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Make your gear review a "Killer Review"

by Alicia MacLeay
June 12, 2012

Noticed the Killer Review badge on a gear review? Wondered what it meant and how a particular review earned it? Or, better yet, how you can earn it?

While every gear review you share on Trailspace is helpful, some reviews stand out from the rest. We think the most helpful and highest quality reviews and their authors deserve an extra pat on the back. That's why we added the Killer Review badge this spring.

Killer Reviews are ones that meet high standards for quality and receive significant positive feedback from the Trailspace community. The designation recognizes the quality and helpfulness of the review itself, not the product reviewed. You could write a Killer Review of something that failed, provided it's a fair, helpful review.

So, what do Killer Reviews have that other good to great ones don't?

Killer Reviews have:

  • Original pictures or video. This is my top tip for any review — add pictures. Readers wants to see your gear experience firsthand, so original pictures or videos are required for Killer Review status. I'll repeat: Go add pictures to your reviews. Adding an image to your otherwise top-notch review may be all that's keeping it from Killer Review status.
  • Great content. Discuss a product’s performance in appropriate detail without extraneous info. That means including a summary, pros and cons, and being a reasonable (but not overdone) length. Check out Write a Killer Gear Review for tips on writing a review or editing an old one. 
  • Positive community feedback. No review can be considered "Killer" without positive community feedback, in the form of "helpful" votes. Numerous members of the community must affirm your review truly was helpful for it to be considered a Killer Review.

Want to earn Killer Review status? See examples of Killer Reviews by your fellow community members. Read more about the Killer Review badge and get tips in Write a Killer Gear Review.

Congratulations to rob5073, whose review of the SPOT beacon most recently earned the Killer Review honor!

Whether or not your reviews are "Killer," know that any time you share your experience in a user review you make a valuable contribution to our community. The variety and depth of our members' outdoor experiences give a fuller, more accurate picture than any single review or reviewer can provide.

Each of your reviews adds an important, essential voice to the outdoor gear conversation — yours.

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