Category: Equipment

And the Beat Goes On With Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring

The convergence of mobile devices and those for fitness and health looks to be a major focus at the upcoming CTIA Enterprise and Applications trade show to take place in San Diego next month. Valencell, a developer of mobile health and fitness technology, announced it will unveil new prototypes with extended capabilities that integrate next generation heart rate monitoring technology directly into music earbuds and headsets that millions of people already wear, helping consumers achieve their fitness goals while exercising or just going about everyday activities.

Valencell will showcase live demos on multiple platforms including Android and a new headset design for the iPhone, as presenters will be wearing units and showing mobile applications to demonstrate how this new licensable technology measures body metrics such as continuous heart rate, calories burned, distance and speed during use on a treadmill, stationary bike, and in other exercise scenarios.

“The mobile health industry is quickly emerging, creating a need to bridge the gap between consumer devices, fitness and health,” said Steven LeBoeuf, CEO and co-founder of Valencell. “We’re excited to showcase ways in which companies can easily integrate our technology into their products to connect consumers with their personalized health and fitness goals.”

The Valencell booth will be located in the Wireless Health Pavilion at CTIA Enterprise and Applications, which will take place at the San Diego Convention Center, October 11-13, 2011 in California.

Valencell Official Website
CTIA Enterprise and Applications Official Website

Stylish Shades That Protect the Eyes Too

In addition to serving a purpose, which is to keep the sun out of the eyes, sunglasses are often required to look good in the process. Electric Visual accomplished the later with its new Knoxville line, and in the process actually provided a line of glasses that will block 100 percent of UV rays as well.

The glasses feature Electric’s mineral polarized lenses that utilize pure optical glass that provides visual clarity along with color brilliance and contrast. Thus the lenses are good in the sun and because of the polarized makeup, which features two glass wafers and film won’t distort image, making for improved sharpness of vision for the wearer. The design also makes these among the lightest glass polarized lenses available, and as noted they offer 100 percent UV protection. Continue reading Stylish Shades That Protect the Eyes Too

Made in America: Hard Core CrossCore Training

There is no denying that the men and women in the American military get regular workouts. Basic training and regular training makes them lean, mean fighting machines in their own right. But once they’re deployed what are they to do? The same question can be asked for those who travel a lot, or just don’t have the time to hit the gym.

This fitness product was specifically designed to deliver Rotational Bodyweight Training to our troops and keep them in combat ready condition no matter where they go. Weighing less than five pounds, the result is a versatile, total body, fitness tool. So whether you work out of an office or (as the video below shows) out of a tank, you can still get a hardcore workout for your core.

Continue reading Made in America: Hard Core CrossCore Training

Interbike 2011: SRAM’s pART PROJECT

What might appear to be a waste of perfectly good bike parts, the SRAM pART PROJECT was a challenge given to 50 artists to create something out of 100 brand new components. Their results were on display at this year’s Interbike where they were judged before being shipped to a galley in Chicago to be put on display in October where additional judging will occur. After both exhibitions are complete, all of the pieces will be auctioned off online.

This is not some sort of snooty artist affair with champagne and caviar – this is art with a purpose. After all of the shows and auctioning of the pieces is complete, the proceeds will go to the World Bicycle Relief.  This non-profit organization was created in 2005 by the SRAM Corporation and with additional support from other leaders in the bicycle industry, the World Bicycle Relief helps people in third world countries through the use of bicycles.

Video after the jump

Continue reading Interbike 2011: SRAM’s pART PROJECT

Interbike 2011: 29ers Worth Riding

With so many manufacturers offering 29er hardtail mountain bikes, it can be difficult to pick one that is right for you. Just as demo days that many companies host around the country for the public, the Interbike OutDoor Demo, that occurs each year before the Interbike tradeshow, allows individuals involved in the bike industry to test the newest and latest rides on the market. Not all manufactures are present, but most of the major players are there alongside the little guys offering a fleet of bikes to ride on the trails of Bootleg Canyon outside of Boulder City, Nevada. Having had a chance to test numerous bikes, 29er hardtails were this writer’s choice to put trough the loops of loose, dry and rocky trails of Bootleg Canyon. Before you lay down your hard earned cash on a hardtail 29er, give any of these bikes a spin. Continue reading Interbike 2011: 29ers Worth Riding

Interbike 2011: KineticShift at the Show

We went, we saw, we rode! Last week’s Interbike allowed us to see the latest and greatest in new gear, gizmos and equipment in the world of bicycling. While a lot of this stuff won’t come cheap, it is clear that bicycles are going to lead the way when it comes to fitness technology. Here is our photo recap of Interbike 2011 from Las Vegas. Continue reading Interbike 2011: KineticShift at the Show

ContourROAM Lets You Take it on the Go


Traveling the wilds should be dependent on where you feel comfortable taking your camera. To that end Contour has released the ContourROAM, a helmet mountable camera that will let you roam where you want to, roam around the world.

It features the same rugged cylindrical aluminum body and swiveling lens of the Contour+ and ContourGPS models, but unlike those travel capable cameras this one can be taken in the water, and it is waterproof to one meter for up to 30 minutes. So it is good for getting wet and wild but still isn’t meant for deep sea diving for extended underwater excursions. Continue reading ContourROAM Lets You Take it on the Go

Interbike 2011: KineticShift Gets Down and Dirty

 
Brian O’Connor is in the zone with Litespeed’s new 29er

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but is it actually work or play when you get to check out the latest upcoming bicycles? From the smile on Brian’s face above, it certainly seems like work he really enjoys. Check out some more of the sights from this week’s Outdoor Demo Days at Interbike 2011: Continue reading Interbike 2011: KineticShift Gets Down and Dirty

Made in America: DiEM Sportsgear

Name one company that gives away 30-percent of its profits. There aren’t many out that that would dream of such an act, but DiEM Sportsgear is not a normal company. They are a company that was launched earlier this year to supply a non-profit fund with money to achieve its main goal of giving back to the community. The non-profit, David’s Fund, was started by the family members of the young athlete, David Scott Mueller, whose life was cut tragically short in 2009 by a drunk driver in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

DiEM Sportsgear, the name derived from David’s initials, not only is unique with its goal of giving back, but they also pride themselves on making their apparel in the U.S.A. Currently the line only consists of athletic t-shirts for both men and women. Every shirt except for the ‘Basic T’ utilizes fast-dry fabric technology, are tag-less and are 92-percent polyester, 8-percent spandex. All T’s sold by DiEM Sportsgear are made in America.

Video after the jump Continue reading Made in America: DiEM Sportsgear

Interbike/Health + Fitness Expo 2011: Power Press

Maximum Fitness Gear Inc. has debuted a new low-tech fitness system at the H+FB 2011 show that claims to maximize and strengthen the upper body and increase endurance. The Power Press is an innovative push up board that will help develop your chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps and back muscles by performing a variety of pushups.

The Power Press is approximately the size of a yoga mat with a series of color-coded holes that push up bars lock into when the user wants to work on a particular muscle group. A “Tone and Burn” workout program is included that combines Power Press push ups with calorie-burning cardio, plyometri and abs/core exercises.

If you already incorporate pushups into your workout or want to get started, the Power Press is a very straight forward system to help you maximize your efforts.

Maximum Fitness Gear Official Website

A Chair For the Man For All Seasons

As summer begins to become a distant memory and the fall chill takes over finding yourself in the “hot seat” doesn’t sound so bad. While you could head to the heated seats in the car, the Chaheati All-Season Heated Chair will let you tailgate, or just enjoy a day outside in the brisk weather. While it looks like many lightweight, collapsible canvas chairs, the Chaheati features cordless carbon fiber non-wire heating elements that are placed throughout the chair.

The result is that you’re in the “hot seat” every time you use it. This patent pending technology offers four temperature settings from 98° up to 145°F and rapidly heats up in less than 20 seconds. It makes the chair ideal for camping, hunting, cool weather sporting events and tailgating. The low-voltage heating technology sports digital circuit protection. The high efficiency, lithium-ion rechargeable battery provides up to six hours of heat per charge and lasts for over 500 uses. The Chaheati is available now ($89.99 MSRP), just in time for the cooler weather of fall.

Chaheati Official Website

Nikon Gets Rugged

Nikon has been known for making some excellent SLR digital cameras and head turning point-and-shoot cameras. But one area where the company has been lacking has been in the rugged point-and-shoot variety. Well, not anymore. This month will see the release of the AW100, Nikon’s first camera in the go anywhere, do anything category.

The AW100 is reportedly shockproof, waterproof to 33 feet and even freeze-proof, so it will work on the trails, at the beach and in the snow. It features a 15.1MP BSI CMOS sensor and has built-in GPS and internal mapping functions that will work much like a travelogue to view your way. It is available this month for $430 and ready for your next adventure.

 [Via Gizmodo: Nikon’s First Rugged Cam (!), Super Bright Projector Mutant Camera and Pro Point-and-Shoot]

Interbike 2011: KVA Stainless Inc. MS2 Tubing

The ultra-light, very strong, MS2/Exogrid tubing in a frame by Dean (Photo: Dean Titanium Bicycles)

“Steel is real.” This is the motto that many cyclists who ride steel frames live by. Steel has a lively feel that aluminum and carbon fiber simply do not have. Titanium has this similar lively feel, but the cost of just the raw material puts it out of reach of most riders. However, being a “man of steel” has its drawbacks, notably that in certain parts of the country steel can also become ‘real’ly rusty if not properly maintained, which makes a new tube set from KVA Stainless Inc. attractive.

What should be a ‘no brainer’ material to be used as a frame tube set, stainless steel has had a checkered past. Those of you who have been around the bike industry for a number of years will remember the Columbus Metax tube set. That too was a stainless steel tube set that was used by a number of frame builders including the now defunct Rhygin. The problem with the Rhygins is that they were plagued with a cracking problem… not something that you want to be known for in the frame building business. On the other end of the spectrum is the Reynolds 953 stainless steel tube set. This tube set is still being used today by prestigious builders including Waterford and Independent Fabrications. Continue reading Interbike 2011: KVA Stainless Inc. MS2 Tubing