A gentle pitter patter on your rainfly can be a soothing natural sound when you’re lying down at night in your tent. If those drips start originating inside your tent, though, it becomes a highly unpleasant resting place. And, under the right circumstances, the culprit—condensation—can infiltrate even the most well-engineered shelter. So, how do you…
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For many members of our armed forces, returning home signifies the beginning of a different type of battle. The laser focus that allows you to keep your tires tracking on the trail’s narrow tread. The playful challenge of picking your way through the rocks strewn on the trail. The hooting and hollering of buddies behind…
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The Co-op Cycles team at REI knows how lucky they are to be based in the Pacific Northwest. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of many, Washington has seen an explosion of mountain bike trails in recent years, providing great testing grounds with a variety of terrain. This includes the newly opened Dockton Forest…
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An actual logical argument for why you need to go right now. I hear you groaning through the internet. You think there is nothing I could say that could possibly convince you that camping in the winter is a good idea. It’s cold. Just you wait. I have legit logic on my side. Before…
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And inclusion could mean industry growth, too. The first-ever Women’s Off-Road Cycling Congress (WORCC) launched in October at the Pearl Izumi World Headquarters in Louisville, Colorado. The goal of WORCC Founder Elori Slater was twofold: to evolve the classic cycling industry ladies’ nights—where retailers invite women to gather over hors d’oeuvres and shop for goods—into…
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The season of holiday rituals is upon us: a turkey or tofurky on the table, the post-prandial nap, the exchange of gifts, the lighting of candles, the baking of garish cookies. And with these come some inevitable, attendant pains in the neck. The ones that irk me: clogged freeways, weather delays at airports, moments of…
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Guts, gear and gnar: all you need for your packing list. Holy cow, you’re amazing. You’ve decided to take on one of the most exciting adventures of a lifetime. But what now? How the heck do you pack everything you need for six months of your life? Don’t worry. I thru hiked the Pacific Crest…
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In a time when more and more people are embracing outdoor recreation, here’s how to combat the destruction of the wild places we love. Last year, for the centennial of the National Park Service, park visits were up by over 25 million across the nation. Yosemite traffic increased by 21 percent year over year—up almost…
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In the Colorado High School Cycling League, kids discover a thousand different reasons to love riding. When I ask my son, Hatcher, what his favorite thing about his inaugural season on the Boulder High School mountain bike team was, he says, “The rice cake.” “The rice cake?” “Yes, the rice cake.” Then he describes it.…
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With storm season in full bluster, the need for dependable raingear develops a greater sense of urgency. If you’re shopping for a new rain jacket, you’ll quickly encounter a trio of seemingly interchangeable terms: water resistant, waterproof and water repellent. Is there really a difference between them? Spoiler alert: “Waterproof” beats “water resistant” and “waterproof/breathable”…
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