Behind the seams: how we test our gear

Before a jacket, bag or bottle reaches the store, it spends a month with people who use it hard. Here is what that month looks like.

Week one: the first impression

Testers use the product as they normally would and write down anything that annoys them: a zip that catches, a strap that slips, a seam that rubs.

Weeks two and three: wear and weather

This is where most problems show up. We wash jackets twenty times, carry bags on daily commutes, and leave bottles in hot cars. Anything that fades, leaks or tears goes back to the designers.

Week four: the details

We check what is left: do the reflective trims still reflect, do the pockets still close, does it still fit after all those washes?

What happens next

About one product in five changes after testing. Sometimes it is a small thing, like a longer zip pull. Sometimes it is a new fabric. Either way, you get the version that survived the month.