Mike M.

Mike M. is the hands-on owner behind Iron Mako Media, the independent publisher of Strut & Slate. His name is on every roundup, comparison and guide on the site, and he is responsible for what it publishes. More about the site and its publisher is on the about page.

How Mike's picks are made

Every pick on the site is scored with the First-Season Score. For each product, that means reading the maker's published specs, materials, instructions and warranty terms, and published standards where they apply; scoring each metric with the fixed bands on how we pick; and linking every spec to the page it came from. When a cheaper or easier-to-learn pick scores close to the winner, the page says so, and every pick carries a “Skip this if” line.

What you won't find here

• Field-testing claims. Gear we claim to have field-tested: none. If a page ever describes Mike's own use of a specific product, it will say exactly what was done.
• Credentials, titles, years-in-the-woods claims, or a guide or pro-staff affiliation.
• Sponsorships, or rankings paid for by a brand. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick.
• Amazon prices, star ratings or review counts.

Pages by Mike M.

Every page on the site, grouped by section.

Contact

Questions, corrections and suggestions go to contact@strutandslate.com or the contact form.