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.
Category: Outdoors
PlayPod Brings Microsoft Tag Technology
A different type of tag is coming to the playground – not the game where kids chase each other – but rather Microsoft Tag Technology. Playworld Systems announced this week the launch of PlayPod, an innovative service that employs Microsoft Tag to provide 24/7 mobile access to useful information for both those maintaining the playground equipment and those using it.
This includes Nuts & Bolts, a way for the pros to see maintenance documents, installation instructions and even product numbers; while Fun & Play Tips is there with weekly play tips, and even the ability to “check-in” at playground via Facebook.
The family owned business has been an innovator in the playground, offering the environmentally-friendly PVC-Free Eco-Armor, and more recently NEOS, the first outdoor electronic game for playgrounds. PlayPod now shows that even in the digital age the good old playground still is a great place for kids to be kids.
Interbike 2012: Gran Fondo to be Grand Indeed
Every Interbike is special to us of course, but the 2012 trade show for all things bicycle will see something truly unique as the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) has announced that the RTC 2012 Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo will again begin on the Las Vegas Strip and century riders will have the opportunity to ride over the Hoover Dam, and the event will take place on Saturday, September 22, the day after the Interbike Trade Show ends at the Sands Expo Center.
“We look forward to offering riders a unique and exciting ride from the famous Las Vegas Strip to the iconic Hoover Dam in this year’s RTC Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo,” said Jacob Snow, RTC general manager in a statement. “We are proud to welcome cyclists from across the country and around the world to Las Vegas every year to ride in Viva Bike Vegas. This year, we are especially pleased to partner with Interbike and invite its exhibitors and attendees to join us for our fifth annual event.”
All riders will again have the unique opportunity to begin their ride under the bright lights of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. The RTC 2012 Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo will feature three spectacular routes – 118, 72, and 17-mile courses – for cyclists of all skill levels taking riders from the Las Vegas Strip to the vistas of the Red Rock
Rider registration for the RTC 2012 Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo is available online now, and proceeds from Viva Bike Vegas will again benefit local charities.
Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo Official Website
Interbike Official Website
XBoards On Board With Natural Fibers
We’ve seen a variety of new materials in snowboards, and one company is looking to get on board with nature fibers. XBoards, Inc. has announced the availability of the limited edition BioBoard, the first snowboard made from all-natural flax fiber composites.
The Northern-California based XBoards was founded in 2010, and has focused on innovative engineering, and has looked to create both sustainability and enhanced rider performance. The BioBoard promises both via a FlaxFlex technology, which is meant to reduce leg fatigue by ensuring consistent flex for the rider, while the also ensuring lower density to provide vibration dampening as well. Video after the jump
Hands On: Jabra Sport Bluetooth Headset
The Jabra Sport is the first Bluetooth headset to unshackle runners from the constraints of their wired headphones. But can Jabra – a company who’s known for making Bluetooth headsets for the home and office – make a smooth transition into the sports world? In a word; yes. The Jabra Sport is comfortable, reliable, and as rugged as any other pair of sports headphones we’ve seen. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid first attempt at a wireless headset for runners.
The $99 headphones are light and sit comfortably over the top of each ear. The buds themselves rest by your ear canal opening (not inside it), meaning they don’t provide any noise isolation. As a runner, that’s a good thing, since you should always be aware of your surroundings when running outdoors. But for use at the gym, that means you’ll have to crank the volume up high to cancel out any noise from the treadmill or your fellow gym goers. Continue reading Hands On: Jabra Sport Bluetooth Headset
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.
Continue reading SIA: Magnets Make Goggle Lenses easily Swappable
Weekend Reading List (2.4.12): Runners Talk, NASA Innovates, House Votes Against Bikes
httpv://youtu.be/NPdb7ZDJKS4
New Day, Same Old Sh…
Welcome to the Weekend Reading List. We moved the list to Saturday to give our loyal readers something new for the weekend, and as a way to catch up on stories that they might have missed. This week we being with Sh*t Barefoot Runners Say (video above).
Enjoy the list and be sure to check back every Saturday. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (2.4.12): Runners Talk, NASA Innovates, House Votes Against Bikes
SIA: Lazer Sport Ski Helmet
Ski helmets came into prominence on the slope only within the past several years. Yet adoption is growing. Ski-Injury.com reports that in the 2009 – 2010 season, 57 percent of the total population on the slopes wore helmets.
SIA: Lizard Footwear X-Spin Boots
Last week at SIA we saw a number of skis, snowboards, accessories and boots that aren’t quite in production. One thing we liked was the new X-Spin boot from Lizard Footwear. The boot was incredibly light, yet durable enough for some rugged winter adventures.
SHOT Show: Turn the iPhone into an iScope
We missed Meopta USA at SHOT Show last month, but we heard about the MeoPix mount that the company introduced at the show. This is an adapter that allows an iPhone to be attached to a spotting scope essentially making an iScope. The handset connects easily to ultra-zoom scopes so users can record video or take photos of their shots. This makes for a very clever way to review your shots at the range.
Wood Burning USB Charger
Heat is often the side effect of powered device. Engines give off heat, even light bulbs give off heat – most of the time this is a side effect that results in what is wasted energy. On the other hand heat from fire is another form of lost energy because besides providing warmth the heat does little else.
But we recently heard about the BioLite Camp Stove that can actually use the heat from the stove, which can be used to cook or just warm up those sitting next to it, as a power source. Essentially the heat is converted into electricity and can be used to power gadgets such as a mobile phone from a USB port. In this way the stove is both heater and generator. And as the name suggests it doesn’t run on fuel, but can burn wood and generate power for phones, lights and other electronics. Not bad for a $129 when the wood burning stove with a USB port arrives this spring.
BioLite Official Website
[Via GearJunkie: Stove Burns Wood, Charges USB-Powered Gadgets on Side]
Panasonic Introduces Pair of Rugged Cameras
Whether you’re on a budget or want to go all out and the sky is the limit, Panasonic has a camera for you. This week the company introduced two new rugged outdoor digital cameras.
First up is the Lumix DMC-TS4, which includes GPS, compass, altimeter, barometer and truly lives up to the rugged moniker. A barometer log is even available to help users forecast the climate and log barometric trends, while the altitude measurements can be used in conjunction with GPS data. And speaking of GPS, the camera more than a million landmarks and 82 countries/regions cover in the maps available on the bundled DVD, allowing Geo-tagged images to be automatically sorted and played back along a map! Continue reading Panasonic Introduces Pair of Rugged Cameras
SIA: Lodgesoxx for After Skiing
Last week at SIA Snowsports Show we saw lots of products for activity, but also a few post-workout goods that are worth mentioning. LodgeSoxx is a pair of socks designated for wearing around the lodge or other areas you want to take off your ski boots, but you don’t want to walk around in just your socks.