I’ll explain whether this was a replacement, an upgrade or filling a new need entirely. This frames the context of the review, and gives an idea of how many iterations I’ve had before this item.

A summary of the gear it replaced, and why I wasn’t going for the same product again – was it retired early, did my requirements change, or was it just an opportunity to try something new. If reviewed previously I’ll include a link to the review.

I’ll give a run down of the problem(s) I wanted this product to solve, and how they arose. This can be a longstanding bugbear, or sometimes a knock-on effect of another new addition meaning everything gets a reshuffle.

The reasons why I decided to go for this gear over others in contention. Whether this was based on looks, materials, the predicted fit, claimed features or external influences.

As someone who is currently in a product ecosystem (the Tailfin rear rack), I feel this is an important area to point out as it influences my decision making when looking at new kit for that area of the bike, irrespective of third-party compatibility.

Financially there are sunk costs, the price new products within the ecosystem, and the cost implications of leaving it. That said, there may be resale value to consider as a gain in this equation.

Ecosystems can be quite exciting to enter if the brand has a wide and useful offering, and can actually simplify decision-making providing you’re a willing participant.

An overview on whether there were any other products in contention, and if there were, listing them out and giving a brief analysis on why I didn’t go for them on this occasion.

This could be feature-led, looks-driven or perhaps based on something I’ve seen, heard or read that turned me off.

Was the pricing acceptable to me, and was it comparable to the wider market and the other contenders in my process. Does this put it at the top end or bottom end of the market, or somewhere in between.

Did I think the pricing was reasonable considering the product features – like level of water resistance, materials used or any other features.

For me these first impressions really count and keep the excitement going from the buying process. I’ll assess whether it met initial expectations regarding materials, size, looks, hype and overall quality at unboxing.

I’ll note any initial hesitations or concerns I had at this point, for example if something looked flimsy or easily damaged, or whether there were any weak points for, say, water ingress.

A rundown of how the installation went and what was required, including any prior assembly and whether there were any issues – with the product itself or a compatibility issue I hadn’t thought of. If it was part of an ecosystem, I’ll compare how seamlessly it integrated compared to products from different brands.

I’ll also note whether the installation process was a one-off exercise, or whether it needed doing each time in full, for example at each point of transit (like bussing or flying). Then, I’ll touch on how well it fit the bike and whether this was as expected.

Outlining the period of time, number of tours, and type of action – be it on or off road – the gear went through for the review. This gives some context on the kind of life it had and whether it was a fair testing period.

In its possible defence I’ll point out if there were any exceptional moments or events that may have shortened its life beyond normal use.

How was it to live with the product on a daily basis. This section covers the mundane as well as the exceptional on occasion.

• For bags, this means how I (and it) fared with the continuous opening, closing, packing, unpacking, zipping, unzipping, strapping, stuffing, attaching, removing, emergency access, one handed functions and so on.
• For clothing, whether the fit remained the same, or stretched, chafing to the product, or the product chafing me, stitching, washing, fading etc.
• For gadgets, turning on and off (yes, really), buttons, touchscreens, in the dry, in the wet, gloves, no gloves, actual battery life and so on.

Commentary on how the product performed up to its own main features, whether or not they were the reasons(s) I bought the item. I’ll address water resistance in the next section.

Whether the product hit its waterproofing credentials or not, and whether I was ever worried about an unexpected downpour and the prospect of having a wet sleeping bag for the night.

Or perhaps whether it met or exceeded my expectations when the downpour actually came (which it inevitably does).

I expect and want the product to be durable enough to last a reasonable period in action, especially if it is at the higher end of the market.

This is easy where maybe I’m doing a few smaller trips a year, but with longer tours I find some things age fast, like zips, ultralight materials and welded seams on roll-top closures.

I’ll go through:

• any general wear and tear experienced
• whether there were any specific wear points from my use or my set up in particular
• any outright failures, breaks or malfunctions
• whether I felt these were reasonable given the test duration and conditions
• whether I though these were a design flaw or because of how I was [mis]using it

Wear and tear, defects and outright failures happen, and this is where the repairability of the product comes in. I strongly believe that products should be designed to be repairable generally, and especially when these events happen prematurely, whether by design or by accident.

For me, the gold standard is service kits available for maintenance, replacement parts available for mechanical and fixed components, and repair services for things like broken zips, rips and other premature damage.

I’ll cover off:

• whether any wear and tear or incidents could they be fudged or repaired on the road
• whether they could be properly fixed back at base in the UK
• are service kits or parts readily available on request or online

How durable and easy to repair the product was, leads on to whether I thought the product was ultimately reliable or not.

The product should be inherently good at the task, but also durable enough so that it can be relied upon totally to do its job for the length of the trip without worrying about whether it will hold up.

Repairs are a part of this reliability measure, since any repair in the field will more than likely be a compromise on the original functionality, and depending on the length of the trip this could be a disappointment. Again, broken zips come to mind and can be a game-changer (not a good one).

I’ll give my views on:

• whether I could trust it to always work
• was I hesitant about using it in certain conditions – like rough terrain or rain

I find most brands or retailers that I’ve used offer a warranty replacement or repair scheme for defects, and are fairly open to being approached about issues. I find it’s always worth going in with an open mind and seeing how they respond.

Even if this is a paid-for service for things outside of warranty, having a repair service is an important area for me when picking out products, especially if the repair is on an otherwise fully functional bit of kit. Having to retire gear early due to an inability to do repairs is a real shame and will likely mean I avoid the product or brand in the future.

For repairs, this is where buying a domestic brand (wherever you are in the world) can have an advantage over an overseas product, but does rely on them having the in-house ability to make these repairs.

I’ll go through:

• the company’s warranty or repairs position generally
• whether I needed to contact them about any warranty issues or repairs
• how they responded and whether it could be resolved (on tour or back home)

Summary of how it performed and whether it lived up to its promises and my expectations, as well as solving the problems I wanted it to.

Whether I have any feedback on the product that I think could make it better and alleviate any problems or bugbears I had. A constructive nitpicking section.

With the benefit of hindsight did I think the product was worth the money I paid, perhaps in comparison to the other contenders or products/brands that I was considering or that I’ve used in the past.

I’ll give my view on whether it earned a full time spot on the bike, or whether it was suited to more of a part time role instead. I’ll also comment on whether I’m influenced by an ecosystem or not.

If neither, I’ll outline what the plan is, whether that’s keeping it in the spares bin for leaner times or for future lending out on group trips, or simply selling it on.

I’ve found some kit can have surprisingly good resale value, especially the well known brands. This could be an indicator of their quality, or possibly an indicator that retail prices are just a little pricey, certainly in aggregate.

When the time comes that it does need to be retired – whether early or just simply end of life – I’ll give some commentary on whether I plan to replace it like-for-like (or the newer version), or whether I plan to try out something else.

Where a direct replacement would be a commendation of the product, replacing it would not necessarily be a criticism. I’ll explain the thought process and consider whether my requirements are still the same as I have often changed some part my setup after a tour

If I’ve researched any possible alternatives for when the time comes, I’ll give a brief commentary on this.