Clean Bottle Races in With The Runner

A few years ago Clean Bottle hit the scene with a sports water bottle that unscrewed on both the top and bottom to make it easier to clean. Since then we’ve seen the bottle in water bottle cages on bikes, but not quite as often seen in runner’s hands.

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Wii Will Cycle

Video games have opened possibilities beyond mere “gaming.” While no one is actually going to be a rock star playing the various musical themed games, the wave of Rock Band and Guitar Hero have reportedly inspired some young musicians while more recent releases have actually utilized more realistic instruments. On the fitness side of things games have tried to encourage exercise, with motion control opening up new possibilities.

But just as real music isn’t actually being created with video game controllers, real exercise isn’t happening either. And the interesting part is that it should be so hard. Dr. Werner Schoeman is one researcher who thinks that video game systems could be used as exercise machines.

“There remains a significant market segment untapped in the cycling game genre,” Dr. Schoeman tells KineticShift.com, “specifically it has been a practical hardware interface that has proven difficult. Most cycle simulator games require you to buy the whole cycle, such as the typical cycle simulator games found in up market gyms.” Continue reading Wii Will Cycle

Nike Readies for Summer of Competition with New Gear

Now that the winter that never really happened starts to get closer to spring, Nike is announcing several new styles and updates on shoes, uniforms and other products. The spring is about to get into gear. Continue reading Nike Readies for Summer of Competition with New Gear

Hok – A Hybrid of Ski and Snowshoe

This season it seems that hybrid skis/snowboards are all the rage. We’ve seen some folding skis designed for snowboarders, as well as skis that work over snowless patches. But now Altai Skis is truly going back to the roots of skiing with the Hok.

Whilst skis may easily evoke the Nordic regions, skiing actually first developed in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia as well for herdsmen to cross the rugged land. When skis headed west they developed into specialized designs for cross country, downhill and even ski jumping. But the Hok model from Altai Skis goes back to the original design, which is wider shorter ski that offers the advantages of snowshoes. The wood ski features steel edges and a climbing skin in the base, allowing wearers to go places that most skis couldn’t take them.

The Hok is available with either three-pin binding for ski boots, or a universal binding for basic winter boots. Either way it is recommended that Hok’ers use the single pole to control direction just as it was in the Central Asiatic highlands. Videos and size comparison after the jump

Camelbak Makes Water All Clear

UV light is a common method for purifying water, but there aren’t too many portable options. One is the SteriPen, a device you dip into a glass of water. But Camelbak has a new option, the All Clear bottle. All Clear is a 0.75 liter water bottle with a UV light built into the cap. Once filled, the light operates for 60-seconds to sterilize the water.

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That Old ‘Apple-a-Day’ Adage Still Rings True

Fiber rich foods are heart healthy. There’s no debating that. However, the jury is still out on fiber-enriched foods, according to an NPR article. Fiber additives might not have the same health benefits as foods with fiber.

Food scientists believe added fiber sources such as sugarcane fiber, oat fiber and a resistant corn starch – which aren’t normally ingredients in foods such as breads – add fiber, but not always the benefits you’re looking for. The fact is that it’s not yet known whether the fiber in an apple, or other fruits, is what makes the food so healthy, or if it’s a combination of other ingredients in the fruit.

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Vaude Puts Jeans on the Bike

We know it’s just not always practical to don a spandex outfit to get on the bike. If you’re headed to the store, office or café you might want a more casual look. German company Vaude has come out with a pair of rain-repellent bike pants that look like jeans.

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Tern Bicycles Goes to SXSW

The annual SXSW (South by South West) trade show is a week and half event that encompasses interactive, film and music. And this year the Austin, Texas-based event, which has made strides to be environmentally conscious, is offering its first-ever bike share program.

This week urban transport specialist Tern Bicycles announced it would serve as the event’s exclusive cycling industry partner. Dubbed “SXcycles,” the bike share program will be available Friday, March 9, through Tuesday, March 13, from 9:00am until 2:00am. SXSW-Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology. Continue reading Tern Bicycles Goes to SXSW

G-Form Puts Its Money, iPhone Behind a Slapshot

These days it’s essential to have a case for your smartphone. If you’re active, you need to be sure your case is up to the task. The folks at G-Form went as far as using an iPhone for a hockey puck to prove the new G-Form X Protect Case is suitable for those of us whose phones feel the brunt of our workouts.

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Drink Up: Simple Hydration Bottle

There’s a slew of new water bottles hitting the market. Features and design make each bottle stand out. But which bottle wins? It’s personal preference. The Simple Hydration Water Bottle solves a problem experienced by many runners: how to hold the bottle while running. The solution is a 13-ounce BPA-free bottle that’s got an interesting shape.

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Bluetooth SIG Forms Sports and Fitness Working Group

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group formed the Sports and Fitness Working Group with the goal of participating companies to “work together to enhance interoperability between Bluetooth enabled sports and fitness sensor products and training computers (Bluetooth Smart devices) and hub devices such as smartphones, PCs, TVs (Bluetooth Smart Ready devices), gym equipment, watches and more to allow a new generation of functionality.”

The working group will work to advance the use and abilities of Bluetooth in sports and fitness devices. In particular, the group will work with the new generation, Bluetooth v4.0, a low energy technology that gives devices connectivity without using too much battery life.

Mosoro, one of the working group’s first members, is working on a Bluetooth Smart sensor that connects to a golf club to record and send data on a player’s golf swing, which is sent to a smartphone for real-time feedback. Devices that serve as an example for the group are the Motorola MOTOACTV fitness watch and Nike+ FielBand, a wristband that uses Bluetooth to sync with a user’s smartphone to track and analyze physical activity.

Bluetooth SIG is accepting new members to the Sports and Fitness Working Group. Registration for the Sports and Fitness Working Group and Sports and Fitness Bluetooth Ecosystem Team (BET) is open to Bluetooth SIG Associate and Promoter members.

Bluetooth SIG Official Website

Hydrate with the Relaj Water Bottle

The water bottle is quickly becoming a statement of style and personal choice. Though we still like to see function trump fashion in this case with some technical elements, those elements are usually what determines those preferences. The Relaj water bottle brings its own look and technical details to the shelf.

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SIA: Magnets Make Goggle Lenses easily Swappable

Ski goggles aren’t what they used to be, they’re better. Several models have interchangeable lenses so you can swap them to suit the conditions on the slopes, but those interchangeable can be difficult to handle. Burton introduced a new pair of Anon ski goggles, which will be available in fall 2012, that use magnets to secure lenses and allow for an easy swap.

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