ajtestbed You’d think Natural Bridges National Monument’s primary draw would be the three natural stone bridges in the monument, and, sure people flock to see those, but it’s the inky black skies that really draw the oohs and ahhs. Natural Bridges was the first International Dark Sky Park and it only takes one moonless night to … Read more
If you don’t know much about the Iron Horse bike race that begins in the town of Durango in southwestern Colorado, know that it is brutal, pitting cyclists against a narrow gauge train that takes an easy route up a valley. Riders, though, must climb a curvy route of 47 miles over two passes, … Read more
Earlier this month, Vasque released their updated St. Elias, a classic leather hiking boot. Since I’m a leather hiking boot aficionado, I knew I had to try them when I first heard about the boot about 5 months ago. I got an early pair for testing last fall and they’ve been my primary hiker ever … Read more
Black Diamond climber Sam Elias and filmmaker Mike Call have teamed up to produce a four-part video series called RetroModern. Elias has a historian’s eye for the cultural importance of old climbing routes, and the point of the series is to build a connection between climbing’s past and present. This episode takes place at the … Read more
If you could choose any job in the outdoors, what would you do? Ranger? Pro skier? Brand manager? Conservationist? Turns out, your hosts have a soft spot for the more science-y jobs. Plus, we kinda have to talk about the new 4Runner, and we ask, is Costco a viable spot to shop for outdoor … Read more
Black Diamond’s RetroModern is a four-part video series from climber Sam Elias and filmmaker Mike Call. It’s a re-imaging and re-appreciation of historic climbing routes, a connection between veteran and young climbers. We’ll be running each film in the series, with words from Elias accompanying the films. Enjoy. – Ed. Part One – Kintsugi Maple … Read more
Lighting a Coleman fuel-powered lantern is so much more satisfying than merely clicking the “On” switch of a modern, battery-powered lantern. If you’ve ever used a Coleman lantern, but like most of us, have since switched to rechargeable battery lanterns, you’ve probably forgotten that. I had forgotten that myself until a few months back … Read more
If you’re looking for an adventure rig, you have seemingly endless choices (except for rugged, simple, and affordable—come on, car makers!) In this episode, we discuss our faves, what makes an adventure vehicle an adventure vehicle, and ponder whether the best adventure rig is the one already in your driveway. What are your criteria for … Read more
On January 20, 2003, snowboard legend Craig Kelly was killed in an avalanche in the Selkirk Mountains. It was a gut punch. Kelly was not only one of snowboarding’s most beloved figures, he was studying to become a mountain guide, and was in the company of avy experts. How could this have happened? wondered an … Read more
If you’ve been reading AJ online for any length of time and peruse the gear section, surely you’ve come across numerous references I’ve made to my wife and I being on the tall side. She is 6’3″ and I am 6’2″. As you can imagine, we have…issues when it comes to tents that properly fit … Read more