Brian O'Connor | Evolving Consumer

Hands On: CamelBak Podium Bottles

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

Time for another dash to the finish line, and this one might just be the water bottle to help you on the long ride to the podium and beyond. And we hear it’s good for the casual group ride too.

CamelBak Podium Description: Step up to the Podium. The New CamelBak Podium Bottle incorporates Jet Valve, a revolutionary self-sealing valve into a taste-free bottle with a high flow rate.

CamelBak is the official hydration sponsor of Team Garmin-Transitions, and proud to support the team’s 100% Clean initiative for untainted sports performance.

Bottle Sizes: 21oz and 24oz
Plastic: Polypropylene
Country of Manufacture: China
Retail Price: $8 (21oz) and $9 (24oz)

Continue reading Hands On: CamelBak Podium Bottles

Hands On: CamelBak Chill and Ice Insulated Bottles

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

The company that invented the backpack with a water bladder built-in has some new offerings in the water bottle category too.

CamelBak Chill Description: The CamelBak Podium Chill Bottle is a soft, lightweight, easy-to-use insulated bottle. Keeps beverages cool for hours. Perfect for cyclists, runners, and other outdoor athletes. With great thermal performance and innovative features, the Podium Chill Bottle sets a new standard for insulated bottles.

CamelBak is the official hydration sponsor of Team Garmin-Transitions, and proud to support the team’s 100% Clean initiative for untainted sports performance.

CamelBak Ice Description: The ultimate insulated bike bottle, the CamelBak Podium Ice bottle keeps water cold four times longer, to maximize your performance and keep you focused on your ride.

Bottle Sizes: 21oz
Plastic: Polypropylene
Country of Manufacture: China
Retail Price: $12 (Chill) and $20 (Ice) Continue reading Hands On: CamelBak Chill and Ice Insulated Bottles

Hands On: Clean Bottle

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

It is time to come clean about a sad fact about water bottles. Some bottles just never get clean when used with energy drinks, and even water can transform bottles into something that you’d never want to drink out of – but the Clean Bottle might just have the solution.

Clean Bottle Description: Flat tires. Getting dropped. Bad drivers. Stinky, moldy water bottles.

We can’t help you with the first three, but we can  do something about the fourth.

Introducing Clean Bottle, with a patent-pending, leak-proof , screw-off bottom. Gone are the days of trying in vain to wash out that funk at the bottom of your bottles. With Clean Bottle, cleaning and drying are easy.

Clean Bottle is made with 100% non-toxic, BPA-free plastics, making it safe to use over and over. Clean bottle is also top-rack dishwasher safe, so you can run it in the dishwasher without fear of it breaking down.

Bottle Sizes: 22oz
Plastic: Polyethylene (body) and Polypropylene (caps)
Country of Manufacture: China
Retail Price: $9.95 (22oz) Continue reading Hands On: Clean Bottle

Hands On: Polar Insulated Bottle

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

The Polar express is up and running. Polar Bottle returns with its latest insulated water bottle that is thinner, making it easier to squeeze, yet still keeps water comfortably chilled.

Polar Insulated Bottle Description: Polar Bottle is the original insulated plastic sport bottle. It keeps liquids colder longer than other water bottles. We innovated the industry back in 1994 by creating a bottle that would actually keep water cool during any outdoor activity. The bottle has evolved in the years since with brightly colored foil liners and patterns and an innovative removable valve system. Made in America, Polar Bottle is popular throughout the world.

Bottle Sizes: 20oz and 24oz
Plastic: Low Density Polyethylene
Country of Manufacture: USA
Retail Price: $10.99 (20oz) & $11.99 (24oz) Continue reading Hands On: Polar Insulated Bottle

Hands On: Hydrapak Gel-Bot

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

Hydrapak is the bottle to pack if you’re looking to carry water and an energy gel. It can help you keep fueled up and hydrated at the same time.

Hydrapak Gel-Bot Product Description: No more sticky fingers. No more wrestling with foil packets. Gel-Bot delivers two performance essentials in one easy-access bottle. Load the chamber with energy gel, fill the bottle with water. Gel-Bots patent-pending technology lets you fuel or hydrate without slowing down. The Gel-Bot delivers two performance essentials, fuel and hydration, in one easy to use sport bottle.

To USE:
Load the inner chamber with energy gel.
Fill the bottle with water/fluid.
When the nozzle is pulled open, you get water and water only.
With the nozzle pushed down, squeeze to get the gel out of the center valve.
This patent-pending design lets you fuel or hydrate with just one hand. Perfect for racing or total gel addicts.

Bottle Sizes: 20oz and 24oz
Plastic: Polypropylene
Country of Manufacture: Taiwan
Retail Price: $13.99 (20oz) & $14.99 (24oz) Continue reading Hands On: Hydrapak Gel-Bot

Thanksgiving is Not Just for Feasting with the Family

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, followed by the holiday season and finishing off with New Year’s and the proverbial resolution to shed the pounds that you might have put on during the past few months or years. Why not start the season off right and begin Thanksgiving Day with more than just the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and finishing in a ‘turkey coma’? You might be surprised by the number of activities that occur on the Thanksgiving morning. Here is a list of some activities around the country:

28^th Fifth Third Turkey Trot (Detroit, MI): This foot race has an event for most fitness levels – 1 mile run, 5K run, 10K run and 5K walk. What makes this Detroit event fun for the entire family is the costume contest with prizes for Best Centipede, Best Running Floats, Best Dogs and more! This event starts at 7am and ends with the Thanksgiving Day parade. Continue reading Thanksgiving is Not Just for Feasting with the Family

Hands On: BioGreen PROx from California Bike Gear

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

California Bike Gear puts an interesting spin on water bottles with the PROx, which are made from 20 percent post industrial recycled plastic. But more importantly these bottles will be gone in two years. Not because the company won’t continue to sell them, but because these can biodegrade in about that time. Talk about planned obsolescence.

California Bike Gear’s Product Description: These enhanced plastic bottles biodegrade in landfills and are the most environmentally responsible product you can buy. They offer the following benefits: Biodegradable – BioGreen Bottles with EcoPure additive are unique in that they biodegrade in an active microbial environment which are present in landfills. EcoPure is a non-toxic additive that actually helps the environment. The final product left behind with EcoPure is humus and methane. Humus regenerates the soil.

Recyclable – The BioGreen Bottles are also fully recyclable in the normal recycle stream.

Reusable – These bottles have the same long useful life as normal LDPE plastic bottles Light, heat or humidity do not activate the degradation process unlike corn/starch based plastics.

Made with Recycled Materials – BioGreen Bottles are made with at least 20% post industrial recycled plastic.

Isn’t “Recyclable” Enough? Recycling is always the best option and BioGreen Bottles are 100% recyclable. The sad truth is over 90% of recyclable bottles wind up in landfills and will remain there for 1000 years. BioGreen Bottles will completely Biodegrade in about two years. Now, that’s Enough! Continue reading Hands On: BioGreen PROx from California Bike Gear

Hands On: Water Bottle Round-up – Specialized Purist with the Watergate Valve

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

Specialized’s Product Description: In creating the next generation of water bottles the team set out to solve the puzzle of how to combine the two most desired elements in the ideal bottle – the ﬂexibility and safety of a sports bottle with the purity of taste from a drinking glass.

Introducing Purist – With inspiration from nature we have created the ﬁrst water bottle that offers a taste as pure as drinking from a glass, with all the advantages of a ﬂexible bottle. With a simple rinse, mold and residue are removed ensuring that water drunk from the bottle does not taste like plastic or impurities, but clean and fresh. All you taste is the water. Even in extreme conditions where tomato sauce is left in the bottle overnight, Purist shields the bottle from the taste, smell and staining. Nothing sticks, so your bottle stays cleaner and your water tastes pure.

Nothing tastes better.

Bottle Sizes: 22oz and 26oz
Plastic: Low Density Polyethylene
Country of Manufacture: USA
Retail Price: TBD Continue reading Hands On: Water Bottle Round-up – Specialized Purist with the Watergate Valve

Hands on: Water Bottle Round-up – Elite Corsa

KineticShift.com continues our hands on test of water bottles.

Serious athletes are often considered the elite. But does the Elite Corsa water bottle, which is used by professional cycling teams including LiquiGas and HTC during major races including the Tour de France, have what it takes to stand up to the true elite? And does it have what it takes for those who tend to use the bottles over a season instead of tossing them to the road after a single use? Here is what we found.

Elite’s Product Description: Soft squeezable construction; New triple- function cap with soft push-pull nozzle is easy on the mouth and delivers fluid fast; Easy to grip bottle with ergonomic shape; wide mouth opening for easy filling and cleaning; dishwasher safe and BPA- free; 550ml liquid capacity

Bottle Sizes: 550ml (approximately 22oz). The Super Corsa is available in 750ml
Plastic: Polyethylene
Country of Manufacture: Croatia
Retail Price: $7.00 (est.) Continue reading Hands on: Water Bottle Round-up – Elite Corsa

Hands On: Water Bottle Round-up – Nalgene ATB Bottle with Black Closure

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. That is unless you have a water bottle like the Nalgene with you.

As part of our round-up of water bottles, we’re starting with this the Nalgene All-Terrain Bottle. It says all-terrain but how does it really stand up?

Nalgene’s Product Description: You can rely on the NALGENE All-Terrain Bottle wherever you go. It’s great for carbohydrate/energy beverages, easy to use, and simple to clean. Your ATB fits standard bicycle cages

Except the 32oz. That does not fit in any cages, waist packs or backpack pockets. The hinged Co-polyester mud-cap keeps the drinking spout clean, and the slim profile and textured grip give you firm handling in virtually all conditions. The wide neck opening easily accommodates ice cubes for chilled drinks, and the neck configuration works with most major water purifiers and filters.

Bottle Sizes: 22oz and 32oz
Plastic: Low Density Polyethylene
Country of Manufacture: USA
Retail Price: $7.58 (22oz) & $6.83 (32oz) Continue reading Hands On: Water Bottle Round-up – Nalgene ATB Bottle with Black Closure

Hands On: Water Bottle Round-up, Let it Flow

Working out requires that you remain hydrated. For those on bikes that means bringing liquid refreshment in water bottles, Camel Backs and other similar containers. The water bottle concept isn’t really all the unique either. Since ancient times travelers in hunter/gather societies carrying a variety of packs to bring water while on the go.

The earliest “water bottles” were made from animal skins and organs, as well as from clay pots. Each presented its own distinct problems. Over time liquids were carried in glass and metal containers, but in the post-World War II era, plastic became the miracle material for transporting liquids. Some could probably argue the tin can, but for long rides plastic bottles remains the de facto container. While the familiar shape means many bottles look alike, advances and innovations have come a long way. This week we begin a round-up of the state of water bottles.

This water bottle round up has been in the works since Interbike 2010 at the end of September. It was delayed by either the manufacturers delivering product to KineticShift or defective product that needed to be replaced. We ended up with almost 15 bottles to evaluate and it did not seem fair to do a side-by-side comparison since the features and functions differed. This is a roundup of the bottles at Interbike that are currently on the market now and any comparisons that are made will be to either a previous model of the same bottle or the classic Specialized cycling water bottle – considered by most to be the standard.

All of the bottles had to pass a few basic standards:

Hold cold liquid without leaking when the valve was closed and the bottle was squeezed with the same pressure that is required when in use
Hold cold liquid without leaking when the valve was closed and the bottle is turned upside down
BPA free

After the basic tests, each bottle was rinsed and water was filled and tasted to see is there was any lingering plastic taste or smell. After that, each bottle was tested to evaluate the main individual manufacturer’s claim of that bottle. Those claims ranged from ‘won’t retain taste and orders’ to ‘simply rinse to clean’. Accelerade Sports Drink was used in any bottle that claimed to retain no taste or smell from an energy drink.

Please check back over the next few days as we offer the results of our hands on bottle test.

You Call That a Knife, Yes That is a Knife

The Swiss Army Knife manufacturer, Wenger, is producing a knife with so many functions that is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. This knife has a staggering 141 functions utilizing 87 implements including a bicycle chain tool, adjustable pliers, screwdrivers, compass and of course, a knife. This knife is amply named ‘Giant Knife’. The Giant Knife is 8.75″ long and weighs over two pounds – that weight is the equivalent of carrying a quart of water in our pocket! Not only will you need a deep pocket to carry this knife, you will need a deep pocket to afford this knife. The Giant Knife, item number 16999, retails for $1400 and is available in only the trademark Swiss Army Knife color – red. Continue reading You Call That a Knife, Yes That is a Knife

Fitness Journal: Can’t Buy It? Build It!

About a year ago my friend, Sean, and I were at Tam Bikes in Mill Valley, California when I noticed a bike which caught my eye – a belt drive mountain bike by Spot Brand. I immediately feel in love with the belt drive concept due to the simplicity, but I was not in the market for a single speed mountain bike as I already owned a few. But if you can’t buy one, the next best thing was to build it, which is exactly what I did. Here is the story of building up a bike. Continue reading Fitness Journal: Can’t Buy It? Build It!