Endurancelife is run by a team that seeks to create events that inspire individuals to participate in the great outdoors. They have a wide variety of different events to … Read more

With nearly three-dozen volcanoes in its territory, it is no wonder that hiking is a popular activity in Guatemala. This Central American country, which was once infamous for its guerrilla … Read more

On a recent trip to Ben Nevis, Scotland, I tested Quechua’s 2Seconds Easy Tent to investigate the practicalities of a self-erecting tent and its performance in the typically turbulent Scottish Highland weather.

I’ve recently started training for a triathlon later in the summer, but living in London have struggled to find decent cycle routes to train on. Cue the RideIt! series, a selection of organised mountain bike and sportive bike rides that take place twice a month around the UK. Arranged by Evans Cycles, the series offers a variety of distances to cater for all cyclists.

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.

For some water-sport enthusiasts however, this is an all-year-round vocation. We managed to catch up with professional wind-surfer Chris ‘Muzza’ Murray, who certainly doesn’t let a cold and wet day get in the way. Chris has been playing in the open water since he can remember, holding on to big sponsors in a time of uncertainty while going from event to event taking silverware home. This is what he had to say:

As airlines open up routes from Europe to the region, Jordan’s tourism infrastructure seems to be more geared to package or tour-based holiday deals. Still, there is still plenty on offer for independent travellers. The sites of greatest interest lie along the western side of the country, where three parallel highways, each taking slightly different routes, link the capital, Amman, to Aqaba on the Red Sea, via the Dead Sea, Petra and the Jordanian Highlands.

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.

Incidentally, since visiting Pakistan in summer 2009, all Joe seems to have talked about is ‘how great the rivers out there look’ and how ‘we need to get out there one day’. In a last-ditch effort to shut him up, Chris and I decided to join him on a 5 ½ month kayaking expedition to the Himalayas.

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

Vimeo Awards 2012

This early May weekend was the annual Cheat River Festival in West Virginia. The Cheat River is perfectly placed to host a kayaking and country music festival, with a large … Read more

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.

When I was asked to go ice climbing in Covent Garden, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the sincerity of the offer.  But believe it or not there is indeed a … Read more

When the surf is flat but the sun is still shining, us Welsh outdoor fanatics get out our bikes and hit the road, or the mountains – depending on how energetic we’re feeling! Wales is a cyclist’s dream and offers world class routes for all levels of riders, both on and off road. From hidden forest dirt jumps to challenging hill climbs with breathtaking scenery, Wales literally has it all.

Adventurers in western France and northern Spain naturally look to the Pyrenees for a multitude of summer and winter explorations. Given that I would be in north-eastern Spain in mid-March, … Read more

This weekend I was lucky enough to attend the 2012 Isaac Ludwig Top Yough Race. The event is based on a class 4 section of the Yough river in Maryland. I had only paddled that section twice before so I wasn’t expecting to get a good time, but I was looking forward to getting out on the water with a big group of local paddlers. Needless to say it didn’t disappoint.

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.

Being based in Vancouver for the season has forced me to spend copious days on the mountain, usually up at Whistler which serves as the local playground for this adventure … Read more

The Talus Ridge is Columbia’s attempt to fill the gap between lightweight trail running shoes and the heavier, more sturdy walking boot. Capable of perfoming across a range of disciplines and weathers the shoe has been referred to by its manufacturers as the ‘opitamy of trail multi sport’, an apt description for any outdoors shoe.