For us at Field Mag, being an outdoorist comes along with an appreciation of all things highly considered and well crafted. From fashion and photography to architecture and more, creativity informs how we interact with our surroundings. This outdoor lifestyle includes a consciousness of our role within our communities and the one we play in the natural world—it’s more than just Insatragmming a hike on the weekend.
Since the start of the pandemic age, we find ourselves searching for a more, dare I say, “real" way to connect—a way away from the screens we are so easily consumed by. For us, escaping to the world of print is always an option worth the effort. There's something about the duality of print materials—the physical copy being a tangible object with a unique texture and smell that exists outside the cloud, that at the same time could be altered forever with an accidentally spilled cup of coffee. This is just one reason we love print.
The following 10 small-batch, intersectional print publications have offered us a simultaneous source of both escape and connection in this current age. They celebrate various aspects of the modern outdoor lifestyle, from carving out space for queer folks in the cycling industry and tales of urban farming to stories of personal adventure, and plenty more, these publications expand the depiction of people who love being outside and the outdoor industry itself, all through bold images, graphics, and design.
Radical Adventure Riders
An annual publication from Radical Adventure Riders, this zine aims to change the way women, trans, femme and non-binary people are depicted in the bicycle adventure community. Their first issue, "It’s About Bikes, But Not About Bikes", features bright, colorful graphics, comics, pieces on riding in a patriarchal society and more fun. A second issue, "Making Space and Stepping Back" continues the narrative.
Another Escape
With a focus on “outdoor lifestyle, environmental stewardship, and regenerative living,” lots of dreamy images, Another Escape guides us towards more conscious cabin/farm/van lifestyles by sharing stories from those already out there doing it. While they plan on changing formats from a biannual print publication to a book, podcast, and complementary digital articles soon, many current and back issues are still available for purchase.
Cyclista Zine
"The decolonial and radical intersectional feminist critique of the cycling industry." Oh yeah. Cyclista Zine is an important and educational printed platform to share knowledge, art, and stories by and for marginalized people of the cycling community. This quarterly zine is the best cross between punk, loud, IDGAF vibes while also being soft and welcoming at the same time.
Les Others
Printed in France, each issue of this biannual magazine touches on a different theme surrounding and celebrating the outdoors. The team operates out of Paris and aims to highlight the intersection of the outdoor industry with creativity and design as well as other surprising themes . With unique and beautiful photography this is definitely one for the coffee table, even if you haven't brushed up on your French in a while (English translations are included for that, too).
Deem
Recently launched and led by a team of BIPOC creative folks, Deem focuses on architecture and design as an inherently interconnected social practice. While focused more on life inside the city instead of out of it, Deem covers everything from urban farming to social housing. Good for those outdoorsists that can’t quite quit their love of city life and hopes to see it improve for all.
The Thalweg
Named for the word meaning the deepest part of a canyon where the current is the strongest, the Thalweg is the brainchild of a professional whitewater guide on the Snake and Salmon rivers. This print-only publication is a collaborative work by artists, writers, poets, musicians, map makers, etc. making for a unique issue each time around. The Thalweg looks to highlight the creative voices of people who live and work in wild places. And BTW, they're currently accepting new submissions.
The Surfer's Journal
Born from the San Clemente, California surf scene in the 90's, The Surfer's Journal focuses on longform journalism in conjunction with photography and art celebrating both water culture and the ocean. Although surfing is the base, the publication aims to celebrate water culture as a whole and highlight different relationships one can have with the ocean.
HiHeyHello
On our radar for some time, HiHeyHello is a bi-annual publication celebrating women’s outdoor culture. Their goal is to broaden the definition of adventure for all non-men, whether that means hauling your ass up a mountain, or taking a walk around the block. Both mean getting outside, and we love that distinction.
Victory Journal
In print and digital forms, Victory Journal explores the intersection of art, athletics, and culture in sport. Through multimedia forms including photography, illustration, essays, and more, Victory finds a new way to approach sports media, highlighting the beauty and drama of athletic endeavors.
Emocean
In the past, the face of surfing tended to be the blond California boy, but that's chaning. Emocean is a publication that aims to show diversity in surfing focusing on BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and women in the surf industry. Through creativity and storytelling, Emocean paints a broader picture of what surfing means to different people.
