Gear Check :: July

Check out our gear picks this month to speed you through your training and keep you cool in the summer heat.

 

Stay Cool

When it gets hot on the trail, at the campsite, even at an outdoor music festival, Mr. Cool–Mr. Clean can help. This handy little gadget hooks up to any hydration pack via an “x-tra” tube and splitter and turns into a high-volume, fully adjustable hydration pack squirt gun. Squeeze the trigger for a refreshing cool mist on a hot summer day, use it to clean off a muddy bike chain, rinse off your camping dishes….or have a fun squirt gun fight. $14.95. LiquidCompany.com 

 

Xcellent for Eating

Enjoy your next outdoor backcountry meal in a fun and functional X-Bowl or X-Plate from Sea to Summit. Both fold down flat for compact packing and are super light (2.8 oz. bowl, 4.9 oz. plate). When ready to use, just pop them up and open. Both are made of a high-temperature, sturdy and flexible silicone to hold everything from noodles to soup to cereal, with a rigid bottom that makes for a handy cutting board when the bowl or plate are flat. Bon appetit. $14.95 bowl, $16.95 plate. Seatosummit.com 

 

Flexible ID

Flexibility is an important quality for an athlete to have and gear that embraces constant change can only make an athlete’s life run smoother. eSportsID, yes it’s a little yellow bracelet, but what this one hides is a USB flash drive in its clasp for plugging into a computer. Once inserted a multi-page document will pop up where you can enter all medical history and personal info which will help emergency workers treat you if needed. And you can update that info any time. Little, yellow, different. $40. Hightechsportsgear.com

 

Nike SportBand

Everyone wants to know how far you ran. Nike created the Nike+ system to help you log your speed and distance while using your iPod. But what about those who don’t like to run with earphones? Nike’s new SportBand offers a music-free version entry into the Nike+ world. The slender band allows runners to keep track of their speed, time and distance in conjunction with a footpod that fits on your shoe. While running, you can toggle between your overall time, pace per mile and overall distance. After the run, download the information via a USB port to your computer, where you can keep track of your runs, create training programs and share the information with a friend or coach. Nikeplus.com

 

Hold-a-Phone

Some runners may roll their eyes at their fellow pavement pounders who can’t leave the world—and the mobile phone—behind during a run. Others feel the issue is not connectedness or business necessity, but safety that keeps them running with their phones. For those who are happier with a phone on their hips, the Hold-a-Phone fits any style/size of mobile or PDA and can be strapped to an arm, a leg or a bag so you can meet up with friends or call someone for help if you’re injured or feel threatened when you’re out on the road or the trail. $20. Holdaphone.com

 

Speedy Feet

One look at X-Socks’ RunSpeedOne style and you’ll be feeling fast  before you’ve even laced up your shoes. These super-techy socks feature anatomically placed padding zones on the instep and heel plus ventilation channels along the sole and instep that help air circulate in your shoe. They also feature a patented Achilles heel protector that creates a hollow to protect your skin from friction. Specific styles for men and women. $25/pair. X-socks.com

 

So Cool, It's Hot

Stay cool and look hot in Castelli's Free Bibshort and Prologo Jersey. The Free Bibshort is the ultimate choice for a long hot weather ride. Its open chest design allows maximum airflow while providing the secure comfort of a bib. Thin front straps are set wide and a single back-strap helps the short stay secure. The AC pad uses temperature-control material that keeps it at body temperature even when the mercury is rising. $230. The new Prologo Jersey's fabric features a hydrophilic treatment that helps sweat spread across a larger area and wick away faster. A mesh insert runs down the back to keep you cool. Just in case you sweat too much, the zippered mp3 pocket is water resistant. $80. Castelli-us.com

 

Fix Your Boo Boos

For athletes, different kinds of boo boos—from blisters to bloody abrasions—come with the territory. Lucky for us that Nexcare by 3M offers a line of bandages and first aid products for active types that are water proof, sweat proof and game proof with a super sticky 360-degree adhesive seal to keep out water, dirt and germs where you need to heal. The ACTIVE line includes blister pads in two sizes, sport pads for larger wounds, skin cover for minor irritations, and abrasion covers for all of the above. $2.50–$4.50. Mmm.com