When Mens Health editors tested dozens of pieces of outdoor gear over the course of a month for the 2019 Outdoor Awards, one overarching principle quickly became apparent: The important innovations arent in new types of gear (Turns out a sleeping bag with arms and legs isnt a slumber revelationits just a puffy jumpsuit for not having sex in) but in new ways of making fundamental gear more lightweight and easier to transport and set up (Are tents almost too easy to set up now?). Theres so much at stake when youre outside that everything has to perform, and, more importantly, everything has to have a clear purpose.

Confession: Ive never owned a pair of flip-flops in my entire life until this summer. Since childhood, the idea of an uncomfortable rubber strap between my toes seemed less than ideal, especially when you can opt for boat shoes and other breathable footwear that wont expose your toes. If youre the kind of guy (like myself) who wears socks to bed, you tend to be more comfortable with some extra foot coverage. So when packing for my recent trip to Hawaii, possibly the only state in the USA where flip-flops are more popular than sneakers, I figured this was the perfect time to really give the classic sandal style a shot before swearing them off forever.