Clothing
Best merino wool base layers
Merino's advantages are real and its weakness is durability. Weight, micron and blend ratio, and what each of them changes.
4 picks Updated
The best clothing
Everyday basics and outerwear that survive a real winter.
Clothing
Best waterproof jackets that actually stay waterproof
Every jacket here passes the waterproof test when new. What separates them is how long they keep water out in a real downpour, and what happens once the coating wears off.
4 picks Updated
Clothing
Best packable down jackets
Packable and warm pull in opposite directions. OutdoorGearLab scores both, which shows exactly what you give up for a jacket that fits in a pocket.
4 picks Updated
Clothing
Best walking shoes for flat feet
Flat feet usually need support that stops the arch collapsing, without a shoe so stiff it fights every step. RunRepeat measures both in the lab.
4 picks Updated
Clothing
Best wool socks for winter
Warm socks come down to two numbers: how much of the yarn is merino, and how much cushion there is to trap air. The trade-off is drying time.
3 picks Updated
Clothing
Best gloves you can use a phone with
Almost every glove now claims to work with a touchscreen. The real trade is that the gloves you can type in are thin, and the warm ones make every tap a guess.
4 picks Updated
Clothing
Best rain boots for city walking
In a city you want a boot you can keep on at the office, not a wellington you have to change out of. How much height you give up, and which boots stay dry anyway.
3 picks Updated
Clothing
Best jeans for men under $100
Stretch denim is more comfortable and wears out sooner; stiff denim chafes for a month and lasts for years. The sandpaper test that shows the difference.
4 picks Updated
In the works
- Best white t-shirts that survive the wash advice ready
- Best winter coats under $200 advice ready