Personal Care

Dental Herb Company Tooth & Gums Tonic

From Amazon

Mouthwash, 18 ounces, eliminates bad breath, reduces and prevents bleeding and inflamed gums. Alcohol free with essential oils and organically grown herbs.

Got angry gums? You might not even realize it if you do. But here's a hint: They shouldn't hurt after you eat or bleed when you floss. This stuff helps with all that. And it's alcohol-free which means it won't kill the beneficial bacteria in your mouth's microbiome. Yes, not all the bacteria in your mouth is bad... kinda like in your gut. Natural and holistic dentists recommend this stuff as do conventional ones. – Dani Shugart

 

Personal Care

Concord Large Executive Nail Clipper

From Amazon

Large, all-steel clippers with Italian leather pouch.

These are the exact same nail clippers used by ancient Samurai warriors. Okay, not really. But they are made in Seki City, Japan, the birthplace of great sword and knife steel. With these heavy-leverage clippers you'll be able to slice clean-through your enemy and he'll keep walking for a few steps before collapsing into two neat pieces! Or, you know, you'll finally be able to trim that nasty big toenail of yours. You know the one. – Chris Shugart

 

Personal Care

Cremo All-Season Body Wash, Bourbon & Oak

From Amazon

Two-pack, 16 ounces, prevents flakes in winter yet light and breathable in the summer.

Why do the makers of body wash assume that men want to smell like tulips or that K-Mart cologne Uncle Chester wore in the 1980s? Ew. No, if we want to smell like anything, it would be bourbon and wood. Not a "I got drunk in the forest again" scent, but a subtle, complex aroma that makes women want to wear your shirt the next morning. This stuff contains marula oil, which moisturizes without feeling filmy. It also kinda looks like a bottle of vodka sitting in your shower, and really, who doesn't want that? – Chris Shugart

 

Footwear

Reebok Crossfit Nano 8.0 Flexweave

From Amazon

Minimal drop. Wide toe box. TPU heal wrap. Flexweave upper provides flexibility, durability, and security.

It's the official shoe of CrossFit, but Nanos have also become the go-to footwear for those who like to mix up their fitness modalities and want a pair of do-it-all shoes. People loved the earlier Nano models, but weren't big fans of the 5.0s. (That Kevlar acted like a cheese grater on the toes.) This new model though scores high marks and seems to have redeemed the brand. Nanos are back! – Chris Shugart

 

Footwear

Nike Metcon 5 Training Shoes

From Amazon

Durable, haptic 3D print upper that offers superior resilience in high-wear areas. Rubberized rope wrap. Directional traction for max grip.

Love or hate CrossFit, its emergence revitalized the dormant cross-training shoe category. Nike has upped the ante with the latest version of their Metcons.

These shoes even come with a removable polyurethane Hyperlift insert for Olympic weightlifting, so you can choose between a 4mm or a 12mm drop. So you can work on your snatches, remove the insert, then go for a run in the same pair of shoes. – Chris Shugart

 

Footwear

Xero Shoes Prio Minimalist Barefoot Shoe

From Amazon

Light weight, zero-drop minimalist design. FeelTrue sole provides maximum ground feedback.

Several T Nation coaches are fans of barefoot training, citing improved foot and ankle function that "works its way up" the body. The result? Better movement mechanics in the hips and lower torso. But most gyms don't allow naked feet, for good reason.

Xero shoes are designed to give you all the benefits of barefoot training while still offering protection. Their zero-drop design, thin outsole, and wide toe box works great for everything from minimalist trail running to deadlifting. – Chris Shugart

 

Footwear

Merrell Women's Glove 4 Trail Runner

From Amazon

Durable zero-drop shoe with mesh upper and Vibram outsole. TrailProtect pad offers underfoot protection.

These are called "trail" shoes, but they're excellent for lifting. They have good arch support for zero-drop shoes. (Zero drop just means that your heal isn't elevated, like it is in most athletic shoes.)

The toe box of these is nice and wide, so your toes are free to spread out when you lunge and squat. And I've noticed that because of the wider toe box, I can keep my balance much more easily during single-leg RDLs. – Dani Shugart

 

Footwear

Inov-8 Mens F-Lite 235 V3

From Amazon

Lightweight and flexible. 4mm heel to toe drop for lifting. Welded toe bumper.

Inov-8 (innovate, get it?) designed these shoes for "functional movements" and "cross training" and included features to help you climb ropes and do burpees and box jumps without bashing up your toes. In other words, this is their take on a CrossFit shoe, though they must not be allowed to say that.

Whether you're a CrossFitter or not, this shoe looks great for all-around gym use. The wide toe box allows your little piggies to spread out naturally, providing a stable base for all kinds of lifting. And once you try a shoe with a wide toe box, you'll never go back to standard, cramped-toe shoes. – Chris Shugart

 

Personal Care

Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Liquid Soap (Peppermint, 32 ounce, 2-pack)

From Amazon

Made with organic oils. No synthetic detergents or foaming agents.

Wash your body with it. Wash your hair with it. Brush your teeth with it. (Seriously, some people do that.) I like it because it doesn't contain a laundry list of questionable chemicals and artificial scents. It's all-natty, bro.

And some studies show that the smell of peppermint can boost athletic performance and mental energy. Hey, I'll take what I can get. Note: It does make your twig and berries tingle a little. Which isn't a bad thing. – Chris Shugart

Personal Care

Maestro's Classic Beard Butter

From Amazon

8 ounce hydrating beard cream for itchy or unmanageable beards.

Studies show that women are more attracted to guys with beards. But being more attractive doesn't help much when those same women won't let you near their tender parts with your itchy face-bush. So soften up that scruff with Beard Butter. This non-greasy cream is made with coconut oil and other good stuff like eucalyptus, rosemary, and juniper berry. Smells nice, too. – Chris Shugart

Personal Care

BAKblade 2.0 ELITE PLUS

From Amazon

Wet/dry razor with curved handle designed for the back and body.

It's the dirty little secret guys don't like admitting and girls don't like seeing: back hair. Fact is, some dudes are genetically closer to orangutans than to those odd little hairless Sphynx cats, so grooming is an issue to deal with. One reason we build muscular bodies is for those muscles to be seen by people and you can't see rhomboids under a thicket of fur.

This razor has a specially curved handle over a foot long to hit all angles, and a pair of nearly 4-inch-wide replaceable blades to make trimming anywhere – yeah, pretty much anywhere – an easy feat. – Chris Colucci

Personal Care

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer Firming Medium/Tan Skin Tones

From Amazon

Gradually creates natural looking color. Reduces appearance of cellulite.

Muscles are just more visible when you have a tan, but some of us don't tan easily. This formula is meant to reduce the appearance of cellulite. And while I've never paid attention to that attribute, I like it because it soaks in fast and doesn't make your skin feel slimy or wet like other tanners.

Wear a tanning mitt or surgical gloves when you apply it, otherwise your hands will get dark. And make sure your elbows, ankles, and knees are moisturized with regular lotion first. Dry skin soaks up more color. – Dani Shugart