Last summer I watched three patio cushions turn into mildewed sponges after one rainstorm because I left them in an open tote. That mess cost me 240 dollars and sent me on a deep hunt for the best outdoor storage deck boxes on the market. After testing eight models across three decks and two patios … Read more
After two summers of hauling tired wooden chairs back into the garage every time the weather shifted, I went hunting for the best adirondack chairs that could actually stay outside year-round. I tested 8 popular models across three patios, one fire pit, and one brutally sunny deck in Arizona. What I found changed how I … Read more
After spending three months testing swing sets with my own family and neighborhood kids, I can tell you that finding the best backyard swing sets in comes down to more than just picking the biggest one. My kids put 12 popular models through real-world use, swinging, climbing, sliding, and yes, even the occasional argument over … Read more
Looking for the best trampolines with enclosures for your backyard this year? I spent the last three months assembling, jumping on, and stress-testing 12 top-rated outdoor trampolines with safety nets to find out which ones actually hold up to real family use. After logging more than 200 hours of bounce time across two suburban yards … Read more
I have pitched more tents than I can count over the last decade, from summer car camping with my family in the Sierras to winter ski touring trips in the Rockies. After one too many nights huddled under a leaky shelter during a thunderstorm, I started paying closer attention to what separates the best camping … Read more
I’ve been sleeping in rooftop tents for over six years now, from weekend trips in Utah’s red rock country to two-week overlanding runs across the Mojave. After mounting, climbing into, and packing down more rooftop tents than I can count, I can tell you that finding the best rooftop tents comes down to three things: … Read more
Last summer, our team took eight of the most popular family camping tents through three months of real-world testing. We pitched them in the rain in the Smokies, on a windy ridge in Colorado, and in a muggy backyard in Georgia with two kids, a dog, and far too much gear. We tracked setup times … Read more
Choosing the best sleeping bags for cold weather can make the difference between a restorative winter night and a miserable, shivering one. After spending three winters testing 12 cold weather sleeping bags across conditions ranging from car camping in 15°F weather to backpacking trips above the treeline, our team put together this comprehensive guide to … Read more
If you have ever tried to sleep on the cold, rocky ground with nothing but a thin pad between you and the dirt, you already know why a good camping cot is worth its weight in gold. I have spent the past three summers testing cots across car camping trips, base camps, and weekend overlanding … Read more
I tested ten of the best camping hammocks over four months of weekend getaways, a 14-day section hike, and backyard hangs on every kind of weather. I’m writing this roundup because picking the right backpacking hammock or car-camping hammock is the difference between the best sleep you’ve ever had outdoors and a miserable night with … Read more