The Big Outside

The Big Outside is a blog run by Michael Lanza that focuses on the finest hiking, backpacking, paddling, skiing, and family trips both in the United States and globally.

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Gregory Paragon 60 and Maven 58 Backpacks

1 week ago | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

BackpackGregory Paragon 60 and Maven 58$300, 60L/3,661 c.i., 3 lbs.
Trekking New Zealand’s World-Class Routeburn Track

1 month ago | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

By Michael LanzaWe follow the Routeburn Track’s winding path through the dense, vibrant greenery of ferns, mosses, and ubiquitous beech trees of the forest in Mount Aspiring National Park, in the southwest corner of New Zealand’s South Island.
Learning to—Love?—the Rain on New Zealand’s Milford Track - The Big Outside

2 months ago | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

By Michael LanzaAs if by some celestial act of deception, our first day on New Zealand’s Milford Track is, by far, the easiest: We hike just three nearly flat miles—five kilometers—following the track along the rain-fattened and fast-moving Clinton River. And the pleasant temperature and warm sunshine pouring onto us from partly cloudy skies almost lulls us into illusions of such relatively ideal (for this place) weather persisting throughout our four days on the Milford. But we’re not fooled.
Backpacking the High and Mighty Beartooth Mountains

Mar 12, 2025 | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

By Michael Lanza“Big bull moose,” David calls to us over his shoulder, “just ahead of us.” Mark and I scan the forest, but we don’t catch even a glimpse of the moose—or for that matter, see David through the dense trees and brush, although he’s not more than 20 feet ahead of us. Then David, too, loses sight of the moose.
Review: Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody

Feb 18, 2025 | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

Down Jacket Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody $399, 15 oz./425.2g (women’s small; men’s medium is 17 oz./482g) Sizes: men’s XS-3XL, women’s 2XS-2XL backcountry.com From backpacking trips in the Canadian Rockies and Oregon, hut treks in New Zealand, and spring and summer camping and climbing trips in Idaho’s Sawtooth Valley and Oregon’s Smith Rock State Park, to countless days of resort skiing at Oregon’s Mount Bachelor and in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, plus days of backcountry ski touring, my...
Review: Flylow Baker Bib

Feb 12, 2025 | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

Skiing and Riding BibFlylow Baker Bib$430, 2 lbs. 2 oz./952g (men’s medium)Sizes: men’s XS-XXL, with tall and short sizesbackcountry.comSkiing in Utah’s Wasatch mountains virtually every single time it snows exposes me to a wide range of inclement weather conditions: from subzero temperatures and cold smoke to warm, humid clouds dumping wet snow that can soak outerwear in minutes. Moreover, skiing as often and hard as I do exposes my clothing to a serious amount of wear.
Review: Himali Men’s Endeavor Fleece Hoodie

Jan 22, 2025 | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

Hooded Fleece JacketHimali Men’s Endeavor Fleece Hoodie$180, 15.5 oz./439.4g (men’s medium)Sizes: men’s S-XLhimali.comFor several hours of backcountry skiing in Idaho’s Boise Mountains on a day in early January when we moved constantly between cold shade and warm sunshine, with temps ranging from the low to high 20s Fahrenheit and a cool breeze at times, I wore this hooded, full-zip fleece jacket all day: both as my outer layer while climbing uphill and under a shell while skiing downhill.
Backpacking—and Sandbagging—Utah’s Uinta Highline Trail - The Big Outside

Nov 19, 2024 | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

By Michael LanzaThe strongest signal that late afternoon has begun its inexorably precipitous October slide into a freezing evening comes as my son, Nate, and I step from almost-warm sunshine into the deep shade of a peak whose shadow tops out at over 13,000 feet in eastern Utah’s High Uintas Wilderness.
Review: Hoka One One Speedgoat 6 Trail Running Shoes

Oct 31, 2024 | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

Trail Running/Hiking ShoesHoka One One Speedgoat 6$155, 1 lb. 3 oz./539g (US men’s 9)Sizes: US men’s 7-15, women’s 5-12backcountry.comHoka’s popular trail-running shoe, the Speedgoat, has passed through several updates since it first emerged on the scene in 2015, named for the American phenom ultrarunner Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer.
Review: Sea to Summit Spark Pro -9C/15F Sleeping Bag

Sep 26, 2024 | thebigoutside.com | Michael Lanza

Ultralight Sleeping BagSea to Summit Spark Pro -9C/15F Bag$649, 1 lb. 11 oz./765.4g (regular)Sizes: unisex regular and long ($689)seatosummit.comWe woke up from our first night in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains in mid-September, at well over 10,000 feet beside a creek that sang soft lullabys to us all night, to find ice crystals in our water bottles and one full water bladder that had been left outside the tent partly frozen.