I tested eight chartplotters on boats ranging from an 18-foot bay boat to a 32-foot center console over a 90-day stretch, logging more than 240 hours on the water. The best chartplotters for boats in share a few traits: bright sunlight-readable screens, accurate GPS, and chart compatibility with both Navionics and C-MAP. Our team compared […]

I have spent more time staring at sonar screens than I care to admit. Between tournament prep weekends and slow weekday afternoons on the lake, our team has run side imaging units from every major brand over the past three seasons. If you are shopping for the best side imaging fish finders in , you […]

I spent the last three months testing eight of the best portable fish finders on the market, casting them off kayak decks, dropping them through ice holes, and dragging them along riverbanks from Minnesota to the Texas Gulf Coast. A portable fish finder solves a problem permanent units cannot: you can take it anywhere. I […]

Choosing the best fish finders for kayaks changed how I fish. After 60 days testing 8 units across Florida lakes, the Texas Gulf coast, and Ohio reservoirs, I can tell you exactly which models earn their space on a kayak. Kayak anglers face unique challenges: limited cockpit space, no 12V marine battery bank, and the […]

When I packed for my first real backcountry trip at 19, I grabbed a folding saw and a flimsy hatchet from a discount bin. Both let me down within an hour of reaching camp. The saw snapped on a knot, and the hatchet bounced off a log like a rubber mallet. That trip taught me […]

I have spent the better part of three years carrying a fixed blade around my neck on overnight trips, day hikes, and weekend bushcraft outings. After testing dozens of models, I can tell you that not every small knife qualifies as one of the best neck knives for bushcraft. The wrong pick digs into your […]

An everyday carry knife is the one tool you reach for a dozen times a day, whether that is opening a stubborn box, slicing an apple on the trail, or cutting paracord at camp. After carrying and testing folding knives for years, I have narrowed the field to the 12 best folding pocket knives for […]

I've been carrying a fixed blade survival knife into the woods for the better part of a decade. After logging more than 200 nights in the backcountry and breaking down dozens of camp setups, I can tell you with certainty that the best fixed blade survival knives share a few traits that no folding knife […]

When I picked up my first felling axe fifteen years ago, I had no idea a 3-pound head on a 28-inch handle could change the way I see a forest. After testing more than 40 axes over the past three years and felling everything from 6-inch maples to 22-inch oaks, I can tell you the […]

I learned this the hard way on a cold October trip in the Adirondacks when my hatchet bounced off a stubborn oak round for ten straight minutes. By the time I wrestled that campfire together, I was soaked in sweat and my fingers were numb. The truth is, a regular hatchet just doesn't have the […]