5 Darby Comm Clients Win Men’s Journal 2026 Outdoor Awards
By: Suzanne Hermann
There’s no feeling like it: opening your inbox to see a subject line declaring that “you are a winner!”
Awards are an integral part of our product PR strategy here at Darby Comm. We spend hours obsessing over the perfect wording in every submission. From there, we coordinate samples and testing opportunities to ensure editors get experience with the product IRL. Often, there are detailed fact checks and last-minute photo sample requests.
All told, months of work can go into a single award opportunity, so when those efforts pay off with a shiny “Best of” logo, it’s worth celebrating.
This week, our team is indeed celebrating that not one, not two, but FIVE Darby clients landed in the coveted Men’s Journal Outdoor Awards! These five brands were recognized for outstanding performance in their respective categories after vigorous field testing.
And the winners are…
Best Camp Stove Overall
Jetboil TrailCook 1.2L Cook System
Our crew put the TrailCook 1.2L system through the paces as part of a pre-launch media event where it performed flawlessly, so we were thrilled to see it named Best Overall Camp Stove. As Justin Park writes, “Its biggest strength is versatility. Whether you’re boiling water for freeze-dried meals, making coffee at first light, or cooking a real dinner after a long day on the trail, the TrailCook feels less like a specialty water-boiling stove.”
Best Casual Hiking Boot
Lems Outlander Waterproof
Lems creates shoes and boots that let your feet do what feet are supposed to do: move freely. That design philosophy resonated with tester Justin Park, who wrote that, “the low-rise build appeals to hikers who dislike the cramped toe boxes and aggressive arch structures common in traditional hiking footwear—if boots like the Quest or Ultra Raptor feel overly stiff or restrictive, the Outlander offers a dramatically different experience.” He also called out the boot’s attractive “throwback look” that truly sets it apart.
Best Electric Cooler
TRAVOCA Rigel+ Dual Zone eCooler
TRAVOCA’s Rigel eCooler is a relative newcomer to the market, but its versatility, distinctive aesthetic, and impressive efficiency are gaining serious attention, helping it snag the Best Electric Cooler nod. As testers Justin Park and Adam Bible observed, “Its dual-zone layout allows independent temperature control in separate compartments—refrigerating drinks while freezing meat, ice cream, or pre-cooked meals simultaneously. Having the ability to keep items frozen is something ice-cooled coolers simply can’t do.”
Best All-Around Canoe
Old Town Discovery 133
When it comes to making top-of-the-line watercraft, it’s tough to beat Old Town’s legacy of innovation and craftsmanship. After all, they’ve been at it for more than 125 years. That’s why it came as no surprise to see their Discovery 133 named Best All-Around Canoe. Testers Eugene Buchanan and Adam Bible praised its reliability and stability, saying, “built to be an unsinkable vehicle for family outings and sporting trips—it delivers on that promise.”
Best Compression Hiking Sock
Farm to Feet Damascus
Named for a legendary town along the Appalachian Trail, the Damascus hiking sock is a certified Darby staff pick and now an MJ award winner. As tester Maggie Slepian states, “These socks meet the needs of long-distance hikers by offering multiple ventilation channels, with targeted cushion zones that maximize comfort on the top of your foot.” She also praised the brand for sourcing its merino wool exclusively from sheep raised on American farms.