The Gear Institute takes some of the top outdoor professionals and gear testers in the U.S. and assigns them a particular category to cover for the site. For instance, you'll generally have all the reviews o say cycling shoes or climbing harnesses from the same person. Using a clearly defined rating system, the reviews are written to be easy to understand and simple for consumers to digest, with an expressed goal of helping people to buy the best gear they can possibly get for their money.
The site has actually been around for sometime, but went through a relaunch back in early August, right around the time of Outdoor Retailer. The new layout makes it easy to comb through the numerous gear categories and reviews to find exactly what you're looking for in just about every kind of category including running, camping, backpacking, skiing and so on. If you don't see a particular category that you're looking for on the site, and you happen to be knowledgeable on the subject, you can even apply to join the GI Faculty.
On a side note, I contributed a piece to the site, writing this article on some of the best hydration packs for trail running. I put four good packs through their paces and rated each of them in a variety of categories. If you're in the market for just such a pack, you'll definitely want to check out my thoughts on the matter.
Also, if you have a gear hound on your list for holiday gifts, you may want to bookmark the Gear Institute as well. It'll come in handy when you're trying to find just the right piece of kit in a few months time.
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