Gear Patrol

To quote some guy in a movie, “My momma always said you can tell a lot about a person by their shoes, where they’re going, where they’ve been”. Although that guy may have been more into table-tennis than tennis-tennis, he was right. In a game where footwork is key, Wilson’s Rush Pro ($120) has a hard job. We got our hands on a pair and made ‘em squeak between the white lines (mostly).

Warm weather: we can’t say enough good things about it. There’s something noble about putting on cold weather gear and sticking it out all winter, but running in the summer, sweat pouring off your brow, hat and clothing looking like the Bonneville salt flats, the first sip of Heed after a 20 miles in the scorching heat, runner babes in short shorts — this is pure, unadulterated sport pleasure. Here’s the gear we’re wearing. If you’re prepping for a race or just like to hit the pavement for an hour after work, this stuff has performance written all over it.

Some of the best days of summer are spent out on the water — or at least relaxing, sipping beers and socializing near it. But what to wear? Board shorts are the safest (and best) bet in our book, providing the rugged construction necessary for water sports with a look and form — thanks to a rigid waistband, fly, snaps, ties and quick-drying, stretchy material — that also lends itself to an inland hike for boardwalk pizza. We’ve herded our five favorite board shorts of the year for your wearing pleasure here.

Traveling fast and light on a backpacking or climbing trip is a worthy goal. But while less junk stuffed in your pack means easier miles of trail, sometimes what’s left behind would otherwise keep you warm, dry and comfortable. Westcomb’s Focus Hoody claims to provide excellent protection in an ultralight form. We took it into the elements to see how it would fare.

Soccer has never held our collective national attention like other sports — with Landon Donovan’s goal in extra time against Algeria during the 2010 world cup and Brandi Chastain’s sports bra celebration being the two possible exceptions. So who knew that 2013 represents the 100-year anniversary of the birth of U.S. soccer, originally established as the United States Football Association, a not-for-profit, governing body of soccer in America? Nike’s Centennial kit celebrates this notable milestone with throwback duds for players and fans alike.

It doesn’t matter if you’re heading to Whistler for early spring powder turns or Fort Lander for the summer climbing festival; mountain style is a little different than your garden variety runway fare. Put the moonboots and sweat pants down. You’re not fooling anyone. We’ve put together a few indispensable mountain style standards, chock full of storied, quality brands, to help you blend in with the locals — unless you’re heading to any ski resort in Montana. In that case, it’s time to stock up on Wrangler and Carhartt.

If you’re going to climb on a bicycle and tear up some terrain you’re going to want to first don appropriate gear — the best, most protective and comfortable out there (this has been, and will always be, our concern, dude). Only problem is that high-tech performance cycling clothing isn’t always up to snuff for wearing around the office after your commute (showoff). Giro’s New Road apparel blends the worlds of performance and fashion in a big way.

Winter in the Northern Hemisphere lasts four months, but for all intents and purposes the conditions it imposes on runners — cold winds, snow, ice, mud and generally unpredictable terrain — are good for another two. That’s half a year on a treadmill or cross-training in another discipline. That won’t do for most runners. Aside from the functional pre-race advantages of running on roads and trails, exercising in the cold has been associated with all kinds of health benefits, from increased calorie burn to improved stress-coping capacity.

Fortunately, there’s a battery of winter running shoes that perform and protect, many of them incorporating positive design elements from the minimalist running movement — shoes that are, in other words, more than glorified lightweight hikers. We’ve got the 10 best here. Lace up, put the law offices of Jim Sokolove on speed-dial, and get outside.

Aether shook up the outerwear market by blending the technical chops of today’s most advanced outerwear with the clean lines and styles of the city. The newly revealed Aether Skyline Motorcycle Jacket ($650) looks poised to do the same thing for a niche most fashion brands ignore.

If it was good enough for downed British pilots during WWII, so the saying goes, it should be good enough for you. Though that adage is entirely fabricated, the Survivalon Contrast Jacket ($398) was indeed made to protect Limey pilots; it is also easily good enough for you.

In the age of smartphones and tablets, sports companies have scrambled to embrace technology as a new vehicle for pushing the limits of athletic performance. Even so, the Adidas Boost Running Shoe ($150) hopes to prove that re-thinking existing footwear construction still offers plenty of game-changing potential. Its padding stores and unleashes energy more efficiently than existing material.

It’s apparently no longer enough to wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve — or wrist. Under Armour’s new Armour39 system attacks the digital performance monitoring question with a new “bug” device, which comes with a special sleeve that straps to the chest; like other bluetooth-enabled fitness computers, it records exercise data and stores it in the cloud.

We’re always huge advocates of motorcycle riding safety, and you can’t scrimp when it comes to protection on the mean streets or on the tarmac. The Alpinestars Atem Leather Jacket ($700) boasts the kind of materials and design that make it one of the most complete riding jackets available today.

Depending on your activities of preference, winter is either your joyous playground or whitewashed personal hell. No matter what, staying warm is critical. Down jackets have been a preferred winter option for many years, and for good reason — they’re super warm (when dry), wick moisture away from your body, are packable down to small sizes for travel and have yet to be matched by any synthetic fibers. Here are our five favorite goose-based options to beat the winter freeze.

Every six months all the major players in outdoor sports get together to show off their latest and greatest wares for the season. It’s like Comic Con, except cool: Outdoor Retailer has been the launch platform for just about every groundbreaking piece of skiing, climbing, backpacking and paddling gear that’s come to market. We were on the ground at this year’s winter show, and here are the fruits of our efforts: the best gear of Outdoor Retailer 2013.

With record storms dumping fresh powder in the Rockies and Pacific Northwest, we couldn’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year than celebrating with a trip to the nearest ski hill. What fun would a resort trip be without ducking under the safety ropes to sneak a few turns in the untouched backcountry? With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of gear that will be equally useful bombing through 20 inches of fresh powder and charging lines of freshly groomed corduroy snow inbounds.

It’s widely known that swimmers and rainy weather joggers (and really all audiophiles hindered by humidity) are more than a little jealous of the ease with which their fellow athletes can take in tunes while exercising. Sony’s whipped up the next in their line of wet-weather answers: the Sports W Series Waterproof MP3 Player, a…

Your back isn’t what it used to be, but simply being old an adult shouldn’t condemn you to losing that “king-of-the-slopes” hipness you once exuded. The snowboard-inspired ECCO Roxton GTX Snowboard boot ($200) helps you look the part (without disclosing how many times you’ve really hit the mountain this winter). Oiled leather and textile uppers…

Vibram’s middle-of-the-road FiveFingers minimalist footwear works well for runners in moderate environments, but if you’ve still got cold feet about running “barefoot”, you’re not alone: those who lodge in colder climes are justifiably apprehensive about taking to the streets with only thin rubber separating feet from frigid elements. The Lontra ($150) answers our wintry wishes…

There’s a reason the term “cold feet” is synonymous with apprehension and doubt in our vernacular. It’s a miserable physical experience that will drive even the most dedicated to question moving forward.

He shows up at Christmas dinner with new scars and less digits from his latest cage dives and winter Alpine ascents. His tales, most of them true, scare Aunt Betty to tears and enchant the kids. And while the adventurer’s gifts for you usually amount to a carved tribal trinket or a rock from a…

When Nike released the first Air Max in 1987, its Tinker Hatfield design became an instant icon. The first set of sneaks to visibly feature Nike’s synonymous air bubble had kids of all ages clamoring to walk on clouds (and others poking them with pins for proof). The Nike Air Max+ 2013 (available in January)…

The fitness fanatic is the man that puts in a quick 5K before the rest of us have even tossed the beans in the burr grinder. His body fat is measured in fractions, and biceps in feet. His dinner conversations involve things like basal metabolic rate; his pecs flex, noticeably, when he passes the pepper….

The outdoorsman on your list is easily identifiable: he’s rarely home and smells faintly of man sweat and wood smoke when you do catch him between excursions. His particular passion falls within an extensive of range possible pursuits (noodling for catfish, anyone?), but one thing is for certain — he does them outside. His look…

There aren’t many situations or locations that preclude pulling out your smartphone. Your anniversary dinner with your wife should probably be at the top of that list. Out on the ski slopes the phone also doesn’t see much daylight, but because of the chore it requires versus the acrimonious stink eye. Outdoor Research Stormsensor Gloves…

Superior foul weather gear should provide warmth, shelter your skin from precipitation and be breathable to boot. The Eddie Bauer BC MicroTherm Down Jacket 2.0 does just that thanks to a double layered shell that’s waterproof while venting perspiration (and not losing warmth). Additionally, its micro-channel compartments, stuffed with 800-fill premium goose down, minimize weight…

Winter’s thrills are already starting to winnow their way into your thoughts — days of hitting the slopes and nights on the town après-ski. Columbia’s Lhotse Mountain II Interchange Jacket ($240) has you covered for both activities, pairing a waterproof, breatheable shell and an inner insulating layer that can also be worn separately. In the…

Yes, summer is drawing to a close, and there’s a nip in the air at night. But with enough collective willpower and the right clothing, we can prolong the season well into September. If there’s one shirt that can do the job, it’s the Howler Brothers Aransas. Hell, the brand’s full lineup of tropics-inspired shirts,…

Duluth Trading Company, that quirky purveyor of rugged clothing that still hand illustrates its catalogs, relies on a team of real world experts – carpenters, construction workers, farmers, a farrier, even a movie set designer – to test their gear. Their best-known piece of kit is their Fire Hose Work Pants, named for the thick…

Hot, humid conditions sap intensity and endurance precisely during those moments where your will to push on weakens. Polyester and other “breathable” fabrics passively wick away moisture to keep you from boiling over, but Columbia Omni-Freeze ZERO goes a step further by producing a cooling sensation when exposed to sweat and moisture. It’s made possible…