If I had to sum up the last 12 months, it would be with a question: Does time move faster with more news? Admittedly, many people may not feel the intensity of current events like a journalist toiling away at the keyboard every day. But I’d wager I’m not the only news junkie who felt something akin to an overdose in 2024.
It happens here at GearJunkie, where we try to concern ourselves mostly with the outdoor industry, big news in the sports we love to pursue, and, of course, the gear we love to test. Judging by the most popular stories from our readers this year, the personable, creative reviews that define GearJunkie were among our most-read stories in 2024 — from cheap pocket knives to offroading luxury vehicles.
Other popular stories include a guide to mushroom foraging, a pioneering solo hiker, and a look at the uncertain future of a beloved outdoor brand. But our editors are readers, too. So, in addition to the most-read stories of 2024, we also hand-picked some of our very favorites to read (and write).
These are GearJunkie’s 2024 Stories of the Year.
Top Stories Overall
Readers’ Pick: Nearly Unbeatable Pocket Knife: Kershaw Bel Air Review
“This is the best readily available knife on the market for most people,” reviewer Anthony Sculimbrene wrote of the Kershaw Bel Air this year. The review of this folding knife became GearJunkie’s most-read story of 2024. So, if you come here for recommendations, consider this one of the best suggestions for gear we’ve made all year long.
As Sculimbrene put it, “Here is one of the easiest ways to explain how good this knife is: Even with a large collection and other knives needing pocket time for reviews, I continue to carry the Bel Air. The combination of the easy-to-use and fidget-friendly lock, high-end blade steel, and thin blade stock make the Bel Air one of the best production knives out there in 2024.”
Editors’ Pick: I’ve Been Attacked by a Bear, and I Still ‘Choose the Bear’
If you regularly read GearJunkie reviews of hunting and fishing gear, then you probably know the name Rachelle Schrute. In fact, our Hunt & Fish Editor wrote more top stories this year than anyone.
But it’s in this deeply vulnerable essay that readers will find the most powerful writing we’ve published all year. As an expert hunter, angler, and outdoorswoman, Schrute has lived much of her life in the wilderness, surviving dangerous encounters with both large animals and “predators in boots.”
So which one is more dangerous? That’s the question many women raised on social media this summer, and Schrute knew she had to weigh in.
The result is a moving meditation on the experiences that follow us wherever we go — even into the wild.
Top Hiking/Camping Stories
Readers’ Pick: 2 Years, 6,800 Miles, and 27 Pairs of Shoes: First Woman Solo Hikes the ADT
The American Discovery Trail stretches from coast to coast, covering 6,800 miles. In February, Briana DeSanctis — determined to inspire young women and hikers across the country — became the first woman ever to hike the trail alone. But the story of what led her to the ADT, and eventually to the Pacific Ocean, started years before that in Maine, where she grew up. Don’t miss this super-popular story of a hiker overcoming the odds from Camping Editor Will Brendza.
Editors’ Pick: Queen of the Fourteeners: The Woman Who Made CO’s Most Famous Trails
Brendza also wrote and reported this stellar profile of a little-known woman who has impacted the lives of everyone who loves recreating in Colorado. Loretta McEllhiney is largely responsible for creating the standardized trails people use to summit Colorado’s iconic fourteeners. Brendza sat down with McEllhiney just days after her retirement to discuss her work and legacy.
For starters, she spent more time wandering the slopes of Colorado’s 14,000+ foot peaks than probably any other living human, past or present. She is responsible for the standardized trails we all follow to their summits. Not only was she the impetus behind the state’s initiative to build those trails, but she was also the person who scouted, scoped, mapped out, and designed almost all of them foot by foot, peak by peak.
Top Hunting/Fishing Stories
Readers’ Pick: How to Find Morel Mushrooms: Foraging 101
Who knew GearJunkie readers would gobble up a story about mushroom foraging? Well, I guess Hunt & Fish Editor Rachelle Schrute probably did, since she leaned on her own knowledge and experience to offer this highly readable guide to finding fungi:
“As a lay mycologist myself, I get absolutely elated when the leaves start to bud on the cottonwood trees,” she writes. “It’s the sign that spring is here. For me, it’s the sign to head for the hills and start giving in to my fungi-gathering habit. I’ve compiled some info, tips, and tricks, to get you into the field foraging your very own culinary delights.”
Editors’ Pick: More Than ‘Just Boots’: How My Gear Became a Rite of Passage
In this poignant pick from our editors, Schrute manages to capture the profound relationships that many of us have with our gear. You might never look at a pair of hunting boots quite the same after this rumination on family and the things that tie us together — even at a distance.
“A new pair of boots arrived at my doorstep, and with them, my entire perspective on life changed. Dramatic? Maybe. But in that box was a pair of boots that unexpectedly brought tears to my eyes for many reasons,” Schrute writes.
“Of course, it wasn’t just the boots. I am an outdoorsman, an adventurer, and, most importantly, a parent. As my family has grown, strived, struggled, and learned to let go, a single pair of Xtratuf Legacy Boots has played a steady role in what we did and what we continue to do. This shiny new pair reflected a future my daughter would write, a future of her own, as untold as the gravel bars and Alaska peaks that await her.”
Top Motors Stories
Readers’ Pick: 2024 Lexus GX Overtrail First Drive Review
For Motors, the most-read story of the year was an update on Jeep’s 2024 plans, which included jettisoning the Wagoneer brand, and setting a new course for EVs. But right after that, readers kept coming back to a review of the Lexus GX Overtrail from Motors Editor Bryon Dorr.
After spending some time with the all-new 2024 GX 550, Dorr found that there’s much more than meets the eye with this third-generation mid-size luxury SUV.
Editors’ Pick: I Drove the Ultimate Off-Roader: KOH Race Machine Experience
Judging by the big grin on his face, I think you can tell that Dorr also enjoyed writing (and riding) this one. “No, the ultimate off-roader isn’t a monster truck, Jeep, Land Rover, UTV, Unimog, or dirt bike. The ultimate off-roader is an Ultra 4 Unlimited (4400 Class) race vehicle. And, I got the pleasant privilege and opportunity to drive one!” Dorr writes.
“I was invited out to Johnson Valley, Calif., to experience the wide range of vehicles that compete at the annual King of the Hammers (KOH) races. But, more importantly, I got behind the wheel of a rockcrawler, the first electric 4400 Class Ultra4 vehicle, and a 4400 Unlimited race machine.”
Top Outdoor Industry Stories
Readers’ Pick: YETI Responds to Rumors of Mystery Ranch Phase-Out
Many of us have strong feelings about the outdoor brands we love, so perhaps it’s no surprise that GJ readers were so interested in this update on Mystery Ranch. YETI, the Austin, Texas-based cooler brand, purchased Mystery Ranch in early 2024. Then, rumors began circulating this fall that YETI might discontinue the brand in 2025.
YETI has remained tight-lipped on its long-term plans for Mystery Ranch, but certain choices — like announcing a line of YETI bags “inspired” by the decades-old brand — didn’t help stop the rumors. Though YETI said it would continue offering Mystery Ranch for now, the company has a history of buying and rebranding its acquisitions.
Editors’ Pick: New Brands Breathe New Life Into Once-Mighty ‘OR’ Tradeshow
The outdoor gear industry’s biggest annual event has changed a lot over the years. Editor-in-Chief Adam Ruggiero knows that better than most, so he was pleasantly surprised by the vibe at this year’s OR Tradeshow. Though it was significantly smaller than in years past, Ruggiero might have enjoyed it more this year. His report gets his finger on the pulse of the industry in this report from Salt Lake City.
“For the first time since its pre-pandemic heyday, Outdoor Retailer had an energy to it — and it wasn’t in spite of all the brands that weren’t there,” Ruggiero writes. “In many ways, it was because of it.”
Top Tech Stories
Readers’ Pick: A Year With Whoop 4.0: A Personal Trainer Weighs In
Whoop enjoyed a moment in the spotlight this year. Sport media widely reported on the tech, which now adorns the wrists of high-profile endurance and outdoor athletes like rock climber Alex Honnold and cyclist Lachlan Morton. Cycling & Climbing Editor Seiji Ishii spent over a year trying out the Whoop to see if it lived up the hype.
“The Whoop 4.0 provided incredibly insightful evidence of things that affected my sleep, recovery, and ability to perform — both negatively and positively. Initially, these effects were substantial, and lifestyle changes dramatically improved recovery. A year in, although the frequency has dropped, I still discover seemingly minor actions that affect my day-to-day recovery,” Ishii wrote.
Editors’ Pick: How a Leica Rekindled My Love of Photography in One Week
Those with a passing knowledge of the history of photography will likely know the name Leica. The brand dominated early 20th-century photojournalism, capturing some of the most iconic images ever taken. The venerable company apparently retains some of that old magic, as it quickly cast a spell over AllGear Editorial Director Sean McCoy.
“My hands cradled the camera, a fabulously powerful Leica M11, as I lifted it instinctually to my eye,” McCoy writes. “Instantly, it transported me back in time. I rocked the focus lever and watched the split-image focus come into sharp relief on a vertical line on a wall.
“And it all came flooding back — a passion for photography in my youth washed away in the same digital tidal wave that swept away so many print publications. This world-class, modern digital camera, compatible with old lenses from my film career, breathed life into a love I thought was long gone.”
Top Cheap Gear Stories
Readers’ Pick: This $10 Walmart Knife Is the Hottest Blade on the Market
Everybody loves a good deal, and that’s exactly what readers got with this glowing knife review.
“Forget what you think you know about price and quality,” Nick LeFort wrote. “Walmart’s Ozark Trail folding knife is everything you want at an unbeatable price. “Perhaps nothing complicates all that more than the $10 Ozark Trail 7.5” EDC folding knife, sold exclusively at Walmart.
It’s been on the market for a little while now, but a couple of months ago, it started to get a lot of attention on the internet — so much so that it’s sold out in stores and online.
Editors’ Pick: Ode to an Ugly Water Bottle
We obviously love shiny new stuff around here — just look at our site name. But we’re also people who like to get outside and do things, and often, the dirty, beat-up version is the best one for the job. GJ Editor-in-Chief Adam Ruggiero celebrates the scarred gear that’s always there when we need it.
“Water bottles are modern-day outdoorsy fashion accessories. But when fashion fades, we should aspire to have an ugly water bottle,” Ruggiero writes. “That bottle has not been babied, and it has zero likes on Instagram. It’s not fashionable; it’s refillable. It’s not pretty; it’s portable. It is imperfect from every angle — and in that way, it is exceptional in a world of splashy, unsullied sameness.”
