Buying Guides
Gear of the Year 2024: 10 Everyday Carry and Travel Picks Worth a Look
From a do-it-all 20L backpack to a pocket-sized flying camera and a 115-year-old pressure lantern, ten products that earned their place this year.
Independent reviews
Product Reviews and Buying Guides – 369 / 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.
Everyday Carry
Gear of the Year: 10 Everyday Carry Picks That Earned Their Place
Ten standout everyday carry products from the past year, from a ratcheting pocket driver to a dual-beam LEP flashlight.
Multi-Tools
Gerber Center Drive Review: Great Pliers, Frustrating Details
The Center Drive nails one-handed access with a strong outboard plier head, long 420HC blade, and excellent bit holder, but the stock cutters and rear implements leave room for improvement.
Everyday Carry
Gerber Dime Review: A Budget Keychain Multi-tool That Still Makes Sense
At around $24, the Gerber Dime undercuts the Leatherman Style PS and Squirt on price. We look at where it earns its place and where it falls short.
Multi-Tools
Gerber Dual Force: A Heavy-Duty Multi-Tool With a Fresh Take on the Plier Head
Everything we know so far about the Gerber Dual Force: forged plier plates, a center-axis bit holder, smart omissions, and a surprisingly sharp price point.
Multi-Tools
Gerber Dual Force vs Leatherman Surge: A New Heavy-Duty Multi-Tool Challenger
The Gerber Dual Force brings a slip-joint, heavy-duty plier design to a category long ruled by the Leatherman Surge. Here is a first look at how it stacks up.
Multi-Tools
Gerber NXT vs Byberry Multi-Tool: A Near-Identical Clone Puts the Original to the Test
The Byberry multi-tool looks almost exactly like the Gerber NXT, costs half as much, and weighs nearly an ounce more. We compare both to see which one deserves your pocket.
EDC Knives
Gerber Zilch Review: A Gerber Pocket Knife That Gets It Right Under $20
The Gerber Zilch combines clever design, solid ergonomics, and a real usable clip at a price that undercuts most big-box store alternatives.
Everyday Carry
Get Me Out of Trouble: A Lightweight Emergency Kit for Outdoor Adventures
Twelve compact, ultralight items covering fire, water, light, power, repair, navigation, and signaling, all packed to stay visible and ready when things go wrong outdoors.
Stationery
Ginza Itoya Romeo No.4 Leather Grip Brown Review: A New Color for a Beloved Multifunction Pen
A fresh brown leather version of the Romeo No.4 multifunction pen with smooth leather grip, brass body, and a refined writing experience. Here is what works and what to consider before buying.
Art Supplies
Giotto Stilnovo vs Giotto Naturale: Two Budget Colored Pencil Sets That Punch Above Their Price
A closer look at Giotto's Stilnovo 50-count set and the Naturale 36-count pencils, covering pigment, layering, blending, and who each set suits best.
Multi-Tools
GOAT Tool Review: A Modular Multi-Tool That Could Change How You Carry
A hands-on look at the GOAT Tool, the open-source, fully modular multi-tool that lets you build, swap, and personalize your entire toolset.
Everyday Carry
Going Gear EDC Club November Package: Three Solid Everyday Carry Picks Around $30
A budget-friendly EDC haul featuring the QSP Parrot knife, Fisher Space Pen Backpacker, and EggTac Teeny DX3E keychain flashlight.
Everyday Carry
Gondek EDC Spotlight: Neck ADC Pry Tool and Ranger Wallet
Two USA-made everyday carry pieces from a small family-run maker: a surprisingly versatile neck pry tool and a $25 zip organizer wallet.
Fountain Pens
The Good Blue R615 Green Splatter Review: A Flex Nib Fountain Pen With Real Character
An anodized aluminum fountain pen from a UK brand with a steel flex nib, hydrophilic feed, and a striking green splatter finish. Here is what works and what does not.
Smartwatches
Google Pixel Watch 2 Review: A Polished Refinement for Fitness and Everyday Use
A closer look at the Pixel Watch 2's improved heart rate accuracy, battery life, safety features, and where it still falls short for serious sports users.
Smartwatches
Google Pixel Watch 3 Review: A Serious Fitness Watch With a Few Caveats
Industry-leading heart rate accuracy, a genuinely useful cardio load system, and improved running features make the Pixel Watch 3 a strong step forward, though GPS and battery consistency lag behind.
Smartwatches
Google Pixel Watch 4 Review: A Refined All-Rounder with a Satellite Surprise
Google's latest smartwatch brings a brighter curved display, longer battery life, user-replaceable batteries, and first-of-its-kind two-way satellite SOS, though sports features still lag behind rivals.
Wearables
Google Pixel Watch 5: A Serious Leap in GPS Accuracy for City Runners
Hours of testing in New York City show the Pixel Watch 5's cloud-based GPS post-processing delivers noticeably cleaner tracks than the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro in dense environments.
Smartwatches
Google Pixel Watch First Look: 13 Things to Know Before You Buy
Google's long-rumored Pixel Watch has arrived. Here's what to know about price, design, battery life, Fitbit integration, and who it actually makes sense for.
Smartwatches
Google Pixel Watch vs Fitbit Sense 2: Which One Deserves Your Wrist?
A close look at the Pixel Watch's design, Wear OS apps, GPS and heart rate accuracy, and why it edges out the Fitbit Sense 2 for most Android users.
Action Cameras
GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini First Look: No Compromises, Just Smaller
The Hero 11 Black Mini packs the full Hero 11 Black imaging pipeline into a compact, Session-inspired body, trading photo mode and some features for size and simplicity.
Action Cameras
GoPro Hero 11 Black vs iPhone 14 Pro: Which One Should Capture Your Action?
Apple's new Action Mode turns the iPhone 14 Pro into a pseudo action camera. We compare it with the GoPro Hero 11 Black across stabilization, water, low light, slow motion, and everyday use.
Action Cameras
GoPro Hero 12 Black Review: Real Battery Gains, Better Wide-Angle, One Big Omission
A detailed look at the Hero 12 Black and the new Max Lens Mod 2.0, covering battery life, stabilization, overheating behavior, Bluetooth audio, and the GPS removal that matters.
Cameras
GoPro Hero 12 Black vs iPhone 15: Action Camera Meets Everyday Flagship
A side-by-side look at how the GoPro Hero 12 Black and the iPhone 15 handle action footage, water, low light, and everyday shooting.
Action Cameras
GoPro Hero 12 vs DJI Action 4: Low Light Performance Compared
A dusk-to-darkness look at how the GoPro Hero 12 and DJI Action 4 handle fading light, from trail runs through twilight city streets.
Action Cameras
GoPro Hero 13 Black Beginner Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before Buying
A complete hands-on guide to the GoPro Hero 13 Black, covering setup, key features, the new lens mods, battery life, and the accessories actually worth your money.
Travel Bags
GORUCK Kit Bag 32L Review: A Waxed Canvas Duffel for Slow Travelers
A durable, simple duffel that packs more than its listed capacity suggests. Here is how the GORUCK Kit Bag 32L performed over several months of weekend travel.
GPS Watches
GPS Accuracy Test: Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin Epix in New York City
Four multi-band GPS sports watches put through a tough urban running route across Manhattan, from river paths and underpasses to Central Park and Times Square.
Art Supplies
Grabby Happy Time December Art Box Review: A Much Stronger Second Look
A second look at the Grabby art box after a disappointing first experience. This December box delivers branded watercolors, a watercolor coloring book, a 12-month paint-it-yourself calendar, and quality synthetic round brushes.