Travel

Road trips, city weekends, group trips and the gear that survives all three.

Nobody has improved on the plunger, and plenty have tried

A rubber cup on a stick has outlasted every gadget built to replace it. Here's why, and how to buy one that outlives you.

ReviewSurvival & Self-DefenseDean ShawOct 11, 20266 min

Grandpa's New Truck Gadget Has a Crank, a Hammer and Opinions

His grandson put an emergency radio, flashlight and window hammer in the truck. Grandpa has questions. Some of them are right.

Ask BRO

Pressure-test my business idea

Ask it

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.

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

PartnerDude.com

Garden & Yard5 min read

The square shovel and the hoe have nothing left to fix

Two flat blades on two long sticks do most of the work in any yard. Here's why nobody has beaten them, and how to buy ones your kids will inherit.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?

GuideSurvival & Self-DefenseDean ShawOct 11, 20266 min

Your survival kit doesn't fit on a wrist

Bracelet kits, credit-card tools and hollow-handle knives sell the feeling of being prepared. Here's what to skip and what to carry instead.

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.

Shirts.com — Design it with AI. Wear it this week.

PartnerShirts.com

StoryFoodWes DunbarOct 10, 20265 min

The cast iron skillet has nothing left to prove

It sears, fries, bakes and rides from campfire to oven. Here's why nobody has improved on it, and how to buy one that outlives you.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

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

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.

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.

Ask BRO

Rehearse the raise conversation with me

Ask it