We test a lot of gear here at Outside, and we have the data to prove it. For the 2025 Summer Gear Guide on Outside, Backpacker, and Climbing, our gear editors, category managers, and testers put more than 800 products through many months of rigorous field testing.
After adding hundreds (and in some cases, thousands) of collective miles on each shoe, watch, bike, etc., we collected testers’ written feedback, tallied scores, and hand-picked 377 products across 66 categories—from backpacking packs to running shoes to mountain bikes and more—to include in our “best of” lists. We’ve spent years tweaking and perfecting our testing process and stand behind the performance of every one of these products.
No amount of advertising dollars can buy brands a spot on our gear lists. (This should go without saying, but we’ll play the record on repeat until it sinks in.) To be included in Outside’s Gear Guide, a product has to perform and impress in the real world, plain and simple. Gear that doesn’t live up to the challenge doesn’t make the cut, while gear that blows the socks off our savvy testers earns a special nod: our coveted Editors’ Choice award.
This season, just eight of the 800-plus products tested earned this distinction. These pieces either demonstrated best-in-class performance (applause for the Trek Slash+ eMTB), showcased exciting new technology (see the Garmin InReach Messenger), or have reinvented the wheel for classic products (props to the Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad).
While only seven products earned our Editors’ Choice award, there were plenty of others that rose above the competition in their respective categories. You’ll find those items listed here, too. If thoroughly vetted, top-tier gear is what you’re after, keep reading.
At a Glance
Editors’ Choice Satellite Messenger
Garmin InReach Messenger Plus
$500 at REI $500 at Backcountry
Improvements in satellite messaging tech tend to be slow and incremental, but the Messenger Plus takes a huge leap forward in backcountry communication. It’s the first such device to be able to send photos and voice memos. And long missives, historically broken up into bite-sized messages over a few minutes, are sent in mere seconds thanks to significant hardware and software upgrades from previous iterations. All this, and the Messenger Plus still weighs a scant 4.1 ounces in the form of a tiny, 3.1-by-2.5-by-0.9 inch puck. Read more.
Editors’ Choice Electric MTB
Trek Slash+
Trek electrified the Slash, and we are obsessed. The decently powerful motor and impressive battery range paired with a comfortable suspension makes this a winning build. While the price is on the high side for the electric mountain bike category, the joy of riding this thing is worth it. It powers up hills, and coasts on descents, all the while keeping you stable and strong. The wide range of adjustments mean you can customize it to your liking. Read more.
Editors’ Choice Sleeping Pad
Therm-a-Rest NeoLoft
$240-260 at REI $240-260 at Backcountry
TAR’s NeoLoft is the first sleeping pad to bring true car camping comfort into the backcountry. Thanks to the brand’s clever use of triangular, air-filled chambers and a heat-reflective coating for insulation, it’s able to keep the weight of this pad down to a respectable 25 ounces (in regular) and a packed size of just 5.7-by-9.5 inches. But with a raised “guard rail” around the perimeter, stiff, 4.6-inch-thick sidewalls to provide structure, and a soft, stretchy knit polyester face fabric, this pad will keep even the heaviest side-sleepers snoozing through the night. Read more
Editors’ Choice Trail MTB
Canyon Spectral
At home on a broad range of trails, the Canyon Spectral surprised us with its snappy energy. We’d recommend this trail bike to any kind of rider for its versatility, from its supportive suspension on climbs and descents to its convenient in-frame storage that can stash a tube and tire lever. Bonus points for the flip chain on the chainstay that can accommodate dual 29-inch wheels or mixed wheels. Read more.
Editors’ Choice Road Bike
Enve Melee
$4,800 at Competitive Cyclist (Frame Only) $11,400 at Black Magic Paint (Complete Bike)
The Melee is Enve’s first production bike that isn’t custom, and we dig it. But with a wide range of sizes and drivetrain choices, it’s still semi customizable. Lightweight and aerodynamically optimised, it’s designed to go anywhere a modern road cyclist wants to go. By placing the rider in a slightly upright position, it’s both comfortable and ready to respond. Read more.
Editors’ Choice Gravel Bike
Specialized Crux DSW
Don’t write off this premium gravel bike just because it has an alloy frame. Specialized claims that at 1,399 grams for a 56 centimeter frame, the Crux DSW is the lightest aluminum gravel bike frame ever made. That’s about one pound more than most traditional carbon gravel bikes. The geometry, cable routing, and seat post are all relatively simple and straightforward, which works in this bike’s favor, making it an accessible option for both beginners and spec heads. As for its handling, we felt spry and encouraged to go faster on tight singletrack. Read more.
Editors’ Choice Enduro MTB
Trek Slash
Typically known for playing it safe, Trek pushed the envelope this year with this year’s Slash. It features a high pivot layout (the main pivot is placed above the top of the chainring and the rear axle) that can mow through chunky sections of trail but also stay dialed in tight and slow spots. Jumping felt natural, intuitive, fun, and energetic, especially on smaller side hits and natural doubles. Overall, its versatile geometry, persistence on uphills, and speed on downhills won our hearts. Read more.
Best Road Running Shoe
Asics Novablast 5
$150 at Dick’s Sporting Goods $150 at Asics
The Novablast 5 impressed our editors with its fun, versatile performance and superior cushioning-to-weight ratio. Its new midsole material delivered a buttery smooth ride that was simultaneously plush and energetic underfoot. The wide base kept it stable during long runs, and the light weight and responsive foam made it nimble enough to hold its own during uptempo efforts. Almost anyone can feel comfortable during nearly any run in the NovaBlast 5, making it our top pick. Read more.
Best Trail Running Shoe
Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide
$250 at Backcountry $250 at Salomon
We were initially leery of this funky-looking shoe with a wavy sole and huge stack height (41–35 mm) topped by ankle-deep sidewalls, but the Salomon S/Lab Ultra Glide delivered a surprising blend of cushioning, stability, and responsiveness. The shoe employs a chassis of firmer foam around the perimeter to reduce tipping, while a core of soft and bouncy PEBA/EVA blend made the ride comfortable and springy. Underneath, the wavy indents in the sole actually worked, morphing over uneven surfaces and keeping the ride smooth and supportive on nearly every terrain. The Ultra Glide was so much fun we found ourselves reaching for it more often than any other shoe in the test, making it easy to name as our all-around favorite. Read more.
Best Sports Watch
Garmin Enduro 3
$900 at REI $900 at Backcountry
Our editors called the Garmin Enduro 3 one of the best sports watches we’ve ever tested thanks to its wealth of features, big (51 mm) screen, light weight, and phenomenal battery life. The time between charges stood out most: with solar charging it can last up to 90 days of general use, and 320 hours (that’s 13+ days) of GPS tracking—we often went for more than a month without needing to charge, using the watch 24/7 with about an hour of activity tracking per day. We never found an sport it didn’t have a tracking mode for (it even has rugby, and wakeboarding), and the analysis of metrics like training readiness were clear and useful. The Enduro 3 also has plenty of space for downloading maps or songs, the interface for tasks like creating custom screens is intuitive, and the strap was the most comfortable and effective we’ve found. Read more.
Best Sport Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
The Bose QuietComfort emerged as our all-around favorite sport earbuds with their understated, competent performance. The earbuds deliver Bose’s signature smooth, warm, and balanced sound, active noise cancellation, and an above-average battery life (8.5 hours with ANC on). Testers also appreciated their secure fit while working out, and the easy-to-use app that let you modify touch controls or enable voice commands. The Bluetooth Multipoint feature let us connect a phone and a laptop at the same time, without needing to fuss with Bluetooth settings every time, and the reasonable price sealed the all-around best award. Read more.
Headlamp with the Best Features
Coast RL35R Headlamp
If you’ve ever ski-toured at night or tackled a pre-dawn summit, you’ll know the pain of pulling off thick gloves and fumbling with a headlamp while moving at speeds or holding onto a rope. The RL35R headlamp solves that with its clever voice-activated functionality, which allows you to turn the headlamp on and off, swap between beams, brightness settings, and colors. And with a powerful 1100-lumen beam, red, blue, and green light modes, and an extendable battery for stashing in your coat, the RL35R can handle the job in nearly any climate. Read more
Best Men’s Rain Shell
Helly Hansen Verglas Infinity Shell Jacket 2.0
$350 at REI $350 at Backcountry
Finding a hardshell that can stand up to heavy rainstorms and driving snow while still being breathable and not weighing you down is a bit of a pipe dream, but Helly Hansen’s Verglas Infinity 2.0 is the closest we’ve ever tested. Helly Hansen’s proprietary three-layer shell proved positively impenetrable over a season of testing, including several spring snowstorms while ski-touring. And thanks to new weight-shaving measures, the jacket clocks in at under a pound—a respectable burden for a quiver-killer. Read more.
Best Women’s Hiking Boot
La Sportiva Aequilibrium Hike GTX
$239 at La Sportiva $239 at Backcountry
The Aequilibrium Hike GTX is a rare boot capable of handling up to 40-pound loads in mountainous terrain while still feeling light and flexible enough for casual dayhikes. Sturdy mountain chops come courtesy of a resilient PU foam midsole with a polypropylene stiffener and abrasion-resistant welts and fabric at the toe and heel. It’s counterbalanced by a PU-injected rubber outsole that felt bouncy on hard-packed trail and a high, stretchy ankle that resembles a neoprene sock, keeps dirt and gravel out, and doesn’t chafe over long miles. Read more.
Best Car Camping Tent
Nemo Aurora Highrise 4
$400 at REI $400 at Backcountry
As a temporary shelter, we usually expect some level of discomfort from a tent. But the Aurora Highrise 4 impressed us with its supreme livability. When Nemo says four-person, they really mean it: A family of four slept comfortably inside its 75-inch peak height and 62.5-square-foot floor area, and stored their gear within two generous 19.5-square-foot vestibules. Steep sidewalls create even more headroom, so much that our 6-foot-2 tester could stand upright and move around freely. Doors on either side allow easy in-and-out access, and setting up two base poles and two cross poles was a breeze even for first-timers. Small details make a huge difference, like the canopy pocket for diffusing light at night and the slightly opaque mesh windows that offer shade. We could easily camp in the Aurora Highrise all summer. Read more.
Best Camping Sleeping Pad
Nemo Roamer Double Sleeping Pad
$400 at REI $400 at Backcountry
Nemo gets double the accolades when it comes to car camping gear. The Roamer Double Sleeping Pad gave us the best nights of sleep during our testing period, and it was also the most efficient to self inflate and easiest to deflate and pack up when it came time to break down camp. Editors loved the generous 78-by-52-inch sleeping area, which comfortably fit two adults and their six-year-old child. Rather than a plasticky or crinkly texture that you find on many other sleeping pads, the Roamer Double has a four-way-stretch polyester fabric and TPU topper that is soft against the skin, so you can do without a sheet and thrash all you want without waking your sleeping partner. Sufficient beauty rest is worth the $400 investment. Read more.
Best Action Camera
Insta360 Ace Pro 2
This time around, Insta360 podiumed higher than the reigning GoPro and DJI with its Ace Pro 2, co-engineered with Leica. Editors most loved the ultra high-resolution footage, rich 4K slow-mo, and high-quality audio of this action camera for skiing, cycling, overlanding, and more. A dedicated chip helps with low-light shooting, and a back screen flips up for selfie footage that doesn’t point straight up your nose. More experienced shooters will have an easier time dialing settings, but the camera’s interface is also pretty intuitive even for newbies. Read more.
Best Cooler
Yeti Roadie 32 Wheeled Cooler
$375 at REI $300 at Yeti (SALE)
Why carry your fully-loaded cooler when you can wheel it? With a telescoping handle and off-road wheels that easily navigate over rough terrain, the Roadie 32 won top marks as the most portable cooler of our test. And what’s more, it retained coolness far beyond our expectations. The taller height accommodated wine bottles alongside our snacks and cans, and the single drain plug made it easy to refresh ice and clean once we got back from adventuring. Read more.
Best Bike Rack
Kuat Piston Pro
$1,289 at Backcountry $1,289 at Kuat
Despite getting lighter and lighter, bikes are still awkward to load and unload. But the Kuat Piston Pro makes transitions from home to trail and back again simple with the press of a lever. The dual arm opens wide for fiddle-free loading, and the foot-operated tilt mechanism allows easy trunk access even when the tray is already weighed down. We love that this hitch frame secures both tires (accommodates a variety of sizes) and avoids frame contact. No scratches on the new build. Read more.
Best Outdoor Climbing Shoe
Scarpa Arpia V
With a subtle downturn and asymmetry, the Scarpa Arpia V hits a sweet spot for intermediate to advanced climbers pushing into 5.13. Its precise toe, comfy fit, and wide-foot-friendly last excel on everything from limestone to gneiss. Testers praised its edging, smearing, and all-day comfort. While durability dips after about 20 sessions, the shoe softens into a sensitive workhorse. It’s a solid pick for gym mileage, sport projecting, or multipitch days on mixed terrain.
More from the 2025 Summer Gear Guide
The Best Trailers and Campers
The Best Duffels, Backpacks, and Roller Bags
The Best Camp Chairs
