Southern Indiana Trails

At Winter Outdoor Retailer, pricey, high-tech hardgoods are easy to find. But these clever products snuck in under $50 with little innovations to help us play harder—and rest easier when the day is done.  Black Diamond Blitz spikes ($35) ( Photo: Emily Reed) The most minimalist of Black Diamond’s three-piece debut in running traction, these six-point forefoot spikes each pack down to about the size of a film canister. At 45 grams, they are perfect for just-in-case backup on runs and hikes—or for traversing your icy driveway.  Smartwool Women's PhD Pro Ski Race ($31) ( Photo: Emily Reed) Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin helped Smartwool develop this performance-oriented sock . It has a contoured, women’s-specific fit and a wider cuff to help it stay put and comfortable for long days on the mountain. The extra durable wool-blend material bears subtle stripes and swirls inspired by the northern lights. Birkenstock Honolulu EVA ($40) ( Photo: Emily Reed) We love...

Every year we test a ton of gear, from bikes  and  skis  to backcountry apparel and  tech gadgets . Some pieces are award worthy , and others miss the mark. But there are certain ones we keep coming back to day after day. Here are the products Outside ’s gear editors used the most in 2019.   Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Chair ($54) ( Photo: Wufei Yu) I’ve already written about how much I love my super-packable and ultra-versatile Hex 2.0 , but it’s worth mentioning again. I took the taco-esque minimalist chair on nearly every adventure last year and   never regretted throwing it in my pack. Unlike other camp chairs, Crazy Creek models can roll up to the size of a compressed sleeping pad and don’t require heavy construction poles to assemble. (Instead the brand relies on nylon webbing and plastic buckles for support.) The other weekend, I went bouldering with friends, and this seat was never empty. T...

Earlier today, World Athletics (track and field’s governing body, formerly the International Association of Athletics Federations) made its highly anticipated announcement  on the regulation of running shoe technology. Although there had been rumors in recent weeks—aggravated by several bogus news stories —that the organization was planning on making Nike’s coveted Vaporfly Next% racing shoe illegal in elite competition, this does not appear to be the case.  Rather, World Athletics will be prohibiting the use of shoe prototypes in competition. (This is a good idea .) The new rule states: “From 30 April 2020, any shoe must have been available for purchase by any athlete on the open retail market (online or in store) for a period of four months before it can be used in competition. If a shoe is not openly available to all then it will be deemed a prototype and use of it in competition will not be permitted.” Additionally, World Athletics has issued an “immediate moratorium” ...

Outdoor Retailer is where we go to discover the groundbreaking technologies designed to make you go faster, harder, and stronger. But after the most hardcore outdoor pursuits, we just want the fuzziest, warmest gear out there. This is what we’ll be wearing around the cabin in winter 2021. Xtratuf Homer Shoe ($85) ( Photo: Emily Reed) Cozy meets functional. These mid-rise wool booties are lined with faux shearling for warmth and outfitted with a grippy, non-marking outsole—the same as Xtratuf’s workhorse Legacy boot . Made for fishermen in cold climes, they work just as well at home, too.  Picture Judy Pant ($90, Women’s) ( Photo: Emily Reed) After a long day on the slopes, all we’ll want to do is envelop ourselves in these 100-percent recycled polyester fuzz (not a technical term) pants. With spacious, fleece-lined pockets and a roomy, jogger-style fit, they’re born to chill.  Rumpl Sherpa Puffy Blanket ($129) ( Photo: Emily Reed) Sherpa fleece has taken...

When you have access to thousands of products to test, it speaks volumes if one sticks out of the crowd.  Outside  Gear Guy Joe Jackson weighs in on his five personal favorites from Winter Outdoor Retailer 2020. by Emily Reed via Outside Magazine: All

At Outside , our staff makes the most of our home base of New Mexico, from winter dawn patrol at Ski Santa Fe and year-round climbing in Roy to summer road trips throughout the Southwest and beyond. But for those precious PTO days, we think bigger. In 2020, our editors are all about finally taking the dream trips they’ve been thinking about for years. Traveling Solo Across Scotland The Scottish Highlands ( Photo: v2osk/Unsplash) After two years stateside, I’m heading to Scotland this spring for my first visit to the UK and my second solo trip abroad. My first time traveling alone—backpacking in New Zealand —taught me a lot about the logistics of independent trip planning and being a woman alone in a foreign country. Ultimately, I really enjoyed the experience of being by myself somewhere new, and I feel much more equipped to plan my travels this time around. On the itinerary: biking on the Isle of Skye, hiking in the Highlands, and drinking lots of local ...

Nomadix Towel ($55) ( Photo: Courtesy Nomadix) The Nomadix packs smaller than the average beach towel and has endless uses: sand-repellent blanket, no-slip yoga accessory, and, yes, ultra-absorbent shower towel. Buy Now OluKai Nohie Olu Sandals ($115) ( Photo: Courtesy OluKai) Your feet will love these slip-ons , which are extra comfy, with a cushioned footbed and generous leather straps. Buy Now Yellow 108 Stevie Palm Straw Fedora ($104) ( Photo: Courtesy Yellow 108) This unisex straw hat  features a light build for maximum airflow that will keep you cool. Buy Now Croakies Original Sunglasses Strap ($9) ( Photo: Courtesy Croakies) For more than four decades, this simple neoprene device  has saved us from losing our shades when we’re on adventures. Buy Now Smith Cheetah Sunglasses ($129) ( Photo: Courtesy Smith) This update  on a classic eighties style combines a feminine cat-eye look with polarized, tapered lens ...

Name: Nikita Ovsyanikov Job:  Behavioral scientist Home Base: A small village 250 miles northwest of Moscow  Age: 67 Education: Studied zoology at Moscow State University When he was just three years old, Russian Nikita Ovsyanikov told his mother that he wanted to work with animals. He stuck to his word. Ovsyanikov grew up to study biology and zoology at Moscow State University, then spent over a dozen years studying the Arctic fox. In 1990, he switched his focus to an even bigger animal: the polar bear. To observe these creatures in the wild, he spent years living on remote Wrangel Island, a polar bear denning location in the East Siberian Sea. “If you want to know how animals live, what their interaction with their environment is like, you have to observe it,” Ovsyanikov says. “When I decided to do this kind of research, I had to choose to live in the wilderness. The more of your own lifetime you invest in this activity, the more you ...

Patagonia’s R1 may be the most well-known and well-loved technical fleece of all time. When it launched in 1999, the midlayer redefined what it meant to stay warm while moving, with a lofted grid that trapped heat but also wicked exceptionally, all in a relatively slim package. It was the midlayer you never had to take off—one that was universally suited to almost any outdoor sport, from climbing to backpacking to skiing. (The R stands for “regulator,” as in the ability to manage body temperature.)  In the 20-plus years since, the brand has expanded on the Regulator concept with hybrids and higher-loft spinoffs. Dozens of other brands have launched their own grid fleeces. Midlayer technology has exploded, too, with the invention of ever warmer and more breathable fills like Polartec Alpha , Ventrix , and Patagonia’s own Nano Air line. But the original R1 has remained virtually unchanged—and just as popular.  ( Photo: Emily Reed) Now, in August 2020, Patagoni...