Ezekiel Torres

If it’s fragrance-free and lists glycerin hyaluronic acid, squalane, and ceramides near the top, it’s usually a win for winter dry patches; skip if you see denatured alcohol, menthol, eucalyptus, or lots of essential oils. For a non-greasy feel, choose a gel-cream and press it onto damp skin, then spot-seal the flakiest areas with a rice-grain of petrolatum or a drop of squalane. If flakes persist, a low-strength urea cream around 5% a few nights a week can smooth without the friction of buffing.

Go for structure and materials over slogans. A tough yet slim case usually pairs a flexible shock absorber around the edges with a harder back so the frame takes the hit and spreads it out. Corners matter most since most drops land there, so look for reinforced corners or air pockets you can actually see in the photos, not just a vague claim. If a listing gives a specific drop height and number of drops rather than only saying military grade, that is a better sign. Real protection. For fit and buttons, avoid anything that says it fits multiple models. You want your exact model only. Look closely at photos of the camera ring and the USB and speaker openings to make sure the tolerances look tight and centered. Button covers should be separate pieces molded into the case so they click cleanly without needing a hard press. A raised lip that sits slightly above both the screen and the camera glass is key, but it should taper at the edges so gestures are not blocked. If you want slim, target something that lists a thin profile while still showing corner reinforcement. The tradeoff is unavoidable, but you do not need a brick for everyday drops from pocket or desk height. For grip, check for textured sides or ridges so the case does not feel slippery, especially if your hands get dry or sweaty. For color, black is easy and usually hides scuffs. If you want clear, look for language about UV resistance and anti yellowing along with a microdot pattern on the back so it does not rainbow against the phone. Clear parts made only of brittle acrylic tend to crack on impact, so a flexible bumper around the edges helps. If you can, weigh the case in the listing and compare to others in the same category to make sure you are not getting something overly bulky. Before buying, scan reviews for real drop stories and filter for your exact model. Photos that show the corners and lips in detail are more useful than glam shots. Once it arrives, check clickiness of the buttons, confirm wireless charging still works if you use it, and place it face down and camera down on a flat surface to verify the lips keep both off the table. If any of those fail, return it and try the next one rather than settling, since a poor fit is what leads to those two foot cracks.

Hi Haris, I was in the same boat with a tiny walk-up and bumpy sidewalks. We had two strollers lose their front wheels to wobble. What finally worked was keeping our lighter stroller and tuning it. I tightened every fastener and used a dab of thread locker I already had and cleaned the wheel bushings, and slipped thin rubber shims cut from an old bike tube into the front fork to remove play. I also started locking the front swivels on rough stretches and always took curbs rear wheels first. After that it handled daily city walks without drama. For stairs and transit I made it easier to live with. I practiced the fold until it was truly one hand, ditched extra accessories to drop weight, and clipped an old camera strap to the frame so I could sling it up the stairs. For shade I pinned a muslin cloth to the canopy for an extension, and I turned a fabric bottle sleeve from an old backpack into a cup holder with leftover Velcro. Lightweight strollers can be durable if you keep the load off the handles, check bolts weekly, keep grit out of the casters, and lock the swivels when the pavement gets rough. I still use that setup for park runs and trains and I have not lost a wheel since.

Grab a multimeter and check the pack's output: on an 18/20V pack anything near zero means the BMS has opened and the charger will blink, and under roughly 12V suggests it's too deeply discharged for a normal start. If it's at room temp, reseat it and leave it blinking on the dock for 20-30 minutes-many chargers do a low-current precharge and will switch to solid if the cells recover. If it never changes or the voltage stays near zero, skip jump-start hacks; the pack is likely done and the charger is probably fine.