Outdoor Activities

You may not think about life jackets until you find yourself overboard and far from shore. How do life jackets keep people afloat, and why does it take only a few pounds of buoyancy to do it?

By Molly Edmonds

Sailboats rank as one of man's most revolutionary inventions. How far have sailboats come since the days of the Santa Maria, Nina and Pinta?

By Cristen Conger

Daredevils plummet over Niagara Falls in a barrel, jump over tractor trailers on a motorcycle and skydive from dizzying heights. Explore the flashiest and most daring stunts that daredevils have to offer.

By Charles W. Bryant

Maybe you've seen mushers driving dogsleds across frozen terrain and heard their trademark call. But mushing is quite dangerous. It's safer to travel by snowmobile or airplane, so why would mushers put their lives and their dogs' in peril?

By Kathleen Seiler Neary

Sled dogs carry a sled, a driver and loads of gear across icy, dangerous terrain. What keeps them going, and how do drivers keep the dogs from getting hurt?

By Kathleen Seiler Neary

The Iditarod is an adventure that defies imagination: a 1,131-mile (1,821-kilometer) dog sled race through desolate tundra, dense forest, snow-swept mountains and the frigid Alaskan coast.

By Kathleen Seiler Neary

At 16,000 feet above sea level, the average person would get sick from a lack of oxygen. How do Tibetans breathe easily?

By Josh Clark

Learn how to hike to stay fit and commune with nature. A day-long hike up and down hills burns as much energy as running a marathon. This article has tips on preparing for a hike, including what to wear, what to pack, and more.

By Tommy Boone

More than 150 years ago, an Englishman in Dartmoor inadvertently inspired a hobby that today has thousands of people playing along: letterboxing. Learn all about letterboxing.

By Jonathan Strickland

Thousands of people around the world use their GPS receivers to geocache, or seek out treasures hidden by other players while exploring interesting locations. Explore the history of geocaching and learn how to find and place geocaches of your own.

By Jonathan Strickland

Popularized in music and movies, surfing is a beloved sport for many. But did you know that it's been around for hundreds of years? Learn about the basics of surfing and get surfing safety tips.

By Tracy V. Wilson

You can repair a bicycle yourself instead of relying on a repair shop. If you want to save some money and learn some new skills, find out what materials and tools you need to make common repairs and get your bicycle back on the road fast.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Every boat owner should know how to maintain a boat to prevent it from aging and damage. Learn how to make important boat repairs as well as build useful boat accessories.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Prepare for your next camping trip by learning how to make and repair camping equipment. This article gives tips for repairing a tent making a tarp and resoling hiking boots. Helpful illustrations are included.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

For BASE jumpers, leaping out of an airplane at 15,000 feet and free-falling at well over 100 mph isn't quite daring enough. They look for more unique ways to test their limits -- stunts so risky that they're actually illegal in many places.

By Ed Grabianowski

25-year-old, Lakpa Tharke Sherpa, set a world record when he stripped naked on the summit of Mt. Everest in 2006. He faced also created controversy because the mountain is considered sacred. Learn about this record here.

By Cameron Lawrence

More than 2,200 people have succeeded, but nearly 200 have lost their lives attempting to climb Mount Everest. So why do it? The most famous answer, from climber George Mallory: "Because it is there."

By Hannah Harris

What if a morning jog didn't involve training for a marathon or wearing short shorts? What if it meant creative individual expression through acrobatic moves like leaping from walls and over gaps doing ground rolls and precision jumping?

By Cameron Lawrence

Luge is one of the fastest — and most dangerous — sports in the Winter Olympics. The athletes race down the icy, high-banked tracks at up to 90 miles per hour (140 kilometers per hour). How do they do it safely?

By Julia Layton & Patty Rasmussen

Bobsled drivers and crew plummet down a hill on a track or run that's full of twists and turns. A wrong move can cause a dramatic crash. Learn about the athletes who make up a bobsled team, bobsled runs and the physics behind bobsledding.

By Tracy V. Wilson & Patrick J. Kiger

If you've ever ridden a snowmobile you know that it is a fun fast-paced way to sightsee and go places that cars can't take you. Learn how snowmobiles operate.

By Patrick Emond

People everywhere are putting location-based technology to innovative use creating "experiences" in public settings that are part game, part performance art, and part sociology experiment. Find out about urban gaming.

By Ed Grabianowski

Millions of people swim safely in public, but it's important to know that certain infectious diseases can occur while swimming in public pools, parks, lakes, water fountains and yes, even the ocean.

By Dr. Rob Danoff

Personal watercraft such as jet skis are used by millions of Americans each year, but they weren't always that popular. Learn how personal watercraft came to be, how they work and the laws and environmental concerns that govern them.

By Tracy V. Wilson

Rock climbing is an exhilarating sport that involves strength, control and finesse. Find out what it takes to really get high on life.

By Marshall Brain