January Blues and Crispy cream Donuts

We all know what happens in January, we make our News Years resolution and hit the gym. I understand we all need to start somewhere so I am not that upset that getting on the treadmill at 5 pm is almost next to impossible. Now if you are like me you are training all year round so as the month rolls on people will start o drop off and by February you will have the real serious people, few will even turn into gym rats, congrats. This scale by Ironman and Tanita will help the neurotic keep track of Weight, Body Fat %, Body Water %, Muscle Mass, Bone Mass, Basal Metabolic Rate, Metabolic Age, Visceral Fat and Physique Rating. A product from Ironman earns the right to have my seal of approval and from what I have read about Tanita, this could be a marriage that could last until last next year when they think of another feature that we would all find useful.
Check it out. Tanita

Running in the winter

Call this a break, traveling and trying to get workouts is one of the hardest things to do in the winter. Well About.com has a great article on running in the winter, from staying hydrated to sunglasses to keep the glare down. Some things that it does not cover is traction and how to stay upright. I like to run off the beaten path so check out YakTrax they make one called the Pro that is made for running in the snow. Anyway About.com article is a good start to making sure you are not left out in the cold.

Base Camp Duffel

Best piece of luggage that I have every owned, it has been to Europe for skiing and packing, business trips carrying a laptop and other electronics. What makes this so great is that it is fully waterproof and you can carry it like a backpack. Now it is a soft pack so you need to bring it on as a carry on if you are going to put a laptop of any electronics that you might not trust with the airline crews. It is highly durable 100% polyester PVC tarpaulin with a 0.53-mm. thickness, bartacks and double stitching, D-shaped opening with durable zipper flap, volume: 9,070 cu. in., dimensions: 32 x 19 x 19 in. and only Weighs 4 lbs. 15 oz.
Check it out. The North Face

Updated: Garmin 205 and 305 Forerunner released

As I said CES would produce some pretty cool technology, personal, business and home automation. Well I talked about the Garmin 205 and 305 a couple of post back but it's really here and I can't wait to get my hands on one. Heart Monitor, training center CD, docking cradle, A/C charger, PC/USB interface cable and a quick start manual all standard on the 305. It continuously monitors your heart rate, speed, distance, pace and calories burned so you can train smarter, more effectively. It tracks your every move with a super-sensitive GPS that even works on tree-covered trails and near tall buildings. Receive a detailed post-workout analysis when you up-load it to your PC, all on a watch not like the Timex that has the GPS unit that you where on your bicep. Sleek, stylish and easy enough to read and work.
Check it out. Garmin

Water Tunes: H2O Audio

It's training time, swim, bike, run and if you are like me the pool gets very boring real quickly, thanks to h20audio that's going to stop. Waterproof housing up to 10 feet, perfect for the pool, now they do make one for deep sea diving but that is not what we are talking about in this blog. With the earth being 2/3 water we do need to think of a way to bring our mp3 players with us, devoted to make that happen h20audio was born. They also sell the belt so that you can strap it on and go. The idea is simple, put it into the case, close the case, lock it down, plug in and hit play. I can't wait till mine arrives.
Check it out. h20audio

Michael Schumacher Speedmaster -- Omega for Charity

Now I love Omega watches and think that they are the best in the world and one of the most overlooked classic watches. Most people would go with a Rolex or IWC and that is fine with me, it might keep the cost down for a little while longer. Well the Michael Schumacher Speedmaster that retails for roughly $2,000 went for 1.5 million in a tsunami charities event. Wow, to give the watch the extra umph that it needed Michael Schumacher did sign the back. Way to go Michael

Surefire's U2, see the light, Anytime!

Happy New year and I am excited about CES happening right now, there is going to be some really cool stuff at the show and really showing us what is ahead for this year. If you find yourself caught in darkness and need the sun, then look no further than Surefire's U2. This thing has 6 levels of output, made of aluminum with military specifications and runs on two lithium batteries (10 year shelf life). The U2 features a five-watt LED and as I said has 6 levels from find-my-keys to daytime (a searing 80 lumens at its highest setting and a click-on/off tailcap for self defense or emergency signaling). On the lowest setting you will get over 40 hours or life and 100 hours of negligible light. This is one of the best lights on the market with a price tag that reflects that as well, $279.
Check it out. Surefire U2

Black Diamond Snow Shovel

A must have for any one that does back country snowboarding, skiing, snow shoeing and of course the extreme slider. This shovel like many from Black Diamond are light, durable, easy to use and made of aluminum. Many people find themselves in trouble in the back country from lack of equipment, along with a GPS or emergency beacon this shovel is one of the best pieces that you could own. Straight from Black Diamonds website. "Black Diamond embraces the concept of being prepared. We recommend that you assemble your own comprehensive backcountry and avalanche safety kit, filled with your own knowledge—whether gained by observation and personal experience, or learned from others. Complement this kit with our avalanche gear and the confidence of knowing it has been designed for use in the real world against real snow dragons."
Check it out. Tele Lynx Shovel

Recharge your devices as you run: Scott eVest

Have you ever been riding or running and the battery dies on your iPod, fustrating to say the least it breaks your rythm and makes you crazy. Well the makers of Scott eVest have come up with this solar panel that attaches to most Version 4.0 jackets and Version 3.0 Finetex jackets. Material is waterproof FineTex. Use ths device with the Tactical 4.0, versatile Microfleece Pullover is a wardrobe necessity--at least according to everyone at SeV headquarters, where this has become a voluntary uniform! The lightweight, breathable and wicking fabric is great for hiking, biking, travel..everything! The pullover has 5 pockets, including a specially designed chest pocket with a ZIP-PIP for sunglasses and "back-up," patent-pending magnetic closures. The Weight Management System (WMS) for this pocket was an R & D coup...you can't imagine how much testing went into this design.
Check it out. Scott eVest

CycleOps - Power Tap Pro - Perfect Training

Well the change is coming, heart rate is out and PowerOps is in. The Power Tap Pro come with a computer, hub, heart rate chest strap, receiver with cadence sensor, mounting hardware, software and training guide. The price also reflects the technology of something this advanced $899 MSRP, ouch. With being able to tell how much power you are putting down and when, this can really help one improve on their biking softspots. Monitoring heart, cadence and power being recorded for up to 7 hours at 1 second intervals, you can train like Lance Armstrong going for his 8th Tour de France.
Check it out. CycleOps

Speed Laces: Freedom Exercise

I have tried many different laces to make the transition from biking to running easier, and these are one of the best. Place the screws through the eyelet holes, attach the eyelet fittings, and then run the new laces or bungy laces through the new eyelets, adjust and off you go. It really is that easy, they come in a variety of colors from the laces to the eyelet screws to the lace-pull. The only thing that I am having trouble with is my Polar running foot pod, it moves around to much when attached to these laces. Check it out. SpeedLaces

Pharmanex: Safely Measures Carotenoid Levels

We need to protect our body against antioxidants, well this product from Nu Skin Enterprises, Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner is the answer and winner of Most Innovative Company category from the American Business Awards. What the product does is measures the concentration of carotenoid antioxidants in the skin, a score provides a measurement of how a person's diet and supplementation is protecting the body's cells and health. Then a user after gathering enough data they can start to construct a diet that can boost antioxidants level and maintain proper health. Check it out. Pharmanex BioPhotonic Scanner

NuMetrex Heart Sensing Sports Bra

Polar has one similar that you can thread their heart rate monitor into, NuMetrex has it built in, all you have to do is snap the Polar WearLink in and off you go. Seamless bra has sensors in the fabric, the heart beat is picked up and relayed to the WearLink. Then it works the same as if you were wearing the old strap around your ribcage. The old strap on women seem to sometimes loose data from not being able to sit right on the chest. The NuMetrex fits just like a sports bra so the connection with the skin is nice and tight. Check it out. NuMetrex

R.E.D. Tantrum Audex Helmet and Jacket

Burton the leader in snowboards and now seem to be the leader in technology that is useful on the slopes. Bluetooth wireless technology for communication with your friends while playing your favorite tunes. Having a Bluetooth enabled phone and using Burton R.E.D. audio systems takes communication one step further than all other systems. You can mute your tunes coming from the stereo speakers and then pick up your phone. Removable headphones, that can be worn alone or in the padded helmet. The Jacket works the same way but the speakers are built into the collar. Done right Burton taking boarding and to some skiing to the next level. Did I mention that they developed this with Motorola Check it out. Burton

Float on Snow: Tubbs Snowshoes

I have the heaver and older model, the Altitude, I use them for running in 6+ inches of snow and they work great. I feel the extra weight helps my running. Getting my feet into the new binding system of the Catalyst would be heaven, light and easy to put on would be great. The only draw back that I can see is that they say "Just strap on a pair and find a packed trail!" If you are like me a want to find my own trail and then the Altitude the ones that you might want, either one is great and you will like all the Tubbs products. Check it out. Tubbs Snowshoes