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.
Running Shoes
Three carbon-plated race shoes compared for midfoot and heel strikers, with specs, on-road feel and pricing worth knowing before you buy.
Running Shoes
Five of 2021's fastest racing shoes compared on weight, midsole feel, outsole grip, and fit to help you pick the right race day weapon.
Everyday Carry
Five pocket multi-tools with genuine advantages over the classic Swiss Army knife, including one that might actually beat it in certain contexts.
Fountain Pen Inks
Five tea-inspired fountain pen inks from Nagasawa, Linen Taiwan, Jacques Herbin, Sailor, and Diamine, and what makes each shade worth writing with.
Tech EDC
A practical roundup of the tech gadgets that earn their place in an everyday carry: retractable cables, high-output power banks, a credit-card e-reader, a phone-ready SSD, retro handhelds, and adventure watches.
Accessories
Three well-made tech pouches compared: the market leader, the newcomer, and the budget upstart, with clear guidance on which suits you.
Running Shoes
Five tempo day and race day shoes that bring comfort and speed together, with honest guidance on whether you need a super shoe at all.
Running Shoes
Ten up-tempo training shoes for track days, tempo runs, and marathon-pace workouts, with clear strengths and trade-offs for each.
Running Shoes
Five tempo and speedwork shoes for the days that sit between your daily trainer and your race-day super shoe, with the strengths and trade-offs of each.
Running Shoes
Five tempo trainers and speedwork shoes that balance daily-training durability with genuine pace-day fun, ranked from the people's choice to the overall winner.
Running Shoes
Six tie-dye and tie-dye inspired running shoes that combine playful colorways with genuine everyday performance, from budget daily trainers to a carbon-plated trail hybrid.
Art Supplies
Acrylic paint markers, detail brushes, and a paint by numbers kit from small and emerging art brands, tested on paper, glass, and aluminum.
Everyday Carry
Eight genuinely excellent small pocket knives, from budget-friendly slipjoint-adjacent designs to premium titanium frame locks, with real strengths and trade-offs.
Stationery
From 100+ color brush pens to an award-winning shaker pencil, these Tombow picks cover lettering, drawing, note-taking, and everyday fixes.
Watches
From a Rolex GMT Master II to the Luminox Navy SEAL, a practical look at four watches for daily wear and hard use.
Trail Running
From steep vertical kilometer courses to hundred-mile ultras, here is how today's trail racing shoes break down by terrain, duration, and fit.
Trail Running Shoes
We weigh the Hoka Tecton X against six popular trail running shoes, from the ultra-light Salomon Pulsar to the cushioned Salomon Ultra Glide, to see where each fits.
Trail Running Shoes
Hoka's first carbon-plated trail shoe headlines a trio of race-day-ready trail runners, each with a different take on speed, weight and grip.
Trail Running Shoes
Five discounted trail shoes that punch well above their sale price, from the Inov-8 Trailfly to the Saucony Peregrine 14.
Trail Running Shoes
Seven trail running shoes that stand out this year, from carbon-plated racers to max-cushion cruisers, with prices, strengths, and trade-offs.
Trail Running Shoes
After testing 23 trail shoes across a full season of mountain races and coastal miles, these three stood out from a very tight field, plus a few near misses worth knowing about.
Trail Running
Four trail shoes from Hoka, The North Face, Saucony, and Topo Athletic that earned top marks with trail testers this year, from carbon-plated racers to everyday trainers.
Travel Backpacks
Twelve carry-on compatible travel backpacks compared across three styles: sleek tech-organizers, minimalist lightweight packs, and all-around workhorses.
Travel Backpacks
A curated roundup of top travel backpacks and close runners-up, with honest pros and cons for each to help you pick the right carry-on.
Travel Gear
A classic boxy kit, a slim hangable organizer, and an oversized case: three travel dopp kits with very different form factors and trade-offs.
Travel EDC
Hands-free lighting, blackout backup, and peace of mind: five compact USB-C flashlights that earn their place in any travel kit.
Travel Gear
From a card tracker and a thin iPad folio to removable-wheel carry-on luggage, these travel accessories solve the small problems that make flying miserable.
Fountain Pens
A $6,000 pocket full of grail fountain pens turns into a lesson in what actually belongs in your travel kit, from the Aurora Optima to the humble Lamy Safari.
Travel Bags
Three travel-ready sling bags with secure rear pockets and hands-free anchor points, from budget to upper mid-range.
Travel Tech
From a credit card-sized SSD hub to a baby sound machine, ten practical travel tech picks that earn their place in a carry-on.