Outside Magazine - September 2016

In this issue

In this issue: Best Towns 2016 Nearly 700,000 votes later, Billings, Montana, is this year’s winner, thanks to its ridiculous fishing, backcountry access, and affordability. We’ve also got the lowdown on what makes our other 15 fi nalists great, from Seattle’s ferries to Hanalei’s surf, The Great Escape Time spent in nature has ther - apeutic benefi ts for everyone from veterans to at-risk youth. Now researchers think it can help those who’ve spent years cut off from the outdoors—ex-cons BY BRIAN MOCKENHAUPT, Impact Zone The degenerative brain disease CTE isn’t confi ned to the football field. As BMX legend DaveMirra’s recent suicide demonstrates, concussions are exacting a deadly toll among actionsports and adventure athletes, too. BY DAN KOEPPEL, Essentials Special Design + Tech: Bulletproof Packable Connected. When cutting-edge engineering meets the outdoors, the result is 29 break through products to help you survive everything from a freezing bivvy to your daily commute and much more...