Category: Tourism

Hate craft beer? Dogs? Urinary tract infections? We have answers to some of the most pressing outdoors issues.

Welcome to Tough Love. Every other week, we’re answering your questions about dating, breakups, and everything in between. Our advice giver is Blair Braverman, dogsled racer and author of Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube. Have a question of your own? Write to us at [email protected].

We get a lot of very serious relationship questions, but just as often we hear from readers with simpler dilemmas. Below, we’ve gathered and rapid-fire answered them, in order from least to most complicated.

What’s the best birth control for thru-hikers?
An IUD.

Can hunters and vegans date each other?
Yes. They both see their food with open eyes.

Is it appropriate to break it off with a woman after three dates because she doesn’t like dogs?
After three dates, you can break it off with anyone for any reason you like.

Sleeping bag or quilt for couple’s backpacking?
Once you backpack with a quilt, you’ll never go back. Sew on a DIY footbox with fleece if your toes slip out and get cold.

What have been your favorite outdoor dates?
Inner-tube float trips down the Oconto River, surprise dog-friendly campouts, slacklining over a snowbank, and riding horses double-bareback. I’m also partial to trying things, like surfing, that neither of us have done before; there’s no pressure, and there’s nothing quite like falling down together to get you laughing.

My friends are all geeking out on craft beer, but I think it tastes gross.
Find another drink you like so you can join in without yucking their yum. Try a dry cider or an on-tap root beer. If you want to geek out on something, too, read up on cheese or chocolate or pretzels-and-mustard and bring samples for everyone to try. I guarantee they’ll be happy to oblige.

Why does my husband always bring an elaborate espresso-making setup camping? Cowboy coffee has always been good enough for me.
Because, like the best of us, he’s hooked on caffeine and wants to get as much pleasure as possible out of his addiction. Get off your high horse, cowboy, and take advantage of his excellent standards.

I get jealous when my dog cuddles with other people.
Take your cues from polyamory and try to cultivate compersion, which is basically taking joy in your beloved’s joy. Your dog is happy! He’s enjoying himself and building social skills and probably getting petted very nicely. There’s still no question, of course, that you’re his person. You’re just helping him learn that the world is full of goodness.

I’m a woman with a vulva, I love multiday hikes far away from modern plumbing, and I am sometimes lucky enough to hike with someone who also wants to have sex with me. The problem is if I have sex in the woods and don’t manage to get a shower afterward, I almost inevitably end up with cystitis—“feminine wipes” just don’t seem to work. Any tips for avoiding this?
Humans have been successfully sexing it up outdoors since before we were humans, so this is a great one to talk to your doctor about. In the meantime, switch out scented wipes for a plain wet washcloth, drink lots of water, make sure everyone washes their hands, and—since different positions can spread bacteria differently—try to treat this limitation as a challenge: What are some new and different ways you can hook up?

My best friend and I met this girl (“Mary”) in Telluride, Colorado, at a festival. When Mary left, he called dibs on her and told me that I needed to back off. I didn’t want to create any problems between us, but I was getting more vibes from her than he was. Ends up we go back to our hometown and all three hang out for like four weeks biking, paddleboarding, drinking, etc. Every time we are out, Mary gravitates toward me and is very touchy and flirtatious. Recently I told her that I liked her through a little bit of a drunken text and asked where she stood with my friend. She responded that she likes me as well and loves being around me but really didn’t know where they stand, and now that she knows how I feel, this is a game changer. The next time we were all out at another festival in town, she was getting pretty drunk and hanging all over me in front of him. I told her she needed to make a decision or tell me to step aside. Her response was, “I don’t want you to step aside.” The problem I have is that she and I get along really, really great, and I know more about her life than my friend does by far. Since then, I have found out that they have slept together recently, and I am really disappointed but happy for him at the same time, if that makes sense? He is a great guy and a great friend, but I am as well, and we both met someone we both like. It’s hard to be around them and act like it’s no big deal. And who the hell calls dibs on a girl? By the way, there is a 20-year age difference between us and Mary.
You can have two great friends here or possibly none—and since Mary isn’t making an explicit decision, it’s time for you to be decisive. Congratulate your friend, don’t engage with Mary’s flirtations, and dial back on the drunk texting. Maybe Mary even has some cool outdoorsy friends she can set you up with for a double paddleboarding date.

My hunch is that since Mary’s a lot younger than you and your friend, she may be intentionally holding back to avoid starting a commitment. Or maybe she’s genuinely crushing on both of you and doesn’t know how to decide. Either way, if you step back now, you’ll give the message that you’re not interested in competing or playing games. And if your romantic paths end up crossing at some point in the future, she’ll know that you’re a man who takes friendships—and relationships—seriously.

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As you might have heard by now, ski company Elan claims it’s building the world’s first-ever smart alpine ski.

The new planks will have a “flex” sensor and a “force” sensor in front of the binding and behind it, respectively. The sensors are said to track motion dynamics, such as where the skier is balanced over the ski, how much pressure the skier applies to her edges, and where (and how much) the ski flexes through the turn. The skis will also sync with your phone to give live coaching feedback. And they’ll send the data to the cloud for post-ski analysis.

Elan revealed a prototype of its Smart Ski technology in an SLX Fusion at the 2018 IPSO trade show in late January. Show participants were able to test out the model and, according to an Elan press release, “Through the sensation of skiing movements, the Smart Ski captured immediate data and recorded on a nearby computer screen.”

If all those details sound a little vague, well, they are. The company was cagey when we asked a representative for more information about the sensors, simply saying they are “carefully selected from our suppliers.” As for the ski itself, it’s still very much a prototype. Working production models likely won’t be available for some time, according to Elan. The company declined to give us a more exact launch date.

Elan isn’t the first company to dabble in the smart-ski market. In 2014, Madshus debuted a pair of cross-country skis equipped with a chip that stored information about the ski (weight, camber, flex), which could be used to better match a customer with the ideal set of boards. The chip also tracked workouts—metrics like distance, speed, and location—and offered waxing advice. We’ve seen the launch of several smart goggles, some of which have fared better than others on the market.

Elan’s offering, though, is the first alpine ski with integrated technology. At first, the tech will be limited to skis of Elan’s choosing. But because the sensors can be housed in any ski, the company claims, the technology could one day be compatible with other brands’ products. (Elan doesn’t hold the patent on the sensors; the company is licensing the tech from a third party, though again, it declined to name the third party.)

Of course, it’s hard to say just how useful the ski-dynamics tracking will be. World cup skiers have experienced coaches, who (we hope) offer better advice than a sensor. Elan says it anticipates its primary customers will be the “high-end, techy consumer,” which seems about right. As for the average skier, she might just prefer to ski without all the gadgetry.

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REI's End of Season Clearance Sale has some great deals now through March 19. Here are some of the Outside staff's picks, all under $50. (The prices listed below reflect the additional 25-percent-off coupon automatically added in your cart.)

About Our Deals Coverage

We work with top retailers and brands to find the best deals on outdoor gear. Then our editors and writers carefully review the sales to select the products we’ve used and trust. When you click a Buy Now button in this story, it will take you to the brand whose sale we're covering.

Review our affiliate link policy

Wear your Chaco pride on more than just your feet with the Wrist Wrap bracelet. Made from polyester webbing, a metal clasp keeps it secure on the wrist.

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This basic polyester t-shirt is a closet staple. The polyester fabric wicks moisture away from the skin and dries quickly. Stock up while prices are at rock-bottom. 

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These seamless panties are made from an antibacterial silver fabric treatment that helps to banish odors. The two-and-a-half inch inseam ensures total comfort while in motion. 

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Never leave your yoga mat behind with these Yoga Sling sandals. The footbed is constructed from recycled yoga mat material and has sealed edges to lock out moisture. 

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Upgrade your current hammock straps to the Python straps for more customization. Each strap provides eighteen points of connection along a daisy-chain webbing. 

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An additional panel folds out of this on-the-ground style chair to protect your legs and let you recline in comfort. 

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Save precious space in your luggage with the Pack-It compression set. The compression bags reduces the volume of stored items by up to 80 percent and the one-way pressure valve and top zipper closure make packing and compressing items a breeze.

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An absolute must-have for any hot weather activity, the Kool Tie cools down your neck for hours. To use, soak the bandana in water for 15 minutes and watch the tiny polymer crystals absorb the moisture. 

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Designed for trail running, the Cairn shorts have an inner liner to help reduce chafing. Two stash pockets and one zippered pocket give you plenty of storage options. 

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Keep your toiletries clean and organized in this Travel canister. Made from the same material as the venerable Base Camp duffels, this canister will survive a beating.

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A great around town bag, the Flash 18 holds just enough to get you through your day. When not in use, flip the bag inside-out to use it as a stuff sack. 

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Thwart potential bike thieves with the KryptoLok Mini-7 u-lock. A burly 13-millimeter hardened steel shackle resists cutting and leverage attacks while a vinyl coating offers protection for your bike's finish. 

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A flashlight and external battery combined, the Ember Power flashlight is perfect to have in your car or pack. It cranks out 150 lumens of light and can charge your smartphone one-and-a-half times. 

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Bring a piece of the crag with you with the Rope Sling bag. Two separate vertical pockets and two internal small pockets keep you well organized. 

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Perfect for the climbing gym or yoga studio, the Get Going capris are made of four-way stretch material and have two small hip pockets which are big enough for your chapstick or ID. 

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These cozy chopper mitts have a genuine bison leather shell and a removable wool liner.

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Featuring a slim design, the Nuud iPhone 7 case protects your phone from water, dirt, snow, and drops. 

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On the weekend of March 23, hundreds of women from across the country will flock to Bishop, California, for the third annual Women’s Climbing Fest. For three days, they’ll participate in workshops and clinics and hear from athletes, coaches, and other professionals in the climbing industry. They’ll also get to experience world-class bouldering, hundreds of options for sport climbing, and plenty of trad.

“One of the best parts about the festival is the experience of being in a climbing area with 300 women,” says fest founder Shelma Jun. “You park in the Birthday Boulders parking lot and start walking. About 20 steps in, you encounter a group of 15 women bouldering together. It’s pretty awesome to be a part of.” This year, Outside is a proud media sponsor of the Women’s Climbing Fest, and here’s what we’re looking forward to the most.

In addition to hundreds of attendees, the festival invites some big-name climbers to participate in workshops, speak on panels, and hang out and climb. This year, the list includes names like professional climber Katie Lambert, Prana ambassador and yogi Olivia Hsu, and Patagonia athlete Kate Rutherford.

Many of the pro athletes, in addition to other women in climbing, such as guides and doctors, lead clinics throughout the festival. Clinics range in topics and skill levels, covering everything from intro to trad workshops to dynamic bouldering. Participants learn mental techniques to combat fear, along with technical skills like gear placement and how to fall safely. “I believe strongly in the idea of women teaching women—it reinforces the fact that we can be the experts, the leaders, the decision-makers,” Jun says.

With more than 1,200 bouldering problems, 700 sport-climbing routes, and 300 trad routes, there’s no shortage of rock to climb in Bishop. Average highs hover in the sixties, and there’s plenty of sunshine, making March prime sending season in the East Sierra town. “You wake up in California’s beautiful Owens Valley on a crisp winter morning and you’re stoked,” Jun says. “You can’t wait to get out to the Buttermilks and crank on some granite.”

Each year, the fest hosts a panel with professional athletes, photographers, and other women who work in the climbing industry to tackle tough questions around sexism in climbing and the continued rise of women in the sport. “This provides us with an opportunity to create a safe space to discuss the challenges, triumphs, and questions around being a female climber, a female in the outdoor space, or even just being a female,” Jun says. “Beyond that, we utilize the space to discuss intersectional feminism—bringing to light the additional challenges that women of color, queer women, adaptive women, and others face on top of the challenge of being a female.”

There’s a reason this festival sells out every year. “As each year goes by, friendships and climbing partnerships are developing more and more,” Jun says. “Two women came up to me last year and told me they had met at the first Women’s Climbing Fest in 2016, spent the year climbing together, and returned to the festival as friends.”

Follow the lead of elite athletes and use the science of motivation to perform at your best

The 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said that “he who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” Though Nietzsche was interested in things like the meaning of life, his insight is relevant for everyday tasks. Whether you’re trying to stick to a new workout routine, hang on for dear life at the end of a race, or grit out a tough project at the office, having a firm “why” is key.

Why is “why” so important? One answer lies in a theory of human performance developed by Samuele Marcora, director of research at the University of Kent’s School of Sport and Exercise Science, called the psychobiological model of fatigue. Marcora’s theory says that when you’re in the midst of an activity, your brain is constantly weighing perception of effort—how hard what you’re doing feels—against your motivation to do it. When perception of effort is greater than motivation, you slow down or stop. When the opposite is true, you keep going.

It follows, then, that there are two predominant ways to get more out of yourself. You can train to make something feel easier—by getting fitter or improving a skill—or you can increase your motivation. While there’s a wealth of information on the former, there isn’t nearly as much on the latter.

Yet there are at least a couple of compelling strategies, supported by research and real-world experience, to help you increase and sustain motivation.

Focus on What Matters

In his 1995 book, Why We Do What We Do, University of Rochester psychologist Edward L. Deci, one of the world’s foremost experts on human behavior and motivation, writes that the strongest and most enduring motivation comes not from striving for some sort of external reward, like fame or money, but from “the process of doing an activity for its own sake, the satisfaction that one experiences in doing an activity itself.” Deci cites a wealth of research showing that people who are primarily driven from within—what social scientists call intrinsic motivation—perform better and longer and report having richer experiences in their respective crafts versus people who are motivated mainly by external rewards.

According to Steve Magness, running coach at University of Houston (and, in the interest of full disclosure, a co-author of mine on Peak Performance), “You should cultivate a love for what you do and embrace the process of getting better—of personal growth and development—and not be so worried about results.” Magness isn’t alone. Just about every top coach I’ve ever spoken with has reported a common, albeit slightly paradoxical, observation: The less an athlete is motivated by achieving a specific external result, the more likely she is to achieve it. The best generally aren’t concerned with being the best; they’re concerned with giving their all to the process—with being the best at getting better.

In my own experience working on mental skills with athletes, entrepreneurs, and executives, I’ve found that one of the most effective ways to increase intrinsic motivation lies in the story you tell yourself about yourself. This story becomes a mindset, a lens through which you see and participate in the world. Frame whatever it is you are doing as a personal quest to get better—to beat yourself—and focus on the satisfaction you gain from doing your activity and the personal growth that comes with it.

Make It About More Than You

Fear, fatigue, and pain are the three things that prevent people from achieving incredible athletic feats, says Dr. Javier Provencio, director of the neurological ICU at Cleveland Clinic. But every once and a while, we hear stories about people completing heroic acts of strength to help others. (Like this guy, who lifted a car off a cyclist who was pinned underneath.) Researchers call these acts of “hysterical” or “superhuman” strength. They speculate that when you are doing something for someone else—saving a life being an extreme example—you may be able to override an innate fear and discomfort instinct that would normally hold you back.

Doing something for others is powerful in less extreme situations as well. Studies out of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania show that school fundraisers’ performance vastly improves when they meet and hear stories of individuals who were able to attend university on scholarships as a result of the money raised. When health care workers are educated and reminded about how regular hand washing stops the spread of bacteria and thus literally saves lives, they wash their hands more frequently. In a 2007 meta-analysis of more than 200,000 workers across numerous industries, researchers found the belief that one’s job had a positive impact on others was associated with better performance. When people believe their work benefits or inspires others, their motivation increases and so does their performance. This concept—called self-transcendence—appears to hold true in athletic endeavors.

Just a few weeks ago, Shalane Flanagan became the first American woman to win the New York City Marathon in more than 40 years. When asked how she pushed through during the latter stages of the race, she said, “I was thinking of other people when it started to hurt.” Sure, it may be anecdotal—and it may sound like a canned post-race reply—but the sentiment is remarkably widespread among world-class athletes.

In 2014, Meb Keflezighi shocked everyone to win the Boston Marathon, one year after the terrorist attack that occurred at the 2013 race. He credited his performance to a desire to honor the bombing victims. He even wrote their names on his race bib. “Toward the end [of the race] I was remembering the victims who passed away,” he said. “They helped carry me through.” The next year, when Ashton Eaton broke the world record in the decathlon, he reported, “I was just thinking it’s not for me, so I have to go…I was just thinking about me sitting on the couch when I was little and watching somebody like Michael Johnson or Carl Lewis jump and run, and that’s the reason I’m here today. I thought maybe there’s a kid on a couch somewhere, and if I break this world record they may be inspired to do something.”

Brad Stulberg (@Bstulberg) writes Outside’s Do It Better column and is author of the new book Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success.

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Miho Aida had a Flip camera and zero filmmaking experience when she traveled to the southern edge of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and made the documentary that put her on the map in the outdoor industry.

It was July 2010 when the environmental educator and filmmaker arrived at Arctic Village, a town of approximately 150 people in northeastern Alaska. It was one of the most remote places she’d ever been. Aida was working on a media project to document the role of Native American women activists in preserving public lands. She was there to meet Sarah James, an elder within the Gwich’in Nation, and hear James’ stories of her people’s 30-year fight to protect ANWR’s wild lands from oil and gas drilling.

The battle over the 19 million-acre refuge has raged off and on since it was first protected in the 1960s. Last December, Congress voted to reopen ANWR to drilling, stoking the debate. But most of the discussion is focused on the environmental impact and threat to wildlife like polar bears and migratory birds. Far less often recognized are the indigenous people like the Gwich’in, who have lived in the Arctic for thousands of years. Aida wanted to elevate their voices in the fight.

For the Gwich’in, preservation of this area is an issue of human rights, sovereignty, and food security. They call the coastal plain of ANWR “the sacred place where life begins” because it’s the birthing and nursing grounds of the porcupine caribou herd, which the Gwich’in rely on for food, clothing, tools, and spiritual guidance.

After filming, when Aida returned home to the San Francisco Bay Area, she had more than eight hours of footage, mostly interviews with Gwich’in women about the cultural and environmental importance of ANWR. She transformed the video into a short documentary film, The Sacred Place Where Life Begins: Gwich’in Women Speak.

Since the film’s release, in 2013, it has won awards at the 2014 Earth Port Film Festival and the 2015 Central Illinois Feminist Film Festival and was nominated for best documentary short at the 2013 American Indian Film Festival. In November, Aida was awarded the 2017 SHIFT Adventure Athlete of the Year award, recognizing her unique way of blending outdoor adventure with conversation work.

In its wake, Aida has emerged as an outspoken advocate for ANWR and a champion for inclusivity—particularly for women of color. Her decade of work has finally found its time and has taken on new importance.

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Born and raised in Tokyo, Aida has always found respite in nature. Her fascination with public lands began in high school in Japan, thanks to a BBC TV special on the U.S. national parks system.

She went on to study environmental science, earning her masters degrees from Hokkaido University. In 1999, she left Japan to attend Teton Science School in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to study environmental education. After graduating, Aida moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to begin working for NatureBridge, a nonprofit organization that provides hands-on environmental science education for youth in partnership with the National Park Service, where she’s worked ever since. She’s also a climber, wilderness guide, and former NOLS instructor.

But Aida says her commitment to social justice and conservation is really rooted in her name.

The first character of her name, 民 or “Mi,” means people. It’s also a character used to describe democracy. “My parents wished [for] me to become a leader who demands greater democracy,” Aida says, one who listens and is kind.

The second character, 穂 or “Ho,” means rice bud. Rice is a symbol of Japanese culture that’s linked to the land. “We are rice people, and the rice field is where [my parents] saw co-existence of humans and nature,” she says.

Together, Aida’s name means a protector of people, culture, and environment. Her birthday, August 26, also happens to be Women’s Equality Day, commemorating the day women were granted the right to vote. “I feel like I’m meant to do this work, or I was born in this world with a purpose already,” Aida says.

Conservation and environmental work remains dominated by white males. “For the longest time, conservation issues were seen as a white man’s hiking club,” accessible only to some, says Alli Harvey, Alaska campaign representative for the Sierra Club. As the fight for public lands heats up, there’s greater recognition that diversity and inclusion matter. “America’s demographics are evolving, and if we want to give ourselves the best chance of protecting public lands and waters for perpetuity, we need to do the work now to include all Americans in the conversation, not just those of us with the historic privilege and power to dominate that conversation,” says Chris Perkins, marketing coordinator for SHIFT.

But it hasn’t always been easy for Aida to embrace her own identity. “[Living in Japan], I had a lot of privilege I didn’t even think about. Moving to the U.S., I struggled as an English language learner and immigrant,” she says. “I just wanted to be white. I wanted to blend in.” She started mimicking the habits of her white colleagues, wearing Patagonia and drinking from Nalgene water bottles. She even tried to get rid of her accent.

Aida felt invisible. She came to the United States believing that if you work hard, you can achieve anything. However, as a non-U.S. citizen, she wasn’t eligible to achieve her dream to be a National Park Service ranger, no matter how hard she worked. She also noticed the lack of role models for women of color in the outdoor industry. Without faces that looked like hers, Aida began to wonder if she had any place in the outdoor and conservation world.

So, in 2008, she created “If She Can Do It, You Can Too,” a media project to document and promote the stories of diverse women involved in environmental conservation, science, and adventure sports. “[The project] came out the idea that we need to see somebody who looks, sounds, and lives like us in the media so we know that we can do that, too,” she says. Aida posted photographs and short video clips on her website, but the project has largely flown under the radar.

She eventually pivoted to spotlight women from marginalized communities involved in environmental and social justice work against the backdrop of the outdoors. In 2010, Aida turned her focus to native and indigenous women who are stewards and fierce protectors of public lands, which brought her to Sarah James and the Gwich’in women.

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“The thing Miho does so well is let the voices of the people whose lives would be most directly impacted by any development in the coastal plains speak for themselves,” Harvey says of Aida’s documentary.

While Aida never expected her film to be political, it has become a powerful advocacy tool for ANWR. She’s screened the film for congressional staff members on Capitol Hill, and she’s embarked on three bike film tours. In 2014, Aida rode her bike 1,000 miles from Seattle to San Francisco and, in 2015, another 1,000 miles from D.C. to Bar Harbor, Maine. During the summer of 2017, she rode about 300 miles around Maine to garner support for ANWR from residents and Senator Susan Collins.

“If you consider her demographically as an Asian-American female, it doesn’t necessarily suggest that she would have a voice in the conversation, but she’s never let that identity dictate her potential,” Perkins says. “She’s shown this fearlessness and sense of self-efficacy, and all without major sponsorship.”

After receiving the SHIFT award, Aida sees her role evolving. She wants to serve as a bridge between communities struggling to protect their human and environmental rights and athletes and outdoor adventurers who want to help. “What if [outdoor companies]had an environmental ambassador program where they sponsor folks who may not be typical athlete but use their athletic talents for environmental and social justice?” she says. “It goes back to ‘If She Can Do It, You Can Too.’ It’s so important to see ourselves and experiences mirrored in these people, because otherwise we’ll never think it’s possible.” The SHIFT award has given Aida the confidence to leverage her newfound recognition and continue to advocate for change in the outdoor industry.

Along with groups like African American Nature and Parks Experience, Latino Outdoors, and @brownpeoplecamping, Aida is bringing greater visibility to women and people of color in the outdoors—role models for others to follow. “When we don’t see ourselves, we think that it’s not for us. But it is for us. We need to be more visible in park uniforms and park images,” says Teresa Baker, founder of African American Nature and Parks Experience. “She’s asking why the outdoor industry doesn’t pay as much attention to women, especially women of color. She questions that.”

As a result, Aida empowers others to follow suit. “It’s vital that Miho continues to do the work of uplifting women,” Baker says.

The future of ANWR remains up in the air. Environmental advocates vow to fight the legislation opening up the refuge to oil drilling, and Aida will continue to be on the front lines, elevating the voices of the Gwich’in and other marginalized women in the outdoor world.

“We’re seeing so many companies put their money where their mouth is in terms of conversation work, and I think that should extend to athletes like Miho who don’t fit the typical narrative for outdoor companies and the athletes they showcase,” says Perkins. “These big companies need to invest in grassroots campaigns like Miho’s to enrich their conservation efforts.”

Tricks for renting cars with surf racks, finding the best singletrack, and buying from the locals’ bike shop

It sounds liberating to throw your stuff in a duffel bag and hit the open road. See what comes your way. Plan nothing. Research nada. Book zilch ahead of time. The only problem? You may wind up searching for a campsite in the dark, spending top dollar on everything, and getting lost looking for a trail. Now, thanks to a heap of smart travel apps and websites, you can spend less time planning and researching and more time actually getting the most out of your trip.

Camp Finder ($4)

Camp Finder lets you search some 19,000 private and public campgrounds around the United States. You can see user-uploaded photos of individual campsites, read reviews, compare rates, and scour nearby activities. The app allows you to locate campsites by name, find the best-rated ones near you, or search for sites with amenities like hot showers, cabins, or Wi-Fi.

Mountain Hub (Free)

Whether you’re climbing, hiking, mountain biking, or backcountry skiing, Mountain Hub has the up-to-date details you need. A dedicated user community shares routes, conditions, and other updates, like recent avalanche activity or closures due to flooding. Track your own adventures in terms of mileage, routes, and elevation, and get inspiration from other people’s outings. Best of all, you can download 3D maps for when you’re out of cell range.

Waze (Free)

There’s a reason Google bought this Israeli-made, real-time, crowdsourced navigation app in 2013: Waze is really good at getting you where you need to go quickly. The app directs you to your destination in a range of easy-to-listen-to voices and automatically reroutes you based on traffic, accidents, and road closures. You can sync the app to your phone’s calendar so it will alert you when it’s time to leave to reach your destination on time. Bonus: It’ll also help you find the cheapest gas on the road.

Avalanche Forecasts (Free)

Pro skier Elyse Sausgstad recommends Avalanche Forecasts, which connects to every avalanche center on the West Coast of North America. “If you know you’re going to take a trip to Jackson Hole, and you’re daydreaming about those endless out-of-bounds laps, it’s a great idea to start checking the forecast weekly, ” Sausgstad says. You’ll get a sense of the snowpack before heading out and can change your trip accordingly.

Turo (Free)

With Turo, you rent a car directly from the owner, at rates around 30 percent less than conventional rental cars. Fly into Salt Lake City and rent a Subaru with a ski rack and winter tires for $37 a day, or book a Jeep Wrangler with a surfboard rack in San Diego for $87 a day. There’s airport curbside pickup, and you can search for exact car models, cars under a certain price, or features like bike racks or all-wheel drive.

Dayuse (Free)

There might be a lot of reasons you’d need a high-end hotel room for just a couple hours while traveling: to score a gym workout and a shower during a camping road trip, take a nap after an overnight flight, or use the Wi-Fi for a quiet private office in the middle of the day. With Dayuse, you can book a room at more than 3,000 hotels around the world from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at prices up to 75 percent off the regular rate.

Gociety (Free)

In a new place and need a climbing or skiing partner? Gociety sets out to be like Tinder but for finding adventure partners. You can connect with others in your community, check out or post trip reports, or join an upcoming adventure with new friends, like backpacking in Oregon or climbing 14ers in Colorado.

Gaia GPS ($30)

“On any backcountry adventure, I always have my iPhone with downloaded USGS topographic maps on the Gaia GPS app,” says ultrarunner Jeff Browning. “Be sure to get the full app that includes downloadable topo maps that you can download before you go.” To extend your phone’s battery life, switch to airplane mode and exit the app after you’ve finished downloading. (Since Gaia GPS Classic is free and still available but no longer supported, we recommend the premium membership.

Hopper (Free)

Tell Hopper where in the world you want to go, and it’ll tell you the cheapest airfare available, predict whether the fare is likely to rise or fall, and notify you when your desired flight drops in price. You can buy flights through the app—although you’re probably still better off booking directly from the airline—and get deals on last-minute flights. Hopper is starting to offer hotel rate predictions in select cities as well.

Science is a slow-moving process. Don’t fixate on bright-shiny objects at the expense of a few fundamental truths.

This past year was an interesting one when it comes to health and human performance. Eliud Kipchoge came breathtakingly close to running a marathon in under two hours. Aging athletes like Tom Brady, Serena Williams, Lebron James, Shalane Flanagan, and Roger Federer dominated their respective sports when conventional wisdom says they should have been in the twilight of their careers or retired. Meanwhile, Silicon Valley is trying to prevent aging altogether.

Stories like these are fascinating. But it can be hard to deduce what, if any, actionable insights they contain. That’s why I’ve tried to take the top headlines related to human performance and extract meaningful takeaways that you can apply to your own life. In no particular order, here are the top themes of 2017.

Nail the Basics

Science is a slow-moving process. While there’s nothing wrong with being excited about an emerging line of inquiry or a new research finding, it’s important to not fixate on bright shiny objects at the expense of a few fundamental truths that we are certain improve health and performance. Before you worry about making marginal gains, be sure to nail the basics—move every day, eat real foods, call your friends, sleep seven to nine hours each night, enjoy nature, lay off the booze, and don’t smoke.

Read More
The 5 Most Basic Rules of Health and Fitness
8 Simple Tips to Live Longer and Healthier

The Mind-Body Connection Is Real

The state of your mind has an enormous impact on your body. A mantra can help you during physical challenges, and keeping your brain sharp can be a key part of recovering from an injury. And yet the converse is also true: the state of your body has an enormous impact on your mind. Movement in nature increases happiness and exercise can help lift you out of a rut.

Read More
How Physical Activity Can Get You Out of a Rut
There Are Two Kinds of Happiness. Getting Outside Boosts Both.
How to Mentally Recover from an Injury
That Voice Inside Your Head Will Make You a Better Runner
What Ultrarunners Think About When They Run

A Few Key Habits Go a Long Way

Routines are highly personal—what works for one person may not work for another. And yet there are a few practices that are widespread in top performers across all fields. Though you shouldn’t feel pressured to adopt all of them, each can go a long way:

• Prioritize consistency
• Seek mentorship
• Surround yourself with people who push you
• Focus your energy on what matters most
• Take advantage of your chronotype
• Take sleep hygiene seriously

Read More
Four Things Top Performers Do Every Day
Productivity Lessons from Artists and Entrepreneurs
The Best Route to Big Fitness? Small Steps

Ditch the Device

Odds are you’re reading this story on a smartphone or tablet. Which is fine, but as we all spend more and more time on our devices, it’s important to be increasingly intentional about how we use them. It turns out that leaving your fancy GPS watch at home might make you faster, and the key to fully enjoying any kind of physical activity may be to disconnect from all your devices while you do it.

Read More
How to Use Your Phone with Intention
Want to Run Faster? Listen to Your Gut

Pursue Mastery, Not Results

There’s an old training adage that goes “process over outcomes.” By and large, it’s true. The reason so many people are drawn to athletic challenge is because it gives them a chance to immerse themselves in a clear-cut, self-reliant process of getting better. Unfortunately once you do start to get better, it’s all too easy to focus less on your love of the game and more on your results and the external recognition you get from them. Don’t fall for this trap. Research shows that an integral part of sustaining both mental and physical health is to keep the lion’s share of your motivation intrinsic, or coming from within—focusing not so much on the end results you achieve but rather on what you experience in the process getting there.

Read More
Why Do Rich People Love Endurance Sports?
Sustaining a Lifetime Passion for Your Sport
Are Elite Athletes Healthy?
They Keys to Aging Well as an Athlete

Brad Stulberg (@Bstulberg) writes Outside’s Do It Better column and is author of the new book Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success.

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“You’re almost there! It will be worth it.”

“Is this your first time out here?”

“You look like you could use a break.”

“Are you okay?”

These are just a few of the comments I get while hiking. They seem pretty harmless, right? Supportive, even. Except I can’t help but wonder: Would people say these things to a thinner, more athletic-looking person?I don’t think so.

I’m a fat hiker who started hiking about six years ago. To say I didn’t grow up outdoorsy is a massive understatement. I lived in Portland, Oregon, for years before I did anything more than visit a waterfall on the side of the road. My partner took me on a hike for one of our first dates, and I never could’ve guessed it would become my thing. Soon, I was doing it all the time. I started writing about it. This eventually led to the creation of Unlikely Hikers, an Instagram platform featuring the underrepresented outdoorist. This includes people of size (I prefer “fat,” but not everyone else does), people of color, queer, trans, gender nonbinary folks, and people with disabilities.

When it comes to talking about plus-size hikers, lack of clothing and gear and representation are getting a little more airtime from the outdoor media, as they should. But there are many ways fatphobic culture still finds its way into our lives. I asked my plus-size hiker friends about their experiences in outdoor culture—beyond the clothing, gear, or representation issues—and many cited interactions with other hikers as the thing that made them feel most judged. I get it: I often notice the disbelieving looks I regularly get from men as I pass them on trail with a friendly “hello.”

As I processed all this feedback, I couldn’t help but think about how so many straight-sized hikers might not even realize they’re saying things that are demeaning.So I put together this guide to help.

Many comments from other hikers—even something seemingly innocuous like “You’re doing a great job!”—are meant to be supportive and encouraging, but they don’t always come off that way. These comments are, sometimes indirectly, about our bodies. An othering is happening. There is surprise about our abilities, concern about what may be interpreted as lack of ability, and sometimes straight-up rudeness. Many people I talked to expressed having moments where they were treated as if they were in the way of another hiker. These interactions don’t allow us to simply be hikers on a trail.

On a good day, I just smile and say “Thank you” or give an overly jovial “Oh yeah, I’ve done this trail many times,” when what I really want to say is “Yeah, I know. I’ve probably done this trail more times than you will in your life.” Fellow fat hiker Ashley Manning, trail name YardSale, is currently thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. She had this to say on her recent Unlikely Hikers feature: “A guy came up to me today as I was pumping water and said, ‘You’re more badass than any of us. I’m not trying to be rude, but you don’t see people your size out here.’…If there’s one thing I’ve learned already, it’s that the trail knocks people on their asses. No matter what size you are, it’s hard. I’m no more of a badass than that guy, because it’s so damn hard. I’m proud of everyone out here.”

If you want to be encouraging, a simple “Hi, have a great hike!” does wonders.

Another assumption many people make about plus-size hikers is that we’re doing physical activity because we want to lose weight. The way exercise has become synonymous with weight loss in dominant culture removes the joy from moving and inhabiting our bodies, regardless of one’s size. I’m outside because I want to enjoy the outdoors, revere nature, and appreciate the gift of my body taking me places. I choose hiking over the gym to get away from diet and fitness culture. Also, many of us don’t actually want to lose weight. Many of us don’t feel bad about being fat.

What would our relationships with ourselves and each other look like if we removed moral capital and essentialism from exercising, food, and bodies? I think we’d all be happier and make healthier choices all around.

Bear with me—this one is complicated. Straight-sized people have an innate sense of liberty with their bodies that many people of size don’t. They tend to make bigger movements, sit with their legs wider, or stop dead in their tracks in public places. People of size are often super aware of the space they inhabit, because we receive frequent messages that we don’t fit (belong). Roxane Gay wrote in her recent memoir, Hunger, “The bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes.” Chairs are often not made for us (constricting arms, 200-pound weight limits, etc.), tables in restaurants are too close together, and don’t get me started on airplane seats.

Don’t crowd people, fat or not, who are moving at a slower pace, especially when going up- or downhill. A breezy “Coming up on your left/right!” is all it takes. On a narrow track, give us more room to pass, and only pass when there is actually room. Sure, your small body might be able to squeeze up against the side of a cliff with ease, but can my bigger body? We all deserve to be on the trail, and we all deserve to fully inhabit our bodies.

Better yet, listen when we tell you about our experiences. Resist asking questions or making statements—even with good intention—laced with bias or assumptions about our bodies. I lead multiple group hikes every month that are attended by people of all body types and speeds. You don’t know what someone is capable of just by looking at them. Being bigger doesn’t automatically mean someone is slower.

And sure, being strong and fast is cool, but no one is getting the gold.Doing something slower or differently is still doing it. I take just as many steps as the person who does the trail in two-thirds the time.

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If your Instagram account is anything like ours, there’s probably a shocking amount of “cast iron porn” peppered throughout your feed. It seems as if the world has rediscovered the beauty of this age-old cooking tool, which works as well over a campfire as it does on a gas-fired range.

“There’s something romantic about the cast iron skillet,” says Chris Muscarella, who along with his brother Stephen spent years developing the Field Skillet, a modern take on the kitchen staple. “It's an item that you use every day for your entire life. It will outlive you and you’ll hand it down to your kids. We live in a disposable world, and the idea of making something that doesn't expire has an appeal to it.”

In addition to the romantic appeal, there are also practical reasons to use cast iron. “It retains a lot of heat, so you can get that sear that locks flavor into the food easier with cast iron than with other cookware,” Muscarella says.  

Myths and misunderstandings surround cast iron, so we asked Muscarella to provide some tips to help you maintain a skillet so it can be handed down from one generation to the next.

Here are Muscarella’s four simple rules for taking care of cast iron.

1. Keeping seasoning.

“Seasoning” is the natural coating that happens when oil hardens onto the pan. Most new cast iron skillets will come pre-seasoned, which means a layer of oil has already been baked onto the surface and you can start cooking with it right away. Continue that seasoning process simply by cooking with it, starting with non-acidic foods like onions and vegetables in butter, which will add additional layers of seasoning.

2. Don't be scared of washing.

There’s a myth about never using soap in a cast iron skillet, which might have been true 100 years ago when soap had lye in it, but modern dish soap is just a degreaser. It will take the grease out of your pan, but it won’t damage the cast iron. If you do wash it, be sure to rub a dab of coconut oil on the surface afterward to start the seasoning process again.

3. But don’t put it in the dishwasher.

Water and cast iron don’t get along. Don’t boil water in it, don’t leave water sitting in it overnight, and don’t put it in the dishwasher.

4. Less is more.

After you cook with the pan, dry it thoroughly with a towel, then rub a dab of coconut oil or lard into it before storing it.

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We picked five cast iron skillets we’re in love with right now, from old standbys to more modern takes on the classic.

This 10.5-inch skillet is up to 50 percent lighter than most cast iron pans you find on the market today making it easy to handle with one hand on the stove and in the fire. The smooth iron also provides a better non-stick surface than traditional pans.

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Another modern take on cast iron, this skillet has a unique wire sprung handle which stays cooler than normal iron handles. Multiple angles allow for easy pouring.

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Lodge Cast Iron has been an institution in the U.S. for more than 100 years. Today, the skillets are ubiquitous and inexpensive. They’re also pretty good. Although heady, they cook evenly and you can get all kinds of specialized skillets, like this pre-seasoned grill pan.

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Le Creuset is a French manufacturer that’s known for its enameled cast iron. Their Dutch oven utilizes cast iron’s heat retentive properties making it an ideal slow cooker for roasts or stews.

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Founded in 2015, Stargazer follows the contemporary principles of being relatively light and incredibly smooth for easier cooking. The copper finish inside the pan comes from a special oil blend used in the seasoning process.

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