Gear

What’s the difference between a SUP and a Kayak? And does the new Isle Switch Compact truly bridge the gap? We break down the differences and review the board right here, right now!

It’s that time of year, again! Time for the annual REI Labor Day Sale! Which means tons of camping and backpacking gear is on sale! So we rounded up 10 items we think are worth a look AND can be bought with a solid discount this Labor Day. Bonus: these items are also more sustainable options. So if you need some new gear, now’s the time. Just make sure to shop between August 23-September 2 for the best deals.

Whether you’re traveling by air, heading into the wilderness for a backpacking trip, going on a nice long day hike, or heading camping for the weekend, there’s one piece of gear you should never be without: A portable power bank. But not all portable power banks are created equal. In fact, for years we used ones that weren’t powerful enough to even charge our phones once, were too delicate to trust ourselves with in the outdoors where there’s dirt and water, or couldn’t be trusted not to crap out on us at the worst possible time. No más. Because these four portable power banks are durable, reliable, and designed specifically for outdoor adventure. Yup, even backpacking.

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 men’s padded cycling shorts 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.

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.

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.