Swimming | Evolving Consumer

Fly It On

It seems everyone is creating wearable fitness trackers for the wrist. However, the designer of the Flyfit is now looking to have cyclists, runners and swimmers put in the ankles instead!

Designer Jimmy Leu, who has taken his concept to Kickstarter, believes that the wrists are not exactly the optimal place to track body movement while exercising. By placing a monitor on the ankle it can better track movement and even different kinds of leg activity. It can thus track cycling rotation and cadence, swim leg strokes and steps taken while running or jogging. It can then stream the data collected via Bluetooth to an Android or iOS device on the fly. Video after the jump

ENDEVR Enters the Iron Age

This month ENDEVR has announced that it has been named the official athletic gear sponsors for the most prestigious event series in the sport of triathlon, the IRONMAN Triathlon Series. At next month’s IRONMAN World Championship in Kona the company will make available its MyID, the customizable medical wristband that stores vital information with an optimized QR code that is easily accessible for the fastest and most complete medical profile in a time of emergency.

In additional the ENDEVAR StrengthTape will be the official athletic tape of the big event. The unique feature of StrengthTape is its ability to be worn for up to seven days and withstand any extreme condition including water training, which makes it a popular one for the IRONMAN.

ENDEVR Official Website

Dive Fins

Ted Ciamillo knows a thing or two about cycling, but he also has a passion for the water. He has designed a special water propulsion system that basically puts flippers on the feet! The 2014 Lunocet is the next best thing to turning into a mermaid, and can help humans swim better underwater.

The unique part of the Lunocet flipper is that it attaches to the human foot via cycling shoes – which are already pretty aerodynamic. Now the idea of wearing expensive shoes might seem odd, but then again the Lunocet will set you back nearly $600. But can you really put a price on being able to swim more like a fish?

Ciamillo 2014 Lunocet Official Website

Anti Shark Suit

Despite what movies such as Jaws or Discovery Channel’s Shark Week might suggest, shark attacks are actually not all that common. However, about 100 people are attacked by sharks each year and this isn’t all that comforting to surfers and divers.

Researchers have suggested that black wetsuits could make wearers look like seals, which just happen to be a shark’s favorite snack. Australian based Shark Attack Mitigation Systems (SAMS) has developed a line of wetsuits that are designed to look a little less appetizing to sharks. These feature a disruptive pattern that sharks may have trouble seeing, or even make them think otherwise about taking a bite.

While sharks can reportedly detect small amounts of blood in the water from miles away and can detect electric currents in the water for the kill – or rather bite – the shark depends on vision. This is where the SAMS suit comes in as it could provide enough to confuse the shark, and give the wearer time not to be the catch of the day. Video after the jump

Made To Wear

Many wetsuits are in essence “ready to wear,” but the Swami Made-to-Measure Wetsuit will provide that perfect fit. This means better waterproofing, increased weather and most importantly better range of motion in the waves. The Swami suits are made of ultraspan stretch neoprene, and feature smoothskin on the arms, chest, back and neck.

The single lined “smoothie” neoprene on the arms and chest promises to be durable while also helping to repel wind and water. It might be a “wetsuit” but this one will help keep you warm and dry.

Swami Official Website

Protects From Sun and Sharks

BoatsToGo.com has just released a new line of protective beach clothing that is designed to provide “significant UV protection” and will help keep the wearer cooler in the hot sun. In addition this revolutionary line of clothing can help reduce the chances of be attacked by sharks – and by that we assume they mean the variety that swims in the ocean to that John Williams “dun dun” music and not the kind that play poker in a seaside bar.

As for the sun the clothing offers protection of up to 50SPF while the Shark Repellent Rash Guard features a visual design that was modeled after the color scheme of the highly venomous Lion Fish, which is not something sharks are interested in eating. According to the makers this significantly reduces the risk of the wearer being the victim of a shark attack in instances where the shark mistakes them for one of its prey. Continue reading Protects From Sun and Sharks

TomTom Off and Running

Back in April TomTom announced its line of GPS sports watches and, and now these is ready for the wrist. The TomTom Runner and TomTom Multi-Sport offer extra-large displays, full-screen graphical training tools and one-button control for ease of use.

These both offer up to 10-hours of battery life and are waterproof to 50 meters. These also feature a scratch- and impact-resistant glass display that can handle some rugged workouts. The multi-sport model also adds an altimeter, swim motion sensor and bike mount along with bike cadence sensor. The TomTom Runner is $169.99 and the TomTom Multi-Sport is $199.99 and both are available now. Videos after the jump

The Water Viper

While various “speed suits” have been banned in swimming competition the new Roka Viper Speed Suit is ready to race. This new suit was designed for swim trainers and triathletes with help from NASA technology. It might not help you get to space, but with this suit you might just fly through the water.

Roka Viper Speed Suit Official Website

Goggles to (Insta)Beat

Swimmers don’t get a lot of sensory data while in the pool. There have been efforts to provide ways to train with music and many heart rate monitors are now swimming compatible. But unlike with running and cycling, it isn’t so easy to see the watch while engaged even in long distance activities.

This is where the Instabeat could come in. The device is now being developed via an Indiegogo campaign.

The device provides a heart rate reading from the temporal artery so no heart rate strap is required across the chest, while a head strap to the goggles provides the read out via a colored LED that is projected directly to the eyes. This helps swimmers track their heart rate while actually swimming to determine if they are at their own specific fat burning, fitness or maximum performance heart rate. The device even tracks calories burned, while a motion sensor tracks laps, flip turns and breathing patterns for a post-workout analysis. Video after the jump

Rising Suunto

Smartwatch maker Suunto has introduced its new Ambt2 GPS watches. The Ambit2 S is designed for fitness buffs and offers functionality for cycling, running, swimming and training. The Ambit2 S can track pace, route navigation and track heart rate. The Ambit 2 is for those who take to wilds and it features fiberglass-reinforced case and offers info on altitude, vertical speed, barometric pressure and temperature – plus all the functions of the 2S.

Suunto Ambit GPS Watches Official Website

TomTom Joins the Club

Garmin might have to look over its shoulder as TomTom is set to introduce its own line of Multi-Sport GPS watches this year. Aimed at cyclists and triathletes, these entry level watches feature scratch and impact-resistant glass screens that offer three graphical race training functions. These allow for wearers to race against previous time in the Race mode, while Goal lets wears go for distance, time or calorie count, while Zone tracks a set heart rate. The watches are compatible with Bluetooth heart rate monitors and cadence sensors, and the step up model offers a built-in altimeter.

The Multi-Sport GPS watches reportedly lock onto the Russian GLONASS satellite array in case that means anything to you, Conrad!

TomTom Official Website

Goggle Search

If you are considering a goggle search – even if that search is on Google – look no further than the Aqua Sphere K180 Swimming Goggles. These offer 180-degree panoramic vision with a water-tight fit. There is a 100 percent Softeril gasket that provides comfort along with a leak-resistant seal. These goggles offer three interchangeable nose bridges and an adjustable headstrap. The goggle search may be complete.

Aqua Sphere K170 Swimming Goggles Official Website

Misfit Not a (Mis)Shift

We like to call out products that offer no real fitness value as Kinetic(Mis)Shifts but the Misfit isn’t one of those, despite the rather misleading name. The Misfit is actually a wireless activity tracker that goes beyond what similar devices do. First off we were caught by how small this one is, but then were really impressed that the all-metal device appears like it could stand up to real activity, which could include cycling and swimming. To sync with an app all that is required is laying it on the phone. The company is currently engaged in an Indiegogo fund raising project and we think this is going to be one to watch. Video after the jump