If you Ask any bike shop owner or manager if they fix electric bikes, you get an interesting array of stories.
“I know a guy who has lost a finger working on ebikes,” says MacKenzie Hardt, owner of Hardt Family Cyclery in Aurora, Colorado, and the former executive director of the nonprofit bike shop and community hub Bikes Together. Hardt has torn tendons in his own hand after accidentally triggering a cadence sensor that caused the wheel to spin out of control on the stand, even when the motor and battery were disconnected.
He now has a message on the company voicemail that informs customers the shop will not repair any ebike without third-party UL 2849 certification, the gold standard that certifies that an ebike’s entire package, from electrical drive train to battery to charger system, has been thoroughly tested. (Check out our guide to How to Buy an Electric Bike for more info.)
The Wild, Wild West
A lot of the problem in fixing ebikes is related to the fact that a surprising number of electric vehicles that are sold as ebikes are not, in fact, ebikes. According to PeopleForBikes, the third-party advocacy group, an ebike is a low-speed electric vehicle that “closely resembles traditional bicycles in their equipment, handling characteristic, size, and speed.”
A mechanic works on a bicycle.Photograph: Dikushin/Getty Images
In 46 states, all ebikes fall under a Class 1, 2, or 3 distinction. The distinction depends on the bike’s maximum motor-assisted speed and how it’s powered. However, many ebikes sold online are way more powerful than the maximum 28 mph speed allowed on a Class 3 ebike, and they operate more like a moped or even a motorcycle.
“That’s really the heart and soul of the service problem,” says Cory Oseland, manager of the Ski Hut, a high-end bike shop in Duluth, Minnesota. “Once you slide out of the three classes, you run into a lot of parts and equipment that aren’t part of the bike industry.”
Repairing an ebike can also land the shop in a quagmire of liability issues. As bike shops are part of the product liability chain, they can be held responsible if they so much as inflate a tire on an electric vehicle and the rider later injures themselves or another person. Ebike-related injuries have jumped more than 1,020 percent nationwide from 2020 to 2024, according to hospital data, so this is not an unforeseen occurrence. “I have known people who have lost their shirt,” says Hardt.
In most states, if the bike doesn’t fit the Class 1-3 classification system, the shop’s insurance will likely be null and void. The problem, says Hardt, is that “we don’t regulate nationally what an ebike is. What is legal here may not be legal somewhere else.” Working on an unregulated bike, he adds, “is like if somebody brought in a Tesla to fix.”
Merino wool is a super fiber. The best merino wool clothing somehow manages to be comfortable in 95-degree heat, and merino base layers keep you warm well below freezing. Unlike synthetic fibers derived from petroleum, merino wool is natural and renewable.
Merino wool’s versatility means there’s a bewildering array of blends and options to choose from. Here are our favorite merino wool products that we’ve tested by wearing and washing (usually in cold water, and hung to dry, although we do machine dry them just to see what happens) over the course of months and even years in some cases. Once you’re done here, don’t forget to check out the rest of our apparel guides, like the Best Merino Wool T-Shirts, Best Base Layers, Best Puffer Jackets, Best Hoodies, and Best Hiking Boots.
Updated April 2026: We’ve changed out top pick boxers to Wool & Prince, added more hoodies, and the Ibex women’s Goat short sleeve. We also updated prices and links throughout.
Table of Contents
Why Is Merino Wool So Great?
Merino wool is great because you’re stealing a sheep’s ability to keep itself warm or cool based on the temperatures it’s in, a process often referred to as thermoregulation. If you’ve only ever worn the sort of itchy wool sweaters your proverbial grandmother supposedly made, you might wonder what all the fuss is. The answer is that Merino sheep have thinner, softer wool, which has evolved to keep them comfortable across a wide range of temperatures and is comfortable to wear next to your skin. Wool is sustainable, too.
One sheep can produce 4 to 5 pounds of wool per year. That’s because the sheep that make merino wool drink only the purest alpine waters and study the art of comfort under the tutelage of those stuck-up Pashmina goats, who, let’s face it, might know a thing or two about wonderfully pillowy softness. Just kidding. Merino sheep do have that softer wool though, and merino wool is a remarkable fabric that’s become the cornerstone of my wardrobe.
Merino wool comes in different weights, which you will frequently see listed as “200 gsm” or something similar. (The “gsm” refers to grams per square meter, sometimes listed as g/m.) What’s important is the scale and where your garment falls on it. At the low end, you have T-shirts and underwear, which are typically 150 gsm, though we have seen some as low as 120 gsm. Generally, anything below 200 gsm will be a good base layer or T-shirt. From 200 to 300 gsm are your mid-layers, and anything above 300 is a heavier garment.
If you’re more familiar with synthetic ratings like those often used on fleece, know that, in my experience, about 120–160 gsm wool corresponds to 100-weight fleece, 160–200 gsm wool roughly matches 200-weight fleece and 200+ wool is like 300-weight fleece. In every instance, the wool is warmer because it’s better at trapping heat, especially in the wind. (That said, there are reasons to go with fleece at times, like how incredibly lightweight it can be.)
Nuyarn is a merino wool/synthetic hybrid weave, wherein merino wool is wrapped around a nylon core for warmth, lightness, and extra durability. The idea is to get the temperature regulation benefits of merino, but to add some of the longevity of nylon. In my experience, Nuyarn mostly works. It’s our top pick for base layers, though I find it less necessary in more casual garments, where I prefer 100 percent wool.
How to Care for Merino Wool
Most merino products will have care instructions. Most likely it will be to wash cold and lay flat to dry. The latter is important, as hanging wool to dry will stretch it out (because of the water weight). While most merino labels say the garment can be machine washed, my experience has been that hand-washing merino will extend its life. This is particularly true of very lightweight (150 gsm) merino base layers and T-shirts. The exception is Minus33’s Microweight Raglan short sleeve T-shirt, which is machine-washable and dryer-friendly. Having done both to mine for over a year, I can vouch that it does indeed hold up.
I’ve never had a problem storing merino in my closet between wears, but for long-term storage, I recommend you take precautions against moths, which are notorious for eating holes in wool. I have lost merino garments to moths.
If you don’t want to smell like mothballs, there are better solutions. I make sure to wash and thoroughly dry whatever I am storing, then I seal it in a compression bag, like this. Another option is to put your merino garment in a cotton bag or otherwise wrap it in cotton and then put it in a plastic bin. It’s very important to make sure that the garment is completely dry before using any of these storage methods, otherwise your wool will smell musty and moldy. Other options include storing your garment in a cedar chest, which is a good natural deterrent for moths, or use moth traps or lavender sachets, which will repel the moths.
100 Percent Merino vs. Blends
Should you buy 100 percent merino or should you go for a blend? The answer is … it depends. On the garment in question, the use case, and your preferences. Probably the best way to find out is to try several and see what you like. One advantage to blends is that they’re stretchy, which makes them better for active pursuits like hiking, rock climbing, and the like. I like 100 percent merino for heavier mid-layers like hoodies or jackets, but I prefer blends for lighter layers. My experience has been that the closer I get to my skin, the more blend I want, with Nuyarn being my top pick for base layers.
There are also some alpaca blends out there that are also wonderfully soft (I love everything I’ve tried from Paka and Arms of Andes). If you’re one of the rare people who do find merino itchy, you might be allergic to lanolin, which is the skin oil produced by sheep. Alpacas don’t make lanolin, and the fibers are thinner and finer than merino. That makes alpaca warmer and softer, but it’s also more expensive.
Merino vs. Synthetic Fibers
Which is better? The answer again is … it depends (sorry). But usually merino. By synthetics, I generally mean polyester, nylon, polypropylene, rayon, or blends of these and other fabrics—everything but cotton, wool, and linen.
Synthetics generally win for wicking away sweat, which means they tend to feel drier. They also tend to dry faster, so when it comes to things like socks and underwear, even most “merino” options are often more than 50 percent synthetic. Synthetics are just better at handling moisture. How much this matters depends on a host of personal factors. For example, I feel weird and almost clammy in anything synthetic, so I don’t really care how much moisture it wicks away.
The downside to that moisture wicking is that synthetics retain odor. There are some chemical treatments that can help, but I’ve never tried anything synthetic that was as odor-resistant as merino wool.
Another difference is breathability. Synthetics are passable in this department, but it’s where merino really excels. If you’re hot and are hiking up an exposed slope toward an open pass and then dropping down into the cool of a forest, merino is your friend, because the breathability means less sweat to cool you when you get out of the sun. Again, how much this matters depends on your body.
The final factor worth thinking about is durability. In some cases, synthetics will last longer than pure merino, particularly in scenarios where abrasion is a major source of wear. To my mind, this is just another reason to choose a merino blend rather than going all the way to synthetics, but it’s something to think about if you do a lot of off-trail hiking or rock climbing—any activity where your clothes are going to take a beating.
Base Layers
To really see how remarkable merino wool is, start at the bottom, with the clothes next to your skin. Merino really shines as a base layer. It’s warmer for the weight, wicks moisture well, and unlike synthetic fabrics, merino stays stink-free for days of wear. Be sure to read our layering guide for more on how to put it all together and stay comfortable in any weather. We also have a separate guide to the best base layers if you want know all your options, but here are our top merino picks from that guide.
Best Lightweight Base Layer
Ibex
Woolies Pro Tech Crew
The Ibex Woolies Pro Tech base layer crew is the best lightweight merino base layer we’ve tested. If you want a hard-wearing shirt, this it it. Woolies are Nuyarn (see above), which is 85 percent merino wool and 15 percent nylon—the merino wool is wrapped around a nylon core, which increases the warmth while being lighter (5 oz for the men’s large) and more durable. This is my top pick for all things technical. It’s what I bring hiking, backpacking, and it’s reviews editor Adrienne So’s pick for running, climbing and other high-aerobic activities when it’s cold. I also love the Woolies Pro Tech Bottoms ($115), which are what I bring backpacking in all but the warmest of weather. There’s also a quarter zip version of the shirt if you prefer.
Aside from comfort and warmth, a bit part of the reason we recommend Woolies is that they last. Ibex is what passes for a heritage company in this space; the company was founded in 1997 and has been cranking out merino garment for a long time. Adrienne’s parents bought her two sets of Ibex base layers in 2001 that she still wears today, in the year of our Lord 2025. Properly cared for, Woolies will keep you comfortable warm for years to come.
Best Heavyweight Base Layer
SmartWool
Merino Classic Long-Sleeve
When I want something a bit warmer than the lightweight Woolies above, I reach for Smartwool’s Classic long sleeve base layer. These may be the most popular merino shirts around, and for good reason: They’re very comfortable, tending to the looser side, feature heavy duty seams that don’t rub, and sit off the shoulder for more comfort when wearing a pack. At 87 percent merino wool (blended with nylon), these are also very durable while remaining lightweight (10.3 oz for a men’s large). This Smartwool shirt, along with the matching pants ($125), are great for chilly winter days.
Courtesy of Unbound Merino
Unbound Merino
Long-Sleeve Merino Crew
The picks above all have what my wife calls “that sporty look,” which the industry refers to as “technical.” This 100 percent merino shirt from Unbound is the opposite: it just looks like a long sleeve shirt. It’s incredibly soft and while it does pill a bit if you run it through the dryer (don’t), it’s proved itself plenty durable—I’ve been wearing it constantly for over a year now and it still looks like it did when I got it. It’s the long-sleeve, base layer twin to our favorite T-shirt (see below). It’s on the thin side for a base layer, which makes it perfect for those cool weather mornings in the shoulder seasons. It’s versatile too; it can be used as a base layer, but it also works as a T-shirt when it’s not too chilly. Fit runs true to size, and if the one you want is sold out, be patient; Unbound frequently updates its stock.
There are so many! Here’s a few more to consider, but really, go read the base layer guide.
Ridge Merino
Aspect High Rise Base Layer Bottoms
These are another great option fro women looking for something that can be worn around town as well as on the trail. My daughter has even worn them under shorts for no-gi juijitsu and they’ve held up great, which is a testament to their durability.
Minus33
Heavyweight Yukon Thermal Long Sleeve
If you’re going to be in extreme cold, New Hampshire-based Minus33 is the company to shop. Where I live winter temps regularly dip below 0F and the Yukon comes into its own. The 400 gsm weave of 100 percent merino is more like a sweatshirt than a base layer, but if you live in the north, you need it.
Turtle Fur
Merino Pipe Dream Neck Gaiter
Don’t forget your neck. I live in this Turtle Fur gaiter during the winter and I also use the lighter, superfine version for hiking at elevation in the summer to keep the sun off my neck without resorting to sunscreen. It’s wonderfully soft, not overly tight, and never smells.
Merino Mid Layers
Fleece has its place, but I rarely wear it these days. I prefer merino for my mid layers. It’s better at helping your body regulate its temperature. The one place fleece still wins for me is backpacking. It’s almost always lighter for comparable warmth, at least in mid layers.
Like the Northern Lights or the McRib, the thickest Ibex wool hoodie appears irregularly and with some fanfare. The Mammoth Hoodie is indeed a big, furry beast of a garment—it’s basically the weight of the classic American Giant hoodie but made of 85 percent wool cut with 15 percent nylon for added warmth and stretch. Ibex says it’s the warmest hoodie they’ve ever made, and in my week of testing, I’ve used it in place of a jacket in mid-30s temps. It has an athletic cut with zippered pockets and thumb holes. I do wear a stocking hat with it in the cold because the scuba hood is meant to fit under a helmet which means it’s too small to provide enough warmth for my large shaved head on its own. —Martin Cizmar
If you’re not keen on buying a standing desk, check out the Lifesmart 3-in-1 Treadmill. You can wheel the lightweight machine into any room, place the desk attachment across the handrail, and get to working and walking. The desk’s height won’t accommodate everyone—it was lower than I’d like, and I’m 5’4”. But for quick, basic work like answering emails or sitting in on a meeting, it got the job done just fine.
The 3-in-1 Treadmill gets its name from its ability to serve as a walking pad (with the rail down, the speed tops out at 3.7 mph), a treadmill (with the rail up, you can run up to 7.5 mph), and a workstation (with the rail up and desk attachment on).
It’s easy to set up, and transitioning between the walking pad, treadmill, and work modes is quick and simple (you just need to use a small tool to adjust the rail, which is magnetized so it can live on the rail and never get lost in a junk drawer). You can adjust the speed with buttons on the rails or with a Bluetooth remote, and a screen on the front of the machine cycles through your workout metrics. The sleek, modern design means you won’t be embarrassed to have it out in your living space. The only drawback is that it doesn’t have any incline options.
Quietest Pad
Photograph: Kristin Canning
Photograph: Kristin Canning
Flexispot
Auto Incline Walking Treadmill
This walking pad had the most intuitive setup of any on this list (likely thanks to its lack of a companion app, which oftentimes isn’t really necessary). I was able to set it up in minutes, and the remote connected right away, no Bluetooth pairing required. Like many walking pads, this one has a screen at the front that shows you your workout metrics. If you pause the machine to step off, you can pick right back up where you started, building on those metrics until you turn the machine off. One downside: It doesn’t track steps.
The Auto Incline Walking Treadmill offers a great incline range, going up to a level nine, or 12-percent incline. It’s one of the highest incline capabilities I’ve found in my testing. You can walk up to 4 mph on this machine, and you can connect your phone to play music through the speakers. The remote allows you to take on 30-minute, preprogrammed walking workouts, too, where the machine auto-adjusts the speed throughout (though not the incline). Otherwise, you can use it in manual mode and adjust the settings to your liking.
Today is the last day of REI’s Holiday Sale. For the past 10 years REI has shut its doors for Black Friday, suggesting that instead potential customers should get outside and enjoy the world around you. That’s great advice, but of course Black Friday is also one of the biggest retail spending days of the year, and REI is a for-profit co-op—what to do? Have your holiday sale early, of course.
We’re entering the final weekend of REI’s holiday sale. This year the REI Holiday Sale runs from November 14 to 24. There are two member-exclusive coupons with the Holiday Sale. The first is for 20 percent off a regular-priced item at REI, the second is 20 percent off any item at REI Outlet. Use the code HOLIDAY2025. Many of the best REI deals this year are on the company’s house-brand gear, but we’ve also pulled in deals from competing sales at Backcountry, Six Moon Designs, Zenbivy, and other cottage industry retailers. Below are the best deals on all our favorite tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, pads, cookware, outdoor apparel, and more.
Updated November 23: We’ve noted that REI’s Holiday sale ends tonight, as well as adding a few new deals from Gossamer Gear’s sale.
WIRED Featured Deals
Can’t You Just Put Links to All Your Outdoor Guides Right Here?
Sure. Here you go:
Hiking & Backpacking Gear Guides:
Camping Guides
Outdoor Apparel Guides
Winter Sports
Backpack Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
The Flash 22 is possibly the best-value daypack on the market, especially now, on sale. This is a very lightweight, minimalist pack, but it’s surprisingly comfortable. It’ll handle loads up to 15 pounds without straining your shoulders, and the side stash pockets are large enough for a Nalgene bottle or rain jacket. The Flash 22 is made of 70-denier recycled ripstop nylon, which is on the lighter side, but mine has held up well, even on some rough cross-country hikes in the North woods.
The ultralight cousin to the Flash 22, the Flash 18 lacks the hip belt, side stash pockets, and floating lid. The result is a stripped-down, bare-bones pack that we like because you can stuff it in your carry-on and have a nice backpack whenever you need it. Don’t load it up with more than 8 pounds of gear, and avoid anything with pointy bits, as there’s no padding here, but so long as you recognize its limitations, this is a great little pack.
This no-nonsense day pack is comfortable with loads up to about 10 pounds, and has plenty of pockets for organizing your gear. The ripstop nylon body fabric is DWR coated, and the back is better padded and stiffer than the Flash packs above, making it overall a bit more substantial. The U-shape access panel is nearly identical to Mystery Ranch’s Ripruck series, with two zipper sliders to give you quick access to the main compartment. There’s also a zip pocket just under the top to give you a place to stash keys and small items. The side pockets are big enough for a Nalgene bottle and the daisy chains on the bag give you somewhere to clip extra stuff if you need to.
This travel backpack from Six Moon Designs makes it so you no longer have to pick between optimizing for air travel or carrying long distances at your destination. It’s the only bag I’ve used that maximizes your allotted carry-on space while remaining comfortable for a walk across a mid-sized European city or even a day on the trail. The bag’s square shape and suitcase handle make it easy to show the flight crew you’re compliant, but once you deplane, you have adjustable shoulder straps built by a brand that makes gear for serious backpackers. There’s also a padded harness with water bottle holders and a zipper pouches for Clif Bars or a flashlight. —Martin Cizmar
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
If I were going to live out of a single bag—traveling the world for the rest of my life—this is the bag I would bring. The GR2 is a gear-hauling monster with a ton of built-in organization options. This deal is on the 40L version, which I think is the perfect size for #onebag travel. It still manages to qualify as a carry-on bag for US flights (you may have trouble with that overseas though). The 34L waxed canvas version is also on sale for $340 ($115 off). And yes, it can double as a rucker, though there are better options if that’s your main use case. See below.
This deal is only on a couple of colors, and only the X-Pac fabric, but this is the cheapest we’ve seen the GR1 go for in quite some time. The GoRuck GR1 (7/10, WIRED Review) is the pack that launched the company, and it’s still the best and most versatile of the GoRuck lineup. This deal is on the smaller 21L pack, which I think is the perfect size for rucking, everyday carry, and weekend trips. I have lived out of the 21L bag (with a shoulder bag for my camera gear) during a weeklong trip. It was a squeeze, but it worked. The 21L GR1 is deceptively large and always seems to swallow more gear than I think it can.
If rucking is your thing, this is the GoRuck to get. It’s very close to the GR1 in size, layout, and fabric options, but the Rucker adds more handles, one on each side. The handles are so that the Rucker can be used as a weight (or kettlebell) in workouts. The interior has a Ruck Plate pocket for holding weight (the 20L version can handle up to 3-pound plates while the 25L can do up to 45-pound plates). The interior pockets are the same as the GR1, but instead of zippers, you get Velcro closures.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
The best ultralight day hiking pack, the Cima 15 is made of 100D recycled ripstop with a wraparound UHMWPE stretch mesh that forms the two side pockets and back pocket. The straps are quite cushy and comfortable, better than most straps you’ll find on small capacity packs. You might think 15L won’t hold everything you need, but it does. I manage to cram the essentials plus my camera gear, binoculars, and more in it and it stays comfortable. There’s an internal sleeve for a water bladder that happens to fit a 13-inch laptop if you want to use it to commute to work.
Gossamer Gear makes some of our favorite packing cubes for travel and backpacking. They’re light and spacious and the dual-chamber dirty/clean cube linked to here has a “dirty” side that seals up tight and keeps everything tidy. The clear cube $15 ($5 off) is also great. It zips and has multiple mesh pockets. It works both as a clear bag for liquids when you’re going through airport security, or a tech pouch for chargers and other sundries when you’re camping.
Oddly enough, for someone who isn’t a big fan of lumbar packs, this is probably my most-used bag. It’s our top pick for all-day adventures thanks to its array of pockets. The Tour is loaded with stash spaces, allowing me to carry my camera, binoculars, snacks, rain jacket, and more. Thanks to the shoulder strap (sold separately, $14) and the ability to tuck away the belt, the Tour can also be used as a shoulder bag. I even modified mine with a couple extra loops to secure it to the handlebars of my bike.
Photograph: Adrienne SoPhotograph: Adrienne So
Nemo’s Resolve is a great pack that incorporates a low-waste footprint into the design. It uses solution-dyed fabrics, and eschews straps and buckles in favor of bungees and pull-tabs. This does make adjusting it fussier, but once you’re used to it and have the fit dialed in, it’s not an issue. The Resolve is a comfortable pack. While technically frameless, it feels like it has some structure. and it sits nice and high on your back. At 1 pound, 15 ounces, it’s also pretty light.
My kid started his hiking career in this pack, which carried him from the mountains of Colorado to the hot barren mesas of Chaco Canyon. It’s not cheap (though this deal takes some of the pain away), but it’s well-made, and, most important, stable and comfortable. It’s also the easiest kid-hiking-pack to get on and off, which you will inevitably do, a lot.
Tent Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Six Moon Design’s Lunar Solo (7/10, WIRED Review) is my favorite single-wall ultralight solo tent. It’s not without its quirks (read the pitching tips), but if you want something more than a tarp, that still weighs just 26 ounces (740 grams), this one is hard to beat. It’s well ventilated for a single-walled tent, with the ability to raise up the front door when weather is nice. I also like that it only needs one trekking pole (or one pole if you don’t hike with trekking poles). You’d be hard-pressed to find a tent even half this nice at this price.
The Big Agnes Copper Spur tents are a perennial favorite around the WIRED office. Well, actually none of us work in an office, but we still love the Copper Spur. The only one on sale at REI this year is this, the monstrous five-person version. I have not tested this model, however I have taken my three kids backpacking in the four-person version and very much wished I had this one. As with most backpacking tents, the Copper Spur’s are more comfortable when you get one more person worth than you need. The miraculous thing about this five-person model is that it somehow only weighs 7 pounds, 5 ounces, which is not bad at all if you’re distributing it among four people. Note that this is an REI Outlet deal, which means members can get an additional 20 percent off with the coupon HOLIDAY2025, bringing the sale price down to $467, which is a crazy good deal for this tent.
Thank you Public Lands for stepping up to put the two-person version of the Copper Spur on sale. It’s currently our top pick for lightweight freestanding backpacking tents, and it’s been a popular choice with readers for years. This is a high-quality, well-designed tent that’s lightweight, easy to set up, and roomy enough to be livable in the backcountry. The “awning” design (with trekking poles or sticks) is a nice extra, and the mix of 15D nylon and 20D ripstop, while it feels fragile, has held up well over time.
Sea to Summit’s “3-plus season” tents are capable enough in almost any weather while staying crazy light—just 3 pounds, 12 ounces for this two-person model. I used the three-person version on a five-day trip to Loon Lake in northern California in early October, a true “shoulder season” trip with daytime highs in the 80s, nighttime lows in the 40s, and overnight winds of up to 60 mph. My favorite design detail is that the pole bag is kept rigid by an insert of opaque white plastic. Clip it to the tent’s ceiling, pop in your headlamp, and illuminate your abode. —Michael Calore
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Nemo’s Dagger Osmo line of tents are reasonably light with roomy interiors and have proved very storm-proof in my testing. The three-person version has long been my tent of choice for trips with my kids. Setup is simple thanks to the single main pole design (which forks at each end) with a cross pole in the middle. There are two spacious vestibules for storing gear, and if you leave the rain fly off, the mesh room is excellent for stargazing.
The Nemo Mayfly is a three-season backpacking tent with a trail weight of 3 pounds, 8 ounces for the two-person version I tested. Split between two people, each is carrying under 2 pounds. The Mayfly uses a semi-freestanding design to keep weight down, which does mean you have to stake out the foot end. It’s on the small side as well, at 27.9 square feet of living space, with two 7-square-foot vestibule areas. I find it plenty livable for two, and the cross pole gives you a wider roof area than most tents this size. I love the white mesh (instead of black) and the super simple clips that keep the rain fly secured.
Sea to Summit’s ultralight Alto tent (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is designed to keep weight down on your solo adventures. At just 33 ounces for a semi-freestanding tent, it remains one of the lighter options on the market, and at this price it’s hard to pass up. The mesh netting helps keep weight down, though for something warmer, the Plus version, which has less mesh, is also on sale for $412 ($137 off), an equally outstanding deal.
Goassamer Gear’s The Two is an ultralight, two-person shelter that weighs just about 2 pounds (slightly more if you account for the trekking poles you need to pitch it). Probably my favorite part of this tent in terms of ultralight performance is how small it stuffs down—to about the size of Nalgene water bottle, which means I can shove it in the side pocket of my pack. The seams are factory-taped and the dual doors make it easy to get in and out.
Camping and Backpacking Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
I rarely bring a chair backpacking, but if I did, the Nemo Moonlite Elite would be in my pack. At 18 ounces, it’s one of the lightest chairs around, and it packs down nice and small. It’s comfortable and reasonably stable. Nemo also solved the main problem with all pole chairs; The included base pad keeps it from sinking into soft ground.
The Flexlite Air camp chair is a great example of the promise of REI brand gear: It offers 90 percent of the designer item, for 70 percent of the price. It’s not quite as nice as the Nemo above, but it’s still comfortable (it does wobble a little, side to side when you move) and it’s nearly half the price.
This chair is the coziest way to hang out around camp. It is somewhat huge, heavy, and awkward to fold up and carry, but it’s all worth it once you cram everyone you love on it in front of a fire. The even bigger and more awkward three-person version is also on sale for $108 ($71 off).
I’ve noticed that, when trying to lighten their load with a smaller, lighter backpack, people then struggle to fit all their gear. The answer for sleeping bags and clothing is this compression stuff sack, which smashes anything soft down to about half the size of the same item in a regular stuff sack. This works well with sleeping bags and clothing, especially puffer jackets, but also fleece and merino wool.
Photograph: REI
The Petzl Tikka is the best headlamp you can buy. I’ve had the same Petzl Tikka for 14 years, and it’s still going strong. The Tikka is not the brightest, topping out at 450 lumens, but it’s plenty of light to cook by in the backcountry. There are three light modes: bright, brighter, and brightest. There’s also a red light mode to retain some of your night vision. The Tikka runs on three AAA batteries (we recommend Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries) and lasts over 5.5 hours.
I have never slept so well camping as I have on this mat. Technically I have the car-friendly model, but in terms of comfort, they’re the same. In our guide to car camping pads the Therm-a-rest MondoKing edges out the Megamat for top pick among the monster sleeping pads, but I prefer the Megamat for it’s extra warmth (it has an R-value of 8.1 to the MondoKing’s R 7.0) and the soft texture of the top. It’s comfortable enough to sleep directly on the Megamat.
If you want just one pad that’s plush enough for car camping yet reasonably lightweight (2 pounds, 2 ounces for the regular size linked here) and small enough for backpacking, this is the pad to get. That’s why it’s our favorite sleeping pad for car camping. There are lighter pads, there are comfier pads, but the Comfort Plus sets itself apart by being able to gracefully slip between those worlds.
If you’re camping with a buddy and you want to snuggle up at night, this plush two-person sleeping pad is our top pick. The 5R rating means it’s made for cold weather, but even cinched into its included stuff sack, it’s fairly large and heavy, so it’s best for car camping, canoe camping, or any situation where you don’t have to haul it in a pack. (For summer backpacking, consider the lighter three-season 3R version, also on sale.) Each side has its own valve, so both sleepers can use the included inflation bag to pump up the pad to their desired firmness. —Michael Calore
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
The Yeti Hopper Flip 12 is a nice little personal-size cooler. Hopper Flip 12 closes with a water proof zipper, which has never leaked on me thus far. With 12 quarts of capacity, it’s not huge. Think a six pack and sandwich, depending on what you use to keep things cold (ice packs are the way to go with this one).
Stove and Camp Cooking Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
My favorite stove for actually cooking real food in the backcountry, the Firebox Nano is a titanium (or steel, but I highly recommend titanium) shell that you can fit with an alcohol burner like the Trangia Spirit burner, or an isobutane burner. You can also use wood to cook directly over flames the way your ancestors did, and you should. For backpacking, with its frequent and pesky burn bans, the Firebox Gas Burner with its diffusion plate is hands down the best backcountry cooking system. It won’t win you any prizes at the next /r/Ultralight get-together (the Firebox Nano on its own weighs 4.25 ounces for the titanium version), but you could be eating some delicious food in the backcountry.
The Stash is our favorite all-in-one backcountry cook system. The heat diffuser design is what speeds up boil times (Jetboil claims 2.5 minutes, which I was only able to match indoor in still air), but the real appeal here to me is the way this kit all packs down into itself. For weekend trips, this is the simplest system I’ve tested when it comes to cooking for two.
Camp Chef’s Explorer 2 is similar to our favorite Camp Chef stove, the Pro 60X. It’s slightly less powerful, but it’s still free-standing, ruggedly built, and cooks extremely hot. It’s a wonderful stove to cook on, and I know more than a few river guides who swear by it. Your giant pot of water for spaghetti noodles will boil in no time, though it’s not great for simmering. If you want to use a griddle, or simmer a sauce, pick up the heat diffuser. It’s overkill in most circumstances, but for large groups, like a scout troop or guided trip, it’s the best choice, hands down.
Courtesy of Coleman
REI sales are the time to grab this upgrade stove. Sure, the basic version below gets the job done, but the cast iron burners of the Cascade are so much nicer and more durable. The griddle plate is also handy, perfect for cranking out pancakes. My only gripe is that I wish there were an option to get two griddles, as I find the grill not nearly as useful.
Walk around any campground in America and you’ll likely see dozens of these, for good reason. They’re easy to use, last a long time, and aren’t all that expensive. The 10,000-BTU burners are plenty to cook on just about any pan you have (I use cast iron pans on mine), and the electronic ignition means you don’t have to keep track of a lighter.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Our favorite way to avoid those green propane bottles is this propane growler. The Ignik Deluxe is a 1.2-pound propane tank with a nice padded/insulated sleeve and a handy strap for carrying. It makes your camp setup look much nicer than a bare tank. It also saves your shins during those inevitable run-ins with cold hard steel that come from lugging around a big propane tank. This size is the equivalent of five green propane bottles.
I’m not sure this really qualifies for the “ultralight” moniker, and these pots are unfortunately marred by having a ton of fake influencer reviews out there, but they’re actually quite good. The hard-anodized aluminum is sturdy and provides good heat transfer. The ceramic nonstick coating makes for easy cleanup and the 1.3L size is perfect for cooking for two.
I used to make fun of my editor for being irrationally attached to this spoon, but then he said, why don’t you try one. So I did. And now I am also irrationally attached to this bamboo spoon. So is my daughter who keeps trying to steal it from me. Why do I like it some much? I don’t know, it’s just a really nice spoon. Perhaps it’s because I have an equally irrational dislike of long handled titanium spoons (along with the backpacking “food” in pouches which they are designed for). I have an idea, why don’t you just try this spoon for yourself. It’s $4. You spent more than that on coffee this morning.
EBike Deals
Photograph: Stephanie Pearson
REI makes some great, reasonably priced commuter bikes. Even better the company will build them in-house and offers a year of free adjustments. This is great deal on our favorite commuter, with a Class 3 motor (pedal assist up to 28 mph) on a step-through frame.
Cannondale’s Adventure Neo line (8/10, WIRED Recommends) has a 250-watt Bafang motor with a Bafang sensor and a thumb throttle, which makes it a class 2 ebike (it tops out at 20 mph assist). It’s not the most powerful bike we’ve tested, but it features reliable components from Shimano and Bosch along with great shocks and a suspension seat post.
We’ve tried several Aventon models and appreciate the high level of quality for a relatively low price point (the accessories are better than Lectric’s, too). This fat-tire ebike (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is affordable, versatile, and has built-in commuter essentials. We also like the Soltera.2 and the Abound, both of which are on sale.
Outdoor Apparel Deals
Courtesy of REI
This is still the best budget rain jacket you can buy. REI’s Rainier Jacket is impressively waterproof and reasonably long-lasting for $70. The durable water repellent (DWR) is PFAS-free, but still pretty good. You also get taped seams and an adjustable hood, two nice features you generally don’t find in jackets this cheap.
REI’s Sahara Shade Hoodie offers UPF 50+ fabric (a polyester and spandex blend) to protect you from that high-altitude sun (or any sun). It’s soft and stretchy, so you have a good range of movement, and there are thumbholes in the sleeves to keep them from riding up and exposing your arms. The three-panel hood has a drawstring you can use the cinch it down and keep your neck covered as well. I do prefer merino sun hoodies, but they’re double the price, if not more.
These are my favorite travel pants. I wore these for two weeks traveling to southeast Asia from the United States and for shorter business trips. In the darker black and navy colors, they look more professional and not quite so sporty. The majority cotton blend looks crisp and washes and wears well. The pants still look good after 15 straight hours of flying (and several years) but they still dry quickly after I spilled a full cup of apple juice on my lap (thanks, kids).The drawcord means that it’s easy to adjust the fit, depending on whether you’re airplane bloating or traveler’s diarrhea. Also, there are a ton of pockets and they all either snap or zip closed, which means your phone or earbuds won’t fall out when you’ve fallen asleep while watching Leap Year for the 400th time. They also come in a men’s version.—Adrienne So
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Smartwool’s 100 percent merino Classic Thermal base layer is a nice, heavy 250-gsm merino, base layer, making it a great base layer for cold weather. It’s our top pick heavyweight base layer. It fits looser, making it feel more like a comfortable shirt. The looser fit makes it possible to use this as a second base layer over something like Ibex Woolies when it’s extremely cold (this combo is something I wear all the time here in Northern Wisconsin). The bottoms are also on sale (Men’s/Women’s).
Icebreaker’s 200 Oasis base layer is a 200-gsm base layer. This is about what most of us call a mid-weight base layer, making it a good choice for everything from cool weather hiking in the fall or spring, to skiing in the front country. The 100 percent merino fibers here are not quite as soft at the Smartwool above, but they’re equally good at regulating body temperature and wicking away moisture. This is also the fastest drying merino top in our base layers guide.
REI’s base layers are a solid value. If you want one base layer to do it all and don’t want to spend a fortune, these are the base layers to get. You can have a crew top and bottom for less than a single garment of merino or a brand name synthetic. This is the mid-weight version, which is 220 GSM (92 percent recycled polyester, 8 percent spandex). They’re comfortable with a tight, but not overly tight, fit that makes them easy to layer over, and there’s nice extras like thumb loops on the sleeves.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
I’m just going to keep singing the praises of this shirt until every WIRED reader has one. Then we can move on. If you live in a cold climate, even if it’s not quite Canada, you need this shirt. It’s your classic, ultra-warm wool shirt. Sorry, shirt jacket. Whatever it is, it’s warm, cozy, and comfy. Don’t let the wool scare you. It’s not itchy.
There are tons of neck gators out there, but this is my favorite (I actually have the slightly longer version, but this is close). Like most things merino it puzzles me how this keeps me warm in the winter, and keeps the sun off my neck in the summer without making me overheat. Somehow it manages this. These make great gifts for your outdoorsy friends too.
These Fjällräven pants are among my favorite hiking pants. The G-1000 fabric is 65 percent recycled polyester and 35 percent organic cotton. They’ve got pockets everywhere and extras like ventilation zippers, reinforced knees (with openings for pads), and a loop on the leg to hold a axe. Do your pants have a axe loop? Didn’t think so. Note that Fjällräven recently changed the fit, so if you’re an old school wearer of these, size up.
Courtesy of Smartwool
The Smartwool Classic merino tee is an honorable mention in our guide to the best merino wool t-shirts. It’s a nice shirt, especially at this price which brings it down below even the cheapest options in that guide. It’s a Nuyarn blend (88 percent merino, 12 percent nylon), with the merino spun around the nylon. Mine has held up incredibly well. I’ve had it for several years and it’s still going strong. It does run on the large side, and has a looser fit, so size accordingly, but this is a great, low price way to fill out your merino t-shirt collection.
I like these socks for everyday wear in addition to the intended use, hiking. They’re a blend: 54 percent merino wool, 37 percent recycled nylon, 6 percent nylon, and 3 percent elastane to give them a bit of stretch. I find they keep my feet nice and dry, wicking better than several other merino socks I have.
Merrell’s Vapor Glove shoes have been a perennial favorite at WIRED, topping our Barefoot Shoes guide for years. They’re quite thin (6mm stack height) and plenty flexible, allowing your feet to bend and shape to the terrain. That said, the Vapor Glove (and the Trail Glove as well) do not have the extra wide footbox you’ll find in some barefoot shoes. I find the ankle and arch fit to be spot on, but I do wish they had a wider toe box so my toes could spread out more.
Hiking Tech and Fitness Deals
Photograph: Kieran Alger
This is a good deal on Garmin’s most popular satellite messenger, but we always like to add the caveat that not everyone needs one. If you frequently hike alone, or do a lot of high alpine hiking and climbing, it’s probably worth carrying. As with any satellite messenger, you will have to subscribe to a safety plan, in addition to buying the device itself. If you only go on one or two big trips a year, you might want to consider a personal locator beacon (PLB) instead.
The Instinct 3 is our favorite Garmin watch and this deal makes the solar version the same price as the regular. The Instinct line has all the backcountry functionality of the Fenix watches but it’s much cheaper. This latest model includes a built-in flashlight and a metal-reinforced bezel with a scratch-resistant display and built to the durable MIL-STD 810 standard, meaning that’s undergone heavy thermal and shock resistance tests.
GoPro’s Hero 13 Black is our favorite GoPro for recording all your outdoor adventures. It has an interchangeable lens system to offer many more shooting options than other action cameras (in fairness Insta360 just added lenses to its Ace Pro 2, but we haven’t had a chance to try those yet). In addition to the standard wide angle action camera lens you can also invest in an Ultra Wide ($90), Macro ($120), and Anamorphic ($120) lens. All of these are automatically detected by the Hero 13 the minute you attach them. The camera will automatically adjust settings to match the lens and let you get back to what you were doing. It’s lots of fun and video quality is excellent.
These are our all-around favorite 8 x 42 binoculars. With the M5 Nikon has struck a nice balance between optical power, quality, and price. The roof prism design includes phase coatings and ED glass (Extra Low Dispersion Glass). The multi-coated glass cuts down on chromatic aberrations (distortion or color fringing sometimes seen around objects in bright sunlight), and the Monarch M5s give nice, bright views with very little distortion, making them excellent birding binoculars. The eyepieces have large (21 mm) eye lenses and they’re deeply recessed in the eye cups, which allows for nearly a full field of view even when wearing glasses. They’re also light enough that they can hang around your neck all day without bothering you too much.
Sleeping Bag and Quilt Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
REI’s Magma 15 is one of our top sleeping bags. It’s warm (comfort rated to 21 degrees Fahrenheit) with a 15-denier nylon ripstop nylon shell (Bluesign approved, with a non-fluorinated DWR coating to keep moisture at bay). Baffles are variably spaced and not stitched through, which helps the fill stay put and minimizes cold spots. I also really like the Magma hood, which is warm and stays on your head throughout the night. There’s a nice interior stash pocket I use to keep my headlamp handy.
Nemo’s Forte 20 is a 30-degree (comfort rated) synthetic-fill sleeping bag, making it a good choice for summer. It’s our favorite synthetic bag. What I like most about this bag, and nearly all of Nemo’s sleeping bags, is the wider cut through the torso area down to the knees. This bag is almost a hybrid of a mummy bag and your father’s good old 1970s square sleeping bag. Which is to say, this bag is roomy.
We’re still working on a guide to backpacking quilts, but it will probably surprise no one to learn that this is our current pick for best value quilt. Like the Magma 30 sleeping bag, the Magma quilt is not the lightest, nor the warmest, but you get a lot, for not a lot. The 15-denier shell encloses 850-fill-power water-resistant goose down that’s comfort-rated down to 30 F. Weighing just 1 lb. 6 oz for a long, the Magma is on the light side for the temp rating. The foot box uses a zipper and drawstring system to be either completely open and flat, or zipped up and cinched down like a sleeping bag on cooler nights.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Zenbivy is having a site-wide sale on some of our favorite backcountry sleeping bags. I’ve highlighted the Light Bed because it’s my favorite Zenbivy. If you haven’t tried sleeping on a Zenbivy, you’re in for a treat. This is not your typical sleeping bag, not even your typical quilt system. Zenbivy’s bed is combination of a quilt (I prefer the convertible quilt, which comes completely apart, but there’s also a version with a footbox if you prefer) and a sheet. The two parts clip together to prevent drafts and give you the feeling of sleeping at home in your bed, or at least as close to that as you’re likely to get in a tent. Note that to get the deal you’ll need to sign up for the mailing list to get a code.
Sometimes in winter I look wistfully at this sleeping bag hanging in its storage sack and think, why don’t I live somewhere it’s always summer? There are lighter sleeping bags out there, but the price is hard to beat here. You get 650-fill-power down, plenty for warm summer trips and it still packs down pretty small. The dual side zippers mean you can get more a quilt-like feel when it’s warm rather than feeling trapped in a mummy bag. Note that this is an REI Outlet item so member can take another 20 percent off the price above.
Closed-cell-foam pads like the Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite Sol are a must-have. They weigh next to nothing (10 ounces for the small), fold up small enough to lash to the outside of any pack, and double as a chair, extra padding on cold nights, table, you name it. I am too old and too soft to be the sort of ultra-minimalist who gets by with just a Z-Lite, but I still have one around on almost every trip I take.
Photograph: REI
Our favorite sleeping bag for summer car camping, the Siesta isn’t fancy, but hey, it’s car camping. If all else fails, there’s a car to retreat to. With that in mind, don’t spend a fortune on a car camping bag if that’s all you need. The Siesta gives you a nice, roomy, rectangular cut, and the 20-degree rating makes it enough for three-season trips. The bonus here is the hood, which you don’t often find in this type of bag. If you don’t need the hood, REI also has the new Campwell 30 degree bag on sale for $70 ($30 off).
Think of a Rumpl blanket as if your sleeping bag had a baby with the coziest lap blanket that your grandma knitted for you. They’re made from DWR-treated ripstop polyester, so they’re sturdy, durable, and resist getting soaked or stained. But they’re also soft and warm enough to fall asleep under on the couch, and they come in a wide variety of colors and patterns (unfortunately only a couple patterns are on sale right now). —Adrienne So
Puffer Jacket and Winter Gear Deals
It’s already snowed once where I live. Now’s the time to score some new ski gear—jackets, helmets, gloves, and googles are all on sale.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
With an 850-fill-power goose down and a recycled ripstop nylon shell, this is one of the warmer jackets in our best puffer jackets guide. I like the zippered chest pocket (there are also two zippered hand pockets, one of which the jacket stuffs into), and at 12.5 ounces this jacket is surprisingly light for how warm it is. The front zip has a wind flap, and there’s even a draft collar, something you hardly ever find in a puffer at this price. Even better, you can cinch the hood to keep cold air from blowing in the sides.
Our favorite bargain three-season puffer jacket, the REI 650 down jacket isn’t as warm as the Magma above, but it’s hard to argue with this price. If you need a cheap, packable jacket for those cold summits or stargazing on chilly nights, this is the jacket to get. The stitched-through baffles mean this one isn’t as warm and is more susceptible to wind, but at this price, it’s worth buying.
Initially I did not like the idea of a down vest. If it’s cold enough to need a down jacket, my arms are probably cold too right? But then I moved somewhere cold (Why? I don’t know, but I did) and realized there is an infinite variety of shades when it comes to cold. For some shades of cold, the vest is the right move. Pair it with a good base layer, maybe even a hoodie, and you have something that’s warm, but leaves your arms free to swing an ax or whatever you might be doing.
Fjällräven’s hybrid fill jacket uses 700-fill-power down for most of the jacket but adds recycled polyester insulation over the shoulders to help resist moisture. That later works quite well when the snow is really coming down. The hood does a good job of keeping you warm while staying out of your way thanks to two drawcord tabs at the front, and an elastic drawcord at the back. It also, as the name suggests, packs down pretty small.
Mountain Hardwear’s Ghost Whisperer down jacket will be a pick in my next update for the Puffer Jacket Guide. It’s one of the best technical down puffers I’ve tested — thanks to the 800-fill down it’s warm, light, and packs down small. The medium weighs just about 8 ounces on my scale, though it does seem to run a bit small, I had to size up to large, the medium was a bit tight. Unfortunately the men’s version is pretty much sold out, though there are a couple size/color combos left. The jacket version, without the hood, is also on sale.
Paddleboard and Kayak Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Sure it’s odd to be buying a paddleboard in November, when there’s possibly snow on the ground (there is at my house), but a deal is a deal, and this is a good deal on one of our favorite Bote paddleboards. This large, stable SUP is great for beginners, it tracks well and despite the stability it’s surprisingly nimble and easy to steer. If you go all-in on the accessories you can end up with a two-in-one kayak/SUP hybrid, which makes it more versatile.
The Isle Switch 3 is by far my favorite inflatable that I have tested. Do you want to paddle out in glassy, still water and lie on your belly with your dog and watch fish? Then it’s a big, solid, stable paddleboard with a grippy, soft surface perfect for puppy paws. Is there a bit of a breeze and you want to put the full force of your paddling muscles in play? Slip the hooks into the eyes and tighten the straps to put on a big, comfy seat and foot brace. (I used mine as a seat for the kids behind me.) Even the paddle converts from an SUP paddle to a kayak paddle. I can’t believe I’ve never tried one of these before. This deal includes a free electric pump. —Adrienne So
The Breeze Aero inflatable paddleboard (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is well-built and durable, and it packs up reasonably small. It’s also one of the stablest paddleboards I’ve tried, making it a good choice for beginners. It’s easy to unpack and easy to use. Inflating is something of a chore with the hand pump, but once it’s deflated, it’s not hard to stow it away. This deal is on the 11’6″ model (which supports up to 355 pounds).
I have never actually tried one of Oru’s folding kayaks, but my editor and fellow gear tester Adrienne So loves them. The Inlet is one of Oru’s beginner models, but with room to grow as you you get more comfortable with it. It’s light and fast, and folds origami-style into a box that’s 42″ x 10″ x 18″, a bit like an oversized briefcase and still plenty small enough to fit a couple in your trunk. It weighs just 20 pounds and can hold one person up to 6’2″, 275 pounds.
I enquired about the weight, and a DJI spokesperson sent me the following statement: “The DJI Mini 5 Pro has a design weight of 249.9 grams. Due to manufacturing tolerances, the actual weight of the product may vary slightly within a range of ±4 g. Minor weight fluctuations are normal. We recommend that when UK users are operating the drone, local regulations are complied with, which can be found here.”
The company refers to it as a “near-250g drone”—terminology I’d never encountered from DJI. Frankly, it feels a little evasive. This isn’t just pedantic nitpicking over a few grams. I live in the UK, and the 250-gram threshold determines whether you can fly a drone in public parks, on beaches, in towns and cities, near people, and in countless other scenarios without additional certification. Previous Mini models have been just under this limit, and it seems like an oversight during the design process to not keep this one comfortably below it, too.
There’s good news, though: With UK drone rules set to change at the beginning of 2026, I don’t have too long to wait until the Mini 5 Pro (and, interestingly, the much bigger DJI Air 3S) becomes completely legal to fly in built-up areas, public parks, and close to people.
The tidings for US-based pilots aren’t so cheery, though. As with all of its recent products, DJI isn’t officially launching the Mini 5 Pro in the US. You can blame the impending DJI ban, and it’s a real shame, because, weight issues aside, this is a fantastic camera drone.
Big Camera Upgrades
Photograph: Sam Kieldsen
The Mini 5 Pro’s slight weight increase comes with genuine benefits. The main improvement is the camera, which now features a 12-MP (or 50 MP in Quad Bayer terms) 1-inch sensor, a significant upgrade from the smaller sensors in previous Mini models. The image quality is edging towards DJI’s Air range, which is remarkable for a drone this size. You’re getting professional-level image quality in a pocketable drone.
I was not sure what to expect from Diadem’s new BluCore paddle, which is among a handful of new paddles that have replaced the standard honeycomb polymer core with closed-cell foam—they sent me a sample of the stuff, and it looks like you could make a gas station cooler out of it. That foam is substantially more durable—it has a lifetime warranty, in fact—over the long haul and is also not at risk of delaminating in extreme temperatures if, for example, you leave the paddle in the car on a scorching summer day while you grab patio margs.
Given how far this paddle is outside the norm, and the fact that it’s priced at the upper end of the range, I wanted to put real time in before recommending it. What I found was that the BluCore took some time to get used to, but it’s now the paddle I play with the most. The foam core makes for a softer and more forgiving feel—it’s like the suspension on an old Cadillac coupe. While I don’t feel like I’m getting the most out of my serve, I especially love this paddle in defensive situations against better players. It plays consistently from edge to edge and has a nice, big sweet spot.
Whether foam ends up dominating the pickleball market remains to be seen, but people who play nearly every day will also appreciate that this paddle uses an aramid carbon fiber face that is more durable than raw carbon and that the foam absorbs more vibration.
★ Another foam core paddle: I was also pretty impressed with the Selkirk Labs 008, a new foam core paddle from the maker of our top pick for most people above. The 008 has a more traditional feel and a smaller but more poppy sweet spot. Because this paddle uses a T700 raw carbon fiber instead of more durable aramid carbon fiber, I fear the face will lose its effectiveness even when the core remains solid.
Insta360’s X-series 360-degree cameras have long dominated the market. They have great video quality, an easy-to-use interface, and simple editing software, which makes these the most beginner-friendly 360 cameras around. The latest version, the Insta360 X5, continues that tradition while bringing larger sensors with even better-looking video.
The X5 is a worthy upgrade; video quality is better, battery life is improved, and new features like the PureVideo lowlight mode and replaceable lenses make the X5 the most compelling 360 camera on the market.
What’s New
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
The big news in the X5, and the reason to consider upgrading even if you already have the X4, are the new twin 1/1.28-inch sensors. They’re a considerable step up from the 1/2-inch sensors in the X4. At the same time, the video specs have not changed much at all, with 8K 30 fps and 5.7K 60 fps at the high end. A larger sensor with the same resolution means more detail in that footage, which is exactly what you get here. This is without a doubt the best-looking footage I’ve seen from a 360 camera.
Keep in mind that the 8K refers to the overall 360-degree shot. When you actually frame that footage in the app, the highest resolution you’ll be able to export is 4K. But the 4K footage you’ll get is markedly better than what the X4 delivers.
The footage coming out of the X5 is great for a 360 camera. Bear in mind, though, that almost any other newer action camera is going to have somewhat better video quality. The appeal of the 360 camera is that it can capture what’s behind you, whereas Insta360’s traditional action cam, the Ace Pro 2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), cannot. This makes 360 cameras perfect for filming when you don’t know exactly how you want to frame your shot, for example while riding a bike, skiing, skateboarding, and so on. In the past, to get this kind of shoot-everything, frame-later flexibility, you had to give up some video quality. While that’s still true to an extent, with the X5 you’re giving up very little in terms of video quality.
Even if Punxsutawney Phil was correct, warm weather is still right around the corner. That means it’s time to prepare your outdoor space for maximum relaxation when temperatures begin to rise. Since this will likely include flexing your culinary muscle on the grill, now’s the time to do a deep clean so you’re ready for action.
I don’t blame you if you opted to let your grill hibernate during the winter months, but if that’s the case, it’ll probably need a tune-up before spring arrives. If you did keep the grill in working order over the last few months, this is a good time for a scrub and polish before warmer temperatures inspire heavy use. Here are a few tips and tricks that will hopefully make things easier.
Disassemble, scrub, reassemble
Billy Steele/Engadget
A good rule of thumb when it comes to cleaning anything you haven’t used in a while is to take it apart as much as you feel comfortable and give it a thorough wipe down. For grills, this means removing the grates and any bars or burner covers – basically, anything you can take out that’s not the heating element. This gives you a chance to inspect the burners of your gas grill or the fire pot of a pellet model for any unsightly wear and tear. If those components are worn out or overly rusted, most companies offer replacements that you can easily swap out with a few basic tools.
Once all the pieces are out, start by scraping excess debris off all sides of the interior – with the help of some cleaner if needed. For a gas grill, this likely means pushing everything out through the grease trap. On a pellet grill, you’ll want to scrape the grease chute clear and out into the catch can, but you’ll also need to vacuum the interior with a shop vac – just like you would after every few hours of use. And while you’re at it, go ahead and empty the hopper of any old pellets that have been sitting since Labor Day. Fuel that’s been sitting in the grill for months won’t give you the best results when it comes time to cook so you might as well start fresh.
Thankfully, pellet grill companies have made easy cleaning a key part of their designs. Weber’s SmokeFire has a set of metal bars on the inside that can be removed quickly to open up the bottom of the chamber. This is also a design feature of the company’s gas grills. Simply vacuum or push the debris out the grease chute. The catch pan where all of the garbage ends up is also easy to access from the front of the grill, and you can remove the aluminum liner and replace it with a new one in seconds.
Traeger’s most recent pellet grills were also redesigned to improve cleaning. Most notably, grease and ash end up in the same “keg” that’s easy to detach from the front of the grill. The company also allows you to quickly remove all of the interior components, though they’re larger than what you find on the SmokeFire. Lastly, Traeger moved the pellet chute to the front of the Timberline and Ironwood, making it a lot more convenient to swap out wood varieties or empty an old supply.
You’ll want to get as much of the food leftovers out of your grill as possible for a few reasons. First, that stuff is old and lots of build-up over time can hinder cooking performance and might impact flavor. The last thing you want is old food or grease burning off right under an expensive ribeye. Second, in the case of pellet grills, not properly clearing out grease and dust can be dangerous. It’s easy for grease fires to start at searing temperatures and if there’s enough pellet dust in the bottom of your grill, it can actually ignite or explode. That’s why companies tell you to vacuum it out after every few hours of use.
All of that dust, grease and debris should be removed before you fire the grill back up. (Billy Steele/Engadget)
To actually clean the surfaces, you’ll want to get an all-natural grill cleaner. There are tons of options here, and it may take some time to find one you like. I typically use Traeger’s formula since it’s readily available at the places I buy pellets and I’ve found it works well cutting through stuck-on muck. You want an all-natural grill cleaner over a regular household product as it’s safe to use on surfaces that will touch your food. They’re also safe to use on the exterior of your grill without doing any damage to chrome, stainless steel or any other materials.
Spray down the inside and give things a few minutes to work. Wipe it all clean and go back over any super dirty spots as needed. Ditto for the grates, bars and any other pieces you removed. I like to lay these out on a yard waste trash bag (they’re bigger than kitchen bags) so all the stuff I scrape or clean off doesn’t get all over my deck. You can use shop towels if you want to recycle or paper towels if not, but just know whatever you choose will be covered in nasty black grime so you won’t want to just toss them in the clothes washer when you’re done. A pre-wash in a bucket or sink is needed to make sure you don’t transfer gunk from your grill to your business casuals.
In terms of tools, you don’t need much. I’ve tried that grill robot that claims to do the job for you, but I’ve found sticking to the basics is more efficient. And honestly, when you get the hang of it, it doesn’t take all that long. It’s a good idea to have a wire brush specifically for the grates that you don’t use to clean anything else. After all, this will be touching the same surfaces you put food on. I recommend another, smaller wire brush – the ones that look like big toothbrushes – for cleaning the burners on a gas grill. If you notice the flame isn’t firing through one of the holes, you can use this to clean the pathway. Lastly, plastic is the way to go for a scraper, anything else and you risk scratching the surfaces of your grill. Sure, any damage done would be on the inside, but it’s still not a great feeling to knick up your previous investment.
Check for updates before your first cook
Traeger
If you have a smart grill from the likes of Traeger, Weber or another company, you’ll want to plug it in and check for software updates well in advance of your first grilling session. Chances are you haven’t cooked much since last fall, which means companies have had months to push updates to their devices. Trust me, there’s nothing worse than spending an hour trimming and seasoning a brisket only to walk outside to start the grill and it immediately launches into the update process. This could extend the whole cooking time significantly depending on the extent of the firmware additions and strength of your WiFi.
Thankfully, checking for updates is quick and easy. All you need to do is turn on your grill and open up the company’s app on your phone. If there’s a download ready for your model, the mobile software will let you know and it’s usually quite prominent. If there’s not a pop-up alert that displays immediately, you can check the settings menu just to make sure. Sometimes for smaller updates, a company might not beat you over the head to refresh. However, starting a fresh slate of firmware is always a safe bet and will ensure your grill is running at its best when it comes time to cook.
For a good time every time, clean after each use
Billy Steele/Engadget
I’ll be the first to admit I don’t adhere to my own advice here, but it’s nice to have goals. I will also be the first to tell you every single time I smoke a Boston Butt or some other super fatty cut of meat that I wish I would’ve done at least a quick cleaning right after the meal. Grease buildup is not only highly flammable but it’s much harder to clean once it cools and solidifies. Ditto for stuck-on sauce or cheese that’s left on your grates after chicken or burgers. It’s best to attack these things while the grill is still warm, but cooled down from the cook.
You don’t necessarily have to break out the shop vac each time for your pellet grill or empty the grease bin. But you’ll want to make sure that stuff is away from the main cooking area for safety and so any burn off won’t impact the flavor of your food. A few cups of hot water can cleanse the grease run-off while that wire brush I mentioned is best for the grates. It also doesn’t hurt to do a light wipe down with an all-natural cleaner so everything is ready to go when you want to cook again.
New grills for 2025
A number of grill companies have already announced their 2025 product lineups. If you’re looking for new gear for the summer, some of them are already available while others will be arriving over the next few weeks. Of the big names, Weber jumped first, introducing its lower-cost Smoque pellet grill in early January. Starting at $699, this model offers the same connected grilling tools as the company’s pricier Searwood, but a simplified controller and other design changes bring the price down. Weber also revamped the materials inside the cooking chamber to promote better air (and smoke) circulation. The Smoque grills should be available later this spring.
Traeger’s 2025 models are already available, and they offer three all-new designs to choose from. The new Woodridge line has a similar concept as Weber: balancing features and performance at lower prices. The base model starts at $800 and offers Wi-Fi connectivity, but you’ll have to splurge for the Woodridge Pro or Woodridge Elite for things like Super Smoke mode, enclosed storage, pellet level sensor or a side burner. Even without all the bells and whistles, the entry-level Woodridge is a workhorse, and it’s a huge upgrade over the aging Pro Series.
Middleby Outdoors also announced 2025 models for both its Masterbuilt and Kamado Joe brands. First, the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1150 expands the smart, gravity-fed charcoal lineup with an option that offers more cooking space and better storage. Then there’s the Kamado Joe Konnected Big Joe that’s a larger version of the Konnected Joe I reviewed in 2023. Here, you still get Wi-Fi tools, an automatic charcoal starter and all the benefits of a ceramic, kamado-style grill.
Lastly, the Brisk-It Zelos 450 packs in the company’s Vera AI cooking platform for just $399. This smaller, simplified model follows the company’s debut in 2024 with the Origin series. It’s still a versatile smart pellet grill, but changes like a more basic onboard controller show that the Zelos 450 is designed to offer an AI sous chef at a lower price. We’re sensing a theme there.
You’ve probably been wearing padded shoes most of your life. Don’t expect to toss them and be able to do the same mileage—whether walking or running—in barefoot shoes. To a certain degree, you must relearn how to run and walk. It’s going to take a conscious effort on your part, and it can be very difficult. You’re not just learning, you’re also unlearning some ingrained habits. The key is to go slow. Very, very, absurdly slow.
How you approach barefoot shoes depends on what you’re looking to do. I happened to be getting into running, which worked out nicely because I had to take it slow (I sucked). If you’re currently an ultra-marathoner and want to try barefoot shoes, you’ll have a hard time holding yourself back. If you’re somewhere between those poles, it’ll still be hard not to overdo it. Focus the discipline you usually use for distance into not doing distance.
If you don’t know where to start, check out Graham Tuttle’s YouTube channel, especially his foot strengthening exercises. These will help you develop the foot and ankle strength you lack if you’re coming from years of padded shoes, and help reduce muscle soreness when you’re getting started in barefoot running. Tuttle also offers some paid programs aimed at giving you a more personalized guide (I have not tried any of these). Another YouTube channel I’ve found helpful is the MovNat channel, which isn’t barefoot-specific but has plenty of good barefoot advice sprinkled throughout its content. And if you haven’t read Christopher McDougall, both Born to Run and Natural Born Heroes are fun barefoot-related reads. Indeed, Born to Run arguably did more to popularize barefoot running than anything else since the padded shoe was born in the early 1970s.
It’s also worth saying that barefoot shoes are not a zero-sum game. For over a year I wore barefoot shoes running, regular shoes for other tasks, and sandals the rest of the time. It’s not all or nothing. If you go on a barefoot run and then slap on your favorite Converse right after, that’s OK. It’s equally important to know that everyone is different. It took me six months to fully transition to barefoot shoes. But that’s just me. It might take you two months or two years. Go at your own pace, and don’t worry about the experiences of others.
One of my greatest disappointments of adulthood is learning just how much hassle is attached to recreation. Everyone loves lounging on the deck of their buddy’s boat on a sunny summer day, but the poor schmuck who owns that boat is currently lubricating his battery terminals and waxing the gel coat. Everybody loves the family cabin until the gutters need to be cleaned. And everyone loves relaxing in an inflatable backyard hot tub until the power bill arrives or a wind storm knocks a big branch off the tree above it.
I’ve enjoyed some wonderful hours in the bubbles of Intex’s PureSpa inflatable hot tub during my testing period, which started last December and ran five months until Missouri’s summer heat arrived. If you’re someone who’s considering a backyard inflatable hot tub, I can promise some great hours looking up at the night sky as the steam lifts your spirits on a chilly Tuesday night. But I also need to warn you that it’s a commitment—hot tubs, even inflatable ones, require some care and feeding—and that you’re going to pay for the privilege on your power bills and some occasional scrubbing.
Slow Burn
The PureSpa is made by Intex, which is best known for its blow-up pool floats and camping mattresses, as well as aboveground pools, inflatable kayaks, and a host of similar products.
An inflatable hot tub is what it sounds like: It’s a tub that blows up using an air pump that’s part of the same unit that heats and filters. The shell of the tub is a three-ply laminated material that’s reassuringly sturdy—you won’t fret collapse while sitting on the edge. Roll out the bubble-wrap ground cover, put the tub on top, and inflate it—I have an automatic air pump that did the job in about 20 minutes. You then (carefully!) thread the inflow and outflow tubes from the heating unit to their counterparts on the tub. From there it took another 20 minutes to fill the tub with a garden hose. (Note that Intex recommends plugging the hot tub directly into an outlet and does not recommend use of an extension cord; something to consider when deciding on placement.)
Photograph: Martin Cizmar
The maker says that to reach the max temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit, the ambient outdoor temperature must be a minimum of 50 degrees. I didn’t find that to be true—I was able to get the water in the tub up to the max even when it was in the upper 20s. However, the water temp dropped once the insulated cover was off, and my power bill did reflect the challenge.
If you’re using hose water, expect to fill the tub and turn on the heat at least a day before you see yourself relaxing in it. Even when it was in the 60s outdoors I saw the temps rise by only a degree or two per hour. When I refilled in colder weather (colder than the temperature at which the company advertises it should be operated), it took two full days to break 100 degrees. The tub holds 200-plus gallons of water, which weighs 1,668 pounds on its own before adding people, so make sure the hot tub is placed on a surface that can support that weight.
That was before the insulated cover broke, though. This was not the result of any defect in manufacturing. Rather, it was my bad decision to leave the tub set up but not turned on during an especially cold stretch in the winter. A storm blew through and knocked a sharp branch off the tree above my deck, which punctured the insulated cover that had grown brittle from the cold. Water leaked through the hole and was sopped up by the insulation, becoming a soggy, heavy lump that I struggled to pull on and off. As I said, a hot tub is a commitment—if you’re going to use the Intex in winter be prepared to either take it apart or leave the heater running continuously so the cover doesn’t get brittle in the cold. (A replacement insulated cover can now be had for $80, but I instead bought a cheap, off-brand replacement and paid the difference to the power company over several months.)
Video: Martin Cizmar
The other big issue I dealt with was a slow, steady leak from the seals on the heat pump. This started before I pushed the tub into freezing temperatures and continues to this day. A small drip of water every second adds up over the course of several days, so I found myself having to top off the tub with colder hose water, which meant waiting hours for it to heat up again. I worry I may have been too hasty in threading the tubes from the heater to the tub when I first got the tub—take your time and attach them as carefully as you can.
I didn’t have any difficulty with chemicals, because I used a single 1-inch chlorine tablet every week—the hot tub comes with a ball-shaped dispenser—and emptied the tub to clean using dish soap and a sponge at most monthly. (That’s another little chore, of course.) Refilling the tub only costs a couple of bucks where I live, but if you live somewhere where water is precious and expensive, you may want to spend time learning more about treatment regimens.
Tub Time
Once you do settle into the PureSpa, though, you will be delighted. With the cover off for soaking, it will slowly cool but always stayed above 95 degrees for the duration of my 30-minute bubble timer. The bubbles come from 120 little holes running in a circle around the bottom of the tub. They’re far less powerful than Jacuzzi jets but do feel good against aching muscles, and they provide a nice ambiance.
There is plenty of room for four people, and two people can spread out across the tub and stretch their legs and arms. You won’t fret the tub collapsing if you lean over the edge to grab a drink or switch the music. After a couple of months, it became a reliable way to relax on a chilly evening. And once summer heat started, it was easy enough to deflate, clean, and stow away in the garage for the summer. (I was able to get the pool body down to about the size of a very large duffle bag.)
It won’t take many crisp nights before I’m dragging the Intex tub back out. Then, a few days later I’ll be spying on the water level and topping it off. A few weeks after that, I’ll be draining, scrubbing, and refilling. On and on, little chores rising up from the tub like so many bubbles.
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