The perfect headlamp is a thing of beauty: It should be bright, comfortable, not too heavy, and small enough to stash in your pocket or backpack for a quick trip. So we rounded up the best of the best. Here are our favorite ultralight headlamps; the 6 best headlamps for backpacking, climbing, late-night kayaking, you name it, all under 3 ounces.
Whether you’re lounging around the house, roasting mallows over a fire, or kickin’ it in the backcountry, cozy fleece sweaters have always been a wardrobe staple. But the materials fleece is made of and it’s propensity to shed microplastics in the wash mean fleece isn’t always the most sustainable layer. But you don’t have to ditch fleece yet! Just opt for a more sustainable fleece sweater when it comes time to upgrade your wardrobe. Here are a few we dig.
Have you ever gone camping with a loved one, images of a delightfully relaxed weekend outing dancing in your head? And then watched those images promptly vanish in a puff of smoke as soon as tent setup begins and proceed to spend the next three days giving your partner the silent treatment? Or witnessed the couple in the campsite next to you argue over which tent pole goes where for a full 45 minutes? We’ve all been there. It’s no fun. But while we can’t recommend a good family therapist for couple’s counseling or tell the strangers next door that they should use kinder words, we CAN tell you about the innovative, Decathlon inflatable tent–yes, I said inflatable–for your next camping adventure that might just take some of the pain out of campsite setup: the Decathlon Quechua Fresh and Black Air Seconds.
Camping just isn’t camping without a campfire, am I right? But with fire bans increasing around the country, camping without a campfire is a reality for a lot of us, especially if you’re west of the Mississippi. Which totally sucks. But thanks to sustainable brand Ignik, there’s a shiny, convenient new solution: the Ignik FireCan and Gas Growler. Why is it so great? Uh, because it means you can roast those veggie dogs and marshmallows anywhere without worrying about starting a wildfire, that’s why (also, no time-consuming fire building required). We’ll break down why it’s so great right here, right now.
The Dometic CFX3 might just be the ultimate powered cooler. It produces impressive and efficient cooling and freezing, allowing you to bring more of the food and drinks you love wherever you go: Road trips, vanlife, tailgating, backyard BBQ’s, you name it. And, uh, yeah, there’s a mobile app that puts all the power and controls (like performance history and temperature) at your fingertips. So go farther, stay longer, and experience more. Check out our full review in this YouTube video.
Winter is coming (cue Game of Thrones theme). And winter means it’s time for fair-weather campers and backpackers to put away their gear for the winter. But why? Winter camping offers months of quality outdoor time during a season when far fewer people are clogging trails and booking campsites. It’s the perfect time to get outside! But most folks are reticent for the sole reason that they’re afraid they’re going to turn into a popsicle while they’re trying to sleep (yours truly not excepted). Fortunately, there’s a solution: insulated sleeping pads (together with an appropriately cozy sleeping bag). And lucky you, we recently reviewed four insulated inflatable sleep pads for backpacking that will keep you cozy all night long, no matter what the mercury says. Read (or watch) to find the one that’s right for you.
Looking for a fun, spacious, comfortable tent so you can really kick back and relax on your next camping trip? We got you. Well, UST’s got you. With the fun, easy, totally kick-back-and-relaxable UST House Party 4-person tent. And we’ve got all the deets to help you decide if this tent is right for you.
You guys!!! Swiss sports brand On announced a move away from petroleum-based resources by creating a new foam material called CleanCloud™, made using carbon emissions as a raw material. On is the first company in the footwear industry to explore carbon emissions as a primary raw material for a shoe bottom unit, specifically EVA foam, that could also be used in other shoe parts and products in the future. This is some huge sciencey sustainability progress, here! Read this press release to learn how it all works!
No one wants to hike or backpack in the rain. At least, no one I know. But occasionally, that’s just what happens. Sometimes it can’t be avoided. And when that happens, especially if you’re deep in the backcountry, it’s important that you stay dry and warm so you don’t succumb to hypothermia or some such nonsense. Fortunately, the Rab Downpour Eco Jacket is just the thing: a quality, robust rain jacket that’s sustainable but won’t break the bank.
Microplastics. Perhaps you’ve heard of them. They suck. They’re teeny tiny pieces of plastic materials that break apart and end up in waterways like streams, lakes and oceans, they pollute ecosystems and harm aquatic life, and they can’t be filtered out at wastewater treatment plants. Basically, they’re the worst. And as it turns out, a large percentage of microplastics actually originate from synthetic clothing and materials. And you know what clothing and materials are almost always made of synthetics? Outdoor clothing and materials. Yup. We’re part of the problem.
Fortunately, we can also be part of the solution. How? Well, since most of those microplastics come off of our synthetic clothing and gear right in our washing machines at home in the form of tiny broken fibers, we can take action to reduce and contain those broken fibers at the source. Here’s how.