Swim Gear and Open Water Swimming

By Ryan Calloway — 20 years of multi-discipline paddling and watersports across the Pacific Northwest, with over 500 products tested on the water in real conditions — Portland, Oregon The Short Answer If you are planning to paddle open water where visibility drops below ten feet or when dealing with a thick layer of coastal…

By Ryan Calloway — 20 years of multi-discipline paddling and watersports across the Pacific Northwest, with over 500 products tested on the water in real conditions — Portland, Oregon The Short Answer After spending roughly forty days testing this suit through winter surf along the Oregon Coast from Astoria down to Brookings, I find it…

By Ryan Calloway — 20 years of multi-discipline paddling and watersports across the Pacific Northwest, with over 500 products tested on the water in real conditions — Portland, Oregon The Short Answer The Zone3 Tow Float Open Water Safety Buoy is a solid investment for anyone launching an inflatable SUP into cold open water where…

By Ryan Calloway — 20 years of multi-discipline paddling and watersports across the Pacific Northwest, with over 500 products tested on the water in real conditions — Portland, Oregon The Short Answer After spending a full season testing this buoy against saltwater exposure and cold wind chill from Astoria down to Brookings, I recommend it…

The Short Answer These goggles are a solid choice for open water wakeboarders who need protection from wind chill on Lake Billy Chinook or Crater Lake without paying premium prices found at major surf shops. While I have spent twenty years testing everything from sea kayaks to SUPs, my time behind the boat in Oregon…

By Ryan Calloway — 20 years of multi-discipline paddling and watersports across the Pacific Northwest, with over 500 products tested on the water in real conditions — Portland, Oregon The Short Answer After spending three full seasons testing these lenses in the choppy waters of the San Juan Islands and the cold, gray expanse of…