Pivot has long made it a priority to build lightweight bikes — and not just for cross-country racing models. Pivot’s Mach 5.5 Carbon weighs about 28 pounds (ultralight builds actually duck 27 pounds) while delivering 160 mm of front suspension and 140 mm in the rear. That’s an impressive squish-to-weight ratio. It earned the Mach…
After designing some 50 ski models for Line over his 22-year run as a sponsored athlete, Eric Pollard had an epiphany: The world didn’t need any more skis. “There are a lot of great options out there already,” he explains. Pollard himself helped launch many of them. As a collaborative designer for Line, he pioneered…
To become more sustainable, the outdoor industry should make less gear. But can brands battle their own bloat? My gear closet is an embarrassment of riches, and I’m not the only one with an overabundance problem. When the outdoor industry last convened for Outdoor Retailer in Denver, its skis, snowboards, pants, boots, jackets, sleeping bags,…
Snow-sports lovers, it’s time to give your bathroom an upgrade I’ve fought hard to keep my living spaces free of ski gear (and bikes, and fishing equipment). It’s a battle that I’ve waged for some 20 years, ever since I moved to a ski town where shoebox-sized apartments command $1,800 in rent and living rooms…
Our ten-year-old ripper tests the pedal-assisted Woom UP 6 to find out Rarely has a piece of test gear caused so much controversy in our household. Ski boots, bikes, fly rods, camp showers—all manner of gear lands on my doorstep for review, and my husband and ten-year-old daughter greet every item with curiosity. But unboxing…
Pedal-assist makes steep climbs and technical terrain less intimidating. Bikers are getting charged up. Barely a year ago, e-mountain bikes were a curiosity on backcountry trails—now they’re here to stay. Twenty-five percent of all dollars spent on mountain bikes in 2020 went to models equipped with a motor and battery that boost pedaling power. That’s…
New technologies and better materials have enabled a few willing brands to make bikes with big wheels and extra-small frames feel nimble and fast Ten years ago, when I first rode a mountain bike with 29-inch wheels, I hated it. A lot of cyclists were hyping the performance benefits of the larger wheel size. But…
This sprawling review (co-written with Ryan Stuart) evaluated 2020’s new jackets to select the seven best models—including “Gear of the Year.” Take Cover Layers to keep you moving no matter the weather. Black Diamond Highline Stretch, $299 Waterproofing, breathability, durability, packability, comfort, sustainability—usually, you’re lucky if your jacket has a few of these attributes. The Highline…
Hiking is one of summer’s sweetest pleasures, and the right gear makes the miles fly by. Here’s the footwear, packs and apparel you’ll want for summit bids and seaside rambles FOOTWEAR HOKA ONE ONE STINSON MID GORE-TEX Heavy backpacks and rocky trails can punish feet, but not if they’re cradled by the super-plush cushioning of…
Is Fox’s Electronic Suspension Worth Thousands? Our writer will never go back The next time you shop for a mountain bike, you’ll need to decide if you want intelligent suspension that senses the terrain every three milliseconds and optimizes performance accordingly. Fox unveiled such magic in 2019 with its Live Valve system, which does what all…