Sports Then and Now

If you love being outside, then you probably have a fairly high standard for the gear you buy for your favorite outdoor activities. Braving Mother Nature is demanding on the clothing, footwear, hiking accessories, and anything else subjected to the elements. So which brands serve up the highest quality when it comes to overall durability? Here’s a look at some of the best brands.

Outerwear
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the choices available to you if you’re in the market for highly-durable outdoor outerwear. Thankfully, there are merchants both online and off, who specialize in outfitting nature lovers with clothing from the top names in outdoor gear. REI, also known as Recreational Equipment, Inc., is probably the most popular purveyor of the most durable outdoor goods, including brands like the North Face for heavy coats, jackets, and snow-sport apparel, Garmin for GPS trackers and fitness monitors, Patagonia for stylish yet supremely durable base layers, middle layers, and fleeces, and SmartWool for socks, base layers, and other garments specifically built for warmth. Head over to REI.com to locate a store near you, or to browse their selection of clothing made for outdoor enthusiasts.

Camping Gear
Nothing ruins a good camping trip like gear that fails to stand up to the rigors of roughing it. This can be prevented by sourcing your camping essentials from providers who have a longstanding track record of supplying compact, durable, and reusable camping equipment. While REI (mentioned above) does have a fair selection of high-quality camping gear, you might want to check out Campmor, a supplier that touts a massive array of camping products from multiple brands, including Eureka for backpacking tents, rain flies, and tarps, Thermarest for sleeping pads, camping chairs, and packable pillows, and Coleman for cooking, lighting, and food transport solutions.

Cycling, Boarding
Mountain and road biking are great ways to enjoy some fresh air while getting some exercise. If your budget allows for it, try to stay away from department store bike brands. Instead, look into brands which have a reputation for durability like Specialized, Trek, Yeti, and Giant. Stores specifically for biking will have better ideas of brands that will last longer than simple department suppliers.
If you’re more into board-sports like longboarding or wakeboarding, check out Boards on Nord for a great selection of highly durable decks, skateboard bearings and complete builds.

Outdoor sports are great for keeping you in shape and getting you outside more. Unfortunately getting the gear and maintaining it can be expensive. If you want to be sure you are getting a good investment that will last a while, be sure to check out some of these brands first.