Gadgets

Phones, audio, watches, drones and the small stuff that quietly runs your day.

The BRO Code. What to do, what not to do, and a few laughs on the way.

The BRO Gear GuideBuy once, fix it, pass it down: a cost-per-use calculator, a warranty decoder and a repairability checklist.Judge it before you buy

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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.

GuidePreparednessDean ShawOct 11, 20266 min

The camp stove that still lights in fifteen years

A good camp stove is simple, fixable and fed by fuel you can actually find. Here's how to judge one before you buy, and where it can safely run.

Ask BRO

What should I wear to this?

Ask it

GuideSurvival & Self-DefenseDean ShawOct 11, 20266 min

The water filter that outlasts the trip, and the parts that decide it

A filter can fail without a single visible sign. Here's what wears out, what to read in the warranty, and how to tell a keeper from a one-season gadget.

PartnerWhackAWoke.com

Outdoors6 min read

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.

Poll

What was your first ever job?

GuidePreparednessDean ShawOct 11, 20266 min

The water jug you can lift when the tap runs dry

A container that cracks, leaks at the spigot or weighs more than you can carry is just a way to feel ready. Here's what to inspect before you fill anything.

GuideSurvival & Self-DefenseWes DunbarOct 10, 20265 min

The spark was never the hard part

A ferro rod throws a fat shower of sparks. The rookie still ends up in the dark. The veteran lights it on the first strike.

Dude.com — 16 AI advisers who listen, talk and are here with you

PartnerDude.com

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.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

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

GuidePreparednessDean ShawOct 11, 20264 min

The cornhole boards stay home

One man needs two and a half hours to pack the car for an evacuation and still forgets the medication. Another needs twenty minutes. Same car, same storm.