Outdoors | Evolving Consumer

New Brain Bucket Developed for Little League, Introduced at “The Dome”

For years batters have walked up to the plate whilst wearing protective headgear. Now soon pitchers may be required to take the mount with helmets on as well. This wee Easton-Bell Sports announced the development of new headgear at the Helmet Technology Center, internally known as “The Dome.”

Easton-Bell Sports CEO Paul Harrington, along with Little League International President Stephen Keener, California Interscholastic Federation Executive Director Marie Ishida and Marin County high school baseball player Gunnar Sandberg in Scotts Valley, introduced a new helmet prototype. The Easton-Bell Sports pitching helmet prototype uses lightweight energy managing materials to provide protection to the most vulnerable areas of the head, without compromising comfort or performance. The helmet is made of expanded polystyrene polycarbonate, which is attached to a comfortable liner and elastic strap. Continue reading New Brain Bucket Developed for Little League, Introduced at “The Dome”

Clever Protection for Gadget Users on the Go

We’ve seen some protective packs for handheld devices recently, and now comes another one that is downright “clever.” Four years ago, stay-at-home mom Karen McElaney, along with Colleen Gallagher, convinced the idea of using a protective and disposable poly plastic sleeve to protect devices from water, sand and other corrosive materials. Better still, the RingerWraps from CleverWraps allow the devices to remain completely functional.

Users can still type away on the keyboard, make calls, and even snap away photos. The RingerWraps feature a zip closure for protection and a re-sealable tape for a custom fit. They even come in three sizes: small for the iPhone, BlackBerry and HTC Incredible handsets; medium for Motorola Razr and various flip phones; and large for handsets and devices such as the Motorola Droid and LG enV.

We also like the fact that the wraps are disposable, because while we admit that it means another plastic bag in a landfill, it is a lot better than seeing a phone ruined if it should get wet or full of sand. A little sleeve of plastic is a small price to pay to protect a handset or other small device safe from grease, grim, sand and snow.

CleverWraps Official Website

Olympus Gets Tough With Crushproof Digital Camera

Need a camera that can handle extremes? We’re talking shockproof, waterproof, freezeproof and even crushproof – yes, crushproof. To meet all this means a tough camera and that’s what Olympus has in mind with its new Tough TG-810 digital camera, which promises to be “crushproof” up to 220 pounds.

The camera can go deep, up to 10 meters (33 feet) and remain waterproof; withstand a drop of up two meters (6.5 feet) and freezeproof to temperatures as low as 10 degrees C (14 F). We’re really impressed that it can withstand weights of up to 100 kilograms or 220 pounds. The dustproof camera can even be rinsed off when it gets dirty! Continue reading Olympus Gets Tough With Crushproof Digital Camera

CamelBak Launches Into Orbit

Back in the 1970s the drink mix Tang was advertised as being “what the astronauts drink,” which somehow meant it was better. Why an orange drink mix would be better because it was consumed by astronauts remains a bit confusing. And we’re still not sure how the powder was mixed with water in zero gravity, or why powder would be ideal over a liquid drink in the first place – after all the water still has to make the trip (we hope they mixed it with water anyway).

The idea that it was used by astronauts remains intriguing however. But what is even more impressive is a product that is so good on Terra Firma that it can head to outer space. Enter the CamelBak Big Bite Valve, which has been integrated into the NASA spacesuit because it was easy to use, self sealing and of course could stand up to extreme conditions. No one needs liquid floating around in zero gravity. And while the astronauts have special suits, the valve system for the drinking system is actually the same one found on each and every CamelBak water bottle and hydration pack.

Sound won’t travel in a vacuum we know, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t get thirsty while in high orbit. So if you plan to take a trip up beyond the heavens he Big Bite Valve will let you can take a sip of a cool drink under the stars.

CamelBak Lab Official Website

National Guard Teams Up with FLW Outdoors

The world’s largest tournament-fishing organization has teamed up with the nation’s most time-honored military branch. This week the National Guard extended its partnership with FLW Outdoors in a union to spread awareness of the national commitment of our serviceman and women to outdoor enthusiasts throughout the world. This project hopes to give back to the soldiers and veterans through an opportunity to engage in fishing events, and to encourage people to explore the opportunity of serving their country.

“We are both honored and proud to have the opportunity to continue our long-standing partnership with the National Guard,” said Trisha Blake, president of FLW Outdoors Marketing Division. “The impact they have had on the growth of our sport has been remarkable. What the National Guard men and women do each day to serve and protect our communities, country and the world is something we should all be thankful for. We look forward to further building upon our unique partnership as we continue to educate our constituents about the opportunities that serving in the National Guard present as well as honoring those that have served with our soldier appreciation tournaments.”

As part of this partnership the National Guard will continue to serve as the title sponsor of National Guard FLW College Fishing, solidifying its commitment to bringing high-end tournament fishing to campuses across the country. It will also be the title sponsor of the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour, the world’s premier walleye tournament circuit. The Guard will continue to sponsor The Bass Federation (TBF) Junior World Championship and the TBF National Championship while serving as the presenting sponsor for the Walmart FLW Tour events on Lake Chickamauga and the Potomac River during the 2011 season.

The National Guard will also be a vital component of the newly launched FLW Outdoors Wounded Heroes Fishing program. The program connects FLW Outdoors member volunteers with wounded veterans for a day of fishing. The program was launched earlier in 2011 and has seen incredible participation throughout the country.

FLW Official Site

FLW Outdoors Wounded Heroes Fishing Program

Let the Suunto Shine With New Line of Sport Watches

Suunto has been a leader in sports watches, and this week the company announced a new range of fitness and sports watches to cater for a wide spectrum of outdoor activities, as well as gym training and exercise. These include the Suunto M1, M2 and t1c models. The M2 will display heart rate and calories burned in real time, allowing users to monitor their activity and set personalized exercise targets.

The watch maker will also offer a range of outdoor time pieces that include the Observer, the Vector and the new X10 GPS watch, which includes PC connectivity to enable users to record routes, mark waypoints and even track speed and distance. The Suunto X10 also is compatible with the Movscount.com website, so users can view tracks, plan visualize routes through the site.

They say time and tide stop for no man, but with these watches you’ll be better able to manage your goals, and soon might not want to stop.

Suunto Official Website

Panasonic Lumix Cameras Ideal for Winter That Won’t End

Earlier this month that silly groundhog failed to see its shadow, and we were promised an early spring. Well, of course that isn’t happening. Parts of the country continue to be buried in snow, and since it doesn’t look like it will end for a while, we might as well enjoy it.

To that end capture these winter memories with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-Z210 hybrid digital compact camera. It features advanced GPS functionality, along with a 24mm ultra wide-angle, 16x optical zoom Leica DC lens. No mere point and shoot camera, this one features a 14.1megapixel MOS sensor and advanced image processor Venus Engine for 1,920×1,080 full-HD movie recording and high speed burst shooting.

And whether you hit the local slopes or want to head out on a global trek, this camera is ready to go. It features the built-in GPS system, where it can provide details on where the photo was taken with latitude and longitude automatically provided in the Exif data. Geo-tagged images can even be pinpointed on maps of social media Internet maps. Continue reading Panasonic Lumix Cameras Ideal for Winter That Won’t End

NCAA Issues New Rules on Baseball Bats

With baseball season about to swing out, there will be a significant change in the swinging. The NCAA has changed its rules on what constitutes a “legal” bat. Some alloy metals have been at least temporarily banned, as these reportedly give an unfair advantage to players.

What does this mean exactly? For one, college hasn’t struck out aluminum bats in general. While still banned in the Major League, the aluminum bats remain legal – but the so-called “sweet spots” has shrunk, leaving approximately an area of about three-inches where the bat can make solid contact. Bats that have too much of a spring effect are reportedly “not legal.”

While this is affecting college baseball the most, some high school baseball teams are feeling the hit too. Last August the California Interscholastic Federation had announced high schools baseball teams’ bats would have to carry the Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution to be considered legal for this season. But as of this week it was reported that some stores still don’t have the bats – and training is already underway. Let’s hope this is resolved by opening day.

Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution

Propane to Fire Paintballs!

The very idea sounds downright dangerous, but The Fort Wayne Gazette ran a news item that paintball guns could get a new propellant, possibly something such as propane or butane, mixed with air.

Tippmann Sports LLC, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is one of the leaders in the paintball industry – making some of the most popular “markers” (as the guns are often called). The guns are typically powered using carbon dioxide or compressed air – and it is almost strange that the eco-movement hasn’t targeted this game for the use of the former. But CO2 has another problem, namely that it runs out during play and as the liquid gets cold the guns don’t fire as well.

The solution, which is U.S. Patent No. 7.770,504 – invented by Dennis J. Tippmann Sr. and Dennis J. Tippmann Jr. – is to use a combustible propellant. The key here is that less propellant would be used. Of course this is potentially good for business too, since it means paintball guns that would include a new combustion chamber, new valve and igniter. The system would actually ignite the gas and propel the paintball. It also means that all those old “classic” paintball guns would be incompatible with the new ones.

[Via The Fort Wayne Gazette: Paintball guns may get new propellant]

Tippmann Official Website

Airbag for Ski Slopes

We’ve been hearing about a variety of new technologies that are meant to help athlete better survive crashes, and the latest is a wearable airbag from Dainese that has the approval of the International Ski Federation (FIS). This project is now in the early stages of testing, and it is based on similar technology that has been designed for motorcycle racing.

The system essentially combines an inflatable bag with multiple accelerometers, gyroscopes and GPS technology with 2GB of internal memory. It is deployed automatically in just 45 milliseconds when crash conditions are detected – and that according to reports is the key to the system. It needs to be able to tell the difference between a normal ski run and a potentially injury-inducing fall. Any sort of spill on the slopes could result in a land that is as soft as powdery snow.

Dainese Official Website

SporT on With New Tracking App for iPhone

This week SporTracker announced the release of its new app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. SporTracker is designed to help users track and analyze their body parameters for everyday sport activity, while providing a virtual personal fitness instructor to help main good physical condition.

The app can be used with a range of activities including walking, running and cycling, as well as wind surfing and even kayaking. It relies on the built-in iPhone GPS and motion sensors, which can track location and measure progress in real time. Users can further track speed, distance, cadence, height, climbing rate and time among other characteristics. This activity can be broadcast as LiveTrack Session to the SporTracker website or shared in real time to Facebook and Twitter.

“Our team has been working hard on delivering a great application supported by very informative website,” said Daniel Neaman, president of SporTracker Ltd. “We are convinced that our users will find the application effective and user friendly.”

The app is available now for $4.99 via the Apple App Store in the Healthcare & Fitness category, for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad – requires iOS 3.1.3 or later as well as 5.1MB.

SporTracker Official Website

Ballistic Brings iPhone4’s Most Rugged Case Yet to Verizon

After waiting so long to get an iPhone, Verizon subscribers want to protect their new phone like it’s precious cargo. That doesn’t mean they’ll leave it at home when they go on adventures such as rock climbing, biking or running. I just means they need a really rugged, protective case.

Ballistic, the designers of rugged cases for mobile phones and other accessory cases to “survive life,” just released its case for the iPhone 4 for Verzon and boasts it’s the most rugged protective case currently available for the iPhone 4.

Continue reading Ballistic Brings iPhone4’s Most Rugged Case Yet to Verizon

Lobster Snowboards Coming for Fall 2011

The reports from the Snowsports Industries America Trade Show last month were that this the best year ever for those in the snow sports business. And next year another player will be on board – as Icelandic snowboarding brothers Eiki and Halldor Helgason announced their new company Lobster Snowboards.

“Eiki and me wanted to get on the same board program since day one. We really have fun and push each other when we ride together so this was a logical step for us,” said Halldor in a statement.

The new brand will be launched for Fall 2011, and will be using triple base technology on the Jibboard, the Parkboard and the Girlboard, and the company will also introduce Eiki Jib Board and Halldor Park Board graphics. Given the new trend towards “rocker” technology, we have to ask… any chance we might see a “Rock Lobster” snowboard. We guess we’ll find out this fall.

Lobster Snowboards Official Website