Ethan Caldwell

Nothing kills a tailgate faster than running out of ice. I learned this the hard way at a weekend game when my cooler gave out by halftime and I was stuck buying overpriced bags from the stadium vendor. That is exactly why I started testing portable ice makers for tailgating — to find machines that … Read more

Nothing ruins a hunt faster than opening your cooler to find spoiled meat. After spending days tracking, waiting, and finally harvesting your animal, the last thing you want is a failed ice chest that turns your hard-earned wild game into a total loss. I have been there, and it is a sickening feeling that no … Read more

Picture this: it is 8 AM on a Saturday, the parking lot is already filling up with grills and canopies, and you are lugging a heavy cooler across asphalt and cracked pavement. That was me five years ago, hunched over a handleless ice chest, spilling half my drinks before kickoff. I learned the hard way … Read more

Nothing ruins a camping trip faster than pulling out a soggy sandwich from a pool of melted ice. That used to be my routine every single time I went car camping, until I switched to an electric cooler. These portable refrigerators plug directly into your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet and keep food cold without a single … Read more

Nothing beats a full day out on the water in a kayak, except maybe reaching into a cold cooler for an ice-cold drink after hours of paddling. But finding the right cooler that actually fits your kayak, stays dry, and keeps your food and drinks cold all day is harder than it sounds. I have … Read more

Nothing ruins a camping trip faster than reaching into your cooler on day three and finding a soggy mess of melted ice and warm drinks. That is exactly why I spent months testing the best rotomolded coolers for camping, subjecting them to real-world conditions that mimic what you will actually deal with on the trail. … Read more

Hiking solo is one of the most freeing experiences you can have on a trail. No compromises on pace, no group debates about which route to take, just you and the wilderness. But that independence comes with a real risk: if something goes wrong miles from cell service, nobody is coming to help unless you … Read more

I have been hiking with handheld GPS units for over six years now, and I can tell you firsthand that nothing matches the reliability of a dedicated satellite navigator when you are miles from the nearest cell tower. Whether you are navigating an unfamiliar ridge line in dense fog or bushwhacking through off-trail terrain, having … Read more

Picture this: you are a mile deep in backcountry elk country, the morning fog is rolling through the pines, and your buddy spots a massive bull moving through a clearing on the opposite ridge. Without cell service for miles, the only way to coordinate your move is a reliable two-way radio. That scenario plays out … Read more

When you are three days deep into the backcountry and your phone shows zero bars, a satellite messenger becomes the most important piece of gear in your pack. I have spent the past two hiking seasons testing satellite communicators across the Sierra Nevada, the Wind River Range, and sections of the Appalachian Trail, carrying these … Read more