Author
Joel Kelly
Author and publisher of Kit Authority
Joel Kelly is a designer and developer based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He spent fifteen years in brand, product, and web design, including five shaping Dyson's digital presence across North America. He now runs Tosa Marketing, building custom websites for southeast Wisconsin businesses, and operates the Authority Suite network of independent review sites.
What Joel researches for Kit Authority
At Kit Authority, Joel researches gear for camping, hiking, travel, home fitness, water, and outdoor living, along with trip planning for US national and state parks. The work is research rather than lab testing. For each product he compares the manufacturer’s specifications and manuals, independent measurements from named publications and labs, the rules that apply from agencies such as the TSA and the National Park Service and from standards bodies such as ISO, and the patterns in owner reviews. He then sets the four sub-scores behind its Kit Score. Pages based on products he has used are labeled hands-on; everything else says it is research-based.
Joel oversees Kit Authority’s research and published recommendations. Read how we research gear, including where the evidence comes from and how to report an error.