httpv://youtu.be/ql-N3F1FhW4
SWAGGER WAGON
Ah, the rare commercial that is worth watching.
This one goes out to all you minivan families out there.
Sienna SE…in the house.
Where my mother/fathers at?
Mini UV Magic Wand Makes Water Safe
Water that looks good enough to drink can still present a problem. As we noted back in October, there is a way to help make the water a little safer to think while on the go. The SteriPEN Freedom is a handy gadget that can be used to “zap” water and make it safe by killing bacteria or viruses. The battery-powered wand-like device emits UV light that will destroy bacteria, viruses and protozoa, and is actually just a scaled down version of what is used to treat mass quantities of water already.
A dedicated outdoors enthusiast Miles Maiden, had been studying the uses for solar power, and noted that UV technology had been used for more than 100 years. In 1997 he founded Hydro Photon Inc. and created the first SteriPEN. At $120 it isn’t cheap, until you realize how many bottles of water you might buy while traveling, and more importantly can be used when there is no convenience store in sight. We also bring it up again as it has been garnering lots of media attention this holiday season.
SteriPEN Official Website
[Via GearJunkie: Tiny UV Light ‘Wand’ Destroys Microbes in Bad Water]
Technology Reducing Sports Related Injury
One trend we saw very much this year was how technology is being used to reduce injuries. We’ve seen new improvements in helmets and sensors for football, baseball and hockey. We’ve seen helmets being used in skiing and snowboarding, as well as cycling of course. Continue reading Technology Reducing Sports Related Injury
A Sizing Guru
How important is being on just the right fitting bike in a triathlon? Only the difference between winning and losing. And while there are many ways to get that perfect fit, the motorized, computer-controlled Guru DFU (Dynamic Fit Unit) will let you dial in that perfect fit. This uses electronic motors to adjust saddle and areobar position while you pedal. This allows you to feel the slight differences without jumping off the bike. This system even uses motion capture so you can see the differences as well as feel it!
See Through a Goose (Jacket)
There an old saying about how certain materials can travel through a goose, but here is a new twist on seeing through a goose, or more actually a down jacket. Hi-Tec Sports has provided a type of see-through jacket with dyed feathers that allows the flaunting of the down.
Instead of worrying that a down jacket could look bulky and thus unflattering, the jackets feature colored feathers that can be seen through the transparent shell. Reportedly this looks good but doesn’t affect the insulating properties of the down.
In this way the feathers of a goose can be shown off like the feathers of a peacock… if you’re into that sort of thing!
Hi-Tec Sports Official Website
[Via GearJunkie: Colored Goose Down as ‘Bling’ in See-Thru Jacket]
CES 2012 Preview: Wahoo Blue in the Tooth
We’ll be interested to get a closer look at the Wahoo Blue HR Bluetooth heart rate monitor that will be officially unveiled at next month’s Consumer Electronics Sow. It will reportedly connect with an iPhone 4S as well as other devices that are Bluetooth Smart (4.0) ready. Video and full press release after the jump
IBM 5 in 5 Says “People Power Will Come to Life”
httpv://youtu.be/KBAGAgFVjO4
Many people probably dismiss IBM as a company whose time has come and gone. While it was once the dominant player in PCs – and frankly were it not for IBM most of us wouldn’t be reading this statement right now. So while IBM gave way to Microsoft and Apple- not to mention Dell, HP and a dozen other companies – in the personal computer space, Big Blue continues to “Think.”
They “Think” about a lot of things, and recently the company noted in its 5 in 5 what the future could mean for fitness. IBM tracks five new trends that could be big in five years, and in The Next 5 in 5 is “Energy: People power will come to life.” Continue reading IBM 5 in 5 Says “People Power Will Come to Life”
Louis Garneau Gloves Constructed for Just the Right Fit
Cycling gloves are essential for anyone putting miles on the bike. And the fit of those gloves means everything. The Mondo glove from Louis Garneau has a few features that focus on fit, function and comfort.
On the palm, the Mondo gloves have perforated padding that’s specifically designed to relieve pressure where the hand comes in contact with the handlebar. Specifically, the padding is engineered to relieve pressure on the median and ulnar nerves, which reduces shock and increased ventilation. Personally, when I go on some of the longer rides I find my hands get a bit numb, so these gloves may alleviate some of that discomfort.
On the top side of the glove, laser cut fingers are paired with a seamless construction, which prevents irritation. The seamless construction relieves pressure points and eliminates bulge that’s found on some gloves with extra stitching and seams.
The Mondo gloves from Louis Garneau run about $44.99.
Slim Coach by MYTRAK Monitors Activity
Each day, all your activity adds up. But how much is the total of all your activity? It’s not easy to figure out what all that walking and hustling means without some help. The NBC show “The Biggest Loser” deployed Slim Coach to give those daily totals to participants. Now The Biggest Loser Slim Coach, powered by MYTRAK technology is available for you to track your daily activity.
The Biggest Loser Slim Coach, powered by MYTRAK will be in Costco and Best Buy locations on January 2. That’s just in time to start your New Year’s resolutions.
The handheld device is smaller than most cell phones and alerts you to your activity levels. It’ll tell you when you have an active day, or when you need to take another few laps to keep up the pace to a healthy lifestyle.
Kinect To Go to Space
While fitness video games could be a fad down here on earth, the Microsoft for Kinect for Xbox 360 could boldly go where only a few have gone before – namely outer space. The video game system could help astronauts stay a little fitter, thanks to the body tracking camera system built into the game controller’s sensor.
This could help astronauts better calculate their weight in zero gravity, something very important as those in sapce can lose up to 15 percent of their body mass because the muscles tend to develop atrophy due to lack of use. The crews already spend up to two hours a day exercising, but until recently there has been no way to measure weight post-workout.
Now the Kinect might just do the trick!
[Via New Scientist: Kinect weighs astronauts just by looking at them]
Outdoor Gear Goes Space Age with Quasar Series
The new Quasar backpack line from Terra Nova Equipment is sturdy and light. The series includes three packs: 30, 40, and 55 liters that weigh in at about 14 ounces. Terra Nova Equipment uses an “Ultra Fabric” made from a crinkly polyethylene material used in yacht sails.
High-wear reinforcement panels are constructed with a cordura fabric and bar-tack points are stitched with Dyneema thread, which is a thermoplastic polyethylene strand with a strength ratio stronger than steel.
Terra Nova Equipment Official Website
[via Gear Junkie: ‘Space Age’ Look for Super-Light Pack]
Eye of the Dragon
When snowboarding you need not have the eyes of a tiger or an eagle, you need the eyes of the Dragon, and the Dragon Hero APX goggles will let you see the way. These feature super anti-fog, infinity lens technology, with armored venting and unidirectional air flow. Additionally they are helmet compatible and offer polar tech micro fleece lining for those who fly down the hills like… yes, a dragon!
GoMotion Belt Brings the Light
Carrying on our theme of bringing light to these days of darkness, we make note of the GoMotion LiteBelt, which provides a 100 lumen CREE LED light mounted at waist level. This hands free light system offers three levels of beam intensity, can be adjusted from flood to spotlight and offers adjustable beam angle. There is also two rear LED tail-lights along with reflective trim so you can see your way and be seen!