What a Cactus Taught Our Editor About Style, Sport, and Living Fully

I don’t recommend stepping on a cactus in socks. But if you do, do it like Alexi Pappas.

We were out on the Malibu bluffs at the tail end of a long shoot day—one that started at her cabin-y home in Topanga, wound through the canyons to a rustic theater, and ended in that golden-pink stretch of dusk that makes you understand why so many movies are filmed in California. Alexi was prepping for a shot when she, yes, stepped on a cactus. In socks.

Most people would’ve cursed. But Alexi looked down at the offending sprout and said, “I didn’t see that little one, but I’m proud of him growing there. Of asserting his space.”

That’s the thing about Alexi. She doesn’t just show up for a shoot—she inhabits it. And like that little cactus, she asserts her space. Not just as a runner or writer or actor, but as a modern athlete—one who’s as comfortable running a marathon as she is workshopping a poem or preparing for a role.

Sometimes, athletes are expected to exist in one sole gear. Grit. Discipline. Drive. And sure, there’s nobility in that. But there’s also joy in complexity. For a lot of us, fulfillment comes not from performing one role perfectly, but from giving ourselves permission to be a few things at once. To be both serious and silly. Strong and stylish. To step on a cactus and admire it.

Outside’s first Style and Design issue is all about those intersections—where sport meets art, where function gets a little flair. You’ll read about the new cool kids of running gear, like Satisfy, Bandit, and District Vision, who are borrowing from music, skate, and streetwear scenes to make clothes that feel as good as they perform—and allowing new runners to more fully express themselves. You’ll meet Nicole McLaughlin, a wizard of upcycling who can turn a climbing harness into couture. You’ll learn about accomplished hiker Zelzin Aketzalli and her quest to build Baja’s first thru-trail. And you’ll get a snapshot of America’s modern land art out west, where the awe of the mountains and new art become one and the same.

The most meaningful things in life—our gear, our goals, our identities—aren’t meant to stay pristine.

But back to Alexi. Earlier in the day, we found ourselves onstage at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, a tucked-away, wooded amphitheater where she often ends trail runs (conveniently, there’s a bakery on-site). Wearing her blue Olympic blazer, she swung Tarzan-style from a rope tied to a stage-side tree. It was completely unplanned, like the best moments are. Later, she noticed the blazer had torn a little in the process.

“It wasn’t meant to be in a closet,” she said. “Today, it was meant to get messed up swinging on a tree in Topanga.”

That line stuck with me. Just like Alexi’s blazer, the most meaningful things in life—our gear, our goals, our identities—aren’t meant to stay pristine. They’re meant to see the world. To get a little torn up. To live.

See you out there,

Kevin Sintumuang
Editorial Director

Scout Report

My favorite finds of the season

Snow Peak Takibi Vest

$345 at Snow Peak

The travel hack of folks wearing fishing vests to carry more items on a plane is clever, but not really my look. I found this Takibi utility vest from Snow Peak instead and use it for everything; there’s plenty of pockets to keep things on hand from trail to tarmac. The oversized pouch on the back is perfect for gathering kindling while you’re camping or storing a book or a magazine.

Matador SEG28 Backpack

$250 at REI

$250 at Backcountry

This is the Marie Kondo of travel backpacks: everything has its place, and that sparks joy because it means you don’t need to dig through your bag like a raccoon. All of the zippered segments make you feel like an actual, organized human, but the bag also has the flexibility to use the main compartment with ease if you’re having a more toss-it-in-and-go kind of day. I got it for trips, but it’s in regular rotation as a daily carry.

Brooks Glycerin Max

$200 at Brooks  $200 at Road Runner Sports

Some mornings, my pillow whispers sweet nothings to me while my running shoes judge me. It’s on these days—more than I care to admit—that I reach for the Brooks Glycerin Max. This marshmallow-footed miracle worker transforms my reluctant shuffle into something resembling actual running. The DNA Tuned cushioning system and nitrogen-infused midsole create a bouncy, cloud-like experience that makes even my grumpiest miles feel effortless. It’s like having a motivational speaker embedded in each stride, gently coaxing my cynical bones forward. The Max doesn’t just absorb impact; it absorbs excuses.