If you've ever lost a bass at the boat because your nylon net snagged the treble hook and stripped it loose, you already know why I switched to rubber coated landing nets a few seasons ago. After 14 years of fishing everything from mountain trout streams to inshore saltwater, I can tell you the difference […]

After 30+ hours testing SUP D-rings and patches on three different inflatable boards, I can tell you this accessory category is simpler than it looks but easy to mess up. The right SUP D-rings and patches let you strap coolers, dry bags, and cargo nets to your board without worrying about a $400 investment peeling […]

I lost my first SUP fin in a kayak launch about three years ago, paddled three miles back with a board that turned like a shopping cart, and ordered the wrong replacement the next morning. That mistake kicked off what became our team's 90-day hands-on test of every SUP fin boxes replacement worth buying in […]

I still remember the morning my favorite inflatable SUP slid out from under me mid-stroke because the deck pad peeled halfway off. That wet, slippery moment sent me down a six-month rabbit hole testing every adhesive I could get my hands on. After gluing, peeling, regluing, and stress-testing dozens of deck pad repairs on both […]

Last summer I spent three months paddling four different boards across flatwater lakes, choppy bays, and a few small river stretches to find the best SUP traction pad kits for . I logged grip performance after wet feet, tracked how each pad held up to saltwater splashes, and watched them bake in direct sun during […]

After spending the last decade running our team through fishing tournaments, family float trips, and weekend lake runs, I've probably loaded more kayaks onto roof racks than I can count. My team and I tested 8 saddle style kayak carriers side by side over 3 months to find the ones that actually hold up in […]

After spending three months comparing the best salt licks for wildlife across a 40-acre property in northern Michigan, our team learned one thing fast. Whitetails are not the only animals that benefit from mineral supplementation. During our test window, we tracked visits from deer, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, songbirds, and even a curious black bear who […]

Finding the best saltwater spinning combos used to be straightforward. Then I started losing reels to rust after just one season. After my third corroded drag stack, I committed to testing saltwater rod and reel combos the way real anglers use them: on the beach, in the kayak, and on charter boats across 200+ trips […]

Our team spent the last 90 days running 10 saltwater trolling motors through real coastal conditions across the Gulf and Atlantic, logging over 240 hours of on-water testing on everything from 14-foot skiffs to 22-foot bay boats. We pushed each motor through brackish estuaries, full-strength saltwater flats, and choppy inshore runs because the difference between […]

I've carried Sawyer filters across hundreds of trail miles, and the stock filter alone only gets you halfway there. The right Sawyer water filter accessories transform a slow, awkward squeeze into a hands-free system that keeps up with your pace. After three months of side-by-side testing with ten different accessories, I can tell you which […]