Keepers Updated October 19, 2026

In a pocket
for decades.

A pocketknife, a lighter, a pen, a belt: the small things people carry every day and still have in twenty years. Every one is scored on the warranty the maker honors, the build and whether it can be fixed.

5 gifts made it from 10 we scored Next update October 26 80 or more out of 100 is a Keeper, and 75 to 79 is Almost. How it's scoredOne formula scores every gift: warranty 30, build 30, repair 20, track record 20 (how long the maker has made it well). Tap Why on a card for its points. No maker pays for a spot or a score. If you buy through an Amazon link, Amazon pays Keepers a small commission, and that never moves a score.
Classic Brushed Chrome Windproof Lighter Things · Keeper 89Keeper

Classic Brushed Chrome Windproof Lighter

ZippoWe scored it 89 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record The catch The finish isn't covered. Find it on AmazonWhy 89
Warranty26/30

Lifetime guarantee: it works or they fix it free. The finish isn't covered.

Build26/30

An all-metal case with a simple hinge. The wick and flint are cheap to replace.

Track record18/20

Making windproof lighters since 1932.

Repairable19/20

Zippo repairs broken lighters for free.

Full page for Classic Brushed Chrome Windproof LighterSourceFind it on Amazon
Huntsman Things · Keeper 86Keeper

Huntsman

VictorinoxWe scored it 86 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record Where you buy it Authorized sellers only: check the seller on Amazon. Find it on AmazonWhy 86
Warranty26/30

Lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship, and they may ask for proof of purchase.

Build26/30

Stainless tools on a design that's barely changed in decades.

Track record20/20

Making Swiss Army knives since 1884.

Repairable14/20

Parts and service are available, though wear isn't covered.

Full page for HuntsmanSourceFind it on Amazon
110 Folding Hunter Things · Keeper 85Keeper

110 Folding Hunter

Buck KnivesWe scored it 85 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record The catch Normal wear, rust and loss aren't covered. Find it on AmazonWhy 85
Warranty25/30

Lifetime warranty on defects in material and workmanship. Normal wear, rust and loss aren't covered.

Build24/30

Ebony handle and brass bolsters on a lockback that's barely changed in decades.

Track record20/20

Making knives since 1902.

Repairable16/20

Sharpening and tune-ups cost $6.95, and a new blade runs $10 to $15.

Full page for 110 Folding HunterSourceFind it on Amazon
Multi-tool Things · Keeper 83Keeper

Multi-tool

LeathermanWe scored it 83 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record If it's a gift Leatherman covers only the original owner. Find it on AmazonWhy 83
Warranty25/30

25-year limited warranty on defects. Rust and corrosion aren't covered.

Build26/30

Full metal body.

Track record18/20

Invented the modern multi-tool in Oregon in 1983.

Repairable14/20

Warranty repairs through the company.

Full page for Multi-toolSourceFind it on Amazon
535 Bugout Things · Keeper 80Keeper

535 Bugout

BenchmadeWe scored it 80 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record The catch A modified or misused knife isn't covered. Find it on AmazonWhy 80
Warranty25/30

Limited lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship, as long as the knife hasn't been modified or misused.

Build22/30

S30V steel in a light plastic handle, with lock springs that can eventually wear.

Track record15/20

Started as Bali-Song in 1979 and has been Benchmade since 1987.

Repairable18/20

LifeSharp sharpening and tune-ups are free, plus a $20 shipping kit.

Full page for 535 BugoutSourceFind it on Amazon

Worth your time, not Keepers

Scored 75 or more: good, just short of a Keeper. We score them again next month, and some will move up.

Solo Umbrella Things · Almost 79Almost

Solo Umbrella

DavekWe scored it 79 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record If it's a gift Register it to keep the guarantee. Find it on AmazonWhy 79
Warranty26/30

If it stops working at any time, for any reason, they repair or replace it and you pay shipping. Register it if you bought it elsewhere.

Build24/30

Nine rib frame of steel, fiberglass and aluminum under a tight microweave canopy, 43 inch arc, 18 ounces.

Track record12/20

Davek started making umbrellas in 2005 and the Solo is its longest running model.

Repairable17/20

Repair or replacement is their call, and the serial number also gets you up to half off if you lose it.

Full page for Solo UmbrellaSourceFind it on Amazon
Chrome Bullet Space Pen Things · Almost 78Almost

Chrome Bullet Space Pen

Fisher Space PenWe scored it 78 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record The catch You pay postage to send it to Boulder City, NV. Find it on AmazonWhy 78
Warranty24/30

Fisher covers manufacturing defects for the life of the pen and repairs or replaces it free, though you pay postage to mail it to Boulder City, NV.

Build22/30

The body is chrome-plated brass and it takes Fisher's pressurized PR4 cartridge, made in the USA.

Track record19/20

Paul C. Fisher designed the Bullet in 1948, and it is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Repairable13/20

Covered repairs are free but take at least three weeks, and ink refills, o-rings and normal wear are not covered.

Full page for Chrome Bullet Space PenSourceFind it on Amazon
Leather Tow Belt, 1.5" Things · Almost 75Almost

Leather Tow Belt, 1.5″

Saddleback LeatherWe scored it 75 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record How long it's covered 100 years of free defect repair. Find it on AmazonWhy 75
Warranty23/30

Saddleback fixes craftsmanship or material defects free for 100 years, but normal wear, accidents and misuse are not covered.

Build25/30

The belt is three layers of full grain leather 5.5 to 6 mm thick, with 316 stainless steel hardware and marine-grade polyester thread, and it is made in Leon, Mexico.

Track record12/20

The founder started making bags in Mexico around 2003 and moved the business to Texas in 2006.

Repairable15/20

Repairs are done by the original craftsmen and can take up to two months, and Saddleback lends you a bag while a bag is being fixed.

Full page for Leather Tow Belt, 1.5"SourceFind it on Amazon

Not yet

Scored under 75. Each one's page says what holds it back.ShowHide all 2
Aviator Sunglasses Things · Not yet 74Not yet

Aviator Sunglasses

Randolph EngineeringWe scored it 74 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record How long it's covered Three years of cover on the coatings. Why 74
Warranty12/30

Three years on coatings and a lifetime on the solder joints. Scratched or cracked lenses and accidents are not covered.

Build24/30

Metal frame with glass lenses, assembled by hand in Massachusetts.

Track record18/20

Founded in 1973 and has made this frame ever since, originally for military pilots.

Repairable20/20

They run their own repair bench for as long as you own them. You ship in, they ship back.

Full page for Aviator SunglassesSource
Classic Century Lustrous Chrome Ballpoint Pen Things · Not yet 63Not yet

Classic Century Lustrous Chrome Ballpoint Pen

CrossWe scored it 63 of 100 on warranty, build, repair and track record If it's a gift Claims need proof of the original purchase. Why 63
Warranty18/30

Cross guarantees the mechanism against mechanical failure regardless of age, but you need proof of original purchase and the warranty excludes loose caps and non-Cross refills.

Build14/30

It is a slim pen with a lustrous chrome finish and a swivel propel and repel mechanism, and the product page doesn't say where it is made.

Track record19/20

A.T. Cross has been around since 1846 and says the Classic Century design has been in its line for over seventy years.

Repairable12/20

Warranty repairs cost a $20 processing fee plus shipping, and replacement #8513 refills come in several colors and widths.

Full page for Classic Century Lustrous Chrome Ballpoint PenSource

Hear about the next Keeper.

One short email when something new makes the list: an album to play, a game to buy, a film to watch, a book to read, tech worth buying, a thing that lasts. Nothing else.

Only new Keepers. Every email has a one-tap unsubscribe. Rather not give an email? Follow the feed.

How the score works

Things

  • Warranty, 30. What the company will actually fix or replace, read from their own policy.
  • Build, 30. Materials and construction, and whether there's anything to wear out.
  • Track record, 20. How long the maker has been making this well.
  • Repairable, 20. Whether you can get it fixed instead of replacing it.

A Keeper is our bet on what lasts. Some releases show it right away: the reviews, the players and the people behind them all point the same way, the way they did for Elden Ring. For albums, games, films, shows and books, 85 or above is a Keeper and 75 to 84 is worth your time. Things and tech need 80. We score everything again as time goes by, and a Keeper that fades loses the label. Nobody pays to be here or pays for a score. Every score links to where its numbers came from. Each one has a link to find it on Amazon, and as an Amazon Associate, Keepers earns from qualifying purchases.

Also made by the same person