With summer weather showing its face more and more every day, we’re all starting to get into the mindset of having warm weather outdoor adventures again. There are so many ways to occupy yourself in the natural world when the sun is shining, and that’s what this feature is all about. Read on for a few of the best outdoor activities that the summer sun-loving Adrenalist can fill his or her upcoming months with, along with a look at some of the useful gear you can rely on to give yourself an extra edge. That way, once the sun starts shining and the beautiful weather starts rolling in, you’ll already have a long list of activities to tackle.

What is your favorite summer weather activity? Let us know in the comments below and give a shout out to the piece of equipment that you can’t do without. After all, what is a summer activity if you’re not prepared, right?

Every so often you hear someone say: “No big deal, they’re tied to the line.”

Highlining, slacklining above a gorge, isn’t a walk in the park. It’s a big deal. It takes calm nerves and a preternatural sense of balance, but that’s only a start.

Perhaps more than any other sport, highlining takes trust. Trust in the equipment strung across the chasm between life and death, trust in the comrades who tie that equipment tight and trust in your own abilities.

That trust is in full view in the video above, a short piece of high-tension cinema verite filmed by Pierre Chauffour above the Verdon Gorge in south-eastern France. Also on view, is the companionship that comes along with putting it all on the line.

It’s just more proof that good friends make better line companions. After all, they know what it means to keep “tight.” Every Adrenalist needs a team of people to count on.

There’s nothing quite like a top-5 video to pump you up and get you thinking about doing something great. The more hi-fi, filmic stuff is awesome and viscerally moving in a way that “top” vids may not be, but when you’re in the market for a quick shock to the senses, a reminder of extreme ability, an inspiration to push yourself, you must turn to the ranked rapidity of something like this year’s Redbull X-Fighters Dubai International Freestyle Motocross competition.

You must also choose your favorite trick. We did. Knowing we may generate some serious criticism here, the move that got our adrenaline flowing hardest was #5. We’re calling it the “Look ma! No hands… just feet.” What’s your pick? #5 too, right? Go ahead, you can tell us. This is a safe place. All of the tricks are amazing, and each and every one of these Adrenalists deserve a round of applause.

Go on, start applauding.

Adventurers will always be adventurers. Explorers can’t stop being explorers. Those who push the envelope push it in every facet of their life. Just ask Jimmy Chin.

Climber, skiier, wingsuiter, slackliner, photographer: Chin has so many passions, it’s hard to keep track. That, however, is precisely what one National Geographic journalist tried to do as he followed this Adrenalist-adventurer-artist on a journey up, down and around Yosemite.

Throughout the piece, even as Chin’s supposed to be the subject of investigation, he’s photographing, filming, documenting and appreciating. His own fame is an afterthought. It’s not about the glory. It’s about the authenticity and, not to get too sappy on you here but, the voyage.

His eyes say, “I wonder what’s around that corner,” not, “I’m a pretty big deal.” Camera crew or not, this guy would we trolling the Earth for cliffs and mountains and lakes and slopes.

That very spirit, that independent pursuit of beauty and personal fulfillment, is exactly why the cameras are following him in the first place.

For those not tapped into their extreme side, biking is biking. Whether mountain biking or racing, it’s peddling to get from point A to point B. Highlights include helmets, spandex, taking up lanes meant for cars and plowing over pedestrians on city sidewalks.

For us Adrenalists, however, the world is so much bigger. When we hear “biking,” we, who live life on the edge, think of all the complex variations of the sport and wonder “what kind?” Trials? BMX? Motocross? We like that we know the difference. Fancying ourselves aficionados, we welcome anyone to challenge our understanding of what’s what and why.

Then someone like Benny Phillips comes along and shakes up all our classifications. We watch him pull stunts like he does at 0:29 in this video and we think, “BMX’er for sure”. But, the precision with which he lands into wheelie at 0:36 makes us think trials. Contradictions continue to run rampant as we watch.

“So, what exactly is Benny Phillips?” we wonder. Then it dawns on us: he’s all of the above; a barrier breaker, a model of what can be done, not what has been.

And we decide to forget everything we thought we knew about the sport that takes place on two wheels.

Premiering Adrenalist videos on your laptop to limited fanfare? Chastised by parents who call your jumping out of a plane irresponsible? Stopped in the middle of a Parkour stunt by a girlfriend who thinks you’re being “weird”? You’re frustrated to be alone in your thirst for adventure.

Well, dear reader, it seems like you might need to find yourself some new pals. We know change is tough, but check out this video of the California-based Tempest Freerunning team and imagine what life could be if you joined their ranks.

The unity of purpose. The appreciation of physicality. The feeling that your shared passion is important and real and forward-moving.

Oh, and once you’ve found your niche, remember to celebrate others who may still be lone wolves. Each t-shirt worn by these Tempest crew members represents another freerunning troop around the world.

That’s respect, and appreciation for talent that is real — and rare.

The Tribeca Film Festival? Yeah, there’s no denying it’s cool, whether you’re in the movie business or not.

Bummed because you think there’s no similarly cutting-edge event celebrating extreme outdoor adventure films? Well, cheer up… because there is. It’s called the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

There may not be any A-list celebrities or Hollywood film moguls in attendance, but there will be footage of vicious whitewater kayaking. It will be a bit short on artsy films about the struggles of emerging adulthood, but, as is showcased in this intro reel, strong on insane shots of Adrenalists skiing, scuba diving, biking, slacklining and mountain climbing.

You know what the best part is? There are no stunt doubles. No CGI. No stock footage. Everything you see is as real as it gets; man mastering the elements with precision, passion and grit.

If you’ve forgotten about People Doing Amazing Things, it’s time to remember.

Adidas has a new pair of sneakers for the outdoor adventure-seeking Adrenalist who is ready to brave wet and wild conditions without having to waste a moment of their oh-so-valuable daylight hours changing gear.

The CLIMACOOL Boat Lace Shoes are designed specifically to handle the elements, fashioned from the same quick-drying, breathable mesh fabric that Adidas uses in its sportswear line of clothing. The CLIMACOOL ventilation provides 360-degree cooling for the entire foot and the bottom of the shoe is specially fitted with a water grip lining to help you keep your footing in damp and slippery conditions.

Whether you’re negotiating slicked-over rocks during a hike through the woods, hitting the road for a post-storm jog or stepping up to take your turn at the Slip ‘n Slide, these kicks will stay dry – and keep you balanced.

The CLIMACOOL Boat Lace Shoes are available now direct from Adidas in four different colors — blue, black, pink or brown — for $70.

On Friday, May 9, Guinness World Records made it official: last November, Garrett McNamara rode the largest wave ever surfed.

Officially measured at 78 feet tall, the rogue wave off the coast of Nazaré, Portugal was over one foot taller than the 2008 wave at Cortes Bank, California surfed by Mike Parsons, the previous record holder.

In February, McNamara spoke with the Adrenalist about getting pulled into the massive wave (thought originally to be 90 feet) and riding it out. “I just went with my instincts and did my best to complement and enjoy it,” he said.

Speaking at the 2012 Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards, McNamara was less laid back in describing the record-breaking ride. “It’s the most challenging, dangerous wave I’ve ever surfed,” he said.

Surprisingly, surfing the break off Nazare isn’t the highlight of McNamara’s career. That distinction goes riding out Jaws in Maui, a wave that almost took his life in 2003.

To take home the Guinness World Records double crown of surfing, he may have to revisit Jaws. The legendary Hawaiian break, after all, is where Shane Dorian last year rode a 57-foot crashing monster, the largest wave ever surfed paddle-in.

Is four years old too young to dive into motocross? How about two and half? For some, perhaps, but not for young superstar, Jay Cramer.

The American Motorcycle Association estimates at least 10,000 kids under 18 compete in youth motocross competitions each year. Now, eight years old and with a couple of major sponsors, Cramer is already establishing himself as a leader in that vast pack.

What do his parents think about his participating in a sport so dangerous? Let’s be real: motocross tips the injury scale a lot more than skateboarding does (no disrespect to Cramer’s fellow young gun and boarder, Evan Doherty, a skateboarding prodigy).

Jason Cramer, Jay’s dad, shares his thoughts.

“We talked about it. It’s what he loves. We take every precaution we can to keep him safe,” Jason told ABC News. “He could have broken his arm playing football too. It’s just a risk that you take when you’re involved in what could be a contact sport.”

He added that Jay wears a protective neck brace and Kevlar vest for added protection when he rides.