There’s something nearly magical about seeing an idea transition from scribbles on a napkin to something tangible in your hands. But don’t be fooled, it’s not something that appears out of nowhere. It’s a process.
Great product development and industrial design services teams at industry pioneer Cad Crowd don’t stumble into brilliance. With over 94,000 product designers and 3D engineer professionals you can choose from, you are assured that they follow clear, collaborative, creative principles that guide their process and keep the user at the heart of every decision. If you’re looking to sharpen your team’s creative compass, these 10 design principles are your north star.
Build for real people, not user personas on paper
User personas are wonderful, until they’re not. Although they assist in early-stage planning, providing your team with a neat little snapshot of who you believe you’re building for. But they don’t reside on sticky notes or in slide presentations. They reside in the ugly, messy, frequently inconvenient world in which your product must earn its keep.
That’s why designing for actual people requires digging deeper than assumptions. It’s about watching, actual feedback, and a healthy dose of curiosity. Rather than hypothesizing how “Persona Patty” might use your app in some ideal situation, ask how someone uses it on a Monday morning, with a toddler pulling at their leg. Consider the greasy-gloved field worker, or the one-handed commuter tapping your interface on a rough train. Are you assisting, or getting in the way?
Designing for the real world is about accepting imperfection. It’s a bit messier. It’s about testing, tweaking, and occasionally throwing away smart features that simply don’t work out in the real world. But here’s the lovely thing: when you design with empathy and in context, you don’t merely create things that work, you create things people love. You create loyalty, trust, and tales worth retelling for your product design company.
So go ahead and use personas to begin. Just don’t leave it there because the magic happens when you design for people, not abstractions.
The initial concept most likely isn’t a work of art, and it may not even be good. And here’s the thing: it’s completely okay. The alchemy of industrial design is not in the initial drawing or the polished illustration. It resides in the messy, exhilarating, sometimes infuriating process of iteration.
Consider iteration similar to speed dating for concepts. You test one, decide it’s not the right one, make some tweaks, and go on to the next. Rinse and repeat. Great industrial design experts don’t hold onto a single idea as they remain flexible to new ideas. This allows them to embrace experimentation because each “mistake” teaches them something good.
The secret to any success is to embrace failure and learn from it. One example you can encounter is feedback. A terrible prototype? That’s just feedback in disguise. Even in life, you can’t grow if you’re afraid of failure; that’s why you should always maintain professionalism and not get too attached to your work. The goal isn’t to be perfect, it’s to keep learning and iterating.
Also, don’t wait until you have a shiny render to share with your team. A napkin drawing or simple mock-up early on can inspire amazing input. Perfection is overrated; progress makes everything move forward.
So, iterate like crazy. Keep going, keep testing, and don’t get too attached. The best ideas are never born perfect. They started with a collaboration, curiosity, and a spirit of keeping going.
Cleverness is nice, but clarity is always better
Cleverness is appealing and draws attention; it turns heads, earns awards, and brings laughter to pitch meetings. However, once the applause fades, what remains is clarity. Clever may draw your attention, but clarity commands your confidence. Clarity is what in the consumer product services world makes products simple to use, simple to love, and oh so simple to recommend. A product whose purpose is obvious, whose interface is uncluttered, and whose advantages you can see instantly. That’s the champion every single time. No wit can rescue a product that baffles or maddens its users.
But don’t mistake clarity for blandness. You’re still allowed to have personality — be bold, quirky, even a little cheeky. Just don’t let that come at the cost of usability. If your user has to guess what a button does or dig through menus to find the core function, you’ve already lost them.
Ironically, clarity loves constraint. Imagine writing a tweet rather than a thesis. You must convey more with less. That’s not a constraint, it’s a design superpower. When teams approach clarity as an art challenge, the outcome speaks for itself.
Because ultimately, users don’t want to feel like they’re solving a puzzle. They want to feel intelligent. And what intelligent design decision can you make? Decide on clarity, every time.
Obsess over the problem, not the solution
As a designer or developer, it can be difficult to accept that your instinct to quickly find a solution might actually slow your progress. Freelance product designers are solution-focused. It’s why they’re so good at their jobs. However, the most effective teams put the “how” on hold and sit with the “what” and “why” for a while longer.
Why? Because the actual magic happens when you’re really clear about the problem.
The teams behind beautiful, game-altering solutions? They’re the ones who can better describe the problem than anyone else. They’ve gone over it in their heads a million times. They’ve challenged assumptions. They’ve asked “why” until users began side-eyeing them during interviews.
By fixating on the issue, you reveal underlying causes, not symptoms. You bypass the band-aid solutions and stay away from loading up with unnecessary features that bloat your product. You prevent creating “faster horses” when your customers truly require a car.
Decisions become much less complicated when the whole team comes together behind an unambiguous, well-defined problem. Alignment happens easily. Sharpens your focus. You end up not spinning your wheels and moving instead with direction.
So, pick up your metaphorical magnifying glass as a freelance product development expert. Ask strange questions. Be okay with not getting the answer immediately. Because of the solution? It’s in there. You just need to excavate through the questions to get to it.
Respect the hand-off: Design isn’t done at delivery
The mysterious “handoff.” The tone is somewhat formal, isn’t it? It’s as if you’ve just left the mic on a flawless CAD model or Figma file and strolled off into the sunset. However, it is obviously not how product development is done. Design doesn’t stop at the handoff; rather, it starts again.
Consider it more of a relay than a finish line. You’re not finished when you hand over the baton — you’re relying on the next runner to keep pace, follow the plan, and perhaps even adjust along the way. That’s how high-performing product teams work.
In real life, this translates into handling handoffs with the same level of care that you invested in the initial design. Are you merely sending files over, or are you sending understanding along? Have you described the whys behind that odd curve or the use of that particular material? If manufacturing or engineering services doesn’t receive the “why,” you are likely to lose your design the minute it encounters the actual world.
That is particularly the case with industrial design, where aesthetic, usability, and manufacturability decisions all come together. Materials, tolerances, and assembly processes can totally change your design’s viability or its price tag. Without teamwork, things fall apart quickly.
So don’t use the handoff as your grand finale. Think of it as more of a team huddle before the next play. Be there, be present, and be willing to fine-tune. An excellent design isn’t simply handed off. It’s handed through in collaboration.
No budget, no time, and limited resources? Perfect. That’s not a nightmare; it’s the true start of design. Constraints in product development aren’t creative killers. They’re the innovation secret sauce. Consider them the surprise turn in a cooking competition. You don’t get to choose from a well-stocked pantry — you have garlic, butter, and eggs. But that’s how frittatas came to be. The best designers, the best chefs, don’t bemoan what they can’t have. They wonder what they can do.
Constraints induce clarity, and it’s best to start this thinking while adopting the thinking of new product concept design experts. With tight budgets, you must pare down the verbiage and get to the essence. You’re pushed to think smarter, simpler. You begin asking better questions: “What is the most elegant solution to this?” “Can we achieve more with less?” “Is there a readily available and more sustainable material?”
In industrial design, constraints are a particularly steady friend. You can’t simply Photoshop your way around gravity or expense. But here’s the good part: fewer parts can translate to cleaner looks. Limited tooling can compel a team to come up with more modular or universally compatible designs.
When faced with limitations, teams often become stuck. However, games will start for the teams who have accepted them. Undergo testing. They find solutions by looking at old issues in a different way. Do not freak out the next time you encounter a roadblock in your project. Remember that wall? Here is where originality truly shines. Don’t worry, this is only the beginning.
We’ve all seen those slick prototype demos that look like something out of a sci-fi movie… but barely function in real life. While they might win applause at a meeting, they don’t do much for the actual product. Here’s the deal: prototypes aren’t meant to sit on a pedestal. They’re tools. Tools for learning. Tools for testing. Tools for moving fast and getting real answers.
The greatest product design and prototype design engineering teams are aware of this. They don’t prototype to wow. They begin with a clear intention. Perhaps they need to check how something feels in the hand. Or how a new layout influences user flow. Or if a particular shape even works. Regardless of the intention, they clarify it before they begin building, so they don’t spend time creating a flawless-looking model that doesn’t help them learn anything.
And no, your prototype does not have to be sexy. A crude 3D print, a cardboard prototype, or a hastily drawn digital wireframe is often all you need to elicit priceless feedback. Users usually respond as soon as your idea crosses into the real world. They smile, pause, from, or give feedback, and that is priceless.
Purposeful prototyping design teams not only go faster, but they also design better. They establish an attitude of curiosity and iteration. And as time goes on, that attitude delivers better results, less surprise, and more innovative products.
Design for change, not just for launch day
When you finally go to launch a product, it feels like crossing a finish line, relief, and celebration. But here’s the reality: launch day isn’t a finish line. It’s lap one. With the speed of today’s world, products don’t sit in isolation. They reside in ecosystems that are always changing, with new technologies coming on board, user needs and behaviors changing, and expectations evolving for product engineering services.
That’s why you don’t set brilliant design in stone when you launch and leave behind. Instead, it must be adaptable and resilient, capable of growing and changing with the world around it. This is true for digital products, such as apps that receive ongoing updates, as much as it is for physical products, which may require modular components to keep pace with innovations to come.
Designing for change is anticipating having room for feedback. It is selecting materials, components, and systems that can scale or turn on a dime if necessary, rather than over-engineering solutions that commit you to a singular path. It’s like preparing for a journey with changeable weather — you pack layers, not sunglasses.
Design teams that take this approach aren’t merely producing products. They are creating robust platforms meant to be iterated upon, refined, and should last a long time. And that’s a game-changer. It’s not only good business; it’s how you make products that will endure in a universe that doesn’t.
Align around a shared vision and recheck it everytime
Let’s discuss something that tends to be forgotten but is absolutely essential to fantastic design: aligning to a common vision and checking in with it regularly. Fantastic design isn’t about the final product or the features you create. It’s about the why. Open innovation experts always have this on top of their minds. Why are we doing this? What are we solving? Most fundamentally, can every team member claim to know why at the exact moment, simultaneously?
A shared vision isn’t merely a cool slide deck that collects digital dust. It’s a living, breathing consensus that informs every decision, every priority, every trade-off the team makes. Consider it your creative North Star. When everyone’s on the same page, it guides through the grimy, complex areas of design. It keeps the team pumped, even when the empty coffee pot and deadlines are near. Vision transforms day-to-day drudgery of tasks into a mission with purpose.
But the thing is, vision alignment isn’t a checkbox that happens once. It can slide or fall out of focus easily. That’s why successful teams revisit it frequently. They discuss it during sprint planning, check on it in design reviews, and adjust it when conditions change. It’s a continuing dialogue, not a static conclusion.
This is especially important for industrial design teams juggling engineers, marketers, and manufacturing design firms, each with different priorities. Your sleek, polished concept can look like a Frankenstein’s monster if they’re not aligned. But when does everyone share the vision? That’s where the real magic happens.
Here’s the catch about great design and innovation—it begins with a spark. That spark? Curiosity. Without curiosity, work is routine, safe, and predictable. It keeps the team excited, asking questions such as “What if we did this?” or “Why not turn the whole thing on its head?” It’s that desire to explore new possibilities that keeps us from simply coloring within the lines. When curiosity takes the lead, creativity flows.
But curiosity alone can’t cut it. It requires a partner’s humility. The greatest teams recognize they don’t have all the answers. Rather than trying to be the smartest person in the room, they listen intently to their peers and, more significantly, to who will actually use their products. Humility is about leaving ego at the door, knowing when you don’t know something, and being willing to learn. It’s in that humble state that true breakthroughs occur for design engineering services.
And above curiosity and humility, the true magic is to remain human. Designing with heart is more than fixing technical issues. It’s about being inclusive, acknowledging your blind spots, and creating experiences that leave people feeling seen and empowered.
As deadlines pile up and specifications start to merge, take a moment to stop. Consider these questions: Are we still curious? Are we still humble? Are we still designing for actual people? If your answer is yes, congratulations! You’re on the right track, and positive things lie ahead.
Conclusion
These 10 principles aren’t stone tablets with commandments inscribed upon them. They’re more like topics for discussion, means of pausing, re-focusing, and raising your team’s game on product development and industrial design. They’re not necessarily easy to follow, but they’re well worth it.
How Cad Crowd can help?
Truly remarkable design goes beyond just form and function; it is all about creating authentic relationships. Principles that prioritize people and purpose are the foundation of these interactions. Investigate the top Cad Crowd teams that have adopted these 10 guiding concepts. Are you willing to wait to make your design shine? Get a free quotation now!
MacKenzie Brown is the founder and CEO of Cad Crowd. With over 18 years of experience in launching and scaling platforms specializing in CAD services, product design, manufacturing, hardware, and software development, MacKenzie is a recognized authority in the engineering industry. Under his leadership, Cad Crowd serves esteemed clients like NASA, JPL, the U.S. Navy, and Fortune 500 companies, empowering innovators with access to high-quality design and engineering talent.
The second season of The Last of Us has just wrapped up on HBO Max, but if you know you’re going to want to watch it again, multiple physical editions are up for preorder right now, including a 4K Blu-ray with a limited-edition steelbook case. The Last of Us Season 2 releases on Blu-ray, 4K Blu-ray, and DVD on September 23. Retailers are still in the process of creating store pages, but you can preorder The Last of Us Season 2’s Limited Edition Steelbook for $47 at Walmart or $40 at Gruv.
The Last of Us Season 2’s Limited Edition Steelbook features promotional photography of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) with Cordyceps fungus forming a moth–like Ellie’s tattoo–in the background. The interior artwork shows Ellie surrounded by a horde of people who have succumbed to the Cordyceps fungus.
Season 1 of The Last of Us didn’t receive a Steelbook Edition until March of this year, so it’s cool to see Season 2 will have one on launch day. The Last of Us Season 1’s Steelbook Edition has been going in and out of stock since its reveal, but Amazon currently has it available for $50.
Season 2’s bonus features haven’t been revealed yet, but we’re hoping to see something similar to the Season 1 release, which includes featurettes on each episode as well as a disc filled with short documentaries and interviews.
We do know that the 4K Blu-ray edition displays in native 4K (2160p) resolution and supports Dolby Vision and HDR10. The infected’s growls and the unsettling calling card of Clickers should sound pretty unnerving with Dolby Atmos audio and 7.1 lossless surround sound.
If you don’t care about steelbook cases, The Last of Us Season 2 will also be available in three standard edition formats. The 4K Blu-ray standard edition is up for preorder for $35, the 1080p Blu-ray is $30, and the DVD edition is $25.
The Last of Us: Season Two Limited Edition Steelbook
The Last of Us Season 2 continued HBO’s largely faithful adaptation of the Naughty Dog video game franchise. While Season 1 had nine episodes, Season 2 only had seven. The new season adapted a portion of The Last of Us Part II, though it was largely told from Ellie’s perspective. Season 3 is expected to flip the script and follow Abby, the other playable character from the second game.
If you’re unfamiliar with the franchise, The Last of Us takes place in a post-apocalyptic United States that has been ravaged by a parasitic fungus that turned most of humanity into flesh-eating creatures. The first season followed hardened survivor Joel on his mission to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a quarantined zone, as her blood holds the key to creating a cure to the Cordyceps infection.
The second season is set five years later, and it largely examines the repercussions of Joel’s actions as his past catches up to him and Ellie. A new conflict erupts, with Ellie setting off on a quest for vengeance as she explores dangerous terrain inhabited by infected people, cults, and militias. Season 2 was largely told from Ellie’s perspective, but Season 3 is expected to flip the script and follow Abby, the other playable character from the second game.
While the show’s overarching storyline has remained aligned with the games–some of the scenes are nearly identical–it has, at times, explored previously uncharted backstories and introduced new characters within self-contained episodes.
The Last of Us Season 1 on Blu-ray
Along with the aforementioned Limited Edition Steelbook, The Last of Us Season 1 is also available in standard edition 4K Blu-ray and 1080p Blu-ray formats. Over at Amazon, you can pick up the 4K Blu-ray for only $23 or the Blu-ray for $16.
The Last of Us Season 1 Special Features
As mentioned above, you’re also getting a solid selection of extra content here. Each of the nine episodes come with short documentaries, and some of the documentaries on the fourth include a look at how the video game was adapted for TV, profiles of the actors, and the connections between the video game source material and the TV show. Here’s the full list of Season 1 bonus content:
I created an app from the ‘Angular with ASP.NET Core’ project template in Visual Studio 2022 17.8 and .NET 8. It launches the API app in Chrome and the Angular app in Edge. In Edge it doesn’t show the weather temperature values. I see the error below in the console. The app used to work but then I tried to make Chrome the default browser for the Angular app and it never properly anymore. I made Edge the default browser for the Angular project. I also deleted and recreated the app several times and it never worked correctly anymore. Using Node 20 and Angular 17.
What could be the issue? I don’t know much about Vite and how it relates to the reverse proxy in ASP.NET.
Error:
[vite] http proxy error at /weatherforecast: AggregateError
at internalConnectMultiple (node:net:1114:18)
at afterConnectMultiple (node: net: 1667:5)
Freshworks Inc. (NASDAQ: FRSH) creates AI-boosted business software anyone can use. Purpose-built for IT, customer support, and sales and marketing teams, our products are designed to let everyone work more efficiently and deliver more value for immediate business impact. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freshworks operates around the world to serve more than 67,000 customers, including American Express, Blue Nile, Bridgestone, Databricks, Fila, Klarna, and OfficeMax. For the freshest company news, visit www.freshworks.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X
Abstract: The article examines the importance of customer service in wholesale trade and its impact on customer loyalty. The purpose of the study is to identify factors that contribute to customer satisfaction and loyalty to suppliers. Based on the analysis of data collected from specialists, it was found that developing strong relationships with customers and high quality service play a fundamental role in increasing their satisfaction and loyalty. The results confirm that companies that focus on customer service are better able to adapt to changes in the market and maintain competitive advantages. The practical application of the data obtained lies in the need for continuous improvement of service and adaptation to customer needs, which leads to increased sales and strengthening the company’s image. The article emphasizes that successful customer service management is strategically important for achieving sustainable loyalty and business growth in the wholesale trade sector.
Wholesale trade plays a crucial role in the structure of the consumer market, serving as a vital link between manufacturers and retailers. It allows manufacturers to focus on the production process while wholesalers handle the purchasing, storage, and distribution of goods. This helps reduce costs and optimize logistics, enabling retailers to offer a wider range of products and improve service for end consumers. Wholesale trade also ensures product availability in the market, allowing small and medium-sized businesses to easily access the desired goods without the need to purchase them in large quantities.
Moreover, wholesale trade contributes to the development of the consumer market by actively influencing pricing and product assortment. Wholesalers analyze market trends and consumer preferences, allowing them to offer relevant and in-demand products. This, in turn, helps retailers adapt to changes in demand and provide their customers with the most attractive offers. As a result, wholesale trade not only maintains supply chain stability but also fosters innovation and diversity in the consumer market, ultimately enhancing the shopping experience for end consumers [1].
A study on the importance of customer service in wholesale and retail trade analyzed the factors contributing to customer loyalty formation. It was found that intention and satisfaction regarding relationships with suppliers significantly influence customer loyalty. Data was collected from 185 decision-makers responsible for selecting suppliers for their organizations. The results of the hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that to enhance customer loyalty, suppliers need to focus on building strong relationships with those customers who are receptive to marketing efforts. Thus, successful customer loyalty formation depends on suppliers’ ability to meet customer needs and establish long-term relationships [2].
Key Elements of Effective Customer Service:
Communication: It is essential to be accessible to customers and respond promptly to their inquiries.
Speed: The faster you resolve a customer’s issue, the higher the likelihood they will remain loyal.
Personalization: Knowing customer preferences and purchase history allows businesses to offer exactly what they need.
Problem Resolution: Having a clear complaint-handling procedure helps not only to solve issues but also to improve overall customer satisfaction.
Indeed, both product quality and service influence customer satisfaction. High-quality products and excellent service foster trust and loyalty, leading to repeat purchases. However, one study also revealed a trend of declining customer satisfaction over time, reflected in reduced purchase frequency and unmet sales targets. This suggests that other factors, not considered in this study, may also impact satisfaction.
Based on these findings, future research should explore additional aspects such as pricing strategies, the effectiveness of promotional campaigns, and store atmosphere. Using qualitative methods, such as in-depth interviews, could help gain deeper insights into customer perceptions. It is crucial for companies to continuously improve their product offerings and service standards to maintain customer satisfaction and strengthen their competitiveness in the market [3].
Many researchers emphasize that high-quality service is a key strategy for enhancing customer satisfaction and maintaining competitive advantages in wholesale trade. Customer satisfaction is vital as it directly impacts loyalty, profitability, and business growth. Service quality—defined as meeting or exceeding customer expectations—significantly influences satisfaction levels. Customers assess service quality based on their experiences and expectations, and high-quality service contributes to their loyalty. The strong link between service quality and satisfaction highlights the importance of delivering exceptional service to remain competitive.
Modern Theories and Models of Customer Satisfaction and Service Quality
Today, key theories and models help to understand customer satisfaction and service quality. Satisfaction arises from comparing perceived performance with expectations, which, in turn, influences repeat purchases and customer loyalty. Additionally, factors such as communication, past experiences, and marketing affect the perception of service quality. Studies have shown that customers are becoming more selective when choosing products and services, striving to maximize their benefits. Many are willing to pay more for high-quality products, emphasizing the importance of service quality in purchasing decisions. For companies, this can lead to increased sales and improved financial performance.
It is essential to recognize that service quality directly affects a company’s image. Excellent service becomes a significant competitive advantage. If a company has already established a positive reputation among consumers, they are more likely to leave positive reviews and become loyal customers. Therefore, customer satisfaction should be considered in the context of the quality of services provided. Key service aspects include convenience, speed, competence, and friendliness, which are reflected in the company’s interactions and actions toward customers [4].
Strategies for Building Customer Loyalty
Customer loyalty is directly linked to service quality. Here are several strategies that can help strengthen it:
Providing high-quality products and services is the foundation for building trust.
Regularly collecting and utilizing customer feedback helps identify weak points in service and improve them.
Implementing reward programs for regular customers can serve as an additional incentive for repeat purchases.
Investing in customer service training for employees helps enhance service quality.
Thus, customer service in wholesale trade plays a crucial role in building customer loyalty and maintaining competitive advantages. High-quality service is a key factor influencing customer satisfaction, which, in turn, leads to repeat purchases and long-term customer relationships. Companies that focus on developing strong and trusting relationships with customers can better understand their needs and expectations, contributing to the creation of a loyal customer base. Successful customer service management involves continuously improving service quality and adapting to market changes.
Customer satisfaction depends not only on product quality but also on service aspects such as speed, competence, and employee friendliness. Therefore, achieving sustainable loyalty requires providing not only high-quality products but also outstanding service, which can lead to increased sales and a stronger company image in the market.
Headphones have become an essential part of life these days. We’re tuned into our favorite playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks, and that’s thanks to our favorite pair of headphones or earbuds. If you’re in need of an upgraded pair, Memorial Day sales are coming in hot with the deals. You’ll be able to save up to 50% on a new pair that’ll be great for upcoming travel or lounging at the park this summer.
We’ve been closely tracking all of the long weekend’s headphones deals at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and beyond, and we’ve picked out the top savings for music lovers. Here are some of our favorite deals to shop today.
Best Memorial Day headphone deal
Why we like it
Like the name suggests, the Bose QuietComfort headphones bring ultimate comfort for all-day wear. The headphones usually sell for $349, but thanks to Amazon’s Memorial Day sale, you can snag a pair for $229. Plus, this sale extends to the brand new Twilight Blue colorway. Getting up to 24 hours of battery life, the Bose QuietComfort impress when it comes to sound and noise-cancellation. That’ll come in handy during your upcoming summer travel plans. But you can also toggle them to Aware Mode should you wish to hear your surroundings.
More Memorial Day headphones deals
Best Memorial Day earbuds deal
Why we like it
If you keep misplacing your earbuds, snag a fresh pair of Soundcore by Anker P20i earbuds for just $19.98 during Amazon’s Memorial Day sale. At this price, you might as well grab a few pairs. Keep one in your work bag, one on your nightstand, and one in your travel bag, eliminating that heart-sinking feel of forgetting your earbuds at home.
Mashable Deals
On the Mashable list of the best earbuds, the Soundcore by Anker P20i are the top pick if you’re shopping for a budget-friendly option. Getting an impressive 30 hours of battery life before they’ll need a recharge, this pair is perfect for travel.
More Memorial Day earbuds deals
The best Memorial Day deals you can get right now, hand-picked by Mashable’s team of experts
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars Direct Download:
The beloved and critically acclaimed LEGO® Star Wars™ franchise is back. LEGO Star Wars III:The Clone Wars, combines the epic stories and iconic characters from the Star Wars universe and hit animated TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars™ with all new gameplay features. Players will enjoy brand new game mechanics allowing them to create, control and explore in a galaxy far, far away like never before. Promising breathtaking visuals as well as new characters and levels, the game also features the signature tongue-in-cheek humor from the LEGO universe. With over 20 story-based missions and 40 bonus levels spanning the entire Clone Wars era, LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will allow fans to explore endlessly and laugh their way through the Star Wars galaxy in the most humorous, accessible and action-packed LEGO game to date. Grandma, No!
New Story – For the first time, players will experience their favorite stories from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, retold in the amazing LEGO world that fans know and love. Massive Ground Battles – Brand new to the LEGO Star Wars experience, players will take control of battalions of clone troopers against the relentless droid army – building bases, deploying vehicles and calling in reinforcements to defeat opponents. SceneSwap – Authentic to the Star Wars experience, a new feature allows players to take control of multiple teams in separate locations. Working together to complete various objectives, players will control each team through the press of a button, while playing in single player or in multiplayer co-op modes.
Features and System Requirements:
Players will be able to take off in their favorite ships to navigate and fly through multi-layered combat throughout the galaxy.
The game will also feature new grappling abilities allowing players to climb their way through puzzles and defeat enemies.
Players will be able to explore exotic locations in a variety of ships throughout 16 different star systems
Using the Force in all new ways to control LEGO objects, players will solve puzzles, access new areas, pick up and throw enemies – even turning them into weapons.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Recommended
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10/Windows 11
Processor: Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent or above
Memory: 4 GB RAM
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 10 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
Graebert has launched ARES Commander 2026, the newest version of the No. 1 alternative to AutoCAD. Here, we’ll share some highlights from the many new features in ARES Commander, as well as ARES Kudo and ARES Touch. For more detailed information about the latest updates and improvements in the ARES Trinity of CAD software, we invite you to:
Transition to a New Program — and New Ways of Working — with the Start Tab
ARES Commander has been carefully designed to help new users feel right at home, whether they are coming from another CAD program, such as AutoCAD, or starting from scratch.
When you open ARES Commander, you will be greeted with the new Start tab, which centralizes key operations and replaces dialogs with a streamlined, welcoming interface. The Start tab is organized into three sections — Home, My Setup, and Learn — making it easy for users of any experience level to quickly find what they need.
And the CAD General workspace, now enabled by default, provides a familiar environment for users transitioning from AutoCAD or similar CAD software.
Apply the Power of AI to Your Everyday Tasks
First introduced in the previous version of ARES Commander, ARES AI Assist (A3) now features the following enhancements:
The MText editor has been enhanced with AI-driven tools to translate, refine writing, check spelling, and summarize text. In addition, users can now format text within MText entities into columns, improving readability and layout flexibility.
Using natural language, such as “Select all the polylines,” users can request AI assistance to make selections and modifications. This intuitive approach eliminates complex command sequences, especially for tasks involving multiple adjustments or intricate selection criteria.
2D and 3D CAD Features That Boost Efficiency
Better Ways to Work with Blocks
ARES Commander 2026 offers an array of improved tools for working with blocks, dynamic
blocks, and custom blocks. These include:
The ability to attach multiple visibility elements to a single custom block and efficiently control the visibility of individual entities within blocks — which means custom blocks are now functionally equivalent to dynamic blocks created in AutoCAD.
Advanced management of the Trinity Block Library, which now supports uploading DWG files containing multiple blocks while enabling individual block insertion.
The upgraded Trinity Block Library interface, which now allows users to add and edit blocks directly from the same UI used for block insertion.
Expanded Format Support
ARES Commander has added support for:
The ECW image format, which is known for its efficient compression, and is ideal for large-scale images such as aerial and satellite photography.
Importing 3D models from STEP files, a widely used format for CAD data exchange.
Exporting directly to the SketchUp format (SKP), with the option to export a 2D plan view or 3D elements of drawings.
Exporting DWG content to the Datasmith format. Users can open this format in such applications as Twinmotion, a real-time rendering tool with extensive options for lighting, materials, and video creation (a free version of Twinmotion is available for certain types of users).
Freeing Data from the Silo: CAD for BIM in DWG
ARES Commander’s ability to harvest rich BIM data for use in DWG-format CAD drawings saves users from the drudgery of recreating existing work. And BIM Drawings Automation reduces repetitive labor still further, generating consistent project documentation from BIM projects through customizable scripts. This year, the technology becomes even more powerful, helping users to:
Work more effectively with imported BIM models.
Clearly represent drawing elements with automatically applied symbols.
Split drawings into tiles.
In addition, an improved user interface (UI) for customizing the Materials Library gives users greater control over their designs, so they can easily modify colors, hatch patterns, boundary edges, and other properties for both cut elements and projected elements.
And the BIM Material Mapper allows users to customize BIM material representations in 2D drawings and save multiple configurations as JSON files for easy sharing and reuse.
Faster Performance and Greater Stability
If CAD software is at the core of your workday, then its performance and stability have an impact on everything you do. At Graebert, we are devoted to delivering a faster, smoother software experience — and the numbers prove we’re doing exactly that.
Year over year, ARES Commander now delivers 10% faster file opening, 55% faster zooming, and 38% faster panning. And our dedication to continually improving stability and reliability is yielding concrete results: 94% of users had zero crashes with version 2025 (vs. 91% with version 2024), and more than 99% of sessions had zero crashes with version 2025 (vs. more than 97% with version 2024).
What’s New in ARES Kudo?
ARES Kudo, the cloud-based version of the ARES CAD software, is a modern CAD application that runs directly inside your Internet browser. It includes a complete set of 300+ features to create, modify, and annotate 2D drawings in DWG — and even visualize 3D files.
Recent enhancements include:
In the Version Compare feature, users can now compare versions directly from their cloud storage.
Users can name saved versions for better organization in the Version History Manager.
In the Trinity Block Library, users can now extract blocks from any DWG file to enrich their library or create new libraries directly from the palette — without leaving the current drawing.
The Multifunctional Grips feature has been extended to Polylines, providing an intuitive way to modify geometry directly.
ARES AI Assist (A3) in ARES Kudo
Now, ARES Kudo also has ARES AI Assist (A3), just like ARES Commander does. A3, an artificial intelligence powered by OpenAI technology, is specially trained to help ARES users. It can answer questions, explain how to locate and use features, provide industry-specific advice, and perform conversions and translations — making learning and using the software much easier and more enjoyable.
ARES Online Drawings Automation and Batch Processing
The new ARES Online Drawings Automation service enables ARES Kudo users to schedule, automate, and batch process CAD tasks in the cloud, offloading processing tasks to a server-based version of ARES Commander. This powerful, flexible technology eliminates the user effort needed to perform repetitive small tasks for a batch of files (when exporting files, for example), and removes the load on the local system when running a long and demanding task.
Online BIM Drawings Automation
The new Automation features extend Graebert’s BIM-to-DWG drawings automation to the cloud. ARES Kudo users can now automatically generate 2D floorplans, sections, and elevations from Revit or IFC files, with tasks processed seamlessly on a server-based system.
It is now possible to convert a BIM model to DWG or PDF quickly and easily, using predefined settings. Later, if the BIM model is updated, the documentation can simply be refreshed, instead of recreated from scratch.
What’s New in ARES Touch?
ARES Touch is the Mobile version of the ARES CAD software, created specifically for Android smartphone/tablet and iOS iPhone/iPad devices. In addition to a full set of 2D editing features to create, modify, and annotate drawings on the go, it provides visualization of 3D files, and all the collaboration tools offered by our Trinity concept.
Recent additions to ARES Touch include:
The Area Note command, a new annotation tool that can help users to calculate areas — of rooms or fields, for example — and represent them with colors and names. The area is created as an anonymous block with block attributes, so users can change the labels, color, and more via the Properties palette.
The Centerline command, which enables users to construct Centerlines and set the extension for them to exceed the entities which define the contour. Centerlines are created between pairs of Lines, Arcs, and Polyline segments.
Hatch pattern style preview. See a list of all available hatch pattern styles for every supported pattern type. What you see is what you get — so it’s easy to choose the right pattern for your needs.
Quick access to recent commands. Now the most recent commands are saved at the top of the menu, and users can easily repeat them from the run command list feature.
What’s New in the Customer Portal for Company Admins?
The redesigned Admin Space merges the Products and Permissions pages from the previous UI into a unified menu, providing a simplified workflow and quicker access to frequently used options. The revamped Admin Space also introduces new layouts, advanced filters, modal dialogs, and ARES AI Assist (A3), which helps Graebert users get immediate answers to their questions.
It’s nearly summer. The flowers are in full bloom, the birds are well north, and REI is kicking off its annual anniversary sale, the outdoor company’s biggest sale of the year. This year’s REI sale started May 16 and runs through Memorial Day, May 26. Many items are up to 30 percent off, but REI Co-op members save up to 20 percent on any full-price item and an extra 20 percent off any REI Outlet item. To get the discount, add the promo code ANNIV2025 at checkout.
Updated Monday, May 26, 2025: We’ve added fresh deals on Bote paddleboards, our favorite REI puffy jacket, Danner boots, merino base layers, and other essential hiking and backpacking gear.
Every year, I repurchase one of these rain jackets for each of my children. It’s hard to find rain jackets that are better value than REI’s. The kid’s version is a 2.5-layer shell with a non-fluorinated (read: PFAS-free) durable water-repellent (DWR) coating, taped seams, and an adjustable hood. These will last all year (at least, as long as your kid doesn’t lose theirs). —Adrienne So
I bought my father, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband each one of these shirts last year. Roark Clothing is a small company that makes some of my favorite active apparel, and the Bless Up shirt is the perfect summer shirt. It’s perforated and made from synthetic fibers, so it’s perfect for super-humid beach days when the temperatures are above 90 degrees. —Adrienne So
Fjällräven’s hiking pants—er, sorry, trousers—are legendary, and having now spent most of spring in a pair of these Abisko Trail trousers, I understand why. They’re light but surprisingly warm and especially good at blocking the wind. The G-1000 Lite Stretch recycled fabric gives you a nice, stretchy freedom of movement, and having had Lyme disease already, the ability to cinch down the leg cuffs and keep things out is invaluable. (I’ve also put a good bit of repellant on the fabric with no staining or other damage.) I also like that the G-1000 can be waxed to refurbish the waterproofness (though I haven’t had to do this yet).
Photograph: Smartwool
I still prefer Darn Tough’s lightweight hiking socks, but these Smartwool socks are a close second and well worth buying at this price. Can you ever have too many wool hiking socks? I’d say no. These are 56 percent merino wool, so there’s a good bit of stretchiness, yet they stay pretty odor-free even after a couple of days on the trail. Grab two pair and rotate them to keep your feet dry and happy.
I haven’t had a chance to add them to my Best Merino Wool Clothing Guide, but these are the best merino ankle running socks I’ve tried. They’re not the highest merino content (54 percent, the remainder is nylon and elastane), but they’re thin, light, and work well with barefoot shoes (and other shoes). They also resist odor surprisingly well for only about half merino. —Adrienne So
This is wildly affordable compared to the other sun hoodies we tested for our Best Sun Protection Clothing guide. WIRED reviewer Jaina Grey found it super soft and breathable, with thumb holes to protect the back of your hands. It’s UPF 50, and it may be a lot easier to get your kids or sensitive family members to wear clothing instead of smearing sticky sunscreen all over their bodies. —Adrienne So
Photograph: Smartwool
The best midweight base layer we’ve tested, this smartwool shirt is perfect for chilly spring and fall mornings. It’s comfortable, though tending to be looser fitting, which is something to keep in mind when layering. The heavy-duty seams (read: sturdier, longer lasting) don’t rub, and sit off the shoulder for more comfort when wearing a pack. At 87 percent merino wool (blended with nylon), these are also very durable while remaining lightweight (10.3 oz for a men’s large).
This is what I bought from this REI sale and thanks to speedy shipping I am wearing it while I add deals to this post. Spring has been decided cool in my area, so I’ve already worn this hat everyday since it arrived. It’s great, slightly oversized, but very soft, stretchy and comfortable. I mean it’s a merino wool beanie, hard to go wrong with one of those. And it’s Fjällräven so it’s well made and should last a very long time.
Huckberry’s Proof 72-hour Merino t-shirt will rank very high in our upcoming guide to merino t-shirts. It’s soft, and the classic fit is loose and comfortable. It doesn’t look overly “sporty,” the way many merino t-shirts do (though there is a slim fit version also on sale for $52 ($20 off) if you prefer that style). This shirt is 87 percent merino wool and 13 percent nylon, which gives it a bit of extra stretch.
Photograph: REI
This REI 650 puffy jacket (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best budget 3-season puffy you can buy. At 10.9 ounces it’s reasonably lightweight and has large hand pockets and some very nice internal pockets for stashing a hat or gloves. The ripstop nylon shell fabric (Bluesign-approved) has proved durable in my testing and I love the waist cinch for keeping out wind gusts. The fit is what you might charitably call boxy, and you probably won’t win any fashion awards, but it doesn’t look bad to me.
Picture “hiking boots” and these are iconic image that will likely spring to mind. Contrary to the name, Danner’s Mountain Light Boots aren’t the lightest, nor are they the most nimble, and the fit is perhaps not as dialed in as more modern designs, but these will last forever. They’re still made by hand in Portland, Oregon, and my editor’s pair is 18 years old and still going strong. Sadly, the women’s version is not on sale.
The Flash 22 is possibly the best-value day pack on the market, especially on sale. I was surprised by how comfortable this thing is, despite the lightweight straps and minimal padding. It carries loads up to 15 pounds without straining the shoulders, and the side stash pockets are fabulously large—big enough for a Nalgene bottle or rain jacket. The Flash 22 is made of 70-denier recycled ripstop nylon, which is on the lighter side, but mine has held up well, even coming through some rough canyon hikes in Utah without any more than mud stains.
The ultralight cousin to the Flash 22, the Flash 18 lacks the hip belt, side stash pockets, and floating lid. What you’re left with is a stripped-down, bare-bones pack that’s great for traveling, since you can stuff it down to almost nothing, stash it in your carry-on, and have a nice backpack whenever you need it. Don’t load it up with more than 8 pounds of gear though, and avoid anything with pointy bits, as there’s no padding here.
One of our favorite day-hiking packs, This Mystery Rack pack was my introduction to wider shoulder straps, which provide more comfort without the bulk of extra padding. The result is a comfortable pack that’s light (1 lb, 6 oz) and packable, making it a great extra pack when traveling. The side pockets are big enough for a Nalgene water bottle and the 25-L capacity carries everything you need for a day. It also fits under the seat of even small planes. This is a great little pack for hitting the trail or just walking around town.
Nemo Resolve
Photograph: Adrienne So
Our favorite day-hiking pack for the eco-conscious looking to travel light, Nemo’s Resolve pack is 100 percent recycled, infinitely adjustable, and repairable, and once it’s reached the end of its life, it can be sent back to Nemo for total recycling. The Resolve has a somewhat strange system of bungees and pull-tabs, instead of straps or webbing, but it’s comfortable, sitting nice and high on your back. At 1 lb, 15 oz it’s pretty light, considering all the hardware that it has on it.
Osprey has been making Talon packs since 2007. This model is the smaller cousin to the 33L version in our guide to the best day-hiking packs. The success of the Talon line is well deserved, the 100-denier high-tenacity nylon (Bluesign-approved) makes for a durable pack while remaining reasonably lightweight (2 pounds, 1 ounce for the S/M size). The dual zippered panel-loading design makes getting to your stuff a snap, and there are plenty of extra pockets inside and outside to help you stash all your gear.
This is the smaller, 20L cousin of our favorite gear hauling daypack, the Mystery Ranch Coulee 30. Everything that’s true of the 30L version (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is true of this 20L model, it’s just a bit smaller. The suspension system is highly adjustable (with two pack sizes for different torso lengths), making it easy to dial in the perfect fit. Note that the deal price varies by color.
Photograph: Mountainsmith
Oddly enough, for someone who isn’t a big fan of lumbar packs, this is probably my most used bag. It’s our top pick for all-day adventures thanks to its array of pockets. The Tour is loaded with stash spaces, allowing my to carry camera, binoculars, snacks, rain jacket, and more. Thanks to the shoulder strap (sold separately, $14) and the ability to tuck away the belt, the Tour can also be used as a shoulder bag. I even modified mine with a couple extra loops to secure it to the handlebars of my bike.
Deals on Running Gear
Courtesy of Xero Shoes
These are the only shoes that have ever inspired me to write 1,000 words. They are really that good. Think of these as the barefoot answer to Chacos. Except where Chacos are like putting tractors on your feet, the Z-Trails flex and bend as you walk, giving your feet the freedom of movement you expect from a barefoot shoe. Despite being sandals, these have 10 mm of cushion, which is a good bit for a barefoot shoe, making the Z-Trail a good option for newcomers.
This is last year’s version of my favorite Salomon X Ultra 5 hiking boots, which I just tested over the weekend in the Columbia River Gorge. Salomon makes our favorite hiking boots—the company offers impressive levels of protection and traction, while being lightweight and remarkably easy to take off and put on. I like how the heel grips so I don’t smash my toes while going downhill, and it’s so sticky that I can climb up rocks like an ant. —Adrienne So
I have worn the women’s version of this shoe for years and years. Altra is the best running shoe if you want a shoe that has a barefoot feel (zero heel to toe drop, big toebox) but retains traction and protection against rocks and prickers. —Adrienne So
These are Altra’s version of the Brooks Glycerin Max—a super-plush, comfy road running shoe. If you want a very cushioned shoe but are addicted to Altra’s big toe box (no need to be embarrassed, I am too), these are the shoes to get. Also, don’t forget to check out our guide to the Best Barefoot Shoes. —Adrienne So
REI Co-op’s Magma 15 is our favorite bag for shoulder-season trips when the temps might drop more than expected. It has an excellent draft collar that’s very good at keeping out the chill. The outside is a 15-denier nylon ripstop (Bluesign-approved, with a non-fluorinated DWR coating to keep moisture at bay). Baffles are variably spaced and not stitched through, which helps the fill stay put and minimizes cold spots. The Magma doesn’t have a lot of frills; it just gets the job done.
Our favorite summertime car-camping sleeping bag, the REI Siesta Hooded 20, is plenty warm and affordable. It’s also not a mummy bag, because you’re not climbing Denali; why cramp yourself if you don’t have to? The Siesta’s rectangular cut makes for a much roomier, more comfortable bag. The Siesta’s 20-degree rating makes it enough for three-season trips, and unlike most rectangular bags, the Siesta has a hood, which helps on those cold nights.
It’s no longer our top pick for side sleepers, but the Questar remains a good option for those who want more room. It uses what Therm-a-Rest calls W.A.R.M. fit, which stands for “with additional room for multiple” positions. Indeed, this bag is very roomy for a mummy design. I was able to draw my legs up when side-sleeping and spread out considerably more than with most of the other sleeping bags I’ve tested.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
This is our favorite ultralight sleeping bag. There are lighter quilts out there, but when you need the warmth of a mummy bag on those colder nights, this is the best sleeping bag I’ve tested. It also has the smallest pack size of any bag I’ve tested in this temperature range. With the included compression sack, this thing is truly tiny. It’s got most of the benefits of a quilt and none of the negatives. The down fill is PFC-free, 850+ hydrophobic down. The zippers are on the small side, but they slide well and rarely if ever snag on the bag. I’ve slept in this bag down to 20 degrees and never been the least bit cold. If you need something warmer, the 0-degree version—which I spent a good deal of time in this past winter—is also a great deal at $486 ($163 off).
Nemo’s Forte 20 is a 20-degree synthetic-fill sleeping bag, but the comfort rating is 30 degrees. In my testing, this feels more like where you’d want to stay temperature-wise with this bag. The outer shell uses a 30-denier recycled polyester ripstop with an inside liner made from 20-denier recycled polyester taffeta. It does a good job of holding back the moisture that often forms inside a tent, which I discovered after one very soggy night of testing. The fill is what Nemo calls Zerofiber insulation, which is made from 100 percent postconsumer recycled content fibers. The Zerofiber packs down remarkably small—this is the most compact synthetic-fill bag I’ve tested in this temp range—and it retains its ability to trap warmth even when wet.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Our favorite backpacking sleeping bag, the Bishop Pass 30 offers the best warmth-to-weight ratio while also managing to pack down small and not be too expensive. It isn’t perfect, but it strikes the best compromise for most backpackers. I have slept in this bag for more than two weeks, with nighttime temps ranging from 28 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and, yes, it was too much in the heat, but on those warmer nights, I unzipped it and covered myself like a warm blanket. It’s a versatile bag. Note that for the men’s bag, only the long version is on sale. Both the long and regular size women’s 30 bags are on sale.
I haven’t had a chance to write about it yet, but I tested the Bishop Pass 0 over the winter and was pleasantly surprised at how warm it was. I took it out on several nights where temps dipped into the single digits (below the comfort rating of 13 Fahrenheit) and stayed warm. I did wear some merino base layers and a wool hat, but sleeping bag comfort ratings assume this. If you need a colder-weather bag, without dipping into extreme temps (and extremely pricey sleeping bags), this is a good option.
The Zenbivy Bed 25 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is hands-down the most comfortable backcountry sleeping experience I’ve ever had. It wouldn’t be my top pick for extreme situations, but so long as your expected temperatures fit in Zenbivy’s range (the comfort rating is 35 degrees Fahrenheit), it doesn’t get more comfortable than this. The Zenbivy isn’t just a sleeping bag. It’s a sheet, hood, and quilt-style bag that can be combined in various ways.
Zenbivy’s Light Bed is a brand-new option that takes the basic clip design of other Zenbivy beds and lightens up the load. I’ve been testing this bag for several months, and it is everything I loved about the original above, but lighter weight. I’ll have a full review very soon, but if you’ve been tempted by the Zenbivy, but wanted to keep your base gear weight down, this is the option you’ve been look for. The price I’ve put here includes both the bed/sheet portion and the quilt. Note that Zenbivy is having a 25 percent off sale on almost everything on its site right now.
Nemo Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad
Courtesy of Nemo
Nemo’s new 2024 Tensor-insulated sleeping pads (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have the best R-value-to-weight ratio of anything I’ve tested, and the All-Season is our top pick for backpacking trips. It has an R-value of 5.4 and weighs 18.2 ounces. That alone is impressive, but what I love about the Tensor is that it’s thick, comfortable, and most importantly, nearly silent. The slightly lighter Trail model is also on sale, as is the Extreme Conditions pad, which is the lightest, warmest sleeping pad on the market.
The darling of ultralight hikers everywhere, the XLite NXT is our pick for backpackers looking to shed pack weight but preserve some margin of comfort. The XLite delivers a comfortable night’s sleep while remaining well under 1 pound for the regular size. At 3 inches thick, it’s plenty of protection from the ground, and the R-Value of 4.5 means it’ll be plenty warm in most three-season conditions.
Sea to Summit’s Ether Light XT is only marginally heavier than the Therm-a-Rest above. The extra 4 ounces for the Sea to Summit pad gets you quite a bit more cushion too—this is a 4-inch thick pad, compared to the 3 inches of the Therm-a-rest X-Lite, which makes this a better ultralight option for side sleepers. I also like the baffle design better, and it seems to be a little more durable, making this an excellent alternative ultralight pad. Note that this one is an REI Outlet deal; the XT has been replaced by a newer model.
Tent Deals
Check out our Best Tents guide for more WIRED-tested recommendations.
REI Half Dome SL 2+
Courtesy of REI
REI Co-op brand gear represents some of the best deals in the hiking/backpacking market, and this tent is a perfect example. Our pick for Best Two-Person Backpacking Tent, REI’s Half Dome is rugged and lightweight (4 pounds), and offers generous living space for two with gear at a reasonably price. The tent body is made of 40-denier ripstop nylon for durability at the base and on the floor, with 20-denier nylon mesh for the body. The Half Dome comes with a footprint, which is a rarity these days, and nice to have. The tent poles are aluminum and interchangeable, which makes them easy to set up and take down.
Sea to Summit’s ultralight Alto (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is designed to keep weight down on your solo adventures. At just 33 ounces for a semi-freestanding tent, it remains one of the lighter options on the market, and at this price it’s hard to pass up. The mesh netting helps keep weight down, though for something warmer, the Plus version, which has less mesh, is also on sale for $275 ($275 off), an equally outstanding deal.
Sea to Summit’s “3-plus season” tents are capable enough in almost any weather while staying crazy light—just 3 pounds and 12 ounces for this three-person model. I used it on a five-day trip to Loon Lake in northern California in early October, a true “shoulder season” trip with daytime highs in the 80s, nighttime lows in the 40s, and overnight winds of up to 60 mph. My favorite design detail is that the pole bag is kept rigid by an insert of opaque white plastic. Clip it to the tent’s ceiling, pop in your headlamp, and illuminate your abode. —Michael Calore
Photograph: Big Agnes
The Big Agnes Copper Spur series is the king of freestanding ultralight tents. I’ve used the two-person and three-person models (on sale for $450) over the years, and Big Agnes has continually refined the design to the point that these are pretty near perfect. This is a high-quality, well-designed tent. It’s lightweight, easy to set up, and stable even in strong winds. The steep sidewalls give you more livable space than most tents, and the “awning” design (with trekking poles or sticks) is great. The only complaint I have is the price, but on sale it’s a little easier to handle.
Bikepacking (backpacking on a bike) is awesome, and brands are catching on. Big Agnes was an early adopter among the mainstream brands, designing tents with shorter pole lengths to fit between drop handlebars or in panniers. The Copper Spur UL3 Bikepacking tent is our favorite of the bunch we’ve tested. It weighs just 3 pounds, 11 ounces (1.6 kilos), and has enough space for two (a squeeze for three). It’s also available in lighter, smaller, one- and two-person options, all with twin vestibules and doors, hidden helmet storage, and external webbing for hanging out wet clothes.
Nemo’s Dagger Osmo (8/10, WIRED Recommends) line of tents are reasonably light with roomy interiors. The three-person version (also on sale) has long been my tent of choice for trips with my kids. Setup is simple thanks to the single main pole design (which forks at each end) with a cross pole in the middle. There are two spacious vestibules for storing gear, and if you leave the rain fly off, the mesh room is excellent for stargazing.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
The Nemo Mayfly (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a three-season backpacking tent with a trail weight of 3 pounds, 8 ounces for the two-person version I tested. Split between two people, each is carrying under 2 pounds. The Mayfly saves on weight by using a semi-freestanding design, which means you have to partly stake it out. It’s on the small side as well, at 27.9 square feet of living space, with two 7-square-foot vestibule areas. I find it plenty livable for two, and the cross pole gives you a wider roof area than most tents this size. I love the white mesh (instead of black) and the super simple clips that keep the rain fly secured.
This is my favorite single-wall ultralight solo tent. I have a full review coming later this month, but after spending quite a while with this tent I’m something of a convert, at least for summer camping. The Lunar Solo makes it easy to combat the main problem with single-wall tents: condensation. Thanks to plenty of mesh, and a top vent in the vestibule (like my all-time favorite backcountry shelter, the Hilleberg Akto (10/10, WIRED Recommends), I haven’t had much issue with condensation in the Lunar Solo. It’s not without its quirks (read the pitching tips), but if you want something more than a tarp, that still weighs just 26 ounces (740 grams), this one is hard to beat.
Biking Deals
Photograph: Michael Venutolo-Mantovani
This is our second best helmet in our guide to the Best Bike Helmets. It’s chock-full of extra features, like a magnetic rear light that snaps off for easy recharging and a pullout tab so that you can easily lock it up on the rack. It comes in a wide array of fun designs and colors. —Adrienne So
The Giro MIPS helmet has rechargeable lights on both the front and back of the helmet. It has an unassuming commuter-friendly design, and of course it has MIPS to protect against rotational impact. —Adrienne So
The CTY e2.1 (7/10, WIRED Review) is our favorite commuter ebike. It’s a class 1 ebike with a 250-watt Suntour HESC motor, a 418-Wh battery, and a whole host of commuter extras, like front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, big 2-inch-wide tires, gel grips, lights, and a hefty kickstand. It weighs a 54 pounds and has a little less torque than some of our other favorite ebikes, so it might not have quite enough oomph to get you up some of the bigger hills, but for the price it’s a lot of ebike and will serve most people well.
Water Filter and Stove Deals
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
The simplest, most convenient method of filtering water, the Katadyn BeFree Water is one of the lightest filters on the market (2.3 ounces, or 65 grams, for the filter and bottle). It’s a great option for when you want to go as light as possible, such as trail running or day hikes. The design of the BeFree is part of its appeal. The filter is inside the collapsible container. Scoop up some water into the container, screw on the lid, and drink. The collapsible soft bottle rolls down to a tiny package, making it easy to stash in your pack or trail running vest.
The MSR Guardian is fantastically expensive, but it’s our pick for trips with sketchy water sources. It’s also heavy and requires pumping, but the Guardian filters down to 0.02 micron, which will remove even viruses. It’s also designed to be self-cleaning, which makes field maintenance incredibly easy. It’s rated to pump 10,000 liters, and because it screws right onto a Nalgene bottle, it’s pretty easy to crank out a couple of liters in hardly any time at all.
This MSR Gravity filter changed backpacking for me. Pumping water for a family of five, day after day on the trail, sucks all the fun out of backpacking. This filter eliminated the pumping and returned my sanity, which is why it’s our favorite backpacking water filter for large groups. All you have to do with this filter is scoop up 10 liters of water in the dirty water bag, attach the hose, connect your water bottle, and sit back and relax. The filter is good enough to keep you safe from all the usual protozoa and bacteria, and the flow rate is a solid 1.5 liters per minute when the filter is clean.
Courtesy of MSR
We’re in the final stage of testing for a backpacking stove guide that will be up very soon, and the MSR PocketRocket 2 will be our top pick for propane canister stoves. It’s simple to use and boils water quickly (about 3.5 minutes for 1 liter at sea level). It’s also more durable and therefore more reliable than the other ultralight stoves I’ve tested. And it weighs just 2.6 ounces.
The WhisperLite Universal is a legend for good reason. It’ll burn just about anything (isobutane-propane, white gas, gasoline, kerosene), making it a great choice for traveling internationally or wherever you don’t know what kind of fuel will be available. Flame control is a little tricky, but we have managed to get it to simmer, as long as the wind isn’t too bad. Just be forewarned that it sounds like a jet engine.
I’m not sure this really qualifies for the “ultralight” moniker, and these pots are unfortunately marred by having a ton of fake influencer reviews out there, but they’re actually quite good. And if you’re cooking for a group, this 3-liter pot is about as light as it gets. This is my go-to pot for family backpacking trips. The hard-anodized aluminum is sturdy and provides good heat transfer. The ceramic nonstick coating makes for easy cleanup (especially paired with the GSI scraper below). You can also nest the 2L version ($49) inside this one for more cooking options on the trail. If you want to go nuts with it, I haven’t tried it, but you can theoretically also nest the 1.3L version ($49) inside the 2L.
Sea to Summit’s Frontier pan is my all-time favorite backcountry cooking vessel. It’s not ultralight to bring an 8-inch frying pan backpacking, but when you’re ready to move beyond boil-in-a-bag food and whatever those disgusting gel tubes are, the Frontier pan is the way to do it. When you want to build a cream sauce from dried milk (it can be done!) or need to sauté those brook trout, a good pan that distributes heat reasonably evenly is indispensable. The Frontier manages to do that, and it has a nice curved edge, making it easy to work with and easy to clean up. The Frontier pan checks all the boxes thanks to its great design and ceramic coating, and it somehow manages to weigh just 13 ounces.
No, it’s not an earth-shattering deal, but this is possibly the best piece of backpacking gear I own. GSI’s pot scraper is the unsung hero of backcountry cooking, turning cleanup from a tedious chore to a couple of seconds’ work. Now, if you seriously burn something, this thing will not save you (boil water in the pan to loosen the burnt bits), but for every other situation, scraping down your pot with this tool will get you 99 percent of the way to a clean pot. I consider this one indispensable; you might as well grab one while it’s a couple bucks cheaper.
Deals on Backpacking Gear
Photograph: Sea to Summit
I’ve noticed that, when trying to lighten their load with a smaller, lighterweight backpack, people then struggle to fit all their gear. The answer for sleeping bags and clothing is this compression stuff sack, which takes my favorite sleeping bag (the Sea to Summit Spark above) and smashes it down to about half the size of the included stuff sack. You can do the same thing to clothing, especially puffer jackets, but also fleece and merino to some extent, free up more room in your pack.
I carry a pillow when backpacking these days, and this Sea to Summit, while not the lightest I’ve tested is one of the comfiest thanks to the down fill topper. I know some people get by using a puffer jacket for a pillow. And hey, if you enjoy laying your head down at night on a lumpy pile of clothes, be my guest, but I’ll be enjoying this nice soft pillow. Pro tip: if you don’t need your puffy jacket for extra warmth in the night, zip it up, tuck the top of your sleeping pad into it, then put this pillow in so it stays in place during the night.
Do you crave a chair when you’re backpacking? If so, this is one to get. It’s just about the lightest on the market at 18 ounces, packs down very small, and solves the number one problem with all pole chairs: the included base pad keeps it from sinking in soft ground.
Heading into bear country this summer? You’ll very likely need a bear resistant way to store your food. In my experience, the BV500 from Bear Vault is the most widely approved option (though always check with the rangers in the area you’re heading to). At 700 cubic inches, the BV500 has room for about 3-5 days of food for 2 (depending on how well you pack). It does weigh almost 3 pounds, and it’s a bummer to carry, but when you need it, you need it—might as well grab one when it’s a little cheaper.
Camping Deals
This chair is the coziest way to hang out around camp. It is somewhat huge, heavy, and awkward to fold up and carry, but so long as you have room for it in your vehicle there’s no better way to relax around the fire with your loved ones.
Nalgene water bottles for half off, what’s not to love? I’ve always preferred the timeless classic to the latest style, which might be part of why I’ve never used another water bottle (well, not counting reusing Smartwater bottles when backpacking). Nalgenes are lighter than stainless steel and, frankly, the only sane option for hiking. Grab two of the big 48 ounce bottles, stick them in the sides of your Mystery Ranch Coulee 30, and your family will never be thirsty again.
This is the built-in straw version of the most durable water bottle we’ve tested. So long as you’re not hiking with it (it’s heavy) this is a great water bottle, and it comes in a variety of fun colors.
Photograph: Coleman
My favorite of Coleman’s current lineup, the Cascade 3-in-1 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) features heavy-duty cast iron grates, comes with a cast-iron griddle and grill, and can fit a 12-inch pan and a 10-inch pan side by side. It’s all-around sturdier and more robust than other Coleman stoves, well worth the extra money if you’re serious about camp cooking. That said, the much cheaper stove below will get you by if you’re only using it a few nights a year.
This is our favorite camp stove for most people. Technically this version is a little fancier than our top pick, with electronic ignition and a nice pale green paint job. Is it worth an extra $30? That’s up to you. If it’s not, snag the less fancy version for $59 at Walmart.
Our favorite way to avoid the green propane bottles is this gas growler. This model gets you a 1.2-pound propane tank with a nice padded/insulated sleeve and a handy strap for carrying, and it makes your camp setup look much nicer than a bare tank. It also saves your shins during those inevitable run-ins with cold hard steel that come from lugging around a big propane tank. This size is the equivalent of five green propane bottles.
Photograph: Kieran Alger
I have yet to do a trip with a satellite communicator, but I do understand why people use them. If I were to bring one along, this is the one I’d get. It’s tiny, light (3.5 ounces), and easily stashable. It utilizes the super-fast Iridium satellite network, so you can send a rapid SOS from pretty much anywhere. There are extra features like waypoints and interval tracking, and it plays nice with compatible Garmin watches.
This is my own personal REI purchase for this year, which is a life jacket for my 1-year-old puppy. We do a lot of boating during the summer, and while my spouse insists that dogs can swim, I am not quite sure I trust her. At the very least, it gives my dog a few handles for me to grab if she gets swept away. —Adrienne So
The Petzl Tikka is our favorite headlamp. I’ve had the same one since 2012, and it’s still going strong, which beats every other headlamp or flashlight I’ve tried in that time. The Tikka is not the brightest light. The models linked here top out at 350 lumens, but it’s plenty of light to cook by in the backcountry or trace the source of that transmission fluid dripping off the oil pan. This Tikka runs on three AAA batteries (we recommend Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries) and lasts over 5.5 hours.
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Whenever I can, I like to cook over open flame using my firebox stove, which often means cutting wood. The best portable saw I’ve found is this Silky folding saw. It’s light enough to bring bikepacking (5.3 ounces), and it folds down to about 9 inches long, which slips in a pannier no problem. This thing is razor sharp though, be careful when using it in the backcountry.
I like these dry bags for organizing things in my pack. They’re not dry bags in the since that you can submerge them and your gear will be fine, but the 30D silnylon with PCF-free DWR sheds a little rain no problem and makes finding your stuff so long as you use different colors for each thing. I put all my cooking gear in a red bag (red for fire), all my water filtering stuff in a blue bag for, wait for it, water, and so on. I find the 3 and 5 liter bags the most useful, but you can get all the way up to 35L.
NRS straps are a must-have for anyone strapping … well, anything to anything. Whether you’re a river guide cinching gear to your boat or, like me just want to make sure the paddleboards stay on the Jeep roof, these are the best straps I’ve ever used. I have NRS straps that are over 30 years old and still going strong. I find the 1-inch straps the most useful. You can grab a two-pack of 6-footers for $13 or a two-pack of 12-footers for $14.
The 12-foot-long Oru Kayak folds into a small, flat package for storage and transport.Photo: Nicolas Zurcher
Oru’s foldable kayaks are genius—all the boat, none of the size. The lake is light, reasonably fast, and the cheapest way to get into the world of folding kayaks. As with all Oru’s offerings, the Lake folds origami-style into a roughly 30-inch square that’s just 15 inches deep—small enough to fit in a car trunk or hall closet.
The Breeze Aero (7/10, WIRED Recommends) inflatable paddleboard is well-built and durable, and it packs up reasonably small. It’s also one of the most stable paddleboards I’ve tried, making it a good choice for beginners. It’s easy to unpack and easy to use. Inflating is something of a chore with the hand pump, but once it’s deflated, it’s not hard to stow it away again. This deal is on the 11’6″ model (which supports up to 355 pounds).
If you find yourself with a bunch of yellow letters and no idea what to do with them, we can help. We can help a little, by giving you a unique clue for today’s Wordle, and we can help a lot, by offering a clickable link to the May 27 (1438) answer. And even if you’re doing fine, our tips can give your general game a fresh angle.
Today’s Wordle pretty much threw itself at me from the very first row, swiftly leaving me with nowhere to go but a win. Swift. Simple. All done until tomorrow. There are worse ways to start a Tuesday, that’s for sure. Don’t worry if your opening guess is all grey and the good bits of the alphabet seem to be hiding from you, today’s clue can help.
Today’s Wordle hint
(Image credit: Josh Wardle)
Wordle today: A hint for Tuesday, May 27
Physical activity is the name of the game today, specifically the general catch-all term for the more formalised and official sort. Sprinting, football—anything, really.
Is there a double letter in Wordle today?
No, there is not a double letter in today’s puzzle.
Wordle help: 3 tips for beating Wordle every day
A good starting word can be the difference between victory and defeat with the daily puzzle, but once you’ve got the basics, it’s much easier to nail down those Wordle wins. And as there’s nothing quite like a small victory to set you up for the rest of the day, here are a few tips to help set you on the right path:
A good opening guess should contain a mix of unique consonants and vowels.
Narrow down the pool of letters quickly with a tactical second guess.
Watch out for letters appearing more than once in the answer.
There’s no racing against the clock with Wordle so you don’t need to rush for the answer. Treating the game like a casual newspaper crossword can be a good tactic; that way, you can come back to it later if you’re coming up blank. Stepping away for a while might mean the difference between a win and a line of grey squares.
Today’s Wordle answer
(Image credit: Future)
What is today’s Wordle answer?
Another win, right here. The answer to the May 27 (1438) Wordle is SPORT.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Previous Wordle answers
The last 10 Wordle answers
Past Wordle answers can give you some excellent ideas for fun starting words that keep your daily puzzle-solving fresh. They are also a good way to eliminate guesses for today’s Wordle, as the answer is unlikely to be repeated.
Here are some recent Wordle answers:
May 26: DRONE
May 25: GRIFT
May 24: SUEDE
May 23: SHUCK
May 22: FOLIO
May 21: ALARM
May 20: BORNE
May 19: PITCH
May 18: LIVID
May 17: GROWN
Learn more about Wordle
(Image credit: Nurphoto via Getty)
Wordle gives you six rows of five boxes each day, and you’ll need to work out which secret five-letter word is hiding inside them to keep up your winning streak.
You should start with a strong word like ARISE, or any other word that contains a good mix of common consonants and multiple vowels. You’ll also want to avoid starting words with repeating letters, as you’re wasting the chance to potentially eliminate or confirm an extra letter. Once you hit Enter, you’ll see which ones you’ve got right or wrong. If a box turns ⬛️, it means that letter isn’t in the secret word at all. 🟨 means the letter is in the word, but not in that position. 🟩 means you’ve got the right letter in the right spot.
Your second guess should compliment the starting word, using another “good” word to cover any common letters you missed last time while also trying to avoid any letter you now know for a fact isn’t present in today’s answer. With a bit of luck, you should have some coloured squares to work with and set you on the right path.
After that, it’s just a case of using what you’ve learned to narrow your guesses down to the right word. You have six tries in total and can only use real words (so no filling the boxes with EEEEE to see if there’s an E). Don’t forget letters can repeat too (ex: BOOKS).
If you need any further advice feel free to check out our Wordle tips, and if you’d like to find out which words have already been used you can scroll to the relevant section above.
Originally, Wordle was dreamed up by software engineer Josh Wardle, as a surprise for his partner who loves word games. From there it spread to his family, and finally got released to the public. The word puzzle game has since inspired tons of games like Wordle, refocusing the daily gimmick around music or math or geography. It wasn’t long before Wordle became so popular it was sold to the New York Times for seven figures. Surely it’s only a matter of time before we all solely communicate in tricolor boxes.
