Our Best Outdoors and Fitness Stories of the Year

365 days is a lot of time to seek out stories on adventure, gear, and everything in between. Here’s a look back at the best stories our Outdoors and Fitness writers tackled over the course of 2017 — from one writer’s ascent of Mt. Rainier with a famous climber to a test of the year’s best running shoes to why buying new outdoor gear might not be such a good idea after all.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy New Outdoor Gear

Americans are quantifiably obsessed with outdoor gear. That’s not necessarily a good thing.

Mountaineering’s Drug Problem

Are climbers who use prescription medications, supplemental oxygen or methamphetamines during extreme ascents cheaters or heroes?

The Ultimate Winter Surfing Kit

Or: how to catch the best waves with the fewest crowds (without freezing).

Climbing Mount Rainier with an American Mountaineering Legend

The best way to get to know a mountaineer is to rope up with him and climb.

The Best Watches to Take into the Backcountry

10 watches that pack equal parts brains and brawn.

NicK Kova #BlameKova

Specialized’s New E-Bike Will Replace Your Car, Not Your Road Bike

In case you hadn’t noticed, the future of transportation has already arrived.

George Marshall

7 Questions with the Man Making Cycling Bibs Cool

Rapha’s Creative Director Alex Valdman on how to get more people stuck on cycling.

How to Defeat the Big, Dirty Greenwashing Lie

And a short guide to the brands that are trying hardest to avoid it.

Gear Patrol

The 11 Best Down Jackets of Winter 2018

These top picks for lightweight, innovative down jackets will keep you warm from when the leaves fly until the snow melts next spring.

The World’s Greatest Mountaineers Share the Incredible Stories Behind Their Most Cherished Pieces of Gear

Jimmy Chin’s first-ever film camera, Melissa Arnot’s bag of blessed rice, Ed Viestur’s Rolex watch and more.

The Best Running Shoes of 2017

From road to trail to gym.

An Interview with the Queen of Pain

Professional mountain biker Rebecca Rusch talks setting records, mind over matter, and getting into the pain cave.

How I Fell in Love with a Ski Jacket I’ll Never Be Able to Afford

How I learned to love a jacket I’ll never be able to afford.

Henry Phillips

The Ultimate Guide to Enduro Mountain Bikes

Everything you need to shred fall mountain bike trails.

The Best Products of 2017

A look back at the year in gear. From superlative whiskey to sustianable denim, these were the best products released in 2017. Explore the Series

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