Backed Hard: The Best Stuff We (Actually) Bought in May

Welcome back to Backed Hard, our monthly cornucopia of the best stuff your trusted Rec Room staff tried, loved, and now wishes to evangelize. Our browser has taken us far and wide for the month of May, and delivered us unto the best retro headphones, summer sneakers, clean beauty products, clever kitchen wares, and beyond, like a parched donkey to the verdant promised land. Now, enjoy your turn to sit back, relax, and let us drizzle the honey over your figs while we put the best of our finds on parade. 

Last month’s editors picks included Ooni home pizza ovens, organic bamboo sheets, and a clever little tool for de-gunking your AirPods. This month, we’ve learned a few tricks of the trade for growing better spring-to-summer gardens, pressing our tortillas like a pro, and joining the cult of fancy soap thanks to Aesop’s herbaceous blends. Our pantry overfloweth with Momofuku’s spicy noodles, Mariage Frères tea, and an apple-cider-vinegar-infused, low-sugar prebiotic Mexican soda, and frankly, we’ve never felt better. This month’s bounty did not come to play, so throw on that Snuggie and let’s look back at the best things our editors (actually) bought and loved in May.  

Koss makes some of the best lightweight, collapsible headphones on the market for under $100, but none look as good as its best-selling—and often sold-out—retro beige Porta Pro set. Not only are you getting all the even sound distribution of a Koss device with these babies, including an inline microphone, remote, and attenuating volume control, but they make you feel like the protagonist of a 1980s action movie. —Mary Frances Knapp 

Those pre-made, dry flour tortillas you get at the supermarket are good for breakfast wraps and other quick fixes, but an easy way to take your cooking to the next level is by making your own corn tortillas at home. It’s actually really simple, and the only piece of equipment you need is one of these easy-to-use tortilla presses. Sure, you can hack it with some plastic and two LSAT study textbooks you know you’re never going to crack open (sorry, Mom), but your tortillas won’t be as uniform and probably won’t cook as evenly. —Ian Burke

Like everyone else on this planet, I'm a big fan of Aesop's heavenly smelling hand washes, which are the ultimate bathroom accessories that also function as personal hygiene status symbols. Unfortunately, I like them so much that now I am also addicted to the brand's Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser, and recently expanded into using its body wash as well, which has just the right amount of lathering power and, of course, smells incredible, like you're taking an outdoor shower in a beautiful light-dappled forest surrounded by moss and ferns. Yeah, it’s not cheap, but after all, you (hopefully) shower, like, every day—don't you deserve the best? Take all my money already. —Hilary Pollack

Like every other Joe Schmoe out there, I, too, have a cabinet filled with dented Hydro Flasks and freebie promo bottles, none of which have ever really spoken to me. Sure, I love my Mister Green bong water Nalgene, but it doesn’t keep my shit ice cold, and I like my water as close to arctic temperatures as possible. That’s where my new best friend from W&P comes in. This 16-ounce insulated ceramic mug with a protective silicone sleeve is the hot ticket. It works just as well to keep bevs piping hot as it does keeping them cold (seriously, there was still ice in my cup when I woke up this morning), and the lid makes it easy to gulp water through a reusable straw. —Becca Blasdel 

I’m wearing this Nike top as I’m typing right now, pinky swear. Running, pajamas, eating a Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie—I have it on my person at all times. Made with recycled materials, it feels like my torso is wrapped in silky cotton. Whether it’s hot or cold, the shirt will adapt to your body temperature by keeping you warm or dry. And most importantly for the warmer weather months, pit stains got nothing on this shirt. Pro tip: Select colors are also up to 36% off right now. —Nicolette Accardi

Worm castings are the equivalent of giving your strung-out bodega plants a day at the spa. ““[I absolutely need] organic fertilizer,” TikTok-famous gardener Brian Brigantti told VICE, and “[especially] worm castings.” Think of a juicy bag of worm castings as next-level compost, because it’s basically soil with nutrient dense earthworm doo-doo, which is like caviar for your plants, helpful for soil aeration, and great for encouraging strong roots.It’s been two weeks since I’ve started repotting/zhuzhing my plants with it, and I can already see the difference. —Mary Frances Knapp

I’m a huge fan of making ramen at home—whether that means going all-out and making an eight-hour pork stock or just sprucing up a bowl of instant noodles on a weeknight. And, while making your own noodles at home is certainly doable, it’s a huge pain in the ass, and often won’t compare to the professionally made stuff. These Spicy Soy Noodles from Momofuku Goods have been a lifesaver lately, since they’re delicious and they cook in just four minutes—perfect for quick weeknight meals when you really wanna lay on the couch and order food but you promised your bank yourself you’d stop doing that. Then, pair your noods with the included seasoning packet or ramp up the flavor of your accompanying proteins and veg with some Momofuku tamari and rice vinegar, both of which slap. —Ian Burke

I received a sample of this toy months ago in a bundle of best-selling sex toys from Ella Paradis, but was a little overloaded on vibrators at the time and never got around to trying it out until recently. Hoooolyyyyyy… this double-ended toy knows what the hell it's doing. One side has a powerful but simple suction function for direct clitoral stimulation similar to what you'd get from the Satisfyer Pro 2 or similar toys, while the other is a flicky little tongue for a hyper-targeted, tickly, oral-simulating sesh, and I truly do not know of a better toy for people with clitorises than this that you can snag for under 40 bucks. It's mind-blowing, super affordable, and small enough to take with you on your summer vacays. You do have to dissociate from the fact that it looks like a Finding Nemo character, but hey, maybe some people are into that. —Angel Kilmister

I’m a white sneaker stan, and I just copped my yearly installment of classic club Reeboks for the summer. You can match them with anything, dress them up or down, and (theoretically) even play tennis in them. I’m partial to the green trim, but they’re also available with blue and black accents. —Ian Burke

As a non-coffee-drinker and Rec Room's resident tea-head, I fall hard and fast when I find a new variety to add to my rotation. I've long been super-sprung on Harney & Son's Paris tea, which is a cult-fave vanilla-caramel-bergamot black tea. But more recently, I heard that ~*~très cool~*~ French women are really into Mariage Frères' Marco Polo tea, which has a similarly distinctive, nuanced, and aromatic flavor—a little bit fruity and floral, but still reliably invigorating and great with milk. It has now become my precious, and in addition to its complex flavor, I also love that the bags are in soft cotton sachets, like they’re individually wrapped in expensive linen sheets. —Hilary Pollack

I wish I had known sooner that the addition of a simple spruce steamer basket could change my entire cooking perspective. I almost never choose to steam things in my day-to-day cooking because, well, it's boring. But it doesn’t have to be! You can make perfectly poached salmon and crisp tender veggies—plus it will without a doubt upgrade your frozen, end-of-the-week dinners. Frozen dumplings, pork buns, edamame, you name it will be cooked to perfection, with no more fussing with the microwave and ending up with rock hard shumai. I love Our Place’s version so much because it fits perfectly over my Always Pan and Perfect Pot and comes with a set of handy bamboo cooking chopsticks and 15 liners that fit the steamer perfectly. —Becca Blasdel 

No big deal, but I'm a TAURUS and a few weeks ago it was my BIRTHDAY, and I had the pleasure of staying at this really epic Airbnb in Joshua Tree called House of Kuna that is nestled among a ton of huge, gorgeous boulders. You wake up and make your morning coffee/tea and then can post up and sip it next to literally dinosaur-sized rocks like you've been marooned on Mars, in the best way possible—it's the ideal setting to run into or away from your current existential crisis and reconnect with the way you felt the first time you listened to Dark Side of the Moon. It also has a hot tub and cowboy pool built into the landscape for late-night natty wine drinking and stargazing, and the inside was like staying in the boutique hotel of my airy Western dreams. Plus, it's only a few minutes away from Pappy & Harriet's, one of the greatest outdoor music venues on Earth. Stay on weeknights to save big bucks, and invite a few friends, since there’s plenty of room. —Hilary Pollack

House of Kuna, from $350/night on Airbnb

Anything that’s bubbly, comes in a can, and is soothing for my troublesome stomach is in my fridge. My OG is the drink Poppi, an apple-cider-vinegar-infused, low-sugar prebiotic soda. But, it was time for a new thrill in my life. During my daily walk to the bodega there it was: De La Calle Tepache. This magical drink is a modern take on tepache, the popular Mexican fermented probiotic beverage made from the rind of pineapples. My favorite flavors are mango chili and grapefruit lime, but I spied watermelon jalapeno online—which I’m dying to try. —Nicolette Accardi

Tower 28 is one of the newer cosmetics and skincare brands in the game, but it's quickly earned an enthusiastic following for its clean, simple products. I'd heard chatter for a couple of years now about how great the SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray is for people of all genders and skin types who experience redness and sensitivity, and I finally gave it a shot now that there's an accompanying serum. I'm super impressed with how well it soothes and hydrates my tricky combination skin, including the dry patches I get on my forehead and the dermatitis that pops up around my nose, especially in the summer. I love these derm-approved, hypochlorous acid-based products for myself, but I could also see them making a great gift for a dude in your life who's in denial about his sensitive skin and needs a couple of do-it-all products to help with acne and/or redness. —Hilary Pollack

I'm a fan of Ghia, the alcohol-free aperitif that offers all the herbaceous flavors of amaro without the hangover, and I have a crazy sweet tooth. So when I found out that the brand was dropping a chocolate-hazelnut dessert condiment—cheekily called Ghianduja—I was hyped to try it. It's got a way more Earth- and body-friendly ingredient list than Nutella, with less sugar and no palm oil, and it's got a thinner consistency as well that makes it perfect for drizzling on ice cream, oatmeal, fruit, or your lover's torso. Less of a spread, more of a sauce, and there's certainly no shortage of ways in which to enjoy it. —Hilary Pollack

My day is automatically ruined if my lips are chapped. (Do chapped lips count as a good reason to take a sick day? They should.) I’m very particular about what I put on my lips, and this pricey but super-moisturizing Dior  lip balm is my chosen one. While keeping my peckers moist, it delivers the ultimate sheer, glowy color. I haven't picked up lipstick in months. —Nicolette Accardi

It's bathing suit shopping season, which can be a source of grief if you're choosy about design and neurotic about showing your bod at the local rooftop hotel pool full of tattooed influencers. Seems like a lot of peeps these days are cool with having their arse fully airing its charms to the world, but that just isn't my vibe, so I picked up these bathing suit bottoms from Salt Gypsy that look like tiny retro running shorts, and they're the perfect balance between cheeky and forgiving. I like the ultra-wide waistband and contrast piping, which makes me feel like a Dazed and Confused babe instead of a Love Island cast member.  —Angel Kilmister

Every summer, I plant a small vegetable garden and, every summer, I slowly neglect it when it becomes too unbearable to be outside. Jeans are too heavy, and shorts expose my knees to bites, scratches, and lots and lots of dirt. While I love the rugged appeal of Carhartts, I wanted something light but full coverage to keep me protected on the hottest days. I started researching gardening-specific apparel and found these overalls from Duluth Trading. Made from light, ripstop fabric, they're designed for working outdoors without weighing you down. Oh, and there are plenty of pockets, styles for both men and women, and even an option to add knee pads. If you don’t garden or do a lot of outdoor work, I doubt you’ll find a use for these. But if you do spend time in your yard in the summer, they’re a godsend. —Marshall Bright

I’m trying to wear less and less makeup these days, because now that I’m 30, it all sinks into the cracks and crevices without much mercy. That being said, I have all the natural glow of a blobfish, which is why I was so stoked to receive a sample of the Color Changing Blush Oil from Youthforia, a.k.a. the makeup brand famous for being so clean, you can apparently sleep in it. The green Blush Oil promised to give me naturally flushed cheeks by working with my skin’s own pH level upon application, and I was gobsmacked to watch it work its magic in seconds. It’s like I have my own, custom shade of summertime strawberry. I even apply it to my lips. —Mary Frances Knapp 

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