You might not appreciate it at first glance, but this could well be the best performance production yacht we’ll see for some time. This realisation creeps up on you slowly,…
Reviews
Cobra HH500 VHF Marine Radio – tested
Cobra HH500 VHF Marine Radio Best VHF marine radio for bluetooth mobile phone connectivity The Cobra HH500 VHF marine radio has been used as a backup to the main…
Ocean Signal PLB3 personal beacon review: the award winning plb and AIS combination
Ocean Signal PLB3 personal beacon We’ve waited for a combined beacon for years and finally it’s here. But the reality of what we wished for versus the fantasy is somewhat…
ACR Bivy stick satellite messenger review
ACR Bivy stick satellite messenger Best messenger and tracker to retain same phone number The Bivy Stick satellite messenger and Bivy App from ACR transforms your smartphone into a satellite…
Revolve roll-up emergency vhf antenna
The Revolve roll-up emergency vhf antenna seems like such a simple solution that when you see it, you wonder why it hasn’t been done already. A roll up material that…
Excess 14 review: competitively priced performance catamaran
We’re sailing the Excess 14 upwind in 12-14 knots of true wind, with boat speed hovering between 7.4 and 8.0 knots. The helm feels positive and responsive, the boat tacks…
Contest 49CS review: luxurious bluewater cruiser
Ahead of testing the Contest 49CS we had some miserable weather, certainly not the sort of conditions you’d ordinarily choose to go out in. It had been blowing 30 knots…
Sevylor Madison 2 Person Inflatable Kayak review
The floor is inflated too and this gives the kayak a certain degree of rigidity. The two seats are inflatable and are quite comfy, you can adjust the pressure to…
Hanse 460 review: First in a new range
For some of us, sailing has always been about the functional and fundamental. We enjoy sailing for sailing’s sake. But today people want so much more from a boat and,…
First look: Swan 55 new model from respected brand
Why bring out a Swan 55 when you only launched a Swan 58 last year? Because they’re different boats aimed at different types of sailors and owners, says Nautor. Both…
First look: Hanse 510 – decidedly different style
Hanse’s second model from the board of the Berret-Racoupeau design studio, the Hanse 510, sets the German yard firmly on a course towards a completely new range with a decidedly…
First look: Najad 450CC – next generation model
Najad’s Judel Vrolijk-designed 440 from 2005 was very well regarded at the time and later further improved to create the 450CC in 2016. Now the Swedish yard has launched a…
Solaris 50 review: fast, fun cruising
The drive to include all the features we now expect of new yachts, such as easy handling, big cockpits for al fresco dining and huge accommodation volumes, all too often…
Spinnaker Haas Automatic Watch Review
The Spinnaker Hass Automatic watch brings all the joy of a traditional analogue timepiece. If you want to ditch the computers and keep it simple then this is definitely worth…
First look: Outremer 52
Grand Large Yachting has pooled serious knowledge, design and build experience to create what it deems to be an ideal family-sized fast catamaran for world voyaging. The Outremer 52 combines…
Forclaz HL500 Head Torch Review – Gear Test
Forclaz HL500 USB Buy Forclaz HL500 from Decathlon This budget friendly Forclaz HL500 is remarkably robust and simple to use. It has an easy to navigate light cycle using a…
Forclaz HL900 Head Torch Review – Gear Test
Forclaz HL900 USB Buy Forclaz HL900 from Decathlon 400 Lumen Head torch The Forclaz HL900 comes out best on test (2022/2023) for its all round usability and function. The Forclaz…
Nebo Einstein Flex 1500 review – Gear Test
Nebo Einstein The Nebo Einstein flex 1500 on paper looks like a bit of a head torch weapon. In real world use though it gives a rather average performance. The…
Exposure Lights Raw Pro Head Torch Review – tested gear
Exposure Lights Raw Pro Head Torch Buy USE Raw Pro from Tweeks Exposure Lights Raw Pro Head Torch Review The premium priced Exposure lights Raw Pro is more than double…
LedLenser MH5 head torch review – tested gear
Ledlenser MH5 On full beam focused, the Led Lenser was able to easily illuminate a small target at 25m and far beyond it. The LedLenser MH5 is a really practical…