Where Gear Gets
Put to the Test
Introducing The Outside Lab at CU Denver, a world-class innovation center for gear testing, business development, teaching, and content creation that builds on Outside’s rich history of gear testing. Located on the CU Denver campus in downtown Denver.
Then test yours
What's In a Gear Test?
Lab Tests
Field Tests
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Precise lab tests build off real-world data to test gear beyond its stated limits.
Rain. Snow. Wind. Sun. Outside relentlessly tests new gear in inhospitable conditions.
We analyze the stats to bring you
the most comprehensive third-party gear reviews anywhere.
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The Outside Lab’s New Ski Test Machine: Blending Science with Shred
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Yeti vs. RTIC: Which Cooler Is Worth Your Money?
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The Best Men’s Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking (2026)
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The Best Running Shirts for Men (Summer 2026): Tested in the Lab and on the Streets
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The Best Women’s Running Shirts and Tanks (Summer 2026): Field and Lab Tested
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The Best Ultralight Backpacks of 2026
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The 9 Best Women's Rain Jackets of 2026
The Surprising Truth About Affordable Ski Helmets
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The Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads of 2026
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The 6 Best Joggers for Men, Tested in the Real World and In the Outside Lab
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The Best Backpacking Packs of 2026
The Surprising Truth About Affordable Ski Helmets
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Our Outside Lab Marathon Matched Human Against Machine to Test Super Shoes
See How We Test
4 Reasons We Test Outdoor Gear… Indoors
Meet the Heeluxe Time Machine
Introducing the Ski & Snowboard Tester
Helmet Heat Retention and Dissipation Testing
Putting Pack Capacity to the Test: Ultralight v. Traditional Packs
Outside Lab Test Editor Adam Trenkamp and Backpacker Editor-in-Chief Adam Roy test the load capacity of ultralight versus traditional framed packs by loading a Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60L and a Gregory Paragon 60.
Adam Trenkamp, Lab Test Editor for Outside, demonstrates how he runs heat retention and dissipation tests on snow helmets to determine how well helmets can vent if you are hot, or keep you warm in windier conditions.
Adam Trenkamp, Lab Test Editor for Outside, demonstrates how he runs heat retention and dissipation tests on snow helmets to determine how well helmets can vent if you are hot, or keep you warm in windier conditions.
At the Outside Lab at CU Denver, Lab Test Editor Adam Trenkamp introduces the Heeluxe Time Machine, a machine that incorporates a treadmill, slings, foot forms, and other features to replicate walking or running in road or trail shoes for at least 150 miles at a time.
Lab Test Editor at Outside, Adam Trenkamp, explains four reasons he tests gear inside the lab, not just out in the field.
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How We Test
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