The Stio Figment freeride shell stands out as one of the top relaxed-fit jackets I've tested. It combines a genuinely tough build with thoughtful features and a modern freeride fit that looks as good as it ...
Real mountain adventurers. Honest, in-depth gear reviews.
Arc'teryx Beta AR vs Beta SL: How to choose between the versatile, high-performance Gore-Tex shells. Read the review.
Latest Reviews
PFAS-Free Jackets: The Complete Guide to Rain, Ski, and Snow Shells (2026)
Extended ski touring in a steady snow is a great way to test the performance of PFAS-free DWR.Heads up: Several Arc’teryx men’s and women’s ski and ride shells and pants are seeing rare markdowns — up to ...
Arc’teryx Gamma SL vs LT vs MX: Which Gamma Softshell Jacket Is Right for You?
From left: The Arc'teryx Gamma MX, Gamma (aka Gamma LT), and Gamma SLDesigned for high-output mountain use, the Arc'teryx Gamma SL, LT, and MX jackets share a similar DNA — durability, mobility, and weather resistance — ...
Arc’teryx Incendia Jacket Review (Women’s): GORE-TEX PRO ePE Freeride Ski Shell Built for Storm Days
Overview: Hands-On With the Arc’teryx Incendia JacketHeads up: Several Arc’teryx men’s and women’s ski and ride shells and pants are seeing rare markdowns — up to 40% off on select current-season styles. Here's what's still available in men's and women's markdowns ...
Patagonia Powder Town Review: Jacket, Insulated Jacket, Pants & Bibs
Todd wearing the Patagonia Powder Town Insulated jacket and pants for a full day on sleds in the backcountry.The Patagonia Powder Town line is designed to be a durable, weather-protective ski system for resort riders and ...
Patagonia Torrentshell 3L Review: The Best All-Around Rain Jacket Under $200
We tested the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L in high-alpine conditions and numerous storms to see if it lives up to its reputation. The result is a comfortable, versatile rain shell that performs well both on trail and around ...
Arc’teryx Konseal Women’s Shoe Review
An AMGA guide’s real-world test of the Arc'teryx Konseal technical approach shoe.As an AMGA certified guide, I often hike in to rock climbing routes and rely on good approach shoes.As a hiking and scrambling guide who ...
Altra Olympus 6 Hike Mid GTX Review: Trail Runner Comfort Meets Backpacking Boot Support
The Altra Olympus 6 Hike Mid GTX sits at the crossroads of trail runners and backpacking boots. In testing, it delivered impressive cushioning and comfort, but also revealed a few quirks worth knowing before you lace ...
Arc’teryx Konseal: Technical Approach Shoe for Heavy Load Hiking
The Arc'teryx Konseal gets an update focused on fit, stability and durability. I'll cover what's changed and how they perform after multiple treks through technical terrain.The men's Arc'teryx Konseal in Mars / Black.Arc'teryx released the Konseal ...
New Balance 860 Review: The Sweet Spot Between Stability and Speed
When it comes to running shoes, the age-old debate between stability and neutral shoes continues to divide runners. Do you sacrifice responsiveness for support? Can you find a shoe that delivers both? After putting hundreds of ...
First Look: Arc’teryx Vertex Speed Trail Running Shoe
Arc'teryx has released the Vertex Speed as a high-octane edition of its Vertex Alpine approach shoe. Here is what is new and different with this technical trail shoe made for running up (and down) mountains.We picked ...
First Look: 2025 Arc’teryx Norvan 4
Arc'teryx took input from their sponsored athletes and made notable changes to their long-distance trail running shoe. Here is a look at what has been updated on the Arc'teryx Norvan 4 along with our first impressions ...
Osprey Soelden & Sopris Ski Pack Review (25L, 32L, 45L)
I used the Osprey Soelden 45L on a 3-night/4-day backcountry trip to high alpine huts in Colorado.The Osprey Soelden (men’s) and Sopris (women’s) ski packs are purpose-built backcountry packs designed for ski touring, splitboarding, bootpacks, and ...
Osprey Aether 55 Review: Field Tested Backpack for Multi-Day Trips
I tested the Osprey Aether 55 extensively in Rocky Mountain conditions at altitudes exceeding 13,000 feet. This review reflects real-world performance across 22.5 miles of challenging terrain over three days of intensive use.Looking out from 13,250'. ...
Osprey Sojourn Shuttle 100L Travel Duffel Review
The Osprey Sojourn Shuttle 100L travel duffel bag offers durable materials, solid construction, and ample space for up to a week on the road. We put it to the test for a winter trip to Whistler, British ...
Patagonia Black Hole Duffel | Comparing the 40L, 55L, 70L and 100L sizes
The go-to Patagonia Black Hole Duffel receives a facelift with even more recycled fabrics. I haul it through airports, to national parks, and even to the pool to give you an in-depth look at the latest ...
Best Osprey Travel Backpack
Image belongs to Farpoint 40 (women's counterpart is Fairview 40) - my overall top picks. As most of you know, as a big fanboy and devoted first-hand customer... ...I've been publishing in-depth guides to all kinds of ...
Best Osprey Hiking Backpack
In the Rockies at 13,000'. Fully loaded packs for long days of steep hiking. Starting closest to camera we have an older Aether 60, new 2205 Atmos 50, and new 2025 Aether 55 in green. On ...
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Tent Review: Ultralight Shelter For Space Seekers
We tested the XL version of the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 for two nights in the Colorado high country at over 11,000 feet in elevation. The experience confirmed what makes the Copper Spur series so ...
NEMO Hornet OSMO Tent Review: Ultralight Performance for 1, 2, and 3 Backpackers
The Nemo Hornet ultralight backpacking tent series—available in 1P, 2P, and 3P models—has become a go-to choice for hikers who prioritize low weight without losing livability. We tested the 1P version in high-alpine conditions to see ...
Best Backpacking Tents for 2025
We dive into the important features of backpacking tents and how to decide what you need, along with our picks for the best backpacking tents of 2025.Stormy weather high in the Rockies is great testing grounds ...
Best 1-Person Backpacking Tents 2025
We dive into the important features of a 1-person backpacking tent and how to decide what you need, along with our picks for the best solo shelters of 2025.Thankful that the Big Agnes Tiger Wall 1 ...
Best 3 Person Backpacking Tent
In summary, here are my top picks for the best 3-person backpacking tents:In my opinion, MSR Mutha Hubba NX [most recent 2019 version] takes the first place due to its versatility and well thought out overall design. ...
Best 2-Person Backpacking Tents 2025
We dive into the important features of 2-person backpacking tents and how to decide what you need, along with our top picks of 2025.The NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 2 is our top ultralight 2-person backpacking tent.We ...
YETI Hopper M20 Backpack Cooler Review: Built Tough, with a Few Tradeoffs
Testing the premium YETI backpack cooler that promises to keep your beverages ice-cold on any outdoor adventureIf you're in the market for a high-performance backpack cooler, the $325 YETI Hopper M20 is likely already on your ...
YETI Hopper Flip 18 Soft Cooler: A Great Day Tripper
The Yeti Hopper Flip 18 is one of my go-to soft coolers for day trips to the lake, river excursions, on game-day sidelines, and quick overnight adventures. After months of putting this premium portable cooler through ...
YETI Roadie 15 vs 24: How to choose
The all-new Roadie 15 showing off the DoubleDuty™ carry strapThe taller and deeper Roadie 24 with the HeavyHauler™ handleYETI Roadies keep getting more portable!With the introduction of the all-new YETI Roadie 15, the Roadie 24 is ...
YETI Roadie 15 review: YETI’s newest, smallest, cheapest hard cooler
The YETI Roadie 15 features a DoubleDuty shoulder strap that can be shortened to allow for single-hand cooler carrying.Just in time for Fourth of July festivities, YETI released the newest member of the Roadie hard cooler ...
Yeti Tundra 35 vs 45 Review: Is bigger always better?
The portability and performance of the YETI Tundra 35 are a perfect combo for a 2 day camping trip.Looking for a portable companion to fuel your adventures?The YETI Tundra 35 and Tundra 45 hard coolers are ...
RTIC 20 vs 30 vs 40: How to choose a Soft Pack Cooler
The RTIC Soft Pack Cooler 20 Cans (see image) is the better value. It's more portable, compact, and lower priced. If you're looking for a day trip cooler for water play, the RTIC Soft Pack Coolers ...
Other cool gear
Icelantic Nomad and Maiden freeride skis review | Big updates
Icelantic Skis made important updates to the Nomad and women's-specific Maiden freeride skis. We mount up the Nomad 94 and break down the details on both product lines. Icelantic updated their graphics on their 2025/2026 Nomad ...
Evoc Bike Travel Bag Pro Review
The Evoc Travel Bag Pro is a road, gravel, and MTB travel case with solid protection and straightforward packingWith my dropper down, I can leave the saddle on my Pivot Mach 4 SL (size medium) mountain ...
Hitch Bike Racks | Everything you need to know
Hitch bike racks make transporting bikes easy, but there are important considerations depending on your vehicle and what type of bikes you need to haul. Read on for all of the details as well a look ...
Rocky Talkie 5 Watt Radio review: Rugged, easy-to-use backcountry communication
The 5 Watt Radio's 1800 mAH battery can last up to 5 days on a charge, even when temperatures drop well below freezing. That's good news for those of you looking for a reliable communication device for ...
Garmin Edge 850 and 840 | Review & Testing
The Garmin Edge 840 with 2.6" TFT screen.The Garmin Edge 850 with 2.7" LCD screen.What's new in the Garmin Edge 850 vs. the Edge 840?The new Garmin Edge 850 brings a refreshed design with slightly different ...
Thule Motion vs Force XT | Roof-top cargo box review and comparison
Note: Thule has revised both its Motion and Force lines of roof-top cargo boxes. The Motion XT is now the Motion 3, featuring an updated aerodynamic design, additional size options, and more. The Force XT is ...
About Outdoor Crunch
At its core, Outdoor Crunch is about helping fellow adventurers find and choose the best gear for your pursuits. We prefer to be outdoors and in the backcountry as opposed to our desks. So while we juggle day jobs and family life from our home bases in Colorado mountain towns, our real passion is using, testing and reviewing the gear we rely on to perform well in critical situations. Head to the About Us page to learn more about Outdoor Crunch, including why we do it and how we sometimes make money from it (spoiler: we're 100% reader supported, and it doesn't cost you a thing).
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