Check out these four portable solar panels for backpacking and camping that promise to keep all your devices charged and ready to go, whether that includes you phone for digital maps, a portable speaker for evening hangs, rechargeable headlamps, or whatever you like to keep powered up in the outdoors.
We love mountain bike apparel of all kinds and for all seasons, but padded bike chamois may be the most universally important item of clothing to get right if you want to enjoy long, comfortable rides that don’t leave your sit bones so sore you can’t sit on a park bench without wincing for three days. So we tested a handful of more sustainable options of padded cycling shorts for women to help you decide where to invest your gear dollars. We’ll break down how comfy each option is, whether it stays put like it should, what types of rides each is best for, and how much squish you can expect from the padding. And yes, we tested them all, so you can be confident in our review.
At Terradrift, we’re big fans of hammocks. But hammocks are best for solo hangs (unless you want to get reeeeal cozy–by which I mean be smashed together like two pieces of bread on a panini). Which means if you’re heading out with friends or family, you have to bring one for everyone (or everyone’s gonna fight over the one). But what if that wasn’t the case? What if you could comfortably fit three or more people on a hammock and still be able to lounge, sit up and play cards, or snack and relax? Well, the Tentsile hammock offers just that And we got our hands on a Trillium giant 3-person camping hammock to see if it’s all it’s cracked up to be. Here’s what we thought of the functionality, setup, comfort, and whether we think it’s worth it.
There’s a whole wide-spread saying about cotton and other plant-based fibers in the outdoor industry: Cotton kills. Which might lead one to believe it should be avoided at all costs for any and every outdoor adventure. But is that really the case? Should you truly avoid it at all costs, or can it sometimes be the right choice for hiking, biking, or other outdoor activities? We’ll dive into the pros and cons of hiking in plant-based fibers like cotton, bamboo, and hemp so you can make the right (and the safe) decision.
When I head into the mountains, either the Wasatch range near my home, the Austrian or Swiss Alps, or the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park, I am always moved. Sure, I love to move fast and summit peaks as much as the next outdoor lover, but for years immersing myself in nature has been as much about the peace and calm I find there, enjoying the majestic scenery, and taking time to bear witness to the power of nature. But when I got to go to Alberta, Canada recently and spend time in the Rockies around Banff and Jasper (the tailbone of Turtle Island–a.k.a. North America), the wonder I have always felt in the outdoors was amplified each time I set out to explore with the region’s Indigenous guides. Here are 5 Indigenous tours I heartily recommend in the area.
At Terradrift, we prioritize reducing overconsumption and buying versatile products to lessen the massive amount of waste created by the outdoor and apparel industries. It’s far more sustainable to own one item that can do five things well than five items that each do one thing well (also, it makes more room in our closet to store luggage…). So when we learned about the Vivobarefoot Magna Lite WR SG, a minimalist barefoot hiking boot billed as sustainable, lightweight, water-resistant, ultra-flexible, and hyper-versatile, we were intrigued. So we tested them out to see if they lived up to the hype.
If you’re in the market for a robust GPS training watch, the Polar Grit X2 Pro GPS watch might be on your radar. After all, it’s not only new, but Polar’s top-of-the-line offering. But is it feature-rich and functional or a flop? We got our hands on one to test it out ourselves so we could highlight the features, pros and cons of this watch to help you decide if it’s the right fit for you and your training style.
We love mountain biking here at Terradrift. Hiking and backpacking may be our first loves, but boy did we fall head over heels for riding on dirt on a pair of wheels! So naturally, we were keen to discover what sustainable bike gear and apparel existed to make every ride more enjoyable (and safe). Here’s some of our favorite sustainable mountain bike gear and clothing this year!
In the list of states long overlooked when it comes to hiking, biking and outdoor adventure, West Virginia ranks pretty high on the list. But for those who know, this little state that’s as much the north of the south as it is the south of the north is brimming with wide open spaces to explore. There are tons of wilderness areas, state parks, and forests to get lost in (please don’t get lost), so we recently headed to Tucker County, home to Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley, and Dolly Sods, to see what makes the region so special. Here’s how to spend a long weekend to a week biking, chasing waterfalls, and hiking in West Virginia.
If you’ve been hanging around Terradrift for very long, you know that we’re all about ultralight backpacking. It’s one of our favorite things to do (along with mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking, of course). And we’ve tested a lot of great ultralight backpacking gear, including two standout packs: the Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 and the Light AF ECOPAK Curve 40. But we decided it’s high time to test them back to back, side-by-side in the ultimate ultralight backpack showdown: LiteAF vs Gossamer Gear! Find out which pack reins supreme.
