Although I understand the reason I have yet to receive the magazine it is still rather irritating.

I love this magazine, but am disappointed that my magazines will not start arriving for 6 to 10 weeks according to Amazon. If I had known that I would not have used Amazon to purchase my subscription. Very disappointing.

I'm not sure what has happened at Outside, but for the past couple of years it seems like it wants to be Esquire. Though not founded as a men's magazine, it's become that. Case in point: The most recent gift guide, which is titled ""What Every Man Wants This Year." Apparently it was too hard to find gifts women would like.

The photography is astounding, but overall you're better off going with the real thing: Subscribe to Esquire.

Good variety of articles and great photos. I always rush to read it when it arrives.

If you are an adrenaline junkie and just don't have the time or money to do it all than this magazine will help you feel the rush; granted it is not the same as doing the activity but it'll work, sort of. I'm a current subscriber and have also been one in the past. I guess I came back because I just love the stories of adventure in faraway places that I may never get to see;it's the longing for adventure that never can be fulfilled. They usually have some good excercises to help your cross training, plenty of pictures of far away exotic places,and several adventure stories. This month they have a story on the war in terror in paradise(direct from the Phillipines). Another cool thing is they usually have the latest gadgets to make your sporting adventure less of a roughing it adventure. Whether or not you ever use these items is irrelevant, it is just good to know that technology is accelerating faster than the average persons checkbook can keep up with:( They also usually feature an athelete of the season to hook you in. There is also alot of eco-news for all the tree huggers, best new websites ,films, books and other media sections; in essence, there is something for everyone who loves the outdoors. It is perfect for great armchair outdoorsing after that workout to feel completely content.

Loved the magazine, but after two years of it, the onslaught of mostly bare-chested men both in the mag and on the cover was too much. Where are the women? If it is targeting the gay audience, please say so. Each month, I'd count the number of men vs. women photos and there are very few women. Just unshaven boys. Not my cup of tea, so my subscription hasn't been renewed.

I am mostly a low energy, armchair traveller but enjoy photography and reading about exciting new places and activities. This magazine has fit all these criterias. Outside focuses on exploring different locales that are extremely exciting as opposed to standard vacation hotspots such as Florida, the Carribbean, or Hawaii. The articles transport you to rafting Victoria Falls, deep water dives in South Africa, Alaskan fishing and hiking, plus lots of remote places such as Dominica or the Seychilles. I love how vibrant and rich the photography is and how well covered the articles are. Mind you there is something wondeful about reading magazines that highlight typical vacation spots, but for the adventuresome who like off the cuff travels, reclusive lodges, eco-villages, and remote islands this would be more your speed.

(I sent the following letter to their customer service last week)

After about 15 years of getting your magazine, I have decided not to renew my subscription. It is a shame that your once great publication has become such a joke.

After receiving your November issue, and spending 10 minutes removing all the inserts and gimmick ads so I could actually read it, I found no substance. Instead there is a fashion section (yikes), a `hot list' with young barely dressed men and women (hey I'm not against a little sex and skin, but I'll subscribe to Vogue or Maxim for that), an article about Larry David's wife that might as well have come from People magazine, an Aussie travelogue that I am convinced their tourist board paid for, all sandwiched in between so many ads for monster SUVs and other crap that you need a compass and a map just to keep up with where the articles worth reading continue from one page to the next.

What happened to the great writers like Krakauer? What happened to having any environmental conscience? Where are the stories of adventure that are real and make you want to go there? Maybe I am just getting older than your current demographic. I haven't lost my sense of adventure, which is why I live in Durango CO and spend a lot of time outdoors. I used to look to your magazine for inspiration. Now I half expect the cover to tout stories on `killer abs'. You've become the Clear Channel of the outdoor magazine world.

Get real again and I may come back.

Outside Magazine and I have had an up and down relationship for many years. At times, Outside grabs me with great journalism, awesome photos, and fun facts. I've lliked its fearless tackling of environmental issues and its ability to transport me to truly exotic places. At other times, i question its journalistic integrity, emphasis on the latest and greatest gear, and shameless trumpeting of past successes. At times the advice it gives also seems more aimed at insecurities (you need this gear to be successful, you need to live HERE to live a fulfilling life) than I think a magazine focusing on fun in the outdoors should.

Cases in point:

- I'm not sure what criteria it uses for recommending gear but at times I question whether the recommendations come because a certain company is an advertiser or because the editors truly believe that a certain bike, watch, pair of sunglasses are really all that. I don't get the sense that recommendations come as the result of rigorous field testing a la Backpacker Magazine, etc. Also the gear tends to be super expensive. Whatever happened to just enjoying the outdoors via the John Muir approach: just taking off with the clothes on your back and the nearest snack at hand? Because I live in a mountain town I see this ridiculous emphasis on having Just The Right Gear/Clothing for every occasion all the time. It's a little silly.

- Recycling or contradictory fitness advice. Outside did an outstanding series back in 1999 about achieving total fitness but then in subsequent issues redirected its fitness programs under the same type of heading (Achieve your best fitness now!) that made me wonder if they're just running with current fads. I know a magazine has to really work at staying fresh but I think consistency is the best approach here.

- Dudes---John Krakauer wrote a great series and subsequent book about the tragedy on Everest in 1996. But that ship has sailed. If that's the only hook you can hang your hat on the magazine's got problems. We get that your magazine took the lead on that story. Stop reminding us of it.

I'm not sure who's at the helm of this operation but I'd be willing to bet they don't get Outside too often. Not to be too cynical about it, but I just don't find this mag to be as USEFUL as it was before. If you like LOTS of articles on who the coolest extreme sports stars are, how they got their abs, and what gear they're wearing, subscribe NOW. The magazine looks amazing, the photography is top notch and they still manage to come up with a thorny article on the environment periodically. But for my money, it just feels like the editorial staff has been plucked from New York image mags that do one thing really well - SELL. I read National Geographic Adventure, and unlike Outside, I USE IT for information because it has CONTENT.

I've been a subscriber to Outside magazine for several years, and it seems to go through its ups and downs in terms of the strength of its editorial content, especially regarding the political side of environmentalism. It is still easily the most informative magazine out there for lovers of the outdoors, but just note that the focus is on active, not armchair, appreciation of nature. Beyond the occasionally great and always heavily knowledgeable product reviews, the key strength of this magazine is the well-written and strongly researched articles on outdoor issues of concern, not just in America but around the world. An outstanding recent example, among many, concerns the economics of environmentalism in the conservative Western U.S. This is the type of strong conservationist reporting that can usually only be found otherwise in books. Other more whimsical articles are just fun to read for those with off-kilter interests, such as recent pieces on urban rock climbing or sauna fanatics in Finland.

Many other articles could be classified more as travel/tourism than adventure, but the accompanying photography is always top-notch, and the editors have a knack for finding out-of-the-way hidden treasures around the world that are ripe for discovery by the adventurous. (But on the other hand, the magazine could be faulted for contributing to the recent trend of hyping previously unknown outdoor paradises that have since become crowded, such as Molly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia.) Personally, I would like to see a little less focus on expensive vacations that extreme sports fanatics can take in hard-to-reach nations, and more on what folks with more realistic means (and amounts of free time) can do in humble parks and forests near home. But despite its habit of losing its focus at times, I will continue to be a fan of Outside for years to come, and might just travel to some of those hyped exotic adventure locations. [~doomsdayer520~]

For the guy that loves the outdoors and all the wonders that it provides, "Outside" is the magazine for him. Filled with straightforward info on travel, workout and health tips, and those little gadgets that make outdoor activities easier to tackle, this publication hits the nail on the head.

I would've never discovered it if it hadn't been offered as a one of the perks for renewing my subscription with a magazine readers' service, and for that, I am grateful.

This used to be my favorite magazine, but now it's just ad after ad after ad. I go outside to get away from it all, and I like to read about climbing, biking, hiking, etc., when I have to be inside. All the ads drain the joy from me.

I usually don't subscribe to magazines. Specially in these days, when the Internet can give you a lot of information just searching in Google. However, this magazine is terrific and I will renew my subscription for many years to come.

It has very entertaining articles for the adventurer. Its scope is really wide (Cycling, Sailing, Mointanieering, Water and Snow skiing, Rock Climbing, Trecking, Off-Road Motorcycles, Surfing, Fitness...) so it is very probable that if you practice an outdoor sport or just like a particular type of adventure, you will get a nice article to read that matches your interest. It is for everybody!.

One of the things I really enjoy about this magazine, is all the gearing and high tech equipment they show (and I can't buy). They review GPSs, give you tips on the best beach gear, or even compare different types of binoculars. It is great to have some info, what is wrong with technology for the outdoor life?.

One Suggestion to the editors: More articles oriented to the outdoor adventure of the readers, not just the writer. The majority of the articles, tell you stories about wonderfull trips and journeys from the perspective of the adventurer/author. However, they don't give many guidelines, directions for newbies, or people interested on doing that.

Outside is a great magazine, including beautiful photography, fascinating articles, a good dose of enviro-activism, and heavy on gear reviews. (Purists, take note--this magazine loves outdoor gear.)

Frequent articles on extreme sports and travel, and occasionally includes stunning articles that no one else will cover (for instance, the article awhile back on the ongoing mountain war between India and Pakistan).

First hand accounts of real adventures. Climb Everest. Invade Baghdad. Fly over remote regions of Alaska. Hike, paddle, run for your life! This magazine tells you all about what the great outdoors has to offer.

There is some very good writing to be found in Outdoor- Randy Wayne White and John Krakauer come immediately to mind. Excellent reading for the armchair traveller. The bulk of the magazine, however, is an extended advertisement for high-tech outdoors gear, punctuated by ads for SUVs the size of earthmoving equipment that every true outdoorsman or woman needs.

Outdoors is rather like the numerous amateur photography magazines that obsess about equipment and yet have very little to say about the aestheic of art. When I think of my favorite outdoor adventures I don't think about the equipment I used, or the many and wonderful modern conveniences I brought along. Instead I think of just being in a quiet place, away from flashing and beeping electronics that fill my workday.

There is a strange mixture of articles in this magazine. Some are about outdoor activities- though not really about *you* doing them, but stories about someone else. Other articles seem completely general interest that would not be of any more interest to an outdoorsy person than anyone else. There are entertaining travel articles about writers' trips without too much practical information if you were to plan a trip. However, in the back there is a large section of advertisements from all kinds of outdoor adventure places. The photography section is lovely; there are a couple of pages of just artistic photos. For an active outdoor magazine, it seems a little too passive.

As a subscriber to this magazine for the past two years, I can say without reservation that it is simply terrific. I look forward to each and every issue. Glossy and colorful, it is replete with many well written articles and essays on exotic, little known, or far away places, as well as on off beat or high adrenaline sports. There are also many eye catching, superlative photographs that illustrate and illuminate.

If one is interested in mountaineering, rock climbing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, sailing, or travel to little known places where one may indulge in these activities, then this magazine will be of interest. It is packed with information that will appeal to those who have an active, adventurous lifestyle, as well as to armchair adventurers, of which I am one.

I've been reading Outside for 10 years or so. It sure has changed a lot. I remember when the thought of seeing a car, liquor, or cologne ad in this mag would would been absurd. Not anymore. Outside is still a fun and informative magazine, if not a bit more mainstream and pedestrian than it used to be. There are many useful articles but a lot more fluff as well. Still, the armchair adventurer in me still enjoys it overall.

I've read Outside for years and just resubscribed. It's by far the best and most original adventure journalism out there. It's a great read, has a lot of useful info about travel and almost every outdoor sport. Highly recommend.

A cut above the Mountain Dew ads that pass for outdoor magazines these days. So many of these magazines are either ridiculously obscure, or way too adrenaline-feuled for my tastes. Outside manages to incorporate really good writers and interesting subjects without putting too much emphasis on extreme sports.

I've been a subscriber to Outside for about five years, and it's really an enjoyable magazine. As the name suggests, it's an all-around good read for anybody who likes the outdoors. I appreciate the fact that they cover offbeat sports and make an effort to feature new & interesting places each month. Some of the writers drone on a little too long, but in all it's a good, fun magazine.