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.
Trail Running Shoes
First impressions from 12 miles of mixed terrain on the Merrell Agility Peak 5, covering fit, grip, cushioning, and who this road-to-trail shoe suits best.
Trail Running Shoes
The Agility Peak 6 refines the fit, keeps the outstanding grip, and firms up the midsole. Here's what that means for trail runners.
Trail Running Shoes
The Agility Peak 6 adds stack and a reworked upper to a proven trail platform, but out of the box it rides firmer than its predecessor.
Trail Running Shoes
The sixth Agility Peak brings a slimmer Skyfire last, a firmer Flex Connect midsole, and arguably the best outsole grip in its class, at a reasonable $160.
Trail Running Shoes
Two of the most anticipated trail shoes of the season go head to head on wet, muddy trails. Here is how they compare on cushioning, grip, fit and winter performance.
Trail Running Shoes
The Merrell Mor Flight keeps things light and comfortable for easy trails, gravel, and road miles, but its shallow lugs have clear limits in wet conditions.
Trail Running Shoes
A 15-mile coastal trail test of the Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matrix, covering comfort, grip, cushioning, and how it compares to the Agility Peak 5.
Trail Running Shoes
A lean, fast trail shoe with aggressive Vibram lugs and minimal cushioning. Excellent for short trail races, less so for long or easy efforts.
Trail Running Shoes
A look at Merrell's 2024 trail lineup, from the featherweight MTL Long Sky 2 Matrix to the Boa-equipped Agility Peak Boa GTX.
Handmade Shopping
We ordered handmade pieces from five Maker Place sellers, from embossed clay keepsakes to seaglass jewelry, to see if this platform lives up to early Etsy vibes.
Fountain Pens
A girthy US-made aluminum fountain pen with a rubberized grip section and patented ergonomic heritage. Strong writing performance with a few quirks worth knowing about first.
Fountain Pens
The Metamorphosis marks the return of a luxury pen brand after two decades, pairing rhodium-plated sterling silver with black and white enamel and 24 natural diamonds.
Everyday Carry
A lightweight everyday carry kit built around a slim pouch, covering repairs, power, light, meds, and emergencies without adding bulk.
Running Shoes
Five tested running shoes currently available at significant discounts, covering road stability, plush daily miles, and soft-ground trail work.
Knives
Full titanium construction, 14C28N steel, and a drop-shut action under $50. The Miguron Praxis may be the highest-value budget folding knife we have handled.
Art Supplies
Fifty traditional colors plus two metallics, a decent brush, a fine liner, a pencil, and even watercolor paper. A closer look at who this set really suits.
Stationery
Three palm-sized staplers put through real paper work. Which one staples smoothly, which one needs wrist action, and which one belongs in your pen case.
Stationery
Three genuinely tiny pens and pencils tested side by side to see which one is actually worth carrying.
Travel Everyday Carry
A practical roundup of lightweight wallets, power banks, cameras, and small utilities that cover almost every travel day without weighing you down.
Travel Gear
A category-by-category look at compact travel gear for charging, coffee, toiletries, packing, laundry and everyday convenience, with honest trade-offs for each pick.
Travel Tech
Seven compact gadgets that kept charging, sound, storage, and camera support covered on a multi-stop trip, all fitting into one small tech pouch.
Art Supplies
A complete 10B to 10H graphite set from a Japanese maker with a long heritage. Here is what stood out in testing, and who should actually buy it.
Running Shoes
A closer look at Mizuno's 2026 releases, including the new Hyperwarp racing line, updated Neo Zen 2 and Neo Vista 2 daily trainers, and the big Wave Rider 30 change.
Running Shoes
Mizuno's lightest-ever racing shoe headlines a new Warp collection, while the Neo Zen 2 refines one of the bounciest daily trainers around.
Running Shoes
Mizuno's new super shoe pairs a soft Peebax top layer with a denser, more durable base foam for a snappy, stable ride that rewards faster running.
Running Shoes
After 105 miles of long runs and workouts, the Hyper Warp Pro stands out for its stiff, resilient ride and ankle-friendly geometry.
Running Shoes
A 22-mile test of the Mizuno Hyper Warp Pro shows it as a protective, stable long-run cruiser, while the discounted SC Elite V5 remains a softer, snap-friendly alternative.
Running Shoes
How the light and nimble Mizuno Hyperwarp Elite stacks up against the Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, Puma Fast R3 and New Balance SC Elite V5 after serious mileage.
Running Shoes
Mizuno's new Hyperwarp lineup brings three distinct race shoes: a dual-foam all-rounder, a high-stack Wave Rebellion successor, and an ultra-light 5K specialist.
Trail Running Shoes
A soft, high-stack trail shoe with Vibram Megagrip and a relaxed upper. First-run impressions after seven miles of smooth singletrack.