Gear

Are you a beginner snowboarder? Not sure where to start when it comes to gear and apparel? We get it. Here’s some of our favorite clothing and accessories for when we hit the slopes.

It’s a debate as old as time itself (OK, maybe just as old as the sport of skiing): Ski pants or bibs? After all, they each bring something different to the table. And often, folks who love one hate the other (though we’ve been known to be fans of both). So if you’re new to skiing or snowboarding, it’s important to get this right. After all, the right pair of bottoms can result in hours of fun on the slopes while the wrong pair can result in frustration and discomfort. But which is right for you? We’ll break down the pros and cons of both bibs and pants to help you decide, plus tips on choosing the perfect pair.

Grid fleece: it’s all the rage these days. And for good reason. It’s cozy, lightweight, comfortable, wicks sweat, and is perfect for active outdoor pursuits. And yes, it can even be part of a good winter layering strategy. And if you love outdoor apparel, especially grid fleece, chances are you’ve heard of Melanzana, the small Colorado brand that’s based in Leadville. Do they make fun and functional grid fleece? Absolutely. But are they easy to get? Absolutely not. Fortunately, there are excellent alternatives and, guess what? You can buy them online! We rounded up some of our faves to help you decide which grid fleece is right for you.

We’re big fans of snowshoeing. We love hitting quiet, powdery trails no one else is on, layering up, and hiking to enjoy a snack and a hot beverage with a view (and we always bring a hot beverage). Do empty trails, wildlife sightings, and stunning scenery sound good to you, too? Then gear up! ‘Cause snowshoeing offers it all. But if you’re not sure what to wear snowshoeing or what gear you need, allow us to recommend some of our favorite clothing and gear for the task. Bonus: it’s all more sustainable than your average tech shirt.

We love Gnara’s Go There Hiking Pants with the brilliant extra pee zipper designed for people who squat to pee. But do the new leggings also impress? We put them to the test to see if they fly or fail.

Snowshoes. We love ’em. They allow us to get outside and blaze trails all winter long, no matter how much white powder covers the route. Indeed, we’re convinced they’re an essential piece of gear every outdoorist should keep in their closet. But with so many options to choose from (and so many price points!), how can one possibly be convinced they’re getting the best snowshoes for the money? We recently tested two pairs of snowshoes from MSR and will help you map out the differences, plus answer some of your burning questions, like what snowshoes to buy, if expensive snowshoes are worth it, or which MSR snowshoes are the best of the best. Read on.

Looking for waterproof grounding shoes so you can keep up your earthing practice in the winter? The Bahé Rediscover might be just the thing.

One of the best parts of backpacking is arguably the end of the day when you’re done hiking, the ultralight tent or camping hammock is set up, and you’ve got nothing left to do but kick back, make dinner, and shove an unnatural amount of food down your gullet to replace all those calories you burned walking for miles with a heavy pack on your back. So when that time comes, you want the best camping cookware on hand, ready to rehydrate those backpacking meals. What makes a camp cookware set the best? Well, that depends on you and your style of backpacking, who you’re with, and what you plan to eat. So we tested a handful of ultralight cookware options to see which were tops and which are best suited for all different types of backpackers.

You know we love us some barefoot shoes here at Terradrift, from barefoot sandals to barefoot hiking shoes to barefoot boots for winter. We’re seriously all about it. But for those of you who aren’t quite fully committed to the whole barefoot shoe experience, but still want shoes that emphasize healthy posture and plenty of space for your toes to spread, zero drop wide toe box shoes are just the thing. Here are 7 of our favorite more sustainable options.

You know we love a functional, well-designed, sustainable piece of gear here at Terradrift. And there may be no more impactful piece of gear than the (not so humble) daypack. After all, it accompanies you on all your hiking–maybe even biking or travel–adventures, holds your 10 essentials, and gets carted onto mountain, desert, and coastal trails. It will probably be with you for years if not decades (if you’re taking care of it and repairing it, of course), and gets caked with not only dirt, but memories. So choosing the right one–and one that’s kinder to the planet–is an important decision. Fortunately, we’ve tested a whole bunch and these are the best daypacks in our opinion (that are also highly sustainable).