Winter appears like it could be here for a little longer, and if you’re itching for a run you might have to do so on a treadmill. One to consider is the Smooth Fitness & Health’s 9.65LC Treadmill that is designed to let the serious runner to go the distance. It features tablet-based controls, a SmoothDrive 4.0HP Continuous Duty motor, and Im-pression Shock Absorption to provide a steady and smooth run. There are also QuickChange Handrail speed and incline controls so you can make quick adjustments without breaking your stride. Continue reading Run This Way
Sole(us) to Go
Sports watch and GPS maker Soleus has introduced a fitness tracker wristband. The Soleus GO! works much like similar devices and can track daily activities as well as sleep cycles. It can tack steps taken and calories burned, while a vibration alert can notify wearers when it is time to get moving. It can sync with a mobile device, while an app can log activity, plus it even show incoming calls and messages on its OLED display.
“At Soleus, we started the company around meeting the needs of the athlete with quality performance and style at an affordable cost,” said David Arnold, founder and CEO of Soleus. “Our core values are attributed to supplying athletes the most advanced tools they need to achieve their goals. At the same time, we want to help people everywhere enhance their life with activity. We spent a lot of time and research to develop the most comprehensive activity tracker that monitors and records the most important aspects of daily life while incorporating the wearable technology features for everyone on the go.”
The device arrives in retail today.
Taking AIMe
An action camera is great for providing a first person view of the action and it can even be used with various accessories to put the user in the action – creating a third person perspective as well. But if you want to track the action you likely need a cameraman to step in.
The alternative might be the AIMe from JigaBot, which works much like a robotic tripod. The company unveiled this product last month at CES and also took it on the road to the Outdoor Retailer Show. This device is designed to work with most action cameras and even camera phones and it features steel ball bearings inside that let the unit turn and even tilt to 240 degrees to capture a range of action. An internal sensor works with an infrared-equipped remote beacon to track the subject. No cameraman required. Video after the jump
Head Above the Rest
Every cyclist knows that flat tires suck but carrying a pump can be a pain, which is why we like CO2 cartridges and an inflator. But even these can take up a bit of space in a jersey pocket or saddle bag. The Genuine Innovations Hammerhead weights just 26 grams and it works with most threaded cartridges so there is less to carry.
Genuine Innovations Hammerhead CO2 Tire Inflator Official Website
Kinetic(Mis)Shift: Pong’d
We recently were “pitched” on a new product to write about – the new “Custom Beer Pong Table.” It probably shouldn’t surprise us that a company actually makes a table – actually a line of tables – to play “Beer Pong,” but we have to file this one under a (Mis)Shift!
Kinetic(Mis)Shift are products that we think deserve to be called out for missing the mark in health related products.
Pyle It On
Pyle Audio has introduced the Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor and Watch (PSBTHR70), which measures heart rate, average speed, distance traveled, number of steps taken, lap speeds and calorie consumption. This data can be wirelessly transmitted – by Bluetooth of course – to various third party apps on compatible Android and iOS devices. Supported apps include RunKeeper, MapMyRun and WahooFitness among others.
This watch, which is available in black, green, blue or pink for around $70, can display time in a 12 or 24 hour format and features optional hourly chimes and daily alarms, as well as a built-in calendar system. Continue reading Pyle It On
Weekend Reading List (02.08.2014): Sochi Goes for the Cold, Gold Prices, Bike Crowded Miami
Sochi Goes for the Cold
From The Verge: Freezing Sochi: how Russia turned a subtropical beach into a Winter Olympics wonderland
Sochi is not the most obvious place to host the Winter Olympics.
The Russian resort, on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, is humid and subtropical. Temperatures average out at about 52 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, and 75 degrees in the summer. Palm trees line the streets, and it’s the only part of Russia warm enough to grow tea leaves. In other words, it’s a lovely spot if you’re planning a beach holiday — Stalin had his favorite summer house there — but it wouldn’t be most people’s first choice for a ski trip. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (02.08.2014): Sochi Goes for the Cold, Gold Prices, Bike Crowded Miami
Top Storage
Most cyclists have found that there is always more to carry than will fit in a bicycle jersey pocket and XLAB has found a way to provide just a bit more storage with its toptube bags for bikes with angled stems or with cables entering the toptube.
The Stealth Pocket 500 utilizes toptube bosses on many new bikes and provides storage while also improving the front-end aerodynamics. This new bag comes with 1mm insulated sides and stiffener insert, which ensures that the bag maintains its aero shape while it weighs just 2.7 ounces.
“Our previous line of toptube storage bags had two models with toptube mount capabilities that are ideal if riders mount a bag right up against the stem,” said Candice Turner, marketing director and COO of XLAB. “Lately, we noticed a trend of superbikes with angled, integrated stems along with midrange bikes with cables entering the toptube, but with new toptube bolts. A bag that has a vertical front blocks some of the air coming from the front end and creates a turbulent air pocket resulting in drag. We needed to create a rounded front, which would redirect the air cleanly over the bag and eradicate that air pocket.”
Kross’ing Guard
It is hard to get the barefoot running experience this time of the year. For one the temperatures are so cold you probably wouldn’t want to run barefoot and second running on snow and ice probably is never a good idea. The Kross M Winter shoe from Lizard Footwear lets runners get the feel of minimalist running in the winter.
This lightweight, flexible shoe still provides protection from the cold and features a Vibram IceTrek outsole to grip mud, rocks and wet terrain. The upper is made of Schoeller tight fabric or leather and ClimaSkin membrane that makes the shoe water resistant. The Primaloft padding also insulates the feet from cold, which is something we’ve had just about enough of this winter!
Unbundled Trainer Accessories
Indoor trainer maker Kinetic announced a new pricing structure for its inRide Watt Meter and Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Strap. While previously sold together each is now available as two separately packaged products. While bundled together for $229, consumers can now purchases the inRide Watt Meter for $159, while the Kinetic Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Strap has a suggested retail of $70.
“We’re listening to cyclists,” explained David Simpson, Kinetic’s marekting manager. “Quite a few already have heart rate straps, offering the inRide pod separately saves them money and eliminates the redundancy of purchasing a second one. As for customers who only want a heart rate strap, ours is a great option that is compatible with inRide and over 50 different fitness Apps.”
Introduced in 2012 the Kinetic inRide is compatible with all Kinetic fluid trainers, while the inRide app offers five different data screens, allowing riders to focus on wattage or heart rate with features such as time-in-zone measurement, programmable rider data, calorie burn, and ride history. The Kinetic Bluetooth 4.0 Heart Rate Strap wirelessly pairs with the free Kinetic inRide App, as well as any of over 50 popular fitness Apps, including Strava and MapMyRide, to measure heart rate.
On the Go Book
GammaTech has introduced the latest addition to its Durabook line of rugged mobile computers, the semi-rugged S15H notebook. This is designed to provide a more cost-effective solution that still meets Military 810G standards for drops, shock and spills. It also includes an optical disk-tray lock, double-protection smart battery circuitry and smart battery calibration. This notebook features an Intel Haswell CPU, 15.6-inch high definition LED display and two dual-channel DDR III SOMIMM slots. Since it could be used in places off the grid the S15H includes multiple security features such as TPM 1.2 technology, a Kensington Lock connector and administrator password/Boot password. Continue reading On the Go Book
The Baladeo Goes Retro
The Swiss Army Knife isn’t the only name in blades. The Baladeo Le Retro Knife evokes the knives that the company made in France in the early 1950s, and as the name suggests it has a true retro look but is far from light on features. It includes two blades, a saw, a can opener, a punch, a corkscrew, a piercing tool, and, of course, a bottle opener, along with a stainless steel body and true blonde horn handle. Thus it truly mixes form and function like a good knife should.
Board to Bike
Cyclists might be getting a little “bored” of riding on the trainer, but let’s face it winter isn’t going anywhere just yet. If you can’t beat it then board up. The BikeBoards, which were unveiled at the recent Outdoor Retailer Show Winter Market, basically transforms a mountain bike into more than a snow bike. It puts front ski on the tire and allows the bike to better navigate through the white stuff.
Designed to fit tires with widths between two and five inches it can be mounted in three positions based on the snow and conditions. It features a full steel edge with a sidecut and curved tips that provide float in deep snow, as well as grip and carving on harder snow and ice. All we can say is hop on board.