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Dana Kowalski

Tester, outdoor gear: footwear, packs and camping, based in Bend, Oregon

Covers Packing lists, Clothing

Last field trip Sep 20263 guides published
  • Hiking
  • Camping
  • Footwear

Languages: English, Polish

About

Dana wears the boots for 200 miles before she has an opinion. She runs our outdoor gear testing from Bend, with trails and a scale twenty minutes from her door. Her reviews compare like with like, say plainly what broke, and end with who should not buy the thing.

Field trips

Months, not dates, for privacy.

  • Sep 2026Three Sisters WildernessPack and tent test, 4 nights
  • Jul 2026PolandCarry-on-only fortnight: Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, 13 nights
  • Jun 2026Olympic National ParkRain shell and boot test, 5 nights

Guides by Dana Kowalski

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque reflected in a pool at low sun in Abu DhabiHow toWhat to wear to temples, mosques and churches: nine dress codesUpdated Oct 13, 2026a man and a woman walking through an airportField reportTwo weeks carry-on only: what I stopped carrying by day threeDana Kowalski · Updated Oct 3, 2026cherry blossoms line the trees along a river at nightPacking listWhat to pack for Japan in spring: a checklist by layer, shoes, tech and documentsUpdated Oct 2, 2026
DestinationsWhere to go, when to go and how to get around in 221 countries. Every practical fact shows the date we checked it and who checked it.Where to stayNeighborhoods walked end to end: who each area suits, how far it is from the airport train, and the hotels we would book ourselves.PlanVisas and entry rules, travel insurance, eSIMs and rail passes, explained in plain words and rechecked when the rules change.EventsFestivals, concerts and tours with confirmed dates, rooms near the venue and the fastest way on to the next city.StoriesField reports and data stories from the road. We time the queues, count the costs and say what changed since last year.

Asia

KansaiTokyoBangkokOsakaSiem ReapMt FujiOkinawaKōbeManilaKyotoAll Asia

Caribbean

Fort-de-FranceNassauPort of SpainNegrilSan JuanOcho RiosHavanaEleutheraEl Yunque National ForestSosúaAll Caribbean

Africa

MarrakechRabatToubkal National ParkMaasai MaraCape WinelandsDiani BeachMombasaNairobiAswanSharm El SheikhAll Africa

Events

Sapporo Snow FestivalCherry blossomGion MatsuriDía de MuertosOktoberfestKandy Esala PeraheraEvents calendar

More places

AustraliaKiribatiJordanLebanonMexicoUSAAustriaEnglandColombiaPeruCosta RicaNicaraguaAll Australia & PacificAll Middle EastAll North AmericaAll EuropeAll South AmericaAll Central AmericaAll destinations, A to Z