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Bike
Early Summer 2016
Early Summer 2016
photo: Dave Cox | trail runner: Leigh Gilmore Terry | location: Boulder, CO features Mountain Bikes vs. Wilderness Aaron Teasdale on the closure of bike trails across the West. Mountain Kicks From light and fast trail runners to supportive hikers, and versatile road-to-trail kicks to full-on rock scramblers, these 2016 shoes best enhance your chosen method of travel. Plus, our picks for time tested running gear. Mountain Bike Buying Advice We tested 13 mountain and gravel road bikes so you don’t have to. Which one is right for you? Also: Women specific bikes, the accessories you need, and why we picked Carbondale, Colorado as our test site.…...
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Run
Running to See the World
Running to See the World
Nearly blind runner EJ Scott is on a mission to complete seven marathons on all seven continents before his vision disappears forever.
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Run
The Race is On
The Race is On
Forget 100-mile sufferfests. Go hard and rest in luxury with the Eleven Salomon Running Experience in Crested Butte.
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Gear
Time Tested: Keen Shoes, Four Ways
Time Tested: Keen Shoes, Four Ways
A winter boot, a summer sandal, a lightweight hiker, and something wholly unique—all without that trademark bumper toe.
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Culture
Four Questions for Jean-Luc Diard
Four Questions for Jean-Luc Diard
The French multi-sport alpinist and co-founder of Hoka shoes talks running and skiing. Interview by Lisa Jhung | photos by Matt Trappe Frenchman Jean-Luc Diard and his compatriot Nicolas Mermoud—both veterans from Salomon—debuted the Hoka One One running shoe in 2010, banking the success of the startup on one key design element: remarkably fat rockered soles. The duo immediately made waves in the running shoe industry, which at the time was skewing heavily towards minimalism. Hoka grew, and in 2013, Deckers Corporation bought them, hiring Diard as Vice President of Innovation. Today, the brand maintains somewhat of a cult following in the…...
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Gear
Time Tested Gear: Montane Featherlite Shell
Time Tested Gear: Montane Featherlite Shell
Field Test: Pack this 10.5-ounce shell when you expect four seasons in one day. Montane uses DV Storm, the lightest, most breathable version of eVent membranes that rely on “microscopic pores.” On hikes and climbs, it vents before my exertion overheats the shell’s interior. Why It’s Timeless: Even in high summer, I’ve found hail, snow, and rain in the alpine. $400; montane.co.uk —Olivia Dwyer From the Early Summer 2015 issue....
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Run
Running the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
Running the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
Last summer, a group of nine international trail runners completed a three-day trip covering more than 100k and 20,000 feet of vertical gain in Montana’s Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area....
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Bike
Time Tested Gear: OOFOS OOriginal Recovery Sandals
Time Tested Gear: OOFOS OOriginal Recovery Sandals
Field Test: I change into flip-flops after every mountain bike ride or trail run. But trailhead pebbles poke through thin soles, and flat-footed sandals lead to aches and pains. With OOFOS slides, proprietary foam absorbs 37 percent more impact than standard EVA. Arch support and a rocker sole evens out my stride. Why It’s Timeless: Think of these sandals as the après version of Hokas. A tad clownish, but who cares? $40; oofos.com —Olivia Dwyer From the Early Summer 2015 issue....
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Gear
Time Tested Gear: The North Face Better Than Naked Jacket
Time Tested Gear: The North Face Better Than Naked Jacket
Field Test: This jacket wears like a long-sleeved shirt, which is why I reach for it time and again. Its thin polyester blend lies softly against my skin, with sweat-wicking side mesh panels that keep me from overheating on trail runs. I tie the layer around my waist at the base of a long mountain climb, and pull it on to traverse windy ridges and descents. Why it’s Timeless: Runners always need a wind-cutting, light rain-shedding layer. $130; thenorthface.com —Lisa Jhung From the Early Summer 2015 issue....
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Gear
Time Tested Gear: Plus for Nuun
Time Tested Gear: Plus for Nuun
Field Test: Nuun hydration tablets excel at keeping you hydrated on short or low intensity outings, but to optimize hydration during hard efforts you need a little sugar in the mix. (The right blend crosses the stomach wall faster.) That’s where the new Plus for Nuun comes in. Drop two of the fizzing tablets in with your favorite flavor Nuun tab for serious efforts. Why It’s Timeless: Nuun tablets have “effervescent technology,” so my GI system absorbs carbs and electrolytes faster. Endurance Factor: When Nuun tested Plus on athletes, they found 5.7 percent increased time to fatigue; 1.8 percent lower…...
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Culture
Caroline Rotich, 31
Caroline Rotich, 31
Interview by Lisa Jhung | Photographs by Dave Cox Don’t try to reach 2015 Boston Marathon champ Caroline Rotich after her first workout of the day. You won’t hear from her post afternoon run either. Rotich is busy recovering with two daily naps that stretch up to four hours. Kenyan by birth—from the highlands—she lives and trains at 7,000 feet in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she logs up to 120 miles a week. Running and resting in the mountains clearly helped Rotich in Boston, where she out-sprinted Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba to win in 2 hours, 24 minutes, and 55…...
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Run
Adventure Running
Adventure Running
Pairing high-altitude training with destination lodging in the Colorado Rockies. Chasing singletrack uphill through Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness, three friends and I run in the bright alpine sunshine, ascend a ridge colored with wildflowers, and crest the Continental Divide. My pace slows to register the view of the Rockies tumbling down to the Fraser Valley and the distant trails of Winter Park ski area. Usually I arrive at this perch on a 15-mile loop that returns to the east and my home in Boulder. Today, however, we carry on because my friends and I decided linking the familiar trail with…...
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Bike
Cinéma Vérité—and a side of mud
Cinéma Vérité—and a side of mud
Cyclists and trail runners star in high country film tours. By Jason Sumner | Photograph by Allen Krughoff The initial business plan for the mountain bike film Builder focused on Internet sales. Backed by the popular fat tire website Pinkbike.com, the goal was to leverage the site’s large traffic numbers and sell $10 downloads through iTunes. “But then we started getting inquiries about a tour,” says co-producer Julian Coffey. After a mid-April premiere at the annual Sea Otter Classic cycling event, the film has screened in more than 40 locales worldwide. The outdoor film tour concept has thrived in the winter…...
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Gear
Time Tested Gear: Nathan Sports VaporShadow Race Vest
Time Tested Gear: Nathan Sports VaporShadow Race Vest
Field Test: Mountain running guarantees encounters with nasty weather, so I overpack. This 18.8-ounce, 11-liter vest delivers high capacity without a weight penalty. I fill the 2-liter reservoir; stash layers; clip on trekking poles, and stow food and maps. Front pockets keep phone, electrolytes, extra water, and gels within reach. Why It’s Timeless: Cinch the external bungee for a streamlined approach. $140; nathansports.com —Olivia Dwyer From the Early Summer 2015 issue....
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Run
Mountain Kicks 2015: Vasque Inhaler Low GTX
Mountain Kicks 2015: Vasque Inhaler Low GTX
Light Alpinism If you’d rather walk through the woods than cling to an exposed ridgeline, reach for the comfortable Inhaler Low. The dual-density EVA midsole offers cushion and ample forward flex for cruising over rolling terrain, while a stiff TPU instep shank bolsters the foot. “Great long-haul shock absorbency,” a tester reports. But the Inhaler is terrain-specific: it excels at moving over smooth terrain, but feels a bit too soft and loose in stair-step rock garden scrambles. The meaty tread on Vibram rubber stands firm on slickrock and muddy stretches. An inner bootie made from Gore-Tex protects against groundwater, yet…...
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Gear
Mountain Kicks 2015: Hoka One One Challenger ATR
Mountain Kicks 2015: Hoka One One Challenger ATR
Mountain Running Here’s the best tool for injury rehab, recovery runs, body-destroying ultras, and lapsed runners making a comeback. Like all Hokas, the Challenger stacks 2.5 times more EVA foam underfoot than standard running shoes. That cushioning mitigates impact. “I still feel fresh after every Hoka run,” writes a tester. We’re also fans of the rockered sole, which speeds turnover and forward movement no matter where the foot strikes. To cut weight and play down the clown shoe look and feel, the Challenger ATR features a narrower platform and a feathery light seamless upper. We found that the shallow lugs…...
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Gear
Time Tested Gear: Westcomb Nomad Shell
Time Tested Gear: Westcomb Nomad Shell
Field Test: The Nomad falls somewhere between a hoodless soft shell and a windbreaker. The Pertex Equilibrium fabric feels soft next to skin. It also wicks sweat, beads light rain, and weighs less than six ounces. Why It’s Timeless: I have a lot of shells—but only the Nomad works for biking and nice restaurants. Also, Westcomb sews their long-lasting gear in their Vancouver factory. $150; westcomb.com —Ryan Stuart From the Early Summer 2015 issue....
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Run
Mountain Kicks 2015: New Balance 101
Mountain Kicks 2015: New Balance 101
Town to Trail Cross a speedy track spike with a minimalist trail shoe and you get the 101, a high performance runner’s tool designed to hone speed. The shoe snugly wraps heel and midfoot for a highly responsive fit, then adds just enough in terms of synthetic overlays to protect the upper. Adhesive rubber, a full-length EVA rock plate, and a toe bumper up off-road utility. The neutral platform and 10mm drop spur quick turnover and smooth stride. Still, our testers skirted high-impact terrain and double-digit mileage in the 101. “It’s not an all-day, distance shoe in rough country,”…...
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