The resource desk

Start with the job you need the item to do. Be specific about where you expect to use it and what you already carry. A new piece of gear creates a few more things to keep track of, including how you will replace it if the trip outlasts it.

When I photograph gear for a review, I'd like to show the setup I use, including the cables and accessories that travel with it. That would give you a better chance of spotting something you need to check against your own equipment.

Use these questions while comparing:

• What problem would I use this for during a normal week?
• Which devices, connections and power requirements do I need to check?
• How much bag space does the complete setup take, including accessories?
• What would I do if it failed while I was away?
• Which annoyance am I accepting by choosing it?

One piece I'd like to write is Gear I carry because something already went wrong. I still need to go through the bag and put the use notes together. The point would be to explain how each item earned its place.

Write down what you need your phone service to do while you are away. Receiving a particular account-verification message is a different requirement from having mobile data. Ask the service and the account provider about the exact requirement you have.

Keep a dated record of the answer, along with the plan and device you checked. For my own reviews, I'd like to show how a service behaved in use, including what happened when I needed help.

Questions for your comparison:

• Can I activate this plan from where I will be, on the device I intend to use?
• What do its current terms say about the length and location of my stay?
• Does the plan support the particular calls or messages I need, and how can I test that before relying on it?
• How would I contact support if I could not use this phone?
• What would cancellation or changing plans involve?

I also hope to make The phone is gone. How do you get back in? I'd like to talk with someone who has been through it and check the recovery steps with the services involved. That conversation still needs arranging.

I want an insurance piece that follows the question all the way into the policy wording. The useful comparison starts with your circumstances and the exact document you would be buying under.

I have more work to do before I can offer an insurance comparison here. In the meantime, these are the questions I would take to a provider or an appropriately qualified adviser.

• Am I eligible under this policy for the trip and activities I am considering?
• Which exclusions need a written explanation for my circumstances?
• If I needed help during the trip, whom would I contact and what would they ask me to provide?
• What does the policy say about paying expenses and requesting reimbursement?
• How would I raise a disagreement about a decision?

Someday I'd like to follow a claim from the first request for help through the answer. That would mean looking at the policy the person had and keeping track of what happened along the way. Their experience could give you useful questions about your own cover.

When I recommend something, I'll explain what I used myself and what I learned from reading or asking questions. You should be able to see the conditions behind the recommendation and when I last checked them.

I may use affiliate links once the reviews are ready. If I do, I'll explain the relationship beside the link, along with why I chose the product and which alternatives I considered.

Until then, use the questions above to make your own comparison notes. Keep sensitive account details out of anything you share publicly.

Use a separate row for each option. Leave an unanswered question visible until you have checked it.