Jerry

I have spent more weekends than I care to admit hauling bags of mulch, shoveling soil into raised beds, and wrestling a single-wheel wheelbarrow across a lumpy lawn. After that many seasons, I can tell you the difference between a wheelbarrow you tolerate and a wheelbarrow you actually look forward to using comes down to … Read more

When my daughter first tried to snorkel at age six, she came up crying with salt water up her nose and a mask full of fog. That moment sent me on a months-long hunt for the best snorkel gear for kids, because nothing on the leading roundups had prepared me for the real challenge: getting … Read more

Nothing ruins a session faster than being too cold to paddle. I learned that lesson the hard way during a February dawn patrol in 52°F water, when my bargain wetsuit turned my arms into concrete after 40 minutes. That single session sent me down a rabbit hole of testing, returning, and testing again until I … Read more

If you’ve ever stepped into 55°F (13°C) water and felt your breath lock in your chest, you already know the difference between a wetsuit and a wetsuit that actually works. After spending the last three winters testing suits from Rhode Island breakwater surf to Lake Superior freediving, our team put together this guide to the … Read more

Our team has spent the last three summers testing floating trampolines on lakes across the northern US and Canada. We’ve jumped off more inflatables than we can count, anchored them through afternoon thunderstorms, and wrestled them back to shore more times than we’d like to admit. We built this guide around real lake use, not … Read more

Finding the best towable tubes for boating changed how our family spends weekends on the lake. After testing eight popular boat tubes across three months of weekend trips, we learned which ones handle choppy water, which ones kids can actually climb back onto, and which deflate small enough to fit in a pontoon storage compartment. … Read more

Standing up on water skis for the first time is one of those moments that lives with you forever — and the gear makes or breaks it. After our team spent the past few months logging deep-water starts, cutting across wakes, and helping first-time skiers find their feet, I can tell you this with confidence: … Read more

Learning to wakeboard is one of the most rewarding water sports you can pick up, but choosing the wrong board can turn that excitement into endless frustration. After our team spent three months testing boards with first-time riders at the lake, we learned that the best wakeboards for beginners share three traits: a forgiving continuous … Read more

Choosing the best dive computers for scuba divers in means sorting through dozens of models promising smarter algorithms, brighter screens, and longer battery life. Our team spent 90 days diving with 10 different computers across tropical reefs, cold lakes, and quarries to see which ones actually deliver. A dive computer is an electronic device worn … Read more

Finding the best diving fins for snorkeling changed how I enjoy the water. After testing fins across Maui, Cozumel, and the Florida Keys, I learned that the wrong pair can turn a relaxing reef swim into a leg-cramping chore. The right fins glide you over coral, conserve energy, and pack into a carry-on without drama. … Read more