While 2020 is winding down (at long last), something else is rising up: a Himalayan mountain called Qomolangma in Tibet and Sagarmatha in Nepal. You may know it as Mount Everest.
The pyramidal peak's widely agreed upon height has been 29,028.87 feet for decades, but a recent joint survey by Nepal and China now calculates it at 29,031.7 feet. To obtain the new measurement, surveyors had to haul special equipment all the way to the top, and while you won't find anything like a theodolite among December's new outdoor gear releases, there's still plenty of stuff to get excited about.
Kammok Arctos
Courtesy
Kammok revealed its newest trail quilt, the Arctos, back in October, but it's finally available for purchase now. Rated to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, it's a super-technical camping blanket but leaves room for fun, thanks to a central cutout that lets you wear it as a poncho.
A recent crowdfunding success illuminates how the conventional gear storage bin was overdue for an overhaul. That's what Rux is, a waterproof bin that's flexible enough to squish flat and sturdy enough to carry like a tote or wear like a backpack.
Mine77 is a line that was spearheaded by Burton's founder, Jake Carpenter, until his passing in late 2019. The latest drop includes the best recent case for onesies in a model strapped with pockets and Gore-Tex fabric. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, this one sold out quickly.
Mountain Hardwear packed its new bibs with features including a chest pocket, hand pockets and thigh pockets, plus a drop seat for when nature calls. The bib is made of waterproof three-layer Gore-Tex fabric. For an even more technical set of bibs, check out the company's new Viv Gore-Tex Pro Bib.
The Fernweh is a Kickstarter success — it raised over $264,000 — that's finally available for direct purchase. It's a 50-liter backpacking bag that integrates with a collection of accessories to become a pro at hauling photography gear into the wilderness.
Vans tapped snowboarder Sam Taxwood to create a boot versatile enough for any type of riding. A key feature is Vans' Flex Control System, featuring removable tongue stiffeners that let you tune how flexible the boot is.
New-to-the-scene Goat Boxco makes coolers, but they're more like rotomolded depots. Each one has a central compartment for keeping food chilled, but there is also an outer cargo net and four "turrets" that house containers you can fill with other items or buy pre-filled with things like medical supplies and dehydrated meals.
Ripton & Co. has staked a firm claim on technical jorts. Yes, jorts, made with stretch and durability for mountain biking and cruising around town. Ripton's newest product is a pair of denim overalls with those same features plus a little bit of insulation, in case you want to hit the slopes in them. Preorders are open now, with shipping in January.
Matador's most technical backpack yet has the features and support for taking on serious outdoor objectives, but its flexible frame allows it to twist down flat in a remarkable show of packing prowess.
Rumpl's latest artist collaboration is with Aaron Draplin, a master of logos whose work you've likely seen, whether you realized it or not (he even did a US postal stamp). Draplin pulled some favorites from his archive to adorn a synthetic insulation camping blanket.
The same minds that made an ultralight titanium bong for outdoor adventures just created a more typical piece of camping equipment: a titanium mug. It holds 420 milliliters of liquid.
Another collaboration not to miss this month came from Smartwool, skier Chris Benchetler and the Grateful Dead. This one features merino wool baselayers and socks smattered with skulls, roses and more, and don't miss the ski/surf flick Benchetler created and set to the band's tunes.
It takes Bern five days to complete its latest snow helmet, the Carbon Watts, because the hands-on process involves the layering, curing and finishing of carbon fiber layers. The result is a helmet that's 11 percent lighter than similar models made of ABS plastic, a typical helmet material, and far stronger too. It'll be available later this month.
With the Free Hiker, Adidas demonstrated style and function can coexist in outdoor footwear (with the help of its top running shoe tech). The Free Hiker Cold.Rdy continues down that trail as a technical winter hiking boot fully equipped with insulation and Gore-Tex waterproofing. One thing you won't find here is laces, though, and the zippered sock-like upper is fully capable without them.
The V10 used to be Dyson's top-tier stick vacuum, but it was eventually replaced by the slightly more powerful (and much more expensive) V11. This makes the V10 a great value, as it's usually $150 less than the V11. Thanks to this sale, it's even a better value than the V11 right now.
These cloth masks are more than meets the eye. United By Blue has made them with deadstock fabrics and included a filter slot that fits the brand's Activated Carbon Filters. Plus, for each pack purchased, one will be donated to a Philadelphia resident who is experiencing homelessness.
The CPO jacket is a classic silhouette that never goes out of style. Todd Snyder upgraded this one with premium a cotton-linen Herringbone that will break in and only get better over time.
Colorblocking is in and we love the color combo on this half-zip fleece. Plus you get pockets to keep your hands warm, which isn't a common feature on a fleece like this.
These are loaded with some of Nike's best features, including React outsoles for ultimate efficiency on the road and Flyknit uppers for a lightweight, sock-like feel.
Is anything left to be said about the Eames chair? This is one of the most iconic pieces of furniture to come out of the 20th century and is a must-have for any furniture aficionados (if you can afford it).
If you've been watching The Crown or have been following style moodboards lately, you've surely seen Barbour. The classic hunting brand makes some of the finest harsh-weather garments, bred to excel in the rain soaked British islands. A quilted jacket is an essential layering piece, whether topping off a sweater or under a waxed field jacket.
This matches the lowest price we've seen on Apple's premium AirPods. Competition is now fierce in this headphone category, but the quick pairing and native integration with Apple devices still makes the AirPods Pro tough to beat.
An upgrade to the Nano 9, a Gear Patrol favorite, the Nano X doubles down on everything that was good about the previous iteration and makes it even better. This is our pick for the best CrossFit and HIIT workout shoe you can buy.
Using half bison fiber and half wool, the Bison Ultralight weighs less than a pound and offers extremely well insulation. It also sports a recycled ripstop shell with a PFC-free DWR coating and compactly folds into its own pocket. At half off, this is a steal. READ OUR DOWN JACKETS GUIDE
Four-way stretch, seamless construction, and extreme breathability make this our pick for the best premium workout shirt. It is simple, and simply good.
This collab between Outdoor Voices and Hoka One One pairs an award-winning running shoe with OV's sharp eye for design to make a shoe that looks as good as it feels.
Not only is this one of the most versatile packs around, it eschews some of the "ugly" features on a standard outdoor pack for a look that is actually super stylish. We welcome an outdoor pack that values both style and function.
Perfect for winter, these boots are made with fully waterproof leather and vulcanized rubber, keeping you dry whether you're sloshing through snow on the way to work, doing work in the yard, or going out for a hunt.
Everlane does basics extremely well — it's kind of Everlane's thing. The brand's 18-wale corduroy fabric shirt is a great option for the winter months and at half off you truly cannot beat it. READ OUR GUIDE TO CORDUROY SHIRTS
Hydro Flask really needs no introduction at this point, so when you can get a 32-ounce wide mouth with its Temp-Shield insulation at 25 percent off, you do it.
The complete package, this sound bar connects via Bluetooth, has its own subwoofer and passive radiators, is wall-mountable, and can connect via HDMI, optical or AUX connections.
This chronograph re-issue of Timex's original military-style watch has an aluminum 40mm case that provides strength without the weight. If you're looking for a daily knock around with chronograph features, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal.
If you are working out a lot, you're going to need more than one mask. Under Armour has created one of the best sports-specific masks and right now if you buy two you get a great deal.
Todd Snyder's collaborations with Timex always hit. Paired with a vintage military-inspired band, this bullseye design is straight from the Timex archives.
Whether you want to move some of your most frequently used herbs indoors or don't have space outside for a garden, the AeroGarden Harvest is a perfect solution, with clearance for up to a foot of growth and room for 6 plants that grow five times faster than soil.
Adidas used sustainable Parley Primeblue material to make its Primeknit upper even better, then combined it with Boost midsoles to make the ultimate earth-conscious workout shoe.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io