Jerry

I learned the hard way what makes the best rain jackets for hiking on a soggy trip through the Cascades, when my bargain rain shell soaked through halfway up the second pass and I had to bail. Since then I have logged over 600 trail miles in real downpours testing shells, from ultralight emergency pull-ons … Read more

I still remember the first fleece jacket that ever let me down — a budget pullover that felt like a cloud in the store and looked like steel wool after one semester of college. That is the buy decision most men are trying to avoid when they search for the best fleece jackets for men, … Read more

I spent the last three months cycling through ten of the most popular women’s puffer jackets on the market — hauling them on dog walks through freezing rain, stuffing them in overhead bins, layering them under shells on backcountry day trips, and wearing them to brunch. The best puffer jackets for women in are not … Read more

If you’re shopping for the best waterproof jackets for men in , our team has spent the last three months wearing, hiking, and getting rained on in 10 different shells so you don’t have to guess. The category winner this year is the The North Face Men’s Antora, a 2-layer DryVent shell that posted a … Read more

When the first hard frost hits, I always hear the same question from friends and readers: what’s actually the best insulated jacket for winter this season? After testing more than 30 insulated jackets over the past three winters across the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the Midwest, our team narrowed the field to 10 … Read more

If you spend any real time on the trail, the right pair of pants changes everything. I learned that the hard way on a wet shoulder-season hike in the Pacific Northwest, wearing a pair of cotton joggers that soaked through in twenty minutes and rubbed my thighs raw by mile three. That was the day … Read more

You can spend a fortune on a fancy shell jacket, but if the layer sitting against your skin is wrong, you’ll be miserable on the lift by noon. After talking with ski patrollers, backcountry guides, and weekend warriors who actually spend their winters in the mountains, I put together this guide to the best base … Read more

I still remember my first pair of Oxford shoes. I bought them for a job interview, walked two miles to the office, and by lunchtime my heels were on fire. That was 12 years ago, and I have tested more Oxford pairs since than I can count, from cheap department store finds to Allen Edmonds … Read more

Finding the best cowboy boots for men is harder than it looks. A solid pair needs to fit your foot, hold up to your lifestyle, and look the part whether you’re on a ranch or at a wedding. We tested 12 popular pairs over weeks of daily wear, walking on city pavement, hardwood, and barn … Read more

After logging roughly 80 hours of match play, drills, and footwork sessions across hard and clay courts, our team narrowed down the best tennis shoes for women in . We prioritized four things: real lateral stability for hard cuts, enough cushioning to protect knees on hard courts, durable outsoles that survive toe-drag wear, and a … Read more