The Best Thing You Can Do at the Beach, and Three Smart Things You Can Do for the Beach
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Growing up in San Diego, I used to beachcomb with my mom. We’d walk slowly, staring down at the sand at our feet with the sound of waves and seabirds in the background, looking for sand dollars and interestingly shaped shells. It was calming. Mesmerizing. We’d lose track of time.
So when I found myself...
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Growing up in San Diego, I used to beachcomb with my mom. We’d walk slowly, staring down at the sand at our feet with the sound of waves and seabirds in the background, looking for sand dollars and interestingly shaped shells. It was calming. Mesmerizing. We’d lose track of time.
So when I found myself...
The Best Thing You Can Do at the Beach, and Three Smart Things You Can Do for the Beach
New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
Subscribe today →.
Growing up in San Diego, I used to beachcomb with my mom. We’d walk slowly, staring down at the sand at our feet with the sound of waves and seabirds in the background, looking for sand dollars and interestingly shaped shells. It was calming. Mesmerizing. We’d lose track of time.
So when I found myself...
Subscribe today →.
Growing up in San Diego, I used to beachcomb with my mom. We’d walk slowly, staring down at the sand at our feet with the sound of waves and seabirds in the background, looking for sand dollars and interestingly shaped shells. It was calming. Mesmerizing. We’d lose track of time.
So when I found myself...
Camp Shoes Make Life Better
New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
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There’s nothing wrong with wearing running shoes or hiking boots around camp, whether you’re backpacking or car camping. They work. They protect your feet, as shoes tend to do. But I’m a firm believer in the value of camp shoes—lightweight, easy on-and-off footwear to wear when spending nights outside....
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There’s nothing wrong with wearing running shoes or hiking boots around camp, whether you’re backpacking or car camping. They work. They protect your feet, as shoes tend to do. But I’m a firm believer in the value of camp shoes—lightweight, easy on-and-off footwear to wear when spending nights outside....
Reviewed: The Travel Yoga Mat I Take Everywhere
New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
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For the past few years, I’ve sought a yoga mat I could easily travel with—something lightweight and foldable that would allow me to unroll anywhere: the back patio of an AirbnB, a hotel room, the basement of my brother-in-law’s house during Thanksgiving week. Unrolling a yoga mat is like having a porta...
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For the past few years, I’ve sought a yoga mat I could easily travel with—something lightweight and foldable that would allow me to unroll anywhere: the back patio of an AirbnB, a hotel room, the basement of my brother-in-law’s house during Thanksgiving week. Unrolling a yoga mat is like having a porta...
8 Funky Shorts (and Jorts!) I’m Loving This Summer
New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up!
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Shorts can be boring. They’re just short pants, often made out of a lightweight but durable polyester blend—which makes them great for warm weather running, hiking, gardening, lounging, biking, camping, or just about any outdoor activity—but predictable. Earlier this summer, however, I discovered the p...
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Shorts can be boring. They’re just short pants, often made out of a lightweight but durable polyester blend—which makes them great for warm weather running, hiking, gardening, lounging, biking, camping, or just about any outdoor activity—but predictable. Earlier this summer, however, I discovered the p...
Best Bikinis for Beach Bums Who Refuse to Grow Up
I’ve always felt that the right two-piece bathing suit reigns supreme over a one-piece for active women of any age or body type. The top of a bikini provides sports bra-like support—or at least more support than the top half of a one-piece bathing suit. Bikini bottoms tend to stay in place better than the bottom of a one-piece, which, with movement, inevitably creeps and needs constant readjusting. And in the summer heat, the lack of fabric around the midsection just feels better.
Having grown u...
Having grown u...
My New Splitboard Sometimes Frightens and Frustrates Me—That’s One Reason I Love It
It is fairly terrifying to trust a strip of fuzzy fabric to keep you from careening backwards down a steep, snowy ski hill while trying to climb up it. That fuzz’s friction is all I could think about the first time I splitboarded up Steamboat, Colorado’s blue runs at seven a.m. while my family was still nestled in their beds in the condo nearby. I had only ever splitboarded once before on demo gear, so I was putting a lot of faith in my new Pomoca Free Pro 2.0 skins affixed to the bottom of my 2
The Best Winter Running Shoes for Road and Trail
Winter running shoes have come a long way from the heavy, clunky, almost boot-like waterproof kicks offered a decade ago, and most shoe companies are now creating one or more weather-defying models.
Earlier this winter, a small fleet of runners and I tested this year’s offerings in Boulder, Colorado to find the best of the bunch. (Many of last year’s models are still available, as well.) This season’s top picks range from relatively lightweight (for a waterproof shoe) and agile runners with tra
Earlier this winter, a small fleet of runners and I tested this year’s offerings in Boulder, Colorado to find the best of the bunch. (Many of last year’s models are still available, as well.) This season’s top picks range from relatively lightweight (for a waterproof shoe) and agile runners with tra
I Own Expensive Skate Skis. Here’s Why I Still Reach for My Old Beaters.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
The year I moved from beachy San Diego to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, Colorado, I decided to learn how to skate ski. All the endurance athletes around here are doing it, I thought, and I considered myself among that crew. I rented a pair of slightly banged up Fischer SCS demo skis from the local outdoor shop and headed to North Boulder Park, where, graciou
The year I moved from beachy San Diego to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, Colorado, I decided to learn how to skate ski. All the endurance athletes around here are doing it, I thought, and I considered myself among that crew. I rented a pair of slightly banged up Fischer SCS demo skis from the local outdoor shop and headed to North Boulder Park, where, graciou
I Love My Fleece Tops, but Should I?
Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
It’s winter, which, for most outdoors people, means that it’s fleece season. Cozy, comfy fleece season.
Fleece dates back to 1981, when Yvon Chiounard worked with Malden Mills (now Polartec) to create something that felt as warm and cozy as his favorite wool sweater, but that dried quicker and compressed down smaller for backpacking trips. Since then, outdoor adventurers of a
It’s winter, which, for most outdoors people, means that it’s fleece season. Cozy, comfy fleece season.
Fleece dates back to 1981, when Yvon Chiounard worked with Malden Mills (now Polartec) to create something that felt as warm and cozy as his favorite wool sweater, but that dried quicker and compressed down smaller for backpacking trips. Since then, outdoor adventurers of a
This Obscure Piece of Gear Made Me (a SoCal Gal) Fall in Love with Winter
In my late-20s, I moved from San Francisco into a ski-lease cabin on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe with just my yellow lab, Hannah. I’d left the comfort of roommates and city life for a quieter existence that better-suited my inner mountain girl (who had yet to fully emerge from my Southern California upbringing and post-college urbanite self). I—we—lived alone most of the time, though there was no telling when one or more of 16 lease-mates might drive up from the city to stay a night or two (or
Why a Simple Camping Mug Is the Perfect Holiday Gift
Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
I bought my first tin camping mug from a gift shop in Yosemite Valley at the end of my first-ever car camping trip. I was a senior in college and traded the U.C. Santa Barbara Halloween party scene for a fall weekend in the trees. From the moment I picked up that blue mug with its white speckles off the shelf, I loved everything it represented: the experience I’d had that week
I bought my first tin camping mug from a gift shop in Yosemite Valley at the end of my first-ever car camping trip. I was a senior in college and traded the U.C. Santa Barbara Halloween party scene for a fall weekend in the trees. From the moment I picked up that blue mug with its white speckles off the shelf, I loved everything it represented: the experience I’d had that week
4 Favorite Road-to-Trail Running Shoes
My favorite neighborhood running loop in my hometown of Boulder, Colorado makes choosing a pair of shoes a challenge. The route starts with a walk down a sidewalk past a few houses to a path that cuts through the middle of a community garden. There, I run across wood chips, weeds, and hard dirt, hit another sidewalk, and run concrete for about a mile, crossing two busy streets. At mile 1.3, I turn onto a rocky singletrack through tall grasses up, and then down, a very steep, loose, rocky hill wi
The Best Trail Running Shoes of Winter 2024
Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
It is impossible to name the single best trail running shoe for everyone. Every runner’s body, gait, speed, experience, and ride preferences are different, so every runner will interact differently with each trail shoe. The shoe that your best friend or your sister-in-law loves may be uncomfortable for you and make running feel slow, sluggish, or even painful. Finding the perf
It is impossible to name the single best trail running shoe for everyone. Every runner’s body, gait, speed, experience, and ride preferences are different, so every runner will interact differently with each trail shoe. The shoe that your best friend or your sister-in-law loves may be uncomfortable for you and make running feel slow, sluggish, or even painful. Finding the perf
These Are Three Great Do-It-All T-Shirts for Women
Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
I’ve been on a quest to find best do-it-all T-shirts for women and that means more than being able to breathe and feel good while I run, hike, ride, climb, do yoga, lift weights, paddle, and yes, sleep. To me, a perfect T-shirt can also be worn casually without screaming “I work out!”
Throughout my testing over a few months of doing all of the above, I came up with the follow
I’ve been on a quest to find best do-it-all T-shirts for women and that means more than being able to breathe and feel good while I run, hike, ride, climb, do yoga, lift weights, paddle, and yes, sleep. To me, a perfect T-shirt can also be worn casually without screaming “I work out!”
Throughout my testing over a few months of doing all of the above, I came up with the follow
My Love-Hate Relationship with Wraparound Sunglasses
Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
In the 1980s only the freaks wore wraparound sunglasses—the hyper-serious professional beach volleyball players and pro triathletes who did entire Ironman races in just their Speedos and shields. The predominant take-over-your-whole-face sunglasses worn by these athletes were Oakley Blades. I may have been a kid back then, but I still had some sense of style and judgment, and
In the 1980s only the freaks wore wraparound sunglasses—the hyper-serious professional beach volleyball players and pro triathletes who did entire Ironman races in just their Speedos and shields. The predominant take-over-your-whole-face sunglasses worn by these athletes were Oakley Blades. I may have been a kid back then, but I still had some sense of style and judgment, and
Should You Eat Gummy Bears or Energy Chews on a Run?
Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
I personally used gummy bears as endurance fuel for a solid ten years. These adorable chewy candies have long been a solution for athletes seeking an inexpensive and sugar-rich fuel for prolonged endeavors. But with more sport-formulated gummy options like Clif Bloks and Honey Stinger Chews on the market than ever, I wondered if there was much of a difference in how they make
I personally used gummy bears as endurance fuel for a solid ten years. These adorable chewy candies have long been a solution for athletes seeking an inexpensive and sugar-rich fuel for prolonged endeavors. But with more sport-formulated gummy options like Clif Bloks and Honey Stinger Chews on the market than ever, I wondered if there was much of a difference in how they make
A Love Letter to the Wavestorm, the Best Beginner Surfboard Around
Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
On mornings before high school in San Diego, my friend Tanya and I would occasionally paddle out into the ocean, her on a fiberglass shortboard, and me on my dad’s 10-foot, soft Doyle foam longboard that weighed about 30 pounds when wet. I didn’t feel cool maneuvering that giant red tank around, and I spent most of my time getting pushed around in the whitewater. But I sure as
On mornings before high school in San Diego, my friend Tanya and I would occasionally paddle out into the ocean, her on a fiberglass shortboard, and me on my dad’s 10-foot, soft Doyle foam longboard that weighed about 30 pounds when wet. I didn’t feel cool maneuvering that giant red tank around, and I spent most of my time getting pushed around in the whitewater. But I sure as
What Happens to the Grand Canyon if the Colorado River Dries Up?
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
I’m one of those people who will tell you that a river trip in the Grand Canyon changed her life. Last May, after joining a friend’s 50th birthday celebration on a guided rafting trip on the upper portion of the canyon, I paddled, mesmerized by the spectacular shades of red and orange rock walls towering above me, their layers telling stories of geology, history, and the
I’m one of those people who will tell you that a river trip in the Grand Canyon changed her life. Last May, after joining a friend’s 50th birthday celebration on a guided rafting trip on the upper portion of the canyon, I paddled, mesmerized by the spectacular shades of red and orange rock walls towering above me, their layers telling stories of geology, history, and the
How to Keep Crushing Trail Runs for Decades
Twenty years ago, someone in the audience at a talk about trail running asked Buzz Burrell, past record holder of the FKT on Colorado Trail and John Muir Trail and co-founder of FastestKnownTime.com: “What’s the key to longevity?” Then 51 years old, Burrell answered: “Like what you do.”
Now 71 and still charging trails—he was the overall winner of the Runner’s Division of the 7.4-mile Dipsea race in June of 2023, and plans to race the 23K Tromsø Skyrace in Norway, the Matterhorn Ultrax Exterme
Now 71 and still charging trails—he was the overall winner of the Runner’s Division of the 7.4-mile Dipsea race in June of 2023, and plans to race the 23K Tromsø Skyrace in Norway, the Matterhorn Ultrax Exterme
What I Wear for Short, Sweltering Summer Races
Summer racing can be motivating, festive, and fun. But it’s also hot, and often humid, compounding the heat generated by the effort of running fast. Dressing for the occasion, with apparel and accessories that both keep you cool and create zero distractions, can improve both your performance and your enjoyment.
Over the first two months of summer I’ve been testing hot-weather running apparel at races ranging from a 1-mile evening race series and the 50,000-runner Bolder Boulder 10K in my hometo
Over the first two months of summer I’ve been testing hot-weather running apparel at races ranging from a 1-mile evening race series and the 50,000-runner Bolder Boulder 10K in my hometo
Do Women Need Gender-Specific Running Shoes?
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
I’ve been wearing running shoes for 30-plus years, and still, when I lace up a new pair that fits me just right, it makes me want to take them for a spin right then and there—but finding perfectly fitting running shoes can be a challenge, even for someone like me who has access to innumerable pairs as a running shoe reviewer.
Because I test shoes, people always ask me, “
I’ve been wearing running shoes for 30-plus years, and still, when I lace up a new pair that fits me just right, it makes me want to take them for a spin right then and there—but finding perfectly fitting running shoes can be a challenge, even for someone like me who has access to innumerable pairs as a running shoe reviewer.
Because I test shoes, people always ask me, “
Eight Fast and Agile Carbon-Plated Trail Running Shoes
Here’s why I love carbon-plated running shoes: They allow me to run farther and faster with less effort. They also allow my strained metatarsal ligament—and other overused muscles, ligaments, and tendons in my feet—to not work as hard as they do in shoes without a plate. I reach for them when I feel like my feet need a break but I want to keep running.
Here’s why I don’t always love carbon-plated trail running shoes: They can feel tippy on technical terrain, the plate acting like a lever when s
Here’s why I don’t always love carbon-plated trail running shoes: They can feel tippy on technical terrain, the plate acting like a lever when s
The Mastermind Behind Your Favorite Shoes Is About to Disrupt the Shoe Industry. Again.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app .
The Willy Wonka of the running world is walking down the sidewalk of a sprawling office park, taking a new shoe for a ride. “First there are little movements that help us notice the feeling,” he says in a thick French accent. Jean-Luc Diard, 65, is the mastermind and cofounder of the wildly successful running brand Hoka and—as he does almost every day—he’s testing another
The Willy Wonka of the running world is walking down the sidewalk of a sprawling office park, taking a new shoe for a ride. “First there are little movements that help us notice the feeling,” he says in a thick French accent. Jean-Luc Diard, 65, is the mastermind and cofounder of the wildly successful running brand Hoka and—as he does almost every day—he’s testing another
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