Author: Jack Bogart

There’s no place perhaps more associated with rain than the Pacific Northwest, so there’s perhaps no better place to put a rain jacket to the test. I wore the Mountain Hardwear Cloud Cipher Rain Jacket on a week-long, 96-mile backpacking trip along the Oregon coast and the literal rainforests there to put it through its paces. The Cloud Cipher ($310) is the brand’s newest, most high-end shell made of a signature DrySpell fabric that Mountain Hardwear claims is rigorously lab-tested to be fully waterproof, as well as breathable and durable. In addition to my week in Oregon, I wore the…

I bought the Skwama because of Babsi Zangerl. I remember watching videos of Zangerl, one of the best climbers in the world, free climbing on El Cap in a pair of La Sportiva Skwamas ($220) and thinking, I need those shoes. Buying a pair didn’t automatically help me send 5.13+ big walls, but over the last 7 years of testing them on granite, limestone, and sandstone across Europe and the Western United States, they quickly became a favorite in my quiver. This soft, slipper-like shoe is aggressively downturned, allowing for precise control over your footwork. It excels on steep terrain…

For many of us, no outdoor adventure is complete without time out on the water. Whether it’s by boat or kayak, or just visiting a beach, nothing says the great outdoors like the open water. While states like California and Florida tend to get the most attention for their coastlines, don’t sleep on Michigan. It’s got over 3,000 miles of pristine shoreline along the Great Lakes, with plenty of state parks and campgrounds to explore. If you’re looking to escape summer heat, plan an activity-filled family vacation, or venture into the backcountry, Michigan state parks are the place to be.…

Final Call for Tigerstripe Gear from Wilde Custom Gear The fabric is gone. The gear is next. Our Limited Edition Vietnam Tiger Stripe run is coming to an end. The fabric has been depleted, and what remains is the final inventory of this legendary camouflage pattern. No restock. No second run. No backorder. Once a configuration sells out, it will not be made again in Vietnam Tiger Stripe. If you’ve been waiting to grab a plate carrier, chest rig, belt system, holster, or magazine pouch in this pattern, this is your last shot. Built in small batches. Made in the…

Since he retook office in 2025, President Trump has pursued resource extraction on public lands. From expanding drilling in Alaska to shrinking national monuments in Utah, his Department of the Interior (DOI) has explored the potential economic output of federal lands, prompting fierce public debate. The latest area in question lies next to Chaco Culture National Historic Park, an important locus of Indigenous culture in New Mexico. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has begun official proceedings to open over 330,000 acres to mining, oil, and coal development. What Is Chaco Culture National Historic Park? Located in northwestern New Mexico,…

By Matthew McClellan Posted in #Gear The first thing that stood out when I got the KAER safe into position wasn’t any single feature — it was the balance of it. I like it. It’s not too heavy nor too big. It feels weighty in position and secure in place. It’s not something you want to move casually about the house. You pour a lot of time into choosing the right gun safe, and then there’s the preliminary process of securing it to the floor. It’s something you can overlook at first, but your safe is a…

There are points throughout the year when half my time is hiking just to clear obstructed trails. From clearing winter storm damage in spring, to maintaining and managing downed trees and brush following intense, pop-up thunderstorms in summer, there’s little downtime. The best way to attach these chores is to use both an axe and a saw (chainsaws aren’t an option when power equipment in a state forest becomes political). A few years back, Zippo released an outdoor AxeSaw. Basically, if a hatchet and a bow saw had a baby, this would be it: a hatchet with a saw blade…

Eastman Tiger Stripe Short Brim Boonie A new addition to the Eastman Combat Collection, our Vietnam era boonie is an exacting reproduction of an incountry made original, this piece is entirely made in Japan and in stock now in the ELC webstore. Few other pieces of gear are as iconic of the US involvement in South East Asia as the boonie hat. It was both functional in the climate and a custom expression of personality. While being the most practical headwear for jungle insurgency, Tiger Stripe boonie hats were often worn by Special Forces and recon troops to show their…

It’s not just dynamic and fragile waters that connect the passionate anglers who define the fishing culture of South Florida. In episode 2 of Common Currents, we see how three particularly fish-minded folks also share a larger, selfless desire to protect and preserve healthy habitats. Experience a day in the life of these anglers’ home waters: tarpon fishing with Capt. Chris Wittman; shooting for the Charlotte Harbor Slam with Alycia Downs’s family; and appreciating the natural movement of local aquatic life with Emily Hanzlik. Watch episode 1 of Common Currents to learn more about the interconnected ecosystem of the Florida…

FirstSpear Friday Focus: Low Visibility Plate Carrier (LVPC) Protection doesn’t have to announce itself. The FirstSpear LOW VISIBILITY PLATE CARRIER is engineered for the modern operator who demands maximum performance with minimal presence. Designed for plainclothes operations, undercover roles, and urban environments where stealth is non-negotiable, the LVPC combines a discreet profile with advanced functionality that full-duty carriers are built around. Front-integrated shoulder straps reduce obstruction and keep your silhouette clean, while a compression fit on the user side keeps plates locked in place and out of the way. Features: Low-Profile Design for Plainclothes Operations Placard-Ready with Full Loop Surfaces…