{"id":15285,"date":"2026-06-24T17:03:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T17:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15285"},"modified":"2026-06-24T17:03:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T17:03:14","slug":"your-best-testing-ideas-for-the-outside-lab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15285","title":{"rendered":"Your Best Testing Ideas for the Outside Lab"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>From UPF clothing to dog rescue harnesses, here&#8217;s what you think we should test next\u2014plus, a sneak preview of how we&#8217;d approach these new experiments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published June 24, 2026 10:39AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>When we test outdoor gear in the field, we make sure to use it as intended and, well, get outside. All year long, our teams get out and get dirty to bring you expert gear picks across a wide variety of categories. Whether you\u2019re looking for featherweight rainshells, backpacking packs, climbing ropes, ski boots, e-bikes, or even yoga mats, one of <i>Outside\u2019s<\/i> gear teams has put it to the test.<\/p>\n<p>But in the outdoors, we can\u2019t control every environmental factor to ensure products are all stressed the same during use\u2014if we could command a torrential downpour or summon powdery snow at will, we would. That\u2019s where the Outside Lab at CU Denver steps in.<\/p>\n<p>The lab evaluates product performance in controlled settings, meaning each product is subjected to the exact same punishment. These methods allow us to strip away variables so we can accurately compare \u201capples to apples\u201d and give you an objective breakdown of a product\u2019s characteristics. We even push gear to its literal breaking point\u2014without putting testers in harm\u2019s way\u2014so you can confidently know exactly how far your gear can be pushed when you\u2019re in extreme conditions. This is for science first, but let\u2019s be honest: it\u2019s also extremely fun.<\/p>\n<p>To decide what (and how) we test in the lab, I collaborate with our gear editors, using real-world feedback from the field to design testing protocols for each category. At Outside Days 2026, we opened the lab doors to you, the reader, to find out what else we should be torture-testing. Below are some of the many excellent reader-sourced test ideas generated during the three-day event that sparked some fun conversations at the Outside Lab at CU Denver tent, and how we\u2019d bring them to life.<\/p>\n<h2><b>UV Exposure<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>From tents to sun shirts, UV protection is top of mind for anyone spending long days outside. Not only does our skin break down from exposure, but so does our gear, with materials becoming brittle and weak from ultraviolet light over time. In the Outside Lab, we can tackle testing from two different angles: UV aging and UPF protection over time.<\/p>\n<p><b>UV aging:<\/b> This measurement describes how well a material holds up to exposure over time\u2014more simply, it\u2019s the product\u2019s sun life. First, we test the performance of the material when it\u2019s brand new, and then expose the material to artificial sunlight using UV bulbs (lights made to mimic the sun with a consistent output, like what you\u2019d find in terrariums). At set time intervals, we remove the item and test it again until it fails. Because the bulbs provide a consistent UV output, we can test months of exposure in a short time, and accurately translate lab hours into \u201cdays\u201d in the sun.<\/p>\n<p><b>UPF protection over time:<\/b> When we test UPF protective clothing, we aren\u2019t looking at fabric strength; instead, we evaluate how much harmful UV sneaks through. We use a special lightmeter\u00a0 to measure the ultraviolet radiation just above and directly underneath the fabric sample. We track the time until radiation that gets through increases, to tell you how many hours you can spend in direct sunlight with full UPF protection. We also test for product longevity, putting the clothes through aggressive wear and wash cycles to assess how long before a beloved sun shirt loses its ability to protect against harmful rays.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Trekking and Running Poles<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_self\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.backpacker.com\/gear\/trekking-poles\/best-trekking-poles\/\">Hiking poles<\/a>\u2014or running poles for those of you sadistic enough to go on long runs in the hills\u2014 were another popular topic at Outside Days. Namely, everyone wanted to know how durable different poles are, considering the various material and construction options available.<\/p>\n<p>To test poles in the lab, we\u2019d break out our universal testing machine\u2014a.k.a.\u00a0 \u201cHulk\u201d\u2014 to see how much weight these sticks can bear. We mimic real-world trail conditions by fully extending each pole and then cranking up the load until it fails. In this test, \u201cfailure\u201d means a complete break, crack, or permanent bend. Since you\u2019re rarely pushing straight down on the pole, we\u2019d perform the test at a few different angles to get a well-rounded performance review.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Dog Harnesses<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b\/>At Outside days, we met a lot of people who have a four-legged best friend, and love getting outdoors with them. More than a few of you asked us to evaluate the performance of adventure-ready daily harnesses and rescue harnesses. As someone who regularly takes my pup on adventures of every kind, this suggestion hit close to home.<\/p>\n<p>If the worst happens, you need absolute confidence that a rescue harness can safely support your dog\u2019s full weight while you hoist or haul them back to safety. In the lab, we\u2019d test rescue harnesses for load carrying capacity (similar to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_self\" class=\"text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.backpacker.com\/gear\/backpacks\/best-backpacking-packs\/\">how we test backpacks<\/a>), as well as durability of the construction and materials.<\/p>\n<p>For everyday-adventure harnesses, we\u2019d mostly test for durability to account for the rough-and-tumble conditions you might encounter in the backcountry\u2014like mud, water, or sharp rocks and sticks. A few of the tests we already have in our back pocket for durability include abrasion resistance, tear strength, drying time, breathability, and air permeability. These tests would help us feel confident recommending the best dog harnesses for you and your canine adventure buddy.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Other Great Ideas<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Here are a few more ideas that either sparked some geeky lab conversations (science!) about new testing ideas or confirmed that work we already have in the pipeline is exactly what you want to see. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming Outside Lab-backed results on gear reviews across <i>Outside\u2019s<\/i> channels.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight:400\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Footwear<\/strong>: Running shoes, hiking boots, trail runners, even barefoot sandals. You flooded us with questions about outdoor footwear and all different forms of performance. We heard you loud and clear, and we\u2019re on it.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight:400\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Waterproof fire starters<\/strong>: For anyone adventuring outdoors, a waterproof fire starter can be a life saver. We\u2019re as obsessed with finding out how well they really work as you are.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight:400\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Bug repellent and bite remedies<\/strong>: One that unfortunately often requires a \u201cvolunteer\u201d to properly test. While we wait for a consenting guinea pig to emerge, check out previous coverage on tick removal, tick prevention, and mosquito bite prevention<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight:400\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Goggle and lens scratch resistance<\/strong>: Snow sports are more fun when you can see where you\u2019re going. We\u2019re investigating ways to test lens abrasion beyond the industry standard.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight:400\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Snow outerwear<\/strong>: it\u2019s like you read our minds. We\u2019ve got some major winter-shell testing protocols to reveal later this year. Stay tuned.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight:400\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Adaptive tech<\/strong>: This is a massive, crucial category, and we\u2019re passionate about improving the gear that helps get anyone and everyone outside. We\u2019re currently mapping out how to accurately test adaptive outdoor equipment to ensure it delivers the performance, safety, and durability that outdoor people of all abilities need.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- --><span hidden=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/outdoor-gear\/reader-suggestions-outside-lab\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From UPF clothing to dog rescue harnesses, here&#8217;s what you think we should test next\u2014plus, a sneak preview of how we&#8217;d approach these new experiments. Published June 24, 2026 10:39AM When we test outdoor gear in the field, we make sure to use it as intended and, well, get outside. All year long, our teams<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wild-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15285\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}