Welcome to Ask a Gear Editor, our monthly column where we answer readers’ most puzzling gear questions. Have a burning question of your own? Become an Outside+ member to ask an Outside expert for ...

Expensive. Can't use the hand pockets with a climbing harness. Like most durable water repellents, it uses carcinogenic perfluorocarbons in the waterproofing process. When it comes to outdoor ...

Buying a jacket for the outdoors can be intimidating. Do you want soft shell or hard shell? Gore-Tex or Gore-Tex Pro? And, most confusing of all: waterproof or water-resistant? In this article, we ...

For an incredibly simple concept — keeping you dry — rain jackets have evolved into awfully complicated products. Air flow rates, water pressure resistance, durable water repellent coatings, hard ...

When I’m hiking, I sweat, to put it delicately, with the regularity of Old Faithful and with the intensity of Niagara Falls. What do you recommend in the way of a wicking base layer and a lightweight ...