Why this page exists
Most gear sites never explain where their rankings come from. That is the part worth knowing, so here it is in full.
How a guide gets built
1. We work out what the category actually needs to do
Before looking at any product we write down the job. For a four person car camping tent that means quick pitch, headroom to stand, a fly that handles sustained rain, and a footprint that fits a standard pitch. Those criteria decide the ranking, not brand reputation.
2. We build the shortlist
We pull current models from the major retailers, cross check against owner reviews at the twelve month mark rather than the first week, and cut anything discontinued or chronically out of stock. Recommending gear nobody can buy wastes your time.
3. We test what we can get hold of
Testing happens on real trips. Tents go up in wind. Coolers get loaded and left in a hot vehicle. Power stations get run down under a known load and timed. Where a number can be measured we measure it rather than repeating the spec sheet.
4. We write the drawbacks first
Every product in a roundup gets at least one honest drawback. If we cannot find one, we have not used it hard enough yet.
What we measure
- Weight on our own scale, packed, including stuff sack and stakes. Listed weights are optimistic more often than not.
- Pitch time from bag to pegged out, solo, on the second attempt rather than the tenth.
- Ice retention in a loaded cooler at a recorded ambient temperature, checked daily.
- Usable capacity on power stations, measured under load, which is always below the headline watt hour figure.
- Durability over months where we have had the product that long. We update articles rather than leaving a first impression standing.
When we have not tested something
Sometimes a product matters to a guide and we have not had our hands on it. Rather than pretend, we label it clearly and tell you what the assessment rests on: manufacturer specs, patterns in long term owner reports, and how the brand treated warranty claims on similar gear. You can weigh it accordingly.
How often we update
Roundups get reviewed at least twice a year and whenever a pick is discontinued or revised. The date at the top of every article is the last substantive update, not a date we bumped to look fresh.
Where the money comes in
Affiliate commissions fund the testing. Commission rates never influence the ranking, and several of our top picks pay us less than the products ranked below them. If that ever changes you will read about it here first.
