We love spending as much time outdoors as possible, and we're sure so do other people, considering the popularity of our outdoor content on T3. We tested and reviewed a number of outdoor products last year, from tents and hiking boots to action cameras and drones. Below, you'll find the ones we liked the most, or in other words, the winners in the outdoor categories at the T3 Awards 2023 in association with ROG Ally.
If you're interested in what fitness products and wearables made the cut this year, check out the T3 Awards 2023 Fitness Winners roundup article, too. Funnily, we're announcing the winner of one of the wearable categories here (best smartwatch) just to keep things fresh. Let's see who won this year!
Best Action Camera: Insta360 X3
Insta360 has firmly installed itself as the king of 360° action cams. Insta360 specialises in small, lightweight two-lensed cameras that film or photograph everything around them, allowing the user to reframe later. The Insta360 X3 is the best 360° cam from the brand to date and features a seriously impressive (and responsive) display housed in a slender, watertight body.
It also has a ton of shooting modes, and editing the footage in the Insta360 app is also a breeze, thanks to the AI-powered algorithm. The Insta360 X3 is a nifty little device that lets you shoot one footage and edit it both horizontally or vertically. Read our full Insta360 X3 review to find out why we think this is the best action cam right now.
Best Action Camera Shortlist
DJI Action 3, GoPro Hero 11 Black, Insta360 X3
Highly commended
GoPro Hero 11 Black
Best Drone: DJI Mavic 3 Classic
The DJI Mavic 3 is a brilliant drone. It does away with the largely unnecessary tele camera, bringing the price down to a more attractive level. With the 20 MP CMOS sensor onboard, it's able to match the DJI Mavic 3 for image quality, and it delivers superb results that are a noticeable step up from the more compact DJI Mini 3 Pro. It truly is the best drone for pilots who need versatility and haven't got an unlimited budget to buy the best drones.
Read our full DJI Mavic 3 Classic review.
Best Drone Shortlist
DJI Mavic 3 Classic, DJI Mini 2 SE, Potensic Atom SE
Best Hiking Boots: Adidas TERREX WMN Hiker Mid Rain.Rdy
The Adidas Terrex WMN Mid rain.RDY Hiking Shoes are stylish, comfortable, and supportive and make you feel feminine while hiking. They are very comfortable to wear for extended lengths of time and provide plenty of ankle support too. No wonder we think they are the hiking boots to beat right now! Read our full Adidas Terrex WMN Mid rain.RDY Hiking Shoe review, or have a look at our best women's hiking boots guide for more info on outdoor footwear designed for women.
Best Hiking Boots Shortlist
Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX V2, Ariat Skyline Solaris Hiking Boots, Mammut Taiss Light Mid GTX, Columbia Facet 75, Adidas TERREX WMN Hiker Mid Rain.Rdy
Best Tent: The North Face Trail Lite 2-Person Tent
The North Face Trail Lite 2-Person Tent is an impressive lightweight backpacking tent. Considering the weight and the packed size, it allows two people to comfortably sit inside, even if you're relatively tall. It's easy to assemble and dismantle; not to mention it's also quick to dry. Plus, thanks to the oversized doors and the closed internal unit, you'll never feel stuffy inside, and you don't even have to worry about the mosquitos, either. Read our full The North Face Trail Lite 2-Person Tent review and check out T3's best backpacking tent guide today.
Best Tent Shortlist
The North Face Trail Lite 2-Person Tent, Coleman Castle Pines 4L BlackOut Tent, Alpkit Soloist 1-person backpacking tent, Vango Rome II Air 550XL tent, Sea to Summit Ikos TR3 Tent
Best Walking Shoes: Timberland Greenstride Motion 6 Hiker
The Timberland Greenstride Motion 6 Hiker is comfortable, sustainably made and looks great – what's not to like? Timberland used sustainable materials when designing the shoes, including the EVA blend GreenStride sole foam made from at least 75% biobased materials and durable ReBOTL fabric containing at least 50% recycled plastic. A winner of walking shoes if you ask us!
Read our full Timberland Greenstride Motion 6 Hiker review. Also, be more informed about what footwear you should use for strolling by reading our best walking shoes guide.
Best Walking Shoes Shortlist
Timberland Greenstride Motion 6 Hiker, Keen WK400 Walking Shoes, Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX, Adidas Terrex Swift R3, The North Face Vectiv Exploris II Hiking Shoes
Best Waterproof Jacket: Klattermusen Syr Unisex Levitend Hooded Parka
Just how capable and versatile the Klattermusen Syr Unisex Levitend Hooded Parka is might surprise some. It looks too stylish to be taken seriously, but all of its features serve a purpose. It's long to keep all your body dry, no matter how hard it rains. It's oversized, so you can throw it over multiple layers of garments without feeling restricted. It has a large, adjustable hood so you can pull it over helmets or large hats (and large heads).
The Syr Unisex Levitend Hooded Parka has a moisture vapour permeability of over 20,000 g/m²/24h and a hydrostatic head of over 20,000 mm, making it an incredibly capable outdoor garment. And all that without sacrificing style. No wonder we think it's the best waterproof jacket out there! Read our full Klattermusen Syr Unisex Levitend Hooded Parka review.
Best Waterproof Jacket Shortlist
Klattermusen Syr Unisex Levitend Hooded Parka, Berghaus Sky Hiker Waterproof Jacket, Mammut Taiss HS waterproof jacket, The North Face Lightriser Futurelight Jacket, Timberland Waterproof Packable Summer Benton, Chrome Industries Storm Salute Commute Jacket, Artilect M-Intersect Doubleweave Jacket
Highly commended
Timberland Waterproof Packable Summer Benton, Artilect M-Intersect Doubleweave Jacket
Best Smartwatch: Apple Watch Ultra
Every year, we see more and more smartwatches released. The market is getting so saturated that it's almost impossible for mere mortals to keep up with the ever-increasing number of wearables. Not to mention, they tend to look all too samey-samey and have similar features.
But even in this environment, Apple managed to create a watch that stands out from the crowd: the Apple Watch Ultra. It's not only the largest Apple Watch to date but also one of the most capable ones. It's big, bold and brilliantly rugged; no wonder all wearable reviewers rave about it. We look forward to seeing future iterations of this watch!
Read our full Apple Watch Ultra review, and check out T3's guide to the best smartwatches.
Best Smartwatch Shortlist
Google Pixel Watch, Apple Watch Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, Huawei Watch Ultimate, Withings Scanwatch Horizon
Highly commended
Google Pixel Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
