3 Simple Gear Upgrades That Make a Huge Difference

I may make most of my living writing about shiny, new gear, but I have a soft spot in my heart for old, beater equipment that works “just fine.” I’m a firm believer that equipment that simply does its job—floats, rides, runs—is all a person really needs in order to get outside and enjoy moving in nature.

That said, technological advancements in gear can make a huge difference in comfort and performance, both of which can increase a person’s enjoyment in an activity, getting them out more often and keeping them out longer, doing what they love. But constantly buying the latest, greatest everything simply isn’t feasible for most people—they need to strategically choose what upgrades will make the most difference. With years of experience as a gear tester, and closets and sheds overflowing with all kinds of outdoor sports equipment, I have found that the following glow-ups have improved my experiences in the outdoors the most without breaking my personal bank.

New Tires on an Old Bike

I don’t ride a mountain bike often enough to justify buying the newest bike every year or two, so I ride an old Fisher Paragon 29er from, oh, maybe the mid-2000s. It works. It rolls, it shifts, the front Rock Shox Reba still has some give. For the most part, all my old bike needs is an occasional tune-up to keep the gears changing smoothly and the drivetrain functioning. But two years ago I invested in an upgrade that has made a big difference in both safety and joy of riding: I spent about fifty bucks on new bike tires.

My old tires had worn down to a sketchily smooth surface; Kenda’s knobby Small Block 8 Sport XC tires have given me secure traction on the varied, wickedly dry dirt trails around Boulder, Colorado. The tread pattern—flat center grip and cornering knobs—provides a great combination of a smooth-rolling ride on crushed gravel flats, bite that prevents skidding out on sharp corners, and toothiness on short, steep, rocky climbs I still try to clean (despite not riding very often). The tires help me feel like I can still handle a bike, even if that bike is pretty dang old.

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