Straight-up reviews of water, beach and outdoor gear.

Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Aquaglide Deschutes 130 Kayak Review

The Aquaglide Deschutes 130 is a fantastic ‘lifestyle’ kayak that trades speed and high-end performance for unbelievable portability and laid-back comfort, making it perfect for calm waters but frustrating in wind or choppy conditions.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Sevylor Charleston 2 Kayak Review

The Sevylor Charleston 2 is a stable and well-built recreational inflatable that works best as a solo or adult-and-child kayak on calm water, let down mainly by seating that doesn't live up to its billing.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Gumotex Swing 1 Kayak Review

The Gumotex Swing 1 is a lightweight, closed-deck inflatable kayak built for solo paddlers who want something genuinely versatile. It’s capable on calm lakes and rivers, surprisingly composed in light rapids, and compact enough to carry on public transport or tuck into a small car boot without a second thought.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Sevylor Tahaa Kayak Review

The Sevylor Tahaa is a genuinely lightweight, compact and stable entry-level inflatable that's perfect for casual, calm-water puttering and beginners who want to test the waters cheaply, but the complete lack of tracking, sliding seats and basic performance mean it's frustrating for anyone with serious paddling ambitions and is best viewed as a fun, low-commitment toy rather than a real kayak.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Aqua Marina Memba 390 Kayak Review

The Aqua Marina Memba 390 is a two-person touring-style inflatable kayak with a firm drop-stitch deck and long waterline that help it glide and track better than many basic inflatables. It’s a great option if you want a stable, lightweight kayak you can pack in a bag and take on long paddles or casual fishing trips.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Aqua Marina Tomahawk Air-K 440 Kayak Review

The Tomahawk Air-K 440 is a longer, performance-focused inflatable kayak with a drop-stitch hull that aims to give you speed and straight-line tracking close to a traditional kayak while still being inflatable for easier storage and transport. It holds a course well in calm water, though you do need a bit of balance and confidence on the water.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Aqua Marina Tomahawk Air-K 375 Kayak

The Aqua Marina Tomahawk Air-K 375 is a performance-focused inflatable kayak that feels firmer and sleeker on the water thanks to high-pressure drop-stitch construction. It’s built to track well and paddle efficiently over longer distances, with a slim profile and V-shaped hull helping it glide straight and fast on lakes, rivers or calm coastal water. Its adjustable seat and footrest make longer sessions comfy, but it’s less about lazy paddling and more about getting out there and covering ground with control.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Gumotex Twist 1 Kayak Review

The Gumotex Twist 1 is a brilliant, specialised piece of gear that perfectly nails its core mission of ultra-portability and ease of use, but only buy it if you are willing to accept its major compromises in tracking, speed, and wet comfort for casual, calm-water paddling.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Aqua Marina Steam Kayak Review

A slick, budget-friendly inflatable with a genuinely stiff drop-stitch floor and some real potential, but a few design choices hold it back from being a great fit for average-sized adults.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Elite Review

The most well-rounded inflatable in the Advanced Elements range, the Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Elite is fast to set up, easy to carry, durable in the field, and genuinely fun on the water. If you're comparing the AE lineup and don't have a specific reason to go up or down, start here.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

The North Face Assault 2 FUTURELIGHT Tent

The North Face Assault 2 FUTURELIGHT tent is lightweight and packable, but the vestibule setup is finicky and time-consuming. With this in mind, it’s a great tent for climbers and mountaineers who need a lightweight, versatile shelter for short trips.

Read More
Em Forster Em Forster

Aqua Marina Laxo 285 Review

The Aqua Marina Laxo 285 benefits from its V-shaped hull and is able to maintain decent straight-line tracking. Read about how it sets up and packs down and how it is to paddle in our in-depth first-hand review.

Read More
Em Forster Em Forster

Aqua Marina Laxo 320 Review

The Aqua Marina Laxo 320 has made our list because it’s able to track reasonably well in a straight line, which is unusual at this price point. However, there are some serious downsides, like a cramped cockpit and hard-to-dry fabric covering.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Itiwit X100 1-2 Person Kayak Review

We like that Itiwit's upgraded the X100 1–2P to now be available with a drop-stitch floor for a reasonable price, but a lot of the old problems remain: bulky side tubes, drag in the water, slow-drying fabric and really, too short for two

Read More
Em Forster Em Forster

Advanced Elements Lagoon 1 Review

The Lagoon 1 is a shorter, more packable offering from Advanced Elements in their typical style, but suffers from many of the drawbacks in the rest of their range without the redemption of excellent in-water performance.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

MSR Access 2 Review

The MSR Access 2 is weather resistant and has large vestibules but its packed size is not great for price. Overall, it’s an excellent, versatile 4-season tent.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL-2 Review

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL-2 is light and has good accessories, but it’s an asymmetrical tent. It’s a quality 3-season tent that’s well priced.

Read More
Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Kelty Wireless 2 Tent Review

The Kelty Wireless 2 is a comfortable and durable tent but is heavy and gathers condensation. Overall, it’s a great, durable tent for the price.

Read More