Gear

Winter is coming. (Sorry, I had to…) And that means it will soon be time to gird your feet in more insulated, protective shoes. (Permit me a moment of mourning as I put away my hiking sandals…) And that means it’s time to break out the winter hiking boots! But if you’re concerned with sustainability and/or are searching for warm vegan hiking boots, the pickings are slim to say the least. So we did some digging to find the best sustainable and vegan winter hiking boots on the market this season. These three are tops in our book!

We love a good fire here at Terradrift. Campfires, bonfires, fire pits, fire bowls, fireplaces, fires for roasting marshmallows, fires for grilling veggie burgers…I could go on. But not everyone can have a permanent stone fire pit installed in their backyard. Heck, some of us don’t even have a backyard! So over the years, we’ve loved testing, experimenting and learning about all the portable fire pits and flames that keep you toasty, bring the ambiance, and make s’mores making possible no matter where you are. Yup, even if you don’t have a backyard. Bonus: They’re also easy to transport to the campground for an easy, Leave-No-Trace campfire! So here are our 6 favorite portable fire pits for everyone from backyard burners to balcony snugglers.

Neck gaiters, neck tubes, multifunctional headwear, balaclavas…whatever you call them, their super duper popular in the great outdoors. And for good reason: they’re a fantastic multi-talker whether you’re hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, camping, kayaking, you name it. You can wear them to protect your neck from the sun in the summer or keep it warm in the winter. Wear it as a sweat band during high-output activities or to keep your hair out of your face. Knot the top and wear it as a hat or pull it over your face and head like a balaclava. It’s a face mask, a hair tie, a sweat mop when wrapped around your wrist, water filter, the possibilities are almost as endless as those offered by a towel (where my HGTTG fans at?). But not all neck gaiters are created equal. Especially where sustainability is concerned. So if you’re looking for a more eco-friendly neck tube, we’ve got you covered. Read on for 5 of the best neck gaiters that are also sustainable.

I freaking love hiking sandals. If given the opportunity, I will always hike in sandals, kayak in sandals, wander around town in sandals, travel with sandals…If it’s warmer than 65ºF, you better believe I am in sandals. Even in the southwest where spiders, snakes, and cacti abound, you’ll still find me in hiking sandals. So we tested 6 of the best hiking sandals on the market and broke down the pros and cons of each to help you figure out which ones are right for you whether you’re an avid sandal adventurer or just looking for the perfect pair for close-to-home activities. (Bonus: They’re all sustainable and vegan, too!)

You’re probably familiar with the concept of synthetic shirts, packs and more being made of recycled water bottles, milk jugs, etc. (like Shredly mountain bike apparel, many UPF sun shirts, even sunglasses), but Patagonia has a whole line of clothing and gear made of recycled fishing nets saved from an environmentally disastrous watery grave! It’s the Patagonia NetPlus line. And here’s why it’s a big deal.

Meet SHREDLY: Sustainable mountain bike clothing by women, for women, in rad colors and patterns, that stays put and has tons of pockets. Because ladies like to tear up some single track, too, and we want better gear in which to do it. Check out our full review to see what we thought of it (and check out all the fun colors and patterns)!

There are dozens of backpacking stoves to choose from these days: alcohol stoves, canister stoves, wood-burning stoves, tablet stoves, I could go on. But it can be difficult to know how to choose a backpacking stove for every adventure. After all, they all have their own sets of pros, cons, and best-use-case scenarios. So what’s the best backpacking stove and which one is right for you? We’ll break down the 5 main types, what they’re each good for, and when you might want to choose one over another right here, right now. Read or watch to learn more!

If you are a die-hard reader of Backpacker or Outside magazine (you can probably guess that subset includes yours truly), you’ve likely already gotten your copy of the annual summer gear guide! We did, and we were thrilled to see so much sustainable outdoor gear on the magazines’ pages. So if it’s time to refresh your gear closet, check out our 10 favorite items that got the outdoorist seal of approval (including ours).

The BioLite FirePit+ is a perfectly portable smokeless fire pit and grill designed for all your outdoor adventures (even if they don’t extend past your own backyard). What’s the number …

Ready to up your cooler game? The GoSun Chill Electric Cooler doesn’t require ice to keep your goodies nice and cold. But is it all it’s cracked up to be? …