100 Things Every...

The series. One hundred things every man, woman, dad, mom, young person and grandparent should know, do or own.

The tape measure has earned its spot on the wall

The hook on the end is loose on purpose, the blade is curved for a reason, and nobody has beaten the design in about a century and a half.

StoryCarsDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

The tire gauge nobody has managed to improve on

A small metal tube with a needle has outlasted every gadget built to replace it. Here's why it earned a spot in the Hall, and how to buy one that stays accurate.

Ask BRO

What should I wear to this?

Ask it

StoryOutdoorsWes DunbarOct 12, 20266 min

The baseplate compass has never needed an update

A chunk of clear plastic, a needle and a bubble of liquid. It still beats every gadget that claims to replace it.

CancerDefying.com — The research, protocols and reading in one place

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Tools & Organizing6 min read

The adjustable wrench never needed a sequel

One movable jaw, one worm screw, well over a century of service. Why the humble adjustable wrench still beats everything built to replace it.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

StoryWoodworkingWes DunbarOct 10, 20265 min

Nobody has improved on the hand plane

Roman carpenters had one. Your grandfather did too. Why a good used hand plane still beats most of what's sold as an upgrade.

GuideOutdoorsDean ShawOct 12, 20266 min

A backpack lasts as long as its zipper does

The fabric gets the marketing. The zippers, seams and buckles get the blame when a pack dies on the trail. Here's how to inspect them before you pay.

Delicious.com — Nine thousand recipes and a plan for tonight

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StoryTools & OrganizingDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Nobody has improved the claw hammer, and plenty have tried

It drives nails and pulls them with one lump of steel and a stick. Inducting the claw hammer into the Garage Hall of Fame.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

GuideBoys & GirlsSam OrtizOct 10, 20266 min

Gifts that build a kid, sorted by what you can spend

Twelve gift categories across three budgets, plus one to save for and one that's free. Each one is built to still be in use come March.

GuideOutdoorsWes DunbarOct 12, 20266 min

The family tent that's still standing in ten years

A tent rarely dies in a storm. It dies from zippers, sunlight and a damp stuff sack. Here's how to buy one that outlasts the kids' growth spurts.

Ask BRO

Rewrite my résumé so it actually gets read

Ask it

GuideTools & OrganizingDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Housewarming Gifts a New Homeowner Will Use the First Week

Skip the candle. Gifts by budget that get used before the boxes are unpacked, and a few that last long after the mortgage is paid.

Names.com — The name is the first thing you sell

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GuideOld SchoolNina CastellanOct 10, 20265 min

Gifts Grandma will actually use, at every budget

Skip the knickknack. These gift categories work on a Tuesday, not just on her birthday, and the best one costs you an afternoon.

Poll

How many days a week are you actually training?

StoryOutdoorsDean ShawOct 12, 20266 min

Nobody has improved on the hatchet, and plenty have tried

It's a wedge on a stick, and it's been doing the same job at campsites and woodpiles for generations. Here's how to buy one that outlives you.

GuideBRO for HerNina CastellanOct 10, 20266 min

Gifts she'll still be using in ten years, at every budget

Skip the "treat yourself" aisle. Gifts for the women in your life that get used, get repaired, and get handed down, sorted by what you can spend.

Coconut.com — Tell us when. We find where the sun is.

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GuideGearDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Buy him the better version of what he's nursing along

Gifts for him in three budgets, plus one to save for and one that's free. Every one of them gets used.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.

Outdoors5 min

Nobody has beaten the wool blanket, and plenty have tried

BRO for Her5 min

The gadgets that end up in the drawer by spring

Ask BRO

Give me something to do with my kids this weekend

Ask it

GuideGearDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Gifts for Dad he'll still be using in twenty years

Four budgets, one test: will he reach for it on an ordinary Tuesday? Gifts that last, get used, and bring the family around the same table.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

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Outdoors5 min read

The needle points north. You're headed somewhere else.

A rookie follows the needle into a tree. A veteran sets declination, picks a boulder and gets to the lake before the rookie finds his compass.

Poll

How many days a week are you actually training?

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