Independent reviews
From everyday tech and home products to lifestyle and specialist gear, each review focuses on practical use, strengths, limitations, and who the product suits.
Fountain Pens
A sterling silver-trimmed piston filler with a coiled snake clip and ruby eyes, the Agatha Christie remains one of the most comfortable and understated Writers Editions Montblanc has produced.
Fountain Pens
A piston-filling Montblanc with a 14k double broad nib, subtle musical details, and polished black lacquer. Here is what works well and what to consider before buying.
Fountain Pens
Montblanc's Great Characters tribute to Enzo Ferrari packs layered symbolism, a 14k gold nib, and a piston filler into a sleek racing-inspired design.
Fountain Pens
A larger Montblanc in unmistakable Ferrari red with a 14K nib, piston filling, and details inspired by Enzo Ferrari's life and cars.
Fountain Pen Ink
A well-behaved purple ink with a collector-worthy presentation, tested in a calligraphy flex nib and an oblique triple broad.
Fountain Pens
A limited edition fountain pen inspired by the Aztec emperor and the atlatl spear-thrower, with striking detail work and one very noticeable trade-off: the cap is huge.
Fountain Pens
A compact special edition fountain pen inspired by the baby pens of the 1910s and 1920s, with a well-tuned 14k nib and a premium price to match.
Fountain Pens
A deep, translucent red fountain pen with sterling silver trim and one of the most understated designs Montblanc has released in the Writers Edition line.
Fountain Pens
A retailer-exclusive Montegrappa Elmo in a swirled red and white resin, with a reliable stainless steel nib and standard $199 pricing.
Fountain Pens
A 100-piece limited edition from Montegrappa with zebra celluloid, gold vermeil trim, and an 18k gold nib. Here is what works and what to check before buying.
Fountain Pens
A numbered limited edition of 100 pens with striking turquoise celluloid, a gold-plated trim, and a choice of six 18k gold nib options.
Fountain Pens
A closer look at the Monteverde Dragon Tree from the Trees of the World series, covering design, writing performance, and what to check before buying.
Fountain Pens
A $100 cartridge-converter fountain pen with a bamboo-inspired finish, flat stand-up cap, and a smooth 1.1mm stub nib that adds calligraphic flair to everyday writing.
Fountain Pens
A girthy carbon fiber fountain pen with a screw-in converter and a nicely tuned broad nib. Here is what works and what to check before buying.
Fountain Pens
The Avenue of the Baobabs, Dragon Tree, and Giant Sequoia share one solid cartridge converter platform with three very different resin styles.
Trail Running
Montrail adds two trail runners to its ultra-centric lineup: a versatile, durable T1 for technical terrain and a cushioned H1 hybrid for road-to-trail days.
Running Head Torches
A well-built 800-lumen running head torch with constant power output, a removable rechargeable battery, and simple, purposeful design.
Running Shoes
From daily trainers to marathon racers, nine upcoming running shoes that stand out for their design direction and promise.
Running Shoes
Eight plush, comfortable running shoes for easy miles, recovery runs, and long days on your feet, with honest trade-offs for each.
Running Shoes
Two very different trainers that both earn a spot as the one shoe you could travel with: a lightweight, plateless tempo shoe and a firmer long-run workhorse.
Fountain Pens
A hand-finished urushi-and-eggshell fountain pen from Taiwan, with a 14k gold nib option, one-of-a-kind patterning, and fast fulfillment at a surprisingly accessible price.
Fountain Pens
A Taiwanese titanium fountain pen with hand-painted crater details, a 14k music nib option, and a price that demands a second look.
Multitools
A hands-on look at nine multitools from Gerber and Leatherman, including a problematic lock design, two marketplace bargains, and what to watch next.
Recovery Equipment
After three months of testing, here is how the MyoMaster Myo Pump performs as a recovery tool for runners and endurance athletes.
Recovery
First impressions of the MyoPump leg compression system: simple setup, four-zone treatment, and a price that undercuts most of the market.
Fountain Pens
The Nahvalur Horizon combines handmade resin, a true piston filler, and a smooth steel nib for $168. Here is what works well and what to check before buying.
Fountain Pens
A new vacuum-filling iteration of the affordable Original series, with a mostly transparent acrylic, an in-house steel nib, and a filling mechanism that feels solid in hand.
Running Gear
Two litres of storage in a 2.3-ounce belt. We tested the Naked Running Band fully loaded to see if the performance justifies the premium price.
Fountain Pens
A close look at the Namiki Yukari Royale, a metal-bodied urushi fountain pen with a gold No. 20 nib, covering design, nib sizes, writing performance, and who it suits.
Fountain Pens
An oversized Ebonite fountain pen with porthole ink windows, a steel number six nib, and smooth writing performance. Here is what works and what to weigh up first.