Every year听we test a ton听of gear, from bikes听补苍诲听skis听to backcountry apparel and听tech gadgets. Some pieces are award worthy, and others miss the mark. But there are certain ones we keep coming back to听day after day. Here are the products 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 gear editors used the most in 2019.听
Crazy Creek Hex 2.0 Chair ($54)
滨鈥檝别 already written about how much I love my super-packable and听ultra-versatile , but it鈥檚 worth mentioning听again. I took听the taco-esque minimalist chair on nearly every adventure last year听and听never regretted throwing it in my pack. Unlike other camp chairs, Crazy Creek models can roll up to the size of a compressed sleeping pad听and don鈥檛 require heavy construction poles to assemble. (Instead听the brand relies on听nylon webbing and plastic buckles for support.) The other听weekend, I went bouldering with friends, and听this seat was never empty. The insulated foam kept butts warm, comfortable, and out of the dirt. As weary climbers kicked back in it and scratched their dogs,听鈥淚 should get one of those鈥 was a common refrain. Yes, you should. 鈥擬aren Larsen, assistant editor
Hydro Flask 22-Ounce听Tumbler ($30) with Press-In Straw Lid ($35)
I鈥檓 good about remembering to drink enough when I鈥檓 in the mountains, but that stops the minute I get back to the trailhead. I鈥檓 either too tired, too amped, or too focused on getting to the grocery store (i.e., getting to post-run snacks) to remember to drink the one-liter bottle of electrolyte water 滨鈥檝别听stashed in my car. 听补苍诲听听have听turned this around. The vessel holds enough liquid to get me comfortably out of the听dehydration zone without multiple water-fountain refills. More importantly, the lid makes drinking mindlessly easy: there鈥檚 no lid to unscrew, no button-pressing required to get the straw to pop up. It鈥檚 like your basic iced-coffee听to-go cup but听without the waste. No, it鈥檚 not leakproof, since the straw doesn鈥檛 collapse down, so I wouldn鈥檛 take this combo backpacking or on an airplane. But since I got mine, 滨鈥檝别 never gone a day without using it at my desk, and 滨鈥檝别听even considered getting a second one for my car. 鈥擜riella Gintzler, associate editor
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Patagonia Ascensionist Pack ($149)
I bought five years ago, hoping it could be the only one I鈥檇 ever use again. I was, of course, wrong鈥敱踱檝别听purchased and worn other bags since, but none have held up to everyday abuse as well as my trusty Ascensionist. Midway up a multi-pitch climb in Colorado last year, a storm pinned me and my climbing partners to the wall. After a frenzy of hail, snow, and rain, I opened my听pack听and my gear was still dry. A few months later, it showed its first-ever signs of wear (holes), as I squeezed through tight desert chimneys in Utah, scraping听its face fabric like a cheese grater. In addition to its durability, I love its simple, one-chute design and drawstring closure, just what I need for hauling gear and moving fast and light through the mountains. 鈥擩eremy Rellosa, reviews editor
Diamondback Haanjo 7C Carbon Bike ($3,000)
saved my life last year. That may seem a touch hyperbolic, but in August, my wife and I welcomed our first child into the world. It was everything I expected and much more, but I still have the deep-rooted need to get outdoors and exercise every day. In every听regard, the Haanjo 7C delivered (shown here with ). I鈥檇 never been on a gravel bike before this, and I rode it to work daily, took it on lunch rides on the potholed roads of Santa Fe, and wheeled it out my front door and pedaled off on long (for a dad) gravel grinds on weekends. It was my means of adventure, no matter how small, and it opened my eyes to what鈥檚 possible with the right steed. 鈥擶ill Taylor, gear director
Kodiak Fernie Insulated Waterproof Boots ($175)
Picture this: It鈥檚 the dead of winter. You need to take the dog out. You put on your thickest wool socks and lace up your winter boots. But after trudging through the snow, the cold seeps in and your feet become freezing and听wet. I used to know that feeling,听but not anymore. That鈥檚 because听I wore the 听nearly every winter day last year. It keeps my feet perfectly warm and dry, with听soft microfiber lining and a seam-sealed waterproof upper.听I also love that it鈥檚听understated, so I鈥檓 just as likely to wear it on a short hike as I am out to dinner. I plan to stomp through听the rest of 2020 with these boots and never take them off. 鈥擟laire Hyman, editorial assistant