Three years ago, I watched a friend walk away from a 45 mph crash with nothing but a bruise because his motorcycle airbag vest deployed before he hit the pavement. The motorcycle was totaled. His spine was intact. That moment is why our team spent the last four months testing every motorcycle airbag vest we … Read more
I spent the last three months riding technical singletrack, flow trails, and shuttle runs in 12 different MIPS-equipped mountain bike helmets. I also crashed in two of them (a slow-speed low-side on a wet root and a faster over-the-bars on a rock garden), so the protection question is not theoretical for me. MIPS helmets cost … Read more
I have ridden thousands of miles on motorcycles, and nothing ruins a long ride faster than numb, tingling fingers. That buzzing handlebar vibration does not just annoy you; it causes real hand fatigue, white-knuckle grip, and on some bikes, actual nerve damage over time. After our team spent 90 days testing different motorcycle bar end … Read more
If you just bought your first dirt bike or trail bike, congratulations. The next thing you need is a chest protector, and no, a regular shirt will not do the job. Off road riding throws rocks, branches, and other roost at your chest and spine at speeds you do not expect. I learned this the … Read more
I am 6’2″ and 295 pounds. When I bought my first mountain bike, the rear wheel taco’d on the second ride. The bottom bracket cracked by month four. Standard mountain bikes are engineered for riders between 150 and 220 pounds, so heavier riders experience premature component failure, sketchy braking, and rims that go out of … Read more
Most over-ear headphones turn into a sauna on your head after 20 minutes on the treadmill. I learned this the hard way with a pair of premium leather-cup cans that slid down my neck during every set of squats. After burning through three pairs in a year, our team spent six months testing 24 different … Read more
If you spend long hours at a desk, you already know how quickly neck and shoulder tension can ruin your day. I’ve been there — that stiff, achy feeling that creeps up between your shoulder blades and locks your neck in place. After testing dozens of devices over the past year, our team has settled … Read more
Last year, a friend of mine slipped getting out of the shower and fractured two ribs. She never installed a grab bar because she rents her apartment and didn’t want to lose her security deposit. That moment convinced our team to spend three months testing the best no drill grab bars we could find, because … Read more
I’ve spent the last three months testing eight home ellipticals to find the best alternatives to NordicTrack’s lineup. After logging over 60 hours on these machines, talking to long-term owners, and digging through forum threads on Reddit, I have a clear picture of what actually works. NordicTrack ellipticals earn their reputation for a reason. The … Read more
For Olympic lifters, competition bumper plates are the best. Regardless of your sport, look for plates that deviate no more than 15 grams from stated weight and a bar rated above 165,000 PSI tensile strength. I spent the last 90 days testing 8 of the best olympic weight sets for serious lifters currently on Amazon. … Read more