Ethan Walker

Last summer I logged over 400 miles of trail testing across the Rockies, the Sierras, and the Appalachians. The single piece of gear that decided whether I enjoyed the day or limped back to the trailhead was always the pack on my back. That experience — combined with months of testing from our gear team … Read more

I lost count of how many times I almost threw my water bottle off a cliff on a switchback before I finally switched to a hydration pack. That moment of hands-free sipping changed how I hike, run, and ride. After three months of testing ten of the most popular models side by side, our team … Read more

Setting up our family Christmas tree has been my favorite holiday ritual for over two decades. The first one I ever bought was a sad little 4-foot number that shed needles before I even got the ornaments out. Two years later, I upgraded to a pre-lit tree that looked gorgeous on day one but lost … Read more

I unboxed my first flocked Christmas tree three winters ago, and within ten minutes of setup, my living room looked like a snow globe had exploded in slow motion. The white flakes drifted onto the floor, the couch, and somehow my coffee mug. But once the assembly finished and the lights came on, I understood … Read more

If you live in an apartment, condo, or any home where floor space is at a premium, finding the best pencil christmas trees can completely transform your holiday decorating. I spent 45 days testing 10 different narrow artificial trees in corners, entryways, and tight living rooms to find which ones actually look full and lifelike … Read more

I moved into a 650-square-foot apartment in October, and my old 5-foot wide Christmas tree nearly took up half my living room corner. After three years of cramming traditional trees into tight spaces, I decided to test whether the best slim Christmas trees could actually deliver a full holiday look without eating my floor. Our … Read more

I spent three weekends this past November walking through my neighborhood taking photos of front porches, and I realized something annoying: most of those “outdoor” trees looked tired, faded, or lopsided by December 15. The owners bought them cheaply and expected them to survive wind, rain, and a surprise snow flurry. That is the exact … Read more

Every December, millions of families wrestle a wet, prickly tree trunk into a wobbly stand, sweating and arguing over whose turn it is to crawl underneath with a socket wrench. The wrong stand turns the most magical day of the season into a stressful workout, and worse, a tipping tree can send ornaments shattering across … Read more

Last December I drove down our street at 9 p.m. just to see how the neighborhood looked in the snow. That’s when I realized the difference between a yard with a single strand of lights and a yard with a real outdoor Christmas display. If you’re searching for the best outdoor Christmas decorations in , … Read more

Christmas morning hits different when your front yard looks like Santa’s workshop exploded in the best way possible. That is exactly why I spent six weeks testing the best inflatable Christmas decorations I could find for the holiday season. Our team set up, anchored, and watched 12 different inflatables brave wind, rain, and the occasional … Read more