RECOVERY & PERFORMANCE
You train hard. You need to recover harder. I put these on after any serious workout or long day on my feet and the difference is night and day. Compression therapy for your legs, it sounds indulgent until you try it. Then it sounds essential. Because it is.
Heat and vibration in one device. This is the ultimate fix for my lower back. It loosens everything up before I move and calms everything down after. I wear this in the car all the time. Simple. Effective. Worth every dollar.
This thing does what a foam roller can’t. Deep tissue, orbital motion. It gets into places that every other recovery tool misses and it doesn’t feel like a jackhammer like most of the other massagers out there. I use it daily. Once you have it, you wonder what you were doing before it.
Heat exposure is one of the most underrated things a man can do for his health and his mind. I’m a believer. A home sauna changes your routine, it becomes a daily ritual, not a luxury. Sisu builds them right. Sweat it out.
Cold exposure. It sounds brutal, and the first few seconds are, but there’s nothing that resets your nervous system and helps you recover faster. The Plunge All-In keeps the water cold consistently. Pair it with the sauna and you have a recovery setup that most professional athletes would envy.
I love a good outdoor shower. Makes you feel like you’re on vacation. If you have the space and the lifestyle for it, do it. There’s something about cold water and open sky that just feels better than a traditional shower.
Great sleep is non-negotiable. Everything else: training, nutrition, mindset, falls apart without quality sleep. Eight Sleep regulates your temperature throughout the night so your body can actually recover the way it’s supposed to. Also, the separate controls allow for you and your partner to customize your own settings and temperatures, so no arguing. Never going back to just a mattress again. Not a chance.
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HEALTH & MIND
Dr. David Rabin: A Simple Guide to Being Alive
One of the most important books a man in midlife can read. Dr. Rabin bridges neuroscience and everyday life in a way that’s actually accessible. It’s not self-help crap, it’s a framework. Read it.
Dr. Keshav Grover: Wellness Bridge
My personal doctor. Personalized medicine and functional health from someone who understands that prevention is the strategy. Dr. Grover’s approach aligns with the way I think about health, proactive, data-driven, and built for longevity. Not sick-care. Health care.
Bloodwork is not optional. If you don’t know your numbers, you’re flying blind. Function Health gives you comprehensive lab panels with actual context, not a five-minute doctor’s visit where nobody looks at anything. Know your baseline. Track it. Act on it. Every man over 40 should be doing this. The gift of health is the gift that keeps on giving. Function Health offers 160+ lab tests & insights from top doctors.
Atwater Skincare: The Entire Line
Built for men. Actually works. I use it every day and have for a while now. Clean ingredients, no nonsense, designed for the guy who doesn’t have a 12-step routine but understands that taking care of his skin is part of taking care of himself. Use the whole line. Not just one product.
TRAIN & MOVE
NuoBell Adjustable Dumbbells, up to 80 lbs.
I believe in a home gym setup. These make it possible. One pair replaces an entire rack; adjustable from light to serious weight in seconds. The 80 lb ceiling matters. If you’re going to train at home, train for real.
Wide toe box. Zero drop. High performance. I’ve tried a lot of training shoes and I keep coming back to Altra. They let your foot move the way it’s supposed to move. If you’re a runner, hiker, gym goer or you want to become one, start here. Your feet will thank you. So will your knees.
Joola Pickleball Paddle: Perseus Pro 5
Now that I’m a player…the right paddle matters. The Perseus Pro 5 is not a starter paddle, it’s a paddle for the guy who’s committed to getting better. If you’re playing, play with good equipment. It changes everything about the game.
FOR THE ADVENTURER
Midlife Male Excellent Adventure: Pool Training Weekend
This is ours. A curated weekend of serious pool training, elite instruction, great food, and the kind of conversation that only happens when like-minded men are doing hard things together. I built this because it’s what I was looking for and it didn’t exist. Now it does. Experience over everything.
I’m co-leading this one with my friend and Author of Hunting Discomfort Sterling Hawkins. 14,278 feet. One of Colorado’s most accessible fourteeners, which does not mean easy. It means doable with preparation and the right mindset. If you want to give someone an experience that earns something, put this on the calendar. Show up and do the work.
Who doesn’t want to experience living like Laird Hamilton? This is what an adventure experience is supposed to look like. Curated, intentional, no shortcuts. Camp Laird is the kind of thing you do and talk about for years. It belongs on the short list for any man who wants more than a vacation, he wants a story. If you can’t pull off Camp Laird, check out Hamilton House. This new cohort experience combines online sessions with topical experts, Laird, Gabby and their team and culminates with a day at their house in Malibu.
THE ICONS
There’s a reason these have been around since 1956 and aren’t going anywhere. Classic, masculine, works with everything. If you don’t own a pair, get a pair. If you own a pair, get a backup. Stop overthinking eyewear.
The best t-shirt money can buy. I know that sounds like a strong statement. I stand by it. Once you wear one, you understand. The weight of the cotton, the cut, the way it holds its shape, it’s the kind of thing you buy to replace cheap t-shirts and never go back.
The Authentic has been in rotation since 1966 and it belongs in every man’s closet. Simple, versatile, and it works with everything from jeans to shorts. No logo overload. No trend chasing. Just the shoe.
If there’s one watch a man should own, this is a strong argument for it. Rolex-quality DNA at a real-world price. The BB58 is compact, beautiful, and built to last a lifetime. Watches like this don’t go out of style, they become part of the story. Buy it. Wear it forever.
RRL Denim: A Great Pair of Jeans
Every man needs at least one great pair of jeans. Not five mediocre pairs, one great one. RRL does selvedge denim the right way. Heavyweight, well-constructed and they break into your body over time. Buy them once. Wear them for years. The whole point of quality is that you stop shopping.
NADS Underwear: The Upgrade You’ll Notice Every Day
NADS Underwear is one of those rare upgrades you notice immediately. They’re breathable, supportive, comfortable, organic and built for men who actually move through their day. Whether you’re traveling, training, working, or chasing kids around all weekend, they stay comfortable without bunching, riding up, or requiring constant adjustment. It’s not complicated. Better underwear simply makes your day better
If you’re going to grill, grill on something worth cooking on. The Blaze four burner is built for the man who takes what happens outside as seriously as what happens in the gym. Commercial-grade stainless, even heat, built to last decades. This isn’t a grill you replace in three years. It’s the one you keep. Every man who loves to cook outdoors deserves a setup he’s proud of.
I didn’t think I needed one until I used one. Now I can’t imagine not having it. Nine hundred degrees. Sixty seconds. The best pizza you’ve ever made, and you made it. That’s the thing about the Ooni. It turns a Saturday afternoon into an event. It’s not just an oven. It’s an excuse to get people together around great food.
