Long before I thought of myself as an outdoorsy person (or had any understanding of what that meant), I was traipsing through Aztec ruins in Mexico, swimming across jungle rivers in India, and hiking through Nepalese mountains in my trusty Chacos. In fact, I only recently learned that the company’s iconic model was called the Z Sandal. To me, they’ve always just been “Chacos,” a name I frequently heard repeated from fellow travelers with a knowing smile. “Yes, we are both in the club,” they seemed to say. But why is this classic footwear so beloved? How did a sandal made by river rafters beco ..read more

Rain boots keep your feet dry and comfortable during wet weather conditions, but they also need to be comfortable enough to wear while walking city streets, hiking muddy trails, or working outdoors. In this guide, we explore the key features to look for when shopping for the best rain boots for women. Looking at aspects like materials, durability, and traction-enhancing outsoles, we tested some of the top brands so you don’t have to.  Our lead tester, Meg Carney is no stranger to the need for rain boots. She grew up in the Midwest and spent years there working in muddy outdoor conditions ..read more

Winter means different things depending on your location. From the snowy Colorado mountains to the dry Arizona desert and the perpetually wet Pacific Northwest, we put these boots to the ultimate test. Winter hiking can either be a miserable, wet sufferfest, or a fun, dry adventure through wild terrain. Much of it boils down to the outfit you choose, from top to bottom. Soggy feet will quickly leave you with numb toes, and shoes without traction will have you slipping and flailing all over the trail. Durable, weather-resistant boots are essential for effortlessly moving through the white stuf ..read more

How would you like to level up your running with the help of a professional mentor? Thanks to adidas Terrex, that’s what six lucky runners will receive this year — completely free of charge. The unique giveaway, part of the adidas Terrex Strava challenge, is tied to the launch of the highly anticipated adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra this week. After winning dozens of competitions over the last 2 years, this marks the first time Terrex has made the shoes publicly available. To promote the launch, adidas Terrex is giving away six pairs of the technical trail shoes and 4 months of coaching, l ..read more

“If you take care of your feet, your feet take care of you,” the drill instructor screamed. It was 1982, and Steve Ammon was on the first of many forced marches as part of his training to become a Marine. True to that sentiment, for over 20 years the Timberland PRO AFT Design Director has been making feet more comfortable with the brand’s marquee cushioning technology. “Surprisingly, those words never left me,” he remembered.  As the head of design at the workwear powerhouse, Ammon has been instrumental in many of the brand’s innovations and product launches. Underlying them all, St ..read more

Rarely do I get scooped on the gear front. Ninety-nine times out of 100, the river of beta on the latest, coolest gear flows from me and empties into the ocean of friends, family, and the best damn readers on the internet. But when a friend in Colorado sent me a picture of her latest ski tour-hut trip, I stared in shock at her goofy, bright blue boots. They were unmistakable — no boots looked like those boots. I knew because I’d had a pair sent to me months prior. Fubuki boots are big, colorful, and deceptively well-designed because they have basically zero bells or whistles. And that’s ..read more

The seemingly inevitable splitting of the midsole and upper, or outsole and midsole, has been the death of countless hiking boots. With the Targhee IV, KEEN claims to have found a cure for this delamination. KEEN sent me a test pair of early-production Targhee IV boots, which launch on April 4 in the U.S. So, I laced them up and took them into the field for hiking, archery sessions, house projects, and snow shoveling for this first-look review. In short: The KEEN Targhee IV is a comfortable mid-height hiking boot with a short break-in period. A roomy toebox, iconic toe bumper, light leather u ..read more

CrossFit athletes know no two days are alike. The sport asks a lot of you — and your shoes. With activities ranging from heavy deadlifts and Olympic weightlifting to gymnastics and distance running, it’s no surprise that finding the best CrossFit shoes can be a challenge. We researched and tested the most popular CrossFit & cross-training shoes on the market — shoes you can run, jump, lift, row, ride, climb, carry, and rage in. Our lead tester, Paul Mandell, is an experienced CrossFit coach who puts each shoe through its paces as he demonstrates exercises and techniques to classes and cli ..read more

We’ve all felt the sweet relief that comes when feet are finally released from their sweaty, high-performance foot prisons. Because they’re made to be comfortable, camp shoes offer a soothing antidote. On many adventures and expeditions, camp shoes should be considered an essential piece of gear. Historically, thru-hikers and other adventurists have simply repurposed pre-existing models of comfortable footwear as functional camp shoes. Many of these options, like Crocs Classic Clogs, weren’t originally designed for outdoor excursions. However, people in search of good camp shoes identified th ..read more

As climbing’s popularity continues to surge, the demand for high-performance gear is greater than ever before. While a climbing rope and a bouldering crash pad are not required items for brand-new climbers, a pair of shoes is essential from day one. Thanks to recent innovations, the climbing shoe market now includes a vast range of brands and models that aim to accommodate various foot shapes and specialized climbing styles. Need a shoe for training sessions in the gym? No problem. Looking for a style that will elevate your heel hooking ability? There’s a shoe for that, too. Our ongoing effor ..read more