Wherever the waves take you, you鈥檙e covered.

Columbia Blue Magic ($40)

These shorts are fun and functional. The fabric is a solid color when dry, but get it wet and a pattern appears. Gimmicks aside, Columbia鈥檚 shorts were the lightest we tested. They鈥檙e also exceptionally 颅versatile, offering excellent mobility and UPF 50 protection鈥攁 good choice for long days on the river or at the beach.

United by Blue Seabed Scallop ($68)

Three pockets give these shorts the most carrying options of the bunch. The ladder-lock drawstring keeps the waistband snug, and the eight-inch inseam hits above the knee for unrestrained movement. Sleek styling makes them ideal for hopping between the waves and the bar.

Needessentials Premium Straight Leg ($45)

Minimalists take note: Needessentials never puts logos or graphics on its apparel, focusing on technical features instead of splashy branding. One of the least expensive shorts we tested, the Premium Straight Leg features a dobby weave that creates an air barrier against your skin to reduce chafing. A self-draining zipper pocket holds keys or a bar of board wax.

Kind Designs Colorado River ($60)

If comfort is your priority, these shorts are your best bet. They were the coziest in the mix, and the soft polyester-spandex blend dries quickly and offers four-way stretch. A welded zipper pocket is well placed on the hip for prime convenience. On the feel-good side: $2 per pair goes to eco-nonprofit Western Resource Advocates.

Vissla Fathoms ($60)

Like all Vissla鈥檚 boardies, these are fashioned from a combination of coconut fiber and recycled polyester. The quick-drying, odor-resistant fabric is stretchy and supremely breathable, making the Fathoms the perfect mix of style and function.

RVCA VA Boardshorts聽($55)

With color options that include designs from RVCA鈥檚 Artist Network Program, these trunks check boxes for both performance and flash. The polyester-elastane blend has a DWR treatment for water and stain resistance, and there鈥檚 a hook and loop back-pocket closure to keep valuables secure.

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Bonking is never an option.

The New Primal Sea Salt Beef Thins ($4)

Made with just five ingredients鈥攇rass-fed beef, organic coconut amino acids, garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt鈥攖hese bites make a delicious post-run snack, helping to replenish depleted salt and protein stores. One bag has 13 grams of protein and only a single gram of fat.

Picky Oats Performance Oatmeal ($3)

It鈥檚 possible we love this Bend, Oregon, company鈥檚 oatmeal even more than its signature energy bars. The single-portion pouches are high in fiber, low in sugar, and filled with organic, gluten-free ingredients like beetroot powder, matcha green tea, and chia seeds.

Skratch Labs Anytime Energy Ginger Miso Bar ($3)

Burned out on energy 鈥渇ood鈥�? Let Skratch Labs set you straight. These pre-workout ginger miso bars are refreshingly light, featuring a blend of candied ginger, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Sweet teeth, look away: each bar has just three grams of sugar.

Patagonia Provisions Lemon Pepper Wild Sockeye Salmon ($14)

Before you knock fish from a pouch, give this salmon a try. At only six ounces, it鈥檚 a light and easy way to elevate backcountry cooking: a few pieces drastically improved Top Ramen and mac and cheese.

Nuun Immunity Tablets ($7)

These effervescent tabs contain ingredients that are chock-full of phytonutrients鈥攖he chemicals found in plants that ward off germs and other threats鈥攊ncluding turmeric, ginger, elderberry, and echinacea. A tablet a day kept us healthy through multiple cross-country flights (and too many missed connections).

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Gear that hails our outdoor playgrounds has become a thing in recent years. Much of this is due to the National Park Service鈥檚 centennial in 2016, which stirred up pride in America鈥檚 best idea. More recently, the battle over public lands has provided the inspiration. So far, we think Filson has paid tribute best. Last fall the Seattle brand launched a line of apparel and accessories featuring the iconic badge of the U.S. Forest Service, an acknowledgment of the 34,250 employees who oversee 193 million acres of federally managed trails and woodlands. Our favorite from that collection? The . With tough cotton twill鈥攊n vintage Gifford Pinchot鈥揺sque drab green鈥攁nd leather straps and drawcord, the 25-liter satchel boasts the famed Filson durability prized by folks who鈥檝e been making the most of America鈥檚 natural places for more than a century. $245

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There鈥檚 one thing you should know about me: I鈥檓 a Chaco hiker. Doesn鈥檛 matter the terrain or conditions. I like to feel the breeze鈥攁nd dust, muck, and snow鈥攂etween my toes. Why? To avoid the dreaded blisters that inevitably come with breaking in a new pair of hiking kicks. So when I signed on for a Merrell trip to test the ($170) by tromping 18 miles through the Maroon Bells鈥揝nowmass Wilderness area over three days, I was convinced my feet would be hamburger by the end. Not so.

Our group started at 8,600 feet on the Conundrum Creek Trail and hoofed it damn near 3,000 vertical feet over nine miles to Conundrum Hot Springs. Being late October and after the high country鈥檚 first snow, there were plenty of obstacles along the trail. Exposed roots. Mud. Creek crossings. Talus. More mud. Scree. Ice. Snow. Did I mention there was mud? The Chameleon, available now in men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 models, held up.

What struck me off the bat about the Chameleon was how Merrell鈥攁s the brand has done in the past鈥攎ade such a sturdy shoe at this weight that鈥檚 still forgiving on my dogs. A pair in men鈥檚 size 9 tips the scales at 2.2 pounds, about as light as they come for mid-top hikers. But the shoes easily supported me and my 40-pound pack, keeping me upright on icy stretches.

That鈥檚 thanks to a couple things. First is the new and lightweight Flexplate, a proprietary stabilizer sandwiched between the Vibram rubber outsole and an EVA midsole that provides support without having to beef up other parts of the shoe, thus keeping the overall weight down. This lent the Chameleon more of a trail-runner feel than that of a burly, clunky hiker. It wrapped around obstacles like those exposed roots instead of seesawing over them. Second is the well-structured and cushioned heel (as a heel striker, I especially appreciated this). In it, a molded plastic counter held its shape, while an Air Cushion insert鈥攅ssentially a disc of firmer foam inserted in the midsole under the heel鈥攁dded stability and absorbed shock.

Back in my marathon days, I鈥檇 judge a shoe鈥檚 worth primarily on how my knees felt after powering through 26-plus miles. We weren鈥檛 sprinting along pavement for this test, but after descending the 3,000 feet with the loaded pack in half a day, my knees didn鈥檛 feel like they鈥檇 been ground to dust. I even switched over to actual trail runners for a solo ten miles on the Snowmass singletrack.

Now about that mud. The Chameleon鈥檚 three-millimeter lugs plowed through it and didn鈥檛 slip when the terrain turned icy. And the buttery nubuck upper was comfy and warded off water, thanks to Merrell鈥檚 in-house membrane. When water did creep over the top during creek crossings, the vented mesh panels on the upper allowed the Chameleon to dry quickly.

I鈥檓 not at the point where I鈥檇 fully retire my Chacos, but now whenever I want to move fast with a heavy pack, I鈥檒l turn to the Chameleon 7.

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