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.
Travel Backpacks
A close look at the Cabin Zero Military 44 with a real packing demo, plus how it stacks up against the Military 28, Classic 36, Classic Pro 32, Classic Plus, and Cabin Zero packing cubes.
Travel Gear
A magnetic, waterproof, and nearly indestructible set of travel capsules that excel at organization but come with real weight and cost trade-offs.
Art Supplies
The Calore 72 set bundles 72 colored pencils with a colorless blender and burnisher. Here is how they actually perform on paper.
Running Gear
After a month of testing with fast runs and fully loaded race kit, the CamelBak Apex Pro impresses with accessible storage, a stowable pole quiver, and a true sized fit. Here's how it stacks up against the Salomon Advanced Skin 12 Set.
Fountain Pens
A big red-and-black ebonite fountain pen with a number 9 nib, generous ink capacity, and a genuinely smooth writing experience.
Running
A sub-three marathon attempt in Cape Town puts the Adidas Pro Evo 3 and two new Garmin Forerunners through a full race-day evaluation.
Stationery
The 849 Black Code XL is a full-metal, all-black ballpoint that is far larger than the standard 849. Here is what to know before buying.
Writing Instruments
A hexagonal aluminum ballpoint with a convincing printed wood-grain barrel, smooth high-viscosity writing, and a few caveats to weigh before buying.
Fountain Pens
A silver-plated hexagonal fountain pen with a fine retro engraving, smooth steel nib, and impeccable Swiss tolerances, at a price that asks some questions.
Art Supplies
Two of the most talked-about colored pencil sets go head to head on blending, color selection, layering behavior, and value.
Art Supplies
A side-by-side look at six Caran d'Ache water-soluble products, from the kids-focused FanColor to the artist-grade Museum Aquarelle, plus the Neocolor crayons that sit outside the pencil line.
Running Shoes
Carbon plates are being added to shoes that never had them before. We look at six recently released and upcoming models to see where the plate actually makes sense.
Fountain Pens
Jonathan Brooks' Convert lets you start with a familiar rollerball refill and graduate to a fountain pen, all in one custom resin body.
Travel Gear
A 7kg carry-on setup for island hopping in Thailand: the bags, jacket, shaver, sling, wallet, and backup tablet that make it work.
Sports Watches
The GBD-H2000 is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, with Polar-powered training insights, but its heart rate accuracy and dated software hold it back.
Art Supplies
Four art supplies found in celebrity art rooms and studios, tested for pigment, blending, and everyday value.
Fountain Pens
Two closely related handcrafted fountain pens with the same nib and feed, separated by girth, filling system, and personality.
Tech
A MagSafe battery that does it all, camera-brand EDC bags, a walking exoskeleton, and a pocket camera with a twist. Four CES 2026 products that stood out.
Art Supplies
A hands-on look at heavily discounted art subscription boxes, including past ScrawlerBox themes, three Copic Chow markers, and a Posca paint marker pencil case kit.
Calligraphy Pens
An 11mm calligraphy fountain pen from AliExpress that pushes Pilot Parallel territory even wider, for less than the cost of a dinner out.
Fountain Pens
Two sizes of a handcrafted maki-e fountain pen telling the story of a woodpecker family in a persimmon tree, with an 18k gold nib and artisan credentials to match.
Art Supplies
A well-balanced 36-color set of 12 ml watercolor tubes with vivid pigment, easy-to-open caps, and an opacity legend that mostly holds up under testing.
Fountain Pens
A close look at a rare 1970s vintage fountain pen, covering its design, unusual bulb filler, and a writing experience unlike any other gold nib.
Running Shoes
A lively supercritical foam trainer with big bounce and a friendly price, as long as you can live with a tall, wobbly ride.
Running
From headbands and budget sunglasses to a rechargeable headlamp, these are the running gifts that earn their place under the tree.
Art Supplies
Ten affordable, high-quality art products for color pencil artists, adult coloring fans, and crafters who love to create.
Running Shoes
A holiday haul of running shoes and gear, from max-cushion trainers to plated tempo shoes and comfortable joggers, with honest first impressions on fit and feel.
Fountain Pens
Three fountain pens that share one striking design idea, a squared profile with the corners rounded off, aimed at very different kinds of writers.
Everyday Carry Knives
First impressions of the Civivi Button Lock Elementum in green Micarta, covering the button lock action, 14C28N hollow-ground blade, and why it works for both fidgeters and newcomers.
Pocket Knives
The Civivi Cogent remains one of the most accessible button lock folding knives at its price point, with a few quirks that are easy to fix.