The Verge’s favorite gear for outdoor fun

It's time to get ready for the summer, especially if you're not a poet.

We asked the staff of The Verge about their favorite gear to help them enjoy the outdoors, whether it was on a bike, on a scooter, hiking, camping, or just hanging out and watching the world go by. Here is what they reported.

Petzl Actik Core headlamp

Weighing in at 2.65 ounces, the Petzl Actik Core is not an ultra-light headlamp, but it makes up for that by being really bright, using two LEDs, which can pump out up to 450 lumens. It also has a red light, so you aren't that person who goes to camp at midnight and wakes everyone up or disturbs the bats while caving.

It's biggest feature is that it can be used with multiple power sources. It comes with a replaceable battery. There is a microusb plug on the battery, but I have to carry a microusb cable for my original InReach Mini. You can easily carry a backup in case your battery dies in the middle of a hike. The Actik Core flashes its beam repeatedly to let you know it is running low on juice.

Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork trekking poles

The perfect set of hiking sticks are the Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork trekking poles. Despite being aluminum, they are not too heavy, the handles are comfortable even after hours of hiking in rugged terrain, and the latch locks have never failed me over hundreds of miles. I have used poles with twist locks before, and I think they are just as good. I don't regret a single penny I spent on the Trail Ergo Corks.

Photo by Mitchell Clark / The Verge

The Tarptent ProTrail, another piece of kit I highly recommend, uses trekking poles instead of traditional poles to get set up, which is a warning about the cork handles. The handles of the poles are put on the ground by default. One morning, I found a creature that was probably a chipmunk, but I thought it was a gryphon, because it chewed up the cork on one of my poles. If you go backpacking with a pair of trail kerchiefs, it might be a good idea to not leave them lying around overnight. Mitchell Clark is a news writer.

A lightweight pair of trekking poles with an ergonomics grip angle, a natural cork grip, and a fusion comfort strap.

• $130 at Amazon
• $140 at REI

Camelbak Chase bike vest

Two years of social isolation have made me a bit of an outdoor person. Nine months ago, I bought a bike vest called the Camelbak Chase to accompany me on trail runs, mountain bike rides, hikes, and to the gym. I couldn't be more pleased with the purchase of the tiny pack, as it would be replacing the Camelbak that I have been using for over twenty years. Chase is very comfortable to wear in all climates, even when it has a small water tank. A big pocket up front makes it easy to access my phone, while the smaller pockets make it easier to get food and drinks. If you're looking for a lightweight pack that won't bounce around during outdoor activities, then look no further than the Camelbak Chase.

An active vest with a harness and easy access pockets offers access to phone, nutrition, and whatever you need on the go.

• $94 at Amazon
• $100 at REI

Garmin Fenix sports watches

If you're an outdoor athlete obsessed with tracking performance, then there's no better multisport watch than Garmin. I have relied on an indestructible Fenix 6 to map my kite surfing sessions, adjust my stride cadence while running, find my way home on unfamiliar forest trails, measure the flow of my mountain biking, and track my overall fitness levels. I took up golf just to see how well the watch tracks each shot and how well it helps me to keep score and choose the next club, because I was so impressed by it.

The new Epix 2 and the 7 series can be tracked straight out of the box for a week or more before needing to be charged. They're not cheap, but if the pandemic taught me one thing, it's that I can't ignore my health.

The smallest of the Fenix 7 lineup, the Fenix 7S Sapphire Solar has long battery life and solar charging.

Nike Dri-FIT Aerobill Featherlight cap

Some people will never wear SPF 50 sunscreen every day of the year, but protecting your skin from the sun is important, especially if you are outdoors a lot. My Nike Dri-FIT Aerobill Featherlight running cap comes in a clutch when I run outside.

In the summer, it protects my face from the sun, and the perforations help me stay cool. It keeps my hair off my neck and is great for sweating away from my brow. I put a headband on that protects my ears from the wind. It's lightweight, so I'll wear it on my travels, hiking, or just walking around. I wore it while running the NYC Half Marathon. The best thing about a running hat is that I don't get distracted by environmental annoyances. Victoria Song is a reviewer.

The back strap allows you to choose your fit, and the ventilated cap provides cooling while you are on a run.

• $28 at Nike
• $35 at Amazon

Chrome Citizen Night Messenger Bag / JBL Clip 3 portable speaker

My favorite summer look is a bag with a speaker on the shoulder hook. The speaker clicks onto the hook of the backpack and sits at right about shoulder height, making it possible for me to hear my music without it being blasted for every last Brooklynite to hear. Although I wouldn't recommend this backpack for everyday use, it is very comfortable to bike with and the weight on the bag can sit a bit heavy for just one shoulder. It's a summer look because of that. Down Brooklyn streets, every sunny day, in this set-up, catch me whippin.

The Night version of the messenger bag has additional reflectivity for an additional $10.

• $150 at Chrome
• $150 at Amazon

The JBL Clip 3 is a small portable speaker with a large sound, waterproof, and comes with a carabiner to clip onto your pack, bike, etc.

Garmin inReach Mini satellite communicator

I've never been one to object to overcompensating for safety in the outdoors, as I've seen my fair share of incidents in the Pacific Northwest due to my involvement with search and rescue. I started carrying the inReach Mini for added peace of mind a few years back for myself, my partner, and most everyone I know.

The inReach Mini is a bare bones two-way satellite communication device. The small, 3.5-ounce device relies on the Iridium satellite network and allows you to send and receive text messages when you are out of cellphone range, giving you a quick way to communicate with an email address, a phone number, or another inReach via the device itself or You can use it to send an alert to a monitoring center, notify preset contacts, and contact emergency responders in your area. Thankfully, I have never had to use the latter function, but it is nice to know if I break my leg or wander aimlessly, there will be a way to do it.

The inReach Mini is limited beyond that. You can use it to check the weather forecast in your area, as well as to track and share your progress online, if you choose to subscribe to it. The Mini 2 has a few improvements, including a longer battery life, but the majority of the functions remain the same.

Vapur Solid Flexible Water Bottle

I drink a lot of water. My daily goal is to drink a gallon or more, and I often succeed in this task. When I'm home all the time, it's not as hard, but when I'm out and about, it's more difficult. I own many water bottles, but the Vapur collapsible bottle is the one I prefer most for traveling or taking outdoors. It's a flexible bladder with a carabiner and a cap that you can fold up and tuck away once you've drunk all your water. I have brought this water bottle with me on many outdoor hikes and both domestic and international travel, and it has been a lifesaver. It's so easy to carry water with you, drink it, roll it up, and keep it in a bag or pocket until you have a chance to refill. You can clip it to your bag strap or belt loop once it's filled up, so it can go with you just about anywhere and not take up too much space or add much weight to your load.

It's a little awkward to drink from a plastic bag at first, but you get used to it over time. If you have to keep yourself very hydrated, even when you have to pack light and small, the Vapur is a helpful little ally to have in your corner.

This flexible water bottle can be attached to your backpack, purse, or whatever else you carry with it. Comes in many different sizes.

E-TWOW Uscooters Booster V-Powered scooter

I knew exactly how to get around town on the best lightweight electric scooter on the market when I sold my car. I zip down the street in the bike lane, passing 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 888-739-5110 It is easy to fit under the seats of the train if I need to go to San Francisco, and its 24 pound weight is manageable if I haul it up and down the stairs.

Nobody has come up with a better all-around design than E-TWOW. Scooters with more range and speed are usually heavier, and the few that come close have terrible suspension. I wouldn't ride them on the road. The hidden rear coil and front shock absorber of the E-TWOW are springy enough that I only feel the shocks at train crossings or actual debris in the road. If you're a heavy rider like me, you're not going to get anywhere near the quoted 24 miles.

E-TWOW and its distributor, UScooters, also sell a longer-range model with an extra handbrake, but it weighs more.

The Booster V has a 36v battery and 500 watt motor. It can travel up to 21 miles on a single charge and can reach a top speed of 25 mph.

Pink Lawn Flamingos

A few years ago, I and my partner went to a small trade show with a theme of Florida. We stayed until closing, chatting with friends, and as we were leaving, a staffer who was packing up the show asked if we could use a pink flamingo. We took two of them home and stuck them in our garden, and we have loved our retro lawn decorations ever since. They help make up for my lack of talent with growing things by keeping us company when we are sitting outside. If we want to direct someone to our home, all we have to do is look for the house with two pink Flamingos.

Two pink plastic Flamingos with metal stakes are on your lawn.