Straight-up reviews of water, beach and outdoor gear.

Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Vango Nevis 200 Tent

The Vango Nevis 200 is affordable, lightweight and compact and has good waterproofing for its cost, but it has a cramped interior with limited headroom, a single vestibule that offers minimal gear storage and its limited ventilation can lead to condensation. It’s a budget-friendly tent that sacrifices comfort and space for affordability, making it a decent option for beginners or solo campers on short trips.

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Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

OA Hiker Pro Tent

The OA Hiker Pro is made of good materials and construction, is spacious and has a comfortable interior, but it only has two internal pockets, is heavier than other tents and is a snug fit for two people with wide sleeping mats. Overall, it’s a durable, comfortable and feature-packed tent that offers great value for its price, making it a great choice for budget-conscious hikers and campers.

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Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Nemo Hornet Elite OSMO Tent

The Nemo Hornet Elite OSMO 2-person tent is lightweight and compact, easy to set up and pack down and has great ventilation. It’s quite expensive for its size and durability, though, and its thin materials are prone to punctures and wear, and it’s not ideal for cold, windy or extreme weather conditions. It’s an ultralight tent for nice weather camping, but it’s more suited for experienced hikers who are looking for minimalism.

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Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Marmot Tungsten Tent

The Marmot Tungsten has a large living space but it’s weight is quite considerable, as is its size. It’s better suited for short trips & camping.

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Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Mont Moondance 2 Tent

The Mont Moondance 2 Tent is spacious, durable, easy set up and has great ventilation, but the fly zippers don’t run full-length, making access tricky, and it can be complicated pitching solo. Overall, for those willing to invest in a high-quality, versatile tent, the Mont Moondance 2 is an excellent choice.

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Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

Itiwit X100 1-2 Person Kayak Review

We like that Itiwit's upgraded the X100 1–2P to now be available with a drop-stitch floor for a reasonable price, but a lot of the old problems remain: bulky side tubes, drag in the water, slow-drying fabric and really, too short for two.

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Courtney Cunningham Courtney Cunningham

KXOne Slider 410 Review

The KXOne Slider 410 made our list of top 10 best 2p kayaks as it has an easy set up construction and is well made. While it’s high-quality, there’s room for improvement, and the kayak is quite short to comfortably seat two adults.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Glide Aquavate Duo Review

The Glide Aquavate Duo scraped onto our Top Ten list of the best 2 person inflatable kayaks with its low cost and light weight. It has serious problems with comfort and paddling experience, but if you’re looking for something cheap that you or the kids will only use occasionally it may be worth considering.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Itiwit 1-2 Person Cruising Kayak Review

The Itiwit 1-2 Person Cruising Kayak is a durable, well-constructed lower-cost option — but due to its paddling inefficiency, we’d recommend it only for occasional recreational use.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Aqua Marina Laxo 320 Review

The Aqua Marina Laxo 320 has made our list because it’s able to track reasonably well in a straight line, which is unusual at this price point. However, there are some serious downsides, like a cramped cockpit and hard-to-dry fabric covering.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Aqua Marina Laxo 285 Review

The Aqua Marina Laxo 285 benefits from its V-shaped hull and is able to maintain decent straight-line tracking. Read about how it sets up and packs down and how it is to paddle in our in-depth first-hand review.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Advanced Elements Lagoon 1 Review

The Lagoon 1 is a shorter, more packable offering from Advanced Elements in their typical style, but suffers from many of the drawbacks in the rest of their range without the redemption of excellent in-water performance.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Razor Kayaks R2 Ultra Review

Built with the same materials found in rescue boats, the Razor Kayaks R2 Ultra is our pick of 2-person inflatable kayaks. It’s super high quality, versatile, and best of all - great to paddle. Read more in our Razor Kayaks R2 Ultra review.

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Em Forster Em Forster

The North Face Blue Kazoo

The North Face Blue Kazoo is a mummy-shaped bag that offers a great balance of warmth and quality at a reasonable weight and price. It has great water repellency and uses soft, breathable fabrics with good warmth distribution. Read more in our Blue Kazoo review.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20

At a mere 1lb 4oz/600g, the Therm-a-Rest Hyperion is INSANELY light for a sleeping bag of this quality. It's been specifically engineered to be light weight so it's perfect for longer hikes - but keep in mind that does mean some compromises. Read more in our detailed sleeping bag review.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Intex Challenger K2 Review

The Intex Challenger K2 is clearly made for casual and occasional recreational paddling. We were impressed by the stability of this kayak, and its incredibly low cost - however, there are significant downsides. Read more in our Intex Challenger K2 review.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Driftsun Rover 220

Just like its 1 person counterpart, we’re impressed with the performance and the features that make this work for rapids! With its high pressure valves and 8 self-bailing ports, you know it’s going to be an adventure. Read more in our detailed kayak review.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Sea Eagle 330

The Sea Eagle 330 comes first on portability and weight, and is a great choice for family splash-arounds. We analyse its pros and cons in our detailed Sea Eagle 330 review.

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Em Forster Em Forster

Intex Excursion Pro K2

The Intex Excursion Pro K2 is a great entry-level choice that gives good performance at a lower price point. Read more in our in-depth Intex Excursion Pro K2 review.

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