KayakGearReviews.org – Documents

A test review series consists of three components:

Launch Review (LR) – this is the initial review due within a week of receiving the item

Trip Review (TR) – this is an addition to the Launch Review typically due 60 days later (the review can be submitted up to 2 weeks prior to the due date).

Take Out Review (TOR) – this addition to the Launch & Trip Review completes the test review and is typically due 60 days after the Trip Review or 120 days after the item was received.  This review may also be submitted as early as 2 weeks prior to the due date.

For all three portions of the review testers are required to be polite and substantiate their claims.  If you are testing a product and feel it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, that’s good, but explain why it is great.  If you are testing a product and think it is the worst product ever invented in the history of mankind, also explain why.  We do not believe in ‘bashing gear’.  We are here to offer constructive criticism to manufacturers.  If a product performs poorly report that do not simply state ‘it sucks’

NOTE ON DUE DATES: The actual due dates are assigned by the administrator and testers should contact them regarding the set dates!!!

The following items need to be in EVERY REVIEW. You can move some things such as the bio or picture around as you add to your review but the components need to be there for people to see:

Put the name and type of the item being reviewed at the top of the report

Cite the author (you) and the editor (this can be left blank until an editor edits your review)

Include the date of the latest update. (i.e. Last updated on….)

Include a picture of the item – this can go anywhere in the review

Include/Update the review status. For the Launch Review and the Trip Review the Status will be listed as In Progress. After the Take Out Review the review is complete and therefore the status is updated to Complete.  We are going to require that the In Progress be dark red and the Complete be dark green.  For the Launch & Trip Review please add the following line of text:

“This test review is still in progress, as such there will be additional information available in two months time.”

For the Take Out Review this line will need to be deleted prior to publishing.

Launch Review Minimum Requirements:

Product information including the following information:

a.  Manufacturer – required
b. URL of top level manufacturer’s web site, NOT the item at the site – required.
c. MSRP – required if available
d. Size tested – required if applicable

e. Weight – required if listed on the manufacturer’s specifications

f. Color tested if available in multiple colors

g. Material

h. Product description – required in paragraph form.

i. Initial Impression – required in paragraph form

Biographical information including your:

Name

Age

Gender

Height – in both English & metric units

Weight – in both English & metric units

Email

Location – City/State [spelled out for readers not familiar with abbreviations (US & Overseas)]

Personal Website/Blog (optional)

Paddling Bio – 100-150 word paragraph describing your general paddling style (not a brag page telling all the carnage you survived, just the style and type of paddling you do)

Trip Review Minimum Requirements:

Update the Date

Field information including the following information:

a. Location(s) where the testing was conducted (river, lake, sea, etc)
b. Description of location’s water class (flat water thru class VI)

c. Length of trips (hours, miles/kilometers or days)

d. Weather conditions (approximate air & water temperature, precipitation, etc.)

e. Short, comprehensive description of your trips while testing the item, including how the item performed on the each trip.

Field Performance – how the item performed in the field and how it was used in the field

Summary sentence(s) of pros & cons

Take Out Review Minimum Requirements:

Update the date

Update the Review Status to Complete & remove the line of text about the review being ongoing

Add new field information including the following information:

a. Location(s) where the testing was conducted (river, lake, sea, etc)
b. Description of location’s water class (flat water thru class VI)

c. Length of trips (hours, miles/kilometers or days)

d. Weather conditions (approximate air & water temperature, precipitation, etc.)
e. Short, comprehensive description of your trips while testing the item, including how the item performed on the each trip.

Any new findings since the Trip Review (if applicable)

A short paragraph on durability/wear and tear

Summary Paragraph wrapping the review up with a

Bulleted list of Pros and cons

NOTE: YOU WILL NEED ENGLISH & THEIR METRIC CONVERSIONS FOR ALL UNITS THROUGHOUT THE REVIEW!!!