Love them or hate them, barefoot shoes are polarizing. But they are becoming big business, both for fashion (a subject in which I am, admittedly, not an expert) and for health and wellness. This is a relatively recent development. Before 2019, I did what most of us do and wore highly padded shoes because that’s what modern shoe companies sold us. But I did have a long history of going barefoot, from growing up at the beach.

Like most people who start looking into barefoot shoes, I started having foot pain. My heels began to hurt when I walked. Plantar fasciitis was the problem, and the conventional wisdom is to

For the past few weeks, I have been pedaling around the world’s tiniest folding Bosch ebike as my kids (8 and 10) regard me with mingled delight and disgust. My son tried to ride away on it, with the convincing argument that this is not an adult bike, it’s a kid’s bike. I lock it up on the same rack next to my daughter’s mountain bike, and she notes that her bike is taller than mine. I ignore them all. I love this tiny bike.

Oregon-based Bike Friday hand-builds folding bikes of every variety, but as a small person (I’m 5’2”), I am a particular fan of the company’s tiny,

As the story goes, the rock band AC/DC took its name from a label on an old sewing machine in the Young brothers’ home. It must have meant that the machine could run on either alternating-current or direct-current electricity. Today, all the newfangled electronic devices in our homes run only on DC power—even lighting fixtures, now that LEDs have replaced incandescent bulbs.

But wait. The electricity that comes out of your wall socket is alternating current. That means each device needs to convert AC power to DC, as well as reducing the voltage to the much lower levels used in digital circuits. So you might well ask: Wouldn’t it make

Other Fitness Trackers to Consider

Photograph: Adrienne So

Garmin Instinct 3 for $400: Garmin’s Instinct line doesn’t have as many high-end features as the Fenix 8, but it’s popular because it’s cheaper and it has a cool, chunky retro aesthetic that I love. This year’s updates include the built-in flashlight and a new reinforced bezel, which is good considering that I still managed to bang up the Fenix and Epix watches quite a bit. For more information, check out our guide to the Best Garmin Watches.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $799: Apple did not significantly upgrade its

It’s hard shopping for an outdoor couch. You need to consider the material so that it can weather the elements, potentially buy a storage box to store cushions, and consider the color, because who wants visible stains? That’s why I was so intrigued with Outer. The company’s couches come with OuterShell, a built-in cover that wraps around the couch cushions to keep them protected from bird droppings and rain. Just pull it over the cushions when you’re not using them, and affix the Velcro to the underside. If you’re going to be away from home for extended periods, or there’s a big storm on the way, there’s a grab