How To Articles
Introduction to Layered Clothing Systems
by McKenzie Long & RJ Spurrier
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Introduction to Layered Clothing Systems
Overview Enjoying the mountains to the fullest extent requires knowing how to dress. With the right clothes, an afternoon alpine thunderstorm can make for a surreal and magical experience...
How to Choose the Perfect Pair of Men's Long Underwear Bottoms
Ready to trade your dingey cotton long johns for a modern pair? Today's models fit, feel, and function MUCH better than the ones you grew up with
How to Choose a Softshell Jacket for Women
Softshell jackets are fantastic mediators, striking a brilliant balance between breathability and protection from the elements. If you are drawn to aerobic activities out in cold...
How to Choose Mountain Bike Flat Shoes for Women
Flat mountain biking shoes are growing in popularity with the growth of mountain biking as a sport. No longer do we want always to be clipped in, especially if you are trying that risky...
How To Choose a Backpacking Stove
Buying the right backpacking stove can make your life in the backcountry more enjoyable. But not all stoves were made with the same adventurer in mind -- many specialize
How to Choose a GPS Watch
Thinking of purchasing a GPS watch but you're not sure where to begin? The market is full of different options ranging from a simple tracker to a mini smartphone that lives on your wrist...
How to Choose a Camping Tent
A car camping tent can be a serious investment, with prices ranging from affordable to downright frightening. It can be overwhelming with all the highly varied applications and features...
How to Choose A Water Bottle
The number of options out there for water bottles can be overwhelming and even incapacitating. This article is here to help you sort through your options and settle on the right bottle for...
How to Choose a Women's Ski Jacket
Ready for a new ski jacket, but bewildered by the options? This guide will help you understand key elements to consider and how to make your choice based on your own personal needs
How to Choose Hiking Boots for Women
With so many options for hiking footwear, it can be a challenge to know what to look for. Hiking footwear should match your anatomical needs for maximum comfort and support in both feet...
How To Choose The Right Yoga Pants
Whether you are completely new to yoga or have been practicing for years, this guide aims to offer helpful tips for selecting your next pair of yoga pants. Our testers have been practicing...
How to Choose Women's Snowshoes
While they have changed over the years, snowshoes have been around for quite some time. They are an excellent way to stay afloat deep snow drifts. Grippy crampons also help you hold...
How to Choose the Right Trail Running Shoes
We recommend making a basic self-assessment to help you determine what your specific needs are when it comes to a trail running shoe. With this in mind, we can guide you through the best...
How to Choose a Ski Jacket for Men
There are approximately a bazillion ski and board jackets currently on the market. They change style from one year to the next, and the model names manufacturers use are ever in flux. We...
How to Choose Hiking Shoes for Women
What do you do when the options for hiking shoes are overwhelming? This article will help you understand the different options available, and how to choose the right shoe for your terrain...
How to Choose Trail Running Shoes for Women
While the market is inundated with different types of trail running shoes specific to women, we help you avoid choice paralysis. In this article, we look at features that a good trail shoe...
Choosing the Perfect Pair of Women's All-Mountain Skis
How to decide? Start by asking yourself questions about where and how you like to ski. Do you like to get out on fresh corderoy, or would you prefer to pop off into the trees? Do you like...
Purchasing the Ideal Pair of Running Shoes
So you're in the market for running shoes. But what kind? There are trail shoes, road shoes, minimal shoes, maximal shoes, and even barefoot shoes. Then within each of those categories...
How to Choose Hiking Shoes
Want some help finding the right shoe for your feet and trail objectives? This article dissects the key considerations among hiking footwear options
How to Choose a Ski or Snowboard Helmet
How does one go about choosing the best helmet for snow sports? Which are the most protective? Are there features that are an absolute must to have? With the exponential increase in helmet...
How to Choose Hiking Boots
Why should I buy a pair of hiking boots when the salesperson at my local gear shop told me that all hikers are just wearing trail running shoes now? The category of hiking footwear is...
How to Choose Running Shoes for Women
Searching for the best women's running shoes and want to understand better how to buy a road shoe? We sorted through the chaos and mumbo-jumbo, so you don't have to! We garnered all the...
Women's Winter Jacket Buying Guide
Whether you're looking to just survive winter or perhaps even enjoy it, selecting the right coat is the first step. Pulling on a jacket as warm and cozy as a sleeping bag makes it much...
How to Choose Water Shoes
Water sports are tough on feet and footwear. We provide the key information you need to understand water shoes and pick a pair that work great for you.
How to Choose Men's All-Mountain Skis
There are a lot of skis on the market these days. They all seem to want to achieve the same purpose of sliding down the mountain, so why so many different shapes and sizes? How do you...
Men's Winter Jacket Buying Guide
What is a winter jacket? This is a garment that can help you withstand the cold, wind, and snow or rain. It should contain thick insulation so that your body stays warm even when not in...
How to Choose a Personal Locator Beacon
What device should you buy and for what application? Below we break it down. Once finished, however, do read our complete Personal Locator Beacon Review to find out how each device scored...
How to Choose a Gravel Bike
In recent years, gravel biking has exploded in popularity and is one of the fastest-growing parts of the cycling industry. There is a lot to consider when choosing a gravel bike, and we...
How to Choose a Bike Lock
Need help selecting the right lock for you? This article helps you identify what aspects are important to you to ensure you purchase the best model for your needs
How to Choose A Bike Trainer
Are stationary bike trainers a necessary training tool? Are smart trainers worth the money? What is the deal with direct drive trainers? There are so many different trainers on the market...
How to Choose Snowshoes For Trails and Deep Snow
This guide will help point you toward the perfect pair of snowshoes for a variety of snow depths and terrain. From groomed trails to fresh deep powder,
How To Choose Binoculars For Your Needs and Budget
Binoculars are probably the world's most used optical instrument. That's not to say that telescopes don't have their place, but binoculars are king. Binoculars are optimized for a lot of...
How to Choose a Winter Down Sleeping Bag
If you're lost in a cloud of down feathers trying to find the right bag for your winter adventures, this article sets you straight
How to Choose a Powered Cooler
The hottest new trend for everything from bringing home the groceries to living in your van down by the river, powered coolers are helping you bring the comforts of home well beyond your...
How to Choose Winter Boots for Men
Purchasing something as simple as a pair of winter boots might not seem like a complicated decision. However, putting in the extra effort to learn about the product that will be keeping...
How to Choose Ski Pants for Men
Whether you ski or snowboard, you'll have to cover your legs with something. We break down the choices you'll make to ease the shopping process in this article.
How to Find the Best Nut Tool
Don't get your expansive gear irretrievably stuck. Nut tools are essential for all trad climbers, especially those new to the sport. These little devices can save you loads of money in the...
How to Choose the Right Women's Running Shirt
With such a saturated market, shopping for running apparel can be an overwhelming task. Every product claims to be the lightest, fastest, and most stylish around, leaving shoppers...
How To Choose a Bivy Sack
How to choose the best bivy sack? While the idea of zipping yourself up inside a nylon sack for the night might seem daunting or uncomfortable, the opposite can actually be true - a bivy...
How to Choose a Coffee Maker for Camping
Choosing the wrong coffee maker certainly won't result in someone getting lost, hurt, or ending up with hypothermia. However, for many people, their morning brew is of the utmost...
How to Choose a Down Jacket
This article helps you decide which down jacket is the perfect one for you by going into much greater depth about the decision making process, as well as all of various features and...
How to Choose the Right Base Layer Top
Are you ready to trade in the dimpled cotton long johns of your youth for a base layer that works? We're here to help you learn where the technology currently is and how to help you...
How to Choose Rain Boots
For anyone living in a rainy climate (and even those who don't), rain boots are a key piece of your footwear arsenal. Dry feet are happy feet.
How to Choose Women's Rain Boots
One of the simplest pleasures is the ease of slipping your feet into a rain boot for the inclement day ahead. Rain boots are an invaluable item, especially if you live off temperate coasts...
How to Choose The Right Rain Umbrella
After months of testing, we have discovered that there are a few things to consider when deciding on an umbrella that's right for you. First, it's important to consider the general...
How to Choose a Camping Stove
With so many different products on the market, it can be hard to decide which camp stove is best for you. Never fear, our dedicated review team has your back! We tested the best camping...
How to Choose Backcountry Climbing Skins
"Climbing skins". The mystical, magical carpets of backcountry ascension are a funny product too. They all do absolutely the same thing, and variations between them are subtle...
How to Choose a Daypack for Hiking
A daypack is a simple purchase, with complicated ramifications. A good day pack will accompany you for far more than your hiking outings. Choose carefully and your 24-7 bag will smooth...
How to Choose the Best Ski Boots
To help you find the best pair of ski boots for your abilities and budget, we're here to help you cut through the confusing marketing jargon and understand
How to Choose a Rock Climbing Backpack
On the hunt for a climbing backpack and not sure how to choose? To find the best options, we went over each pack in our lineup stitch by stitch during multi-month testing. By the end we...
How to Choose AT Bindings
Planning to spend time in the backcountry this season? Where do you start your in searching for the best pair of at bindings? We've got you covered.
How to Choose Women's Ski Boots
Choosing the right ski boot can be a frustrating and time-consuming process. This process is important because boots greatly affect your performance and your comfort, and therefore your...
How to Choose a Car Camping Mattress
Looking for the best, most comfy car camping mattress out there? Don't worry, we've got your back. We tested some of the best mattresses available...
How to Choose the Right Trekking Poles
Ten years ago hardly anyone used trekking poles. Now it's rare to see someone on an overnight adventure without them and many day trippers use them as well. Trekking poles help improve...
How To Choose a Bike Pump
Of all the gear you'll need for cycling, a floor pump is arguably the most important - after your bike, of course! Fortunately, you'll find some other uses for it, too...
How to Find Your Perfect Pair of Backcountry Touring Skis
All-mountain, powder touring, randonnee racing, touring, snowshoes - which fits your style of adventure? Here we help you break down the
How to Choose a Belay Device for Rock Climbing
In the early days 'climbing' meant mountaineering and a 'belay device' was simply your body. Throw a loop of rope around your hips and use quick reflexes and mighty hand strength to keep...
How to Choose a Budget Backpacking Tent
Tents can be really expensive. This article covers the pros (and cons) of buying a budget tent to help you decide if buying a less expensive model could actually be a better investment for...
How to Choose a Backpacking Tent
Picking the right backpacking tent means checking out a list of variables. Probably the first issue is deciding which is more important to you: comfort or light weight? Will you spend more...
How to Choose a Bike Cargo Trailer
We bought and tested some of the best bike cargo trailers on the market to help you stay out of your car and on your bike no matter what your plans may be. Find the perfect option for you!
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