KineticShift | Evolving Consumer

Camping Spoon

We find some interesting things from Nemo Equipment and the latest is the relaxed fit Spoon Shape Nocturne 30 Down Sleeping Bag. As the company asks, “who sleeps like a mummy? If that’s not you and you like to curl up while camping this sleeping back might just be for you. The Spoon Shape allows those inside to bend the knees and shift throughout the night.

It features 15 ounces of 700-fill DownTek water-repellant down that provides a 30-degree rating, while the outer shell is made from 15D rip-stop nylon that has been treated with DWR to repel condensation. The result is a bag that will give you room to move while keeping warm and dry.

Nemo Equipment Nocturne 30 Down Sleeping Bag Official Website

Tern’s Flying Suit

A folding bike is a great way to save space and take it on the go. Now Tern has introduced something that can allow a folding bike to truly go places. The Tern FlightSuit offers a protective cover that allows users to pack a Tern bike into a standard-sized suitcase for airline travel.

“For many, the idea of bringing a bike on vacation is heaven, but can be daunting,” said Dwight Jurling, director global marketing at Tern. “Dedicated cases are expensive, often incur oversize baggage charges, and take up valuable storage space when not in use. The Tern FlightSuit eliminates these concerns by letting travelers turn a normal suitcase into a bike travel case when one is needed.”

The Tern FlightSuit can be used with off-the-shelf large suitcases, and includes custom protectors for the bike’s seatpost, handlepost, pedals and dropouts. Pads are made of durable 240D nylon bonded with 5 mm, dual-layer padding, to protect the bike during transit. Instructions are printed right on the suitcase pad showing how to fit the bike into the suitcase.

Tern Official Website

Custom Cutters

There are plenty of knives on the market that will feel like an extension of your hand, but if you want something truly unique and customized for you head to the bench – make that Benchmade, which offers a custom knife builder solution. Users can choose from four folding knife styles, determine the steel they want for the blade as well as blade type and edge. There are options for personalized text, colors and even the ability to add images. It is the next best thing to mining the ore and forging your own knife from scratch.

Benchmade Custom Knife Official Website

Safariland Hatches New Gloves

While we can hope we won’t need gloves for a while, Safariland Groups’ Hatch has released its news series of duty glove models with touchscreen capability. The new Hatch gloves features integrated ATS (Advanced Touchscreen System) technology that allows law enforcement and other wearers to be able to touch the screen without exposing the hands. The gloves also include touchscreen capability into the knuckle – just don’t punch the screen and hope this will work!

Hatch Official Website

Weekend Reading List (05.10.2014): Paying It Forward, Pro Set Up, High Water Bike

Paying It Forward

From Stuff: Champ sold surfboard to cover costs
Silvana Lima sold her surfboard to fund her trip to Taranaki. Yesterday it paid off for the Brazilian surfer, who defeated Australian Laura Enever in the final of the ASP 6 Star Port Taranaki Pro women’s qualifying series event at Fitzroy Beach. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (05.10.2014): Paying It Forward, Pro Set Up, High Water Bike

Minimal Blade

We do live in an era where more can be less – it is called minimalism, and the Ontario Knife Company Bushcraft Field Knife truly maximizes the value of minimalist design. This hand-crafted knife is made of high-end carbon steel, with hardwood handle, and features a design that is aimed at survivalists, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.

The full-tang OKC Bushcraft Field Knife measures 10.12 inches, while the five inch blade culminates with a high, off-center point. The flat-ground design allows for an increased cutting surface and a fine wood carving and meat cutting ability. The industrial grade 5160 carbon steel ensures the OKC Bushcraft Field Knife will hold its edge longer and sharpen easily.

OKC Bushcraft Field Knife Official Website

Giro Charges Up

Bakcountry.com has gotten charged up for its Whiskey Off Road event, and has unveiled a special edition cycling shoe, the Giro Empire MTB, which is available in Backcountry electric blue. It features the Empire’s lace up design, while the uppers are made of Tejin and have a microfiber lining. The sole is EC90 carbon fiber and these shoes are designed to tackle any mountain.

The shoes are available for pre-order online, and will be officially released starting on June 1st.

BackCountry.com: Giro Empire MTB Shoes

Tour Yorkshire

The Tour de France will be heading to the countryside of Downton Abby – namely Yorkshire, even if the show isn’t filmed there. And even if you can’t ride with the pros you can get a chance to head out on some of the same roads in a guided tour. Olympic silver medal-winner Lizzie Armistead will be leading tours of the Yorkshire countryside in advance of this year’s race.

[Via BikeRadar: Lizzie Armitstead to lead Tour de France fan rides]

Speed Machine

The above photo isn’t a pill you take to give you super speed – instead it is a concept bicycle that could enable a rider to break the record for the fastest non-motor paced bike. The ARION1 is now being developed by students at University of Liverpool and inside the bean-shaped shell is a full set of wheels and bicycle drivetrain.

With the ARION1 the University of Liverpool Velocipede Team hopes to break the world record of 83.13 mph, which was set last September. The ARION1 will gets its chance to try for the record at the September 2015 IHPVA event. Video after the jump

Upright Design

We’ve seen some attempts to reinvent the wheel, and this is sort of what Los Angeles-based engineer Garth Magee of Null Winds Technology has in mind with his new Kickstarter campaign. He isn’t looking so much to change the wheel itself but rather is looking to make it more aerodynamic.

His solution is to utilize Upper Wheel Fairings, which shield the spokes in the breeze, and he claims that this can enable the bike to go as much as 20 percent faster without extra effort. And unlike disc wheels this won’t blow over the rider in a strong crosswind. Video after the jump

School Commute

The nation’s largest bike-to-school challenge will start next Monday. The 7th annual Century Cycles’ Bike to School Challenge will see 4,000 students from six schools try to “rack up” the most bike rides.

The program is sponsored by local retailer Century Cycles with support from Raleigh Bicycles, and this year each rider is eligible to win daily prizes from PeopleForBikes and other gifts from Century Cycles. At the end of the challenge, students are entered to win grand prizes including new bikes from Raleigh. Raleigh is donating one bike per week, either a Talus 3 or Retroglide, to each of the six schools. Raleigh also is hosting a water bottle day with Century Cycles, giving away 700 bottles to participants.

Last year the participating middle school and high school students rode more than 57,627 combined miles, which reportedly added up to 975,000 calories burned as well as $10,125 in saved gasoline. Last year’s participation in the three-week program was up 11 percent of the prior year.

[Via Bicycle Retailer: Nation’s largest bike-to-school challenge starts Monday in Ohio]

Put on the Brakes

Younger riders can’t always be seen in traffic and they might not always see what is coming at them. Even on bike paths parents often need to tell their children to slow down or stop. Now the MiniBrake, which was designed by a team of inventors in Hungry puts the brakes on the kid’s bike.

This is an easy to attach braking unit that is being developed through an Indiegogo funding campaign, and the idea is that it lets parents control the brakes and stop a child’s bike remotely. It can also be automatically activated should a child be more than 50 meters away. Continue reading Put on the Brakes

Up a Creek With a Stand-Up Paddle

If you’re heading to the water you should do so with Aqua-Bound line of stand-up paddles from Branches. The new stand-up paddles include “The Spark,” for beginners, “The Freedom,” for intermediate paddleboarders, and “The Challenge,” for more seasoned paddlers.

This offshoot of the 1960s surfing culture in Hawaii has a true Polynesian ancestry, but only arrived in California in 2004. The sport has since migrated throughout the United States, including to inland lakes and rivers, and Branches is finding that it is increasingly be paddled by women of all ages.

With this in mind Aqua-Bound has created StandUp Sisters to inspire and support women who don’t want to be up a creek (river, or on any body of water) without a (Standup) paddle! Continue reading Up a Creek With a Stand-Up Paddle