provides more than enough space for such trips, and a clamshell-style opening and internal compression straps make packing it more akin to loading a rollaboard than a backpacking bag. There’s also a smaller front pocket with loads of organizational sleeves and three more exterior pockets that are ideal for items like water bottles or a spare pair of shoes. The bag is compatible with hydration reservoirs too, and its hipbelt is removable.

Volume: 50 liters
Material: 1000-denier Cordura nylon

Best Organized Tactical Pack

Maxpedition

Maxpedition Falcon-II Backpack

amazon.com

$162.99

$146.09 (10% off)

It may be on the smaller side, but the Falcon-II makes this list because it uses the space it does have smartly. You can think of this backpack as having three layers — the main compartment, a smaller middle compartment and a front that’s split into two separate pockets. All of them have internal mesh sleeves for small items, and compression straps allow you to cinch them all down depending on how full a load you’re shouldering. The pack also has a hydration pocket and, of course, lots of MOLLE attachment points.

Volume: 23 liters
Weight: 3.2 lbs
Material: 1050-denier Cordura nylon

Best Hunting Tactical Pack

Eberlestock

Eberlestock X2 Pack

amazon.com

$249.00

Yes, the X2 can accommodate a compound bow or Eberlestock’s A1SS or A2SS Side Scabbards for toting shotguns and hunting rifles. But this pack is actually loaded with smart features that extend its value beyond intended use. The Ample FlexChassis can not only cradle loads you strap to the back but flip forward for use as a clever and convenient seat. The oversized compression straps can lash down a heavy load, while quick-access side pockets keep whatever you need close at hand. The X2 also features a back-friendly tubular aluminum Intex frame and plenty of PALS webbing for additional packs or equipment.

Volume: 30 liters
Weight: 4.75 lbs
Material: Microsuede waterproof fabric

Best Sling Tactical Pack

HAZARD 4

Hazard 4 Plan-B

amazon.com

$104.01

Perhaps the most unique pack on this list is this streamlined sling pack from Hazard 4, which is great for navigating confined spaces and darting through crowds. The single padded strap is ambidextrous and ergonomic, so you can wear it comfortably over either shoulder. You can also swing it around to the front to access its fully unzippable main pocket and two smaller outer pockets. The main pocket also features a photo bag-style internal divider and accommodates a hydration reservoir. And of course the MOLLE-compatible sides and back can be loaded with additional gear or add-ons.

Volume: 17.7 liters
Weight: 2.4 lbs
Material: 1000-denier Cordura nylon

May 25, 2021 / Comments Off on 12 Tougher-Than-Hell Military-Inspired Backpacks
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347

The Best Bike Racks of 2021 for Any Vehicle

Whether you’re headed on a weekend trip, to the local trail system for a lunch ride or the top of your favorite descent, a good bike rack is crucial. It’s no fun to have to fold down your back seat to wrestle your bike inside, twisting the handlebars and taking off the front wheel in the process. Just returned from a particularly muddy ride? Hope you brought a tarp.

Enter the humble yet handy bike rack, your headache-sparing, space-saving alternative. It’ll free up your car’s interior for the rest of your gear, your dog, or a riding partner, depending on the capacity of your vehicle and your rack.

There are many options out there, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But relax. The bike racks that follow are the best available right now.

Best Overall Bike Rack

Courtesy

Kuat Sherpa 2.0 Bike Rack

backcountry.com

$549.00

This handy rack from Kuat tops the list thanks to a potent combination of features. Made of aluminum, it weighs in at a relatively light 32 pounds, yet it can support two bikes up to 40 pounds each (with wheelbases as big as 47 inches and tires as wide as 3 inches), with a generous 14 inches of space between them. A convenient foot-actuated pivot lever lets you lower the rack to make loading up a snap, while no-tool assembly, a folding tire cradle and adjustable ratchet arm add to the ease of use. Last but not least, an external cable with a semi-integrated lock provides peace of mind should you need to step away before or after hitting the roads and trails.

Best Upgrade Bike Rack

Courtesy

Thule T2 Pro XTR 2-Bike Hitch Rack

rei.com

$649.95

Thule’s premium tray-style, hitch-mount bike rack is pricey but offers best-in-class features in a user-friendly build. Front wheel ratcheting arms and rear wheel straps secure bikes up to 60 pounds (with up to 29-inch wheels and 5-inch tires) without any frame contact. No tools are required to install and there’s an integrated cable lock. Even better, a double-jointed mechanism lets you tilt the load away from your car to access the trunk. The big difference between this rack and its predecessor is integrated wheels that make it easier to move the 52-pound unit around. The 1.25-inch version of that model, the XT, is 20 percent off ($495.96) on Backcountry right now.

Best Value Bike Rack

Courtesy

Saris Bones 2-Bike Rack

backcountry.com

$169.99

With an innovative design and unique looks, this wallet-friendly Saris rack is ideal for transporting lighter weight bikes. The arc style form factor fits most cars, including many with spoilers, fitting securely with spring buckle straps, hooks and ratcheting straps. Its rust-proof, 100 percent recycled plastic construction can accommodate two bikes up to 35 pounds each. That capacity is lower than the Kuat and Thule racks, but so is the weight of the unit, by a lot: it comes in at just 9 pounds.

Best Roof Rack

Courtesy

Yakima HighRoad Upright Bike Mount

avantlink.com

$249.00

This affordable rack packs many of the same features as some of the others in a roof rack form. You can install it without tool and secure your bike with integrated locks. The contact-free design goes easy on carbon frames, with the TorqueRight knob adjusting to fit different sized bikes, with wheels up to 29 inches and tire widths up to 3.25 inches. Worth noting: You can only transport one bike per unit, and you do need an existing roof rack to attach it, but on the upside, you’ll always have access to your trunk.

Best Bike Rack for Rear Cargo Access

Courtesy

RockyMounts BackStage Swing Away Platform Rack

rackattack.com

$699.95

Yes, this Rocky Mountain option is pricey — and at 75 pounds, heavy. But the Backstage was the first platform rack featuring an arm that swings completely away from your vehicle to allow total rear access — and it’s still the best. The rack can handle bikes up to 60 pounds each, with wheels up to 29 inches, holding them securely with reliable ratcheting arms. There are a couple limitations, in that it’s currently only available for 2-inch hitches, and the included cable lock is not integrated into the rack. But if easily getting into the back of your rig is a priority, nothing beats the convenience here.

Best Portable Bike Rack

Courtesy

Kupper Mounts Suction Cup Bike Rack System

amazon.com

$199.99

Kupper’s approach has to be the only reliable bike rack you can throw in a carry-on bag. The clever suction cups attach to the roof or rear of your car, van or SUV in minutes, accommodating dropouts, thru-axle adapters, mountain and road bikes up to 45 pounds. While you can only haul one bike per 8.62-pound set, you can employ as many sets as you can find space for on your vehicle. To make traveling even easier, Kupper Mounts come complete with a convenient carrying case.

Best Bike Rack for Pickup Trucks

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Inno Velo Gripper Truck Bike Rack

backcountry.com

$99.95

Inno’s system is super affordable, simple and user-friendly. The clamps secure your bike to the side of the truck bed, which not only leaves plenty of room to store other gear but also keeps the bike out of your line of sight. No tools are required to install, you don’t have to remove the front wheel, and the clamps are small enough to detach and stash when not in use. One thing you don’t get with this set-up is any kind of locking mechanism, though you can probably figure out a way to lock the bike directly to the truck.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

May 24, 2021 / Comments Off on The Best Bike Racks of 2021 for Any Vehicle
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387

The Best Bike Wall Mounts and Indoor Storage Racks of 2021

Leaving a bike on a city sidewalk overnight is like going for a swim in shark-infested waters; limbs are lost, spokes are shaken, nothing left but the bones. During idle hours, city bikes need a safe place to rest inside. Enter the indoor bike rack.

City dwellers are masters at making a square foot larger, and they’ve come up with some creative ways to store bikes. Whether it’s standing in the corner, blending in with wall decor or just plain out of the way, the method comes down to you, and your wallet. These bike wall mounts and indoor storage racks will keep your bike dry and safe at night.

Editor’s Picks

Delta Cycle Michelangelo

Delta Cycle & Home amazon.com

$59.49

The Michelangelo is as low-maintenance as storing two bikes inside gets. It requires assembly but not installation, which means you can reposition it. While it’s not particularly attractive, it does offer the adjustable functionality of more expensive racks.

Courtesy

No drilling required

Adjustable arms accommodate different types of bikes

Not particularly good-looking

Not space-efficient for storing only one bike

Topeak Dual-Touch Bike Stand

bike backcountry.com

$189.95

Topeak’s system is easy to install in rooms with ceilings up to 10 feet, six inches. With space for two bikes and the ability to add mounts for two more, it’s a supremely user-friendly and good-looking bike storage solution at a premium price.

Courtesy

Set-up takes just a few minutes

Mounts can be angled to fit bikes with sloping up tubes

Not space-efficient for storing only one bike

Pretty pricey

Park Tool Storage Hook

Park Tool competitivecyclist.com

$3.00

It doesn’t get as straightforward, as minimal, or as cheap as this utility hook. It’s rubber-covered so it won’t scratch your wheels, and while it isn’t pretty, it doesn’t draw too much attention either. You just have to get the correct size for your wheels and make sure it’s compatible with where you want to place it.

Courtesy

Cheap

Easy to install

Requires drilling, and right kind of wall

One size doesn’t fit all bikes

Other Wall Mounts and Indoor Bike Storage Racks We Like

Best Vertical Bike Wall Mount: Steadyrack Classic Bike Rack

Best Horizontal Bike Wall Mount: Ibera Horizontal Bike Wall Hanger

Best Hanging Bike Rack: Racor Bike Lift

Best Indoor Bike Floor Stand: Saris The Boss Bike Stand

Best Bike Storage Rack for Minimalists: CLUG Bike Clip

Most Stylish Bike Wall Mount: CB2 Wood Bike Storage

Best Overall Indoor Bike Storage Rack

Delta Cycle Michelangelo

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Delta Cycle Michelangelo Two-Bike Gravity Stand

amazon.com

$59.49

Delta Cycle’s Michelangelo rack may be on the bigger side, but it’s the only wall mounting indoor storage option that doesn’t require installation — no drills, no screws. Instead, the rack works with gravity, using the weight of the bikes to create a stable downward force that can support two horizontally hung bicycles. The Michelangelo is constructed with steel tubes and rubber bumpers that prevent any scuffs and scratches and can support up to 80 pounds of bike weight.

Number of Bikes: 2
Weight Limit: 80 pounds
Mounting: Freestanding

Best Upgrade Indoor Bike Storage Rack

Topeak Dual-Touch Bike Stand

Courtesy

Topeak Dual-Touch Bike Stand

backcountry.com

$189.95

Made of anodized aluminum tubing with rubber feet, Topeak’s telescoping system is super easy to install in rooms with ceilings up to 10 feet, six inches. A clamp near the top and a foot stepper near the bottom ensure a secure fit. The stand features two bike mounts with room to add up to two more (at $52.95 per mount). Large knobs at the rear let you slide the mounts up and down and adjust them up to 30 degrees to fit bikes with sloping up tubes, and each mount has a capacity of 39.7 pounds. Bottom line: a supremely user-friendly and good-looking bike storage solution, at a premium price.

Number of Bikes: 2
Weight Limit: 158.7 pounds
Mounting: Freestanding

Best Cheap Bike Wall Mount

Park Tool Storage Hook

Courtesy

Park Tool Storage Hook

avantlink.com

$3.95

Indoor bike storage doesn’t have to be complicated. The simplest solution can be found at your local hardware store (or, in this case, on Amazon). It’s a standard rubber-coated hook that can be easily installed with nothing more than a drill, allowing you to hang your bike freely from the ceiling or against the support of a wall. The hooks come in different sizes, which means you can store road bikes, mountain bikes and everything in between — just be sure to buy the right size.

Number of Bikes: 1
Mounting: Wall or ceiling

Best Vertical Bike Wall Mount

Steadyrack Classic Bike Rack

Steadyrack

Steadyrack Bike Rack

amazon.com

$89.99

$79.99 (11% off)

There are plenty of wall racks that use a tray-like system to cradle your bike and keep it off the ground, but Steadyrack does it best. The wall-mounting storage rack uses two arms to hold a bike’s front wheel in place while the rear sits in a small clip to keep it from swinging. The Steadyrack can also be swung from side to side nearly 180 degrees, allowing you to stack multiple bikes against each other and maximize available space. When not in use, the arms fold up on themselves to create a less obtrusive profile.

Number of Bikes: 1
Weight Limit: 77 pounds
Mounting: Wall

Best Horizontal Bike Wall Mount

Ibera Horizontal Bike Wall Hanger

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Ibera Horizontal Bike Wall Mount Hanger

amazon.com

$38.49

The most straightforward and most affordable indoor bike storage solutions tend to position bikes vertically, not the Ibera Horizontal Wall Hanger, though, which identifies its distinction right in its name. It doesn’t so immediately reveal that you can adjust its padded cradles independently to accommodate bikes with angled top tubes or that its main support telescopes make room for wide handlebars. This rack does require installation on concrete, masonry or a stud and can support bikes up to 39.6 pounds.

Number of Bikes: 1
Weight Limit: 39.6 pounds
Mounting: Wall

Best Indoor Bike Floor Stand

Saris The Boss Bike Stand

Saris

Saris The Boss Bike Stand

amazon.com

$65.98

Wall mounts, hangers and racks have many benefits, but if you’re looking for a more straightforward option that prioritizes accessibility and doesn’t require installation, then a classic bike stand is a good choice. The Boss is small and conveniently portable. It grabs and holds a bike’s rear axle with a rubber-coated fork that keeps enough pressure on the bike to keep it from toppling over, all while preventing scratches to the rim or damage to the spokes. The Boss also folds up when you aren’t using it to tuck it out of sight.

Number of Bikes: 1
Mounting: Freestanding

Best Bike Storage Rack for Minimalists

Hornit CLUG Bike Clip

Hornit

Hornit CLUG Bike Clip

avantlink.com

$19.95

The CLUG is as minimal as it gets — it’s nothing more than a simple, polycarbonate C-shaped clip that allows you to balance almost any bike against a wall, vertically or horizontally. It should be noted that the CLUG has specific size requirements and it’s not a hanger — make sure to buy the right size and install it correctly based on the bike you’re storing.

Number of Bikes: 1
Mounting: Freestanding

Most Stylish Bike Wall Mount

CB2 Wood Bike Storage

CB2

CB2 Wood Bike Storage

cb2.com

$49.95

Bike racks have a tendency to either blend into the wall or stick out like a sore thumb. This wood bike rack from CB2 is a simple space saver with room for your bike, plus storage for cycling gloves, a water bottle and snacks — anything you don’t want to forget before you head out for that early morning ride. The rack only works with bikes that have straight top tubes, but it holds up to 40 pounds, thanks to solid, sustainable acacia wood. (You can totally impress your design friends with that knowledge.)

Number of Bikes: 1
Weight Limit: 40 pounds
Mounting: Wall

May 21, 2021 / Comments Off on The Best Bike Wall Mounts and Indoor Storage Racks of 2021
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285

The Internet Is the Best Place to Buy a Used Premium Bike

Last summer, the transmission died in my 2001 Toyota 4Runner, the car I’ve driven since high school, the only car I’ve ever owned. In searching for a used vehicle to replace it, I couldn’t help but think about the research I had done a month or so prior for a piece on how to buy a used bicycle. Comparing the processes involved, I came to a quick conclusion: buying a used car is simpler by far.

The one exception to that statement is The Pro’s Closet, a Colorado-based business that buys and sells used high-end bikes on the Internet. The company’s information-forward approach cuts all the guesswork out of sizing up a used bike, which might come with dings and scratches from its former owner but also aftermarket parts and a hidden history — bicycles don’t have odometers.

To develop its process of identifying and documenting these things, The Pro’s Closet looked to the auto industry for inspiration (it even brought in Toyota leasing consultants to make its intake process more efficient). Of course, that’s on the backend. When the bike shop offered me store credit to try out the shopping experience firsthand, I eagerly agreed.

What We Like

The Pros Closet

Easy Site Navigation

Online shopping has been around long enough that we only notice how it works when it doesn’t, which is why it’s worth noting that The Pro’s Closet’s site makes it remarkably easy to parse through hundreds of used bikes to find the few that fit your needs. Sidebar filters for bike type — road, gravel, mountain, etc. — and size get you down to a small enough sampling to go through one by one, but you can get more specific with selections for brands, frame material, brake type, wheel size, condition and more. There’s even an In the Stand page that displays basic info about bikes that the shop is in the process of certifying for resale.

Bikes In, Bikes Out

While I was shopping for a gravel bike that fit me, I narrowed the selection down to my criteria of specs and price (and paint job) only to see one I favored sell to another rider before I pulled the trigger. That’s how it goes when shopping used, but luckily The Pro’s Closet brings in enough bikes on a rolling basis that the site is always fresh. The next day, I applied my search filters again and found another bike that was even closer to what I was looking for, a 2020 Giant Revolt Advanced 0.

Details, Details, Details

While mileage isn’t available for bikes on The Pro’s Closet, just about everything else is. Close-up, high-resolution photos document the every detail, and every component is listed whether it came stock or was added by a previous owner. There’s also a chart and rating system that codifies the bike’s overall condition as well as that of its key parts.

Here’s the listing for the bike that I ended up purchasing. The condition rating noted that the frame wasn’t in perfect condition, and the photos showed why.

Ready to Ride, Nearly

Not long after placing my order, a box arrived in the driveway. Direct-to-consumer bike brands are few, so many riders may have never received a bike in the mail. Regularly receiving test bikes at Gear Patrol has taught me that they can arrive in various states of “fully built.” But The Pro’s Closet seems to know that not all riders are mechanics; my Revolt came with its front wheel removed, and handlebars turned.

The wheel I could address by hand and the bars with an Allen wrench, though I used a 5nm torque wrench that came in the box (along with a full set of bits I didn’t need). I used this same tool to set the saddle height. The only thing not inside the box were pedals and a tool to put them on (a common scenario with higher-end new bikes as well, for the record).

Tanner Bowden

30-Day Guarantee

I didn’t need to use it, but it’s certainly worth noting that The Pro’s Closet offers a 30-day return policy in case the bike that arrives doesn’t fit right or isn’t what you expected, both of which are bound to happen occasionally when buying a used bike online. Return shipping is on you unless the company sent the wrong bike, so it’s not wholly penalty-free; bike shipping can cost $50 and up.

The Pro’s Closet also offers an 18-month trade-in or buy-back program on all the bikes it sells. That amount is visible in your site account immediately after purchasing a bike — so I can see that after my purchase and a little over a month of owning the Revolt, it’s trade-in value has dropped by $644. That makes it easy to know precisely how much store credit I could get if I decide to swap this bike for another one (or for cold hard cash, though in that case you receive 13 percent less than the store credit amount).

The Pro’s Closet recently established a carbon frame warranty covering any manufacturing defects and “one instance of frame damage due to normal use.” That’s incredible, considering that many of the high-end bikes it sells have carbon fiber frames.

You Can Use The Pro’s Closet to Get a New Bike, Too

The company also inked a deal with the bike brands Giant and Liv to help cyclists wanting to upgrade their ride by turning an old bike into a brand new one. How it works: complete an online form that details your bike so that The Pro’s Closet can assign a value to it, either reject or accept that value offer, then use the voucher to order a new bike from Giant or Liv and bring your old one to your local Giant or Liv dealer to execute the trade. That’s one caveat — you have to have access to a participating retailer (here’s a map of where they are).

You can use this same Trade Up process to exchange your old bike for a new one from other brands too; you just have to find a participating bike shop (search for one here). The process is much the same — you submit for a quote from The Pro’s Closet through its usual sell and trade process, then select Trade Up credit and your local shop, and you’ll get a voucher to use there. You can also bring your old bike directly to the shop and perform the entire submission process there.

Watch Out For

Premium Only

If you’re looking for a website to buy a cheap used bike, The Pro’s Closet isn’t it. The company has made its space in the high-end category — the original price of every bike it takes is $1,500 or more. That isn’t where prices bottom out though; at the time of this writing, the cheapest bike available costs $956 (the most expensive is $10,000, a 2020 Specialized S-Works Venge Sagan Collection road bike).

Check Often, Act Fast

As I mentioned before, when I was shopping for a bike, I picked one only to have it bought out from under me. And before that happened, I spent a few weeks checking the website for bikes that fit what I was looking for. It bears remembering that despite its A+ web experience and the quality of its wares, The Pro’s Closet is still a used bike shop — meaning there’s just one of everything — and you should shop it as such. Check the site often to find what you’re looking for, and when you do find it, snag it.

Shipping Isn’t Free

One of online shopping’s unwritten rules is that high-ticket items come with free shipping. That’s not the case with The Pro’s Closet, and while I know shipping a bike is expensive, I wasn’t expecting the $95 fee at checkout.

Do a Final Check

Typically, we advise that you take any used bike to a bike shop for a final lookover after you buy it. The Pro’s Closet gives each bike a professional tune-up before boxing it up, but it’s worth checking things yourself once it arrives. I took the Revolt for a ride after unboxing it and found that the gears weren’t indexing quite right and had to be adjusted.

Other Options

There isn’t anything like it, honestly: no other used bike site is set up like The Pro’s Closet with an easy-to-use website, quality assurances, guarantees or buy-back promises. There are other places to buy a used bike online, including eBay, Craigslist and online communities such as Pinkbike, Bicycle Blue Book and GearTrade. Shopping there requires more finesse — check out our guide on how to do it right.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a hassle-free place to buy a premium used bike, The Pro’s Closet is it. Riders just breaking into this range may experience sticker shock when perusing the online store’s selection, but high prices are simply part of buying a high-end bike (yes, $1,000 is cheap in this case). The platform justifies them with a degree of transparency and information you might not even get at a brick and mortar bike shop, let alone on eBay or Craigslist. Plus, the guarantees it provides make it the perfect place to score a dream bike, whether it’s your first or merely this year’s upgrade.

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May 18, 2021 / Comments Off on The Internet Is the Best Place to Buy a Used Premium Bike
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14 Awesome New Outdoor Products to Kick off Summer With

This pandemic year has highlighted how important the outdoors are. As one of the only spaces to gather responsibly, they’ve been critical for recreation, fitness, dining and general escape from our own homes.

On a related note, kudos to the government for recently unveiling a plan to conserve 30 percent of the country’s land and water by 2030, much of which will become parks as well as new grounds for hunting and fishing.

That kind of news is easy to get excited about, especially with summer on the horizon — but also when there’s all kinds of new outdoor gear with which to enjoy all those wide-open spaces.

Snow Peak Alpha Breeze

Snow Peak

The Japanese outdoor brand looked to Adirondack and A-frame cabins to inform the design of its newest tent. The Alpha Breeze’s somewhat-domed form is familiar; what’s novel is the inclusion of various entry points and a fly that converts to an awning for a covered front porch hangout.

Price: $500

SHOP NOW

Nocs Zoom Tube

Nocs Provisions

You might not think of binoculars as cool until you see the ones Nocs Provisions is making. Its latest is a monocular called the Zoom Tube that magnifies what you’re viewing by a power of eight. It’s compact enough to stash in a hiking pack and is both rugged and waterproof, so you don’t have to fuss over it.

SHOP NOW

CEP Outdoor Collection

CEP

Professional athletes regularly rely on compression to boost muscle recovery during and after activity, so why shouldn’t hikers? That’s what CEP believes, as evidenced by its new outdoor collection. The new compression socks are available in various heights, and the construction includes a small dose of that old standby, merino wool.

Price: $25+

SHOP NOW

Wandrd PRVKE Lite

Wandrd

Wandrd recently updated its flagship camera backpack, the PRVKE, and in doing so, it released a pared-down version for photo missions that don’t call for as much stuff. That said, the PRVKE Lite still has space for a camera, three lenses, laptop, tripod and other photography essentials. There are plenty of organizational pockets, and the pack is padded and weather-resistant, too.

Price: $219

SHOP NOW

Silky Pocketboy Outback Edition

Sherilltree

Silky updated its practically sized Pocketboy hand saw with a new handle made of extra-grippy arbor composite. With a 6.69-inch blade and a weight just over half a pound, it’s the perfect tool for any camping or hunting trip that calls for a saw (and will beat a tiny multi-tool variant any day).

Price: $45

SHOP NOW

Hillsound Packstack

Hillsound

Confounded by backpack packing techniques? Hillsound has a solution in its new Packstack organizers. They’re like packing cubes but are shaped with curved sides to slot down into a hiking backpack, making it easier to stay organized while traveling with multi-day packs.

Price: $17+

SHOP NOW

Tubolito Tubo MTB PSENS

Tubolito

What’s a computer chip doing inside a mountain bike tube? Measuring the tire’s PSI, beaming that info straight to your smartphone and taking the guesswork out of pumping up for a ride.

Price: $50

SHOP NOW

Osprey Talon Ghost

Osprey

Osprey is following up the recent update of its crowd-favorite Talon backpacks with an all-white version called the Ghost. The pack is made of recycled high-tenacity nylon and has features for journeys by trail or sidewalk alike, including stretch side pockets for water bottles, a bike helmet attachment and Osprey’s new sturdy and breathable Airscape back panel.

Price: $190

SHOP NOW

Altra LP Alpine

Altra

Altra’s Lone Peak is a favorite among trail runners, but now the less-hardcore of us can get a feel for it with this new everyday take on the shoe. The LP Alpine has grippy tread for hiking, a responsive foam midsole and the brand’s trademark Balanced Cushioning platform that positions your heel and forefoot on the same plane for a more natural gait.

Price: $140

SHOP NOW

Ruffwear Float Coat

Ruffwear

This new PFD from Ruffwear includes a sturdy handle on top so you can haul Fido back onto your paddleboard/raft/kayak/etc. in any dog-overboard scenarios.

Price: $90

SHOP NOW

James Niehues American Landscape Project

James Niehues

The artist famous for painting trail maps for ski resorts around the world has a new mission to illustrate US National Parks in the spirit of Ansel Adams, and it’s similarly engrossing.

Price: $65+

SHOP NOW

USWE Hajker Hiking Packs

USWE

The hallmark of these hiking packs is a four-point harness system USWE calls NDM. That stands for “No Dancing Monkey” — no joke — and refers to the feeling of an ill-fitting backpack bouncing around behind you. The tech uses elastic straps and a central clasp to keep the new bags sitting tight, which, in turn, allows you to move more fluidly over uneven terrain.

Price: $180+

SHOP NOW

Rip Van Wafel Birthday Cake

Rip Van

Try one of these, and you’ll never go back to that cardboard-y granola bar for a trail snack. Each one only has three grams of sugar, but somehow they really do taste like cake.

Price: $36 (24-pack)

SHOP NOW

Spartan by Craft Nordic Speed Trail Shoe

Spartan

As Spartan has expanded from OCRs to trail running races, it only makes sense for the brand to team back up with Craft on an accompanying shoe. This aggressive pair, featuring a grippy, carbon-infused outsole, smooth-riding reinforced foam midsole and flexible, durable upper, is just the thing.

Price: $150

SHOP NOW

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May 18, 2021 / Comments Off on 14 Awesome New Outdoor Products to Kick off Summer With
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The 12 Best Hiking Backpacks of 2021

Day hikes don’t call for a lot of gear. The shortest jaunts require a water bottle and a sturdy pair of shoes — in some cases, even everyday sneakers will do. More ambitious endeavors should be tackled with a more considered packing list: hiking boots, technical apparel, snacks, sunscreen, extra layers for the summit, a headlamp just in case. You’ll also want a backpack for lugging most of that gear.

As such, daypacks exist on a spectrum. Some everyday backpacks, like the ones you may have brought to school or carry to work, will do the trick, but there is a full range of very technical options explicitly designed for out-and-back hiking.

These aren’t as sizeable as the 60-liter-plus bags used for long-distance trekking, but they come with many of the same features that make walking in the wilderness with essential gear a more enjoyable experience. Here are our favorites.

Best Overall

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Osprey Talon 22

osprey.com

$130.00

The Talon was a solid hiking pack before Osprey’s recent update, and the new features make it even better. Chief among them is a new back panel that we’ve found to be breathable on strenuous hikes even though it’s still pretty minimal. It’s also quite comfy and integrates well with the hipbelt.

The Talon 22 also has pretty much every feature you could want on a hiking pack. It has stretchy side pockets for water bottles, a spacious main compartment with an internal mesh pocket for small items, another small exterior pocket, trekking pole and ice axe attachments, a spot for a hydration bladder and small mesh pockets on the shoulder straps that are handy for stashing a phone or snack. We also like the big exterior sleeve for stuffing layers on the fly.

There’s also an exterior plastic piece that holds a bike helmet. This feature highlights the primary reason why this bag is our top pick — it’s perfect for hiking but ideal for around-town use too. The Talon comes in larger and smaller volumes but features vary between them.

Volume: 22 liters
Weight: 2 pounds
Number of Pockets: 10

Upgrade Pick

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Osprey Stratos 24

osprey.com

$140.00

The Stratos is outfitted with all the pockets, compression straps and access points you’d expect from a backpack company — especially one with a golden reputation among long-distance thru-hikers — but the standout feature is its mesh back panel. It’s raised and tensioned away from the pack’s main vestibule, which provides a comfy trampoline-like feel and allows lots of air to flow between your back and the bag, which minimizes the sweaty back issue that often seems unavoidable. The mesh also integrates into the hipbelt, wrapping its arms around your lower torso for a fit that’s more comfortable than most other backpacks.

Volume: 24 liters
Weight: 2 pounds 6 ounces
Number of Pockets: 8

Best Budget Hiking Backpack

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REI Co-op Trail 25 Pack

rei.com

$79.95

Saving cash on a hiking pack typically involves sacrificing features — adequate support and long-day comfort, primarily, but also things like hydration compatibility, external pockets, and even weatherproofing and durability. You don’t give any of these up in REI’s Trail 25, though. The main thing this backpack lacks compared to our other top picks is a sturdy hipbelt; instead, it has a narrower strap that provides stability but not support.

All of the bag’s other features are commendable. It’s adjustable, has exterior pockets for small items, trekking poles and water bottles, and its main compartment is spacious and opens wide for easy access. It even comes with a rain cover.

Volume: 25 liters
Weight: 2 pounds
Number of Pockets: 6

Best Simple Hiking Backpack

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Patagonia Altvia Pack 22L

patagonia.com

$119.00

Patagonia designed the Altvia 22 simply with the essentials in mind: the pack has one spacious main compartment that’s accessed through an angled zipper, allowing efficient access to what’s inside, but also has a second pocket that’s deeper than you think (we could stuff a puffy or rain jacket inside no problem) and an even smaller one that’s good for keys, wallet or phone. Patagonia also gave it a raised-mesh back panel and the hipbelt is quite comfy, albeit fairly thin.

We noticed the lack of shoulder adjusting straps on this bag, but the Altvia isn’t entirely devoid of extras, though. there are expandable stash pockets on the sides that are angled so you can access water bottles while on the move, zippered pockets on the hipbelt, a hydration sleeve with a port for the hose, and a bungee for securing more stuff to the bag’s exterior. Lastly, there’s an included rain cover tucked into its base.

Volume: 22 liters
Weight: 1 pound 8 ounces
Number of Pockets: 7

Most Innovative Hiking Backpack

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The North Face Chimera 18L

backcountry.com

$98.95

In rethinking what a daypack can do, The North Face created a new central control system called Dyno Cinch and built it into the Chimera. It works simply: pull the ripcord on the bag’s right shoulder and the entire strap system and front pocket cinches and self-balances for on-the-fly load management.

Beyond that, the Chimera is lightweight, minimal and comfortable, with hydration compatibility and a pocket for small items, two stash pockets and a front sleeve in addition to its main compartment. You can also get it in a 24-liter volume.

Volume: 18 or 24 liters
Weight: 1 pound 2 ounces
Number of Pockets: 5

Best Packable Hiking Backpack

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Matador Beast18

matadorup.com

$134.99

Drawstring gym bags should never be used for hiking — we’re adamant about this. If you’re looking for a lightweight, collapsible and highly portable bag that you can stuff into a suitcase, get Matador’s Beast18. Unlike most collapsible backpacks, the Beast retains an internal frame that gives it structure and support when you’re wearing it. That frame is flexible, though, allowing you to twist and fold the bag on itself to make a packable disc. Collapsed, it’s still a little bit larger than other bags like this, but the additional features are worth the space.

Those features include side water bottle pockets, an internal sleeve for a hydration bladder, a zippered main compartment that opens wide, a second compartment with a smaller internal pocket for little items, loops for trekking poles, an ice axe loop, daisy chain attachment points and a removable hip belt. The fabric is also waterproof, and the fit is far more comfortable than other bags in this packable category.

The Beast also comes in a larger 28-liter size.

Volume: 18 liters
Weight: 1 pound 5 ounces
Number of Pockets: 6

Best Ultralight Daypack

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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Daybreak

hyperlitemountaingear.com

$210.00

Mike St. Pierre founded his ultralight equipment company, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, on the sheer potential of Dyneema, a fabric that by weight is 15 times stronger than steel. That’s the main ingredient in the Daybreak, a pack created for day-long excursions. Most Hyperlite bags are spartan (it’s an ultralight thing), but the Daybreak includes features like multiple external sleeve pockets, a bungee-style lashing and a stow-away hipbelt. The whole thing weighs just a bit over a pound.

Volume: 17 liters
Weight: 1 pound 3 ounces
Number of Pockets: 5

Best Lifestyle Hiking Pack

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Topo Designs Mountain Pack

topodesigns.com

$169.00

The Mountain Pack has been a recurring staple in the Topo Designs stable of retro-looking backpacks. Versatility is where this bag shines — it has a breathable mesh back panel and all the daisy chains and gear loops needed for mountain exploits, but it also features a laptop sleeve and smaller organizing pockets for life around town. It’s definitely not as technical as some of the others on this list, but looks are important too.

Volume: 30 liters
Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces
Number of Pockets: 5

Best Backpack for Speed Hiking

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Black Diamond Trail Blitz 16L

backcountry.com

$59.95

If you seek a super-streamlined sack to carry swiftly to the next wall you plan to scale, the Trail Blitz is your bag. It features Black Diamond’s trademark easy-access opening, plus a pocket for headlamp storage, one for securing your wallet and keys and sleeves on the sides for stashing your trekking poles when it’s time to climb. There are also four little loops on the back panel that allow you to connect this pack to a larger one, converting it into a quick-detachable side-quest pod. Oh, and it weighs just over half a pound.

Volume: 16 liters
Weight: 9 ounces
Number of Pockets: 2

Best Backpack for Overnight Hiking

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Arc’teryx Aerios 30

arcteryx.com

$190.00

Thirty liters of pack space is ideal for really big days on the trail or short overnight trips. It’s especially true of the Aerios, which Arc’teryx bestowed enough features upon that it feels like a larger backpack than that, even at under two pounds. An intricate system of bungees zig-zags up and down and inside and out of the pack, making its exterior pockets and sleeves finely adjustable. (Even the chest strap and shoulder adjustments are bungees.)

Our favorite feature on this bag are its two oversized lateral sleeves, which can fit everything from a water bottle to a jacket and remain secure with the bungee system. Another callout goes to its shoulder straps, which bring to mind running vests with mesh pockets that are large enough for hydration flasks, though we just used them for a phone and empty snack wrappers.

Volume: 30 liters
Weight: 2 pounds
Number of Pockets: 11

Best Hiking Backpack for Photographers

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WANDRD PRVKE

Bringing camera gear on a hike presents a whole new set of considerations when shopping for a backpack. An easy solution is to buy a modular camera cube that you can insert into any bag. But if you want a dedicated option with more organizational features, WANDRD’s PRVKE is an ideal choice. The major thing that this pack lacks is a supportive and breathable back panel and hipbelt combo, but it makes up for that with pockets and sleeves for your entire photo kit, plus extra gear, depending on the size (a roll-top construction allows you to max it out in a pinch). The pack’s exterior is waterproof, too, so don’t worry about a bit of rain.

Volume: 21, 31 or 41 liters
Weight: 2 pounds 12.8 ounces (21 liters)
Number of Pockets: 8

Best Hip Pack for Hiking

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Evergoods Mountain Hip Pack 3.5L

evergoods.us

$119.00

Thanks to rising popularity among mountain bikers, many brands have recently considered (or reconsidered) the hip pack format. That includes Evergoods, which put versatility and comfort first in making a low-volume bag that’s perfect for short hikes and travel. The Mountain Hip Pack has two compartments — a larger one with a built-in zip pocket and a smaller one with sleeves and a key clip for essentials — but there’s a semi-secret third place to carry things thanks to an exterior pass-through. We’ve found this to be the perfect place to keep a water bottle (there are straps you can tighten for security) or an extra wind or rain shell. As a bonus, this bag is also quite comfy as a sling, and not all hip packs can say the same.

Volume: 3.5 liters
Weight: 15 ounces
Number of Pockets: 4

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May 17, 2021 / Comments Off on The 12 Best Hiking Backpacks of 2021
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Bikes

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ACCESSORIES

Rapha Performance Trailwear Lightweight Jacket

Pit Viper High Speed Off Road DH Pant

USWE Raw 3

Gnarly Nutrition Fuel2O

CHPT3 Most Days

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Upgrade Pick

Budget Pick

Best for Action Sports

Best for Hiking

Best Durable Design

The Best Camera Inserts

What We Like

Long and light platform

1x drivetrain

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Fat tires

So many mounts

Watch Out For

Wiiiide bars

Versatility adds up

It can’t do everything

Is it For Me?

Verdict

Chopping List

Best Overall Sun Shirt

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Best Town-to-Trail Sun Shirt

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Best Adventure Travel Sun Shirt

Best Sun Shirt for Alpinists

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Best Sun Shirt for Serious Fishing

Most Versatile Sun Shirt

Roam

Crux Academy

Wildist

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What You’ll Need

Step 1: Pull down or synthetic insulation back into the jacket.

Step 2: Clean and trim the area around the rip.

Step 3: Prepare your patch.

Step 4: Apply the patch.

A Few Things to Remember

Best Overall Tactical Pack

Best Upgrade Tactical Pack

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Best Designed Tactical Pack

Best Bugout Bag Tactical Pack

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Best Hunting Tactical Pack

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Best Overall Bike Rack

Best Upgrade Bike Rack

Best Value Bike Rack

Best Roof Rack

Best Bike Rack for Rear Cargo Access

Best Portable Bike Rack

Best Bike Rack for Pickup Trucks

Editor’s Picks

Other Wall Mounts and Indoor Bike Storage Racks We Like

Best Overall Indoor Bike Storage Rack

Delta Cycle Michelangelo

Best Upgrade Indoor Bike Storage Rack

Topeak Dual-Touch Bike Stand

Best Cheap Bike Wall Mount

Park Tool Storage Hook

Best Vertical Bike Wall Mount

Gnarly Nutrition Fuel₂O