The 10 Best Skis of Winter 2019

Last Updated December 2018 for winter 2019: We’ve updated our guide of the best skis with the 10 best picks for Winter 2019. Prices and links have also been updated. You can still find our picks from last year’s guide on page two.

Editor’s Choice: Volkl Mantra M5

Volkl’s Mantra impressed beyond all other skis in this year’s test earning our editor’s choice pick. It’s a high-performance ski that was originally introduced in 2005 and has been continuously improved upon ever since. Scroll down to our buying to read the full review.

Introduction

The good news, is that there are a lot of really great skis available right now. That’s also the bad news. Too many choices – even if they’re good ones – can make it hard to decide on which pair to buy.

We’re here to help. While there are a ton of variables you could consider, most aren’t important. Instead, focus on a few key points: intended use, waist width, turn radius and rocker profile.

Figuring out your wants in respect to those key factors will leave you a smaller selection to choose from. From there, check out our recommendations for the best skis of winter 2018-2019. Talk to some shops. Read other reviews. Refine your list some more and then go demo a few pairs. The only way to know for sure if you’ll like any one of these skis is to try them for yourself.

If that’s not possible, narrow your list to the top three and pick the one with the coolest graphics. Seriously, you should love your skis, and that means aesthetically too.

Terms to Know

Full-cap, mustache rocker, stiff tail and a damp feel. Get your mind out of the gutter, we’re talking ski features. Here are the terms you need to know, broken down by shape, construction and feel.

Camber: The arch of the ski is it’s camber. It’s most obvious when you place a ski on something flat. With a cambered ski, the tip and tail sit on the ground and the center is in the air. The higher the camber, the more power and bite a ski will have. Skis with no camber or even reverse camber (the center sits on the ground and the tip and tail are in the air) promote float and easy turning. These shapes are typically powder-specific.

Rocker: How much and how far the tip and tail rise above the snow. Also known as early rise. The more rocker, the easier a ski is to turn. Less rocker promotes better edge hold. The most common rocker profile is mustache rocker, tip and tail rocker with camber underfoot.

Turn Radius: A measure of a ski’s sidecut measured in meters. The shorter the turn radius, the tighter the turns the ski will want to make.

Sidecut: Directly related to turn radius. Sidecut is the profile of a ski from tip to waist to tail. Typically the arc is consistent across the ski’s length, but brands are playing with combining different arcs along a sidecut to add multiple turning behaviors to one ski.

Waist Width: A measure from edge to edge at the narrowest point on a ski in millimeters. Wider tends to float in fresh snow better, while narrower is easier to edge into hard snow.

Construction

Flex: How easy it is to bend a ski. Manufacturers adjust the flex with the materials and construction. We break up a ski’s flex in three parts: tip, center and tail. Tip: A soft tip makes it easy to initiate a turn and absorbs bumps. A stiffer tip provides bite, great for hard snow carving, and stability at speed. Center: A soft center provides a forgiving ride that’s easy to turn. A stiff center feels stable at speed, even if the tip and tail are soft. Tail: A soft tail feels loose and buttery. A stiff tail adds snap and pop at the exit of a turn. It also provides a good platform for landing jumps and skiing in uneven terrain.

Sidewall: The part of the ski above the edge and below the top sheet. The style of sidewall plays a roll in performance and durability. A full sidewall has vertical walls and is the toughest and most powerful. Cap construction slopes up to the top sheet and is easier to ski. Between the two are all kinds of hybrids.

Top Sheet: The top of the ski. Usually just a protective layer with graphics.

Base: The bottom of the ski is a hard plastic. There are a couple of hardnesses of base material, but in general, it all comes from one of two factories in Europe.

Feel

Dampness: A ski’s ability to absorb vibrations. A damp ski is stable at speed and holds an edge through a carve.

Playful: An ambiguous term generally associated with a loose tail and a snappy feel. The opposite of powerful, playful skis are happy to skid.

Powerful: Like an expensive car, a powerful ski feels stable at high speeds and bites into hard snow. Harder to control, they’re often stiffer and need more energy and skill to ski.

Mounting Types

System Ski: When a ski comes with a binding for a set price. The binding often integrates with the ski, rather than mounting with screws.

Flat Ski: A ski that doesn’t come with a binding.

How To Know It’s Time For a New Pair of Skis

Skis have a life, but figuring out when it’s over can be challenging. When you ski the same pair of sticks for a season, or a couple of seasons, the changes are incremental. They don’t just stop working, so you may not notice right away. If you don’t tune your skis regularly, try an edge sharpen and wax before writing them off. A quality pair of skis should last at least 100 days of skiing.

Beyond age, there a few other signs it’s time to upgrade: a lot of cuts and scratches to the top sheet, side walls or base, especially if any penetrate into the core materials; skis that don’t feel like they have any spring or life to them; or if the skis won’t do what you want them to. The last could be because the skis are toast, or because you’re not as fit or sharp as you used to be. Either way, says Ben Rabinowitz, a ski advisor for Backcountry, an online outdoor gear store, it’s time.

“If a ski’s not fun, finding the right pair means you’re going to enjoy the experience more,” he says. “And if you haven’t bought a new pair in 10 years, then it’s definitely time. The technology has totally changed for the better.”

How to Shop For a New Pair of Skis

Every ski buying expert we talked to says the buying process should start before turning on the computer or stepping out of the house. “Ask yourself a few key questions,” says Ashton Helmstaedter, the owner of Foothills Ski Life, a specialty store in Denver. “The more honest you are, the more you’re going to like your new ski.”

Is this your only ski, or part of a quiver? Where in the country do you ski? What type of terrain do you like to ski? Do you like to carve your turns or prefer to skid and slide?

A Primer On Different Types of Skis

These questions should help narrow down the type of ski you need, and then further down to performance attributes. Let’s start with the different categories of skis.

All-Mountain

This is your do it all ski, filling in everything between a dedicated powder ski and dedicated carving ski. Most ski sales pros will say that if you’re only going to own one pair, it should be an all-mountain ski. They’re designed to handle everything from fresh snow to moguls, groomers and steeps — which also means a certain amount of sacrifice. “Is there a true all-mountain ski that can do everything well?” asks Helmstaedter. “Absolutely not. You’re always giving something up.” Within the all-mountain category, there’s plenty of diversity; the category spans the gap between forgiving cruisers to missiles.

Powder

Once you’re into the 110mm waist and wider range, the skis only do one thing well: make skiing untracked snow easy. They’re so wide that it becomes hard to pressure the edge for carving, so they don’t do well on firm snow. But because they have so much surface area, they tend to float incredibly well, making skiing powder and even crusts much easier. This is the category where we see a lot of experimentation with things like reverse camber, upturned edges and unique shapes.

Carving

Spend more than 80 percent of your time skiing firm snow? Look for a ski with an 80mm and under waist width. This is also where the high-performance carving skis live. Both of these groups of skis can go anywhere on the mountain, but their happy place is on groomed snow.

Park

To survive the rigors of sliding rails, hucking table tops and flying out of the halfpipe, skis need to be tough. Park-focused skis tend to have full sidewalls, thicker edges and heavy-duty base material for absorbing hard landings and constant abuse. They are almost always twin tipped, for skiing and landing backwards. Their flex profile is usually soft in the tip for smearing and buttering, and stiff underfoot for stability and landing jumps. With versatile side cuts and waist widths, these skis often work well as all-mountain skis outside of the park.

Ski Prices

A new pair of skis range in price from less than $300 to more than $1,300. More and more skis now come with a binding designed specifically to integrate with the ski. These “system skis” are often good value compared to buying a ski and binding separately. The drawback is weight; they’re often heavier.

But even factoring in bindings, the price range is huge. Which begs the question, should you splurge or save? “You get what you pay for,” says Bernie Duval, a veteran floor manager at Fanatyk Co., a ski shop in Whistler. “The difference is in materials and workmanship. The ski will last longer.”

But most of us won’t notice the difference on the snow, says Rabinowitz. “As long as you’re paying $500 and up from a reputable manufacturer, there is no bad ski,” he says, “just a bad ski for you.”

You can save money by buying last year’s model. Often the technology is the same with an old graphic. Or, if you can wait, stores start dropping prices after Christmas. The drawback to either strategy is less selection.

One thing to keep in mind: everyone we talked to for this piece told us they recommend saving on skis and splurging on the right ski boot. “It’s fun to ski any ski if you have the right boot,” says Helmstaedter. “The opposite is not true.”

Things to Watch Out For

With a style of ski picked out, and a rough price range settled on, the next step is to refine your search through four more filters.

Waist Width: The width of a ski determines how easy it is to get from edge to edge, how much it wants to float in soft snow and how easy it is to carve. Narrower widths – say 60mm to 80mm – are best for nimble and precise carving. Powder skis are on the other end of the spectrum, 110mm and wider. All-mountain and park skis land anywhere in between. Generally, what’s considered an all mountain ski increases in waist width in correlation to the average snowfall. In the east, it’s about 80mm to 90mm, while locals in deep snow destinations might say 100mm to 110mm. In between would work just about anywhere. Lighter weight skiers might go 5mm narrower. Keep in mind that the same model of ski – with similar construction, turn radius and rocker – is often available in different waist widths.

Turn Radius: Think about how you like to ski. Do you make lots of turns or prefer to open it up and ski straight and fast? Most skis list their turn radius, and it often varies slightly with ski length. 17 meters is a rough middle of the road. Anything over 20 is a missile. And 13 could probably carve a circle.

Rocker: Rocker makes skiing easier. Pretty much every ski has tip rocker. The longer the tip rocker, the easier it is to start a turn and the more a ski wants to float in fresh snow. Tail rocker helps release a ski at the end of a turn. That’s especially handy for making steep terrain easier. More tip and tail rocker makes a ski feel shorter, because less ski is in contact with the snow, without losing any floatation in powder.

Length: Backcountry’s Rabinowitz says length is a key variable. “I can hate a ski in one length and love it in another,” he says. The length of your last pair of skis is a good place to start. Otherwise, aim for about your height or a little less. And remember that rocker makes a ski feel shorter.

A Note On Construction

Skis are generally made from a sandwich of materials, bookended by a top sheet and base, and glued together with a resin. Material choice is getting more diverse, but even the same materials aligned a different way can create big differences in performance, so it’s hard to generalize. This is also where brands tend to put a lot of marketing energy. Bottom line, don’t worry too much about the construction details and concentrate more on what kind of skiing the brand is recommending the ski for. That should tell you more about how it will ski than what’s inside. That said, here are a couple things to watch out for.
Carbon: Strands, stringers or sheets of carbon add stiffness without weight.
Metal: Most commonly Titanal, a mix of titanium and aluminum. It adds some stiffness, but mostly dampening or vibration absorption.
Wood: A wood core is the gold standard; we’d hesitate to buy a ski without a wood core.

Final Words

Even after reading through all this, the only way to know for sure if you’ll like a ski is to ski it. Watch for demo days at your resort or ask in your local shop. Most will deduct the cost of any demos when you buy a ski.

If that’s not possible, then read some reviews, talk to your local shops and do your research. Keeping an open mind is really important, says Duval. “No one ski is best for everyone,” he says. “Everyone skis differently. Everyone needs a different ski.”

The 10 Best Skis of 2019

Editor’s Choice: Volkl Mantra M5

Volkl says the Mantra has been its most popular all-mountain ski since it was originally debuted in 2005. Redesigned for the fifth time, this year’s Mantra M5 looks like it will continue to sit atop the pile.

With this version, Volkl set out to make the Mantra a little easier to ski. Following a trend we see across the ski world, Volkl shrunk the waist width from 100mm to 96mm and the turn radius from a wide open 23 meters down to 19. It also ditched some weight by trimming the Titanal sheet down at the tip and tail, adding carbon in its place around the nose. Put it all together and the Mantra M5 straddles a line between versatile enough to ski anywhere, and plenty of attitude to go as fast as you want.

No matter where we took it, a large sweet spot helped it feel intuitive. On groomers, it slid onto an edge with ease. Tail rocker allowed it to release early if we wanted to ditch some speed with a skid or if we pressed them we could hold on to finish the turn with power. In the moguls or tracked up trees, it could snap off tight turns, but not with ease. At slow speeds, it was also a little sluggish feeling. On the flip side, the faster and straighter we went, the more lively and powerful the ski felt. With plenty of tip rocker, it gobbled up shin deep powder. But it was in tricky, tracked up snow that we really noticed this ski’s abilities. In conditions that would throw around most skis, the Mantra M5 was a beast, feeling balanced and stable, allowing us to charge through with confidence.

Intermediates will find this ski a handful. But for skiers with a little more skill and strength, the Mantra is a stable platform to push your skiing to new limits in any conditions.

Best Budget Pick: Line Sick Day 88

Normally a $400 ski would be a noodle — too soft for anything but learning to carve. But Line is synonymous with producing some of the best skis for the money, and the Sick Day 88 is the best deal they’ve got. It may not have the performance feel or lifespan of the Volkl Mantra M5, but for half the money, you get a great all around ski.

The 88mm waist suggests hard snow performance. We found plenty of that. The soft tip with a little rocker helped us get on edge easily and early in a turn for nice feeling carves. A stiff, almost rocker-free tail created a solid platform for really rounding out our turns and cutting into ice. Line gave these skis a versatile 17-meter turn radius and a five-point sidecut. That means along the length of the edge, they built-in five different mini-arcs. The Sick Day obliged whatever turn shape we wanted to make. It took little more than a flick to snap out tight turns. The light, mostly aspen wood core had plenty of pop. And as the turns got longer, the ski felt more stable.

With Line’s heritage as a park and play ski, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that this ski excelled in soft snow, especially for its width. The stiff tail provided a solid landing platform in the park. In chopped up powder, it was far more predictable than we expected. For deeper snow destinations, one of the wider Sick Day models might be a better choice, but they come with a jump in price.

Mostly what stood out is that this a fun ski. It makes you want to spray your friends, play in the bumps and then snap off a few carves. It’s forgiving of mistakes and approachable to everyone from intermediates looking to improve to lightweight experts.

Overall, the Line Sick Day 88 defines an all-mountain ski at a price that leaves change for a pass or a better pair of boots. It can do it all and doesn’t demand too much of the driver.

Best for Powder: Sego Cleaver 110

Unless you only heli- or cat-ski, at some point things are going to get tracked out. That’s where most powder skis will leave you wanting, but not the Sego Cleaver 110. It’s the rare fat ski that can also carve and has enough tail to blast through any kind of crud.

The secret to its versatility is a unique build. Rather than the typical sandwich of two sheets of Titanal, Sego used only one strip and inlaid it into the core. It gives the ski a softer feel and less weight. Both translate into easier turning. Initiating and riding the ski around a carve on soft groomers was smooth and easy. But once you push into a carve or amp up the speed, the Titanal comes into focus, providing the dampness to hold an edge and plow through chop. The asymmetrical rocker profile is also different. Plenty of tip rocker brought the tips up in 15-inches of blower powder and it diced through wind crust like a knife. Underfoot is plenty of camber for springy turns in all conditions. And the tail has rocker, but it’s low flying. When we needed to dump speed, it was easy to smear and skid the end of the turn, like we’d expect with tail rocker. But because it sits so close to the ground, if we wanted, we could also carve all the way through the turn.

What surprised us the most about taking the Cleaver from the catalog to the snow was its easy going nature. The 23-meter turn radius would suggest a straight-lining machine. Indeed, we couldn’t find a top end. No matter how hard we pushed this ski, it just felt more stable. The stiff tail provided plenty of support for landing jumps and cliffs. But it was also fun in tight trees, the plentiful rocker making the skis feel shorter. It even aced a slalom course, nimbly bouncing from edge to edge.

Adding value is durability. Sego, a small brand out of Idaho, used extra thick sidewalls, edges and bases.

Heli-ski guides should look elsewhere. For everyone else, who’s powder skiing is mostly restricted to the resort, the Sego Cleaver 110 offers a lot more fun than just about any other dedicated deep snow ski out there.

Best for Park: Armada ARV 86

In our opinion, a park ski not only needs to perform in the air, on rails and the pipe, but also getting around the mountain. That’s why we picked the Armada ARV 86. There are better skis for any particular aspect of park riding, but when it comes to doing it all, plus hitting some bumps, the odd powder day and slaying the groomer on the way back to the lift, these are pretty hard to beat.

Let’s start with the main event. Hard landings, hard rails, hard crashes: a park ski needs to be tough. On that score Armada is a leader, making some of the most dependable freestyle skis on the market. The ARV 86 has the company’s extra thick edges, tough sidewalls and rock-resistant base. Despite all that heft, the ARV 86 is relatively light for easy maneuvering in the air. The twin tip design is only slightly wider at the tip than the tail. Skiing switch felt predictable and we never felt like we were going to catch an edge taking off or landing backward. A traditional camber profile creates lots of pop for launching smooth airs and ollieing over everything. Extra stiffness in the tail saved us on a few backseat landings.

Out of the park, the skis are fast edge to edge and hold a carve really nicely, even in rock-hard snow. The soft tip kept us in control in the moguls, swallowing up deep gullies, while the stiffer tail provided a stable exit into the next bump. These were our favorite mogul skis. These got a little exciting at really high speeds, but other than that, it was hard to find a weakness.

If you live somewhere snowy, you might want to jump up to the 96mm-waisted model, but even the relatively slim 86 performed solidly in shin deep powder and tracked up mid-day chunder. Long story short, the ARV 86 is a park ski with all-mountain capabilities and with enough forgiveness for up and comers. It also the capabilities to satisfy experienced riders.

Best for Western All-Mountain: Fischer Ranger 102 FR

The FR stands for freeride, as in more playful and soft-snow oriented. That’s a reference to where it comes from. The Ranger 102 FR is based on the Fisher Ranger 98 Ti, which has two sheets of Titanal and carbon fiber. The stiff build ripped, but required a strong grip on the reigns. So to make a more approachable version, Fisher removed a sheet of metal, added 4mm of girth, and upturned the tail to create the Ranger 102 FR. It has a more easy going feel, without losing much on the performance side from its straight-laced sibling.

As soon as we got on the 102 FR, we found ourselves gravitating towards the off-piste, seeking out tight trees and steeps. With lots of energy and snap, they felt nimble and fast doing tight turns. Plenty of rocker allowed them to pivot on a dime. The tail rocker made it easy to control speed on the steeps. And powder was its playground. It blasted through knee-deep and ripped up boot-top.

When the terrain opened up, the Ranger 102 FR was happy to go fast and big. The 18-meter turn radius was versatile enough to swing from short, to medium, to long turns without much work. It even held its own on firm snow. For a relatively wide ski, 102mm at the waist, it railed. Lots of stiffness in the tail helped lock onto a carve and snap into the next turn.

Planted and stable, it skied like a heavy ski, but is actually quite light. Some bigger testers found it lacked the power to cut through chopped up snow. Everyone found it forgiving and fun everywhere else. The Ranger 102 FR has a little less energy than the 98 or 108 Ti, but it’s also less work. For most people, that will translate into more fun. Wait, maybe the FR stands for funner?

Best for Eastern All-Mountain: K2 Pinnacle 88 Ti

If you spend more time skiing hard snow than soft snow, but still want all-mountain versatility the K2 Pinnacle 88 Ti is what you want.

It’s a step up from last year’s Pinnacle 88, which was a fun ski but lacked hard snow performance. To up its game, K2 added a Titanal sandwich for this year’s model. Combined with its Konic construction, which places heavier and denser materials over the edges, this year’s Pinnacle 88 Ti is a different beast.

It still retains K2’s signature playfulness, especially in soft snow. It floats pretty well for an 88mm-waisted ski and cruises through chopped up snow. Tip rocker keeps it easy, providing a smooth start to turns. We could use the slight tail rocker and wash out the end of the turn or stay focused and round it right out. Jump turning down a tight line or dancing through trees, the bouncy flex, quickness and light weight helped keep us on track.

The new build really comes into play carving in tough conditions. Even in death cookie ice, the ski hooked up and locked into an arc. There’s lots of strength and grip right through the turn. But the performance didn’t come with a lot of demands. The ski felt light and easy in most conditions.

Stable and predictable, the Pinnacle 88 Ti is happiest in firm snow, but is ready to deal with whatever Mother Nature brings or wherever you want to take it.

Best All-Mountain: DPS Cassiar 94 Foundation

All-mountain skiing extends beyond all kinds of terrain and snow types to every possible turn size and shape. Yet, because most skis have a consistent sidecut, they demand the driver compensate to do anything but one size of turn. DPS has a solution in the Cassiar.

The Utah-based ski brand has always done things its own way, and with the Cassiar, it ditched the sidecut altogether. From the tip to underfoot there’s a 20-meter turn radius. From the back binding to the tail, the ski is almost flat. DPS says this shape makes it easier to steer the ski into any turn size or shape.

From precision carving on the groomers to skidding out the tails to slow down in the bumps, snapping out tight turns on groomers to slashing big turns in the Whistler alpine, it felt like every turn was the Cassiar’s preference.

It also has the other requisite all-mountain attributes. There’s lots of tip rocker for easy turn initiation and float in powder. In ankle deep spring slush, it planed on top and had enough power to carve through the slop. The tip is soft enough to make mogul skiing predictable and smooth, but not so much that high speeds were frightening. Go fast enough and the tips would flap, but that required us really trying. It doesn’t have the high-end performance of the Volkl Mantra M5, but doesn’t demand as much from the skier, either.

The 94mm waist is in the sweet spot for all-mountain these days. It’s wide enough to perform in untracked conditions, but narrow enough to be snappy and quick. In our opinion, the Cassiar 94 defines the all-mountain category. It’s happy to cruise when you’re feeling lazy, charge when you’re chasing your buddies, make big turns or small, hard snow or soft. Whether you ski in Vermont, Washington or Colorado, this could be your only ski.

Best For Intermediates: Stöckli Laser AX

When is it worth throwing down a month’s rent on a pair of skis? When they’ll make you a better skier and last you a decade.

No matter who clicked into the Laser AX, they loved these skis. Higher-end skiers found a carving machine that could snap off short turns with ease, power through long turns at any speed and grip through the turn no matter how hard the snow was. Intermediates with less than perfect technique were equally impressed. The 78mm waist width was easy to swing from edge to edge. A wide sweet spot forgave less than perfect balance or pressure control. We could carve these from the front of the boot, the center or the back seat. The ski’s dimensions suggest an on-piste ski, but there’s enough softness in the tip to take these skis anywhere. We enjoyed them from the groomers to steep bumps.

Stöckli credits a serpentine groove in the Laser’s Titanal sheet for the versatility. At slow speeds, the groove softens the feel of the metal making the ski feel easy and forgiving. As forces increase with speed, harder snow and more vibration, the groove locks, giving the ski a more full-metal performance.

Our take away from all of this, is that the Laser AX encourages progressing. Intermediates will find it a stable platform to build confidence and skill. It forgives sloppy technique, but keeps high-performance skiers happy. It takes just a nudge in the right direction for it to get on edge and ride a carve, predictably and smoothly, but could keep up to the most demanding drivers. And even if the journey takes years, the ski will still be there. Stöckli is synonymous with hand-crafted precision and the best materials.

Best For Carving: Salomon S/Max Blast

Aggressive, athletic, powerful, agile, demanding: that’s what you’ll need to ski the S/Max Blast. The highest-performance model in the new on-piste carving Blast line, the S/Max is not for the weak of leg, sloppy of technique or lazy skier. But if you take control of these skis, they will live up to their name.

The technology at the heart of the Blast line is Edge Amplifier. Originally developed to help intermediate skiers carve easier, it’s now used on World Cup race skis. It builds up extra top sheet material into a rail over the edges of the ski. The included binding attaches to the rail, creating extra leverage to the outside of the ski, directing power faster and more precisely to the edge and also speeding up edge-to-edge transitions.

As soon as we jumped on these skis, we noticed a lot of stiffness from tip to tail thanks to two sheets of Titanal and full ABS sidewalls. As promised, it jumped on edge just thinking about turning. It initiated easily and gripped like a knife. The 17-meter turn radius (it varies from 13 to 17 depending on the length of the ski) naturally wanted to do GS-sized turns, but by adjusting our pressure point it, was easy to shift into snappy slalom turns or lay it out across the whole run.

The more energy we gave it the more fun we had. We’ve never felt G-forces like when we pushed these skis. We could lay into it and push the speed limit, and it stayed stable and predictable. But when we slowed down or tried to cruise, it tended to kick back. These skis demand your attention and punish lazy skiing.

If the S/Max Blast sounds like more ski than you want to deal with on a daily basis, there is a spectrum of mellowed out Blast skis available. For those with the skill and energy to control them, this is the dedicated carving ski to add to the quiver. It turns a groomer day into an adrenaline rush.

Best For Backcountry: K2 Wayback 106

The backcountry can be an unpredictable place. K2 set up the Wayback 106 to handle whatever you find out there.

K2 calls it a mid-winter touring ski, which basically means it’s designed for skiing powder. With a foot of fresh on the ground, it delivered. The 106mm waist and plenty of tip and tail rocker provided a floaty platform that liked to rise to the surface for easy turning. It blasted through wind crust and felt short and nimble in tight trees, despite a pretty straight 22-meter turn radius.

In more challenging conditions, we expected the Wayback to get a little sloppy, but instead, it offered surprising versatility. This is what K2 was looking for when it redesigned the Wayback line this year. Where most backcountry ski’s ditch Titanal because it’s heavy, K2 built a spine of it into the middle of the ski, providing more power and stability. It also opted for full sidewalls and dampening strips, all focused on improving the hard snow performance. We could get on edge and carve a pretty turn on firm snow. It didn’t flap around or bounce too much on groomers. And bombing through tracked up snow and moguls, it plowed through like a much burlier ski.

K2 kept the weight in check by using a light wood core and carbon in place of fiberglass. The Wayback 106 weighs in at a respectable 3.3lbs for the 179-centimeter model. Add a special top sheet that tends to shed snow and ice, and the ski performed just fine on the way up. The tail’s flat enough for digging in on switchbacks and the skis are light enough that they don’t feel like pigs.

We think the Wayback 106 would make an ideal slack country weapon. Mount a Marker Kingpin or Salomon Shift binding and you won’t feel undergunned on resort powder days or left behind on the skin track in the backcountry.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 13 Best Men’s Style Books

Getting the latest, greatest, and most fashionable clothing can be difficult, so why not snag the well-dressed guy on your list something that doesn’t sacrifice style over substance? Men’s style books might be an unconventional choice — but having quick access to great fashion resources in a format that’s bound (pun intended) to be as much of a conversation starter as a great outfit will show just how truly invested you are in your style. With that in mind, here are 13 books that deserve prime real estate on every guy’s bookshelf.

Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Favorite Denim and & More

One of the most fun aspects of fashion is the ability to truly customize your clothes through patching and stitching, but it’s often difficult and overwhelming to know where to begin. Katrina Roadbaugh’s guide to mending and patching is perfect for those looking to get some beginner techniques — especially for people who don’t want to rush off to the tailor every time a button comes undone.

Cool: Style, Sound, and Subversion

Throughout history, cool has carried various meanings — especially when it comes to style. So it makes sense that the authors of Cool: Style, Sound, and Subversion set out to offer a deep dive into which style tribes and subcultures have defined what it meant in different eras. Part history book, part anthropologic study, Cool is … well … just that.

Men and Manners: Essays, Advice and Considerations

Traditional rules of etiquette were written to reinforce the kinds of social hierarchies that have long since felt passé. But David Coggins’s newest title, Men and Manners, offers a fun, honest and refreshing primer on how men can and should conduct themselves in this modern era; it offers guidelines for texting, dating, self-care and a number of other topics that feel relevant right now.

Ralph Lauren: Revised and Expanded Anniversary Edition

The word iconic gets thrown around frequently without context, but it when it comes to Ralph Lauren, it’s truly applicable. There’s a reason why he’s loomed so large within the industry for as long as he has–and if you’re unsure as to why–this book is a good a place as any to learn.

Denim Branded: Jeanswear’s Evolving Design Details

We take the simple construction of a jean for granted, but Nick Williams’s book deconstructs one of the most ubiquitous elements of the modern wardrobe, examining every stitch, button and thread of what makes jeans so great.

Vintage Menswear Mini: A Collection from the Vintage Showroom

Filled from cover to cover with stunning photography of rare and exotic pieces, Vintage Showroom will make a great addition for any menswear fan. If nothing else, it’ll teach you how to explain the nuance of what makes a Tom Ford suit way better than one you’d find at a Men’s Wearhouse.

Skateboarding Is Not a Fashion: The Illustrated History of Skateboard Apparel

If you’re shopping for a Hypebeast who might literally have everything, you could do far worse than this detailed breakdown of skateboard culture and its intersection with — and influence upon — on fashion.

The Mr. Porter Paperback: The Manual for a Stylish Life

The third volume of Mr. Porter’s manual is full of tips and tricks for those looking to bring their personal style to the next level. Bonus points here too, for a presentation that’s worthy of many of the bespoke products sold on the retailer’s website.

Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion

Perfect for the budding menswear aficionado, Dressing the Man focuses on the building blocks of what goes into a good outfit. If you’re shopping for someone who’s always just a few finishing touches away from a great look, this is a great option.

Icons of Men’s Style

A nearly encyclopedic look at some of the most stylish men of all time — and the items that defined them — Josh Sims’s book is an essential purchase for any guy who wants to look like he’s stepping off of a film set or onto a red carpet.

Stan Smith: Some People Think I’m a Shoe

Please read this next sentence in literally the most dramatic movie trailer narration voice you’ve ever heard: If you think you know the whole truth about Stan Smith, think again. Written by the man himself, tennis legend Stan Smith shares his story — one that’s fitting of a shoe that’s become a menswear staple.

The Incomplete: Highsnobiety Guide to Street Fashion and Culture

For anyone who’s wondered just how streetwear and street culture came to dominate the global conversation around fashion, this book is a must. It spotlights the designers, brands and trendsetters who helped streetwear move from, well, the streets and onto the runway.

1000 Tattoos: The Most Creative New Designs from the World’s Leading Up-And-Coming Tattoo Artists

Whether you’re looking for inspiration for a new tattoo or just want to appreciate the masterful work of some of the best tattoo artists in the world, this tome has you covered.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 7 Best Budget Running Shoes of 2018

As a part of our Best New Running Shoes of 2018, we tested over 35 pairs of sneakers throughout the year. From there, we narrowed down our best new sneakers, pulling out the ones that were on the lower end of the spectrum price-wise, but still performed at a high-level. Whether you’re in the market for a new pair of running sneakers, or are looking to save on your next pair of gym shoes, this list is for you.

Disclaimer: A lot of these shoes are on sale right now, which is what makes them such a great deal. However, they are also all on the lower end of the spectrum as compared to many others within each brand. It’s also worth scouring the web to search for deals if you can. While there are some variations between each iteration of a shoe, just because you like version six doesn’t mean you’ll like version five. Often times brands completely re-do models so we recommend you try them out before committing.

Altra Vanish-R

These extremely lightweight runners are built to fit your foot thanks to a foot-shaped toe box, and a thin upper. It’s a racing flat through and through, so lace these up on days when you want to feel zippy around the track. It’s a zero drop shoe and weighs just 4.1-ounces. Since the upper is so thin, it’s easily flexible and will mold to your feet as you continue to run at a quick clip.

361-Strata 2

361’s stability shoe comes with an engineered mesh upper, a non-irritating tongue and 361’s proprietary foam, QU!kFoam, in the crash pad and forefoot. Everything about this shoe helps to secure your foot from the medial post to the overlay pattern around the midfoot, to lock your foot to the foam. The midsole and cushion are stiff enough to provide a bit of a bouncy feeling, but just hard enough that you’re not going to want to wear them all day long — it’s quite a different feel compared to some of the plush Brooks models we tested. It’s a bit of a heftier shoe at 11.2 ounces, so if you need stability and support, test these out.

Asics GT-2000 6

Everything you know and love Asics for can be found in this stability sneaker. Trussing system technology helps guide your feet into a proper gait, while rear and forefoot gel eliminate shock absorption in your hips — especially during the start of your footfall. Top all that off with a wider forefoot and you have a pair of shoes that’s overflowing with tech features to help runners go for longer. These are built for over-pronators, so if you look at the bottom of your current running shoes and notice there’s a lot more wear on the outside of your heels as opposed to the inside near your big toes, these shoes are calling your name.

New Balance FuelCell Impulse

These New Balances feature a boot-like construction that hugs your entire foot when you put them on. At first, they might feel a bit small, but once you start moving around you’ll be impressed at how normal they feel. They provide immediate feedback when on the treadmill with a goldilocks grip along the tread. The shoes are just 8.2-ounces with a 6-mm drop, they are built for speed. We found that they also double as great travel shoes — you can jump onto machines or lift weights without feeling like your feet are moving around all over the place.

Skechers GoRun Ride 7

We ran a 5K race in these and were shocked at just how plush the GoRun Ride 7 felt. The outsole didn’t look like it could handle a mix of grass, trail, dirt and concrete, but it proved us wrong. The GoRun Ride also has a 6-mm drop (similar to the FuelCell) and weighs 9.3 ounces. The two-tone knit upper is on the more minimalist side for Skechers, and it’s perfectly breathable during a 30-degree day, as well as a humid 70-degree day. The padded collar and tongue are plush touches we could get used to.

Brooks Revel 2

The Revel is part of Brooks’s neutral cushion line with BioMoGo DNA underfoot. It’s still on the plusher side at 10.2-ounces, but only $100, beating both the Glycerin and Ghost pricewise. If you typically run in those shoes and like the fit, feel and look, but need something slightly slimmer, try these. The sleek sneakers have an updated upper featuring flat-knit, heat-activated yarns that won’t stretch as you sweat.

Hoka One One Cavu

These neutral and responsive running shoes would do the trick for an early morning run commuter. The Cavu features a lower midsole than previous Hoka One One sneakers, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s not cushioned enough. These handled sprints and daily runs easily, thanks to a fast turnover and a lightweight feel on the feet. With a soft heel and firm forefoot, so heel strikers can enjoy a squishy landing.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Best Gifts for Road Runners

Runners are a rare breed. We feed on the energy from so many stimuli: the streets, the competition, run crews, community, even races — whether that’s under the lights of the night or rising with the sun. No matter what drives you to get up in the morning and dash to the track, there’s something that keeps you going until you hit your goal time or PR. And then, it’s time again to pick a new goal. The beauty of running is that you don’t need much gear to get started, but once you dive in, it’s easy to add tools to your trade to see results and make running easier during the particularly brutal moments. These 14 gifts are sure to help your runner go longer, faster and harder whether they’re training for a mile or 26.2.

FITS Light Performance Trail Quarter

Socks that don’t stay put during your runs are the absolute worst. FITS performance socks are breathable and stable, plus the added cushioning under your heel, toe and arch are a welcome blessing during every run.

Stryd Powermeter

A vital tool in the databook for cyclists is knowing how much power goes into every stroke. For runners, that number is harder to come by — unless you have a Stryd. The device is no bigger than a guitar pick and slides right onto whatever pair of shoes you’re using that day, meaning you don’t have to worry about it only working for your speed day or long run day pair. It monitors your daily training thanks to compatibility with practically every tracker out there and provides you with tips to help you nail that next race.

Ciele Athletics GoCap Whitacker Edition

Ciele’s hats are part of our favorite running kits. The UPF +40 cap blocks out the sun, so you don’t have to deal with glare, meaning your field of vision is crisp. Seek out your competition during a 10k or 15K, catch up to them, and let the hat wick away any sweat from your brow. Best of all, it’s lightweight and super flexible, so you can stuff it into a gym bag or suitcase without worrying about its shape on the other side.

Suunto 9 Baro

This watch is one of the most exciting and high-quality trackers we tested all year. Beyond the GPS, altitude and waterproofing, the battery life on the Suunto 9 is impressive. If you’ve ever tried to track yourself during a half-Ironman, Ironman, Ultra or marathon, your watch might have died due to the sheer number of hours it needed to last. The 9 Baro comes with a battery saving mode so you can get up to 120 hours — and still track your coordinates.

Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless Sport Headphones

These sweat- and weather-resistant earbuds have zero wires and play music for up to five hours. That’s a lot of pounding the pavement time. The earbuds come in three colors, including bright blue and red, so they’re easy to spot in the bottom of your drawer or gym bag. And if you do lose one, you can pop open the app to ‘Find My Buds’ and locate the missing one.

Salomon Agile 2 Set Pack

One of the toughest parts about training for longer races is the amount of water you have to carry with you. While a waist belt works for some, a vest is an easy solution for those who prefer something more accessible and minimalist. Stick your water bottles in both pockets, then dump your keys, cards and phone in the exterior pockets as well. This hydration set is excellent for both trail and road runs, as well as hikes.

Nike Zoom Fly Flyknit

If you’re looking to run fast, these lightweight shoes deliver. The Flys feature the same carbon fiber plate as the VaporFly 4% (the race day shoe that elites keep crushing marathon records in this year). Built to propel you forward and provide a cushy platform, the plate paired with React technology and a Flyknit upper is a recipe for success.

Goodr OG Sunglasses

For just $25, you can get a pair of sunglasses that stays in place, doesn’t bounce, correctly blocks out the sun and looks good. Most running sunglasses are a little too alien-like for our taste, but these Goodrs are made to wear on the run and beyond. The polarized lenses and lightweight frames make the perfect combination of performance and style.

Rhone Celliant Short Sleeve

Celliant technology supposedly increases your blood flow to up energy levels, endurance and performance — all of which are much needed during a run. This seamless shirt is all things a running tee should be: breathable, moisture-wicking, stretchy. And, the silver threads help prevent stink after too many wears and not enough washes.

The North Face Better Than Naked Shorts

These light-as-a-feather shorts practically disappear when running. There’s no inseam, which means no chafing, which every runner can appreciate. The shorts are coated with DWR meaning they’re water-resistant, and the logos are reflective for night running. Stash your Gu or Maurten in the back zip pockets, then hit the road.

Salomon Soft Flask

If you’re looking to carry just one water bottle, but know you’ll finish it along the way, this flexible soft flask is for you. The 250-milliliter blue bottle is BPA and PVC free, plus it rolls up when it’s empty, so you can throw it in your vest, back pocket or stuff it up your arm warmers.

Runaway Magazine

This beautiful magazine is a great way to get to know New York and London as cities before you visit as a runner. Throughout the pages, you’ll meet chefs, bartenders, store owners and more, all who love running. Be sure to check out the routes in the back, complete with stops and food suggestions for before, during or after.

Maurten Gel 100

If you’re looking for a way to stay fueled up while you run, but don’t want to have to deal with anything tasting funny, try the Maurten gel. It’s a viscous gel with a slightly sweet taste to it — a la simple syrup– but easy to down with or without water. Eliud Kipchoge and Mary Kietney, both recent marathon winners, fuel with Maurten.

Once a Runner

This classic tells the tale of John L. Parker Jr.’s lifelong goal to run a four-minute mile. The illusive time barrier escapes him during the Vietnam War due to suspension from the track team, stemming from an athletes’ protest. Parker shares his story in an unlikely place, a monastic retreat, but is likely what the intense runner needs to achieve his goals.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Best Gifts for Music Lovers

If I were to guess, I’d say you spend a helluva lot of hours each week sitting at a desk, working on your computer and listening to music. If not, you sure as heck know quite a few people that do. The truth is, most of us appreciate good sound and would like to listen to it with more regularity. That’s why making a contribution to somebody’s desktop sound setup also makes a great gift. Whether it’s a comfortable pair of headphones or a full desktop system, complete with DAC, amp and some really nice speakers, you’ll find something that they’ll love below.

Schiit Audio Fulla 2

For anybody looking for a straightforward solution to upgrade their desktop audio setup, this is it. For $99 you’re not going to find a better DAC and headphone amp combo than the Fulla 2. It’s simple yet excellent, plugging into your computer via USB. From there, all you need is your own headphones. Plus, it’s got a great volume knob.

Bluesound Vault 2

This is a digital music player and CD ripper. For anybody that has a large CD collection, this is great. It’s able to quickly rip CDs into high-resolution FLAC or smaller MP3 files — your choice. Also, with a plethera of analog and digital connections, you can easily integrate this into an existing stereo or home theatre system and play great audio. No computer needed.

Sonos Connect

The Sonos Connect is ideal for anybody who wants to add Sonos speakers, or just generally stream music, to their existing analog system. It can be added to pretty much any receiver. If you don’t have a receiver, you should go with the Connect:Amp ($499) instead, which is an amplified version of the Connect. The Connect:Amp also works better if the system has a dedicated subwoofer.

AudioQuest DragonFly USB DAC

This is a really popular and portable headphone amp. It has a built-in DAC, so your music is going to sound much cleaner than if your headphones were just plugged into computer. It’s uncomplicated: it plugs into your computer via USB and you plug your headphones into it. That’s it.

Audioengine A2+ Computer Speakers

Look no further for great desktop speakers. Sure, you can get bigger and louder speakers, which is partly why Audioengine makes the A5+ Wireless speakers, but, for their size the A2+ speakers are amazing. They plug into your computer via USB, have an integrated DAC with high-res listening, and an output for a subwoofer, in case you really want to your system to thunder.

Vibrapod Isolators

These little rubber feet come in a bunch of different sizes, to match the size of your speakers, and aren’t complicated. They simply lift the speakers off the horizontal plane (aka a table or desk) and enhance isolation so there’s less distoration. They are a cheap way for people who have bookshelf speakers to make them sound even better. And stuff into a stocking nicely.

Meridian Explorer 2

We’ve got a couple of these headphone amps floating around the Gear Patrol office. They support sample rates up to 24-bit/192kHz and have a second line-out jack in case you want to hook it up to a stereo amp instead of plugging it into your headphones. A nerdy feature: because it uses your Mac’s or PC’s potentiometer, you can control your music volume from your keyboard. And that’s nice.

Grado SR80e Prestige Series Headphones

Grado’s SR80e headphones are an old-school pair of no-frills wired headphones that look cool and sound great. For under $100, they’re a great way to add some flair and terrific sound to your desktop setup.

Grovemade Walnut Desk Shelf

Because everything in your desktop setup deserves its own space. There needs to be separation — room to breath — and this shelf helps with just that. Not only can it help eliminate clutter, but it also provides enough space to house a pair of bookshelf speakers on either side of your monitor or computer. Finally, it’s pretty. It’s an elegant combination of American Walnut wood, aluminum and Merino wool felt.

Master & Dynamic MP1000B Headphone Stand

If you want a really nice and clean headphone stand, we recommend this guy. It’s easy on the eyes and bespoke enough that when you’re actually working and listening to your headphones, it doesn’t add clutter or ugly-up the desk.

BrainWavz Truss Headphone Stand

But, if you don’t have enough desktop space to have a traditional headphone stand, get this. It sticks to the underside of your desk — incognito — and has two hands to hold two pairs of headphones.

Killspencer Desk Mat

Made of natural leather and denser than most other desk mats, this will definitely add premium flare to any workstation, which, in the end, is what anybody wants to complement their really nice audio setup.

Bose QC35 II Noise-Canceling Headphones

The QC35 IIs are still the lightest, most comfortable and most travel-friendly headphones that I’ve ever worn. They sound terrific and have excellent noise-canceling capabilities. One thing that I really appreciate, is that they’re uncomplicated. Unlike the Sony WH-1000M3 noise-canceling headphones — which are excellent as well — you don’t have to deal with swipe gestures on the earcups, which I always hit by accident and pause the song or skip tracks when I don’t want to.

Shinola Bookshelf Speakers

The Shinola Bookshelf Speakers have been engineered from the ground up by Barefoot Sound, a leading manufacturer of pro-audio recording monitors, so they sound great. They have all the analog inputs needed to make a great bookshelf or stereo speakers, but they also have built-in Bluetooth, so you hit a button on the back and you can stream stereo straight from your smartphone.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 100+ Best Holiday Gifts For Men

When it comes to holiday shopping, there are a million different ways you can approach it. Maybe you want to find the best deals and go from there. On the other hand, it’s just as reasonable to try and hone-in on the hobbies and interest of your loved ones in order to get an idea. Or maybe, you’re just trying to find something great that sits in a specific price-range. If that is the case, you’re in luck. We have here over 100 holiday gifts for men arranged by price. Take a look through and see if you can’t come up with something great. And if not? Head to our Holiday Gift Guide and browse away.

Under $25

Best Gifts Under: $25 | $50 | $100 | $250 | $500 | $500+

Good To-Go Dehydrated Meals

There aren’t many dehydrated meal companies that can claim a famous New York City chef as a founder. Each Good To-Go meal is concocted from healthy, pronounceable ingredients and can be prepared right in the pouch it comes in.
Buy Now: $10

Wasatch Outdoors Survival Laces 2.0

Demand more from your boot laces. Demand them to be made from military grade 550 paracord. Demand them to conceal a ferro rod, tinder and a length of fishing line. You’ll be glad you did, should shit ever hit the fan.
Buy Now: $24

The 15 Best Gifts for Beer Lovers

So you need a gift and your drinking buddy loves beer? You’re in luck — beer lovers are pretty easy to shop for. Hell, you could probably get away with some halfway fresh six-pack of their favorite brew. Want something a little more adventurous? Consult the 15 gifts below, which range $5 to $500.

Allagash Beer Soap

There’s a good chance your drinking buddy has heard of Allagash Brewing Company, the Maine producer largely responsible for introducing Americans to Belgian-style beer back in the ’90s. But they probably didn’t know Allagash also makes soap that features its beer as a core ingredient. Put a bar in their stocking and pair it with a couple bottles of White, the brewery’s famous flagship Witbier.

Skratch Labs Anytime Hydration Drink Mix

The only sure-fire way to prevent a hangover is to not drink at all. The next best thing? Proper hydration. This everyday mix from Skratch Labs, a company well-known in the cycling world, should do the trick.

Rastal Teku Glass

The worst thing you can give a craft beer snob: an assorted mix of beer glasses they’ll never use. But if you insist on glassware, it’s hard to go wrong with a stemmed Teku — the same vessel you’ll see in craft beer bars across the country.

Homebrew World

Josh Bernstein, one of the country’s leading beer journalists and a frequent contributor to Gear Patrol, goes behind the scenes with more than 30 homebrewers, bringing readers an inside look at the equipment and techniques responsible for some of the best-tasting beer you won’t find in taprooms or grocery stores.

Yeti Rambler Colster

Okay, let’s not dance around the fact that this is a $25 coozy. But it’s a lot cheaper than a Yeti cooler with the same brand-name guarantee. While you’re at it, get a couple for yourself and you’ll never look back.

Burton Beeracuda

You might be tempted to disregard Burton’s Beeracuda as a novelty item, but it’s perfect for those day hikes where a cooler would be simply too much. It’s made of durable 600D polyester and fits a total of six cans to get you there and back again.

Graf Lantz Square Felt Coasters

Once upon time, coasters weren’t made of paper, but felt, and people used them atop their glasses to keep insects from flying into their glasses. These come from the Los Angeles design firm Graf Lantz and take inspiration from that near-forgotten era inside Bavarian beer halls.

Where to Drink Beer

The latest installment to Phaidon’s “Where Chefs Eat” series has nothing to do with chefs — or food. Instead, it surveys 500 of the world’s most revered brewers, who share their favorite watering holes across the globe.

DropCatch Magnetic Bottle Opener

You and your drinking buddies may have outgrown your college antics, but let’s not forget one universal beer truth: wall-mounted bottle openers are really damn convenient. And this one is magnetic so it keeps your bottle caps from falling on the floor. It holds up to 70, but who’s counting?

Hubs Salted Virginia Peanuts

A lot of foods pair nicely with a cold beer, but there’s just something about a handful of peanuts. These come from Virginia’s oldest continuously family-owned peanut processor. And they’re tasty AF.

Miir Insulated Growler

You’ll come across many mediocre beer growlers out there. Miir’s isn’t one of them. It’s built from 18/8 medical steel and keeps beer cold up to 24 hours. But it’s standout feature is a smartly designed buckle lid that stays when pouring.

The Oxford Companion to Beer

There’s more to beer than most people realize. So no matter how much your buddy thinks they know about beer, we’re guessing they’ll learn something from this book. It’s basically the most definitive reference guide to beer ever, written by 166 of the world’s most prominent beer experts. Oh, and it’s edited by Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery and starts with a forward by Tom Colicchio.

Helinox Chair Zero Camp Chair

Anyone who’s ever woken up at 5:00 a.m. to wait hours in line for beer knows the value of a good camp chair. This one is legit. It’s light and compact, leaving more room in your backpack for, well, the beer.

Hydro Flask Unbound Soft Cooler Pack

Hard coolers are great and all, but for those in need of a little more mobility, soft is the way to go — or, more specifically, Hydro Flask’s Unbound Series. The 22-liter version features backpack straps for ease of carry, YKK Aquaseal zippers and insulation that keeps contents for 48 hours. The best part: it weighs all of three pounds.

Pico Pro

The Pico Pro is the premium version of Pico’s popular entry-level home brewer, the Pico C. Users can brew fresh batches of craft beer in about two hours, though they take about a week until they’re ready to drink. After all, beer, like any fermented food or beverage, is far from instant. But this is as close as it gets.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 4 Best Essential Oil Diffusers of 2019

Once you realize the humble oil diffuser is basically a safer, reloadable candle that can run indefinitely, you understand its charm. But not all diffusers are worth the upgrade. So what’s the difference between the hundreds of options available on Amazon? We tested a few — and then some — to find out.

Our Pick: Urpower 2nd Generation Aroma Diffuser

First, ignore the bright blue color — you can change that. This is the most affordable diffuser on this list by a country mile, but Urpower’s water chamber, looks and runtime all nearly match or surpass the more premium options out there.

Unlike other inexpensive options, the Urpower isn’t covered in faux-wood or strobe lights, and it’s markedly easier to clean than most others. Its stream of mist was also much stronger than other affordable options and only slightly weaker than our other, pricier picks. Point is, if you want an oil diffuser run for a couple hours every once in a while, you’re better off getting a cheap diffuser that performs like a $100 diffuser than to dive headfirst into more expensive waters.

What to Know About Oil Diffusers

Clean them.

Bad bacteria, mold and most awful things thrive in wet, warm environments, which is precisely what your oil diffusers will provide. Empty it out every few runs and clean out all the nooks and crannies with a couple cotton swabs, then run water with a bit of vinegar or dish soap for a few minutes.

You don’t need a lot of oil.

No matter what diffuser you’re using, you really only need to add a few drops of oil to the water for a noticeable change. Depending on the strength of your oil (avoid fillers at all costs), it should only take four to eight drops of oil.

They’re safer than candles.

The cheaper and older method of getting a space to smell nice involves flames and smoke. While it’s highly unlikely a candle will tumble off a table while you’re taking the trash out, accidents happen. Oil diffusers offer a more (albeit with slightly less ambiance) direct route to a nice-smelling home that doesn’t risk the home in the process.

Don’t believe the “wellness” hype.

Despite what the best efforts of a hundred wellness blogs, science does not support claims of any type of healing power beyond basic aromatherapy. Per UC Berkley’s Wellness site: “Essential oils may have some therapeutic benefits but should not take the place of conventional, evidence-based medications and treatments, and they should never be ingested.”

Other Great Oil Diffusers

Muji Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser

In the US, Muji’s diffusers might be its best-known product. Walk into any Muji store and you’ll find out why — the frosted white diffuser spews a much stronger stream of mist than any we tried and, even this slightly smaller size, works for hours with very little water and oil. It also sports Muji’s easy-to-use, plain aesthetic to a T. Muji also stocks one of the best ranges of essential oils out there.

Vitruvi Stone Aroma Diffuser

Vitruvi’s diffuser is one of few that doesn’t feel like cheap plastic. Instead, its body is a matte ceramic that comes in black, white or blush. Its mist strength is slightly weaker than that of the Muji option, but Vitruvi’s comes with a handy 7-hour intermittent diffuse setting. If you want your diffuser to sit in the middle of the room, this might be the play.

Muji Portable Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser

Another Muji diffuser, but for a completely different use. For one, it’s tiny enough to slide into your packet or dopp kit during travel. It also doesn’t require water to use — just a few drops of oil and a bit of charge via USB cable (there’s a rechargeable lithium ion battery onboard). After testing, I can safely say you shouldn’t expect to make a good-smelling impact on medium or large rooms, but even in large rooms the areas directly around this mini-diffuser is improved. What does this mean? This is the best portable, travel diffuser you can find. This is the anti-airport smell diffuser.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

65 Holiday Gift Guides for Everyone On Your List

Get the right gift this year with our comprehensive holiday gift guides. From the outdoorsy uncle to stocking stuffers for the whole family, aim to impress with our top gifts of 2018 for everyone on your list. Use the categories below to find the perfect gift this holiday season.

Outdoor Gifts

Give the gift of adventure to the outdoor-enthusiast on your list. We’ve got gifts for you and all your adventure-ready pals, whether your next trip involves mountain biking, SCUBA diving or a nice leisurely day hike. Check out some of the best gear from 2018 that’s perfect for hitting the great outdoors

The 14 Best Gifts for Trail Runners

Over the river and through the woods, these gifts for runners will go the distance.

The 15 Best Gifts for Snowboarders

If you need to find the perfect gift for the snowboarder on your list, look no further. We’ve found some of the most innovative products in snowboarding for 2018 and beyond.

The 17 Best Gifts for Campers

These camping gifts are sure to please the outdoor lover in your life. If you can’t get them the great outdoors, these will have to do.

The 17 Best Gifts for Skiers

When looking for a gift for a ski buddy, this list includes one of the year’s best new skis, the ultimate baselayer for on-mountain warmth, tasty snacks for the chairlift and more.

Best Gifts for the Weekend Warrior

Weekend warriors don’t mess around. Neither should their gear. Take a look at our roundup of the best and most reliable stuff out there for those who live for the end of the week.

The Best Gifts for the Urban Outdoorsman

You don’t have to live out in the boonies in order to appreciate great outdoor gear. For those city-dwelling hikers in your life, check out our roundup of the best gifts for the urban outdoorsman.

The Best Gifts for SCUBA Divers

Anything as specialized as shopping for SCUBA divers can be difficult. Thankfully for you, we’ve put together a gift guide just on the subject.

The Best Gifts for Mountain Bikers

Whether you’re a gravity-focused rider or live for the climbs, this list of mountain biker gifts has something for everyone.

The Best Gifts for the Waterman

Whether your sport of choice is fishing, surfing or swimming, there’s a water-inspired gift for you.

The Best Gifts for Hikers

If you are looking for handmade hiking shoes, backpacks and trail food that actually tastes good, these hiker gifts are for you.

The Best Gifts for Adventurers

The holidays are nearly here, and Huckberry has all the best gifts for your favorite adventurer.

The Best Gifts for Cyclists

Lotion for faster muscle recovery, a refined waterbottle cage, the safest helmet available are just some of the things you can get for the cyclist in your life this holiday season.

Best Tech & Audio Gifts

Know someone who can’t live without their favorite pieces of tech? Of course you do, it’s 2018. Whether they’re in need of true-wireless earbuds, the best portable power banks available or just an upgraded home speaker, you’ll find a recommendation here that does the trick.

The Best Gifts for Music Lovers

Whether it’s a comfortable pair of headphones or a full desktop system, or even a desktop accessory, these gifts are perfect for the music lover in your family.

The 13 Best Gifts for Guys Just Getting Into Vinyl

These are the best gift ideas for anybody just getting into vinyl or wanting to add to their entry-level setup.

The Best Home Speakers to Gift

From the smart speaker that can control your lights to the portable speakers that can join you out at the pool, these home speaker gifts will give you ideas for any family or friend looking to up their music game.

Gifts for the On-The-Go Creative

Shopping for a photographer, videographer or musician? We’ve got you covered. These are the best gift for the on-the-go creative professional.

The Best Smart Home Gadgets for the New Homeowner

From smart lights to smart thermostats, smart cameras and smart speakers – these are the smart home gadgets that make the best gifts for the new homeowner.

The Best Gifts for the Techie

Having a hard time finding gifts for the techie in your life? We’ve rounded up the latest and greatest tech, from speakers to computers to cameras, as well as the accessories that work with them all.

Best Health & Fitness Gifts

We all have at least one friend who practically lives at the gym, or who has a separate saving account for all those steep marathon entry fees. Whether you count yourself among their ranks or are trying desperately to get them something that’ll make their workouts that much better, you’ll find something great in our gifts for athletes, gadgets for your running partner, or just gear for the gym lover.

The Best Fitness Gifts for Men

Having a hard time finding great fitness gifts for men? We’ve pulled together some great picks ranging from kettlebells to jump ropes.

The Best True Wireless Earbuds to Gift

AirPods might be the most well-known true wireless earbuds, but if they don’t fit in your ears then there are plenty of other options.

The 10 Best Gadgets to Give Your Running Partner

We’ve rounded up the must-have running gadgets for all runners, whether they’re just trying to set a PR or training for a full-on marathon.

The Best Gifts for Gym Lovers

When it comes to shopping for your favorite gym rat, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by all the different gear out there. Thankfully for you, dear reader, we’ve found the best gifts for gym lovers and compiled them all here to make holiday shopping a bit easier.

The Best Gifts for Athletes

Whether you’re elite or training for that level, our list of the best gifts for athletes is sure to hold some great gifts for this holiday season.

Best Home, Food & Drink Gifts

Because nothing says “happy holidays” quite like a well-designed item that makes your life at home a bit better. And that could be anything from better whiskey to upgraded cooking tools to whatever the family dog loves the most (after all, it’s their house too).

The 15 Best Gifts for Dog Lovers

This guide to the best gifts for the dog lover aims to improve the lives of both dog and parent. Call it a win-win.

The 15 Best Gifts for All the Beer Lovers in Your Life

So you need a gift and your drinking buddy loves beer? You’re in luck — there’s plenty of great gear to accent their favorite brews.

The 15 Best Food Gifts You Can Buy in 2018

The best food gifts for the chef in your life include more than pots and pans.

The 18 Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers

If you’re gifting to a coffee lover, you’re in luck — there’s perhaps no hobby that requires more awesome gear.

The 9 Best Bottles of Whiskey to Gift This Year

Though a popular at this time of year, gifting whiskey actually runs the risk of being thoughtless. These picks are anything but.

The 12 Best Gilling Gifts of 2018

The best grilling gifts don’t have to connect to the nearest smart device. They just solve problems and make grilling easier.

Best Style & Grooming Gifts

Maybe they would’ve bought it for themselves, anyway, but you can spare the stylish men in your life the pain of wintertime shopping in a department store by browsing through any of these lists. Whether it’s for the man who has everything, the most stylish guy you know or even the entrepreneur in your life you’ll surely come across something worth gifting here.

The 16 Best Men’s Grooming Gifts That’ll Improve His Morning

If you’re shopping for someone who likes to spend a little extra time grooming himself for the day, we’ve got you covered.

16 Awesome Gifts for Guys Who Have Everything

Looking for a holiday gift for a guy who’s hard to shop for? We’ve got you covered.

Gifts for Stylish Men

From can’t-miss accessories to handy clothing-care tools and luxurious staples, these gifts for stylish men show you’re as invested in his look as he is.

The Best Gifts for Entrepreneurs

The best gifts for entrepreneurs are the kinds of things that help him move his business forward.

The Best Gifts for Business Travelers

Those always on the move deserve a great year-end gift as much as the rest of us. That’s why we pulled together a list of gifts for business travelers. Whether it’s a watch, a new wallet or a briefcase you’re looking for – we have it all here.

The 13 Best Men’s Style Books

From patching denim to understanding streetwear, this baker’s dozen of men’s style books deserves serious real estate on the well-dressed man’s shelf.

Best Watch Gifts

The world of watches is surprisingly varied. There are timepieces designed specifically to be durable, while others are more suited to show up to the office or simply show off. If you’re set on picking something that ticks and tocks this holiday season, you’ll be well served to look through our lists of the best watches to gift for every category.

15 Durable Watches that Make Great Gifts

Some guys just need a watch they can beat the hell out of, but that doesn’t mean it needs be cheap. Here are 15 of the best durable watches to gift holiday season.

The 15 Best Inexpensive Mechanical Watches of 2018

A great watch doesn’t have to break the bank — here are 15 of the best inexpensive mechanical watches, from field watches to divers to dress watches.

These Are the 14 Best Travel Watches for the Holidays

This holiday season we’ve curated some of the best travel watches ranging from GMTs to 12-hour bezels and digital travel watches. Whatever your budget, we have timepieces ranging from the ultra-cheap to the ultra-premium.

The 15 Best Luxury Watches of 2018

We picked 15 of our favorite first luxury watches with the help of StockX, a leader in the world of pre-owned timepieces.

The 15 Best Watches for Office Wear in 2018

Finding the right watch to wear to the office can be difficult, but only because you’re spoiled for choice. Here are 15 of the best options.

The 15 Most Over-The-Top Watches of 2018

An outsized personality calls for an outsized timepiece — here are 15 of the most over-the-top watches for those who demand nothing but the finest.

Best Car & Motorcycle Gifts

Unless you’re shooting a car commercial, the likelihood of that you’ll be giving a new car with a bow on it this holiday season is low. Thankfully, there are plenty of things to give the motorcycle and car lovers in your life. Whether they’re an at-home mechanic, motorcycle rider, road trip lover or just a car guy – you’ll find lots to choose from in our collection of guides below.

The Best Gifts for the Commuter

Finding a gift for a commuter is incredibly straightforward — it just has to make the daily back and forth a little less hellish.

The Best Gifts For Motorcycle Riders

Motorcycle riders are a different breed and the gear they need goes above and beyond the usual and mundane.

The Best Gift Ideas for Car Guys

Buying a gift for a car guy doesn’t have to be as daunting as getting caught in a conversation about the differences between horsepower and torque.

Road Trip Gifts: For Those Who Love the Open Road

We all know someone who loves the open road. Give them the tools they need to make their next road trip the best one yet.

The Best Gifts for the At-Home Mechanic

Anything that makes life and work easier for the at-home mechanic is a surefire holiday-gift win.

The Best Family Gifts

What are the holidays really, if not a celebration of family. But sometimes, those you know the best are the hardest to shop for. To help, we wrote a series of gift guides for kids, dudes, the woman in your life and even the crafty DIY Dad. Whatever the budget whatever the taste, we’re positive you’ll find something here.

The Best Gifts for the Dudes in Your Family

Searching for the best gifts for the dudes in your life? We have a slew of gift and present ideas for the brother, uncle, father or other male members of your family, selected by Gear Patrol experts.

The Best Gifts for Kids

While this guide is primarily made up of gifts specifically for kids, some of these are for parents, too — which also makes this a great guide for the new parent in your life.

The Best Gifts for Her

The best gifts aren’t the ones your better half asks you to buy. But, hey, it’s almost December and there are only so many hours in the day. To help out, we pulled together a list of the best gifts for her.

The 17 Best Gifts for DIY Dads

Contrary to popular belief, DIY-ers could use more than a few new power drills year in, year out. So to help you on your search, we’ve whipped up a list of the best gifts for DIY dads.

The Best Stocking Stuffers for Everyone You Know

Stocking stuffers are a kind of weird tradition when you think about it. Of all the things in the world where you’re going to put gifts, a majority of Americans decided at one point that it’d be a big, festive sock. But we aren’t here to judge, though, just to recommend what to stuff in there. Whether it be something for the techie, fitness freak, or aspiring chef – we’ve got all the affordable and fun picks you could hope for below.

15 Stocking Stuffers Stylish Guys Will Love

From a kit that’ll keep his sneakers clean to a few things that will help winterize his suit, these are the best stocking stuffers for the stylish guy in your life.

Best Stocking Stuffers for Watch Enthusiasts

While a watch itself can be expensive, half the fun is in the accessories, many of which can make great, inexpensive gifts. To help you track some down, we’ve pulled together a list of the best stocking stuffers for watch enthusiasts.

Stocking Stuffer IDeas for the Fitness Junkie

Hand grips, proper face wash, water bottles, massage tools and more made it onto our list of the best stocking stuffers for the fitness junkie.

The Best Stocking Stuffers For Car Lovers

Great gifts $50 and under can still strike a chord with the motoring enthusiast in your life. Just check this list of the best stocking stuffers for car lovers and see for yourself.

14 Affordable Stocking Stuffers for the Outdoorsy Guy

A trusty Leatherman sidekick, dry bags for your gear, a light that never dies and more made it onto our list of affordable stocking stuffers for the outdoorsy guy.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 12 Best Down Jackets of Winter 2019

Last Updated December 2018 for winter 2019: We’ve updated our guide of the best down jackets with the 12 best picks for Winter 2019. Prices and links have also been updated. You can still find our picks from last year’s guide on page two.

Editor’s Choice: Mountain Hardwear Super/DS StretchDown Hooded Jacket

We consider our list of the best down jackets of the year to be exhaustive, but throughout the year, we tested many more that you won’t see here. Down jackets have existed as functional outdoor protection for decades, and while the central concept that guides their design — ultralight warmth — hasn’t changed over the years, companies are still finding new ways to make them more functional than ever.

Mountain Hardwear is one of those companies. Instead of adhering to the iconic horizontal baffle design, it used a meandering pattern and a woven construction to disperse the down throughout the coat, thereby increasing durability and stretch while minimizing cold spots. The Super/DS StretchDown also uses a stretchier shell fabric that’s less shiny than traditional down coats, making it more approachable for those trying to avoid looking too “outdoorsy.” The sum of all these features is a down jacket with a vast range of applications. Mountain Hardwear may have built it for rock climbing, but the Super/DS StretchDown Hooded Jacket can function anywhere. Plus, with a price tag that’s less than $300, it’s also very affordable.

Weight: 17 ounces
Fill Material: Q.Shield responsibly-sourced down; 90% goose down, 10% goose feather
Fill Power: 800
Shell Material: Toray I-Tube (85% nylon, 15% elastane)
Waterproofing: DWR

Introduction

Down is warm enough that ducks and geese can swim in freezing water and light enough that they can fly. It’s those two qualities that also make it arguably the best form of insulation yet devised for outdoor apparel. Down’s warmth, light weight and ability to compress make it the perfect material for activities like skiing, mountaineering and backpacking (it’s also great for just cruising around the city, too). Advances in chemical treatments also mean that down jackets are more resistant to down’s mortal enemy, moisture, than ever before. From lifestyle wear to burly mountaineering layers, down jackets are lighter, tougher and more water resistant than ever. These 12 jackets are perfect for every activity, from walking your dog on frigid January mornings to conserving warmth and energy at Camp Four.

What to Know Before You Buy a Down Jacket

An Intro to Down

Down is found in layers underneath the rougher outer feathers of ducks and geese — it’s what keeps them warm while floating around all winter, so, naturally, it will keep us warm too. Despite that, moisture is the undoing of down, causing it to clump up and lose its heat-retaining qualities. It also should be noted that while large-scale efforts have been made by big brands such as Patagonia and The North Face, not all down is ethically sourced, and animal cruelty does happen.

Fill Powers Decoded

Down fill powers are numerical ratings that usually range anywhere from about 450 to 900. This number comes from a standardized test in which an ounce of down is compressed in a graduated cylinder and then measured for volume in cubic inches; that volume is the fill rating. An ounce of 900-fill down occupies more space (and thus traps more air and provides more warmth) than an ounce of 600-fill down. The two samples weigh the same, but one takes up more space and can trap more air, which means more warmth.

What this boils down to is the idea that a higher fill power means more warmth for less weight. It’s important to note that two jackets or sleeping bags may have different fill ratings while providing the same amount of warmth — the difference is that whichever has the higher rating will pack down to a smaller size because less material is needed to get the same amount of warmth. High down fill powers tend to come with a heftier price tag, so consider what you’re going to use a product for when getting into those loftier feathers.

The 12 Best Down Jackets of 2019

Best All-Round Jacket: The North Face Summit L3 Down Hoodie

Summit Series represents the most technical apparel and equipment that The North Face can cook up. These are the tents that are used as Himalayan base camps, the one-piece suits that look as suitable for outer space as for high peaks. It’s not just marketing chatter either; The North Face outfits its ambassador athletes in this stuff so that they’re better equipped to explore the places in the world we might only see in the pages of National Geographic, and when it sent its team to Antarctica this summer, it kitted them out in the L3 Down Hoodie.

In an expedition kit, the L3 is more of a mid-layer, which means it’s perfect for the rest of us who tend to explore less extreme latitudes. It’s the classic down jacket, made thoughtfully in every way: it’s lightweight with 800-fill down and a ripstop exterior, includes two hand pockets, an adjustable hem and an adjustable hood. It has a much wider range of motion than we expected and is treated with a DWR finish. The best thing though? The cuffs, which are soft and stretchy and more comfortable than what the rest of the field uses.

Weight: 13.4 ounces
Fill Material: responsibly-sourced goose down
Fill Power: 800
Shell Material: nylon
Waterproofing: DWR

Best Jacket for Active Outdoor Pursuits: Blackyak Bakosi

The Bakosi is far from the typical down jacket. Some of its unique features are obvious — like the two deep mesh pockets that are on its front or the lightweight grid fleece hood. They’re a departure from the “normal” image of what a down jacket looks like, but they have real-world application in mind. That hood, for instance, is more form-fitting than a down-filled one and doesn’t inhibit field of vision. It also fits under a helmet or stretches over a baseball cap.

But the Bakosi excels with features that are less visible — specifically, a body-mapped construction that combines both down and synthetic insulation as well as stretch paneling. The idea behind this is that the body retains and vents heat differently in different locations. For instance, the arms don’t need as much insulation, so Blackyak shrunk the baffles here and added less fill. Goose down is used on the upper section of the jacket to provide maximum warmth while the lower region is filled with synthetic Primaloft Gold, which is also water-resistant. The back is extra stretchy and filled with Polartec Alpha, another synthetic insulation that’s highly breathable — this helps with that sweaty back issue you might experience while climbing or hiking. It’s a complex construction (which contributes to its high price tag) but it’s also incredibly well thought-out, and more importantly, it works.

Weight: 21 ounces
Fill Material: traceable goose down, Primaloft Gold, Polartec Alpha
Fill Power: 750
Shell Material: Cordura ripstop nylon, Cordura 4-way stretch fabric, Polartec Power Grid fleece
Waterproofing: DWR

Best Jacket for Freedom of Movement: Mountain Hardwear Super/DS Stretchdown Hooded Jacket

The first noticeable feature in Mountain Hardwear’s latest down jacket is that it’s done away with traditional baffles entirely. Instead of stitching, the Super/DS Stretchdown uses woven baffles to create the maze of channels that hold its 800-fill down insulation in place. The advantages of this are twofold; baffle stitching is a recurring culprit for durability issues, and the new weaves do exactly what they’re supposed to do — they stretch. I purposely tried to flex the jacket to its limits, Hulk-style, and never actually reached them. That alone makes the StretchDown a great option for active use. It also gives the jacket a unique visual appeal — the small woven segments create a natural crinkled look.

The outer shell material of the StretchDown is an equally stretchy fabric made exclusively for Mountain Hardwear from a blend of nylon and elastane that isn’t waterproof (like most of the jackets on this list) but does have a DWR treatment. The fabric also has a rougher, less plastic feel to it, which we found to be a welcome departure from what traditional ripstop texture. Two zippered hand pockets, an exterior zippered chest pocket with an internal headphone port and an inner mesh sleeve allow for ample opportunities for essential gear stashing and give this jacket a wide range of application, far beyond rock climbing.

Weight: 17 ounces
Fill Material: Q.Shield responsibly-sourced down; 90% goose down, 10% goose feather
Fill Power: 800
Shell Material: Toray I-Tube (85% nylon, 15% elastane)
Waterproofing: DWR

Most Stylish Down Jacket: Foehn Robson Down Hoody

Familiarize yourself with Foehn. The small brand, which draws its name from the type of warm wind that can develop on the leeward side of mountain ranges, produces a small collection of apparel with rock climbing in mind while paying close attention to style — everything that the brand makes is suitable for city life too. Foehn’s most well-known piece is the Brise Pant, which raised more than $70,000 on Kickstarter, but its down jacket is equally-worthy of high praise.

Unlike many of the other jackets on this list, the Robson is a pullover. It doesn’t use the common quarter-zip construction either, favoring a zipper on the side to accommodate entry and exit instead. This keeps the jackets face — a matte, Japanese-made stretch fabric treated with DWR — plain, like a sweatshirt. It makes for a stylish profile that’s sure to draw compliments (and questions about who makes it). But the Robson isn’t all looks; it’s plenty warm with a substantial helping of 800-fill down and includes laser-cut underarm vents that aid breathability during high-output activities.

Fill Material: responsibly-sourced down
Fill Power: 800
Shell Material: Nylon
Waterproofing: DWR

Best Expedition Jacket: Jöttnar Fjörm

Jöttnar’s tagline is “Conquer Giants,” and that’s exactly what this expedition-class down jacket was built to do. The Fjörm is big, puffy, and most of all, warm. It’s filled with just under ten ounces of DownTek’s responsibly-sourced, water-resistant, 850-fill goose down — that’s a lot of warmth, but the jacket is still incredibly lightweight and compressible (it packs down into what seems like an impossibly-small stuff sack). That much warmth may be overkill for shoulder season use, but the jacket still breathes well enough to be worn in temperatures just above freezing and is certainly suited to go far below that mark.

Despite the Fjörm’s size, it doesn’t feel bulky, as some expedition jackets tend to. It’s also incredibly comfortable, and Jöttnar improved the cuffs (small yet key points of jacket-on-skin abrasion) with the addition of a fleece lining. A drawcord waist, extra-large internal gear pocket, helmet compatible hood, and two-way zipper give the Fjörm serious (and practical) mountain chops. But while this jacket may be built to equip high elevation adventures, its undeniable warmth and comfort make it suitable for wear in cities that see their fair share of frigid temperatures (like New York, for example).

Weight: 9.7 ounces
Fill Material: DownTek hydrophobic goose down, synthetic fill in cuffs and neck
Fill Power: 850
Shell Material: nylon
Waterproofing: DWR

Best Down Jacket for Cities: Norrona Lyngen

Not everybody is into the look of technical winter gear. The materials that make jackets warm and waterproof are often shiny or brightly-colored and covered in pockets and zippers, making wearers look like they’re headed to the mountains when they might just be commuting to the office. Gore-Tex launched its Infinium with remedying this stigma in mind. With Infinium, lifestyle drives performance, and technical fabrics might not look like technical fabrics, even though they’re still highly weather-proof and breathable.

It’s true for Norrona’s Lyngen down jacket. Its outer shell is water-repellant and fully windproof, but unlike many of the other options here, it doesn’t have the characteristic sheen of ripstop nylon. Instead, it looks and feels more like a thin layer of leather. But style isn’t the Lyngen’s only play; that same material is incredibly breathable (Norrona built this jacket with ski touring in mind) and it’s filled with a hearty load of 850-fill, responsibly-sourced down. It’s very warm as a result — warm enough to wear as an outer layer in Northern Hemisphere towns during the dead of winter.

Weight: 17 ounces
Fill Material: responsibly-sourced down
Fill Power: 850
Shell Material: Gore-Tex Infinium
Waterproofing: Gore-Tex Infinium (water-repellant)

Best Budget Pick: REI Magma 850 Down Hoodie

If you’re looking for the classic down jacket — the kind with pockets for your hands and another on the chest, a hood and not much else, look to REI’s Magma 850. That’s not to reduce the Magma’s value (we wouldn’t include it on this list if it lacked in any way) but to highlight the fact that this jacket is great because it’s simple. At just under 14 ounces, it’s lightweight and made to be durable with abrasion-resistant Pertex Diamond Fuse ripstop nylon fabric. Inside is enough 850-fill goose down to provide plenty of warmth as a mid layer or an outer layer. It’s everything the quintessential down jacket needs to be, and at $219 it’s also a steal.

Weight: 14 ounces
Fill Material: responsibly-sourced goose down
Fill Power: 850
Shell Material: Pertex Diamond Fuse ripstop nylon
Waterproofing: DWR

Most Innovative Down Jacket: Mammut Broad Peak Pro

Of all the companies to eliminate stitching, Mammut does it in the way that maintains the look and feel of the classic down jacket. The problem with stitching is that it creates gaps in the insulation where cold spots can occur, pierces the shell fabric and has a tendency to fail after lots of wear (and sometimes before). To get rid of it is to make a jacket warmer, lighter and more durable. Mammut’s Broad Peak uses a weave pattern that the company calls Pocket Weave Technology — the exterior and interior fabric are woven in such a way that they create the baffles without the need for additional fabrics or liners. Cold spots are minimized, and weather protection (and warmth) increases.

That construction is enough on its own to make the Broad Peak Pro an excellent down jacket, but it excels in other ways too. The jacket has two large hand pockets that are situated so that they can be accessed while wearing a harness, but there are also two drop-in sleeve pockets on the inside for other small items. It’s stuffed with 850-fill goose down to provide serious warmth without too much bulk. One thing to note is that Mammut, which is based in Switzerland, built the Broad Peak Pro with a slim Euro profile that might not be suitable for those looking for lots of jacket coverage, but is ideal for use as a mid layer.

Weight: 13 ounces
Fill Material: goose down
Fill Power: 850
Shell Material: Pertex Quantum polyamide
Waterproofing: water-repellent

Best Ultralight Jacket: Montbell Plasma 1000

If you aren’t familiar with Montbell, you should be. They are one of my favorite ultralight brands (I own two of the brand’s sleeping bags). After testing the Plasma 1000, I was not disappointed. At first, the aesthetics of the Plasma 1000 didn’t sell me. The MVDS (Mojave Desert) colorway felt a bit too spaceman for my tastes, but it quickly grew on me. As soon as I picked up the jacket I was shocked — I’ve felt lightweight rain jackets that are heavier. When you toss it up in the air and let it float down, hyperbole aside, it literally mimics a feather. Despite its lean stature, the Plasma is toasty warm and packs down into a tiny stuff sack that fits in its pocket. I took the jacket on a shoulder season camping trip, and I’m glad I did. It took up virtually zero space in my pack and was warm enough to extend a sunset hike into the dark. In the ultimate test, I got a bit too close to the campfire on more than one occasion. Shockingly, none of the flying embers managed to put a hole in the Ballistic Airlight rip-stop nylon shell. — AJ Powell

Weight: 4.8 ounces
Fill Material: Power EX Down
Fill Power: 1000
Shell Material: 7-denier Ballistic Airlight rip-stop nylon
Waterproofing: DWR

Best Jacket for Inclement Weather: Eddie Bauer BC EverTherm

Last year, Eddie Bauer released Thindown, an innovative down insulation that arranges feathers in fabric-like sheets rather than loose clusters. Thindown, which debuted in the EverTherm jacket, eliminates the need for down jackets to use baffles and in turn, disposes of stitching and the cold spots it creates. Long story short, the new fluff helped Eddie Bauer make a down jacket that was lighter and warmer. Eddie Bauer continued the development of Thindown with a new down jacket called the BC EverTherm. The jacket’s evolution was guided by Seth Waterfall, a member of Eddie Bauer’s First Ascent athlete development team, who desired a waterproof, down-filled hardshell jacket. Thindown helped make it possible; it’s lighter than traditional down, and its sheets are treated with DWR so that they won’t clump when damp.

The BC EverTherm was designed with the high-alpine environments of the Cascades and Mt. Rainier in mind, but its functions apply wherever winter weather may vary unpredictably between snow and rain. Like, for instance, New York City, where we routinely put it to use during the occasional downpour. The original EverTherm was and still is excellent (we featured it on this list last year), but the BC EverTherm really excels as an all-rounder for rough winter weather.

Weight: 19.2 ounces
Fill Material: Thindown
Fill Power: n/a
Shell Material: nylon
Waterproofing: 20/20 waterproof/breathable rating, Eddie Bauer Stormrepel Super DWR

Best Overbuilt Down Jacket: Best Made Co. 3L Down Parka

Best Made Co.’s 3L Down Parka isn’t as lightweight as all of the other jackets on this list, and it won’t pack down into its own pocket, but it is seriously winter-proof. The parka is made to be heavy-duty, with a waterproof cotton-nylon blended shell, a ripstop lining and 850-fill down inside. It’s longer than the other jackets here too — the hem drops slightly below mid-thigh — but despite all that, it doesn’t really feel heavy or bulky (and it’s immediately warm).

Inspired partially by standard-issue jackets worn by the Marine Corps in the 1940s, the 3L Down Parka comes packed with lots of features: there are two hand warmer pockets and two button flap pockets on its exterior as well as a chest pocket and two drop-in sleeves on the interior. There’s also a cinch adjustment at the waist, which is more or less the jacket’s midpoint, in addition to another at the hem, and stretchy cuff liners prevent weather from entering the coat’s sleeves. Best Made Co. also outfitted the parka with a two-way zipper, which comes in handy should you need to access your pants pockets without completely opening up the jacket. At over $1,000, the 3L Down Parka doesn’t make any arguments for affordability, but if you’re looking for the biggest and warmest outer layer available, this is it.

Weight: n/a
Fill Material: goose down
Fill Power: 850
Shell Material: 70% cotton and 30% nylon
Waterproofing: DWR

Best Jacket for Bikepacking: Rapha Explore Down Jacket

Rapha is well known for its classically clean cycling apparel that fits and performs well on two wheels. You’ve likely seen the brand’s iconic bright pink accents on products like socks, jackets and base layers. This past year, Rapha experimented with luggage, with the same minimalist, upscale take. Next up, they’re turning their focus to the growing segment of bikepacking. To cater to this trend, Rapha has developed a unique sleeping-bag-and-down-jacket combo that is built to be used in tandem, but is sold separately. The jacket features a relaxed fit — slightly different than the slim cut for which the brand is typically known. It features a removable hood, and is built to be used with the brand’s Explore Down Sleeping Bag.

This isn’t Rapha’s first bikepacking product, but the brand decided it was time to start thinking about the category in a meaningful way. “We’ve spent years developing our new Explore range,” Alex Valdman, creative director at Rapha, says of the collection that includes cargo bib shorts, technical tees and polos. “We are continuing to build it out with functional must-have items for anyone who is planning an adventure.”

Weight: 230 grams (size medium)
Fill Material: Down
Fill Power: 850
Shell Material: Nylon
Waterproofing: DWR coating

How To Wash Your Down Jacket

Most people take their down jacket for granted, expecting it to perform the same year after year without any maintenance. Over time though, down becomes compacted and dirty, which inhibits its loft and makes the jacket less warm. To clean your jacket, revitalize its warmth and get it ready for all your adventures, follow our simple guide.

Put your jacket into a washing machine without an agitator. It is easiest to do this at a laundromat, but if your home washer is of the large, front-loading variety, feel free to toss it in there. If you use a washing machine with an agitator, you run the risk of tearing open your jacket or clumping the down in large balls inside — so avoid agitators at all costs.

Wash with Nikwax Down Wash. Though there are other good down washes out there (namely Granger’s), we recommend using Nikwax’s Down Wash. Add the Down Wash directly into the washing machine, using about three ounces. Follow the directions on the care label of your jacket for specific temperature and cycle settings.

Switch your jacket to the dryer and add tennis balls. Move your jacket over to the dryer, but before you turn it on, add in a package of new tennis balls. As the drier spins, the tennis balls will bounce around inside the drum, breaking up any clumps of down and helping dry the jacket completely. This also helps to restore the loft in the down feathers. As for dryer settings, low heat for a long period of time is the name of the game.

Pause the dryer and manually break up any clumps. Every twenty minutes or so, pause the dryer and manually work out larger clumps of down. While the tennis balls work well to help break up clumps, you’ll need to put some extra effort in to break them up completely.

Tumble dry until the jacket is completely dry. Dry the jacket until it is dry the entire way through. Not only does moist down function terribly as an insulator, it’s also prone to mold, which will lead to a stinky jacket.

The Gear You Need
Nikwax Down Wash $11
Tennis Balls $10

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Best Gifts for Whiskey Lovers

Despite its popularity this time of year — or perhaps because of it — whiskey actually runs the risk of being a thoughtless gift. Does your buddy’s liquor cabinet really need another bottle of Johnnie Black? Put a little thought behind the bottle, though, and you’ll impress even the most critical of whiskey drinkers. Let our picks be your guide.

Best Whiskey Gifts Under $50

Michter’s US*1 American Whiskey

Michter’s makes great bourbon and excellent rye. This whiskey is neither. It’s aged in whiskey-soaked barrels and free from grain neutral spirits, which means it’s “unblended.” Expect notes of butterscotch and vanilla with a fruity finish.
Suggested Retail Price: $45

Barton 1792 Single Barrel Bourbon

An offshoot of Sazerac, Barton 1792 cleaned up at the most-recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the most prestigious spirits competitions in the world. And this bourbon won a Double Gold, the highest honor there is. In layman’s terms, it’s one of the best bourbons you can buy. And it costs all of $40.
Suggested Retail Price: $40

Four Roses Single Barrel

The Fallback: Four Roses caters to all budgets, including people on one. This bottle, however, is an upgrade to the brand’s “Yellow Label” and Small Batch expressions. It’s a little more complex, too, with notes of cinnamon, caramel and vanilla.
Suggested Retail Price: $40

Best Whiskey Gifts Under $100

Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye

This is one of the best whiskeys of the year. Before it even hit shelves, it was named “Best Rye Whiskey” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Needless to say, whiskey snobs were quick to snatch up as many bottles as they could when it did hit market. If you can find it, you’d be wise to do the same.
Suggested Retail Price: $70

Nikka Whisky From the Barrel

For years, this was one of the most lauded Japanese whiskeys outside of Japan — partly due to the fact that it wasn’t available in the States. That changed this summer, when Nikka introduce From the Barrel to the American market. For being so sought-after, it’s pretty affordable, and the rectangular bottle will look unique on even the best-stocked bar carts.
Suggested Retail Price: $59

Green Spot Pot Still Irish Whiskey

The Fallback: Brought to the U.S. in 2014, this historic single-pot Irish whiskey is made from a distillation of malted and un-malted barley that’s aged in bourbon and Sherry barrels. Newer bottles of Green Spot don’t carry an age statement, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad. Jim Murray, the world’s premier brown-spirit critic, once called it “unquestionably one of the world’s great whiskeys.”
Suggested Retail Price: $60

Best Whiskey Gifts Over $100

Russell’s Reserve 2002

These days, Wild Turkey’s perhaps better known for affordable bourbon and an affiliation with Matthew McConaughey than its range of premium whiskey, but this expression from Russel’s Reserve (a sub-brand of Wild Turkey) is something else. It’s a non-chill filtered bourbon, meaning it still carries some of the fatty acids known to make whiskey cloudy when served over ice (some people think they actually help the flavor when preserved), and it’s bottled at barrel proof — two relatively rare things in the world of whiskey, and not often paired.
Suggested Retail Price: $250

Laphroaig 28

New this fall, 28 is one of Laphroaig’s oldest expressions ever. It’s not often you see a whiskey pass the quarter-century mark. The liquid was selected from casks of different sizes before moved to Sherry casks for the final 12 months of the maturing process. Expect notes of baked pears and salted toffee, as well as a eye-watering price tag.
Suggested Retail Price: $799

Highland Park 18 Viking Spirit

The Fallback: Can’t find our other recs but still want something more special than the typical fare? Buy this, one of the Highland Park’s core expressions. It’s highly drinkable, with notes of honey, chocolate, dark fruit and some peat for good measure.
Suggested Retail Price: $130

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Best Winter Running Shoes of 2018

Last Updated December 2018: We’ve added new picks and insights. Prices and links have also been updated.

Winter runners are a hardy breed. They’re acclimated to face-numbing winds and sub-freezing temperatures. They possess the extra fortitude needed to get outdoors during the year’s darker days. Such people require a like-minded shoe that’s able to cope with winter’s full assault. Amid everything from straight-up powder to icy rain and perpetual mud, they need shoes that grip, retain warmth and stay dry. Let it be known: the following running shoes are not to be used on treadmills or indoor tracks.

Additional reporting by Tucker Bowe, Patrick Lapera and Michael Finn.

Adidas Ultraboost All Terrain

Boost foam isn’t just sequestered to summer running shoes and casual kicks. The Ultraboost now features a water-repellent coating and an ankle splash guard. The Primeknit upper is easy to get wet, so it was surprising to run through the aftermath of a hot day post-snowstorm melt and have dry socks afterward. The Continental rubber outsole lets you stop, pivot and go in one fluid motion without being too grippy or too loose. Word to the wise: Don’t let the high cut deceive you. You should still wear socks with this model.

Weight: 12 oz.
Waterproof: ultra-thin film on Primeknit Upper

Merrell Trail Glove 4 Shield

As the lead sponsor of Tough Mudder races, Merrell knows how to make shoes that will take you through a football field of mud, over a massive wall and in and out of an ice bath. The brand has worked hard to perfect shoes that help you succeed and avoid ending the challenge with chunks of dirt in your shoes — whatever it takes to get that orange headband. The Trail Glove 4 Shield mimics barefoot running, so if that’s your prefernce, these are for you. The shield treatment is water-resistant and the burrito tongue wraps around the top of your foot to prevent water and debris from sneaking in.

Weight: 8 oz.
Water-resistance: M Select Shield Treatment

New Balance 880v8 GTX

The NB 880v8 GTX, like the MQM Flex, comes complete with a waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. That means you’ll still have a breathable knit upper while maintaining the weatherproofing. Plus, the two layers of foam on the sole give you the cushioned ride you’d expect from New Balance. The no-sew overlays mean less stitching, thus fewer holes for water to seep inside, and result in a slightly lighter weight package as compared to version seven. Take these out on long runs in the harshest environments.

Weight: 10.8 oz.
Waterproof: Upper with Gore-tex

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35 Shield

While I’m a big fan of the Pegasus 34 Shield, the shoe underwent an overhaul this year. These wind-proof and waterproof dark kicks are sleek and warm and won’t look like they were ruined after one wear through puddles and slush. One of our testers wrote that “these are perfect winter trainers. They’re ideal for cold and snowy days. The watertight upper prevents ventilation which creates an unusual amount of heat…ironically perfect for a cold day.” The toggle lacing system takes some getting used to, but the sealed seams are worth it.

Weight: 9.4 oz.
Waterproof: Water-repellent upper

On Running Cloudflyer

Instead of treating the fabric with something that could eventually wash or wear off, Swiss brand On Running chose to do something decidedly more Swiss and create an upper that’s stretchy, breathable and made of water- and wind-proof material. The Cloudflyer wants to support you over hundreds of miles, so expect a comfortable first feel when you lace up. And reflective details like laces, and markings on the forefoot, heel and sole are important as the sun sets earlier and earlier.

Weight: 10.3 oz
Waterproof: On membrane is 100% water-proof

Salomon XA Elevate GTX

Salomon’s sneakers are engineered to tackle the toughest trails and now the road as well. This trail runner glides through mud and dirt, just as well as it does over rocks and mulch. Salomon sticks with its quicklace technology on these so you can just pull the laces together to tighten, plus they won’t slip and loosen along the way.

Weight: 11 oz
Waterproof: Water-resistant Gore-Tex mesh upper

UA HOVR GCR Connected

The adaptive Cold Gear Reactor (Under Armour’s proprietary material) inside these Under Armour shoes heats up in the cold, then breathes when your feet are warm enough. A smart upper is paired with Michelin rubber (the same on many car tires) on the sole so you don’t have to worry about black ice. And, UA’s proprietary HOVR foam allows for a soft landing with every footfall.

Weight: 11.7 oz
Waterproof: UA Storm technology upper

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 10 Best Mail-Order Meat Companies of 2019

There’s an essential question the world should ask itself about mail-order meat: why order it, especially when it’s almost lways more expensive than meat you’ll find at a local grocer or butcher shop.

Truth is, online-facing meat purveyors do have a place. Where does the intrepid cook whose town doesn’t have a proper butcher get their hands on heritage chickens? Or aged Osso Buco? Or internationally-renowned country ham and bacon? Or just a steady stream of meat to put on the table that’s better than whatever is available to them?

The answer is nowhere without these companies. No, it may not make sense to source a run-of-the-mill weekday dinner from an online retailer, but when the need for real quality outweighs the need to maintain a perfectly balanced budget, you’ll be glad they’re open. These are the 10 best places to buy meat online in 2019.

Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors

Must Try: Dry-Aged Burger Blend ($29)

There is little fame to be had in the world of meat production. Unless you’re Pat LaFrieda, who’s been called “the Magician of Meat.” His company supplies beef to some of the best restaurants in the country and just so happens to offer a good portion of its protein online. LaFrieda’s client list speaks to the quality, but if you’re going to try the marquis meat purveyor of almost 100 years, you’d be wise to steer toward the burger mixes, which are equal parts revolutionary and plain delicious.

Porter Road

Must Try: Loose Chorizo Sausage ($8)

Porter Road started because chefs James Peisker and Chris Carter were annoyed with a lack of truly good meat for their newborn catering business. That frustration turned into a full-service butchershop, which has since evolved into a sizeable online collection of beef, chicken, lamb and pork. All of Porter Road’s meats are raised sans antibiotics or filler feed. They’re also priced moderatrely and arrive (unfrozen) within two days of ordering. As an added bonus, the cooling foam inside the packaging can be disposed of by running it under the sink for a few seconds.

Benton’s Country Ham

Must Try: Benton’s Bacon ($32)

Allan Benton was a high school guidance counselor. Now, his name is on menus at some of the best restaurants in the country. Benton’s Bacon, which by sheer prestige has made itself a proper noun, is prized by chefs and pork lovers across the country. What’s available on his web store changes with regularity (peak holiday season will see less of the good stuff available as demand eclipses a limited supply), so bookmark and wait for what you want.

D’Artagnan

Must Try: Terrine of Foie Gras ($50)

As the name might imply, D’Artagnan is luxurious. Its store is filled to the brim with game birds, duck fat, foie gras, wagyu beef, lamb racks and all other things that trigger thoughts drooling and thoughts of bank accounts past. The outlet partners with local farms and farmers with tight ethical and quality standards.

Snake River Farms

Must Try: Kurobuta Pork Chops ($16+)

Founded in 1968, Idaho’s Snake River Farms produces a lot of headliners — American wagyu, dry-aged tomahawk steaks, huge hams among them. But the crowd-favorite is the Kurobuta pork, which is often described as the Kobe beef of pork, and Snake River Farms is one of few to carry it, much less sell it online.

Peter Luger Butcher Shop

Must Try: Porterhouse Steaks ($215)

Peter Luger Steakhouse may be shorter on hype and blog posts than the small plate restaurants that pepper the surrounding neighborhood, but it does not need those things. Named best steakhouse in New York since 1984, the restaurant famous for its porterhouses, sky-high prices and a prickly wait staff was good enough to earn a Michelin star in 2006. It is a destination restaurant for anyone with a taste for steaks, and nowadays a load of its house-aged beef is available online.

Holy Grail Steak

Must Try: Certified A5 Kobe Wagyu Filet Mignon ($299)

Holy Grail Steak operates under what it calls the the Golden Rule of the Cow, which dictates that a steak only tastes as good as it was raised. This mantra led the mail-order meat outlet to become one of six retailers of certified Kobe beef, and the only official online retailer of Kobe beef, what’s widely considered the most sought after meat in the world.

Heritage Foods

Must Try: Goat Shanks ($99)

Heritage Foods ethically sources, butchers and sells a wide variety of meats — turkey, chicken, beef, pork and so on. But the Brooklyn-based company is perhaps most notable for its treatment of goat through its “No Goat Left Behind” program, which supports farms that allow goats to mature more before heading to the abattoir. The result is a meat that’s lighter than lamb and carries a naturally herbacious flavor.

Smoking Goose

Must Try: Stagberry Salame ($16)

The defining qualities of former chef and Smoking Goose founder Chris Eley’s butcher shop and online meat store are two-fold: smoked meat, and the variety therin. Yes, there’s sausages and bacons and other classics available, but there’s also gin and juice salami, lamb bacon and an incredible-sounding sausage mixture of duck, pear and port. This is not a place with words like tradition, multi-generation or historic imprinted into its identity, and in this case that is a very good thing.

Crowded Cow

Must Try: Beef ($30+)

Crowded Cow was founded when its founders caught wind that their friends were all going in on a cow from a local ranch. They thought that this practice could be streamlined and simplified, so they created Crowded Cow, which essentially acts as crowdfunding for the purchasing of beef. Instead of calling up a dozen ranches, coordinating shipping and storing what is frankly way too much meat, Crowded Cow allows you to buy high-quality meats (it’s not just beef) from local ranchers at fairer prices.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The Running Accessories our Staff Swears By

While the racing season is slowly coming to a close for the year (unless you sign up for a New Year’s Eve race), getting up and out the door in the morning can get increasingly difficult as the temperatures drop. When the temperatures are sub-50, you need to have a trusty kit to gear up for a 5K or 15-miler properly. While our team of dedicated runners sometimes opts for the treadmill over the great outdoors, we’re outside enough that we know what we need to bring to keep our core and extremities toasty.

Our staff trusts in our gear to get us through the run (or walk). Just as with our EDC items and boot-favorites, everyone is particular about what works for them. Here are six pieces we find work for us when the temperature drops and we still want to get outdoors.

Apple Watch

“Ever since I got my Apple watch, I feel like I’m naked without it. One of my favorite features of the watch is that I can track my activity and have now gotten hooked on recording my workouts on my Apple Watch (even my walks to and from Grand Central). It gives me good reminders throughout the day on my activity progress. Plus, I can connect it right up to my AirPods and listen to music on the go.” — Maddie Winrow, Account Executive

FlipBelt

“When I go on long runs, I hate feeling unprepared. Having to stop to buy a water or chapstick or a gel is annoying to me. To keep everything on my person, I use the FlipBelt — and I stuff it. It can hold my phone, fuel, cash, MetroCard and ID, plus the AirPods charging case if I forget to charge them the night before. I can even throw in tissues and a battery charger for my phone if things get to a dire situation. My FlipBelt has lived through countless half marathons, a full marathon and even a 70.3.” — Meg Lappe,Staff Writer

Ciele Athletics GoCap

“Being comfortable while exercising outdoors in the winter is a matter of finding out how your body’s radiator works. I know that mine runs hot. Even on the coldest days, you won’t find me running (or hiking even) in a beanie. Covering my noggin in wool or cotton is a surefire way to end up too warm, too itchy and too sweaty. Instead I might opt for a headband, but usually, I go out with my favorite running cap. It’s cool (so I’m told) and keeps my long hair out of my face. I typically wear a light sweatshirt with a hood that I can use to protect my ears and neck and throw off once it’s time to vent excess heat. It’s a getup that makes for a cold start, but I’ll take slightly cool rather than overheating any day.” — Tanner Bowden, Assistant Editor

Nike Sweatpants

“I wear these over long johns during the winter runs to the gym. The side zipper is essential for keeping my keys on my person.” — Chase Pellerin, Staff Photographer

New Balance NYC Heavyweight Stretch Fleece Gloves

“When I ran the New York City marathon in 2017, these New Balance gloves quickly became a part of my winter running routine. While this pair is slightly different, the fabric is very similar. The funny part about these gloves is that I never needed them through training until the day of the race. I wouldn’t put them on until the big day was over. After my 26.2-miles, it took roughly a month for me to get running again, and December weather called for these. The stretchy fabric over the thumb and pointer fingers work with your phone, so it’s possible to change the music or podcast mid-stride. While thin, these gloves work great as a base layer for regular runs and ski runs. Plus, it helps to wear something that reminds me of one of the best days ever. Each year, New Balance designs a slightly different pattern, so be on the lookout for the 2019 version next fall.” — Meg Lappe, Staff Writer

Garmin Fenix 5X

“It tracks me and my vitals, tells me where I am on a map, and plays my music!” — Scot Bondlow, Northwest Director of Partnerships

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

Four Elite Runners Share Their Go-To Recovery Fuel

While pro athletes might not refuel at a restaurant with tacos and margaritas like the Resident Runners crew (who hosts a monthly taco run where you head out with a crew for three to five miles and end at a taco shop to refuel), each has his or her own routine when it comes to nutrition. Athletes take nutrition very seriously. We spoke with a handful of elite runners that have their post-run nutrition dialed to see what works best for them. If you’re looking to improve your performance, what you put into your body is important to help refuel for the next race. What’s important to note is that nutrition and fueling up post-race is incredibly individual. We suggest trying different methods during training to see what works best for you.

Jes Woods, Ultramarathoner

Photo: Howie Stern
Woods recently finished the Javelina 100, a 100-mile race in Arizona. “Just like most things running related, fueling tends to be personal and what works for me may not work for everyone,” Woods says. “For example, I wouldn’t recommend drinking an IPA and eating a donut post-race to just anyone,” she jokes. While Woods typically has an appetite come mile 90 of the race, post-race she’s pretty spent. “I find it fairly difficult to eat anything immediately after finishing.” After she gets home and can put her feet up, she’ll enjoy a few of her favorite foods that she’s spent most of the race planning. “I was half joking about the post-race beer, but it’s better than nothing as a quick way to take in some calories and carbs (in moderation and coupled with a ton of water). It has become tradition to pick up donuts at a local donut shop and later order-in pizza, so both myself and the crew team can focus on the other aspects of recovery like putting our feet up, compression socks, ice and/or taking a dip in Grandpa’s pool,” Woods says.

Dylan Bowman, Red Bull Ultrarunner

Photo: Red Bull
Bowman competed in this year’s Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a single-stage mountain ultramarathon race in the TDS, the Sur les Traces des Ducs de Savoie (the footprints of the Dukes of Savoie). “For recovery, I simply focus on rehydrating immediately and then staying adequately hydrated throughout the day,” Bowman says. “I don’t really ever emphasize protein immediately after workouts and instead focus on replenishing electrolytes and fluids. I usually have at least two to three Nuun tabs per day and also add Utah Sea Minerals to my water regularly. I think that day-to-day hydration is something that most people could improve and is an under-appreciated contributor to performance and recovery.”

Megan Roche, Hoka One One Athlete

A doctor and now author of The Happy Runner, Roche was most recently crowned the half marathon trail champion by the USA Track and Field association at the Birkie Trail run in Seeley, Wisconsin. “I typically used the Mocha flavor of Vega Protein Powder and mix with a banana and ice as well as a mixture of half unsweetened almond milk and half water to make a tasty shake,” Roche says of her fueling on longer races. “I find this combination is easy to make and enables me to quickly get in a good quantity of protein and carbohydrates without some of the added preservatives in traditional protein sources. It also serves as a good addition to post-run hydration. In the winter I use the vanilla flavor and substitute ice with pumpkin so that the shake is not as cold.”

Courtney Dauwalter, Ultrarunner

Photo: Nate Simmons
Dauwalter has won 11 ultramarathons, so she has had plenty of practice in figuring out what helps her succeed post-race. “Immediately after long runs and races I use Tailwind Rebuild (chocolate, on ice) for a quick and easy way to get some crucial nutrients back in my system,” Dauwalter says. Her most recent race was the last-man-standing Big’s Backyard Ultra, where she ran 279 miles. “After that, it’s usually beer and listening to my body’s cravings,” she says. “Why? Our bodies can tell us what they need if we pay attention to what we are craving. And beer is a delicious way to celebrate a long day on the trails.”

Best Winter Running Shoes

Don’t want to stop running outside, despite the cold? These five running shoes conquer ice and snow better than any other shoe on the market. Read the Story

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

8 Great Slippers to Keep You Warm This Winter

Last Updated January, 2018.

After a 9-to-5 spent analyzing spreadsheets, sitting through meetings and enduring the special hell that is commuter traffic, you get a little time at home to unwind. You want to hang up the blazer, pour yourself a Scotch and slip into something more comfortable. We’re not talking about a negligee; we’re talking about slippers, those cozy, house-specific shoes with plush interiors to keep your feet warm and just enough outsole to maintain traction on your way to the kitchen for another splash of Ardbeg. They don’t need to match your outfit, but they can match your lifestyle with a variety of materials and styles, from luxurious leather shoes lined with wool to Primaloft-stuffed booties with a waterproof exterior. These are our favorites for lounging around the house this season.

Lasso Shoes

Lasso shoes, which started as a Kickstarter in 2013, are truly unique. They’re made in France and arrive flat so you have to construct them yourself — but it’s easy. The 100 percent wool felt liner is stitched together with a simple cotton shoelace. This shoelace, which is available in 14 different colors, gives each Lasso slipper its unique flair.

Lands’ End Suede Moc Slippers

Available in six different colors, these hand-sewn, moccasin-style slippers come sans laces. They have a cow suede upper, a faux-fur lining and a rubber sole, so wearing them outside isn’t unheard of.

Montane Prism Bootie

These booties are the ultimate camping luxury. They’re lightweight and compressible, and they easily fit in a daypack. They’re stuffed with Primaloft Gold insulation, so they’re warm; plus they’re made with a windproof, tear-proof and DWR-coated outer fabric. Basically they’re the perfect slipper to pair with campfire cooking.

Minnetonka Twin Gore Sheepskin Slippers

Minnetonka is maybe the most well-known moccasin maker in America. They’ve been making slippers in Minnesota since 1946. These moccasins have a suede upper and a rugged Sierra outsole. Each is lined with sheepskin. So while they’re warm, the slippers also wick perspiration away from the foot, keeping you dry and comfortable.

Glerups Shoes

Made by the Danish company Glerups, these “indoor shoes” have uppers made of a merino and Gotland wool blend and soles made of tanned leather. The wool molds to your feet as you wear them, for a custom fit. Don’t be weirded out if they shed at first — that’s normal.

Mahabis Slipper

With Mahabis, slippers aren’t limited to the indoors. Each of their slippers has a detachable sole made of durable TPU; they’re perfectly capable of being worn outside to pick up the morning paper. When you’re back inside, the soles, which come in seven colors, easily slip off so you can enjoy a traditional slipper experience.

UGG Australia Byron Slippers

These slippers are made of luxe leather and sheepskin, and each is lined with wool. They come in four colors (these are Bomber Jacket Chocolate), have a rubber outsole and are finished with leather laces.

Derek Rose Closed-Back Slipper

Derek Rose is synonymous with luxury nightwear. The brand’s English-made slippers have suede soles and uppers. Each is also lasted by hand. Inside they have a soft yet durable sheepskin lining, ensuring that they’ll be your partner for many Saturday morning coffees.

Great Slip-On Shoes


Versatile, durable, sophisticated, and maybe a little bohemian. Read the Story

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

The 14 Best Gifts for Trail Runners

Trail runners like to get outside and go. Running on dirt and mud provides a slightly softer landing for your joints than pavement does. Trail running means you’re up and down hills, over rocks, maybe even scaling mountains. Whether you’re someone who likes solace and serenity or you prefer to be out running with a group, it’s always helpful to have the right gear to take you the distance. These 14 items are sure to add miles of pleasure and a boost of power to your trail runs.

Altra Lone Peak 4.0

The Lone Peak 3.5 was one of our best trail running sneakers of 2018, and the latest version provides a more durable upper and a stronger grip with MaxTrac rubber and TrailClaw. A rubber toe cap lets you clear small rocks from your path, so you never break stride. For severe weather, pair the shoes with gaiters thanks to a velcro flap at the heel and clips near the laces.

Ultimate Direction Ultra Vest 4.0

A solid pack that can hold enough water for you to continue running for miles is essential for trail runners. This easy to clip vest features a blend of mesh and nylon to keep it from getting too sweaty along your back. The front mesh pockets hold two bottles, and the back cinches down extra clothes and layers thanks to a compression bungee. There’s also a special spot just for trekking poles.

Gore Wear R7 Gore-Tex Hooded Jacket

Any jacket that shakes dry is a smart one to pack for long days on the trails. Two-layer Gore-Tex means it’s going to keep you dry. The membrane is breathable, so you don’t heat up from the inside out, and when you need a break from it, just stuff it into its pocket and go.

Rab Merino+ Gloves

Keeping your extremities warm when running is of utmost importance. These merino and polyester blend gloves are lightweight and work double duty as base gloves for skiing, snowboarding and ice climbing.

Clif Shot Bloks

While everyone’s stomach handles and prefers different types of Gus and gels during a run, these Clif Shot Bloks were what worked for me during my last marathon. This sample pack allows you to test out the different flavors to see what you like best. You’ll get orange, mountain berry, black cherry, citrus, strawberry, margarita, cran-razz and tropical punch — each of which stores 33 calories per block, made from 95 percent organic ingredients. When the wall hits, you’ll reach for these.

Path Projects Muir Cap

A trucker hat is the ultimate sign of a true trail runner, but if that’s not quite your style, this charcoal hat will help you still blend in. Laser cut holes mean loads of breathability. It’s quick drying and SPF 50, so no matter where you choose to run your next ultra, you’re covered.

Suunto 9 Baro

Suunto’s 9 Baro is the ultimate trail runner’s watch. It’s got a shockingly long battery life and will track virtually every activity if you do more than trail run.

Stance Athletic Icon 2 Sock

With more cushioning underfoot, you’ll be feeling great after 10, 20 or 30-plus miles. These crew-height socks, made from a blend of nylon, polyester, elastic and cotton, are comfortable and breathe well. No matter if you’re out during the spring, summer, fall or winter, these work.

North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail

When you think of trail runners, Scott Jurek is one of the best and most well known. With over two decades of running on his resume, he’s a powerhouse. In 2015, Jurek ran the Appalachian trail (all 2,189-miles of it) in 46-days. This story tells the tale of just how hard it was and how he made it through.

Hydrapak Ultraflask Soft Flask

Lightweight and easy to carry flasks are the best way to hydrate on the run. This soft flask is packable and compresses down as you drink it, so it’s not adding bulk to your pack. Hydrapak also offers a lifetime warranty on this water bottle.

Natrapel Bug Spray

Throw this 3.4-ounce bug spray in your pack before heading out into the dense woods or fields. It’s DEET-free, but comes recommended by the CDC. Spritz once and you’re good for up to eight hours.

District Vision Nako

At just 22 grams, these lightweight sunglasses are ideal for dawn and dusk runs. The Black Rose lens will help illuminate your path and the adjustable hypoallergenic rubber nose pads and temple tips keep them in place. There’s nothing worse than sunnies that slip during exercise. No detail goes unnoticed here.

Kahtoola NanoSpikes

When the snow falls, your grip underfoot can get a little sketchy. Prevent any slips or spills with these easy-to-attach Kahtoola spikes. Loop them over the front of your toe and your heel cup, and they’ll stay in place while you get after those winter running goals. The tungsten carbide spikes also help protect you against ice — especially when it’s hard to see.

Salomon Trail Gaiters High

Trail gaiters are a simple way to add a bit more warmth and protection to your ankles and legs. If you find yourself running through rocky patches or sandy roads, these protect you from cuts and scrapes along the way. Velcro secures the gaiters in place, so you don’t have to fiddle with them during your run.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.