Outside Turns 40

Outside magazine, America’s preeminent active and adventure lifestyle magazine is turning 40—marking four decades of encouraging readers to “Live Bravely.” The publication—largely credited for fueling an adventure lifestyle—is widely known for expert adventure storytelling covering travel, sports, adventure, health, and fitness, as well as the personalities, the environment, and the style and culture of the world outside.

Established in 1977, Outside was born out of founder Lawrence Burke’s life-changing decision to quit his sales job and travel the world. His wanderlust spawned the idea for an adventure-filled magazine—the first of its kind for the publishing industry. Today, Outside reaches an audience of 7.5 million every month through a robust multimedia platform that includes print (U.S and international editions), digital, television, podcasts, video, events and social media.

“After 40 years in business, we can confidently say that Outside is the authentic conscience of the adventure-travel, outdoor-writing genre,” said Burke, who serves as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief. “Our powerful storytelling and talented writers have prompted millions of people around the world to take on a more active lifestyle.”

In its four decades, Outside has become a total media brand. Under Burke’s leadership, Outside has expanded its offerings beyond the traditional print magazine, to include an array of multimedia offerings for readers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Highlights include:

• Outside magazine: Outside is the only magazine in history to win three consecutive National Magazine Awards for General Excellence. Outside has featured countless literary all-stars including Jon Krakauer, Sebastian Junger, Tim Cahill, Annie Proulx, Thomas McGuane, Jim Harrison, Bob Shacochis, Joshua Hammer, Patrick Symmes, Florence Williams and more. This year, Outside beat out The New York Times and National Geographic for most awards in the Lowell Travel Writing Competition. Outside has five international editions.
• Outside Online: Specialized content initiatives make Outside Online a hub for great journalism and visual storytelling. Outside Online consistently garners significant growth. 2016 was a record year for visits, plays and unique users.
• Outside Television: The only national network dedicated to the active outside lifestyle and the 143 million Americans who regularly participate. Nominated for two Sports Emmy Awards in 2016, Outside Television is available in over 45 million homes nationwide and in all top 50 DMA’s on distributors including: DISH, Comcast, Cox, Suddenlink, CenturyLink, RCN, Google Fiber, Sling and PlayStation Vue.
• Outside Go: An experiential travel company embodying the spirit and tradition of Outside magazine, featuring luxurious once-of-a-lifetime trips to destinations such as Antarctica and Uganda.
• Outside Buyer’s Guide Series: All the gear, apparel and accessories for living the outdoor lifestyle. The Outside experts spend hours each year testing hundreds of products to provide consumers with the best in each respective category. Organized according to sport and activity, the Buyer’s Guide Series is the ultimate resource for product reviews, technology, news and tips.
• Outside Podcast: Developed in partnership with PRX, an industry leader in the creation and distribution of audio content, the Outside Podcast delivers celebrated literary storytelling to a new and rapidly growing audience for digital audio. In 2016, Outside’s groundbreaking Science of Survival series was called out as one of the best new podcast shows by numerous outlets.
• Outside Media Productions: As part of its expanding custom content team, OMP, Outside’s in-house video production is capable of producing everything from brand anthem videos to short-form documentaries. The team specializes in narrative storytelling and has won numerous awards for short films created in collaboration with brands such as REI and Yeti Coolers.

“Our magazine is relevant to everyone who has an interest in the world outside—you can simply be looking for way to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle or glean insight into adventures that await beyond our pages,” Burke said. “It has been incredibly fulfilling to project my love for living the ‘outside’ lifestyle to millions of people over the last four decades, and we look forward to inspiring others to live life more adventurously for years to come.”

About Outside

Outside is America’s leading active lifestyle brand. Since 1977, Outside has covered travel, sports, adventure, health, and fitness, as well as the personalities, the environment, and the style and culture of the world Outside. The Outside family includes Outside magazine, the only magazine to win three consecutive National Magazine Awards for General Excellence, The Outside Buyer’s Guides, Outside Online, the Outside Podcast, Outside Television, Outside Events, Outside+ for the iPad, Outside tablet edition, Outside Books, and Outside GO, a revolutionary, 21st-century adventure-travel company. Connect with Outside online, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.