Outdoors Features

Once wooed by the allure of a smart grill, we have come to realize that smart grills aren't that smart an investment after all. At least, not yet. Like many smart devices, the parts that make a grill smart can often be the biggest pain point. Here's why your money is better spent on a quality dumb grill.

Vibram launched FiveFingers toe shoes in 2005 and now, 13 years later, barefoot running is having a second revolution. The idea is that by freeing your toes from traditional shoes — aka “foot coffins”— you let them function more naturally. Here we speak to foot surgeons and experts to take a closer look.

For years, FIFA attempted to keep replay technology off the soccer field. However, in 2018, the Video Assistant Referee (or VAR) system made its long-awaited debut and has impacted nearly every match at the Russia-hosted World Cup. Here's every notable match where VAR influenced its outcome.

Technology like video analysis, smart fitness trackers, bluetooth headphones, wifi-equipped autos, and other pieces of the modern have an impact on competitive sports. In this interview with pro kayakers Nick Troutman and Emily Jackson, we discuss the role technology plays in whitewater kayaking.

Known for designing and manufacturing some of the best sleeping pads and bags in the outdoor industry, Therm-a-Rest is more than just a gear company. Digital Trends went behind the scenes of the company's Seattle headquarters to learn more about its research, development, and sustainability practices.

Mountain Safety Research may have started as a gear company but recently it's focused on changing the world by improving global health and assisting with disaster relief via technologies like its SE200 Community Chlorine Maker.

Electric mountain bikes get a bad rap among loyal mountain bikers, but brands like BMC Switzerland can’t afford to look away. While test riding BMC’s new Speedfox amp, we realized there’s much more to electric mountain bikes than what ornery traditionalists let on.

American Wave Machines is a name synonymous with artificial wave technology and the company's most advanced wave pool creation to date is prepared to take center stage at the upcoming BSR Surf Ranch in Waco, Texas -- one of the largest inland installations in the world.

Fresh from Adidas' automated Speedfactory comes the AM4NYC. The shoes are design for urban running, using research data and made in Atlanta by robots. Is this the future of custom shoe manufacturing?

Julius Erving, Ray Allen, and Rasheed Wallace spoke about the sneakers they wore during historic playoff moments, and how the NBA is in the middle of an evolution.

From a young age, Toby Miller's drawn comparisons to Shaun White for his expertise riding a halfpipe. Today, he considers himself a "best friend" of the iconic snowboarder. Miller chatted with Digital Trends about this friendship, the future of snowboarding, and how tech is changing the sport.

Downhill camera operators for snowboarding films and big events like the Olympics or the Burton U.S. Open have a tough but highly rewarding job. Calling them the sport's unsung heroes is just the tip of the iceberg.

By stashing solar-powered cell phones in jungle canopies and leveraging machine learning tech, physicist Topher White leads the fight against illegal logging in the Amazon.

Snowpulse Highmark incorporates cutting edge technology into their snowmobile-specific avalanche airbags -- serving for added margins of avalanche safety. The new 3.0 technology is its latest and greatest to date.

NASA's trademark Aerogel is making waves across the outdoor industry. Companies like Helly Hansen use PrimaLoft Gold Aerogel for its Life Pocket product to help users preserve smartphone battery life in even the most frigid of conditions.

In a progressive effort that's light years ahead of California legislation, renowned Squaw Valley announces it will power its ski resort completely by renewable energy by December 2018 -- in addition to other sustainable energy initiatives.

More than just a simple smartphone application, Climb-On Maps goes the extra mile by giving users incredibly detailed information on climbing routes and how to reach them. Its founders told us why they hiked thousands of miles to make the app a reality.

There's more to a proper pair of sports eyewear than simply protecting against the sun. Ron Muehlboeck, global brand director for adidas Sport eyewear, gave us an inside look at how the brand pushes innovation and offers more than just dark lenses.

Though there exists a problem with diversity as it relates to the outdoors -- referred to as the adventure gap -- many have turned to the social media platform Instagram to raise awareness and make the outdoors more inclusive.

Digital Trend spoke with notable sneaker enthusiasts and business owners within the industry about how the internet changed sneaker culture, for better and worse.

LifeStraw's dedication to providing safe drinking water to people all over the world took another step forward at Outdoor Retailer as the brand unveiled its new lead filtration system.