Reviews You Can Rely On

Author Profile

Credit: Jon Oleson

Jon Oleson

Review Editor


Jon Oleson hails from the mountain west state of Utah. Growing up near the mountains gave him an undying appreciation for elevations and being outdoors. He grew up camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, backpacking, climbing, rafting, and exploring wherever adventure took him. Earning a degree in Arabic at the University of Utah allowed him to broaden his horizons further, taking him to both live and work all over the Middle East. This also allowed him to explore and adventure to many places throughout the world (Bolivia is still his favorite, although Egypt is pretty cool, too). Some notable stops along the way were: summiting Aconcagua in Argentina, diving the Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea, trekking out to Frenchman's Cap in SW Tasmania, and watching the Aurora borealis from 30,000 feet.

Nowadays, Jon's life is a bit more sedentary as he helps raise two wonderful children. They like to camp, hike, swim, and do lots of fun things outdoors together. Most recently, they had a great time exploring the Tetons and Yellowstone. When Jon isn't with his kids, you can usually find him in the garden. After being trained as a Clinical Herbalist a decade ago, Jon found gardening as a passion that paid the bills. Growing medicinal herbs is a great compliment to herbalism, and he focuses mostly on culinary herbs to use in his gourmet homestead cooking. Jon now lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, but is transitioning to the lakes region of the northern midwest in order to live closer to family.

Showing 1-15 of 34 by Jon Oleson
10 top socks

10 Best Socks of 2024

With such an extensive field, finding the best sock to suit your foot can be overwhelming. With over a decade of...
best water bottles

Best Water Bottles of 2024

We're at it again, testing this year's best water bottles. There are some familiar vessels but most are new contenders...
best bike locks

Best Bike Locks of 2024

If you ride a bicycle for recreation, fitness, sanity, or transportation (or all), you need a bike lock. Given the...
10 top flip-flop sandals

10 Best Flip Flops of 2024

Over the past 10 years, we've bought and tested over 100 pairs of flip flops to find the greatest on the market. From...
best frame & mini pumps

Best Frame Pump of 2024

When you find yourself way out in the boonies with a flat, the right frame pump will save the day. We tested 8 of the...
best floor bike pumps

Best Bike Pumps of 2024

A great bike pump will minimize hassle and effort while ensuring your tires give you the best ride possible. For this...
best fishing reels

Best Fishing Reel of 2024

After scouring the market, we bought 8 of the best reels and rigorously tested them for months. All, so you can win...
best hiking socks

Best Hiking Socks of 2024

Is a bomber hiking sock the next thing on your adventure gear list? We spent countless hours researching, purchasing...
best barefoot shoes

Best Barefoot Shoes of 2024

Ready to make the switch to minimalist or barefoot shoes? Our comprehensive review compares 9 of this season's best...
Next >