It is impossible to plan for all scenarios out in the wilderness, but having an emergency blanket can add a sense of security. These tend not to take up much room, and now the Blizzard Survival adds new technology that improves upon the traditional emergency blanket. Continue reading Security Blanket
L.L. Bean Reaches the Big 100
It is hard to imagine but when out retailer L.L. Bean opened its doors the Titanic was about to set sail. That may have ended badly for the “unsinkable” ocean liner, but 100 years later and L.L. Bean is still sailing along. Not only that but the retailer has some big products to help celebrate this milestone. 100th Anniversary L.L. Bean Products
TrainingPeaks for Sky
This week the British Team Sky Pro Cycling announced that it has extended its agreement with TrainingPeaks to be the official supplier of training software for the 2012.This will allow Team Sky to continue to collect and monitor heart rate and power from each individual rider during training and racing, and utilize it in TrainingPeaks by team coaches and staff. Riders can futher adjust their own training program and regiment based on the fitness trends shown in the software.
It will be interesting to see how it helps Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins, who will likely be racing in the London Olympics this summer, as well as current world champion and 2011 Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish this season. With both hoping for a potentially “golden” summer we’re sure they’ll be spending a lot of time using this data. While it probably is not as much time as they spend on the bike, but still enough to show that software is indeed changing the way athletes train; and that is helping the way they perform.
BMW Partners with Puma, OGIO On Athletics Collection
BMW’s vehicles may be out of reach for most people, but its latest offering is bit more accessible for the rest of us. The German automaker is launching a new line of BMW-branded athletic and lifestyle apparel aimed at what they refer to as “ambitious amateur athletes” (perhaps something was lost in translation from the German). The BMW Athletics Collection comprises of running shoes, performance clothing, and accessories, and joins BMW’s Golfsport, Yachtsport, and Motorsport collections.
The running shoes were created with Puma. According to BMW, “the running shoes are designed for any kind of wear. They provide optimal comfort and support whether you’re working out in the gym or running. Their features include breathable sandwich mesh, shock absorption, and comfort-last technology for a perfect fit. The collection also includes retro lifestyle sneakers, which convey a love of sport away from the training ground too.”
The shirts, hoodies, jackets, pants, and other clothing items were also made with Puma. Every item has silver reflectors as added safety when used after dark. “The softshell jackets are windproof, breathable and feature clever details like sleeve pockets for MP3 players. The hoodies are designed to offer maximum comfort during training and are ideal for couples who like to train together in style, with a royal blue hoodie for men and a light blue version for women.”
For the sports bags, BMW teamed up with OGIO. The collection includes a duffle bag, a backpack, and a triathlon bag that has ventilated compartments for shoes and damp clothing, insulated pockets for drinks bottles, and a cushioned compartment for safely storing items such as mobile phones (the triathlon bag can be converted into a backpack).
BMW says the new gear will be available at selected BMW dealerships and at www.bmw-shop.com, although there’s no word if they’ll be available stateside or at Puma stores. While you may not be able to buy that new redesigned 3-series, you can at least live the BMW lifestyle and pretend you own one while you’re out jogging or at the gym.
G-Form Puts Its Money, iPhone Behind a Slapshot
These days it’s essential to have a case for your smartphone. If you’re active, you need to be sure your case is up to the task. The folks at G-Form went as far as using an iPhone for a hockey puck to prove the new G-Form X Protect Case is suitable for those of us whose phones feel the brunt of our workouts.
Continue reading G-Form Puts Its Money, iPhone Behind a Slapshot
Ballistic Tough Jacket Lets You Take iPad 2 Into the Wild Without Worry
For those planning to take their iPads out in the field, Ballistic has a new case that will help protect the pricey device from getting damaged. The Tough Jacket for iPad 2 has three layers of material that resist impact and absorb shock. One layer features an inner silicone to absorb shock, the second is impact-resistant hard plastic, and the third is shock absorbent polymer. “Ballistic corners” protect the sides from drops and prevent the screen from making actual contact with a surface. The removable cover protects the screen but can also be used as a kickstand to prop up the iPad. Available in black or red, the case has a list price of $69.99.
Folding Skis Let Snowboarders Ascend the Slopes
Over the years the concept of “folding” has been applied to numerous outdoor activity products – notably folding bicycles. So why not folding skis? This is the idea behind MTN Approach, which has developed the first (that we know of anyway) folding skis.
And here is the twist, these skis aren’t really meant for skiers but for snowboarders and as such aren’t really for the downhill aspect of the sport. It would be easy to see the company create a product that was meant to be used for hikers and others to climb up on foot and descend on the folding skis. But MTN Approach is taking another approach entirely. These skis, equipped with special skins, are designed to meant to help skiers climb a mountain and glide over short downhill sections. We first previewed the skis last summer, and now its seems these are finally making their winter debut. More images and video after the jump
The Zumba Rush is On
While winter is still doing its thing, gamers can get a jump on getting fit right from the living room, as Majesco Entertainment’s latest workout game, Zumba Fitness Rush has arrived. The game promises to be the most technologically advanced and feature-rich addition to the Zumba Fitness franchise. This new title is available exclusively on Kinect for the Xbox 360. Video footage after the jump
Sony Gives Pocket Cams Rugged Abilities with Bloggie Sport
Cisco may think the pocket camcorder is dead, but that isn’t stopping Sony from updating its Bloggie line of dedicated video shooters. The company’s latest model, the Bloggie Sport, is a ruggedized shooter that’s shock proof, dirt resistant, and waterproof down to 16 feet.
It features a 2.7″ touchscreen (which is still functional when the Bloggie is submerged 16 feet under) and can capture 1080p video as well as 5-megapixel stills, all of which is stored on the Bloggie’s 4GB of onboard memory. For those with clumsy hands, the camcorder can also survive drops of up to 5 feet. A hidden flip-out USB arm lets you connect directly to a computer or you can bypass your PC and connect directly to an HDTV using the Bloggie’s built-in HDMI port.
Can’t wait to upload your videos? Sony also offers the more advanced Bloggie Live HD which has a 3″ touchscreen, 8GB of storage, 12-megapixel still capability, and built-in Wi-Fi, which lets you stream straight to Qik Video. However, the Live model loses all the ruggedness of the Bloggie Sport. Both the Live and Sport are currently available for $249 and $179 respectively.
Sony Bloggie Sport Official Product Page
Sony Bloggie Live Official Product Page
Detour For Cyclists
There could be a new Detour for cyclists, but not the kind you might think. Actually Detour is a Seattle-based company that makes seat bags, panniers and cycling bags, and as expected from the Pacific Northwest these are all designed to stand up to wet weather.
A new product that we heard about was the Coffee Bag – fitting as again the company is from Seattle. But it isn’t for the morning cup of the brown stuff. Instead it is a waterproof bag that features a two-point attachment system so it can be mounted behind a seat or on the top tube. It offers 100cubic inches of storage but can also be tucked into a water bottle cage if necessary.
Our friends at BikeRadar.com noted that there will be “five blends” available, including the : California, The Highway 1 blend; Washington, The Evergreen blend; Minnesota, The 10,000 lake blend; Maine, The Lighthouse blend; and Colorado, The Mile High blend. The bags will be available for $24 as part of the 2012 line – and given the price of gourmet coffee this might be a steal!
Detour Official Website
[Via BikeRadar: Detours cycling bags – First look]
Advance Look at Salomon S-Lab Sense Long-Distance Running Shoes
Few of us get to try out the latest running shoes until they hit store shelves, and by then the manufacturers are already prepping to release the next big thing. If you’re a professional athlete, however, the manufacturers may use you as a “test bed” and design a special pair just for you. And, sometimes, the press gets an early look at such shoes.
That’s the case with the folks at iRunFar.com, who received an advanced preview of Salomon’s S-Lab Sense running shoes, designed for Spanish runner Kilian Jornet. Jornet won the North Face 100 and subsequent victories last year wearing these shoes. The shoes are lightweight and made to race 100 miles or more with a 4mm heel-to-toe drop (9mm in the forefoot and 13mm in the heel), with unique protection built in. Hit the link to read more of iRunFar.com’s review.
iRunFar.com: Salomon S-Lab Sense Preview
[Via Ultra168: Should the Other Shoe Companies Give Up Now?]
Pentax Introduces Weatherproof WG Series Cameras
Rugged cameras are the thing this season and Pentax Ricoh Imaging has unveiled its new line-up, which includes the Pentax Optio WG-2 and Optio WG-2 GPS digital compact cameras. Both models are waterproof to 40 feet, and of course are dust-proof, shock resistant to a drop of five feet and are freeze-proof to 14° F.
The WG-2 series offers a wide-angle 5x (28-140mm 35mm equivalent) internal optical zoom lens, 3-inch LCD screen and hardened cover with SP coating. The cameras feature digital movie shake reduction, fast face detection, focus assist lamp, smile capture and blink detection. Continue reading Pentax Introduces Weatherproof WG Series Cameras
Google X Glasses on the Way?
Google has many eyeballs on its search engine, as well as eyeballs on its mobile Android OS and of course eyes on the Google Chrome browser. Now it seems Google may be looking to get eyes looking through sporty looking eyewear too. Rumors have been circulating that Google Glasses could be on the way, offering an HUD screen on one lens to see a miniature screen, and earbuds to listen to music and make calls.
While not exactly designed for sports, these could offer benefits the in future for athletes, providing speed, calories and other information directly to the glasses so eyes are never off the road (or in many cases the prize). Let’s just hope people don’t think they can watch a bike race while out on a ride with these!
[Via AndroidCommunity: Rumor: Google’s Android-based HUD glasses getting public trials soon]