Gear editor
Keiko Thaler
Keiko Thaler runs Switchback's gear testing, which mostly means she owns a closet of broken-in boots and dead tent poles that didn't make the cut. She logs mileage and failure points in a shared spreadsheet before she'll put a score on anything, and she's returned more gear for refunds than she's ever kept.
Covers Gear Review, Gear Care
Latest from Keiko
The Best Hiking Boots of 2026, Tested Over 400 MilesWe put five of 2026's most talked-about hiking boots through 400 miles of granite, mud, and early snow. Here's which pair actually earned its price tag.
Ultralight Tents Under 2 Pounds: Four Tested in Wind and RainWe pitched four sub-2-pound tents through a windy ridge camp and a three-day rainstorm. One trekking-pole shelter beat two tents that cost twice as much.
How to Break In Leather Boots Without BlistersA real break-in schedule for full-grain leather boots, what to condition them with before you flex them, and the sock strategy that actually prevents blisters.