I have been testing sailing gear for over a decade, and I can tell you from experience: the right life jacket can be the difference between a confident day on the water and a miserable one. After 90 days of testing across dinghies, keelboats, and coastal cruisers in conditions ranging from flat-calm mornings to 20-knot […]

After testing 8 sailboat covers across three New England mooring seasons, I can tell you the difference between a cover that lasts one summer and one that protects your hull for 15 years comes down to fabric weight, seam construction, and how well it sheds wind. My team left covers on the same 22-foot sloop […]

When I started cruising seriously, I underestimated how much my anchor would matter. After testing eight models across sand, mud, and grass bottoms over a few seasons, I learned that the best sailboat anchors are the ones that set fast, hold hard, and survive being dragged across a rocky seabed at 2 a.m. Our team […]

I learned the hard way that not all dirt bike helmets are created equal. After a low-side crash at my local track last spring where a cheap polycarbonate lid shifted on impact, I made it my mission to test every credible off-road helmet I could get my hands on. Our team spent three months evaluating […]

I've rolled out of my kayak into glacial rivers more times than I can count, and nothing ruins a paddling season faster than being underdressed for cold water immersion. After testing dozens of suits over the past decade, including 8 we put through real whitewater conditions in , I can tell you the best whitewater […]

After 60+ days on Class III and IV rivers over the past three seasons, I can tell you the right throw bag for rafting saves lives. I have personally thrown these bags to swimmers in hydraulics, watched guides repack them in rafts at eddy lines, and tested their floating rope properties in everything from glacial […]

Choosing the best whitewater PFD can be the difference between a safe swim and a long rescue. After 60+ days paddling Class III through V rapids across the New and Gauley rivers, our team of four paddlers put eight top-rated personal flotation devices through their paces. We logged 142 hours on the water, swam every […]

After three seasons and roughly 240 river miles testing paddles across Class II rapids in Oregon, Class III creeks in West Virginia, and playboating holes on the Ottawa River, our team has put together what we believe is the most complete guide to the best whitewater paddles available right now. I remember my first kayak […]

I have spent more time in swim drills than in my kayak on Class V creeks in West Virginia, and every single time my helmet took a hit. After 15 years of whitewater paddling and four months of hands-on testing eight helmets across the New, Gauley, and Pigeon rivers, I want to share what actually […]

I tested seven inflatable kayaks on Class II through Class IV rapids over six months, putting each one through boulder gardens, sticky holes, and long flat-water stretches between drops. My team and I pumped them up dozens of times, dragged them across gravel bars, and tracked which ones felt planted when the water got pushy. […]