Everything Tim Ferriss has recommended in 5-Bullet Friday — 2,122 books, articles, quotes, films, products and more, gathered from 480 issues since 2015. Browse by category, sort by what the community values or how often Tim has returned to it, and spend your 25 votes on what matters most to you. Each item's note is quoted from Tim's own words in the newsletter.
3M Coban LF (latex-free) self-adhesive wrap. This was a gift from famed performance coach Jim Loehr, who was featured in Tribe of Mentors. He uses this with many of his top athletes, and I also found it infinitely easier to use than ACE bandages and similar alternatives. If latex isn’t an issue for you, other versions of the 3M Coban tape will also do the job.— Tim Ferriss
“Trauma Pak” with QuikClot. When in the middle of nowhere, it’s nice to have at least one of these on hand. QuikClot itself, originally used for combat applications, is fascinating (check out its Wikipedia page). Official description: “This Trauma Pak with QuikClot Advanced Clotting Sponge is designed to control bleeding at the scene so more advanced care can be sought later… Packed in a tough, waterproof, pocket-sized pouch, the Trauma Pak with QuikClot is easy to use: simply open, remove, and apply. Also included is an information pamphlet on treating injuries.”— Tim Ferriss
MyPurMist handheld steam inhaler. I recently began taking vocal lessons, and my teacher recommended using a steam inhaler for sinus congestion and throat soreness. It’s become a twice-daily habit at 20-30 deep breaths per session, usually just before breakfast and bedtime. I feel remarkably different afterward. Is it from the steam, deep breathing (part of the reason smokers have a hard time quitting), both, or neither? I’m not sure, but it does help me train (sing) more consistently and sleep more soundly. MyPurMist was the first unit I purchased and may not be the best, as the sensor for wat— Tim Ferriss
Hu Kitchen cashew butter and pure vanilla dark chocolate bar. Be forewarned that you will eat entire bars at a time. If that’s sold out, I also love the Qrispy dark chocolate.— Tim Ferriss
The Salt Lick BBQ garlic dry rub— Tim Ferriss
The Tikker watch, which counts down to your expected death. I was exposed to this watch by Chris Cole, an investor and principal at Artemis Capital Management. If you want a constant memento mori — a reminder of your mortality and encouragement to make each hour count — this might be for you. If the watch is too full frontal, but you’d still like a short essay on the topic, here you go.— Tim Ferriss
The Chocolate Conspiracy blackberry and ginger bar (73% cacao).— Tim Ferriss
DCT ProFlex for strengthening, prehabbing, and rehabbing my lower legs and ankles, especially the right ankle, in which I recently tore two ligaments (disgusting pics here). I learned about this device from the amazing Ryan Flaherty, nicknamed the “savant of speed.”— Tim Ferriss
Panasonic "Advanced" eneloop rechargeable batteries with 3-hour quick charger. After lamenting to a videographer about the constant waste of batteries in podcasting, and the hassle of proper disposal, she recommended this rechargeable setup. They come pre-charged, take three hours to recharge fully, and Panasonic claims that the batteries will hold a 70% or greater charge for up to 10 years. So far, they are working out spectacularly well, and I’m carrying far less karmic guilt by no longer amassing half-dead normal batteries.— Tim Ferriss
Siete Family Foods grain-free tortillas. Siete is a local Austin, Texas, company that I was introduced to not long ago. These tortillas have become a rare double hit in both the paleo/CrossFit and vegan communities. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with breakfast tacos (scrambled eggs, cilantro, hot sauce, a little guacamole) and dinner tacos (e.g., salmon, guac, greens, beans). The almond flour tortillas are my favorite for taste, but be sure to use two tortillas at a time, lest you end up with food in your paws. The coconut/cassava is great for single layers, and the chia/cassava is the mos— Tim Ferriss
Conquest Maps Push-Pin Map (I got the largest three-section version). I’ve always wanted a large world map on my wall, and now I have one. Favorite places I’ve been get one colored pin, and places I’d love to visit get another. A few places I’d love to visit: Seoul, Korea; Lisbon, Portugal; Cartagena, Colombia; Venice, Italy; Latvia; and Estonia.— Tim Ferriss
Solstice Chocolate 70% Kilombero from Tanzania. Made in Salt Lake City, Utah. Why does so much good chocolate come out of Utah? A friend from Salt Lake City recently made this observation, true or not: “Mormons aren’t allowed to have coffee or alcohol, so they get really good at minor vices like chocolate.” I have no idea if this company is Mormon-run, and it doesn’t matter -- if Mormons do love chocolate, why not sell it to them from the center of the beehive?— Tim Ferriss
My favorite coffee mug I’ve found in a while. Also my first non-beverage purchase from Starbucks.— Tim Ferriss
The Rocketbook Everlast reusable/scannable notebook, paired with Pilot FriXion erasable pens. After filling endless paper notebooks and worrying about losing them, and in an effort to further go paperless, I’m experimenting with limiting myself to this notebook and Evernote for capturing handwritten notes. This all began with a recommendation in Tribe of Mentors from Laura Walker, president and CEO of New York Public Radio, the largest public radio station group in the nation. I asked her “What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent— Tim Ferriss
Duke's Original "Shorty" Smoked Sausage. This past week, I completed my first Date with Destiny with Tony Robbins. It entails six days, 12+ hours a day, in a conference hall with nearly no breaks. To avoid eating endless bars, a friend brought a box of these smoked sausages, which saved us. Simple and unadulterated ingredients make them a great keto snack.— Tim Ferriss
Osprey Packs: The Porter. One of the most versatile travel bags I’ve ever used. The Porter features padded sidewalls for protecting your gear and clothing, a dedicated and padded laptop/tablet sleeve, and a deployable shoulder harness and hipbelt for backpack-style carry when you need it. This was introduced to me by a champion ultra-endurance athlete who uses it for everything.— Tim Ferriss
The School of Life: A Toolkit for Conversation. Where do I find questions to experiment with? Where do I find questions for my own journaling? More often than not, I collect them, tweak them, and test them. After my popular interview with Alain de Botton, I decided to grab a set of his, and this boxed collection did the trick.— Tim Ferriss
SeaSnax Grab and Go Roasted Seaweed Snack (Onion). I buy these by the box. During ketogenic periods or moderate fasting, I’ll treat myself to 1-2 sheets at night, as they’re effectively non-caloric and the calories are derived from fat (olive oil).— Tim Ferriss
Durigutti Malbec 2015 (or other year). This isn’t the fanciest of Malbecs, and that’s the point -- it punches above its weight class. The quality really impressed me for the $15 price tag. I first found Durigutti in a Long Island restaurant named Fresno, of all places, even though I lived in Argentina for nine months in 2015. Sometimes, the gems are hiding in plain sight.— Tim Ferriss
New Balance Men's Recharge Slide Sandal via Dakar Rally racer Chavo Salvatierra. I’ve been using these for indoor, Japanese-style sandals. Yes, I wear them with socks.— Tim Ferriss
In-Drawer Bamboo Knife Block -- I’ve tried every type of knife storage imaginable. Knife blocks tend to be bacteria hotels, so I avoid them. Magnetic strips can work well, but I’ve almost lost a few toes. Then I found this in-drawer knife block, which can easily store my chef’s knives (or any knives) in a drawer or on a countertop. It’s an elegant design, it can even hold clevers, and it’s cheap as hell. So far, I’m loving it, and I’m amazed I hadn’t seen one earlier.— Tim Ferriss
Far West Fungi’s dried “wild mix.” Wild Mix is an earthy, yet savory combination of Porcini, Black Trumpet, Lobster, Chanterelle, Wood Ear, Chicken of the Woods and Yellowfoot mushrooms. Use it in sauces, soups, chowders, rice dishes and casseroles. Just soak in water and -- poof!-- succulent mushrooms of all types that you'd never cook with otherwise.— Tim Ferriss
Wild Idea Buffalo Jerky. While on book deadline, I sometimes simply forget to eat. It pays to have an emergency stash of protein in the fridge, and this is what I ate last week when I felt myself bleeding into the hangry zone. The jerky has just 1g of carbohydrate, 8g protein, and 3g fat per stick.— Tim Ferriss
I’ve been absolutely thrilled with the XPO Trainer. Recommended to me by elite powerlifter Mark Bell (check his other gear here; our podcast together here), it is effectively a “prowler” with mechanical resistance. I was initially skeptical, but now it’s one of my favorite torture tools. The harder you push, the harder it gets, and the wheels allow me to easily use this anywhere. Unexpectedly, it is much more difficult to use on asphalt than, say, grass, gravel, or loose surfaces, which suits my urban environment perfectly, and no weight plates are required. The XPO is not made in high volume,— Tim Ferriss
ENO (Eagles Nest Outfitters) DoubleNest Hammock with Suspension Straps A few weeks ago, I asked my social media following (~3-4M total) the following question: “What's the best lounging hammock for 2 people to hang/cuddle/read in? Any suggestions that you're 10-out-of-10 happy with? Thanks!” The #1 most recommended was the ENO DoubleNest hammock with suspension straps, and it didn’t disappoint. The straps, which are key, allowed me to set up the hammock between two trees in find your preferred color(s) on the ENO website here, then order from whichever site you like (I ordered from Amazon here— Tim Ferriss
VooDoo Floss bands. These bad boys fit in a jacket pocket and are a godsend. Mine disappeared (stolen by excited frenemies?!?) and I only now replaced it, as I’ve found nothing to help faster with the pain and “stickiness” I sometimes feel in my elbows and knees. They’re perfect for travel and prototype versions were introduced to me by Jedi Kelly Starrett. Buy two, because as Jocko Willink (check this guy out) might say, “Two is one and one is none.”— Tim Ferriss
Zuke's Mini Naturals Dog Treats (Fresh Peanut Butter Formula) -- Did you know that some zookeepers have trained polar bears using raisins? It doesn’t take much. Most dog owners -- for a long time, yours truly included -- use training treats that are way too large, leading to a fattened dog, delays due to chewing (which can have a surprisingly large training impact), and unnecessary expense (e.g., my other favorite wild boar Orijen snacks). I’ve tried dozens of options for my sensitive-stomached pooch, and these peanut butter Zuke treats are the best mini-Scooby snacks I’ve found. Real peanut b— Tim Ferriss
Dash Go Rapid Egg Cooker -- Why did it take me so damn long to get one of these gadgets? This type of egg cooker (there are many different brands and models) has been recommended to me for years by friends like Kevin Rose (@kevinrose) and Kamal Ravikant (@kamalravikant). For decades, I’ve cooked hard-boiled and soft-boiled eggs the hard way: using excessive water on a stovetop, watching things like a hawk, and then struggling to peel the eggs, often losing 1/3 of the meat in the process. This device (and similar models with auto turn-off) allows you to “set it and forget it” with as little as — Tim Ferriss
Crystal Body Deodorant Stick. Since dialing in my diet 10+ years ago, I’ve rarely used deodorant. Still, there are high-stress or high-heat environments that can result in musk-ox man smell. This deodorant stick is minimalist and akin to a salt lick that fits in your palm or pocket (great for travel). It omits many deodorant ingredients I prefer to avoid: aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium, parabens, phthalates, etc.— Tim Ferriss
Hyperice HYPERSPHERE Vibration Therapy Ball. Much “higher-chain” inflexibility is caused by lower-body mobility issues, which can be improved with soft-tissue therapy. Massage or a foam roller can be effective, but I’ve been using this vibrating ball for my hamstrings and hips/glutes (especially piriformis). Rumor has it that Tom Brady’s trainer uses the foam roller variation. Word to the wise: this is best used on carpet.— Tim Ferriss
Logitech Keys-To-Go Ultra-Portable Stand-Alone keyboard. I always travel with this. In a pinch, I can pair it to my iPhone via Bluetooth, lean my iPhone 6S against a glass of water, and type away at laptop speed.— Tim Ferriss
Marpac Dohm white noise machine. If earplugs bother you— and they occasionally bother me—use a Marpac Dohm DS dual-speed sound conditioner white noise machine. This was introduced to me by readers, and it tunes out everything from traffic (why I bought it) to loud neighbors, leaky faucets, and fidgety dogs. It currently has nearly 10,000+ reviews on Amazon and ~75% are 5 stars. If you want to MacGyver it, a cheap and loud-ish fan pointing away from you can get close. But, as I was once told, “‘Close’ only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, kid.”— Tim Ferriss
Joule Sous vide device. I used this elegant device to cook Valentine’s Day dinner not long ago. It was developed by ChefSteps, a company co-founded by podcast guest Chris Young (Lessons from Geniuses, Billionaires, and Tinkerers). Here’s how it works, using meat as an example: “Put the Joule in a pot with some water and pick your temp in the app [they have many fool-proof recipes]. Then, put your food in a ziplock-style bag (season or marinate as you wish) and drop it in the water. While you wait, pour a drink, chat with guests, or crush some fancy sides. Then, right before serving, finish wit— Tim Ferriss
Rubz. Meet my newest travel partner, which can be thought of as a golf ball that won’t shoot across the floor when stepped on. Roll this uniquely designed ball under your feet (my go-to area) or over any sore or tired muscle to reduce tension. It’s small enough to fit in a pocket and easy to manipulate.— Tim Ferriss
Spiceologist black & bleu rub. Short and sweet: try this on any meat or faux-meat and thank me later.— Tim Ferriss
OOFOS Ooriginal thong. Not that kind of thong, you naughty, naughty animal. These flip-flops were recommended to me by an ultra-endurance runner. Apparently, racers wear these after competition when they want arch support that still lets their swollen feet breathe. Stop judging me, Kelly Starrett!— Tim Ferriss
Laird Superfood Turmeric Creamer. XPT consisted of very early mornings, so instant coffee was the order of the day. I had either Instafuel or, my favorite, Laird’s turmeric creamer with black coffee. The latter is a blend of coconut milk powder, turmeric, Aquamin (a mineral-rich calcified sea-algae), coconut oil, and red-palm oil. This sells as a $2-per-scoop add-on in local coffee shops.— Tim Ferriss
Freo Slant Board. This was introduced to me by an ultra-endurance runner. It appears to directly address the foot, arch, and ankle issues that have caused leg and hip problems in the past. It’s still too early to say with 100% confidence, but I can say this: START SLOW. Do NOT do more than 20 seconds in each position to start, or you will suffer. Trust me on this.— Tim Ferriss
Karma. From the creators of Set. This fits in a pocket and can be played in 5-15 minutes. I enjoy alternating this with the Monopoly DEAL card game I mentioned last week. Both games can be played with two players and pair well with Merlot or Pinot noir.— Tim Ferriss
Butternut 2013 Chardonnay -- I’m a red wine guy. There are very few white wines that make me defect. The first I met was a 2004 Rombauer Chardonnay. The most recent is this delicious Butternut 2013. Every person at the table -- all self-described red-wine people -- loved it and remarked upon it. If those both sell out, try some of my current favorite sake, Hitori Musume.— Tim Ferriss
Weleda Natural Salt Toothpaste -- For whatever reason, I am constantly asked “What toothpaste do you use?” during Q&As (not kidding). This sea salt and baking soda toothpaste is the current answer.— Tim Ferriss
Tera’s Whey Goat Whey Protein -- via Charles Poliquin. For those sensitive to lactose, famed coach Charles Poliquin recommended (and uses himself) this goat-derived whey protein. To hear all about this and dozens of other recommendations (fat loss, strength training warm-ups, dealing with loose skin, etc.) based on his work with elite athletes, check out our podcast together, which covers nearly every aspect of training and nutrition.— Tim Ferriss
Rumble Roller (12” travel size) I’ve tried every foam roller imaginable, but this is my new favorite for opening up hamstrings and IT band prior to AcroYoga and other gymnastics practice. That front lever is still eluding me, but I’ll keep at it. WARNING: This will smash you 10x more than smooth rollers. I got overzealous my first session and, the next day, felt like I’d been leg kicked by Buakaw (my fave kickboxer, BTW).— Tim Ferriss