I’ve got a thing for watches and have had so many different altimeter watches, heart rate watches and training watches that I’ve developed quite the discerning eye and taste for them. I know my way around nearly every watch on the market. I’m never satisfied with a run-of-the-mill watch that just tells the time and date, It takes much more than that to get me jazzed about a watch. I’m talking about watches that can nearly guess your next move, can track your entire ski day or, in this case, one that can help you make smarter workout decisions. The Polar FT60 has been my training partner for a couple of months now and I’m amazed how far...
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Going into Interbike, I had made an exhaustive list of probably 20 bikes that I had hoped to swing a leg over during the Outdoor Demo. As it always turns out, the heat takes its toll, you end up shooting the breeze a little longer and more often than not, the bike you’re looking for is out on the trails somewhere. To get what you want, it oftentimes takes a bit of camping out to get onboard a popular new design. Having featured the new Salsa full suspension platform on the El Kaboing earlier this summer, I wanted to get my hands on the 29er version of it, the new 2009 Salsa Big Mama. After a long wait in...
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Camp 4. Many outside of the of the climbing community won’t know what the significance of Camp 4 in Yosemite National Park is to climbers but this “physically unimpressive” campground has not only been the epicenter for North American rock climbing but it quite likely is the birth place of many tools of the trade and techniques used today in climbing. On days when climbers would recuperate from being on the wall or when they were just plain bored, they started to string up ropes between trees and boulders and would test their skill walking the line, much like a tight rope walker. With that Slacklining was born. About Gibbon Slacklines Until recently, slacklining has remained quite difficult due to the thinne...
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I enjoy a good breakfast. Being a breakfast guy, I’ve never understood those who feel they can go without breakfast and still have a decent day. Well, many of those people down a gallon of coffee and the occasional doughnut as their “breakfast”, so the “non-breakfast” actually turns into a junkfood breakfast. I read a recent study that found those who ate a nutritious breakfast were less likely to be overweight. It attributed it to eating well and starting off the day with the right nutrition. Well, the right nutrition is what Rokit Fuel is aiming for. But, can a healthy mix of grains, fruit and nuts really taste good, or is it like eating birdseed?...
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As more and more people are commuting by bike these days, it’s becoming even more important to be noticed on the roads. In my mind, anything I can do to get noticed on the road is fair game. I’ve been known to slap a tail light on my roadie even during the day. With cell-phone talking, SUV driving individuals on the road, every little bit helps. Princeton Tec has long been a leader in lighting technology with application-specific lights for cycling, SCUBA, industrial and outdoor applications. I’ve had my hands on both the Princeton Tec Swerve and EOS Bike lights for a few months now and have been impressed. Here are some thoughts. Princeton Tec Swerve Tail Light...
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Shedding an image can sometimes be difficult. It’s like high school when your older siblings had already paved the path for you. If you were lucky, that path was smooth sailing, but if your siblings were troublemakers, you were doomed from the start. With Julbo, that image has long been mountaineering-style glacier sunglasses, anything else just wasn’t Julbo in my mind. However, my eyes were opened to Julbo’s sportier side at Outdoor Retailer in August where I was able to see the new Julbo Run and Dirt sunglasses. After a few weeks of use, the Julbo Run sunglasses have a lot to offer. Here’s my take on them....
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Trail running becomes an addiction to me during the shoulder seasons–Spring and Fall. During the summer, all I can think about is mountain biking. While in singletrack riding mode, the only reasonable use of a trail is on two wheels, not two feet. But, once Fall hits, I’m pre-programmed to switch gears and take things a little slower. Not only does it slow things down in preparation for skiing, it also burns every last bit of extra fat I’ve failed to drop during the summer months. That way I can at least go into winter at my svelte fighting weight in preparation for the inevitable onslaught of winter poundage. Recently, I’ve been flogging the Salomon XT Wings trail running shoe...
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The ever-popular flip-flops have become the official footwear of summer. For some, they are the official year-round footwear because they live in warm climates or they don’t mind having cold or wet feet. Either way, flip-flop sandals are easy to slide on and allow you to quickly change to bare feet for a walk in the grass (my personal favorite reason). There are some downsides to flip-flops though. Doctors have warned of the negative aspects of wearing flip-flops for extended periods of time. The primary concern podiatrists is the lack of proper support provided by most flip flops. Because of this, the foot isn’t in a natural and balanced position, thus increasing the risk of ankle injuries, nerve damage, muscle strain...
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My Fall trail running assault has been a great opportunity for me to test out several pairs of new trail running shoes. The weather and the trails this fall have been perfect, so off I’ve gone on the local trails–taking full advantage of the dry weather we’ve had this Fall in Utah. Slowing things down and running through the fall colors on cool, crisp days, I’ve had a chance to run on the new Vasque Celerator trail runners (available Spring 2009). They have performed really well, but what else would you expect from a company that’s been making outdoor-specific shoes for over 30 years? About the Vasque Celerator Trail...
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Baggy mountain bike shorts are pretty much the norm on the trail. Still, many mountain bikers prefer the roadie-like qualities of Spandex from head-to-toe. Though I can appreciate that, I feel much more comfortable with a nice pair of baggy shorts and a casual jersey. Zoic has been making high-quality, 7-Eleven-friendly mountain bike clothing for years. With attention to quality and innovation (check out the Zoic Opulent Shorts for 2009), these guys are delivering wearable style in mountain biking clothing.  The Sultan shorts have all the goodies you’d expect at this price range, but how well do they perform? About the Zoic Sultan Shorts These are “go-to” shorts for...
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