With heavy raining hitting much of the east coast this week it is hard to think of anything except wanting to stay dry, but Body Glove has announced its new lineup of wet suits. These include four new models including the PRIME, Vapor, CT and Legends. Continue reading Body Glove is All Wet for Fall 2012
Category: Water Activities
Re-Use for Broken Surfboards
The problem with many fitness and athletic products is that there is little that can be done with the material once it breaks. Some products can be recycled – such as metal bicycle frames – but all too often the broken parts and equipment is simply abandoned or tossed in the trash. For surfers this is a problem because even when thrown in the trash broken boards can end up as floating garbage.
But Southern California residents Ed Lewis and Kipp Denslow came up with another solution. They’re taking old and broken surfboards to create handplanes, essentially miniature boards that bodysurfers can strap onto their hands while catching waves. They’ve created a new company, dubbed Enjoy Handplanes, as well to sell their upcycled products and as a way to spread the word that a broken board shouldn’t mean the end of the materials usefulness.
Waterfi Can Get All Wet
There are plenty of waterproof headphones and even waterproof MP3 players available for swimmers, but what about those who just have to use their iPod device? The answer could be the Waterfi, a waterproofed iPod Shuffle. The latest version of the Watefi features dual layer waterproofing technology, which is basically covering an iPod Shuffle with a rubber insulator. This reportedly provides some shockproof along with making the device waterproof. This can keep the player watertight up to 100 feet.
So basically this is just a stock iPod Shuffle that is covered in rubber, but for those who can’t live without their music even in the water, this could be the way to go.
Weekend Reading (10.20.2012): Armstrong Doesn’t Do It, Reality Bytes, Endless Wave, Ice Ice Leggy
Armstrong Out
From Cycling News: Nike terminate Armstrong’s contract
In a sudden change of stance, Nike has announced it has terminated Lance Armstrong’s contract because of the “seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade.” Continue reading Weekend Reading (10.20.2012): Armstrong Doesn’t Do It, Reality Bytes, Endless Wave, Ice Ice Leggy
Strange Story of the Week: Walk on Water
httpv://youtu.be/lh8MiSmk-to
We heard about 35year old Chris Todd, who has reportedly attempted to “walk” across the 66 miles of open sea from Wales to Ireland. Since walking on water is impossible – except for the frozen variety – Todd opted to try on a giant hamster wheel raft dubbed the Tredalo.
As the video above shows it didn’t go as planned. Todd made it about 26 miles after about eight and half hours before abandoning as the craft encountered rubber problems. While we don’t see this as (Mis)shift we wonder what would possess anyone to undertake such a journey across the Irish Sea. Sometimes because it is there or because they can is the only answer they need give.
MarineCase II Waterproof Smartphone Case
Since the form factor on the iPhone has largely remained the same – until the larger screen and thinner body of the iPhone 5 – case manufacturers have had great success offering cases for the single-model. Android and other smartphones, however, have very different form factors, and therefore don’t have as many options. This is why it’s great to see the MarineCase II, a universal-sized waterproof hard case for large screen smartphones.
The MarineCase II is IP58 certified against sand and water intrusion. It protects against water, sand and dust. It is shock and impact resistant against scratches, dents and screen shatter. The case can go up to 20 feet – or six meters – under water and capture video while being submerged. Manufacturer Concord Keystone makes the MarineCase II with a high-impact polycarbonate, integrated with a silicone surface for even more protection. The case is shock and impact-proof for drops and bumps. Continue reading MarineCase II Waterproof Smartphone Case
Photokina: Polaroid Gets in on the Action Sports
JVC and Sony have joined GoPro and the other action cameras and now so has Polaroid with a new line of sports video cameras that was introduced at the recent Photokina show in Germany. The Polaroid XS sports camera line features three models that include waterproof technology, low-light capabilities and are up to just about any outdoor adventure.
The XS100 (above) offers easy-to-use single button record, along with a professional 5MP sensor, and can record HD video in 720p, 960p and 1080p video along with 3MP, 5MP and 16MP still images. It features an aerodynamic design with a shock-proof exterior and distortion-free ultra wide lens to provide 170-degrees of coverage. Continue reading Photokina: Polaroid Gets in on the Action Sports
Fold Up Kayak – the Oru
We’ve seen a few fold up watercraft this year, including the Origami Paddler – which we posted about in May – and now the Oru is ready to hit the water. As with the Origami Paddler this new Origami Kayak can fold up small enough to be carried by a single person. Video after the jump
Binoculars for Boaters
If the crew members watching for icebergs on the Titanic had the Fraser-Volpe Optics Mariner binoculars 100 years ago this past April 12 those 1514 people who went to a watery grave would have instead made it to New York City, and director James Cameron would likely have had to settle for making a movie about the Hindenburg instead!
Today cruise ships have modern radar to prevent tragedy – Italian cruise ship captains excluded – but for others having a pair of binoculars is still necessary, and should be a crucial part of equipment out on open water. Fraser-Volpe, which has supplied binoculars to the military for more than 30 years knows a thing or two about optics, and now have introduced a marine grade pair that are built for sea. Continue reading Binoculars for Boaters
Made in America: Hess Surfboards
We heard about Danny Hess of Hess Surfboards and like what he’s doing a lot. He saw that a lot of commercial surfboards are full of petrochemicals and carcinogens – not exactly the kind of materials that surfers probably think is good for the waves.
Instead he is using salvaged wood, natural finishes and organic resins to craft his boards, which are built to last – ironically unlike many boards made of synthetic materials. The other irony is that when Hess’s boards reach end of life they should decompose naturally, whereas those synthetic boards can’t ride the waves but won’t exactly biodegrade anytime in the next dozen lifetimes!
Kinetic(Mis)Shift: Fit Wet Seems All Wet to Us
httpv://youtu.be/Ae9Lihg6XMA
Maybe we’re missing something here with the Fit Wet? A bike jacuzzi is what this essentially is, and the makers claim that it “combines the effects of biking, water resistance, & jets to improve results 10 times faster than an average bike.” It also costs $18,000, which seems just a little high to use for such exercise equipment. It also essentially means that the water is dumped out after each ride, which seems like a huge waste as well. At least it is made in Florida!
We’ll see if we can get some answers as the company will reportedly be doing demos at the Health + Fitness Business Expo taking place in conjunction with next week’s Interbike trade show. Until then this one seems all wet!
Kinetic(Mis)Shift are products that we think deserve to be called out for missing the mark in health related products.
Weekend Reading List (9.1.2012): Future Tech, Behind Bars, Raw Sewage, Honorable Riders
Future Tech
From Triathlete: Gear From The Future: What’s Stopping Us?
Aero brakes are evolving, giving you more choices than ever. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (9.1.2012): Future Tech, Behind Bars, Raw Sewage, Honorable Riders
Weekend Reading List (8.25.2012): Wave Rider, Printable 3D Bikes
Wave Rider
From The New York Times: Riding the Wave of Surfer Fitness
To the casual spectator, surfing seems to involve primarily balance, grace, nervy insouciance and a certain laid-back, ineffable oneness with the powers of the deep. But a series of newly published studies of the actual physical demands of surfing reveal that other, sometimes surprising aspects of fitness may be as important to surfing success as the ability to judge and remain upright on a swell. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (8.25.2012): Wave Rider, Printable 3D Bikes