Review Year
Best in Class
Overall Rating
Price
Name | Overall Rating | Ratings | The Good | The Bad | Price |
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Canon EOS 7D |
All new 19 point autofocus system unique to the 7D. Beautiful 3 inch 920,000 dot liquid crystal LCD screen. Max shooting rate of 8 frames/sec. Great new viewfinder with 100% coverage. Attractive price. High ISO capability up to 12,800. |
Image quality- Grain evident even at moderate ISO’s. |
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Fugoo Sport XL |
Best in Class
2016 |
Outstanding sound quality Outstanding battery life |
Cover fabric susceptible to wear |
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Drift Ghost-S |
Excellent video and photo quality Monstrous battery life Zero learning curve Simple Menus Bright 2-inch backlit LCD screen |
Pricey Back panel is a pain to remove |
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GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition |
Excellent video clarity Small profile Lightweight Tons of settings available |
Pricey Threaded tripod mount sold separately 4K only available with 15fps |
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Smith Pivlock V2 Max |
Very lightweight and comfortable. Solid wraparound design with good coverage and element resistance. Good optics with an open field of vision. Easy-to-use lens changing technology. Excellent price/value relationship with three lens options included. |
The white nosepad piece in this sunglass caused some visual disturbance and reflections on the back of the lens. This sunglass became slightly uncomfortable when worn under the added bulk of a winter hat. |
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ECOXGEAR EcoCarbon |
Clear sound quality Very durable |
Subtle bass sound Average battery life Relatively heavy |
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2014 Subaru Forester XT |
250-hp turbo engine Efficient CVT transmission Roomy rear seats Panoramic windows Standard rearview camera |
Second-rate touchscreen controls Unsupportive front seats No stick shift for turbo XT model So-so fuel economy compared to competition |
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Eton rukus Xtreme |
Great sound Excellent features |
Limited durability Limited battery life |
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Scosche boomBOTTLE+ |
Powerful volume Great durability & water resistance Excellent power/battery life |
Bass can impact sound quality Relatively heavy |
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Altra Lone Peak 2.5 |
Noticeably more responsive than previous versions Soft comfortable upper |
Upper material allows more foot movement than previous versions The Altra Lone Peak 2.5 is a rugged zero-drop trail shoe with the comfort, protection, and traction necessary to go the distance. This is not, however, a shoe built for running fast, at least not for very long. |
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2013 Ford Escape, EcoBoost 4WD |
240-hp turbo EcoBoost engine 6-speed transmission Parallel parking system (optional) Taut handling Leg-activated rear liftgate |
Touchscreen controls So-so fuel economy Firm ride Rear visibility Options quickly jack up price |
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Teva De La Vina Wool Boots |
Waterproof Comfortable for long wear Stylish details |
Scuffs easily Not very warm |
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Turcom AcoustoShock |
Excellent sound quality Outstanding volume |
Limited battery life for size Susceptible retractable handle |
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iBattz BattStation Optimus 20400 |
Best in Class
2016 |
Outstanding battery life Outstanding power per size |
Average durability Relatively slow discharge rate Pricy |
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2012 Mazda CX-5 |
Fun 5-speed manual transmission. EPA-rated 35 mpg hwy. Killer value. |
Small 2-liter engine. Budget interior. No AWD option at the price. |
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Braven BRV-X |
Durable Great battery life |
Average sound quality Poor volume |
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Goal Zero Venture 30 |
Highly durable & water resistant Integrated charging cables Charges devices quickly |
Low overall battery life High cost per minute of power |
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OutdoorTech Kodiak Plus 10000 |
Best in Class
2016 |
Excellent battery life Excellent durability & water resistance |
Expensive |
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Zilu SafePower S5 smart battery pack |
Good battery life Excellent power-per-ounce |
Average durability |
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2012 Volvo XC70 T6 AWD |
Crazy fast acceleration. AWD. Spacious cargo area. |
Tight leg room in rear seats. Steep sticker price. Engine overmatches suspension. |
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Anker PowerCore+ 13400 |
Outstanding battery life Outstanding power-per-dollar Attractive design |
Heavy for its size Average durability |
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Incipio offGRID 8000 |
Outstanding battery life Best-in-class power per cubic inch/ounce |
Average durability |
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GoalZero Switch 10 |
Best in Class
2016 |
Excellent durability Excellent battery life Outstanding power per cubic inch and ounce |
Relatively high cost per minute of power Questionable water resistance |
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Brunton Revolt 9000 |
Durable Water resistant Good overall battery life Charges devices quickly |
Large compared to similar devices Low power:size and power:weight ratios |
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Kmashi 20,000 |
Outstanding battery life Outstanding power per inch/ounce Best-in-class value (power-per-dollar) |
Limited durability Very heavy |
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Ion Air Pro 3 |
Bright video colors Tough waterproof exterior w/o an external case Dead simple to use Streamlined shape |
No integrated LCD screen No way to change settings without an external device |
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Bogs Sydney Lace Plaid |
High gusset Snug, soft & comfortable |
Look like rain boots |
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Pearl Izumi EM Road M2 |
Mid-foot stability Price |
Short laces Average feel |
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Ventev PowerCell 3015c |
Best in Class
2016 |
Great battery life Integrated cables Excellent value Durable |
Larger and heavier than competitors |
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Kmashi MP806 |
Outstanding battery life Integrated LED flashlight Good durability Outstanding value |
Relatively large and heavy Relatively low power:size ratios Slow discharge rates |
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Sony Cyber-shot Digital Camera TX20 |
Simple to use without manual Sleek enough to fit in front pocket Best price of the three cameras tested The touch screen works with gloved hands Lets you take still photos while recording video |
Touchscreen scratches easily Lens position makes it easy to stick finger in the frame Dust and mud can clog up the sliding cover LCD display hard to see in bright sunlight Non-locking access ports |
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Garmin Virb |
Crisp clear images and bright colors in the video Tough rubberized exterior 3-hour recording time |
Heavy Not waterproof (IPX7 water-resistant) Loss of definition during action shots |
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Brunton Resync 6000 |
Light weight .75 watt integrated solar panel IPX5 rated (debris and waterproofing) |
Low overall battery life Low power per inch/ounce Relatively expensive |
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ChoeTech 3-in-1 Emergency Flashlight |
Outstanding durability Temperature and water resistance Powerful LED flashlight |
Average battery life Low power for size |
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Scosche goBat 6000 |
Outstanding durability Outstanding waterproofness Relatively lightweight |
Low overall battery life Relatively expensive |
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Incipio offGRID 4000 |
Excellent battery life Excellent value Cable management |
Largest & heaviest in category Average durability |
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myCharge RazorPlus 3000 |
Rugged durability Best power per ounce Best power per size |
High cost per minute of power Low overall battery life |
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Contour Roam |
Dead simple to use Waterproof to 1-meter Laser sight alignment makes leveling the frame easy Glove-friendly record button Very good value |
Low-res still camera No on-camera menu adjustment |
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myCharge HubPlus |
Fast 3.4 amp charging Integrated charging cables Integrated wall outlet plug Above-average power to size/weight ratios |
Low overall battery life Average durability Average power per dollar spent |
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myCharge AllTerrain 3000 |
Lightweight Excellent water resistance Excellent battery life |
Large in size & volume compared to competitors |
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iHome PowerClip 5200 |
Relatively light weight Good battery life per ounce Integrated loop, carabiner, and LED lights |
Poor durability Poor overall battery life Only one 1-amp USB port |
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Kmashi Victor K1 |
Excellent battery life Low cost for its size Outstanding value |
Relatively large and heavy Limited durability |
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Outdoor Tech Kodiak Mini |
Lightweight Good battery life Good impact resistance Excellent water resistance |
Limited durability Slow discharge rates |
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2012 Mazda5 Grand Touring |
Smart storage ideas. Comfy second row seats. Solid city driver. |
Third-row seats are for kids only. Front-wheel drive has traction issues on ice. Cargo capacity limited by second-row seats. |
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2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport |
34+ mpg hwy. AWD heritage/reliability. Benchmark value. |
Anemic acceleration. Finicky clutch. Basic interior. |
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GoPro HD Hero2 |
Best in Class
2017 |
Crystal clear images 120 frames per second option 11-megapixel camera Many mounting options |
No stock viewfinding options Heavier than other cameras Memory not included |
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Kmashi Arma 3-in-1 battery flashlight charger |
Outstanding impact resistance Integrated LED flashlight Integrated bluetooth speakers |
Low overall battery life Low power to size ratio Quality/reliability issues |
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LinearFlux LithiumCard Pro |
Excellent battery life Integrated charging cables Excellent value |
Limited durability |
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Brunton Torpedo 2600 |
Best-in-class durability Integrated car charger |
Poor overall battery life Low power per cubic inch Low power per ounce High cost per minute of power |
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EcoXGear EcoCharge |
Outstanding durability Outstanding water resistance (IP67) Good value |
Relatively low overall battery life Relatively low power/size ratios |
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High Sierra Sportour 30 |
Balanced Safety straps Unique access |
Poorly designed wheel wells Easily shows wear & tear Retracting handle can pinch user |
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2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid |
Clever cargo and gear storage Spacious interior 570-mile range Solid value for a hybrid Full-electric power up to 60 mph |
Bland steering Poor cornering Heavier than expected Rough ride Tech overload on the dash |
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Olympus Tough TG-1 |
Toughest camera tested Glare-resistant OLED screen Rubberized grips make it easy to handle underwater Supports additional lens attachments Settings for almost every conceivable situation Mode dial makes switching settings easy |
Slow focus in video mode No battery level indicator Slow zoom in camera mode Photos were dim in snow mode Coloring seemed a little off |
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Drift HD Action Cam |
Wrist remote LCD screen ens can be replaced if broken External mic plug-in |
Blowout in bright settings Underperforming internal microphone Memory not included |
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2012 Mitsubishi Outlander GT S-AWC |
Powerful engine. Generous cargo capacity. Competitive value. |
Rough transmission. Soft handling. Useless 3rd-row seat. |
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2013 BMW X1 XDrive35i |
Nimble handling All-wheel drive Head-snapping acceleration Good traction on snow/ice High-quality interior |
Base model is $40k Tight rear seats Not off-road ready Tight cargo room Interior is too nice |
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2013 Nissan Pathfinder |
Solid road manners Adult-accessible/friendly 3rd row Roomy interior Competitive fuel economy |
Bland acceleration Stock tires’ winter performance Slow cornering Limited visibility over corners of hood |
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Nikon Coolpix AW100 |
Huge buttons easy to use with snowboard gloves Great underwater images Totally impervious to mud and submersion in salt water Separate Video Button lets you record instantly Simple to use without manual |
Touchscreen scratches easily GPS sucks battery life Small buttons hard to navigate with gloves on Flash is too bright for close-ups Switching settings is a pain |
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Motorola WPS-601/P893 |
Low cost Integrated micro-USB cable Excellent value |
Poor overall battery life Slow discharge rate Low power per cubic inch/ounce Suspect durability |
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Sony Action Cam |
Lightweight Small footprint Great image stabilization |
Washed-out colors Lack of detail in video |
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iHome PowerClip 2600 |
Lightweight Integrated loop & carabiner LED lights |
Poor durability Low overall battery life Slow discharge rates High cost per minute of power |
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2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara 4WD |
Amazing warranty. Tough chassis. 4WD. |
Basic, outdated interior. Slow acceleration. Swing gate rear opening. |