Spending a summer weekend on the water usually means juggling two headaches: where to store your boat and how to launch it without a trailer. I have tested inflatable dinghies for years, both as a sailboat tender and a weekend fishing platform, and the right one changes everything about how you approach boating. The best … Read more
Jon boats are the Swiss army knife of the water. They get you into shallow backwaters where bigger boats cannot go, they cost a fraction of what a bass boat runs, and they are simple enough that anyone can launch and operate one without a learning curve. I have spent years fishing and hunting from … Read more
I tested 8 inflatable fishing boats across lakes, rivers, and ponds over three months, and what I found changed how I think about portable fishing craft. Inflatable fishing boats have earned a serious reputation among anglers who want boat-grade fishing capability without paying for trailer storage, ramp fees, and a fuel-hungry engine. They roll up … Read more
I spent six weekends on Chesapeake Bay testing inflatable life vests across kayaks, a center-console fishing boat, and a sailboat. The goal was simple: figure out which ones actually keep you safe, stay comfortable for hours, and pack down small enough that you forget you’re wearing one. An inflatable life vest uses a CO2 cartridge … Read more
I still remember my first snorkeling trip in Cozumel, fumbling with a leaky rental mask while my buddy glided effortlessly past coral formations with his own gear. That moment taught me something every snorkeler learns eventually: the best snorkeling gear sets make the difference between fighting your equipment and actually enjoying the underwater world. After … Read more
If you have ever tried to pull a wakeboarder off a stern tow point, you already know the rope sag, the awkward swing weight, and the constant battle for clearance. A proper wakeboard tower fixes all of that by lifting the tow point 8 to 10 feet above the deck and giving riders a wider, … Read more
I still remember dragging a 70-quart cooler across soft sand on a family trip to Pensacola. By the time I reached our spot, my arms were trembling, my kids were crying, and my wife had declared that we were “never doing this again.” That was the day I started searching for the best beach carts. … Read more
There is nothing quite like drifting on a lake on a warm afternoon, drink in hand, with nowhere to be. A good swim raft turns an ordinary day at the water into something you actually look forward to all week. After testing inflatable loungers, floating docks, river tubes, and hammock floats across multiple lake trips, … Read more
Last summer, I watched a friend pull a soaking wet sleeping bag out of his “waterproof” dry bag during a three-day kayak camping trip on Lake Powell. He had paid $25 for it on Amazon, and the seams had given up halfway through the second day. That moment sent me down a rabbit hole of … Read more
Finding the best boat anchors for your vessel can feel like standing at the bow staring at a wall of flukes, plows, and claws. I have spent the last several weekends on lakes, bays, and saltwater flats testing anchors on everything from 14-foot jon boats to 28-foot pontoons, and I can tell you this: the … Read more