The Top Outdoors And Fitness Buying Guides of 2018

The buying guide is a core part of what we do at Gear Patrol. We test thousands of products every year while researching buying guides so that we bring you only the best products available in a given category. This year, our outdoors and fitness team covered everything from jackets to packing cubes and coolers to GPS running watches. We put marketing claims to the test. We used and abused products in the environments they were designed for. We braved frigid temps and sweltering conditions — all in the name of product journalism.

Topo Designs

16 of the Best Made in America Outdoor Brands

Some of the best outdoor gear is designed and hand-made right here in the USA. To save you time, we pulled together a list of the best ones.

The Best Road Bike for Every Budget

Whether you’re looking for an entry-level bike, or a top of the line purebred cycling machine, we’ve got you covered.

The 11 Best Multi-Tools You Can Get Right Now

We did the research and testing in order to find the coolest tools available from Leatherman, Gerber, Victorinox and more.

Gear Patrol

7 Pocket Knife Designers You Need to Know About

A look at the pocketknife industry through the lens of its designers.

Chase Pellerin

The 10 Best Coolers of 2020

Looking to hide some sandwiches and 85 cans of beer from a bear? One of these will do the trick.

The Pocket Knives We Keep at Our Desks

Gear Patrol staff members share the daily driver knives that have earned a permanent home at our workspaces.

7 Great Pairs of Running Shoes Under $100

Buying new running shoes doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. These top-rated sneakers are all $100 or less.

Your Favorite Outdoor Brands Offer Better Products in Japan, Here’s How to Get Them

It’s a little-known secret that your favorite outdoor brands like The North Face, Snow Peak, Montbell and Columbia, all make products that are only available in Japan.

The 9 Best Packing Cubes for All Trips

Streamline your pre-trip preparations with these time-saving packing accessories.

Courtesy

The Ultimate Guide to Ski and Snowboard Gear

From baselayers, goggles, helmets and outerwear to the burly, four-wheel capable truck that’ll get you there in one piece during a full-on blizzard.

The EDC Items We Can’t Live Without

The things that get us through the day-to-day are a mini representation of who we are and how we move through life.

The Best Summer Cycling Kits for Men

There’s a reason why cyclists kit up in stretchy skin tight fabrics, and it’s not just to look good. Here’s the best new apparel for warm weather riding.

The 10 Best Rain Jackets of 2020

A lot has changed since heavy, unbreathable plastic rain slickers were standard all-weather apparel; today’s rain jackets are lighter, softer, more breathable, stretchy and more waterproof than ever.

Chandler Bondurant

The 12 Best Down Jackets of 2020

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

The Best Winter Running Kits of 2018

Let no temperatures dissuade you from logging your miles outside this winter.

This Year in Gear

Just like that, 2018 has come and gone. Take a look back at the best of what the past 365 days had to offer in This Year in Gear

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