‘Yellowstone’ Star Cole Hauser Shares His Everyday Essentials

Cole Hauser has spent years playing Rip Wheeler on Yellowstone, which means the internet has collectively agreed that he’s the unofficial patron saint of
stoic side-eyes, leather gloves, and “I don’t need a speech, I need a plan” energy. But when you zoom out from the TV cowboy mythology and look at what he actually
keeps close in real life, the vibe is… surprisingly relatable: strong coffee, sun protection, comfortable shoes, music, and something to toss around with the kids.

Across a handful of U.S. interviews and shopping-style features, Hauser’s “everyday essentials” show a pattern: he’s not chasing hypehe’s building a routine that
works whether he’s on set, traveling, outdoors, or just being a dad. And yes, it’s still very on-brand: rugged, practical, and quietly sentimental. The kind of list
that doesn’t scream “influencer.” It just nods once and keeps walking.

The Big Picture: What Hauser’s Essentials Say About His Daily Life

The interesting part isn’t that he likes a dark roast or keeps a speaker in the car. It’s how consistently his picks solve the same everyday problems:

• Start fast: coffee gear that makes mornings non-negotiable.
• Stay outdoors: SPF and sun coverage for long days outside.
• Move without punishment: low-impact training and comfortable footwear.
• Soundtrack the chaos: audio gear for planes, workouts, and downtime.
• Keep it human: family-first gear that turns “free time” into “together time.”

Let’s break down the essentials he’s mentionedthen translate the “Cole Hauser method” into something you can actually use (even if your day involves fewer horses
and more group chats).

1) Coffee First: The Morning Ritual That Powers Everything Else

His go-to roast: Free Rein Coffee “American Dirt”

In multiple features, Hauser comes back to the same core truth: he loves coffee enough to build a brand around it. He co-founded Free Rein Coffee Company, and when
asked what he can’t live without, he’s pointed straight at his signature dark roast blend, “American Dirt.” He’s described it as his darkest roastbasically the
coffee equivalent of a campfire with a PhD.

The practical takeaway: a “daily essential” isn’t just a product; it’s a repeatable ritual. A specific blend + a consistent method = a morning you can trust.
That matters whether you’re heading into a 12-hour shift, a cross-country flight, or a day where your calendar looks like it got into a fight with a highlighter.

His at-home method: pour-over with a Chemex

In a shopping feature, Hauser called out the Chemex 6-cup coffeemaker as a staple for his pour-over coffee at home (and even “on the go,” which is ambitious, but
also kind of inspirational). Pour-over is slower than pushing a button, but that’s the point: it forces you to be present for two minutes instead of doom-scrolling
your way into the day.

If you want the “Hauser-style” pour-over without turning your kitchen into a lab, keep it simple:

1. Use fresh beans and grind right before brewing (this is where flavor lives).
2. Rinse the filter with hot water (less papery taste, warmer brewer).
3. Bloom the grounds for 30–45 seconds, then pour steadily in circles.
4. Keep your ratio steady (a reliable ratio beats “vibes” every time).

His travel-friendly move: a Stanley-made French press

Another feature highlights a Free Rein + Stanley “Stay Hot” French press for mornings when he’s moving around. That tracks: French press is the “no-fuss, still
serious” optionless precision than pour-over, but still full-bodied and strong. It’s the coffee version of wearing boots that are broken in, not broken down.

A note on purpose: coffee with a mission

Beyond caffeine, Free Rein’s public-facing mission emphasizes giving backsupporting communities that “serve,” including military families and other frontline
roles. In other words, the brand pitch isn’t “buy coffee, feel cool,” it’s “buy coffee, help someone.” Even if you never buy a bag, the mindset is worth stealing:
the best “everyday essentials” are the ones that connect your routine to your values.

2) Sun, Skin, and “I’m Outside a Lot”: The SPF Habit That Actually Sticks

Hauser has joked that he’s “not much of a skincare guy,” whichno judgmentsounds like half of America on a Tuesday. But he keeps circling back to one consistent
product type: a moisturizer with SPF. He’s mentioned Kiehl’s facial moisturizers with sun protection in different interviews, and the reason is dead simple:
he spends a lot of time outdoors.

Here’s what makes this an “essential” instead of an “aspiration”: it’s low friction. A moisturizer with SPF is a one-step habit. You’re not building a 12-step
skincare routine; you’re doing the one thing that pays rent every single day.

How to copy the habit (without copying the exact bottle)

• Pick SPF you’ll actually wear (texture matters more than your intentions).
• Think “broad coverage”face, ears, and neck are the usual “oops” zones.
• Use physical shade too (hello, cowboy hat section below).

3) The Hat Isn’t Just a Costume: A Real Cowboy Essential

In a Men’s Health gear roundup, Hauser called out a Resistol cowboy hat and tied it to identity and traditionless “dress-up,” more “this is who I am.” Whether or
not you’re a hat person, there’s a smart principle here: your essentials should match your environment. If you’re outside a lot, sun coverage is
not vanityit’s maintenance.

And yes, it’s also the easiest way to instantly look like you know how to fix a fence. Use this power responsibly.

4) Boots and Denim: The Uniform That Survives Real Life

Comfortable cowboy boots (the “real leather” argument)

In a favorite-things feature, Hauser praised a pair of Frye western boots for comfort and durabilityespecially compared to boots that look the part but don’t hold
up to long wear. He’s pointed out what anyone with feet already knows: comfort isn’t optional when you’re on your feet all day. If an “essential” hurts, it’s not
essentialit’s a betrayal.

The denim jacket: a long-term relationship, not a trend

He’s also singled out a classic denim trucker jacket (notably: he’s been wearing the style since his teens and keeps old ones for years). That’s the opposite of
fast fashion brain. The “Rip Wheeler” vibe works because it’s lived-in, not curated.

The takeaway: pick one or two wardrobe workhorses that get better with agethen stop overthinking it. A great jacket is a tiny piece of daily stability.

5) Audio That Travels: From AirPods to a Car Speaker

Noise-canceling earbuds for planes and focus

Hauser has talked about getting hooked on AirPods (and, in a very realistic twist, having them “disappear” into the gravitational field of parenting).
He’s highlighted noise cancellationespecially on planesand described listening habits that lean old-school: blues, country, reggae. That matters because it points
to what audio essentials really do: they make any place feel a little more like yours.

A portable Bluetooth speaker for the outdoors

In a Good Housekeeping feature, Hauser described keeping a Bose SoundLink Flex speaker in his car for hiking, working out, and long stretches outside. This is the
“dad logic” of essentials: if you can’t use it everywhere, it doesn’t earn a spot in the rotation.

If you’re building your own everyday audio setup, think in layers:

• Earbuds for travel, calls, and private focus.
• A small speaker for shared music, outdoor time, and “make chores less annoying” mode.

6) Movement Without the Grind: Low-Impact Fitness That Lasts

In his essentials interviews, Hauser has been blunt about not running much anymoreciting wear-and-tearand preferring low-impact options like cycling. That’s not
“giving up.” That’s playing the long game.

The Peloton idea: consistency beats perfection

He’s mentioned using a Peloton bike (and also liking real road biking). The point isn’t the brand; it’s the system: a reliable indoor option removes friction.
When you can’t get outsideor you’re travelingor your schedule is chaosyou still have a default plan.

When he’s not in boots: On Clouds

In the Men’s Health roundup, he also called out On Cloud shoes for everyday wear, workouts, and hikes. Again: comfort, repetition, minimal fuss.

Want the practical “Hauser template” for movement?

• Pick low-impact cardio you’ll repeat (bike, walk, swim, incline treadmill).
• Build a default schedule you can maintain even when life gets messy.
• Protect your joints the way you protect your phone screen: proactively.

7) Dad Essentials: The Football That Turns Time Into Memories

Across features, Hauser keeps coming back to a simple “essential”: throwing a football with his kids. He’s mentioned Wilson footballs and described the joy of
getting outside as a familybecause “everyday essentials” aren’t only objects. Sometimes they’re tiny rituals that keep you connected to the people you care about.

This is the sneaky genius of the list: it’s not all grooming and gear. It’s also play. The kind of essential that doesn’t optimize productivityit optimizes life.

8) The Small Stuff That Makes the Day Easier

One of the more unexpectedly endearing details from Hauser’s favorite-things list: he keeps lip balm (Aquaphor) close and casually mentions carrying toothpicks,
too. That’s peak “everyday carry” energyunsexy, practical, and honestly the best kind of essential.

If you want to build a minimalist, real-life essentials list, start here:

• Lip balm (wind, sun, dry air, airplanespick your villain).
• Water (the original performance enhancer).
• One small comfort item (music, coffee, a hat, a good penwhatever makes you feel settled).

Putting It Together: A “Cole Hauser Essentials” Checklist You Can Actually Use

If you strip away the celebrity context, Hauser’s everyday essentials boil down to a tight, repeatable system:

1. One serious morning ritual (coffee you love, made the same way most days).
2. One protection habit (SPF + shade, because you plan to be here a while).
3. One movement default (low-impact cardio you can do even when busy).
4. One comfort layer (music, earbuds, or a speaker that travels).
5. One relationship ritual (play, time outside, something you do with your people).

That’s it. No complicated “must-haves,” no forced aesthetic. Just gear that supports the day you actually live.

Field Notes: I Tried the “Everyday Essentials” Mindset for a Week (500+ Words)

I didn’t try to cosplay Rip Wheeler. That would require a horse, a ranch, and the kind of smoldering stare that makes strangers confess their sins at the grocery
store. Instead, I tested the logic behind Cole Hauser’s essentials: build a small set of daily anchors that make everything else easier.

Day one started with coffee on purpose. I went pour-over, partly because it’s delicious and partly because it forces you to slow down long enough to remember your
own name. Rinse the filter, bloom the grounds, steady spiral poursuddenly you’re doing a tiny morning ceremony instead of speed-running your life. It’s amazing
how a two-minute ritual can make the rest of the day feel less like you’re being chased by your inbox.

By midweek, I understood why Hauser is loyal to a specific method. Consistency is calming. When your schedule is chaos, you don’t want your basics to be chaos,
too. Coffee became a “start line,” not a random event. And yes, I felt slightly more capable afterwardlike I could fix something with a wrench even though I
absolutely cannot.

Then came the outdoors-and-SPF part. I’m not proud of how often I’ve treated sunscreen like a “beach day only” product. So I copied the low-friction habit:
moisturizer with SPF in the morning, no debate. The funny thing is, once you make it automatic, it stops feeling like self-improvement and starts feeling like
basic respect for your future self. Add a hat when you’re outside longer, and suddenly you’re doing the grown-up version of putting a lid on leftovers: easy,
sensible, and quietly triumphant.

For movement, I leaned into low-impact cardiocycling and incline walkingbecause the “don’t punish your joints” theme is undefeated. The goal wasn’t to win a
workout. The goal was to make movement so repeatable that it didn’t require motivation. And that’s the secret sauce: when exercise is too intense, it becomes a
rare event. When it’s sustainable, it becomes part of your identity. You don’t have to go full Peloton devotee; you just need a default plan you can do on your
worst day.

The audio layer was the most instantly rewarding. Earbuds for focus, and a small speaker for everything elsecooking, cleaning, quick porch time, stretching, that
weird half-hour where your brain wants a nap but your to-do list wants a hostage negotiation. Music made the day feel less transactional. It turned “tasks” into
“scenes.” Also, it made me understand why someone would keep a speaker in the car: you’re not just transporting yourself, you’re setting the tone.

Finally, the family-and-play part: I don’t have a backyard football dynasty, but I did steal the principle. I made time for something physical and silly with
people I likewalks, tossing something around, being outside without an agenda. It sounds small, but it changes the emotional texture of the week. Work becomes a
chapter, not the whole book.

After seven days, the lesson was clear: “everyday essentials” aren’t about owning specific stuff. They’re about removing friction from the life you want.
Hauser’s list works because it’s built for realityearly mornings, travel, outdoors, tired joints, and family time that deserves to be protected. It’s not a vibe.
It’s a system. And it’s one you can borrow without needing a ranch… or a tragic backstory.

Conclusion

Cole Hauser’s everyday essentials are refreshingly unglamorousin the best way. Coffee that starts the day right. SPF that keeps outdoor life sustainable. Boots,
denim, and shoes chosen for comfort, not clout. Audio gear that travels. And a football that turns “free time” into connection. If you want to build your own
essentials list, don’t chase a celebrity shopping cartchase the principles: consistency, protection, comfort, and people. The rest is just packaging.