The North Face Chrysalis 20 ($375)

Best for Weight Savings

If pack space is limited and distance is the goal, the Chrysalis is a trustworthy companion. It weighs just under two pounds and packs down to the size of a bread loaf, courtesy of 900-fill down. For this reason, one tester brought it along for 50 miles and two 22-degree nights in Utah鈥檚 Bears Ears National Monument. 鈥淎fter beating up my body all day, the anticipation of crawling into this soft cocoon was the motivation I needed to finish the hike back to camp,鈥� our tester said, crediting the 64-inch shoulder, 59-inch hip, and extra-roomy 47.5-inch footbox girths. On another trip, into Wyoming鈥檚 Wind River Range, our tester packed the Chrysalis among climbing equipment. Its abrasion-resistant ripstop nylon compression sack emerged unscathed, though the bag鈥檚 15-denier ripstop nylon shell (coated with a non-PFC DWR finish) is finer than most. Weight savings come from reduced insulation in the bottom panels (pair this bag with a high-R-value sleeping pad) and a smaller than average hood, which doesn鈥檛 hold a pillow inside. 1.9 lbs (regular); 20掳; unisex regular, long

Sitka Kelvin Aerolite 30 ($399)

Best for Versatility

Why choose between a sleeping bag and a parka when you can have both? When zipped, the Kelvin Aerolite takes the shape of a traditional mummy bag. But it鈥檚 the multifunctional design that helps justify the admittedly high price: a two-way, full-length center zipper allows you to roll the footbox up and stow it via an aluminum hook and a nylon webbing loop. That, plus zippered arm holes ringed with draft tubes, transform the bag into a knee-length layer for hanging around camp. 鈥淲aiting for the sun to warm the Zion West Rim Trail, I converted the bag to a jacket and happily got up to start the group coffee,鈥� one tester said. The synthetic fill kept another tester warm in 32-degree temps in Denali National Park. The bag鈥檚 66-inch chest and 60-inch hip girths offer room to layer. 2.3 lbs (regular); 30掳; unisex regular, long

Mammut 32 Trail ($100)

Best Value

Weighing just over three pounds and packing down to the size of a large watermelon, this budget-friendly synthetic bag shines for car camping trips and on short backpacking excursions. The Trail鈥檚 62-inch shoulder and hip girths, plus a 30-inch footbox, kept one tester cozy but not claustrophobic during a rainy, 32-degree night at 11,000 feet on Colorado鈥檚 Berthoud Pass. On a 55-degree night in Chatfield State Park, Colorado, the oversize hood fit our tester鈥檚 favorite pillow from home and the full-length, two-way zipper kept clamminess at bay. The Trail鈥檚 shredded synthetic insulation allows for a baffle-less design, so there are no stitch holes to let heat escape and fewer threads to tear or pull. While this construction doesn鈥檛 allow the Trail 32掳F to loft up, testers reported the synthetic fill doesn鈥檛 clump, and when temps dropped to freezing, the warmth was evenly distributed from head to toe. The bag鈥檚 63-denier polyester shell is more durable than most. 3.1 lbs (regular); 32掳; unisex regular

Montbell Seamless Burrow Bag #3 ($159)

Best for Warm Weather

On the hottest nights, we chose the Seamless Burrow Bag. The synthetic insulation is minimal, but it lofts more than similar bags. Credit a combination of cylindrical and angular polyester fibers, which stack like a losing game of Tetris and thus increase airiness. One tester reported that he didn鈥檛 sweat out the bag after five 45-degree nights in North Carolina鈥檚 Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On a two-week road trip down the Pacific coast, another tester used the full-length, two-way zipper to ventilate and reported that the DWR treatment repelled condensation on muggy mornings. Comfort bonus: the bag鈥檚 seamless construction trades baffles for internal elastic stitching that expands and contracts to match your sleeping position. The Seamless Burrow packs down to the size of a rugby ball. 2.1 lbs; 32掳; unisex regular, long

Exped Ultra 3R ($150)

Best for Comfort

Striking a balance between lightness and comfort, the Ultra 3R pad helps you go the extra backcountry mile. 鈥淚t kept my pack weight down for one of my longest mileage days to date,鈥� one tester said after heading into Wyoming鈥檚 Titcomb Basin. Another tester, after a trip in Oregon鈥檚 Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, lauded the pad鈥檚 three-inch thickness, fortified with insulating and cushy microfibers. 鈥淚t was comfortable in all sleeping positions,鈥� said the tester. 鈥淢y knees, back, and shoulders never felt uncomfortable.鈥� The 72-by-20.5-inch rectangular pad has lengthwise baffles, wider at the edges and slimmer in the middle, creating a cradling effect to keep sleepers centered. The Ultra 3R鈥檚 recycled, 20-denier ripstop polyester face fabric offers average durability, and an inflation sack eases setup. 1 lb (medium); 2.9 R-value; medium, medium/wide, long/wide

NEMO Astro Insulated ($140)

Best for the Environment

After more than a decade of success, this time-tested pad gets a sustainability makeover for 2022. For one thing, its 75-denier polyester shell is now 100 percent recycled. Still, it endured seven nights of sleeping directly on California鈥檚 High Sierra granite without signs of abrasion. Its rectangular shape鈥�72 by 20 inches, and 3.5 inches thick鈥攌ept testers warm on a ten-day backpacking trip in Colorado鈥檚 San Juan Mountains, where temps dropped below 40 degrees. A 2.6 R-value provides three-season comfort, thanks to 100 percent post-consumer recycled synthetic insulation. Still, the Astro Insulated packs down a bit smaller than a Nalgene. The included pump-sack reduces the blowup time from three-plus minutes to just under one and can extend the pad鈥檚 life by keeping delamination and mold-growing moisture at bay. (The updated non-insulated Astro now clocks a 1.5 R-value and packs slightly wider than a tube of cinnamon rolls.) 1.5 lbs (regular); 2.6 R-value; regular, long/wide

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The past 20 years have been a roller coaster for instant photography. In 2008, it would stop producing its iconic instant film, following a series of bankruptcies and factory closures. Many worried it was the end of an era. Digital photography had weakened the titan, and there didn鈥檛 appear to be any other companies poised to take its place. (Polaroid鈥檚 extensive instant-film and -camera patents stunted what other brands like Fujifilm and Kodak could engineer and produce.) As the century鈥檚 first decade came to a close and smartphones began to enter the scene, the market for instant cameras looked anything but promising.听

But behind the scenes, Polaroid鈥檚 collapse opened up opportunities. With the patents expired, Fujifilm and Kodak quickly made up for lost time.Throughout the 2010s, they brought new instant cameras and films to market. Simultaneously, analog camera aficionados in Europe hustled to save Polaroid鈥檚 film technology. In 2009, a group in the Netherlands called the Impossible Project the last-standing Polaroid factory and began producing film and cameras (and last year they ). Meanwhile, the Austria-based Lomographic Society International sustained old Soviet instant-camera technologies all the while inventing new cameras and films.听

Now,听with millennial and Gen Z creatives drawn to its vintage appeal and tactile value, the rebound is reaching new heights. Digital smartphone photography presents a paradox鈥攁n endless scroll of images that exist everywhere yet nowhere. Polaroids, which are meant to be held and smelled and shared, can be an antidote.听

They also present a very low barrier to entry. Compared to other film cameras, instant models are cheap and easy to use. They鈥檙e also typically more durable. 鈥淧olaroids aren鈥檛 as fragile as normal cameras,鈥� says Rosalie Anderson, an analog photographer based in Austin, Texas. And with the ability to share physical photos on the spot, they help build community. 鈥淚 fell in love with being able to carry mine around everywhere and having photos not only for myself but to give as moments to people.鈥澨�

With more instant cameras available than ever before, we tested a variety of new models to determine what works best for traveling, camping, and general adventuring.

Most Iconic

Polaroid Now ($100)

If nostalgia is what you鈥檙e after, the delivers. This is the latest in the evolution of Polaroid鈥檚 original OneStep cameras: a boxy frame and bottom-feeding film slot, evoking the fun-and-flirty vibes first made famous in the seventies. Once printed, the Now鈥檚 photos deliver warm, soft hues that feel timeless. Upgrades include an autofocus feature that chooses between two lenses according to the subject and light conditions, plus a nine-second self-timer button. Batteries are USB rechargeable. Compatible with i-Type and 600 film.

Most Sophisticated

Lomo鈥橧nstant Square Glass ($100)

Unlike other instant cameras, this is built with glass lenses, yielding pics with comparatively sharp definition. A blend of manual and automatic settings enhance creative control. Click on auto mode and the camera will adjust shutter speed, aperture, and flash output for you, ensuring that every shot is properly exposed. Or manipulate the exposure yourself. Selfies and group photos can be staged via the included remote control. The camera is the size of a PB&J sandwich when folded and takes CR2 batteries (not included). Compatible with Fujifilm Instax Square film.

Most Packable

Polaroid Go ($100)

Never underestimate the small fry. In 2021, Polaroid introduced its tiniest听and lightest camera yet, the , which spits out mini square photos no bigger than a听matchbox. The Go is about the size of a pear and weighs half a pound without a film pack鈥攕mall and light enough to fit in most bags or jacket pockets. We tossed it in the glove box during a weekend road trip and carried it onto an airplane. The photos are like tiny versions of a classic Polaroid, with the same iconic warm hues and softness. Batteries are USB rechargeable, and each charge lasts for 15 packs of film. Compatible only with Polaroid Go film.

Most Versatile

Kodak Mini Shot 3 Retro ($155)

Why choose between a camera and a printer when you can have both? The functions as an instant camera鈥攑oint and shoot, and a photo prints out. But it also doubles as a printer for your smartphone shots. Connect via the Kodak Instant app, and print straight from your digital photo gallery. When shooting from the camera, a small LCD viewfinder allows you to preview your snaps before printing, and you have the option of printing with or without a white border. The results听are sharp and vibrant. Recharge via a USB. Compatible only with a Kodak Instant Print 3×3 cartridge.

Best for Selfies

Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1 ($100)

The is among the easiest instant cameras to operate. Turn it on and toggle between two focus ranges (regular and close-up) by rotating the ring around the lens. Even better, a reflective selfie mirror positioned next to the lens makes it possible to perfectly frame your shot, so you don鈥檛 wind up with cropped faces or missing smiles. Photos eject from atop the camera and develop with cool, blue tones鈥攇reat for shooting outside. Its two CR2 batteries (included) last about 30 packs of film. Compatible only with Fujifilm Instax Square film.

Best Wide Shot

Lomo鈥橧nstant Wide Camera ($150)

In 2015, the Lomography team launched the , a descendant of an old Soviet camera model. It prints on rectangular 4.2-by-3.3-inch听film sheets (exactly twice as wide as the Instax Mini film). With three听easy-to-adjust focusing distances, this camera can capture close-up portraits of friends hanging around the campfire, medium-range objects between three and six feet away, and long-range landscape photos with equal finesse. An included remote control helps facilitate selfies and group photos. Nearly eight inches wide and weighing just under two pounds, this was the biggest and heaviest among the cameras we tested. It takes AA batteries (not included). Compatible with Fujifilm Instax Wide film.

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Professional triathlete听Nicole DeBoom wanted a functional garment that could help her compete without sacrificing style. It was 2003鈥攖he height of the pink-it-and-shrink-it era鈥攁nd听she听was tired of sacrificing femininity to work out and race听in men鈥檚 clothing. 鈥淚 saw the power [skirts] gave to athletes like Venus and Serena Williams听on the courts,鈥� she says, 鈥淚 was like, that鈥檚 what I want. I want something that鈥檚 going to make me feel good, and by feeling good, I鈥檓 going to have more confidence.鈥�

DeBoom took matters into her own hands. She began working with the wicking, quick-drying, silky fabrics she knew well from her years of triathlon training听and collaborated with a designer and production facility to create a 鈥渞ace-belt skirt鈥� prototype to wear to the 2004 Ironman Wisconsin. 鈥淚t felt a little bit like a loincloth,鈥� she听says, 鈥渂ut the truth is听I just wanted something to cover my butt, and this did the trick.鈥� DeBoom won听and invested the $5,000 race purse into what would become , the first running-specific听skirt company.听

At the Austin Marathon in 2005, DeBoom showcased two styles with built-in compression shorts that had pockets on the thighs听and were specifically designed to not ride up. Race attendees crowded her booth. Within a year, Skirt Sports had created five styles and sold thousands of units. Not long after, a handful of larger brands, like Nike and New Balance, started adding running-specific skirts to their product lines.听

Eight years later, one hiker听had her own skirt awakening. Long-distance athlete Mandy Bland wanted a skirt without liner shorts, something she could wear for months on the trail. So she took to her sewing machine, hacking together prototypes from thrifted hiking pants, and eventually started selling them from her home in Oregon under the brand name Purple Rain.

Over the past decade, active skirts have worked their way into the mainstream. Aesthetics aside, skirts have many practical benefits in the outdoors. Former Appalachian Trail unsupported speed-record holder Liz 鈥淪norkel鈥� Thomas听appreciates the modesty and efficiency skirts offer. Changing long underwear, especially around other people, is much more convenient with a skirt versus hiking shorts. More important is the storage.听Thomas remembers hiking with maps and guidebooks stuffed in her bra. 鈥淲ith skirts it was like, oh my god, someone鈥檚 finally made something that has plenty of pockets that can fit a map or a small guidebook,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat was a total game changer for me.鈥� Triple Crown hiker听Tyler 鈥淧rodigy鈥澨齃au has been hiking in skirts since 2019听and points out another important benefit: hygiene. 鈥淭he ventilation just keeps those areas clean and aired out.鈥�

From skirts to skorts to kilts, there are more options than ever before. (鈥淪kort鈥� technically refers to a skirt with shorts built in, though many products with integrated shorts are labeled as skirts. 鈥淜ilt鈥� is presented across the industry as a more gender-neutral term. The number of choices is overwhelming, so we combined the advice of product designers, hikers, and runners with a series of field tests to find the best-performing skirts for a variety of activities.听

Best Everyday Running Skirt

Blyss Running Blyss Skirt II ($81)

A high-waisted fit, secure pockets, sweat-wicking spandex, and a flattering cut听made the听 the one we returned to again and again. (An alternate accolade for this skirt: 鈥渂est twirl.鈥�)听On a high-alpine jaunt outside Bishop, California, we tucked a phone into one of the thigh pockets, snacks into the other one, and secured听our car keys into the back zippered pouch. Elastic听sewn around the thigh openings means the five-inch compression shorts didn鈥檛 ride up and everything we carried听stayed firmly in place.听

Best Ultrarunning Skirt

Ultimate Direction Hydrolight Skirt ($85)

When training miles ramp up or temperatures rise, the delivers efficiency and comfort. Two included 300-milliliter water bottles tuck into听pockets on the back of the hips. They鈥檙e made from compressive stretch mesh that holds the bottles in place with no bouncing or slipping.听An expandable unzippered pocket at the small of the back听allows you to tuck in a phone, snacks, and even a light jacket. Five-inch compression shorts and 眉ber-light materials kept chafing at bay and prevented us from getting too sweaty on an 80-degree long run in Boulder, Colorado.

Best Day-Hiking Skirt

Eddie Bauer Sightscape Horizon Pull-On Skort ($60)

Simplicity reigns with this DWR-treated, UPF 50 . Two zippered pockets easily fit phones听yet all but disappear when empty, and the 3.5-inch liner shorts are soft and formfitting but not compressive. A curved cut allows plenty of room for movement without causing the skirt to ride up or otherwise compromise modesty. We wore it up Golden, Colorado鈥檚 Lookout Mountain, followed by post-hike drinks at a local brewery, where we fit right in with the after-work crowd.听

Best Thru-Hiking Skirt

Purple Rain 国产吃瓜黑料 Skirt ($72)

There鈥檚 a reason why the is a favorite among seasoned thru-hikers of all sizes and genders. The large cargo pockets fit everything from phones and trail maps to small guidebooks and plenty of snacks, while the seamless听four-inch yoga-style waistband is soft and stretchy. This听design adapts to the weight fluctuations common during long hikes听and does so more comfortably than skirts with elastic drawstrings or rigid seams. Its hem is 19 to 22 inches, depending on size, and is designed to reach the knees. A DWR finish fends off both precipitation and camp food spills. The best part: Purple Rain made its skirt without听integrated liners, so hikers can choose their own layering system or embrace the ventilation benefits of going sans shorts altogether.

Best Multisport Skort

Maloja Germerm ($99)

This calls back to 鈥�90s playgrounds with a front that looks like a skirt and a back that passes as shorts. The design adds a feminine flair while remaining functional for activities like biking, hiking, and scrambling. Those who eschew the look or feel of compression bottoms will appreciate the Germerm鈥檚 lightweight听seven-inch shorts, which hang loosely from your waist. And while the the sole pocket (sewn into the skirt flap atop the right thigh) isn鈥檛 quite big enough for large smartphones, there鈥檚 enough room under the garment to fit a cycling chamois when heading out on听a longer ride.

Best Rain Skirt

ULA Rain Kilt Skirt ($35)

Rain skirts deliver the same protection as rain pants, but you don鈥檛 have to pull them听over your shoes. Instead, wrap this ankle- or calf-length around your waist. It Velcros shut along the side听and has an adjustable elastic tensioner to dial in the fit around the waist, which can expand from 24 to 54 inches. The design compared to rain pants,听without constricting movement. It also听weighs less than four ounces and stuffs down to the size of a breakfast burrito.听

Best Camping Skirt

Montbell Superior Down Trail Skirt ($79)

This听 came with us on camping weekends, road trips, and alpine starts in the mountains. On a bouldering mission听in Bishop, California, its 800-fill down insulation and side panels made of stretchy, wicking fleece allowed us to boost our core temp while warming up for the day or winding down at night.听

Best Plus-Sized Hiking Skirt

Skirt Sports Happy Girl Skirt ($74)

From the gym to the trails, the balances coverage, mobility, and convenience. Loved by ultrarunners听, this skirt uses a proportional fit model for the upper end of the size range. In other words,听designers听didn鈥檛 just take their size small and scale it up. Instead, Skirt Sports鈥櫶�1X, 2X, and 3X offerings are made听with feedback gleaned from a yearlong focus group with people of wide-ranging body types. Seven-inch compression shorts feature phone-sized pockets on the outside of each thigh, plus an eyelet for threading corded headphones听and a zippered back pocket. The UV 50+ finish is an added bonus.听

Best Skort for Men

Purple Rain 国产吃瓜黑料 Kilt ($77)

Purple Rain鈥檚听 is designed for all types of bodies. In the front, two overlapping layers of fabric maximize coverage while allowing the range of motion necessary for people with long legs. A two-inch听yoga-style waistband delivers comfort, and the two cargo pockets are large enough to stash both food and navigation accessories. Perhaps the coolest feature:听two snaps at the hem convert the kilt into shorts, which some male-identifying hikers found helpful while hitchhiking for supply runs or听traveling through more conservative locales.听

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Paco, a red heeler puppy, came into听my life like most other high-stakes things my husband and I have under our roof鈥攁fter听months of theoretical deliberation, then a swift Craigstlist purchase when we spotted a good deal. We knew that being first-time dog parents would test us on many levels, but there was one thing I鈥檇 failed to consider: as much as Paco disliked being on a leash, I liked it even less. And while having a well-behaved dog like Paco听off-leash is听OK in select places, I knew he听would often need to be tied to me if we wanted to venture into听public spaces, which includes most trails near my home in Boulder, Colorado.

My mother-in-law sent us our first running leash, a static strip of black nylon webbing that I could Velcro听around my waist and clip to his harness. I felt like we had a heavy-duty umbilical cord stretched between us. He pulled. I pulled. He couldn鈥檛 sniff freely. I couldn鈥檛 go around the block without feeling like I had to pee, because the strap compressed my bladder. Thus began the hunt for the best leash for dogs that pull. All I had to do was sift through the blackhole-vortex of dog gear. No big deal.

A full dog-running system involves three components: a harness for the pup, a waist belt for the human, and a tether to connect the two. Companies make听many variations of听this basic setup. Some sell sets, others sell individual components 脿听la carte.

I reached out to听people who run with dogs, and it was immediately clear which setup听would win a popularity contest. 鈥淭he Roamer leash by Ruffwear is my favorite!鈥� says , a dog mom and professional ultrarunner听from Washington. 鈥淚 like the bungee for a bit of give if she chases a squirrel. If she鈥檚 off-leash, I just wrap and clip the rest of the leash around my waist.鈥� Moehl听and her miniature Australian shepherd, PD, are sponsored by Ruffwear, but听the dog-leash brand is the only one she鈥檇 ever considered working with.

Professional ultrarunner Cat Bradley, who lives in Nederland, Colorado,听also uses the Roamer, as do听Ray Nypaver, a trail runner and running coach based in Estes Park, Colorado, and Alex Hasenohr, an Oregonian听who logs听as many as 60 miles a week with her dog, Otto. On my own local trails, it seemed liked every other dog was rocking one of Ruffwear鈥檚 colorful tethers.

Based on these听popular recommendations, I figured the Roamer was a safe bet, but听I wanted to make sure. So听I sought out as many different leashes and harnesses as I could find.听I wound up with 11 products听from six different brands, and听Paco听and I spent a week testing each brand鈥檚 versions. By the end of the six weeks, we鈥檇 covered over 100 miles together.

Note: there isn鈥檛 much standardization across pet products, so double-check each brand鈥檚 measurements; for example,听Paco wears harnesses ranging from small to large, depending on the brand.听

The Best Dog Leash and Harness System

Ruffwear Roamer Bungee Dog Leash ($40) and Hi and听Light Lightweight Dog Harness ($40)

Sure enough,听the Roamer led the pack in our test.听It combines a leash and waist belt into a single no-frills piece that鈥檚 easy to use. The听bungee tether has an adjustable, buckle-clip waist loop on one end that attaches to the human,听and a carabiner on the other end to clip into a dog鈥檚 harness or collar. Right off the bat, I loved the pinching carabiner clip system, which eliminates the finger-dexterity frustrations and metal-ring fidgeting that I鈥檝e experienced with traditional pull-down bolt snaps on most leashes.

It was the leash鈥檚 elastic, however, that changed everything for me. Unlike other bungee leashes on the market, Ruffwear integrates the elastic into its webbing, so there鈥檚 a smooth dispersion of force up and down the leash鈥攏ot too stiff, not too loose鈥攚ith no bunching. Minimalist padding along the adjustable waist loop (which can get听small enough for a wrist, so you can wear the leash however makes most sense for you), adds even more comfort. I don鈥檛听feel like my stomach will be crushed if Paco pulls, and I have more time to react to his movements.

When it debuted in 2003, the Roamer was one of the first leashes made specifically for 鈥渁dventure dogs.鈥� With years of refinement and feedback from Ruffwear鈥檚 189听human听product testers, Patrick Kruse, the company鈥檚 founder, told me that the Roamer鈥檚 most reported failure鈥攚orn-out and overstretched elastic鈥攔esults听from a mix of poor treatment and time. The materials simply begin to break down, he says, similar to what 鈥測ou would see in climbing rope听when you or your dog steps on it听or grinds sand in it.鈥� After听only a month of use, ours is still perfectly shock absorbent. Our only gripe is the weight of the pinching clip, which can feel bulky and cumbersome on a system that鈥檚 otherwise ideally听slimmed down. It鈥檚 sturdy, though, and Paco doesn鈥檛 seem to mind that it occasionally听bounces off his shoulder.

I paired the Roamer with Ruffwear鈥檚 Hi and听Light harness, a minimalist model with thin chest and back panels. The leash attaches to a metal ring on the back, and when we take off down the trail, Paco hardly seems to notice听he鈥檚 wearing anything. There鈥檚 also a small sleeve on the back panel, perfect for stashing poop bags or dog tags.

The Best of the Rest

Kurgo Journey Air Harness ($55) and听Quantum 6-in-1 Dog Leash ($30)

Kurgo鈥檚 Journey Air harness features sturdy front and back panels and leash attachments on听the chest and spine. Padding, an easy-to-grab back handle, and reinforced webbing loops on the chest make this the听perfect choice for dogs that need to be secured at the bottom of a rock-climbing crag, on a raft, or in the back of a truck. For running, however, these added components feel superfluous.

On its own, the 6-in-1 leash is by far the most versatile of the bunch. The human side adjusts to sling around a wrist, waist, or torso (messenger-bag style)听and has a carabiner that attaches to various points along the leash. This means you can adjust the length from three to six feet without having to unclip your dog. My only beef: the leash is not elasticized. On wide-open terrain, the Journey Air鈥檚 chest-clip system does keep Paco closer to me and pulling less. But I felt primed to trip over him听if he was in the lead, and he was prone to stepping over the leash on rocky or steep terrain (this happened听because, when clipped to the front chest panel, the leash tended to sag onto the ground on climbs as our pace slowed).

听

Ruffwear Trail Runner System ($70)

Ruffwear鈥檚 Trail Runner System consists of a waist-pack belt and the 眉ber-lightweight Ridgeline leash ($25听on its own). Like a fanny pack, the belt has pockets and a water-bottle holder,听but it also comes with a听leash attachment that works like a horizontal zip line: a听length of webbing across the front of the pack allows your pup a wide range of lateral movement if they鈥檙e running in front of you. A quick-release buckle on one side also enables you to free Fido with a flick of the wrist.

While I generally like the idea of having storage space around my waist, ultimately this belt felt too cumbersome for a short trail run (the weight of a full water bottle while running loosens the belt over time)听and redundant for longer runs, when I鈥檇 be wearing a running vest with water and snacks anyway. That said, it鈥檚 an ideal system for people who take their dog on short hikes and don鈥檛 want to carry a backpack.

Orvis Personalized Reflective Harness听($40)

Curious about minimalist harnesses, we took Orvis鈥檚 Reflective model to the trails. Without any chest or back panels, it was easy to adjust the straps to Paco鈥檚 body. Meanwhile, a closed-loop system eliminates the loose flaps you鈥檇 typically find on a harness built for so much adjustability. Altogether, the Reflective is a great choice for a young dog that will grow听or a multi-dog family.

It is, however,听slightly heavier than the Ruffwear Hi and听Light and Kurgo Journey Air harnesses, both of which have padded panels. The flip side is听having Paco鈥檚 name and my phone number embroidered onto the webbing, which means we can leave his collar home sometimes. For early-morning or late-evening runners, the reflective webbing does its job well.

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If you鈥檙e an active person, surely you鈥檝e heard听these听messages听before: Stretch, it鈥檚 good for you.听And do mobility exercises.听Recovery is the key to health and training progress.

The thing is, they鈥檙e听true. And recovery, especially,听is essential to peak performance and should be treated with the same attention we give to physical training. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 recover properly, you diminish the work capacity you can take on in your next workout,鈥� explains Steve House, a professional climber and coauthor of and Training for the Uphill Athlete. In other words,听if you want to lift more weight, run faster or longer, or increase the intensity of your Zoom HIIT class without getting injured, you鈥檒l need to help your body recover properly in between training sessions. With听many of us spending more time than ever at home, now is听the perfect opportunity to establish good recovery habits.

The array of specialized tools and methods available to help you do this is dizzying, from foam rollers, massage balls听and guns, and听salt or ice baths to听websites, apps, and even lotions. How do you tell the gimmicky from the truly helpful? You ask the pro athletes putting their bodies to the test every day.

Amanda Hankison, snowboarder

Theragun G3 ($399)

After Hankison, a big-mountain snowboarder and filmmaker, broke her leg, she wanted to get back on the slopes as quickly as possible. She maxed out her insurance鈥檚 physical-therapy offerings, then started searching for ways to continue her recovery at home. 鈥淎 few friends had Theraguns, and I always wanted one听but couldn’t justify the cost,鈥� she says. Recovery success stories from fellow athletes convinced her.

Now Hankison uses the brand鈥檚 all the time. Its electric motor produces a 40-pound force that pumps 40 times a second, helping release tension in sore muscles and any area that tends to stiffen around previously broken bones or sprained joints. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 super tired and foam-rolling seems daunting, I can just chill on the couch and use the Theragun,鈥� she says. 鈥淪ounds lazy, I know, but it鈥檚 really effective on hard-to-reach spots like the iliacus muscle,鈥澨齱hich is听deep in the hip.

Karsten Delap, climber

Teeter FitSpine X1 Inversion Table ($330)

Ever since his days playing college baseball, Delap has dealt with lower-back pain resulting from听compressed L4 and L5 vertebrae. Now听a professional climber and the owner of the North Carolina鈥揵ased Fox Mountain Guides, carrying heavy packs听exacerbates that pain. Looking for relief a few years ago, he turned to the听, a听device that decompresses the spine by gently flipping you upside down by the ankles,听allowing gravity to elongate and stretch the body.

鈥淚 look at [recovery] products as a way to sustain training and push limits听but also to keep going through big bouts of work while guiding in the mountains,鈥� Delap says. The table can be customized with acupressure nodes and a lumbar bridge, depending on users鈥� needs, and it can help with general muscular tension, herniated discs, sciatica, and other spinal ailments.

Sunny Stroeer, endurance athlete

Gaia Yoga Subscription ($99 per year)

Most days, Stroeer, an ultrarunner and a mountain , wakes up in a sleeping bag. When she鈥檚 home in Kenab, Utah, however, the 34-year-old likes to start her day with a morning meditation and yoga session. 鈥淣o matter what I鈥檓 looking for鈥攎editation, basic stretches, or a specific flow and mobility focus鈥擨鈥檓 usually able to find it on ,鈥� she says of the wellness website and app.

Stroeer has used the platform to keep both her body and mind limber in between expeditions for the past two years. It offers more than a thousand yoga, meditation, breath-work, Pilates, and body-weight cardio videos, ranging from a five-minute Care for Tired Shins听class to 90-minute full-body vinyasa flows. Members can filter the options by body part, duration, and sport.

Chlo茅 Dygert, cyclist

NormaTec Full Body Recovery System Pulse Pro 2.0 ($2,895)

In the final months leading up to the 2016 Olympics, world champion U.S. track cyclist Dygert was logging dozens of hours in the saddle each week. To maintain her giant workload, she started using听, a compression massage device that boosts blood flow. (Dygert is now听sponsored by the company.) Users slide their arms, legs, or hips into sleeves that inflate, squeeze, and pulse in a series of patterns designed to reduce lactate buildup, minimizing fatigue and increasing mobility.

Dygert travels with it everywhere. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a tool that I trust and have used at every big event I鈥檝e competed at since,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 generally use them right after a long training day to flush the legs out. Then on race day, or the day of a big workout, I will flush the legs a few hours prior.鈥�

Emily Harrington, climber

JL Essencials Remedy Relief CBD Balm ($69)

Though Harrington, a professional climber, now resides in California, she grew up in Boulder, Colorado, where her aunt still lives and runs听the skin-care company JL Essencials, which makes organic, plant-based salves, oils, and serums. Harrington applies the mixtures to alleviate everything from sore muscles to worn skin.

Her favorite product is the balm, which blends full-spectrum CBD hemp extracts听and arnica, an herb that鈥檚 part of the sunflower family, to soothe aches. Cayenne pepper and peppermint oils stimulate circulation. Altogether, Harrington says, 鈥渋t鈥檚 warm and tingly鈥� and provides quick, relaxing relief.

Steve House, alpinist

MobilityWOD Supernova 80-Millimeter听($39)

House recommends using a small, hard ball like those in the series to roll out tight and sore muscles. 鈥淟ike deep-tissue massage, rolling is often uncomfortable, especially when the targeted area is seriously afflicted,鈥� he听says. 鈥淲hile you鈥檒l feel relief after just a few minutes, don鈥檛 expect a quick fix. You should plan for routine maintenance.鈥�

He budgets five听to twenty听minutes a day for rolling. 鈥淚f you鈥檝e got a knot, then even a couple of minutes on that spot will help. A useful guide is to roll until you feel a change in the tissue, and stop when you are no longer making a change. You should feel some warmth, a relief or release of tension, and a decrease in pain after rolling,鈥� he says. 鈥淒o not roll on bruised tissue or injured areas.鈥�

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What do wild salmon have to do with selling puffies? More than you鈥檇 think, says Alex Lowther, Patagonia鈥檚 creative director and producer of the brand鈥檚 2019 documentary film Artifishal. Like Patagonia鈥檚 eight other feature-length environmental documentaries, Artifishal serves a dual purpose. It鈥檚 an educational tool about the threats facing wild salmon, but also a shrewd marketing strategy that speaks to modern, plugged-in outdoor consumers鈥攆olks concerned with the underlying values of their favorite companies.

Over the past two years, brand-backed films have popped up more and more, covering everything from inspirational athletes to gear to environmental advocacy and stewardship. Mystery Ranch recently partnered with Zion National Park to create a feature-length film highlighting the many ways people use the 100-year-old park. A shorter version will loop in the visitor center for decades to come, which is one of the reasons Alex Kutches, vice president of Mystery Ranch, saw 鈥渁 huge opportunity to give back to one of the places that our business depends on, and show half a million park-goers per year what Mystery Ranch stands for.鈥�

鈥淵ounger people are invested in brands that do more than just sell gear,鈥� said Annie Nyborg, Peak Design鈥檚 director of sustainability. Nyborg spearheaded the company鈥檚 2018 film Grizzly Country. 鈥淸Filmmaking] is part of growing brand awareness today. And it touches audiences who may not rely on social media for brand discovery.鈥�

Abby Schwamm, account manager for Purple Orange, the PR company that helped market The Wilderness Society鈥檚 2019 film Welcome to Gwichyaa Zhee, agrees. 鈥淎 regular marketing message won鈥檛 change viewpoints in the same way a film can,鈥� she said.

And it seems that these documentaries are getting the message out. Artifishal screened more than 500 times globally at Patagonia retail stores and other gear shops, attracting tens of thousands of viewers. And another Patagonia film, Blue Heart, about hydropower in the Balkans, also toured the world, helping generate 175,000 petition signatures the brand says contributed to a European Union resolution against small dams.

There鈥檚 no doubt the strategy is expensive鈥擯eak Design spent $100,000 on Grizzly Country. And it might even mean shifting marketing funds away from the usual advertising channels. Strick Walker, Merrell鈥檚 former chief marketing officer, says the brand doesn鈥檛 do much traditional advertising anymore. 鈥淲e鈥檒l do some print [ads],鈥� Walker said, 鈥渂ut we really believe that the better the content we create, the more people will experience it and share it.鈥�

Neither Merrell, Mystery Ranch, Patagonia, nor Peak Design are looking for immediate return in the form of increased sales. Instead, said Nyborg, 鈥淚t鈥檚 one piece of a complex brand loyalty puzzle.鈥� With films, brands are playing the long game. 鈥淲e have an opportunity to inspire people, and we believe our business will benefit from that,鈥� Walker said.

Brands also cite extra benefits, such as local media attention, attracting consumers to retail partners for screenings, broader consumer reach from festivals鈥攁nd a boost to brand recognition. 鈥淓very major player in the outdoor industry now knows who we are because of [Grizzly Country],鈥� Nyborg said. 鈥淚t started relationships and conversations at the Outdoor Retailer show, and that return is enormous.鈥�

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No one is certain we鈥檒l actually make it to see Monty, a 900-year-old Montezuma bald cypress tree that鈥檚 been rooted in the Rio Grande听basin since before the Aztecs rose to power, or what will happen once we get there.

Ernest Herrera, a wildlife biologist听in south Texas, is one of two scientists taking me to see the tree. University of Texas biology researcher Flor Martinez and Jackie Trevi帽o, Herrera鈥檚 former supervisor and an environmental organizer, are with us, too. All three of them were born and raised along the U.S.-Mexico border, in the Rio Grande Valley.

While we were sitting at the gas station that morning, they joked that it was good they had me, 鈥渁 white girl,鈥� with them this time. They鈥檇 all been told, via friends and the valley鈥檚 environmentalist network, that people had been recently detained by Border Patrol for visiting Monty. They鈥檇 been told not to return.

鈥淓ven folks from the region who are documented are approached, questioned, and even detained,鈥� Trevi帽o says. 鈥淲ithout question, if you go to some of these wild spaces, you are surveilled and viewed as suspect simply for being there.鈥�

Monty stands a few miles east of McAllen, Texas, and a few miles north of Reynosa, Mexico, the border鈥檚 busiest sector. The tree is just 200 yards south of the earthen levee that runs parallel to the Rio Grande,听about a mile from its bank on the edge of the river鈥檚 floodplain.

Montezuma bald cypresses require a lot of water, so much so that the Aztecs named the species ahuehue, 鈥渙ld man on the water鈥�; its seeds will only germinate in water or wet soil. As time and human intervention have moved the river鈥檚 flow about a mile away, it鈥檚 near impossible to get the tree enough nutrients.

With the wall, the federal government is taking control of the Rio Grande Valley鈥檚 final听surviving tracts of native ground听and turning it into a no-man鈥檚-land. For the people who call this place home, Monty, the abuelo of the Rio Grande, represents what鈥檚 at stake in the fight over the president鈥檚 鈥渂ig, beautiful鈥� barrier.

The Department of Homeland Security is building the wall on the levee in accordance with the 1970 U.S.-Mexico treaty, which听prohibits physical barriers within the floodplain. The existing segments, authorized by the 2006 Secure Fence Act, provide a good example of what is to come鈥攊n March 2018, Congress approved $600 million for 33 more miles of border wall here.

The slope on the southern side of the levee has been shaved down to make a dead-vertical rise as tall as a single-story house and plastered with cement. Eighteen-foot rust-colored metal slats stand on top, framing the road that runs up and over the levee.

Less than 5听percent of the Rio Grande Valley鈥檚 native ecosystem remains unchanged or undeveloped since the 1500s.

In addition to providing habitat for the endangered ocelot, a wild cat native to the area, and the star cactus, more than 500 different bird species can be found here. It鈥檚 the confluence of two migratory paths that extend north toward Canada and south toward Mexico. The World Birding Center鈥檚 headquarters are located in the valley, in Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park, and thousands of people flock here each year to see red-crowned parrots, highlighter orange Altamira orioles, silky green jays, white-tipped doves, and more.

The Rio Grande Valley also supports one of the highest concentrations of butterflies in the country听and is home to the National Butterfly Center. Nearly 150 U.S. butterfly species have no habitat left other than what鈥檚 here. According to the center, many won鈥檛 fly over a wall. Unfortunately, for both the wildlife and the people dependent on the millions of ecotourism dollars it supports each year, the earthen levee bisects both the National Butterfly Center and Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park.

About 70 percent or more of both sanctuaries will be sequestered on the south side of the wall if the president鈥檚 national emergency supersedes the congressional package. 鈥淲hat will happen to the animals then?鈥� Max Munoz, the National Butterfly Center鈥檚 grounds manager, asked me.

Environmental experts have been clear: an impenetrable physical barrier cutting across the river basin will be nothing short of devastating, kick-starting the death of the remaining native ecosystem. Nevertheless, the administration has waived 23 environmental laws under the 2005 Real ID Act听in order to expedite construction.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed on behalf of environmental and civil rights groups since construction equipment and surveyors were spotted here in early February. In response, the congressional package signed on February听14 includes provisions that will prohibit the construction of border-wall segments within two other wildlife sanctuaries and one historic landmark, but it still grants $1.375 billion for 55 miles of new border wall in these wildlife refuges and the area where Monty sits.

Herrera,听Martinez, Trevi帽o, and I drove up and over the levee and through the metal slats to reach Monty. When I stopped the car in a shallow patch of dirt on the other side of the wall, Trevi帽o jumped out and skipped straight to the tree.

Herrera walked up to Monty and placed his palm at the base of a beach-ball-sized knot growing from its trunk. 鈥淪tress,鈥� he says. Herrera points out that one of Monty鈥檚 three main branches is听dying听or dead.

Within five minutes, a Border Patrol helicopter听begins circling overhead.

鈥淛ust ignore it,鈥� Herrera says.

The southernmost听150 miles of the river basin known as the Rio Grande Valley is not actually a valley鈥攊t鈥檚 a delta. In the early 1900s, Anglo landowners rebranded the fertile river basin as a valley听to attract ranchers and investors; their campaign transferred landownership from a Latino majority to an Anglo majority within a matter of years, even though almost听the entire population remained Hispanic. Today,听more than a third of Rio Grande Valley residents听are living听in poverty,听nearly three times the national average.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to target these communities,鈥� Martinez says. 鈥淸Proponents of the border wall don鈥檛] care听that they don鈥檛 have access to nature.听It doesn鈥檛 matter, because it鈥檚 so easy to take it from them. It鈥檚 so easy for them to not have a voice.鈥�

Trevi帽o proudly calls herself a 鈥渧alley kid.鈥� She was born and raised in the river delta. So were her mom and dad, though on opposite sides of the river.

She sees the increased militarization of the Rio Grande basin and the wall cutting through it as part of a larger pattern of culture erasure, depriving future generations of valley kids of the opportunity to see the parallels between the land and themselves.

鈥淚 could see myself reflected in the thornscrub and in the native birds and in the native butterflies,鈥� Trevi帽o said. 鈥淭he idea of my children not being able to access that is very heartbreaking.鈥�

Monty has become a symbol for that feeling, rooted in the deep well of resilience that also supplies the Hispanic community the river delta. Last month, dozens of people affiliated with the No Border Wall Movement carried 50 jugs of water to the base of Monty鈥檚 trunk and soaked it.

After the helicopter pulls up from circling over us, I suggest we walk down the dirt road to the top of the levee.

All of a sudden, a Border Patrol suburban is raising dust at our feet. A woman leans out of the window. 鈥淲hat are you doing here?鈥�

Trevi帽o puts on her sweetest smile. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just here visiting the tree, just enjoying nature!鈥�

The woman eyes us all. 鈥淥K,鈥� she says. 鈥淏e careful.鈥� She repeats: 鈥淏e careful.鈥�

It鈥檚 not just Monty, the green jays, or the ocelot that people like Trevi帽o, Herrera, and Martinez are working to defend. It鈥檚 the health of their own roots, too; their nativity is threatened by the administration鈥檚 rhetoric and relentless pursuit of a border wall.

鈥淭hese are things we can reverse, these are things we can fix. It鈥檚 a matter of speaking up and going out and doing what we can,鈥� Herrera says.

Before we leave Monty, Herrera puts his hand on its trunk once more. I ask if it鈥檚 going to die because of the knot and the dead branch. 鈥淥h, no,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t won鈥檛 completely die. It鈥檚 old and strong, but it could use some help.鈥�

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Today鈥檚 enlightened consumers want to minimize their environmental impact, and there鈥檚 no better way to do that than to keep good gear in circulation, rather than replace it. This mentality is largely what shaped Nikwax鈥檚 mission鈥攍ong before reusing Grandma鈥檚 ski jacket and Dad鈥檚 old backpack was considered cool. With high-quality aftercare products, Nikwax provides consumers an environmentally safe process for extending and fortifying gear鈥檚 long-term performance.

The maintenance and repurposing of gear via repair and resale programs is growing increasingly vogue, as proven by the popularity of Patagonia鈥檚 Worn Wear and iFixit missions, REI鈥檚 beloved garage sales and new online Used Gear marketplace, and many more brand-driven recycling and repurposing initiatives across the industry. The longer articles of clothing, backpacks, tents, ropes, and shoes are used, the fewer new items people need to buy鈥攔educing manufacturing production waste, packaging materials, and even product delivery鈥檚 carbon footprint. Focusing on these tenets of gear functionality and an eco-friendly ethos, Nikwax has developed specialized retailer support programs to help retailers sell such points and Nikwax鈥檚 corresponding products鈥攆ive of which are detailed below.

1. Nikwax鈥檚 Display Program

Heidi Allen, vice president of Nikwax marketing, knows the importance of an engaging, yet informative product display. She鈥檚 helped propel Nikwax鈥檚 display program, which retailers can use to organize, advertise and explain its popular waterproofing, weatherproofing, cleaning, and conditioning products.

The display outlines Nikwax鈥檚 environmentally friendly attributes while presenting the products in an approachable and attractive way. With dozens of products that can help maintain, clean, and strengthen high-quality gear, the displays 鈥渉elp customers first identify the product category and then understand each of the products,鈥� Allen explained.

2. Retail Staff Education Program

The folks operating retail stores have anything but extra time on their hands. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not [going to demand they spend] their own breaks watching 20-minute videos,鈥� Allen said.

Instead, Nikwax recently launched a new retail staff education program. Any retailer employee can enroll in the program, and if they do so, they鈥檒l receive their very own 鈥淔eel the Love鈥� kit that includes samples of Nikwax products so they can speak honestly about product experiences. Pocket-sized information booklets are also included for retailer staff; as staff talk with customers, they can whip out the booklets and reference specific details in an engaging, organic way. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to make the information as easy and digestible as possible,鈥� Allen said.

3. Staff Incentives

Employees enrolled in the program are automatically offered steep discounts on all Nikwax products, plus monthly deals including VIP access to new samples, free shipping deals, and more. 鈥淲e really want to get store employees stoked about the products,鈥� said Allen.

4. Seasonal Retailer Support Kits

Changing seasons are the perfect time to capitalize on new themes and new beginnings. Because weather is an integral part of Nikwax鈥檚 existence, it鈥檚 a prime opportunity to highlight the impacts of the brand鈥檚 products, which is why Nikwax sends out seasonal retailer support kits twice a year. Kits include specialized hang tags and table-top displays that help drive home customer awareness of gear care importance, focusing on things like fortified waterproofness, clean weatherproof gear, and additional UV-blocking finishes, depending on the season.

5. Robust Sampling Support

Good work speaks for itself. Nikwax offers product samples for retailers to give out at all sorts of events, be them in-house celebrations, ski movie screenings, gear care event nights, retailer spotlights, or any other kind of gatherings. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very generous with our samples,鈥� Allen said, particularly buy-one-get-one collaborations. 鈥淲e鈥檙e happy to support special programs that [leave customers with] free Nikwax samples.鈥� All you have to do is ask.

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In college, Nick Brown had no clue all of the tinkering and experimenting with chemicals and open flames he鈥檇 been doing in his small North London flat would eventually lead to an industry-disrupting business founded on environmental morals. Back then, he was just a guy who loved walking.

He also happened to be a person who took matters into his own hands. As young as ten years old, Brown would spend his school holidays hiking around Scotland, just a few hundred miles north of his home in Kent, England鈥攁 place that was, at times, even more grey and rainy than his home in the U.K. The only problem he faced while wandering the green hills, seaside cliffs, and rocky summits was that his socks kept getting wet. What he needed, he realized, was something he could apply to his hiking boots that would keep them reliably waterproof, but not soften the leather or diminish the quality of ankle support.

When he couldn鈥檛 find such a product anywhere, Brown sat down at the kitchen table and invented it himself. The year was 1977 and environmentally-friendly business practices were barely even concepts; it would be nearly two decades before the words 鈥渃arbon neutral鈥� would even enter companies鈥� vernacular. 鈥淎ll Brown knew was, from the get-go, he wanted to do things in a fairly principled way,鈥� he told UK Climbing at last year’s OutDoor show in Germany听after Nikwax won its first of two coveted product design OutDoor Industry Awards.

The 鈥淟aurels鈥� building is where the Nikwax team now leads their video conferencing.

On a dare, Nick Brown proves the effectiveness of his waterproofing in a local pond.

Nick Brown鈥檚 First Patent

The pastoral beauty of the Nikwax Headquarters in south England.

Nick鈥檚 Wax Set a New Standard

Almost all of the other waterproofing products in Brown鈥檚 youth were made from concoctions that included petroleum, animal fats, or beeswax. Nick saw the opportunity to create something different. So instead, he ran back and forth between the local hardware store and his home, mixing organically derived chemicals and paraffin waxes together in saucepans, fiddling and fine-tuning along the way. By the time Brown was 22, he鈥檇 dialed the wax鈥檚 perfect ratios鈥攏ow a heavily guarded secret. He鈥檇 also started his business. As a budding outdoor entrepreneur, he believed that business had a responsibility to the environment. When he officially launched Nikwax, he made environmental protection a business objective and a brand value. 鈥淔rom day one, he set out to create a company with a commitment to the environment,鈥� said Heidi Allen, a ten-year Nikwax alum and the current vice president of marketing.

In London, Brown packaged his concoction鈥攚hich he dubbed 鈥淣ikwax鈥濃�攊nto little tins he silkscreened by hand, loaded them into a 鈥減urloined shopping cart,鈥� and delivered them to outdoor gear shops, said Allen.

The wax was a huge success with outdoor retailers. As Nikwax grew, Nick saw the opportunity to create waterproofing for outdoor clothing that could be easily and safely applied in the home. Almost all of the other waterproofing products available at the time were aerosol based, and most contained perfluorochemicals (PFCs), a compound made from carbon and fluorine that鈥檚 held together by one of the strongest bonds ever to exist in organic chemistry鈥攎aking it a terrific tool for keeping water out of whatever it鈥檚 coated with, but also a dastardly environmental interloper. For most of the 20th century, PFCs were applied to performance textiles to increase water repellency, but little did manufacturers know take into account PFCs’ harmful environmental impact.

The PFC bonds take so long to dissolve in fact, that in the early 2000s, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined they 鈥渄o not break down in the environment.鈥� Thus, once PFCs enter watersheds or human and animal bloodstreams, they accumulate indefinitely and can increase the risk of cancer and immune disease.

Brown, who had learned about PFCs while researching different waterproofing technologies, knew he didn鈥檛 want to use them in his waterproofing products. Being very thorough in his ingredient choices, Brown reviewed multiple medical studies on the effects of PFCs. At the time he had a young family, and he couldn鈥檛 in good conscience create a product that contained high levels of these persistent and harmful chemicals. He also did not want to use aerosols or harmful solvents, so he created a wash-in waterproofing product that was water-based and did not use PFCs, but instead a water-repellent elastomer. This was the birth of the TX.10i polymer鈥擭ikwax鈥檚 answer to waterproofing.

Now, more than forty years later, Brown still directs Nikwax鈥檚 operations from the U.K. and can look back with a laugh, reminiscing at how his adolescent tinkerings laid the foundation upon which Nikwax quietly grew into the leather waterproofing鈥攁nd all-around performance fabric solutions鈥攍eader that it is today.

鈥淚t takes a long time and strong commitment to development to create products with clean chemicals and sustainable practices,鈥� Nikwax North America president Brian Davidson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the elements we strongly believe in still to this day…We鈥檝e done it for 40 years, and we鈥檒l keep on doing it.”

Nikwax Becomes Carbon Neutral

Eventually other companies began to catch on to the environment-first ethos, but Brown was already grooving in the fast lane. Only just moving forward wasn鈥檛 enough for Brown. Ten years ago, he decided to pause and look back鈥攈e wanted to offset the entire history of Nikwax鈥檚 carbon footprint. So the company partnered with the World Land Trust, and, year by year, it chipped away at its carbon footprint, working both forwards and backwards at the same time. Last year, on Nikwax鈥檚 40th anniversary, they pushed to offset the rest of the early years that remained鈥攁ddressing the last of the company鈥檚 6,189 total tons of carbon emitted between 1977 and 2017.

They became the first company in the world to be totally carbon neutral since its founding.

Between Nikwax鈥檚 carbon neutrality, its wide range of products, and its commitment to future eco-friendly development, Nikwax has set a strong moral tone for other outdoor gear companies.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited because we鈥檙e seeing the continued movement of the industry focused on how to operate with a high-performing product [and simultaneously] a strong commitment toward environmental safety, clean chemistry, and sustainability,鈥� said Davidson, 鈥渁ll things we鈥檝e had as a part of our company forever.鈥�

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