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25 Things Every Man Should Own

The things you own should never dictate who you are but let’s be real – it’s nice to have nice things.

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Things a Man Should Own

Modern life is tough but having a few high-quality items at your side can make everything from your commute to love life much better. Let’s learn what 25 things every man should have, why they should have them, and how to get your hands on them now. Having great stuff doesn’t make the man, but it sure as heck rounds them into a better person.

Things a man should own for looking good:

Facial Care Set – Every guy reading this article has experimented with his wife or girlfriend’s lotions and had to admit their skin looked and felt much better. We’re a big fan of the Caldera + Lab for smooth skin and refreshed look no matter the day’s activities. Their Greentek skincare has won tons of awards and is a full-scale regimen including cleanser, moisturizer, and “holy grail” serum. It’s simple and effective, designed for men, and won’t break the bank. Also, you’re not going to smell like cucumber and water lily. Bonus: Use code REV15 to save 15% OFF

Great Pair of Shades – Ray Ban is the longest-standing name in great looking sunglasses. The classic Wayfarer style has always been popular but the New Wayfarer ($151) modernizes the look with thinner frames and more lens choices. No matter which style you choose all New Wayfarers are polarized and offer full UV protection. If Ray Ban is out of your price range, consider picking a pair of comparable shades from our Best Alternatives to Ray Bans list.

Dress Shoes – Dress shoes can make or break and entire outfit so it’s time to put away your dad’s hand-me-down dress shoes and get your own great pair like Clark’s Tilden Walk Oxford ($43-$84). Unlike fancy, aka fragile dress shoes, the Tilden Oxfords won’t fall apart if you walk more than a couple miles. Several color choices give you several outfit choices and they are reasonably priced, especially for the quality.

Leather Belt – A classic leather belt looks great on almost any outfit and will last several years. Don’t overthink this one – go with the classic look of the Docker’s leather casual belt ($20.) We recommend picking up 2-3 colors for different outfits, but if that’s outside of your budget; you can never go wrong with classic black.

Gym Shoes – Want to feel like you’re walking on clouds while working out? ON Cloud sneakers ($170-$230) will get you there. On Cloud sneakers are feather-light, super breathable, and extra flexible. With close to 50 styles, you can easily find the perfect match.

Timepiece – Sure you can get the time from your phone, but the watch is a classy and enduring accessory that no man should be without. Fossil’s Grant Quartz Chronograph watch ($85) has everything you need in a watch with a timeless style, multiple choices of band and face color, 50M water resistance, and several timing functions. At under $90, it’s easy on the wallet too.

Grooming Kit – A great grooming kit pulls double duty by both stylizing hair including beards and moustaches and getting rid of unwanted hair in the ears and nose. The Wahl Groomsman kit is outfitted with 14 guard lengths, 3 stubble guide combs, 4 hair guide combs, and a wet/dry nosehair trimmer. You’ll always look sharp with this grooming kit.

Shaving Kit – Instead of cheap razors and discount shaving foam, opt for hydrating shaving lotion, old school razor, a brush, and aftercare products. Our favorite balance of quality and price comes in the Gentleman Jon Complete Shaving kit. ($49.50) You’ll feel the difference after one shave.

Joggers – Joggers are nothing more than great sweatpants with a cuffed ankle, but that combination makes a well-rounded pant that’s both comfortable and functional. We recommend the classic Champion Men’s Jogger. They’re comfortable as can be, give you a classic style, are affordable, and are available in 10 colors.

Travel Shorts – A great pair of travel shorts works on the golf course, on the trail, or while walking through the airport. Our choice for travel shorts goes to the prAna stretch Zion shorts. The stretch Zions are tough, dry quickly, stretchy, have multiple pockets and are available in many colors.

RELATED ARTICLE: 5 Top Travel Shorts for Men

Things a man should own for the great outdoors:

Grill – Men need to grill. You can buy a cheap grill and watch it fall apart in a few months or you can spend a bit more for something versatile and lasting like the Traeger Series 22. With a Traeger you get the taste of wood with the convenience of propane. You can grill hot and fast or low and slow with superior temperature control.

Multi-Tool – Multi-tools pack everything you need for small jobs around the house, office, or out during adventures. The Squirt PS4 from Leatherman packs pliers, snips, knife, a flathead screwdriver, and much more (9 tools total) into a compact and lightweight package. A 25-year warranty backs the tool’s quality.

Pocket Knife – A great multitool serves a variety of purposes but you’ll need to supplement the main blade with a more substantial pocketknife, especially if you spend a lot of time camping or working with your hands.  Benchmade’s 535 Bugout drop-point blade is beautiful, rugged, less than 2 oz, and with proper care will last decades. If your Benchmade knife dulls or becomes unbalanced, you can send it in for free sharpening.

Work Gloves – Life isn’t fun unless you’re getting your hands dirty. Every man should have a solid pair of work gloves like the Ironclad Ranchworx. The Ranchworx keeps your hands protected and includes Kevlar protection on your knuckles. Rolltop seamless fingertips give you tons of dexterity.

Tent – Getting outside and truly enjoying the wonders of our world requires a tent. Not just any tent will do, you want something durable, easy to set up, and with room for you and your things. We recommend the Coleman Dome tent ($99.99) thanks to its waterproof seams, easy setup, elbow room, and front porch where you can deposit your bag and muddy shoes.

Camping Chair – Camping chairs are great by the campfire but they’re also useful for tailgating, porch sitting, or plopping down anywhere quick and easy. Lounge in style and make all your friends jealous with the built in footrest of the ALPS Mountaineering Escape camp chair. It’s got a footrest, cupholder, and folds up. That’s all you need in a great camping chair.

Cooler – A high-quality cooler will serve you on the beach, fishing, tailgating, and dozens of other arenas. Igloo’s BMX 52-quart cooler can hold a ton of food and drinks, has large handles for easy toting, and the T-grip latch keeps your cooler closed even if it takes a tumble. The best part? At 16 pounds it’s much lighter than its competitors.

Noise Cancelling Head Phones – Travel is much less of a pain with noise cancelling headphones. Whether on the train, plane, or at a noisy office, noise cancelling headphones can bring peace to otherwise stressful situations. Sony’s Noise Cancelling Headphones have a strong battery life, look great, are affordable, and come with 20,000 five-star ratings.

Deck of Cards – A deck of cards comes in handy for company, camping, or cheesily impressing your date with a 5th-grade card trick. A deck of Neasyth playing cards is constructed of waterproof plastic and has jumbo-sized numbers so players can see what they’re doing around the campfire.

Travel Bag – A high-quality travel bag is an indispensable tool of the modern man. For a great combination of size, features, price, quality, and color options there aren’t many better bags than the Herschel Novel duffel bag. With 3 dozen different styles finding the right one is no problem.

Things a man should have in their home:

Chef’s Knife – A good chef needs a great chef’s knife and little more. Instead of a big wooden block of crappy blades, arm your kitchen with the Aisyoko Chef’s Knife. This gorgeous chef’s knife is folded 33 times during production for hardness, sharpness, and a great balance. With proper care the Aisyoko Chef’s knife should last you multiple decades.

Tool SetCraftsman’s 102-piece home toolkit lets you put away your shopping bag of assorted tools you’ve picked up over the years for a well-rounded toolkit. Now instead of scrambling through different drawers you’ll have your screwdrivers, wrenches, hammer, and much more in one high-quality case.

Nice Bed Sheets – Trust us, your significant other doesn’t want to sleep in the grimy sheets you’ve had since college. DAPU’s 100% linen sheets feel luxurious, are great for hot sleepers, and available in several sizes and colors. You’ll wake up feeling like a new man every morning (and impress your dates) with these sheets.

First Aid Kit – Life comes at you fast, but you can be prepared with a well-rounded emergency first aid kit. The Compact first aid kit comes with everything you’d ever need from multiple sizes of bandages to tweezers, to a shock blanket – 228 pieces in total in a slim, waterproof carrier. At just under $33 you can get a kit for the home and a kit for your car.

Life lesson: Things a man should own

There are several things a man needs to lead a better and more well-rounded life, but the above list can help you build your own manly arsenal with ease. Get yourself outfitted and get started living a better life today.