1. Sigur Rós – Takk Whether you’ve just summited a tricky peak, are about to lay some fresh tracks or are lying on a beach watching the sun go down, … Read more

As the winter starts to fade away in the northern hemisphere, there’s already something to look forward to the 2013/14 season. Patagonia will be releasing 1000 1000-fill Encapsil Down Belay Parka in a limited edition stock, presenting a pretty impressive addition to the down jacket scene with the warmest of its kind. Here’s a preview.

I got hold of a Columbia Shimmer Me Timbers Jacket in 2010 as a run around for Edinburgh where I live and endure winters in the UK. Though the brand has since released its second version of the jacket (here hyperlinked), I got hold of the product when Columbia’s patented Omni-Heat technology was fresh in the market. With ambitious claims, the pocker dotted, Omni-Heat lining was appealing, fitting for life in the Athens of the North.

The European Outdoor Film Tour 2012/13 came to the UK for the first time this November, showing in Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow with the series finale on Wednesday night at the Royal Geographical Society in London where Mammut climber David Lama made an appearance.

Beating Kelowna, B.C. and Huntsville, Ontario in the bid for the event, Whistler takes Ironman Canada from Penticton, B.C. after 30 years on the global Ironman calendar.

From 10th to 14th October, San Vito le Capo will host its 4th Climbing Festival, featuring a long-weekend of of climbing, kayaking, mountain biking and for the first time, the ‘Black Diamond Night Trail’. Featuring at the event’s gold sponsor, Black Diamond will be bringing climbing athlete Adam Ondra to the event, adding an extra layer to what is set to be a packed few days.

When Patagonia founder and owner Yvon Chouinard spoke at Stanford in November about Patagonia’s involvement in the sustainable apparel coalition, you know that something is brewing. Since the Californian brand joined Wal-Mart in 2008 about creating the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the two companies have driven their quest to ‘Use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis’ by creating the Higg Index to measure the environmental impact of products.

As barefoot technology begins to take off I thought I’d get hold of the New Balance Minimus Trail to see whether minimalist really is the way to go. After years on gel and air tech I was warned that the shift to barefoot can be harrowing so I set out on the trail for two heavy sessions; the first testing was to see how much things would hurt without the extra padding and my decade-old running technique, and the second was there to really assess what benefits the low profile offered.

I arrived in downtown Steamboat during a few weeks before London’s 2012 Olympics utterly bewildered – a Brit lost at sea. A few days before flying arriving to the Mile … Read more

Set in Winter Park, Colorado, the Colorado Freeride Festival is a multi-day event that does it’ best to show how hurling down a hillside on a bit of metal and leaping over a heap of dirt can be a lot of fun.

Despite being one the smaller islands in the Gulf of Thailand, corners of off-road Koh Tao remain very leafy and teem with nature to explore on two wheels. Rutted roads … Read more

Level 1 Productions dropped this trailer to their upcoming film, Sunny. Directed by Josh Berman and Kyle Decker, the film takes a ridiculous colleciton of athletes through Switzerland, Sweden, Japan, … Read more

Alpine Bike is a new mountain biking route recently opened up in Switzerland which offers an entire traverse of the magnificent Swiss Alps.

Scott Jurek’s race history is mighty, packed with wins at from most elite ultra marathon trail and road events including the Hardrock 100, the Badwater 135-mile Ultramarathon, the Miwok 100K, the 153-mile Spartathlon and his signature race, the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run which he has won seven times in a row.

The tour began simultaneously in Cape Reinga (North of the North Island) and Bluff (South of the South Island) at 8am on Saturday April 14th, from where cyclists routed 700 kilomtetres over eight days to the Beehive in Wellington on the south of the North Island. Cyclists were able to choose which route they took, either by linked South with North, or by completing the ride entirely on the North Island. The optional routes gave rides the chance to experience very different terrain from Queenstown to Wanaka, then Twizel, Tekapo and Fairlie on the South Island, or Waitomo, Wanganuie and Wellington on the North Island.

John Murphy, M83, Sigur Ros, Explosions in the Sky

Vimeo Awards 2012

In so many ways, Newton Running just gets it right. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Newton not only pushes out a great product, but markets and promotes it with a refreshingly sophisticated efficiency. On the product side, they’ve revolutionised the way we think about footwear by conceiving of their Land-Lever-Lift philosophy in a shoe that is meant to last. Meanwhile, their marketing has focused on the lifestyle of running – heralded by the snappy slodan, ‘Hello Better’. Go to Newton’s photos on their Facebook Page, and you’ll see a number of images displaying their distinctive tread, part of the brand’s focus on designing and promoting a durable product. I’ve been wearing the Newton Distancia since Thanksgiving 2011, and haven’t felt more excited about running training since.

In tracing this theme, automotive-manufacturer Subaru rolled out their ‘Work Play Love’ Tour during the past two months. The company visited some of the US’s most desirable places to work, setting up stalls and games at 50 companies across the country. Subaru and active lifestyle partners such as KEEN, Icebreaker, Yakima, Prana, Trek, Outdoor Research and Osprey made more than 50 fresh air therapy stops with their fleet of 2012 Imprezas, unloading their outdoor games, DIY trail mix station, product demonstrations and giveaways.

Next month Ines Papert and Arc’teryx will be touring the UK to present the Harbin Roadshow, starting at Kendal Mountain Festival on 17th November. The show consists of a photo exhibition … Read more