My Outdoors: Reid Wiseman, Commander of NASA’s Artemis II Mission to the Moon

Reid Wiseman is an American astronaut, U.S. Navy Captain, and aviator who, in 2022, was selected by NASA to be commander of the forthcoming Artemis II mission. Wiseman will be leading a crew of three other astronauts—Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—on a 10-day shuttle ride around the moon. It’s a massive honor; this will be the first crewed mission for NASA’s Artemis era, which has an overall goal of “establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration.” The Artemis II mission is currently scheduled to launch later this year.

Wiseman is no stranger to space. Selected as an astronaut in 2009, he completed astronaut training in May 2011, and a few years later he spent 165 days orbiting the planet aboard the International Space Station.  

He’s also no stranger to the outdoors. And here, in our new series “My Outdoors,” Wiseman shares some of his favorite memories of getting into nature—including how time in the wild helped refine his leadership skills and how his very unique perspective on the planet led to a new way of seeing the world (and planning adventures now that he’s back down on land).

Skiing or Snowboarding: Which One Should I Try First as a Beginner?

Learning a new sport can be frustrating, and winter sports are no exception. Getting started on something new can be daunting at first. Especially if all of your friends are discussing their ski or snowboard vacations, but you’ve never tried skiing or snowboarding.

Inspirational Advice from Bear Grylls

If you’re still editing that list of New Year’s resolutions and are looking for some inspiration to face challenges for the new year, you might look to Bear Grylls for some motivation.

Bear has also written more than 90 books, and many of them address the mental side of surviving and how to have the best mindset to thrive in today’s fast-paced world.

Bear often writes about the life lessons he has learned during his adventures and how many of his survival skills can be used in day-to-day life. We love some of the advice we have learned from two books that he published in 2023, and we will be using much of it to face the challenges of the coming year.

⛺️ The Packing List

Featured Guide: The Best Snowshoes of 2024

The popularity of snowshoeing has grown in the past couple of years, making it a great new activity for winter adventurers. Exploring the world when it’s a winter wonderland is an awesome experience that snowshoers have been doing for decades.

Whether you’re looking for a new fun outdoor activity to try this season, or you’re seeking a more accessible form of exercise for the winter months, you’re going to need the right gear. So we’re rounding up the best snowshoes for 2024.

Our top pick for snowshoes would be the MSR Lightning Ascent. Made for serious snow conditions, these snowshoes are lightweight and come in three different sizes to make sure that everyone can find a pair that fits them comfortably.

When you’re in the market for a new pair of snowshoes, there are a lot of factors that you’ll want to consider. We’ve put together a guide on how to buy your next pair of snowshoes and answered some of the frequently asked questions about them.

This post contains affiliate links. Outdoors.com may earn a commission when you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support.  

Top Snowshoes for 2024

• Best Snowshoes for Serious Snow Conditions – MSR Lighting Ascent Snowshoes

• Best Snowshoes for Beginners – Tubbs Xplore 25 Snowshoe

• Best Snowshoes for Consistent Use – MSR Revo Explore Snowshoes

• Best Snowshoes for Wandering – MSR Evo Trail Snowshoes

• Best Snowshoes for the Mountains – MSR Evo Ascent Snowshoes

• Best Budget-Friendly Snowshoes – Retrospec Snowshoe Bundle

• Snowshoes for Runners – Atlas Race

• Snowshoes for the Kids – Tubbs Snowflake Snowshoesn.   

Need Some New Outdoors Gear?

Have you checked out the new Outdoors Gear Shop?

There are hundreds of top outdoor brands now in stock, and more are being added all the time. Adventurers can now find everything needed for their next quest on Outdoors.com – from great content to how to’s, guides, expert opinions, and gear.

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