It鈥檚 going to be a huge big-water season here in California, thanks to the snowpack, and I鈥檓 excited to try river rafting with my friends. We already have a weekend trip planned to the Kern in June, but I feel like there are so many fun essentials to buy beforehand that I can鈥檛 find on Google鈥檚 packing lists. Help?
鈥擜spiring River Runner

Dear Aspiring: River rafting is one of the most exhilarating activities you can do, right up there with bobbing for apples, but it can also be dangerous, like shooting heroin. I鈥檒l get to the good stuff in due course鈥攂ut first, let鈥檚 have the obligatory SAFETY WARNING.

Who are you going with? Do your friends actually know what they鈥檙e doing, or are they college-age hooligans, as I suspect? Or maybe you鈥檝e hired a guide? That鈥檚 not a bad idea, because the Kern serves up whitewater that鈥檚 as serious as it gets, so you don鈥檛 want to be in over your head.

Your chances of dying increase exponentially if you鈥檙e not wearing a life jacket. So buy a U.S. Coast Guard鈥揳pproved Class III or V personal flotation device suitable for your weight. A legit local shop will set you right. And when you鈥檙e on the river, wear it. A whopping 84 percent of drownings occur because the person wasn鈥檛 wearing a life jacket, according to that same Coast Guard. You can still have a good time while wearing a PFD, but it can鈥檛 save you if you don鈥檛 have it on.

OK, now back to the fun stuff!

Wait, no鈥攁 few more safety points. The number of sunburned folks you will spot at a busy river take-out rivals the beaches of Canc煤n, Mexico, during spring break. Skin cancer is no joke, people! News flash: getting splashed with water all day might mean you need to reapply sunscreen several times. Please don鈥檛 be like that roasted Boston College bro I once saw whose inner thighs were literally peeling off鈥攗se a lot of high-SPF sunscreen (preferably with zinc, for staying power) and reapply it every two hours.

It also helps to cover up. Those wide-brim straw hats are de rigueur with river guides because they鈥檙e cheap and they work. Look for one with a string to secure under your chin. Remember: you鈥檒l be outdoors, where the wind tends to blow. And speaking of retention, don鈥檛 forget a pair of shades, along with some means of holding them to your head鈥攎ost sunglasses don鈥檛 float.

I also recommend a UPF-rated hoodie, so you don鈥檛 have to slather your whole body with lotion; if you can鈥檛 afford one, a thrift-store Hawaiian shirt will at least help you cover up, and it looks steezy. And if it鈥檚 hot, cotton holds water better than polyester and will keep you cool.

Footwear is also crucial. What type of highly stylish sandals are you going to choose? As long as they strap to your feet (no flip-flops!), you should be good to go. Bedrock, Chaco, Keen, and Teva all make solid footwear with soles designed to provide grip on wet rocks.

But rafting isn鈥檛 all sunshine and rainbows. Just like the wind, precipitation tends to rear its head, even in sunny months. So it鈥檚 wise to pack a thin, synthetic midlayer, in case you catch a chill (fleece is great here), and a solid rain jacket or poncho.

As for the fun part: get out there and go rafting鈥攋ust please don鈥檛 drown!

Send your questions to deargear@outsideinc.com.

The post What Do I Pack for River Rafting? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The good news is that backpacking bags are better than they鈥檝e ever been. The bad news is that there are so many options on the market that it can be hard to choose what you actually need, whether you鈥檙e an experienced backcountry traveler, or someone researching their first weekend trip. To make matters even more difficult, prices for suitable packs range from under $100 (really) to the $700 mark (also: really). But we鈥檙e here to help. In fact, we’re so dedicated to getting you the right pack that we made show about it: introducing “Budget vs. Baller.” The concept? Take packs at three levels (budget, balanced, and baller), and have experts test them against each other in the field.

If you don’t get all your questions answered in the video above, we鈥檝e broken down the three cost levels below. In those sections we鈥檒l talk about the pros and cons of each and make suggestions for what type of backpacker should consider packs in those tiers, so you can find exactly what you want at a price you can afford.

Shopping Tips

Start with a budget. How much money do you have to spend? This is the starting point. There鈥檚 a broad range of prices in backpacking, and you shouldn鈥檛 have to spend a fortune to get a good pack, nor should you buy the cheapest one on the market.

Be realistic about your needs and skills. Are you planning your first backcountry trip? Have you been a dedicated backpacker for years and are looking to step up your game? Having a clear vision for where you are鈥攁nd perhaps where you want to go鈥攚ill help you get something that will suit your current needs. Backpackers frequently buy more pack than they need, so keep that in mind while you鈥檙e shopping.

Buy something that fits. How your pack fits will determine how comfortable鈥攁nd therefore, how happy鈥攜ou鈥檒l be on the trail. We recommend going to a brick-and-mortar store and trying on a range of packs within your budget with the help of an experienced sales person. A more expensive pack won鈥檛 make up for a bad fit.

And now, onto the packs.

Budget

Price Range: $50-$200

Pros: Low cost, low commitment, learning opportunity

Cons: Lack of durability, often lacks basic suspension features, generally poor environmental footprint

Budget might seem like a self-explanatory category, but it鈥檚 much more complicated than that when you dive in. Yes, you can buy a pack from Amazon for $44, but we wouldn鈥檛 necessarily recommend it. Why? Because you might be missing elements that are critical to having a good time on the trail. For example, the $44 pack we mentioned above, does not have a frame. While there are many very expensive ultralight packs on the market that don鈥檛 have frames, this one is not well-designed enough to carry an actual load.

Also, the devil is usually in the details. During testing, the $44 pack had buckles break, which can be a serious problem in the backcountry.

If you can afford it, we recommend spending about $150 on a pack with a frame and other features that will support your specific needs. For that investment, you can get a trustworthy pack that will help you learn about backpacking and the ways you might like to do it in the future.

Example: Nevo Rhino 50 Liter ($44)

Balanced

Price Range: $200-$350

Pros: Usually the best bang for your buck, increased reliability, lots of options

Cons: Not flashy, built for generalists

It will not be surprising to most readers that this is the price range that we recommend for most backpackers. Packs at this level are generally well-thought-out, and the results of years鈥攊f not decades鈥攐f brand experience. They often incorporate high-level designs and materials from higher-end packs, but with cost-saving elements built into the packs too. Think: an aluminum suspension frame versus a carbon or 3D-printed one.

You鈥檒l also find a broad range of use-cases: entry-level ultralight packs, family-haulers, and some very plush weekend trip options. Most brands include entry-level to mid-level packs in their lineup, and you can hardly go wrong if you find one with a good fit and at a volume that鈥檚 suitable for your needs.

If you can afford it, we recommend spending about $250-300 in this category to get basic features in a reliable, structually-sound package.

Example: Deuter Aircontact Core 50+10 ($230)

Baller

Price Range: $350-Infinity

Pros: The best that money can buy; honed to meet specialized needs

Cons: Super high price tag; everything still isn鈥檛 perfect

These are the Cadillacs of backpacking. If you鈥檝e been at this for a while and have very specific needs鈥攍ike if you鈥檙e an ultralight thru-hiker鈥攖his is the range for you. You might also be an older hiker that wants the ultimate in comfort and features. Whatever your needs are, there鈥檚 a pack out there that will get close to delivering everything you want (although there are inevitably drawbacks, no matter how much you spend).

If you鈥檙e shopping in this category and have the budget, spend as much as you need to get the specialized features, materials, and design required for your specific pursuits.

Example: Osprey Unlimited Antigravity 64 ($700)

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The most critical items in any adventure kit are rarely the flashiest. These are the essentials, and they serve as the foundation of comfort and performance in every season. Think: underwear, socks, beanies, base layers. To that esteemed pantheon, I nominate the humble but affordable ($29) from Buff, the versatility of which is nearly unmatched.

That鈥檚 right: a neck tube. But not just any neck tube. I鈥檝e tried many of them, from many different purveyors, and reader, I can assure you that this thin merino-wool number is the one to rule them all.

For starters, the top and bottom seams are flat, which eliminates chafing. Then there鈥檚 the 3.7-ounce, stink-resistant fabric, providing sufficient warmth in winter but still thin enough for sweaty temperatures and high-output pursuits. I use it as a running headband when it鈥檚 cold, a gaiter while skinning laps, a mouth covering on dusty gravel rides, a sweat cloth wrapped around my wrist during summer trail runs, and a nose rag for my children when we鈥檙e out biking (mucous is an ever present feature of the parenting world). I recently pulled it up over my nose and mouth on a shoulder-season backpacking trip when temperatures unexpectedly dipped into the single digits, with sideways gusts and snow flurries, and received jealous looks from those among my co-hikers who were less prepared. If neck tubes had existed when TV action-adventure hero MacGyver was on the air, this is assuredly the one he would have worn.

And this Buff just seems to get softer the more persistently you use it (provided you don鈥檛 get too much snot on it). I have worn it four or five days in a row on backcountry trips and completely forgotten I had it on.

Bonus: the simple sleeve of fabric is only available in muted earth tones鈥擨鈥檓 partial to the mustard yellow鈥攚hich means it blends in outdoors no matter where you are. Personally, I wouldn鈥檛 want to wear a neck tube adorned with flamingoes in a restaurant; this one, on the other hand, looks like a minimalist scarf and thus enhances, rather than detracts from, my in-town style.

When you find something that delivers this reliably, you may want several. I keep an assortment of them stashed everywhere, in the event I forget to pack one before an outing: at home by the front door, in my car, at the office, and stuffed into various bike bags. This is one piece of gear I make sure I have with me wherever I go. In fact, it鈥檚 probably the only one I put on as often as underwear.

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Cheap Means Expendable, Which Also Means Less Stress

By Ariella Gintzler

I was five miles into an eight-mile run, cruising along a sandy, winding trail down a ridge high above Santa Fe, when I yard-saled. I don鈥檛 remember what I tripped over. But I do remember landing belly down in the dirt, with my hat and sunglasses ten feet away in opposite directions. I was fine; my sunglasses, however, were toast. Thankfully, they鈥檇 only cost me $25.

I have expensive taste when it comes to gear: My choice sports bra is over $70. My preferred winter puffy is $300. My favorite running shoes are nearly $200. But sunglasses are an exception. This has to do with the fact that I am both a klutz and can be a tad absentminded when enjoying my surroundings outdoors. Proper care and cleaning only get me so far, because inevitably I drop my sunglasses. Or I stuff them, caseless, into my pocket. I fall and launch them into the dirt. I forget they鈥檙e perched above my hat brim and then send them flying when I remove my cap. In an effort to be mindful, I carefully set them to the side during a trail break, only to sit on them or thwack them with the butt of my backpack while digging for trail mix.

Sure, when it comes to specialty eyewear for specific sports (like goggles for skiing or an endurance shield for road biking), I still rock the pricey stuff. But for everyday use on runs, hikes, and travel days, I鈥檓 perfectly happy with the cheap stuff. Actually, I鈥檓 happier, because I can enjoy myself without constantly worrying about ruining the most delicate and accident-prone part of my kit. Does a $25 pair of shades provide the sharp optics of a $100 or $150 pair? No. But I鈥檓 more than willing to make that sacrifice for some peace of mind.

Expensive Sunnies Offer Exceptional Protection, Optics, and Style

By Will Taylor

As a surfer, cyclist, river rafter, trail runner, and all-around gear tester, I鈥檝e tried just about every variety of sunglasses out there, at the full run of price points. And while I鈥檝e lost some to the bottom of the Pacific, broken others in bike wrecks, and scratched still others beyond any serviceable utility, I remain in favor of spending the money on shades. With apologies to ZZ Top, life鈥檚 too short for cheap sunglasses. Quality eyewear is essential outdoor equipment, protecting one of the most important parts of your body, and it makes life under the sun more enjoyable.

UV-blocking and shatter-resistance ratings are usually impressive with higher-end offerings, so you鈥檙e treating your eyes better. And because superior hardware is used on expensive models, they last longer than the convenience-store options. And I don鈥檛 baby them: I tend to use a single pair for everything I do outside, nor am I concerned about wiping them down with a T-shirt or dropping them in the dirt or the drink. I also admit that I鈥檓 vain; I like good-looking shades, and when you spend more, a bump in steez is generally part of the deal. But what you鈥檙e really after is excellent optics. Gazing across the ocean or a whitewater rapid through an outstanding pair of polarized specs is alone worth the investment. What鈥檚 that old saying? Oh yeah: you get what you pay for. That鈥檚 certainly true of eyewear.

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Portable smokeless fire pits were already popular with car campers and at ski resort parking lots for their smoke- and fire-hazard mitigation. But the mini bonfire truly exploded during the pandemic, when backyard blazes kept family and friends going in lockdown.

But are these portable fire pits really 鈥渟mokeless鈥�? (Spoiler alert: Not really. But they do a pretty good job.) Can they truly be used on your apartment porch without scorching your deck? And with so many on the market, which one is right for me? To get some answers, we put three of the most popular smokeless fire pits to the test. We cozied up around the BioLite FirePit+, the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0, and the Breeo Y-Series Portable on our tiny apartment porches, spacious backyards, and busy trailheads to evaluate true smokelessness, portability, features, and ease of use.聽

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0

$400; 23 lbs

Portability: 3
Smoke Mitigation: 5
Features: 3
Ease of use: 5

Sleek, simple, and easy to light, curling up on the porch around the Bonfire 2.0 has been a serious highlight of our fall. At just 19.5 inches in diameter and 14 inches tall, it鈥檚 a low-profile addition to our deck, and a fire pit that鈥檚 easy to set up and clean up, even for self-proclaimed fire novices.

Solo Stove鈥檚 approach to creating a low-smoke fire pit (we鈥檝e concluded that true smokelessness is a futile fight against nature) features what they call 360掳 Airflow Design. Strategically placed holes in the perforated bottom feed the heated oxygen back to the top through an external chamber that runs around the entire stove. After a half a dozen fires burning everything from freshly chopped logs to store-bought wood (and even a questionable mangled pallet) the lack of smoke is remarkable. The extra airflow also made it easy to ignite fires in a snap, which we felt was noticeably quicker than the BioLite FirePit+.聽

Heat output was comparable to the FirePit+, although you need to be sitting slightly higher to fully benefit from the flames (a tall camp chair works better than, say,聽 a Crazy Creek). On a 35掳F evening in the Tetons, all five campers huddled around the Bonfire 2.0 commented on the impressive warmth that radiated from this stainless steel cylinder, shedding coats and gloves even when the fire settled down.

The major new update for the new Bonfire model is the removable ash pan, which stood out against the competition for its ease of clean up. It鈥檚 simple to pull out and dump, so you don鈥檛 have to clean it from the top or worry about getting your deck dirty. (The others don鈥檛 leave a mess on your deck, but they do聽 take a little more effort to scrape out from the top after a fire.) If you plan to use it on a wooden deck, you鈥檒l want to add a stand, which the brand sells for another $70 (you can get a $40 heat mat for the FirePit+), while the Breeo has a built-in heat shield for deck use. It doesn鈥檛 have handles like the FirePit+ or Breeo, but it鈥檚 easy to pick up from the sides when cool. A nylon shelter ($49) keeps it protected on porches and in transport, and it slid neatly into my pickup truck, but could definitely fit into a hatchback trunk as well.聽聽

Buy the Bonfire 2.0 if you:

• Want easy cleanup for your porch or deck
• Appreciate a simple, sleek design
• Have low tolerance for smoke

BioLite FirePit+

$300, 19.8 lbs.

Portability: 4
Smoke Mitigation: 3.5
Features: 5
Ease of use: 3

An adventure-ready fire pit, the FirePit+ is chock full of features, with a unique battery-powered fan that lets you dial your fire up or down via an app. There鈥檚 a little more to it than the Bonfire 2.0鈥檚 sleek and streamlined design, but we found the extra effort involved in managing a blaze was worth the functionality.聽

A rechargeable battery pack plugs into the side of the FirePit+ to power the fan with low, medium, and high modes, which keep the fire going at the level you want it. You can control it by pressing buttons on the battery pack, or via Bluetooth with your smartphone. While finishing up dinner inside, one tester cranked up the heat with a few taps of her phone before heading outside to set the table. You can also use the 12,800 mAh battery powerpack to charge a phone, headlamp, or any other device via USB, which we found especially useful in a car-camping setting.聽

Along with the fan, perforated walls keep the fire aerated and seem to block light wind. The airy聽 walls also allow heat to radiate out the sides a bit more than the Bonfire 2.0 or Breeo: You can sit lower to the ground and still feel the warmth, which we appreciated for chilly trailhead barbecues. Smoke was minimal, but we did notice a bit more (especially within the first 10 minutes of lighting) than the Bonfire 2.0. One annoyance? The whirring sound that the fan makes, which one tester remarked 鈥渢ook away from the ambiance.鈥�

Slightly lighter than the Bonfire 2.0, at just shy of 20 pounds, the FirePit+ proved to be easier for travel. Screw-in carry handles on either side make it easy to relocate, with folding legs that allow the whole unit to slide neatly into its carrying case.聽

Testers placed the included grill grate on top of the FirePit+ to roast sausages and veggies after an evening mountain bike ride in Jackson, Wyoming. You can burn both wood and charcoal in the FirePit+ (another differentiation from the wood-only Solo Stove), but we found the heat distribution using wood to be adequate for brats and vegetables, plus we dig the flavor more than charcoal. (You can add a grill grate to the Bonfire 2.0, but the setup costs a whopping $325 extra.) All in all, we found the FirePit+ accessory game (both included accessories and endless add-ons) to be much stronger than the Bonfire 2.0.聽

Buy the FirePit+ if you:

• Want maximal warmth
• Have a gadget-heavy car camping setup
• Plan to use it off-grid

Breeo Y-Series Portable Smokeless Fire Pit

$495; 31 lbs.

Portability: 3
Smoke Mitigation: 4
Features: 4
Ease of use: 4

The American-made Breeo Y-Series was the most expensive and heaviest pit in our test, but it鈥檚 solidly made and ranks well in terms of smokelessness. It works much like the Bonfire 2.0 (which is slightly smaller and lighter) with a double-walled exterior that recirculates the air around the fire. The Breeo also has a Y-shaped set of vents at the bottom to draw oxygen through the flames, even as ash builds up, which we found to effectively burn through wood while keeping smoke to a minimum. You do get radiant heat from the side of the walls themselves as with the Bonfire 2.0, but you don鈥檛 get as good a view of the flames as you do with the Firepit+.聽

The Y-Series also features three legs that allow you to adjust the height of your fire. The lowest height is just for transportation, and the other two are for burning and cooking use. A built-in stainless steel plate on the bottom keeps your deck from getting damaged by the fire. It has a solid single handle for carrying, which we found effective as long as you were careful of the legs as you hauled it (they stick out a bit, even when set all the way in). The handle also helps to dump out ashes when you鈥檙e done鈥攖here鈥檚 no removable tray here, so it鈥檚 a little harder to clean. On the flipside, the deep pit means it鈥檚 hard to spill ashes if you鈥檙e moving it around.聽聽

Like the Firepit+, the Y-Series burns wood and charcoal, but it also burns pellets, which means you can choose whatever cooking fuel you like best. Speaking of cooking, the Y-Series excels at open-flame cooking thanks to its adjustability. For the full experience, you have to get the Basics Bundle ($299), which includes a grill, the post it attaches to, and a carrying case. With that setup, one tester seared the best steaks he鈥檚 ever made and finds himself volunteering for more meals than normal just so he can cook on the Y-Series.聽

Testers loved the look of the Breeo too, which develops a patina the more you use it, but we鈥檝e been mostly testing it in the Southwest, so rust might be a long-term issue in wetter climates. Overall, this pit is extremely well made and will look great in any backyard.聽

Buy the Breeo Y-Series if:

• You鈥檙e serious about cooking over fire
• You need a slightly bigger fire, but still need it to be portable
• You鈥檙e not on a budget

The post The Ultimate Smokeless Fire Pit Showdown appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On January 31, 2021, 12-year-old Molly Steinsapir climbed aboard a behind an 11-year-old friend, and together they rode up a hill in Pacific Palisades, California. Both wore helmets, and Steinsapir was riding on the rear rack. As they descended, Steinsapir鈥檚 friend lost control of the bike and they crashed. The wreck resulted in a few scrapes and bruises for her; she got up and tried to wake up Steinsapir, who lay unconscious in the street. Then, she ran for help. Steinsapir suffered a traumatic brain injury, and, after several surgeries, died on February 15.

On August 1, Molly鈥檚 parents, Kaye and Jonathan Steinsapir, filed a wrongful death suit in Los Angeles County against Seattle-based Rad Power Bikes, one of the country鈥檚 largest manufacturers of electric bicycles.

Both parents are also lawyers; Jonathan is a trial lawyer who has represented Michael Jackson鈥檚 estate for more than a decade. Among other things, they鈥檙e seeking damages against Rad for selling an allegedly defective product and for death caused by negligence. The suit claims that the bike鈥檚 design made it hard for the girls to control their speed as they sped downhill, specifically because of where the steering axis is placed in relation to the front wheel.聽 As the聽 suit lays out, the bike in question鈥攖he RadRunner鈥攈as 鈥渄isc brakes in conjunction with a quick-release mechanism for detaching the front wheel.鈥� This setup is common on a wide range of bikes, and the Steinsapirs claim that it is 鈥渁 known safety hazard in the industry.鈥� The suit goes on to argue that the quick release came loose as Steinsapir鈥檚 friend was applying the front brake, which allegedly caused the wheel to wobble and ultimately caused the crash. The plaintiffs also say that the surviving girl鈥攚ho we鈥檙e not naming because she鈥檚 a minor鈥攁ttempted to turn off the bike, but that the electrical power failed to shut down. It鈥檚 not made clear how turning off the power would have slowed a heavy bike moving downhill, and one notable aspect of this suit is that the blame is placed entirely on the equipment.

In addition, the suit claims that Rad practiced 鈥渋nappropriate marketing of e-bikes to children鈥� and did not 鈥渁dequately warn about the dangers of children operating e-bikes.鈥� The owner鈥檚 manual that comes with the bike states (on page 49 out of 57) that the bike is designed for use by people 18 and up. The bike Steinsapir was riding belonged to her friend鈥檚 13-year-old sister.

One of the arguments the case makes is that, without the motor, the girls wouldn鈥檛 have been on the top of the hill in the first place. 鈥淧art of their appeal is they take you places you wouldn鈥檛 normally be able to go, which includes uphill,鈥� Olivier Taillieu, one of the lawyers聽 who filed suit for the Steinsapirs, told the Los Angeles Times.

The suit asks for damages in an amount to be determined by a jury. The lawsuit also names the helmet-maker Giro Sport Design Inc., arguing that the helmet Molly wore was defective. The defendants have not filed a reply as of this writing.

Losing a child is the most horrible thing I can imagine. I have two kids, ages one and three, and without a doubt they, and my wife, are the most precious things in my life. Not a day goes by that I don鈥檛 have thoughts of what it would be like if one of them was suddenly gone.

Despite my anxiety about these possibilities, my wife and I are determined to give our kids the freedom that we believe was critical to our childhoods鈥攁nd that includes riding bikes, both with us and alone.

My family uses a Rad Power Bike RadWagon 4, a longer, more cargo-oriented bike than the RadRunner. Both kids fit in Thule seats on the back, and, yes, you can ride up to 20 miles per hour on this rig, even faster when you鈥檙e fully loaded and going downhill. You can, of course, also go this fast on a fully loaded conventional bike while going downhill. What changes with an e-bike is that you can travel farther, and up steeper inclines, at faster clips.

Are there nicer e-bikes on the market than the ones Rad makes? Certainly. As part of my job as gear director at 国产吃瓜黑料, I鈥檝e tested many of them. Rad鈥檚 bikes are better than an entry-level option, but they are far from the lightest, fastest, or most heavy-duty on the market. And quality correlates to safety. On more expensive bikes, the acceleration is smoother, the components are more functional, and the brakes are generally better. My main complaint about the RadWagon is that it doesn鈥檛 have hydraulic disc brakes, instead using a less effective mechanical version, which don鈥檛 have the stopping power that their more complicated counterparts do. As a result, it can take too long to stop, especially with two kids on board. But my wife and I know that鈥檚 an issue, and we ride more cautiously because of it. If this was a dealbreaker for us, we would get rid of the bike, but it鈥檚 not. I like riding with my family too much, and I simply can鈥檛 afford a nicer e-bike, so we use the $2,000 RadWagon.

I鈥檝e been testing bikes for years, and I鈥檓 equipped to assess the dangers. Entry-level cyclists鈥擱ad鈥檚 target audience鈥攕hould certainly be careful. Since the bikes are sold direct-to-consumer, and come boxed up to your door, the company recommends that if you aren鈥檛 experienced working on bikes, you should go to a shop to have the bike assembled. I agree with that recommendation, and I鈥檇 suggest that, while you鈥檙e there, you should ask the mechanics for any advice about riding safely.

But the fact is that any time you step on a bike鈥攅-bike or human-powered鈥攜ou put yourself in danger, and many of us aren鈥檛 careful enough day to day. For example, how often do serious cyclists actually give their bike the recommended mechanical once-over before they ride? Many times, I鈥檝e taken off only to realize that the skewer on my front wheel was loose, or that my brakes weren鈥檛 working properly, or that I hadn鈥檛 tightened all my bolts to the correct torque specifications after fixing something. If I had crashed, any of those issues should be on me, not the company that made the bike.

It鈥檚 obvious that e-bikes, like regular bikes, have the potential to cause accidents. And more speed, whether in a vehicle, on a bicycle, or on foot, can mean more serious injury. As a kid, my brothers, friends, and I always searched out the steepest hills to bomb down, riding in zigzag patterns on our single-speed BMX bikes to gain elevation, or getting off and pushing if we needed to. There were no motors involved, and no parental supervision. I can鈥檛 remember how many times I rode behind a friend on a BMX bike, my feet on the rear axle pegs and hands on their shoulders, speeding down hills. Any one of us could have wrecked and ended up in the hospital, or worse. But instead all I have are scars and good memories to go with them. Molly Steinsapir was making one of those memories when things went wrong.

You could argue that the two girls shouldn鈥檛 have been on an e-bike in the first place, but how many kids end up where they shouldn鈥檛 be? Pushing limits is part of growing up. It鈥檚 how children learn self-preservation, resiliency, and personal boundaries. As a parent, you can only partially draw that line, and the child will do the rest.聽 If they鈥檙e anything like I was, or my offspring appear to be, they will push past those lines and learn some lessons. As parents, all we can do is educate, encourage good decision-making, and hope that our children are lucky enough to grow old relatively unscathed.

The Steinsapirs are heartbroken, rightfully so, and they have the right to take a company to court. But as someone who works with outdoor brands every day, I can鈥檛 help but think about what kind of effects this could have on the people who work there, as well as the consumers that use their products. This brand is making e-bikes accessible to people across the country and getting them out of their cars and onto bikes, with real environmental benefits.

Whatever Rad Power Bikes does in response to the suit, now or in the future, they will never be able to make a bike that鈥檚 completely safe, no matter how much they spend on components. Riding any kind of bike is perilous; no聽 lawsuit is going to change that.

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When I visited my dermatologist recently, she noticed a few suspect-looking moles and recommended that I get serious about covering up with sun-protective clothing and start wearing sunscreen. I鈥檓 wondering: Which protects better?

鈥擜fraid of the Sun

Dear Afraid: For any outdoors person, the sun is an ever present force that must be reckoned with. When you spend a great deal of time in nature, it鈥檚 necessary to find ways to protect yourself from the radiation emitted by that great molten orb some 93 million miles away.

My mother grew up and worked as a summer lifeguard before widespread use of sunscreen. Years of sunburns in her youth led to a serious melanoma, which she had removed in 1977 but left her with a聽deep, hand-size scar between her shoulder blades from the skin graft required to fill it. The sight of that gouge haunted me throughout my childhood, a kind of cautionary specter warning me to avoid the least bit of UV exposure.

As a result, my folks embraced sun-protective clothing, the early iterations of which felt as comfortable as a tightly woven burlap sack. I remember wearing one such sun hoodie on a beach in Mexico: it was so stifling that I stripped it off and passed the afternoon drinking Cokes in the shade in protest.

Though I rejected the clothing, I was fairly diligent about applying sunscreen鈥擨 spent too much time outdoors not to. Most days I was biking, surfing, and rafting, and sunscreen allowed me that freedom and kept me from the dreaded red skin and scar I feared would result if I didn鈥檛 stay slathered. This, of course, warranted near constant reapplication of the thick, goopy, greasy paste.

But much has changed in the decades since. There are more, and better, sunblock options than ever: nonaerosol spray, nongreasy face cream, and UV-blocking formulas made of zinc oxide, considered gentler on the environment. Some of it even smells halfway decent. (I鈥檓 partial to .)

The truth of the matter, though, is that clothing designed to protect you from the sun is the more effective option, because you don鈥檛 have to reapply anything and because it鈥檚 a physical barrier to harmful rays. And sun-protective clothing has become ubiquitous. You can find UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) ratings on hats, long-sleeved shirts, and pants. And the fabrics are often supple and breathable, a far cry from the canvas-feeling garments of old.

But to answer your question, Afraid of the Sun, I鈥檓 reminded of what Obi-Wan wisely told Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith: 鈥淥nly a Sith deals in absolutes.鈥� UPF clothing or sunscreen alone won鈥檛 offer ultimate protection. Most of us are going to need some combination of them to stay safe. I for one cannot abide by sun pants鈥攎y calves must run free鈥攂ut I鈥檓 all in on a sun hoodie, like the ($85), as well as inexpensive straw hats paired with sunscreen.

As for those who would tell you that vitamin D will suffice in lieu of either or both forms of protection, just ignore them: they鈥檒l end up looking like a cracked leather purse on the bottom shelf of a Goodwill.

Send your questions to deargear@outsideinc.com.

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Dear Gear Team,

I鈥檝e been backpacking for a few years and am thinking of buying some ultralight gear, but I鈥檓 worried about cost and comfort. Are the trade-offs worth it?

鈥擶eighing My Options

This question is all about aspiration. I remember the first time I saw an ultralight-equipped hiker like it was yesterday. I was exploring Oregon鈥檚 Cascades with an overloaded pack and had just slogged a mile up 1,000 vertical feet, pausing before the valley that would lead to a cirque, when Ms. Ultralight swept up silently behind me wearing minimalist trail-running shoes and a teensy pack. A quick hello escaped her lips as she passed, and then she floated over a talus field like an apparition, disappearing into the woods beyond. When I arrived at the base of the cirque an hour later, there she was in the distance, a hammock slung between two trees, with the best possible view of the iridescent blue lake before us. I slowly set up what suddenly felt like a totally overwrought camp, jealous of her compact accommodations, her defined quadriceps, and her next-to-nothing pack. Could I be like that one day?

It turns out I could. In the years that followed, I backpacked more and carried less. I pinched pennies to buy a lighter tent, sleeping bag, and stove. I whittled down my packing list and built up my mileage, which toned my quads. I knew I was in deep when I sawed off half of my closed-cell foam pad to curtail my load. Yet, one night as I lay upon that half-pad, the mosquitos gnawing at my cheeks (I鈥檇 taken to leaving my tent behind when the forecast was good) and my belly rumbling because I hadn鈥檛 brought enough food, I decided that I鈥檇 had enough.

On that night I asked myself: Why do I backpack? The verdict became clear to me as my cheeks swelled with insect saliva: I do this to get away from people and enjoy nature鈥斺�渆njoy鈥� being the key verb there. I don鈥檛 do it to spend a small fortune on wispy gear, only to curl up in the fetal position with half my body against the unforgiving ground.

So ask yourself the same. Do you want to experience wilderness at a reasonable clip鈥攁nd enjoy a few comforts while you鈥檙e at it鈥攐r push yourself to the limits equipped with only the bare necessities? Neither is wrong, but your answer will reveal your truth. And that鈥檚 crucial amid today鈥檚 divisive gear world, a place full of holier-than-thou rhetoric and proclamations from magazines like this one, internet forums where many will tell you that ultralight is the only way, and enough featherweight models on the market to keep you researching for years. If you鈥檙e about to hike thousands of miles, you should probably dive in and read the reviews. But if you鈥檙e a weekend warrior squeezing in a few longer trips each year, all that fretting over grams is probably for naught. Your quads will look better with the extra weight anyway.

Send your questions to deargear@outsideinc.com.

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We demand a lot of our swimwear: it needs to look good, dry fast, stay put, and perform when the waves are big or the beach games heat up. These fresh pieces鈥攖he best swimsuits and boardshorts鈥攌ept us covered after countless pool laps, bridge jumps, raft days, and lazy paddles.

Nike HydraLock Fusion Racerback One Piece ($90)

If you want to feel fast, Nike鈥檚 Fusion is your pick. Its quick-drying polyester-spandex blend has a firm stretch for maximum support (鈥淚t locks everything in,鈥� said one DD-cup tester), and its grippy, triangular interior pattern prevents fabric creep during activity. All this performance comes in a Baywatch-esque silhouette with high-cut legs and a scoop neck. (XS鈥揦L)

Patagonia Hydrolock Boardshorts ($129)

When the waves are big, testers reach for this pair of stretchy poly-spandex trunks. The key is the drawstrings, which attach to strips of beefy recycled nylon that run through the waistband and are sewn into the rear. It鈥檚 one of the most secure and chafe-free fits on the market. (28-40)

Saxx Betawave Boardshorts ($80)

Most boardies with built-in underwear have seams that chafe, mesh that irritates, or a cut that鈥檚 too baggy. Enter Saxx鈥檚 first pair of boardshorts, which feature the brand鈥檚 signature pouch for the tender bits. The tight fit and flat seams yield all-day comfort, wet or dry. And the stretchy poly-elastane fabric and liner provide exceptional range of motion, whether we were running, swimming, or doing beachside yoga. (28鈥�40)

Prana Seleina Top, Willow Falls Reversible Top, and Gemma Reversible Bottom ($69, $70, and $55)

Together, this reversible bikini set and cropped long-sleeved rash guard can take you from casual beach hangs to adventurous paddlesport outings. The chlorine-resistant bikini set held up to repeated pool use, and the long-sleeve鈥檚 thumb loops and wide bottom band keep your sun protection in place. (XS鈥揦L)

TomboyX Swim Racerback Zip Top and Swim 4.5-inch Shorts ($69 and $49)

TomboyX offers swimwear in androgynous athleisure cuts, with an impressive size range that鈥檚 actually been tested on plus-size bodies. Both pieces are made from a UPF 50 poly-spandex blend. The top鈥檚 front zipper has a protective fabric flap and hook-and-loop closure for added comfort and security, while the bike-style shorts boast a wide and flat waistband. (XS鈥�4X)

Quiksilver Original Arch 18-inch Boardshorts ($60)

We love the Original鈥檚 throwback 18-inch length, ultradurable polyester-hemp-spandex blend, and iconic checkerboard pattern, which is synonymous with the rise of professional surfing. We also dig the polyester fabric, made out of recycled bottles. Of all the swim shorts on this list, these ones will last the longest. (28鈥�40)

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国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 gear team exists to bring you information on the best outdoor products on the market. Usually this involves having our testers spend months in the field with them鈥攊t鈥檚 difficult to know what really works until we鈥檝e actually tried products in the wild. But a couple times a year at the Summer and Winter Outdoor Retailer shows, brands announce so many product launches at once that we can鈥檛 help but make some educated guesses about what will be our favorites. Here are the four items that we can鈥檛 wait to test from this show.

NEMO Forte Endless Promise Sleeping Bags ($180-$240)

There are a lot of new products out there that are made partially of recycled materials, and this is certainly a welcome trend. The holy grail these days: products that are made entirely from recycled materials and that are also recyclable at the end of their lives. NEMO accomplished just that with an upgrade to its popular Forte sleeping bag line. The new Endless Promise bags (men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 in 20- and 30-degree versions) are manufactured with zero waste practices. Each bag is made completely with Bluesign-approved recycled materials and insulated with recycled PrimaLoft synthetics. The kicker: 95 percent of the bag is made from a single polyester polymer, so that portion be recycled when it can鈥檛 be repaired anymore. Nemo will send the bag to their partner Unifi and give consumers $20 toward new gear. These bags hit the market in the spring of 2023.

Pale Blue Earth Rechargeable Smart Batteries ($30 for 4 AA)

Americans throw away millions of batteries every year, resulting in precious鈥攁nd toxic鈥揾eavy metals sitting in landfills across the country. Rechargeable batteries are nothing new, but we got our hands on lithium ion versions a few months ago and they are the most convenient we鈥檝e tried by far: each battery has an individual micro USB port that charges it within two hours, and a life cycle that takes the place of 1,000 alkaline batteries. And they weigh 40 percent less (17.5 grams for an individual AA)聽than disposables鈥攁 boon for weight-conscious athletes. The up front cost is more than a normal pack of batteries but you鈥檒l potentially save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars over their lifetime. And they come in AAA, C, D, and nine-volt versions too.

Aurea Technologies Inc. Shine Turbine ($400)

Portable solar panels keep getting better and better but some limitations remain: in areas with fickle weather and limited sunlight harnessing enough juice can be difficult. Enter the . This three-pound device sets up in minutes and can create power in winds from eight to 28 miles per hour, rain, shine, or through the night. Juice can be stored in the five volt, 12,000 milliampere-hour integrated battery or you can directly charge any USB-chargeable gadget. You could feasibly carry this setup into the backcountry, we think it鈥檇 be most handy in base camp situations where you鈥檙e in a fairly remote location but still need power. It鈥檚 on the market now.

Level Six Ace Spray Skirt ($185)

Spray skirts are a necessary evil for kayakers. They are a life-saving device, keeping you in your boat when you flip, but wrestling聽 them on is one of the more onerous tasks in the sport. Level Six takes on the latter problem with the , a skirt which has a thinner stitched (instead of glued) rubber band that鈥檚 stretchy to fit easily onto any style of cockpit. But it鈥檚 still made tough, with thick neoprene and reinforced kevlar panels for durability. We have questions about whether or not it鈥檚 too stretchy and could result in unwanted swims, but we鈥檒l have to get it on the water to test that factor. 鈥淚f it works, it鈥檒l be a game-changer,鈥� says our Gear Guy, Joe Jackson.

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