Here come the good times. Photo: Khachik Simonian//Unsplash
The long days and starry nights of summer are upon us. The favorite season for many (especially those in school), summer is a time for outdoor adventures, beach days, and countless reasons to celebrate with family, friends, and friends-to-be.
With all these excuses to be outside, having good gear to accompany you goes a long way toward maximizing fun. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite items in our extensive gear reviews that speak to summer, allowing you to do more, go further, and embrace the sun rather than hiding from it. So get out there and make those memories count. It’ll be over before you know it.
ESR Waterproof Phone Pouch
Perfect for bringing your phone along on your aquatic adventures, ESR Phone Pouches are a bomber way to keep your device handy during swims, snorkel sessions — even if you get caught in a monsoon cloudburst. The buoyant, waterproof design ensures your phone stays protected against the elements while allowing access to its full bevy of applications, including your camera for capturing all of the raddest moments in the water.
See the ESR Pouch ON AMAZONDragon Dune H2O and Momentum H20 Sunglasses
Gear up for all of you land-based and aquatic adventures with Dragon’s Dune H20 and Momentum H2O Sunglasses. Designed for the water-obsessed, these sunnies feature advanced optics and robust frames that stand up to the demands of the ocean, mountain, or the rowdiest beach volleyball sessions. Performance Polar Lenses offer unparalleled clarity and contrast, perfect for spotting the nuances of outdoor terrain or cutting through water glare.
And the kicker: Both H20 designs integrate Dragon’s Floatable Frame Technology. Crafted with a lightweight material that allows them to float, the Dune and Momentum are perfect for any water activities. Lose them off a surfboard or during a wild river run? They’ll be bobbing on the surface, waiting for you to scoop them up and back onto your grill!
See the Dune H20 on Dragon See the Momentum H20 on Dragon
Nomadix Festival Blanket ($70)
There are hundreds of reasons to pack a blanket wherever you go in the summer. A day at the beach, the park, an outdoor concert, or late nights staring up at the stars are some time-honored classics, for a start. We use a blanket as a buffer between our butts and whatever is on the ground underneath. What Nomadix’s Festival Blanket does better than other blankets is not bringing that same ground material home with you.
Made from recycled polyester, the surface is smooth to the touch and packs up easily. It also repels sand and dirt, not unlike their towel collection (which we are also fans of). They have a variety of designs unique if sitting on log cutouts clashes with your outfit. It would be nice if they had a dedicated sack for it, but the minimalist approach from a company doing their best to keep more crap out of the landfill is worthy of our regards.
CHECK PRICE ON REIPatagonia Yulex Regulator Lite Springsuit ($269)
Put simply, we can – and ought – to buy sustainable surf gear. But until recently, neoprene noticeably outperformed Yulex in surfing wetsuits. That is no longer the case. With all the warmth, flexibility, comfort, and durability you expect from a premium wetsuit — along with industry-leading sustainable manufacturing and fair trade practices — Patagonia’s new Regulator Lite Spring Wetsuit is our award winner for Best Overall Springsuit of 2024.
All things considered, our Best Overall winner offers everything you want in a springsuit while also pushing the performance boundaries of sustainable materials. The Regulator Lite offers a better combination of warmth, flexibility, comfort, and durability than any of the competition — and it does so while also letting you sleep at night. If your summer surf adventures still warrant a full wetsuit, you can peruse our top picks for surfing wetsuits here.
Check Price on PatagoniaDecathlon Quechua Tripod Camp Stool ($10)
Camp chairs have come a long way in recent years, and we’ve tested most of them. But there’s something about the simplicity of a simple stool that you can pull out in a matter of seconds and park your keester wherever it’s needed. Decathlon is known for affordable goods of all shapes and sizes, and they’ve managed to offer a no-nonsense camp stool for the hefty price of ten dollars. You can’t even get a Big Mac meal these days for that price.
While it’s devoid of any bells and whistles, sometimes you just need a place to park and this will do it for you. And for ten bucks, you can get a few extras for your friends as well. For more camping chair options, here’s our guide to The Best Camping Chairs.
CHECK PRICE ON DECATHLONRad Power Bikes Radster Trail ($1,999)
Yes, you can consider this a big-ticket item. But if you add in the value over time (not to mention the price of gas these days), then it quickly begins to make sense that an Electric Bike just may be your new best friend. Rad Power Bikes has fast become a leader in the ebike space and they keep getting better. We got our hands on the new Radster Trail, and it beat our expectations. The bike sports a solid frame, intuitive screen controls, and full-size 3″ wheels that were both a breeze off-road and a smooth ride on pavement.
But perhaps our favorite new feature is their torque sensing motor. Other ebikes seem to just have one mode when the power kicks in, giving riders a bit of a jolt as it goes from zero to hero instantaneously. But the Radster senses the power of your pedal, allowing the motor to ramp up for a much smoother and natural feel. All this and more earned it the top spot in our Best Fat-Tire ebikes review, and for more great ebike options, you can check out the full guide here.
CHECK PRICE ON Rad Power Bikes
Deckers X Lab X-Scape Baja ($69)
Water shoes are great additions to the footwear quiver, however many versions (in our opinion) don’t always win style points. The innovation lab at Deckers, parent company to brands like Hoka, Teva, and Sanuk, have come up with their solution to that style problem.
Using sugarcane-based EVA foam, the shoe is amphibious, comfortable, and stylish enough to wear to a yacht rock soirée with your folks. They are quick-drying for the times you want to make a spontaneous splash without ruining the moment to sit down and take off your shoes. The unisex style is oh-so 2024, and we think you’ll find more uses than not to wear these shoes. You can do a lot in these shoes, but please, our only rule is that you don’t wear socks.
CHECK PRICE ON Deckers X LabIsle Explorer 3 ($795)
The ISLE Explorer 3 is a versatile and innovative inflatable stand-up paddleboard that is easily convertable into a kayak. Their latest version is lighter, more portable, and more user-friendly than its predecessor, the Explorer 2.0. Weighing just 19 pounds, the Explorer 3 is easy to carry and transport, thanks to its compact, wheeled backpack.
The Explorer 3 earned our top pick in our guide to The Best Inflatable Paddle Boards thanks to it’s portability, performance, and all-around fun. And the ability to sit down and use it as a kayak means even more people can get to enjoy time out on the water.
CHECK PRICE ON ISLEThe North Face Dolomite One Sleeping Bag ($175)
Camping (or simply sleeping outside) can be tricky to get right because even in the same location, different weather through different seasons means variable temperatures. Sure, you could own a quiver of sleeping bags, but even then you may have some nights that are colder than others. The North Face has come up with their answer to that problem with the Dolomite One.
This sleeping bag was our top pick on our list of The Best Sleeping Bags not only for it’s respectable price tag, but for the fact that it’s actually three bags in one. On warmer nights you can simply shed a layer to let some of that body heat escape a bit better. Surprise northerly coming through? Put that layer back on. Easy peasy.
CHECK PRICE ON REICatch Surf Odysea Log ($450)
Let’s be real for a minute: none of us can surf as good as we think we can, or at the very least, as good as we’d like to. But as the saying goes, the best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun. Soft tops have come a long way, and they are no longer relegated to the racks at Waikiki or the returns aisle at Costco. The Odysea Log has gotten barreled at Pipeline, and probably been to every major break worth shaking your fist at.
It might not win the WSL, but you probably weren’t going to either, so why not have some fun in less-than-perfect conditions and catch more waves than you can on your favorite pro model? Plus, it’s summer, so unless you’re heading south, you will have to make do with what’s available. The Odysea Log will give you more hoots in subpar conditions so why not make hay while the sun is shining?
CHECK PRICE ON Real WatersportsHemlock Hat Co. Printed Hat ($45)
Hemlock Hat Co. has an expansive collection of traditional lifeguard-style hats with plenty of prints to choose from. Made from 100% straw, the hats have a wide brim and offer UPF 50+ protection to ensure you don’t get burnt. Each hat is hand woven and features a drawcord to ensure it stays in place, even in windy conditions.
Although straw hats tend to get damaged if you’re not careful, all Hemlock Hat Co.’s hats are well-made and have everything you could want in a straw sun hat. Most straw hats sport straw all around, but we love that the Printed Hat has a pattern beneath the brim for a little extra flair. We found that the wide brim paired with the chin strap delivered secure sun protection even on windy days at the beach. If this hat doesn’t speak to you, we reviewed a whole host of sun hats in The Best Sun Hats.
Check Price on AmazonVuori Banks Elastic-Waist Board Shorts ($68)
It should come as no surprise that Vuori dominated the crossover/casual category in our Best Board Shorts review. Vuori has made a well-deserved name for itself in the beach-lifestyle business with ultra-comfy clothes that are stylish, to boot.
The Banks Shorts are not so much “board shorts” as they are awesome do-anything shorts for all of life’s adventures. These comfy, stretchy shorts from Vuori deliver all-day comfort and are a great option for all-around water activities. They’re also available in lots of different colors and a couple different lengths (5-inch and 7.5-inch).
A zippered pocket at the waist gives you somewhere secure to stash your key when in the water, and the scalloped hem allows for easy movement. For more great board short options (as well as some more high-performance pairs) check out our guide to The Best Board Shorts. Looking for something more camp and hike oriented? We’ve recently been testing the Roark Happy Camper shorts and are absolutely loving them.
Check price on REIPatagonia Quandary Pants ($99)
A good pair of hiking pants offers flexibility, airflow, and sun protection to keep you out on the trails for longer. While there are many great options for hiking pants available on the market today, we found the Quandary pants by Patagonia to check the most boxes while also using sustainable materials. Made from 96% nylon that comes from recycled fishing nets, these pants help clean up the ocean as well as clean up your act. They look good at casual outdoor mixers as well as perform well as an outdoor anything pair of pants.
Available in both men’s and women’s, the pants come in a wide variety of styles (as well as shorts) to suit your particular needs and wants. Plus, they come with Patagonia’s legendary lifetime repair guarantee, so you can push your limits and know that these pants will be ready for the next adventure, no matter what happens today.
Check Men's Price on Patagonia Check Women's Price on PatagoniaEditor’s Note: For more gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here.
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