Our mission at Shape is to provide you with thorough and unbiased information to help you get — and stay — active, healthy, and feeling like your best self. Whether we’re researching the best protein powders, testing wireless headphones in the gym, or putting running shoes through their paces out on runs, our reviews are rooted in the expertise of our testers, editors, and contributing board of advisors.
While we may receive affiliate commissions on products purchased through our content, our recommendations are purely editorial and based on thorough research, expert guidance, and hands-on experience. Even when brands send us products for editorial consideration, our thoughts and opinions are always our own. We’re here to offer inspiration from a trusted voice so that you can make informed buying decisions.
Our Process
Before we test any product, our team of writers and editors exhaustively researches the marketplace and interviews industry experts, including certified trainers, physical therapists, board-certified physicians and dermatologists, and registered dietitians, to get guidance on what to look for and how to evaluate it. Then, we develop a detailed testing methodology to help us rate the product based on attributes like ease of setup, value, durability, performance, and more.
Next, we come up with a selection of products for each test, making certain that they cover a range of retailers, prices, user reviews, and more. Our jobs require us to spend a lot of time evaluating products, and we want to pass along some expert knowledge to you. We also know that everyone has their unique preferences and tastes — and budgets, too — so we make sure that our pages offer something for everyone, and always consider value when making recommendations. So, for example, when choosing our Sneaker Award winners, we tested hundreds of sneakers to come up with the best in each category. While we may receive some products for free, we purchase the vast majority of the products we test.
In addition to the objective testing results, we also weigh qualitative insights: Does a bike cushion prevent achy sit bones even after the most challenging ride? Does a particular pair of sneakers provide enough cushioning and support if you’re training for a long-distance race? We take it upon ourselves to editorialize the performance data to provide easy-to-understand reasons you can trust our recommendations. We highlight the pros and cons of a product so you can weigh the essential details against your lifestyle, needs, and budget.
How We Test
Our team of Shape testers, which includes subject matter experts like Pilates instructors, RDs, yoga instructors, and personal trainers, tests every product under the sun in their everyday lives to make sure we’re only recommending the best of the best. We test each product following thoroughly researched, expert-backed methodologies that are specific to the category of products we’re testing. And we get creative with our tests, too. When testing adjustable dumbbells, we perform drop tests on exercise mats, hardwood floors, and cement slabs to determine how well they hold up indoors and outside.
During each test, we take meticulous notes about each product. We vet things like delivery and setup, and monitor how different products hold up over time. Does a hair growth serum really work? Do the belts on an under-$100 treadmill maintain their traction after six months? Do the most buzzed-about leggings lose their compression, elasticity, or opacity with repeated washing? We also capture the testing experience through photos, videos, and written insights to provide you with the most comprehensive and behind-the-scenes look at how the products performed. We then fill out surveys rating each product for key attributes, compare the products, and only recommend the best ones for every category.
Why Trust Shape
At Shape, wellness is for all. Whether you are working toward a specific fitness goal or just want to feel better and have more energy, our team provides research and testing-backed product recommendations to meet you wherever you are in your health journey.
We are committed to the quality and trustworthiness of our content. Each article features a byline with the name, a brief author bio, and a link to more information about those who contributed to that piece. The date indicates when the piece was most recently updated with new information. Some articles also have a tagline at the end to provide additional information on research or authorship.
Every article is fact-checked for accuracy before it is published. However, you should consult your health and wellness care providers to determine if a specific product — especially a food, supplement, or device — is right for you. Read more about our editorial process and our core values.
After we publish an article, we don’t just forget about it. The Shape team is constantly working to keep our recommendations fresh, accurate, and helpful. We also know how frustrating it can be to do your research on a product only to add it to your cart and see that it’s out of stock. We try to mitigate this by having dedicated editors check availability daily to provide you with the best user experience possible.
How We Make Money
We receive an affiliate commission on some, but not all, of the products we recommend, but only if you decide to click through to the retailer’s site and make a purchase. We only recommend trusted retailers with a proven track record for service and dependability.
News & Deals
In today’s world, it’s hard to know what a real deal is. That’s why we scour the internet to provide you with the biggest discounts we see in our research and alert you when your favorite brands offer discounts and price cuts. We work around the clock on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Prime Day to ensure you get the biggest bang for your buck on the best sale days.
Our shopping experts write about the latest product launches, sales, and sell-outs. We do our best to keep you informed when a celebrity-loved pair of Brooks running shoes is back in stock or when we spy Carrie Underwood with a chic water bottle. We stay up-to-date on the latest health and wellness-focused news trends, so you can tell the difference between an innovation and a fad and decide whether a product is worth your money. Our writers live and breathe products, working with our product testers to share their favorites. In addition to focusing on sales and deals, our team tests products and writes about their experience firsthand — from delivery to a year’s worth of usage.
Safety
While we thoroughly research everything we review, test, and recommend, occasionally, certain products may be subject to recalls or revised use recommendations. We do our best to regularly update our content to reflect any official announcements from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). We urge you to monitor information related to items you purchase.
Contact Us
If you have questions, comments, or opinions you’d like to share with our team of editors, please feel free to email us at [email protected].
