Month: May 2026

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services.  If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

There’s no shortage of gear hitting the market at any given moment. New boots, new tools, new tech, new blades—the product pipeline never slows down. Every week we test, carry, wear, ride, and otherwise put a bunch of new gear through their paces across hiking trails, farms, workshops, and rural roads. Most gear is fine, some of it is good. A small percentage is genuinely worth your money and attention—and an even smaller portion earns a permanent place in our gear loadouts.

Once a month, we take a step back from the week-to-week gear grind and pick out what actually stood out over the last four weeks. It’s usually not the flashiest new release or the most expensive item that landed on our front porches—it’s the products that proved themselves in the field over multiple uses. The ones that helped solve a real problem, performed better than expected, or simply represented the best (so far) version of what a piece of gear can be.

What you’ll find here isn’t sponsored content or a regurgitation of press releases. It’s the honest result of real-world use by editors and contributors who spend an unreasonable amount of time thinking about what makes gear worth owning—and keeping. If something made this month’s list, it earned it.

One of our top picks is Polk MagniFi Mini AX soundbar—it isn’t invisible, but at only 15 inches long, it’s about 60 percent smaller most bars and it has five drivers paired with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to create a sense of sound moving around and above you. For those eager to get back to lawn care duties, the Milwaukee’s M18 Brushless Blower works really well for small yards, apartment living, quick spot cleans—it’s relatively quietly, lightweight, well-balanced and requires far less maintenance than gas blowers. And if you’re itching to lose that winter scruff, the Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night Special Edition Shaver is worth a look with self-sharpening nanotech blades and built-in beard trimmer.

Polk Magnifi Mini AX Soundbar

When you install a TV with an art mode, one of the fastest ways to ruin the illusion is to put a big slab of glossy black hardware in front of it. Whether you’re displaying “Starry Night” or not, a soundbar is a necessary evil with most flat screens, but more isn’t always better. The Polk MagniFi Mini AX isn’t invisible, but at roughly 15 inches long, it’s about 60 percent smaller than my previous bar—and I don’t miss the extra bulk.

Setup is quick, and the package includes a wireless subwoofer and an intuitive remote. You can spend more, but for casual streaming, it’s hard to argue you’ll get more meaningful results. Inside are five drivers—three midrange and two tweeters angled to spread sound—paired with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to create a sense of sound moving around and above you. The system also analyzes your room and pushes audio toward its edges to mimic a wider setup than its size suggests. My previous soundbar relied on docking, battery-powered rear speakers I rarely bothered to place, and the Polk gets surprisingly close to that layered effect with a single bar.

Engineers also include a genuinely useful feature: adjustable dialogue enhancement from the remote that makes voices clearer without cranking the volume. In back, connections cover the essentials—HDMI eARC, optical, an old-school 3.5mm aux input, and USB-A for firmware updates (no over-the-air support). The subwoofer hits harder than you’d expect from something roughly the size of a child’s small backpack, but placement matters. I set the speaker too close to a wall with the rear port facing it. The airflow created a loud slapping noise where the wall meets the ceiling—I initially thought I had a raccoon in the attic. Before I prepared to battle the masked intruder, I figured out the problem. Turning the subwoofer 90 degrees was the fix. Streaming a YouTube subwoofer test track is a quick way to check placement (and will probably spook the dog).

Streaming is straightforward over Wi-Fi via Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, or Spotify, as well as Bluetooth 5.0. The black cloth wrap is a welcome break from glossy plastic, and the top-mounted controls are easy to read and use. I don’t see myself going back to a larger bar anytime soon, not when my room gets everything it needs from a speaker that’s about the size of the one I take to the beach. —Sal Vaglica, contributor

[$499; polkaudio.com]

Antigravity ATZ10 Re-Start Battery

One of the many major adjustments required to move from a life with mostly cars to a growing obsession with motorcycles inevitably involves a few experiences adjusting to smaller batteries. Little lead-acid and AGM batteries for motorcycles can run out of juice much, much quicker than typical car, truck, or SUV batteries. Smaller batteries fit into motorbikes better, though, and contribute less to overall mass. But this means everyone who takes up motorcycling, either at a young age or as a midlife crisis like me, will quickly learn to turn off their bikes’ ignition immediately at the end of every ride. 

To help combat my ingrained behavior when I first started converting a 2002 Honda CBR954RR into a street-legal track build, one of the very first items I researched was a potential lithium-ion battery conversion. Little did I know that there’s no conversion necessary. And in the end, I wound up selecting the ATZ-10 Re-Start from Antigravity for a number of varying reasons.

First of all, lithium batteries shave a lot of weight. This ATZ-10 Re-Start with a beefy 360 cold-cranking amps only tips the scales at a svelte 2.6 pounds. Compare that to the average lead-acid battery for the CBR954RR at over 7 pounds, and I found a quick savings of 65-70 percent (which sounds silly, but this little change represents about 1 percent of the bike’s full weight). That mass tucks right under the seat, too, which allows for easy access but detracts from ideal weight distribution.

While choosing the Antigravity, I considered a similar battery from Shorai after a solid experience with one that the previous owner installed in my 2006 Ducati Monster S2R 1000. Shorai enjoys a good reputation, but the wiring and unique trickle charger connections cause me regular frustrations. Given the fact that the bike is, after all, a Ducati, I want to keep it on a trickle charger at all times. But Shorai’s incomprehensible plug connectors come apart far too easily, the charge box’s form factor looks downright prehistoric, and the power cables lack the length to stretch across my garage floor without an extension cord.

Antigravity makes installation easy, since despite weighing so much less, the battery occupies the same dimensions. This meant I could skip using any plastic or foam bracings. There’s no liquid inside, either, so no need to worry about spilling or leakage. And Antigravity decided to install terminals at all four corners to make wiring easier for a wider variety of motorcycles. 

I do keep the Antigravity on a lithium-specific trickle charger from CTEK, even though lithium-ion chemistry allows Antigravity to claim twice the service lifespan versus a lead-acid battery, because I’m always juggling a few loaner cars and bikes at any given time so my own collection frequently gets neglected. Wiring up the CTEK’s pigtail only took a few extra seconds while installing the ATZ-10. An onboard battery management system can help to prevent self-discharge. But I still learned that the battery will die if drawn down due to user error. 

How, you ask? Well, enter one of my main reasons for selecting the ATZ-10 Re-Start. As the name suggests, this battery can self-jump itself. The self-jumping feature became a priority  for me after I left my CBR outside overnight in sub-freezing temps before my first track day at Chuckwalla. In the morning, the battery simply would not crank the inline-four over despite showing just under 12 volts on a voltmeter. I needed to find a jump pack to use, which took away time from typical track prep. 

With the Antigravity, I only killed the state of charge enough to keep the bike from firing up once—while changing the oil before my next track day, which took so much longer than expected that I wound up working well into nighttime. My garage and overhead lights being under construction at the time, I used a headlamp and also kept the bike’s headlight to help visibility in my work area. This drew enough juice that by morning, when I tried to load up into my truck, the engine wouldn’t crank.

Obviously, that’s not Antigravity’s fault. And nor is the fact that my Honda requires an allen wrench to get under the seat (unlike the Ducati’s vastly superior engineering, which pops up the seat just with the key). But once I got under the Honda’s seat, I pushed the Re-Start button on the battery and the bike fired right up. I let it idle for a few minutes while strapping down my gear, and when I got to the track, the motor turned over no problem once more.

Antigravity’s lithium-ion batteries might cost a bit more than other options available, but are worth every dollar given that the ATZ-10 Re-Start saves weight, fits well, installs easily, and can become a lifesaver if I mess up and kill the battery. After all, I’m never going to carry a jump pack on a motorcycle—and now I’ll never need to. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, contributor

[From $130; antigravitybatteries.com]

Milwaukee M18 Brushless Blower

For some, it’s a slow adoption. I know it was for me. But battery-powered yard tools are here to stay. With spring cleaning in full effect, I had the chance to test Milwaukee’s M18 Brushless Blower and I was impressed by how handy it turned out to be.

It’s important not to ignore the limitations that come with an electric blower, especially when it comes to battery life. On higher-tier batteries, you’re looking at just under half an hour of use. That works really well for small yards, apartment living, quick spot cleans and even blowing snow off your car. I would argue that’s exactly who this model is for. It runs relatively quietly so you’re not bothering your neighbours, it’s lightweight, well-balanced and requires far less maintenance. 

If you’re dealing with larger properties or heavier workloads, you’ll likely need an extra battery or be comfortable working in shorter bursts. That might sound inconvenient but it’s actually quite manageable. With a Super Charger, you can be back up and running in about 45 minutes and depending on what other work you’re doing this type of rotation can work just fine for some folks. 

In terms of utility, the blowing power is capable of tackling all your typical jobs. It clears leaves from gutters, pushes dust out of the garage and driveway, cleans off walkways and handles typical spring leaf cleanup without any issues.

Overall, this blower does exactly what it’s meant to do. The real question is how much of a workhorse you need it to be. From there, it’s just a matter of deciding whether one battery is enough. If you already own M18 batteries, this blower sits at a really nice price range that makes going electric a lot more enticing. —Peter Matlashewski, contributor

[$149 (tool only); homedepot.com]

akley Drop In D3O Full Impact Shirt

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tended to skew more toward cautiousness in my outdoor endeavours. Whether mountain biking, motorcycling, e-scootering, etc.—pretty much anything that has you zipping along a high speeds with numerous bone-breaking and shoulder-skinning obstacles all around. The one problem with adding more protection to an aging body is the amount of heat it can generate. And as a profuse sweater, that often deters me from throwing on my armored-up leather motorcycle jacket in the midst of a North Carolina heat wave, or putting on clunky armored shirt for dirt biking or mountain biking in summer temps. Which means I won’t ride as much because I’m not getting out and after it without proper protection.

Enter the Oakley Drop In D3O Full Impact Shirt, and a genuine change of habit. The headline feature is D3O Ghost technology, and if you haven’t encountered D3O before, the short version is this: it’s a polymer that stays soft and flexible under normal conditions but stiffens dramatically on impact, absorbing and dispersing energy before it reaches your body. Oakley integrates D3O ghost pads at the chest, back, and shoulders—the areas that tend to take the most punishment when things go sideways. EVA foam handles rib protection. All of it exceeds EN 1621-1:2012 Level 1 certification, which is the baseline for this category of protective gear.

What sets this shirt apart is how little you notice it once it’s on. The body heat activation is real—the pads warm up quickly and conform to your torso, which eliminates that stiff, bulky feeling that kills most armor setups. The stretch mesh construction breathes genuinely well for a shirt with this much going on inside it. After several hours on the trail or track, including some extended climbs and intense forest riding, heat buildup was minimal. The inner silicone grip keeps everything in place through roots, rocks, and rough chatter without constant readjustment.

Getting it on and off is handled by a lateral zip on the left side—a detail that sounds minor until you’ve wrestled a sweaty protective shirt over your shoulders post-ride. The pads are also removable and the whole thing is machine washable, which matters more than most gear marketing suggests.

The shoulder pads sit a touch flat for my taste rather than contoured to the natural shoulder shape, which is a minor ergonomic miss. And at this price point, Level 2 protection would be a welcome option. —Adam Bible, Gear Editor

[$240; oakley.com]

Philips Norelco i9000 Electric Shaver

As someone who has a perceptual beard in various states of thickness, I’ve always been a little suspicious of high-end electric razors. As a 21-year-old man in 2002, I remember thinking Pierce Brosnan’s Philips Philishave Sensotec in Die Another Day was cool, but I wondered if it really could knock out that massive Jesus beard he’d had at the beginning of the movie. Fast-forward to 2026, and Ryan Gosling has a similar beard at the start of Project Hail Mary, and Philips is once again in the game of promoting an electric shaver connected to a cool guy doing cool stuff in a big movie. I loved Project Hail Mary, and I love Gosling’s look in the movie, so when Philips asked me to test out a Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night Special Edition Shaver, which was connected to the movie, I said yes. 

The first thing I’ll say about this razor is that if you’re someone who shaves every day, this will be your go-to razor for the rest of time. But, if, like me, you often have some kind of beard in various states of growth, this is great, too. In addition to the self-sharpening nano-tech blades, there’s also an attachment that just functions as a beard trimmer. Compared to my last very cheap beard trimmer, this was amazing. 

But the Philips Norelco i9000 isn’t built just for touching up your beard. This is a serious razor, and so, after trimming my beard, I decided to go all the way. As beard-owners know, going totally clean-shaven can be traumatic, especially if you haven’t done it in a while. (Again, the Project Hail Mary parallel is clear.) But what I love about this razor is that it didn’t hurt at all, despite the fact that I was getting rid of a pretty sizable beard, and when I was done, I didn’t have razor burn at all. 

It has several settings, but I defaulted to the “sensitive” setting, which I found worked the best with my skin and complexion. I’m told by the people at Philips that the Norelco i9000 has blades constructed of the same steel as used in the aerospace industry, which is both comforting and terrifying, hence my default to the sensitive setting. 

But I came out unscathed with the Norelco i9000, and one of the best features about it is that it’s basically self-cleaning. It comes with some pretty serious cleaning solutions, but a simple rinse is almost all it really needs. The charging station for the razor looks like something off of a spaceship, which means you’ll never lose it or confuse it with a different charger for another device. The instruction booklet also tells me this can shave my head, and as I’m gearing up for my summer buzz, that’s my next adventure with this shaver.

If you’re someone who shaves often, and you want a smooth, no-fuss razor, the Philips Norelco i9000 is a solid choice. It may not enable you to save dying stars or invent an algorithm for talking to an alien, but it will make you feel like you could. —Ryan Britt, Entertainment Writer

[$500; amazon.com]

Therabody SmartGoggles Gen 2

Not all smart goggles are built for immersion and sometimes a more sensible innovation can be to simply block everything out. After a few months with Therabody’s SmartGoggles Gen 2, I can say they have firmly surpassed my expectations when it comes to experiencing something new. We spend most of our day bouncing between screens, notifications and distractions. Slipping these goggles on at the end of the day has become a reminder that a mandatory slowdown is a healthy habit to build on. 

Once you put them on, you are met with total darkness, followed by a sequence of compression, heat and vibration that works across your temples, forehead and brow area. Quite frankly, I’ve never felt anything like it before.

A surprising feature to come across was the biometric ensor, which tracks your heart rate and adjusts the rhythm of the session to drop below that threshold in order to help you calm down. These SmartGoggles also have Bluetooth and app integration, allowing you to explore guided audio sessions, meditation programs and sleep aid cycles. It’s also meant to accompany you on the road with its compact carry case and foldable design. Whether you’re bringing it on a work trip or using it on a plane, this device is quite easy to toss in your luggage. These Gen 2 goggles charge via USB-C and deliver about two hours of relaxation before needing to be charged.

The wellness space can feel saturated, with many products promising more than they deliver. Very few provide results you can genuinely notice, but these Gen 2 SmartGoggles actually do. Whether you’re into wellness gadgets yourself or shopping for someone special in your life, these relaxation goggles make for a great investment. —Peter Matlashewski, contributor

[$220; therabody.com]

Men’s Journal aims to feature only the best products and services.  If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

In This Story

Why We Love This Deal

There is currently a whole host of Ray-Ban deals over at Nordstrom Rack, with savings reaching well over the 50% mark. The most popular deal is for the JFK-esque Wayfarers, but those who want to look suavely smart while keeping the sun out of their eyes need to check out the Ray-Ban’s classic browline Clubmasters, now under $100.

The Ray-Ban 52mm Polarized Square Clubmaster Sunglasses are $90 right now in both their classic Havana brown and straight black styles. You can also get a black pair with a gold-tone metal, a la Mr. Orange in Reservoir Dogs, at $100, thanks to a 47% discount.

Ray-Ban 52mm Polarized Square Clubmaster Sunglasses, $90 (was $215) at Nordstrom Rack

What Shoppers Should Know

• Sizing: 52mm lens width; 19mm bridge width; 145mm temple width
• Color Options: Havana brown print, black, black/gold
• Style: Browline
• UV Protection: 100%
• Frame Material: Acetate
• Best Use Case: This is a pair of sunglasses for the smart yet tough guy that lives inside of you.

While Wayfarers are built for the everyman, a pair of Clubmasters knows exactly who it is going for, and it’s got the history to prove it. Evolving from AO Sirmont sunglasses, worn throughout the ‘50s by leaders like Lyndon B. Johnson and Malcolm X, the Clubmaster uses a browline style that accents the eyes. The result is a smart, even sharp look that never approaches nerdy.

This particular variation of Ray-Ban’s Clubmaster is done with an acetate frame, bringing colors richly to life while also staying lightweight and comfortable on the face. The Havana brown colorway’s lenses, which provide 100% UV protection, have a slight gradient to them and look a bit more playful than the straight black colorway.

Related: Birkenstock’s Ergonomic Shinjuku Sandals Are Nearly 60% Off Right Now

What Shoppers Are Saying

One shopper pointed out something pretty cool about the lenses on the Havana brown glasses. “The brown color of the lenses is only the top half; the bottom half is more clear/neutral, so they are perfect for driving,” they said.

Meanwhile, another shopper put on the straight black glasses and said, “They look classy and make me feel like a million bucks.” And that’s the exact way you should feel in Clubmasters.

The Ray-Ban 52mm Polarized Square Clubmaster Sunglasses are $90 right now, a great deal for any Ray-Ban glasses. But if you want more, check out these other popular options at similar prices.

Shop More Deals

• Ray-Ban 64mm Aviator Sunglasses, $100 (was $194) at Nordstrom Rack
• Ray-Ban 59mm Polarized Navigator Sunglasses, $90 (was $215) at Nordstrom Rack
• Ray-Ban 60mm C-DBL Navigator Sunglasses, $90 (was $215) at Nordstrom Rack