Gear

I love hiking in leggings. The freedom of movement they offer, the comfort, the ease of use…it’s all unparalleled. But typical yoga-style leggings aren’t always the best for outdoor adventures. They snag easily, sometimes don’t dry fast enough, and often don’t have pockets–or at least secure ones (btw, ask me how I feel about women’s clothing without pockets…). Hiking tights, on the other hand–also known as trekking tights or hiking leggings–are designed to stand up to the rigors of the outdoors. And as we know, durability is a cornerstone of sustainability. So if you love leggings but are looking for something more durable, read on.

Have the wheels on your rolling carry-on luggage gotten totally shredded? (Happened to me last year, alas.) The zipper broken to pieces? A giant hole ripped in the front of your soft-sided luggage? It happens. And if it’s time to replace your well-worn and no longer repairable rolling luggage with something altogether better, more sustainable, functional, and organizational so you have one less thing to worry about when you board that plane, consider one of our two new faves: the 38 liter Cotopaxi Allpa Roller Bag and the 44 liter Topo Designs Global Travel Bag Roller. We put them to the test and break down their pros and cons to help you decide which is right for you.

Hybrid jackets. They’re a beautiful thing. You’ve got nice cozy insulation in the front, sometimes the back, exactly where you need it to keep you warm plus plenty of stretch on the sides or under the arms to aid in breathability and flexibility. It’s the best of both worlds: warmth and freedom of motion. We reviewed 4 more sustainable jackets that are not only vegan, but also PFC-free. Check them all out here.

If there’s a trail runner in your life, you should know right now that you can’t just slap a bow on any ol’ running gear and call it a present. Gifts for trail runners need to do more, be more. Because trail runners need more layers, more insulation, more tread, more clothing and gear that stands up to the elements and the harsh conditions (and surfaces) found in the great outdoors. So if you really want to wow ’em, get them one of these gifts for trail runners, no matter what you’re celebrating this season.

We a good ultralight backpacking tent here at Terradrift. Any ultralight backpacking gear, really. So we couldn’t have been more stoked to get our hands on the Durston X-Mid 2. We put it to the test recently to see if it was impressive enough to replace our beloved UL Big Agnes Tiger Wall. Spoilers: It sure the heck is. Read or watch to find out how and why.

They’re shorts! You can pee in! Yup! If you were stunned and amazed and oh-so-impressed with our Gnara Go There Pant review, then you’re in for a treat, because this summer, the brand launched our new fave pair of hiking shorts, the Gnara Go There Short: shorts you don’t have to remove in order to pee outside, even if your anatomy dictates that you have to squat to pee. So if the idea of shorts intrigue and delight you, read or watch, fellow sit-to-pee-er. You’re gonna dig these.

Not sure if you’ve noticed, but we’ve gotten really into mountain biking over the last year here at Terradrift. Apparently that happens when you move to Northwest Arkansas, home of the mountain bike capital of the world. And we’re all-in. So we tried out the Sena M1 Evo mountain bike helmet, complete with Bluetooth tech and the brand’s famous Mesh intercom system. Here’s what we thought.

Whether you’re backpacking, bikepacking, trail running, cycling, or whatever the heck else it is you do, it’s kinda important to keep your body fueled and engine running. Almost as important as staying hydrated. But a lot of easy, tasty options out there for fueling quickly on the go aren’t vegan, including some energy gummies and chews (many contain gelatin, which is made of fish or animal bones). Fortunately, there are some baller and delicious vegan energy chews out there for the plant-based crowd. Huzzah! Here are 5 that we’ve tried and why we dig ’em.

Allow me to introduce you to the tolerably ultralight, totally undyed Crown 3 60L backpack from Granite Gear, a backpacking pack I’ve been wanting to get my hands on for quite some time now. Firstly, because I’m a huge fan of undyed gear (it’s more sustainable that conventionally dyed gear, plus stands out in a crowd–and in photos–and is stupendously fun to get filthy). So to test it out for ourselves, we took it on a backpacking trip to Grand Teton National Park to see how it performed Here’s what we thought after we both carried it for several days over mountainous terrain.

Anyone who’s been hangin’ around Terradrift for more than about 10 minutes is likely aware that I’m a big fan of barefoot shoes. I’ve reviewed lots of them, from sandals to boots to trail runners. And at this point, it’s safe to say I’m all in on barefoot hiking boots. So I thought it was high time we compared the Vivobarfoot Magna Lite SG with the Xero Shoes Scrambler Mid. I tested them both out, so let’s dish about how they differ and who’s gonna wanna check out which one.