Chris McNamara

Nevada

Founder, SuperTopo and Editor-in-chief at OutdoorGearLab

El Capitan addicted Big Wall Climber, ex-Wingsuit BASE jumper. Author of 10 books and founder of SuperTopo, OutdoorGearLab, ASCA, The Lake Trail, Sierra Camino

Articles

The 4 Best Electric Scooters of 2025

Jan 7, 2025 | techgearlab.com | Austin Palmer |Chris McNamara

Best for Most People While some models received higher overall scores, we still recommend the GoTrax G4 for most users because of its strong performance, lightweight design, and reasonable price. Although the Niu Kqi3 Max scored slightly higher, it weighs 10 pounds more and isn't significantly faster. Similarly, the Segway Ninebot MAX G2 is nearly twenty pounds heavier and only offers about 2MPH more speed, which most users likely don't need.
The 3 Best Big Wall Climbing Harness of 2024

Nov 2, 2024 | outdoorgearlab.com | Chris McNamara |Trish Matheny

Best Overall Big Wall Harness Comfort 10.0 Free Climbing 5.0 Comfort Sleeping 7.0 Gear Loops 10.0 Features 6.0 Weight: 30.1 oz | Widest Width of Waist Belt: 6" REASONS TO BUY Excellent comfort on par with the very best Great, bomber gear loops REASONS TO AVOID Heavy Leg loops not removable Poor breathability Our favorite overall big wall harness is the Metolius Safe Tech Waldo. Not only is this one of the most comfortable harnesses we've ever worn, but it also has our favorite gear loops....
How We Tested Nuts And Stoppers

Oct 31, 2024 | outdoorgearlab.com | Ian Nicholson |Chris McNamara |Trish Matheny

While modern cams or “active protection” has really changed the game when it comes to nuts and stoppers, there still exists multiple applications for “passive protection.” Though there are no terrible stopper designs, we found that some designs work best for specific cracks and fissures, in addition to those that perform best on textured rock or other orientations. The article below describes how we tested each set of stoppers and therefore determined how to best utilize each individual set.
Haul Bag Buying Advice: What Features Are Important For a Big Wall Climb?

Oct 30, 2024 | outdoorgearlab.com | Chris McNamara |Trish Matheny

Are you planning your first multi-day big wall adventure? Are you curious how the heck you're gonna be able to bring all your essential creature comforts for a good time on the ivy ledge? Not to worry, the article below has everything you need to consider when it comes to buying a haul bag. We evaluated everything from size, to materials, to closure systems, and internal pockets to determine the niche application for each haul bag that we tested.
How We Tested Haul Bags

Oct 30, 2024 | outdoorgearlab.com | Trish Matheny |Buck Yedor |Chris McNamara

By Trish Matheny, Buck Yedor and Chris McNamara Wednesday October 30, 2024 OutdoorGearLab Founder, Editor-and-Chief and avid rock climber Chris McNamara personally tested the vast majority of these haul bags over 110 Big Wall ascents in beautiful and remote locations such as Yosemite Valley, Zion National Park, and Norway. The remainder of our testing team determined 4 key testing metrics in order to assess the overall performance of each individual haul bag.
The 5 Best Bike Phone Mounts of 2024

Oct 28, 2024 | outdoorgearlab.com | Chris McNamara |Madison Botzet

Best Overall Bike Phone Mount Ease of Accessing Phone 10.0 Security on Bumpy Terrain 9.0 Ease of Setup 9.0 Phone Protection 6.0 Requires Specific Case: Yes | Waterproof: No REASONS TO BUY Most secure for mountain biking Fast to switch between bikes Easy on and off of the phone REASONS TO AVOID Expensive Requires specific adaptor or case The case doesn't work well with universal car magnets Our favorite bike phone mount is the Peak Design Universal Bar Mount, which we love for its easy...
Exped MegaMat Auto Review

Apr 3, 2024 | outdoorgearlab.com | Chris McNamara

While this is one of the few mattresses designed specifically for cars, we are pretty sure it would be hard to come up with a better design. Performance ComparisonThis pad has similar comfort to the other Exped Mats, which is to say, it doesn't get much more comfortable! The combo of foam and 4 inches of air space leads to dreamy nights of sleep. Even the surface material is relatively cozy. The car design, of course, limited the amount of legroom you have when sleeping two people.
Our impact

Mar 6, 2024 | acu.edu.au | Chris McNamara

We are proud of our broad reach since launching in 2020.
Free Electric Bike? Why a $1500 eBike is Practically Free

Jan 12, 2024 | outdoorgearlab.com | Chris McNamara

Is there such a thing as a free electric bike? Maybe. Picture this: the sun warming your face, the wind in your hair, and the effortless glide of two wheels beneath you. No engine roar, no noxious fumes, just pure freedom and a healthy dose of exercise. Sound like a daydream? It's your daily reality with an electric bike, and here's the kicker: owning one can practically pay for itself within a year.
The 6 Best Snow Shovels of 2023

Nov 14, 2023 | techgearlab.com | Chris McNamara |Jason Peters

Measured Length: 47.75" | Scoop Material: PlasticThe ErgieShovel is a great all-purpose shovel. Despite having a short shaft, we found that the ergonomic dual-handle design of this shovel made it the most comfortable to use for extended periods. It pushed just as well as the other competitors and got an honorable mention for shoveling. The ErgieShovel is also one of two shovels we tested that disassembles into a smaller size for easier storage.