Alexander Thickstun

Former Video Contributor

Alexander graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2005 and an MBA in 2011. He's an outdoor enthusiast and avid tech geek who started out filming his experiences with action cams, and now films product reviews for a wide-range of new tech, including cameras, quadcopters, and smart home accessories.

Want to be an ace pilot before you buy an expensive drone? Practice with this $120 quadcopter

The Swann Xtreem Gravity Pursuit may be the perfect beginner's drone.

Videos         April 21, 2022

Hands on: DJI Phantom 4

The king of consumer drones returns with the DJI Phantom 4, an insanely athletic drone that's as fast as it is easy to fly, thanks to smart new features like collision avoidance.

Videos         April 21, 2022

Fat Shark’s newest FPV goggles make flying a drone feel more like piloting a fighter jet

Hate flying your drone with the tiny little live display on your phone? Check out Fat Shark's new Dominator V3 goggles -- they give you a totally immersive first-person view of what your drone sees

Videos         April 21, 2022

This might be the best $30 car accessory you ever buy

The MagicMount Pro uses rare-earth magnets to mount your mobile device to your car's window, vent, or dashboard. Adhere a thin magnetic plate to your phone's case --or directly to your phone if you're brave enough -- and you can effortlessly place your phone on the MagicMount Pro.

Cars         April 21, 2022

The Booq Slimpack is the perfect camera bag for minimalists

The Booq Slimpack is a hybrid camera and computer bag that will hold a DSLR camera, a few lenses, a 12" MacBook, and accessories at the same time.

Videos         April 21, 2022

Like a Swiss Army Knife for your car, the Intelliboost RG600 can jumpstart a dead battery or inflate a flat tire

The IntelliBoost RG600 by Rugged Geek is a compact lithium ion battery that you can use to jump start your car, inflate a flat tire, and have charge to spare to charge your phone or a laptop.

Videos         April 21, 2022

Swiping and spending with Coin 2.0, the credit card that is all your credit cards

Whether you're looking to tame an overstuffed wallet, or just carry fewer credit cards around, the Coin 2.0 packs the data from eight of your credit cards into one smart-card. See how it all works in this video review.

Emerging Tech         April 21, 2022

KeepKey Bitcoin Wallet video review

We're not aware of any other digital wallet that employs as many security features as this one, and when you consider the quality of its build, its ease of use, and multiple security layers, KeepKey is arguably one of the best devices currently available to protect your Bitcoins.

Videos         October 28, 2020

PawsCam is basically a wearable GoPro for your pet that wirelessly uploads video to the cloud

The PawsCam allows you to see whatever your dog is doing no matter where you are.

Photography         January 15, 2019

Drop the bass for days on end with the Geek Beats Jolt5 Bluetooth speaker

With its combination of ruggedness, good sound, and a large battery to last all day and top off your phone, the Geek Beats Jolt5 is made for the outdoors.

Videos         January 15, 2019

GoTennas keep you connected where normal cell phones fear to tread

The GoTenna is a rugged digital radio that ensures you can always stay in touch with your hiking partner, whether or not you have cell service. It connects to your phone via Bluetooth, and it allows you to chat one-on-one and share your location up to 50 miles away within line-of-sight. That number falls with obstructions, […]

Videos         January 17, 2018

See the world in predator vision with the Flir One

Flir bakes military grade thermal imaging capabilities into a smartphone accessory. The Flir One turns your iOS or Android device into a thermal imager.

Videos         September 1, 2016

Can this electronic ‘fish call’ really attract fish? We took it to a pond to find out

Can an electronic fish attractor really work just as well (or better than) traditional bait? Watch as we head down to a local fishing hole to investigate.

Videos         August 1, 2016

Sense by Hello promises better sleep

Better sleep through quantification is what Sense by Hello promises. It tracks over a half dozen variables that all affect your sleep, and it does a remarkable job.

Videos         July 20, 2016

Buzzing around with the world’s smallest camera drone

The Skeye Nano Drone is one of the smallest in-camera drones in the world right now. But how does it compare to some of the beefier quads on the market?

Videos         July 12, 2016

Built-in thermal imaging gives Cat’s S60 smartphone superpowers

The Cat S60 is the world's first smartphone with a thermal camera.

Emerging Tech         July 11, 2016

Samsung’s Smartcam HD Plus is a serious Nest Cam contender

Since it doesn't push your videos to the cloud, Samsung's Smartcam HD Plus doesn't carry a monthly fee, but unlike the Nest Cam, it's not tamperproof, either.

Videos         June 30, 2016

Shooting smooth, sexy video footage is easier than ever with DJI’s handheld Osmo camera

Using the same technology found on DJI's iconic line of quadcopters, the Osmo is essentially a Zenmuse X3 camera incorporated onto a powered (and detachable) stabilizer handle.

Videos         June 24, 2016

The Scosche Rhythm+ is a highly accurate heart rate monitor

The Scosche Rhythm+ is one of the most accurate heart rate monitors you'll find

Videos         June 23, 2016

NoonTec’s Zoro II wireless headphones boast premium style and great sound for a pittance

The NoonTec Zoro II are premium looking wireless headphones that will barely hit your wallet.

Videos         June 6, 2016

This rugged speaker packs 30 watts of power to rock out in any weather

For just over $100, the Turcom Acoustoshock 30 watt wireless speaker is a great choice for your outdoor excursions.

Videos         May 28, 2016

Z Cam E1 is a small camera with filmmaking aspirations

The Z Cam E1 is a small video camera that packs a Micro Four Thirds sensor in a small body.

Videos         May 26, 2016

FlyPro’s new auto-follow drone can live stream your adventures from a bird’s eye view

Looking to capture awesome aerial footage of your outdoor adventures, but don't want to go through the rigamarole of learning how to fly a drone? FlyPro has you covered.

Videos         May 23, 2016

Supercharge your next camping trip with BioLite’s new solar panel and LED lantern

To test out BioLite's new ultraportable solar panel and slim LED lantern, we packed them out for a weekend-long camping trip in Arizona. Check out the video to see how they held up!

Videos         April 28, 2016

Camping with BioLite’s new cook stove attachments is like having a portable kitchen in your pack

Remember BioLite? The company that took the outdoor market by storm a few years ago with a camp stove that ran on twigs? Well as it turns out, the company hasn't just been resting on its laurels since then. Over the past couple years, BioLite has released a number of upgrades and attachments

Videos         April 28, 2016

With a 4K camera and tons of features, DJI’s Phantom 3 Pro is a budget-friendly beast

Thinking of buying a DJI Phantom 3 Pro? Check out our hands-on video review to get the scoop on features, specs, and more. As far as we can tell, this is one of the best drones you can get for less than $1,000

Videos         March 14, 2016

Flying a drone with heat vision is like piloting your own personal Apache

The FLIR Vue Pro isn't your average thermal camera. Rather than being built for your smartphone or a rifle scope, this high-tech heat vision cam is designed to hitch a ride on your drone and go airborne.

Videos         March 2, 2016

Böhm B66 Bluetooth headphones prove style and substance can be had under $100

We were please to get stylish, respectable-sounding wireless headphones for such a low price, but the active noise cancelling came as a surprise.

Videos         February 8, 2016

Quick, agile and shockingly easy to fly, DJI’s Inspire 1 still rules the skies

We review DJI's Inspire 1 quadcopter, a drone that's cool enough to come out of a Terminator movie. How does it hold up after being on the market for a year? Find out.

Videos         January 21, 2016

Now you can control your GoPro with Apple Watch

GoPro's smartphone app is great, but having the same control and preview functions on your wrist makes using the action cam effortless. 

Mobile         December 16, 2015

iDevices Kitchen Thermometer Mini – Video Review

Tracking the temp of what's in your oven in realtime, on your smartphone, and from your couch no less, is easy as cake with this Bluetooth kitchen thermometer.

Videos         December 8, 2015