Table of contents for July/August 2024 in Outside

This time last year, contributing editor Nick Heil called to pitch an idea about Dr. Peter Attia and his bestselling book, Outlive, which I’d heard of because it was cowritten by another of our contributing editors, Bill Gifford. Heil thought the book—a guide to the latest science, with practical knowledge about how to live longer, using a blend of intense fitness and proactive interaction with modern health care—deserved a closer look. That ultimately meant going to Attia’s headquarters in Austin, Texas, to experience firsthand the mix of testing and intense exercise that’s central to his overall prescription for health and longevity. As I’ve learned through my long association with Heil—I first met him in 1999, when I was visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico, and he had recently moved to town…

IF ADA LIMÓN were left to her own devices for the day, she would rise, hug her husband and her dog, write a poem, and read a poem. Then she’d spend the rest of her waking hours learning the names of things—flowers, trees, insects, clouds. “There’s a beauty to naming, to learning the name, to identifying,” she tells me one morning in March. Once, while looking up the term for part of a magnolia tree, she discovered that the species is primarily pollinated by beetles, which are older than bees, and that its early ancestors lived alongside the dinosaurs. “When people ask, ‘How do you keep finding things to write about?’ I’m like, ‘How do you not?’” she says. “How could you not wonder in awe at the magnolia tree…

No: Representation Matters BY WES SILER Outside contributing editor We aren’t living in normal times. Right now everything, from the future of American democracy to which people have a right to control their bodies to the environment as we know it, is under threat. And the people and corporations with the most influence in these areas wield their power through profits. It’s my belief that each of us needs to be doing everything we can to fight for what we believe in. As a journalist, I can use words to shed light on important issues, expose bad actors, and try to bring clarity to topics increasingly muddied by disinformation and outright lies. I do that in my work for Outside and other outlets—where, in addition to politics and science, I…

THE SOUND OF shaving ice is unmistakable. The rasp, first pressed into the ice block, tense as a spring, suddenly surfs across the berg, scraping up a spume of glittering white snow as stray flecks flutter into the air. For some it may ring harsh, but under a blistering sun it signals imminent relief. Shikashika—that’s how Quechua communities in the Andes describe it. It’s a sound so recognizable that street vendors use it as an onomatopoeic term for their shaved-ice desserts. Elsewhere, similar treats go by other monikers. In the Hawaiian Islands, descendants of Japanese plantation workers have sold their version—shave ice—drizzled with neon syrups and condensed milk, since the 1940s. Turkish bici bici, Italian grattachecca, Filipino halo halo—the list goes on. Long before modern refrigeration, shaved-ice desserts emerged in…

I was thinking about going to India with Hannah, or Bali with Ashlyn, maybe Morocco with Emily Rose. But then I came across Yosemite with Haleigh. Haleigh looked so happy. So carefree. Her arms open wide, embracing the wilderness. I, too, wanted to clasp my coffee mug while watching the sunrise and swing in a hammock slung between pines. It had been too long since I’d gone backpacking! I didn’t know Haleigh’s last name or anything about her. No matter. Haleigh made life outdoors look so easy. So perfect. On Instagram, at least. Recently, the algorithm has been inundating me with women likeHaleigh—pretty, approachable, adventurous, always on a trip somewhere lovely. And suddenly all of them seemed to be inviting me to join them. Trekking in Peru. Strutting through Parisian…

THE WESTERN STATES TRAIL RIDE, also known as the Tevis Cup, was born in 1955 out of a simple question: Could modern-day riding horses travel 100 miles in 24 hours? Several riders set out from Lake Tahoe, California, and journeyed southwest through the Sierra Nevada to the town of Auburn, proving the answer to be a strong yes. In the years and decades that followed, equestrians would retrace the trip as an annual race, testing themselves on a grueling route with more than 35,000 feet of elevation change along rugged mountain trails. Damien Maloney, a Los Angeles–based photographer, learned about the event from a neighbor and was drawn to the competition’s Old West ethos, so different from the strict equestrian tradition he knew growing up in Waco, Texas. “It was…

The last time Paris hosted the Olympic Games, in 1924, one race changed the ancient competition forever. This was the 100-meter freestyle sprint, featuring three of the world’s top swimmers: Duke Kahanamoku, Johnny Weissmuller, and Katsuo Takaishi. These three legends did more than earn medals. They also challenged eugenicist myths, as former Outside senior editorTodd Balf explains in Three Kings: Race, Class, and the Barrier-Breaking Rivals Who Launched the Modern Olympic Age, out July 2 from Blackstone ($28). The sportsmen—one Native Hawaiian, one a poor immigrant from Chicago, and one Japanese—went on to become some of the most famous athletes of the early 20th century. Through deep research and gripping prose, Balf gives them their due. For decades, the American West has been ravaged by drought. The devastating effects of…

SEPP KUSS APPEARS at the door wearing a pair of fuzzy slippers and a warm grin. “Did you find the place OK?” he asks, leading me inside. “How was your drive down?” The smell of freshly brewed coffee fills the hallway as we walk past paintings of wooded mountains and snowy landscapes. It’s as if we’ve entered a ski chalet in this tucked-away neighborhood of Durango, Colorado, and not the home of Kuss’s parents, Sabina and Dolph. But they’re here, too, lounging in comfy chairs, waiting to watch their son be interviewed about an incredible feat of athleticism and willpower. His historic victory at the 2023 Vuelta a España last September, when Sepp became just the fourth U.S. rider to win one of cycling’s three-week grand tours, is what we’re…

A. New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v8 running shoes $150 The Fresh Foam Hierro v8 earned its place among our testers’ favorites because of its light weight, comfort, and agility. Whether navigating singletrack or pounding pavement to get to the trails, it effortlessly transitioned across terrain types. Despite its ample stack of supple foam—made from 40 percent bio-based materials—the Hierro v8 offers a remarkably sensitive, balanced ride. 11.2 oz (men’s), 8.9 oz (women’s); 6 mm drop —Lisa Jhung B. Craft Pro Trail Running Fuseknit short-sleeve T-shirt $60 With more coverage than a singlet, this shirt protects from insects and the sun while still being lightweight and breathable. It’s made of a recycled polyamide-polyester blend, and textured panels increase airflow to keep the fabric from sticking to sweaty skin. Testers…

1 Source your shaver. The key to great shaved ice is texture. The Hawaiian Shaved Ice HomePro ($120) achieves a fluffy, snow-like consistency with ease, although snow-cone makers or high-powered blenders work, too. 2 Pick a liquid. Homemade syrups are how to customize your dessert. Cook sugar and water in a one-to-one ratio, along with your favorite fruit or herb until the sugar dissolves, then strain the mix and let cool. Or go the Filipino route with evaporated milk or coconut milk. 3 Experiment with toppings. Fresh fruit brings a pop of sweetness and color to your shaved ice, while toppings such as breakfast cereal or toasted coconut provide texture and crunch. Add a scoop of ice cream or drizzle with sweetened condensed milk for a more luxurious experience. 4…

I can tell you the exact moment when I started thinking about longevity in a serious way. It happened on March 10, 2023, at 10:20 P.M., in a hospital delivery room ablaze with overhead lights. I stood bedside, my hand crumpling under my wife’s grip, as a tiny, screeching alien, an eggplant with eyes—our daughter, Esme—slipped into the hands of the attending ob-gyn. At 56, I became a father for the first time. Until Es arrived, the grand total of my thoughts about aging could be summed up in a line my father likes to say: “It sucks getting old, but it beats the alternative!” Now as I stared into her little purple face, I wanted every healthy minute I could get. I began to imagine all the things I’d…

Malik Martin, better known as Malik Tha Martian, has carved a niche for himself in the outdoor industry as a photographer and filmmaker. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, and now living in Denver, Martin filmed and appeared in the project Black Ice, a documentary about a group of Memphis rock climbers who learn to ice-climb in Montana. He’s also the subject of a short film, Malik, about his friendship with mountaineer Conrad Anker, and the host of A Walk in the Park—a series for Outside TV in which he interviews influential people in the outdoor world while the pair walk on treadmills in a park. Martin began his career as a photojournalist. In 2017, at age 27, he started freelancing for the Tri-State Defender in Memphis. His photos of the raw…

IN 2011, two years after his book Born to Run launched the barefoot boom, Christopher McDougall offered a clarification. “The ‘one best way’ isn’t about footwear,” he wrote in The New York Times Magazine. “It’s about form.” Rather than simply ditching their shoes, people needed to learn how to run better. No one, after all, assumes that we’re born knowing the best method of swinging a tennis racket; we need to be taught technique. Why should running be any different? There was a problem, though: no one could agree on what the ideal running stride looked like, or even what elements mattered. Research was needed, and scientists around the world got busy. The results of those studies have been trickling in ever since, but with findings that are often hard…

A. Body Glove Smoothies Manny one-piece swimsuit $99 This full-coverage paddle suit with UPF 50 protection has a structured, supportive feel that keeps you comfortably secure during whatever activities are on tap for the day. It’s designed to be worn on its own but has plenty of stretch for easy layering over a bikini when surfing. The soft mesh fabric lining the front is breathable, feels great against the skin, and keeps the suit from showing everything when wet. (Women’s XS–XL) —Ebony Roberts B. Quiksilver Highline Pro Straight boardshorts $85 Lightweight and plenty flexible, thanks to a perforated four-way-stretch blend of polyester and elastane, these trunks let you move with confidence. The 19-inch length hits above the knee, the performance fly offers a secure fit, and a welded outseam and…

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil WHY IT’S TOPS: When it comes to beaches, Brazil has an embarrassment of riches. But none can compare with Lençóis Maranhenses, a mirage-like landscape of cerulean lagoons hidden among 30-to-60-foot-high dunes the color of pearls. These freshwater pools are fullest between June and September, after the austral spring’s rains, and the unique ecosystem is home to endangered species like the scarlet ibis and neotropical otter. You can explore the park on foot or with a dune buggy, but a horseback-riding safari with Siempre Atins Cavalgadas is the best approach, because you can choose a slow pace while still delving miles into the dunes. HOW TO GET THERE: This 43-mile stretch of coast in northeastern Brazil is truly off the beaten path. First you’ll wing into…

As someone who has grappled with stuttering, I’ve often sought solace and inspiration in the words of great orators like Maya Angelou. Her mastery of language has guided my own pursuit of expressive power. Martin shares a reverence for Angelou, too. Speaking to him inspired me to write a poem in her style. Malik the Lens, Malik the Light In Memphis beats a heart, unquietA spirit fierce, refusing to deny it.Malik, with a camera as his swordCuts through silence, his unspoken word. From humble streets to mountain’s breathHis journey sings, defying death.With each snap, a new world unfurlsCanvas of dreams, his lens swirls. Poet first, through streets he roamedEach photograph, a verse, a tome.To the stars, his gaze now castIn every frame, his future, his past. He built a table,…