Flipping through The Manual: California in 5 days, classy bags, an insane axe

By Digital Trends Staff Published June 20, 2017

Burned out on apps, keys and screens? Improve your analog life this weekend! Digital Trends’ brother site The Manual exists to give men straight-up advice, from unspoken suit rules you need to know, to the latest in fashion, food, drink, travel, grooming and culture. Here are a few of our favorite stories to appear on The Manual lately.

California’s wilderness: Enjoying the outdoors in less than a week

California's wilderness: Enjoying the outdoors in less than a week — (sergioboccardo/Shutterstock) Image used with permission by copyright holder

From the tallest peak in the Lower 48 (that’d be Mt. Whitney) to the lowest point in America (Death Valley, of course), the great state of California boasts a bounty of natural splendor.

Read the full story on The Manual

7 of the classiest laptop and tablet bags out there

7 of the classiest laptop and tablet bags out there — (ONA Designs) Image used with permission by copyright holder

Like many Manual men, you probably don’t like to completely forsake practicality for style. Why not have both? Here are a few classy laptop bags for you to consider.

Read the full story on The Manual

How to: Shop for trousers

How to: Shop for trousers — (Haspel) Image used with permission by copyright holder

Alex Wilcox helps us understand what to look for when buying a pair of trousers.

Read the full story on The Manual

Trekking: The Multi-Mission Axe is the only axe you’ll need

Trekking: The Multi-Mission Axe is the only axe you'll need — (Outland Equipmen) Image used with permission by copyright holder

The most resourceful axe should do more than simply chop wood. Thankfully, the Outland Equipment Multi-Mission Axe lives up to its name and then some, providing you with a blade, seatbelt cutter, hammer, and more.

Read the full story on The Manual

Micro Guide: Bar Harbor, Maine

Micro Guide: Bar Harbor Maine — (Alicia Dauksis/Shutterstock) Image used with permission by copyright holder

While it’s difficult to write an off-the-beaten-path travel guide to Bar Harbor, here are a few of our favorite places to play, eat and sleep.

Read the full story on The Manual

Polo experts Feldspar Brook launches SoHo flagship store

Polo experts Feldspar Brook launches SoHo flagship store — (Feldspar Brook) Image used with permission by copyright holder

“We aren’t about to sway someone to try chartreuse when all they wear is black or grey, unless they truly want to be swayed.”

Read the full story on The Manual

Topics

Digital Trends Staff

Digital Trends has a simple mission: to help readers easily understand how tech affects the way they live. We are your…

Smart Home

Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit and Blinds Collection join the Matter lineup

The Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit being installed.

Eve is a prominent name in the smart home world, with the company responsible for a variety of devices covering everything from smart plugs and security cameras to smart light switches and motion sensors. Its catalog is growing even more enticing today, with the Eve Blinds Collection and MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit gaining Matter support.

The MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit will likely appeal to more customers, as it costs just $200 and works with most existing setups. Installation is as simple as removing your shades, placing the MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit through the roller rod, then reinstalling the unit on your windows. Blinds with a roller between 1.5 inches and 2.0 inches are compatible with the upgrade kit.

Smart Home

Philips Hue lights have a rare discount, but there’s a catch

A TV with ambient backlighting from Philips Hue.

One of the cool things about Philips Hue lighting is how much freedom it gives you over creating the perfect ambiance in your home. One of the cool things about buying Philips Hue products over at Best Buy right now is how much freedom Best Buy is giving you over what you buy to save money. Right now, when you buy two or more select Philips Hue smart lighting product in Best Buy's offer builder, you can save 15%. Tap the button below to start building your own bundle and see all of the products available. While they don't include the best smart light bulbs that Philips produces, you'll be amazed by the versatility of the lightstrips. Or keep reading for an overview of some of the top picks from the bundle.

What you should purchase from the Philips Hue offer builder
The place to start with this deal is the and the if you don't already have them. These are the devices that take your movies, music, and games and syncs them to your lights.

Smart Home

Samsung’s futuristic Jet Bot AI+ robot vacuum is $400 off

The Samsung Jet Bot AI+ Robot Vacuum cleaning the floor.

For families who need a lot of help in keeping their floors spotless, the Samsung Jet Bot AI+ is an investment that you'll want to make. It's pretty expensive at its original price of $1,300, but a $400 discount from Samsung pulls it down to $900. It's still not cheap, but this futuristic robot vacuum could be the only device that you need to keep dirt, debris, and pet hair away from your sight. You're going to have to complete your purchase for it as soon as possible though, as there's no telling when the offer expires.

Why you should buy the Samsung Jet Bot AI+ robot vacuum
The Samsung Jet Bot AI+ checks all the boxes in the features that are recommended by our guide on how to choose a robot vacuum. It's equipped with powerful sensors and object recognition technology that allows it to avoid furniture when it's cleaning your floors, while LiDAR technology allows it to create accurate maps of the rooms in your home so that it can properly navigate and clean more efficiently. The robot vacuum also features a five-layer filtration system that allows it to release clean air, and when it's done, it goes back to its Clean Station where it empties its contents.