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Cool tools really work.
A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.
LEZER Trigger Massage Point This item has been a life saver for me when I have an ache on my back or soreness near my groin area where I just needed something to target it right at the spot with some tough love. This was exactly what I was looking for and it does the job beautifully every time I needed it. I carry this with me when I travel since it’s light and small.
Axiom S2 VX Pack I recently just switched to this backpack after having my only one-bag as the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 for over 12 years (which I love too). This bag has great design in terms of laying out various compartments including a place for your water bottle on the side for easy access and easy laptop access on the opposite side. There is only one easy-access pocket on the top near the handle too. I find this bag’s size to be fair for my one-bag travel if I don’t bring an extra pair of shoes.
Luna Sandals - Mono Winged Edition Before these sandals, I was wearing Earth Runners running sandals. The straps on the Earth Runner aren’t that durable and usually breaks around two years. I’ve had these Luna sandals for over 3 years and they’re still going strong. They’re very durable and I walk, hike, and run in these during my travels as well as every day wear.
DIGITAL
Claude CodeI first started coding with Claude back in February and now over 20 projects later still making new ones as well as updating existing ones. I feel like it’s the best coding agent out there albeit other people dig Codex more. I feel like you really need to get the right skills and plugins in order to truly unlock the full power of these agents. I’d recommend superpowers and compound-engineering as some plugins to install. You can just use Claude as a harness without paying for Anthropic’s plan by using DeepSeek API. Another great harness is Open Code.
Pilgrim - Mindful Walking This app is great for me to take daily walks with. Sometimes when some ideas or inspirations hit, I’d hit record and note down those thoughts which then gets transcribed on-device for me to use along with some of the context on my walk like where did the inspiration hit as well as the weather and moon cycles. And when I travel and just wander about, it gives me a great summary on exactly where I had walked on a map as well as the ability to create a small web page and postcard-like image for me to share with my friends.
INVISIBLE
energy begets more energy
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