Hiking, climbing, biking, surfing, skiing and exploring the outdoors in and around New York City.
We were excited to see a lot of women at our mountain biking ride with 718 Cyclery last week. While the entire group was supportive of all levels of bikers, we were happy to hear about a few on-and-off trail organizations that focused on female bikers specifically. Check out the resources we were recommended below. Continue reading Bike like a girl
While #OptOutside promoted a new Thanksgiving tradition of getting outside rather getting in line (or online), #GivingTuesday harnesses the endorphins you get when using a credit card that you may have missed while you were enjoying the extra day off outside. Check out the organizations below if you’re unsure of where to start or are looking for nonprofits that are dedicated to outdoor adventure in New York City. Continue reading Here’s another hashtag holiday that’s easy to get behind
Most major cities have plenty of meetups that host various outdoor activities for all different levels of enthusiasts. A few of our local favorites are New York City Archery Group, NY Ski and Snowboard Club, Hudson Valley Hikers, Ghost Skate New York, Crux Climbing and Outdoorfest.
One of the best parts about getting involved in an outdoor activity is that most of them are designed to be done in groups or with partners. Whether it’s climbing, camping or canoeing, signing up for trips and classes are great ways to find new friends, no matter where you are. Check your local REI for a range of courses like Snowshoeing Basics or Solo Backpacking.
To read more about finding your outdoor community, check out our newsletter from a few weeks ago which includes an essay from Sorta Outdoorsy pal and recent London transplant Allie Lee.
We’re living in the golden age of technical clothing. But while it’s easy enough to find jackets or shirts that look good and perform even better, we personally haven’t been able to find a pair of jeans that we can wear to the climbing gym and then out to drinks on a Friday night. Enter Boulder Denim, a Canadian company that’s about to release a line of jeans that will become your everyday go-to but that can stand up to the physical and flexible demands of climbing, hiking and, apparently, yoga.
“We noticed people like to climb in jeans but it always boggled my mind how people could do so in such restrictive pants,” said Bradley Spence, Founder of Boulder Denim. “Jeans are thick, heavy and have very little stretch. The only thing they have going for them is their style, durability and protection from rocks and climbing walls.”
So Bradley and his team set out to create a technical, stretchy and stylish denim that was made to last more than a few trips to the crag. Check out our interview with him below and mark your calendars for November 19th—that’s the day you’ll be able to snag a pair of these pants on Kickstarter. Continue reading Boulder Denim is about to release a line of jeans you can actually live in
We can’t help but notice Woolrich these days… like everywhere! The brand has been doing collaborations with a wide range of partners like Topo Designs and Dogfish Head (that’s right, the beer company). We wrote about a Woolrich classic last week so the timing seemed as good as any to review some of our favorite Woolrich collabs.
In case you missed it, expert leaf peeper and photographer Danny Wild gave us some really good tips for snapping better photos of fall foliage. We especially liked the tip about wearing brown or yellow-lens sunglasses to help spot which trees are changing the most dramatically. Check out the full interview here.
Sometimes a simple edit afterwards on your computer or even your iPhone can correct the shadows and lighting and add back some contrast and saturation to your images (for smartphone users, check out free apps like Snapseed and VSCO). I often use a circular polarizing filter on my lens to enhance the blues of the sky and reduce glare on water. And when you’re out hiking around looking for photos, you just want to keep your eyes out for the brightly-colored trees that are well lit by the sun. A neat way to do this is wearing yellow or brown-lens sunglasses, which can dramatically enhance autumn colors and help you spot which trees are changing. Finding a nice composition—using the rule of thirds, finding a foreground—can turn your photo from a snapshot into a more thoughtful image.
If you’re looking for a little more instruction, check out the free Fall Foliage Photography class that the NYC Parks & Recreation Department is hosting in Staten Island on November 1st.
Bear Mountain State Park is an amusement park (literally, there’s a merry-go-round) of outdoor activity. You can rent a boat to paddle around Hessian Lake or visit the trailside zoo. There’s swimming and ice skating and even an Oktoberfest that attracts tourists and New Yorkers alike.
What do you do with all those apples you picked over the weekend? Other than dicing them up and eating with peanut butter, we recommend making some apple sauce. It’s basically the best condiment/snack/ingredient out there. And it practically cooks itself. Continue reading When life gives you apples, make…
Brooklyn Boulders opens a bit earlier on Thursday mornings which means you can fit in a few climbs or a yoga class before heading off to your morning meeting. They call the occasion Breakfast Club and we’ll be there this week with your coffee ready. Swing by and say hello.
What: Breakfast Club at Brooklyn Boulders
When: Thursday, October 1st (We’ll be there from 7am-Noon)
Where: 575 Degraw St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
How much: Free for members (you’ll need a day pass if you’re not a member or yoga $12 to drop-in)
Continue reading Your Thursday morning coffee is on us