Wearables
Apple Watch Ultra Bands Compared: Alpine Loop vs Trail Loop vs Ocean Band
Choosing the right band for your Apple Watch Ultra comes down to fit, comfort, and how you actually use the watch. Here is how the three strap options compare.
Independent reviews
Product Reviews and Buying Guides – 320 / 805
From everyday tech and home products to lifestyle and specialist gear, each review focuses on practical use, strengths, limitations, and who the product suits.
Wearables
Apple Watch Ultra Dive Test: What Happens Beyond 40 Meters
A pressure chamber test of the Apple Watch Ultra's depth tracking, from the 40-meter Depth app limit down to the hardware's 100-meter rating.
Smartwatches
Apple Watch Ultra First Look: 14 Things to Know
Apple's rugged flagship smartwatch brings a bigger display, longer battery, dual-frequency GPS, dive capability, and a customizable Action Button.
Smartwatches
Apple Watch Ultra Review: Endurance Battery Tested in the Real World
After a 70 km alpine day with 13,000 ft of climbing, here is how the Apple Watch Ultra actually performs for hikers, runners, and triathletes.
Stationery
April Stationery Favorites: 10 New Releases Worth a Second Look
Mechanical pencils, washi tape, fountain pens, and notebooks: the standout stationery releases from this month's new arrivals, and who each one is really for.
Fountain Pens
Arc Layer Maze and Maze Pro: 3D Printed Fountain Pens With a Twist
Two resin-printed eyedropper fountain pens from an Indian maker that combine high-quality 3D printing, clever ink-window design, and a surprisingly friendly price.
Art Supplies
Arches Watercolor Pad 9x12: A Marketplace Purchase Put to the Test
An Arches watercolor pad bought through a third-party marketplace listing went head to head with the same pad bought at a craft store. Here is how the paper compared.
Trail Running Shoes
Arc'teryx Norvan LD 3 GTX Review: A Versatile Waterproof Trail Shoe for Long Winter Runs
A waterproof, long-distance trail running shoe that handles mud, ice, and road sections well, though the premium price deserves careful consideration.
Trail Running Shoes
Arc'teryx Sylan 2 vs Sylan Pro: First Impressions of a Lighter Trail Race Shoe
The Sylan 2 builds on the formula that made the Sylan Pro stand out, with a lighter feel, a firmer midsole, and the same mountain-focused identity.
Art Supplies
Arctica Sketchbook Review: A Beautiful Hardcover Worth Trying
We put the Arctica 8x8 hardcover sketchbook through ink, colored pencil, markers, gouache, and acrylic paint to see where it shines and where it falls short.
Art Supplies
ARDEX Acrylic Marker Sets Review: 32 Standard Colors and 18 Metallics
Double-ended acrylic markers with brush and bullet nibs, strong flow, and vibrant coverage on the right paper. What works, what to watch for, and who they suit.
Fountain Pens
Armando Simoni Club Bologna Medio Review: A More Manageable Flagship Fountain Pen
ASC's Bologna Medio keeps the celluloid charm, gold nib, and interesting filling system of its larger sibling in a size many more hands will enjoy.
Art Supplies
Arrtx Art Supplies Review: Colored Pencils and Alcohol Markers Worth a Look
A closer look at the Arrtx colored pencils 72 set, the OROS alcohol markers, and the ALP alcohol markers, including how they layer, blend, and compare on price.
Art Supplies
Art 101 72-Piece Children's Art Kit Review: A Budget Kit With Real Trade-Offs
A 72-piece art kit for around $14 sounds like a bargain, but a closer look reveals problems across the crayons, markers, watercolors, and even the paper.
EDC Accessories
Art Company USA Heist Mini Notebook Wallet Review: Cordura Wallet Meets EDC Organizer
A handmade 1000D Cordura nylon wallet with card pockets, a notebook sleeve, cash storage, and a dedicated pen pocket.
Fountain Pens
Art Craft River Nile and Egyptian Temple Column: Two Egyptian-Themed 3D Printed Fountain Pens Reviewed
Two 3D printed fountain pens with Egyptian-inspired detailing, different nib options, and very different price tags. Here is what to know before choosing between them.
Art Gift Guides
Art Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide: Nine Small Gifts That Actually Get Used
Nine inexpensive, genuinely useful art gifts for stockings, from a two-sided mixing palette and water brushes to a ceramic detail knife and a compact electric sharpener.
Art Supplies
The Art Supplies Our Studio Kit Can't Do Without
A working artist's everyday lineup of pencils, palettes, brushes, erasers, and sketchbooks, with what makes each one worth a permanent spot in the case.
Art Supplies
Art Track 160 Colored Pencils Review: A Budget Set That Falls Short
This 160-pencil budget set looks promising on paper, but hard cores, weak pigment, and poor layering make it a frustrating choice for actual artwork.
Fountain Pens
Artcraft Mars Rover Fountain Pen: A 3D-Printed Tribute to the Red Planet
A hand-painted, 3D-printed fountain pen inspired by the Perseverance rover, with a hidden Ingenuity Easter egg, a well-tuned steel nib, and characterful detailing.
Fountain Pens
Artcraft Spiral Review: A 3D Printed Fountain Pen with a Ceramic Finish
The Artcraft Spiral pairs 3D printed acrylic with a Cerakote ceramic finish and a stainless steel nib. Here is what works, what does not, and who it suits.
Art Supplies
Arteza 24-Day Artist Advent Calendar Review: A Daily Dose of Art Supplies for the Holidays
A 24-door advent calendar filled with acrylics, gouache, markers, gel pens, watercolors, and fabric paint. Here is what works, what does not, and who it is for.
Art Supplies
Arteza 72 Color Pencils Review: A Budget Set That Punches Above Its Price
Extensive testing across multiple papers shows the Arteza 72 set layers and blends far better than its budget price tag suggests, with a few trade-offs to know first.
Art Supplies
Arteza 2023 Advent Calendars Compared: 12-Day vs 24-Day Fine Art
Two Arteza art advent calendars open door by door: the $50 12-day box and the $80 24-day Fine Art edition, with what each contains and which is worth buying.
Art Supplies
Arteza Sketching and Drawing Pencils 14-Set: A Graphite Set That Gets the Grade Scale Right
A 14-piece graphite set that avoids scratchy, gritty cores and blends beautifully, from 4H all the way down to 8B.
Art Supplies
Artist-Made Art Supplies Worth Trying: Sketchbook, Washi Tape, and a Coloring Planner
Three art products created by working artists, including a lay flat sketchbook on cream paper, a glossy washi tape, and a planner built for coloring.
Art Supplies
Artiza Creative Kickstarter Art Passport Set Review: Three Boxes of Mystery Creative Prompts
A three-box set of mystery art supplies and scratch-off prompt cards that gets you making art immediately, with a few trade-offs worth knowing about first.
Art Supplies
Art X 126 Colored Pencils Set Review: Pigment, Layering, and a Box You'll Actually Want to Keep
A hands-on look at the Art X 126 colored pencil set, covering pigment strength, layering performance, lead durability, and the storage design that makes the large set practical.
Art Supplies
Artx Auros Pastel Tone Markers 24 Set: A Handy Compact Set of Soft Colors
Twenty-four unique pastel tones in a travel-friendly roll-up case, built around the same brush and chisel tips that make the Auros line popular.
Fountain Pens
Armando Simoni Club Bologna Medio vs Bologna Extra: Which Fountain Pen Suits You?
Two celluloid flagships from Armando Simoni Club compared side by side, covering size, filling systems, nibs, and who each pen is really for.