One of the best ways to avoid injury, sports related or not, is to have strong core muscles; and my wife reminds of this when I am doing an activity that might injury my back. “Hold your stomach muscles,” is the statement that she often repeats to me and she is right. Over the past year, strengthening those core muscles has become part of my workout routine and it has really helped. I have had less cycling related back injuries and I find that my back feels less ‘tweaked’ after a good day in the saddle.
There are many was to strengthen your core, from basic home exercises to specific Core Conditioning classes offered by some gyms. Along with these exercises or classes another device can be used will help you strengthen you core, improve your balance and is fun - a balance board. Vew-Do of Vermont has been designing and manufacturing balance boards for exercise, rehabilitation and just plan fun since 1990. Videos after the jump
Secret compartments are cool. Whether it’s the room behind a pivoting bookshelf, the flask inside a cane (a sword is even better), or an underground vault, the ability to stash away goods from the unsuspecting summons up fantasies of living as a mad scientist, James Bond or Batman.
For golfers who have something to hide, Bracketron recently unveiled the Smuggler, an insulated soft-sided “cooler” with a reusable cold gel pack that holds up to six cans of your favorite liquid. It’s designed to “discreetly” slide into a golf bag, which, we gather, means sneaking beverages of the adult variety onto the green. The Smuggler will sell for $24.95.
The Smuggler is part of Bracketron’s lineup of mobile accessories for golfers, including mounts for securing a GPS or smart phone device to a golf cart or bag.
What do you do if you cycle to work but need to “suit up” at the office? Well, you could try riding the bike with a suit on, or you could jam said suit in backpack. There is also the option of leaving the suit at the office – but the Cambridge Design Partnership has another solution – introducing the Suitpack, a special rucksack deisgned to provide a crease-free solution for cycle commuters. The still in prototype design allows for clothing to stay neat and clean as you ride to work. Shower not included, but if you have a way of getting cleaned up, you’ll have a suit that is ready to wear.
If you are an avid reader of KineticShift, you know we love our gadgets. With the newest GPS ‘this’ and latest fitness tracking app ‘that’ always being showcased, it might seem that technology is the only thing that motivates us to stay fit; but sometimes it is something as simple as taking our friend’s dog on a snowshoeing adventure that gets us motivated for a workout in the snow. We can dress for the cold and add layers as needed, but not all dogs are properly equipped to handle temperatures well below the freezing point with just their fur coat. This is where LoneWolf Dogwear comes to the rescue and offers custom dog clothing to help keep your four-legged friend warm in the snow.
LoneWolf Dogwear, based in New Ulm, Minnesota, is a company that manufactures a line of products exactly as the name implies – garments for canines. They manufacture dog clothing to keep your pooch warm, dry and/or highly visible. LoneWolf Dogwear knows that not all dogs are created the same and that the only way to produce a properly fitted garment is to custom manufacture them one by one, so each garment is made ‘to order‘. With each garment being made to order, it only make sense that they are all made in America to guarantee the quickest possible turn around times. Read the rest of this entry »
It is not always necessary to have a slope to pull off a few tricks on your board, all it takes is a tow rope and a vehicle. Now, not only is the hill unnecessary, but so is the vehicle. In what may appear to be an ACME rubber band used by Wile E. Coyote, Banshee Bungee is producing a bungee cord that can be anchored to a fixed object, pulled backwards and released to tow a rider on a snowboard up to 35-miles per hour. Read the rest of this entry »
What may seem to be an odd place for a knife company, Spyderco of Golden, CO, had a booth at the SIA show this year featuring most of their models. One knife in particular caught our eyes, not for any other reason than how it might help you or I our of a backcountry ‘situation’. On the surface, the Assist looks to be just a regular, single bladed knife, but it has so much more to offer. Read the rest of this entry »
Many people claim to know a trail like the back of their hand, while others claim to have trails on the brain. Now thanks to Buff, maker of headwear, wearer’s can truly have the trail on the brain – or at least head. At the Outdoor Retailer Show they showed the new trail maps line of Buff headwear. Heady indeed!
In Finnish a Kuppi is ac cup, and for centuries Finns would warm their hands by using a “little cup” or “Kuppilka,” which held a warm beverage. It was typically low tech such as wooden cup. But now Kupilka is a new high tech twist on the low tech that is designed for hikers and campers, or just anyone who wants a cup with the look that is straight out of the wilderness.
The drinking cups (they make utensils too) are made of natural fiber composites mixed with thermoplastic – basically 50 percent pine fiber wood mixed with 50 percent plastic. The result is one that doesn’t absorb smells, are insensitive to humidity and are dishwasher safe. But they are also recyclable, so if it should crack or break it can be ground down and casted again. Plus they offer a rugged look for those who would like to endure the great outdoors, just like the Finns!
In this high tech age there is no shortage of ways to stay in connected, but there is no app for making fire. And while there are high-tech fabrics and materials to keep warm, sometimes a fire is necessary to survive. At this week’s Outdoor Retailer Show in Utah, InstaFire demonstrated its fuel, which makes an optimal fire starter that can burn in severe weather. This fuel source, which has no harmful chemicals or vapors and can even be stored near food, will light and burn in wind, rain, sleet and snow. It has a 30-year shelf life as well, so it will be there when you need it. Burn baby burn!
In this high-tech era with texting, email and video chat sometimes the older technology gets left behind. But there are still times when you might need to write something down on actual real paper. But try taking that paper out in the rain, or even on a run or bike ride where sweat will get it wet, and you end up with soaked pulp. Water and paper don’t mix – at least most of the time. We’ve seen waterproof cameras, waterproof headphones so why not waterproof paper?
At SHOT Show in Las Vegas this week we were shown Rite in the Rain, a new type of waterproof paper that can survive rain, sweat and spills. The company has introduced a variety of paper products, including a nifty Outdoor Journal that can allow hunters, hikers, and just about anyone else who still take handwritten notes to have a notepad that can survive the elements. Video after the Jump
While the notion of a zombie apocalypse is likely (and hopefully) just a thing for movies and TVs, the popularity of it clearly is having an impact in the real world. At this week’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas Otis Technology, is introducing the Zombie Gun Cleaning System, which is designed to clean all 5.56MM rifles, 9MM and 45 caliber pistols, and 12 gauge shotguns.
There isn’t anything here that will actually stop the walking dead – for that a good firearm will of course do, at least if movies and TV are to be believed. But the kit does pack everything you’d need to keep your firearms ready just in case you do need to take on a zombie. Read the rest of this entry »
For urban dwellers and those with tight spaces finding room for a bike can be no small task. Italian designers BYografia have introduced a solution in the form of a bookshelf designed for bikes. This allows the bike to be hung from the front wheel, while the accompanying shelves allow for storage of other bike gear – or maybe a few books!
There must be a demand for waterproof cases. Not long after we mentioned to you about the DryCASE, the folks at Benzitech sent us info on their new iDry waterproof cases for smart phones and tablets. The cases seal a device to keep out water, yet allow the devices’ touch screens to be used through the case without removal. They can submerge down to 30 feet underwater, and they float, too. The iDry products come with waterproof ear bud headphones, armbands, and neck straps.
Secret compartments are cool. Whether it’s the room behind a pivoting bookshelf, the flask inside a cane (a sword is even better), or an underground vault, the ability to stash away goods from the unsuspecting summons up fantasies of living as a mad scientist, James Bond or Batman.
What do you do if you cycle to work but need to “suit up” at the office? Well, you could try riding the bike with a suit on, or you could jam said suit in backpack. There is also the option of leaving the suit at the office – but the Cambridge Design Partnership has another solution – introducing the Suitpack, a special rucksack deisgned to provide a crease-free solution for cycle commuters. The still in prototype design allows for clothing to stay neat and clean as you ride to work. Shower not included, but if you have a way of getting cleaned up, you’ll have a suit that is ready to wear.
If you are an avid reader of KineticShift, you know we love our gadgets. With the newest GPS ‘this’ and latest fitness tracking app ‘that’ always being showcased, it might seem that technology is the only thing that motivates us to stay fit; but sometimes it is something as simple as taking our friend’s dog on a snowshoeing adventure that gets us motivated for a workout in the snow. We can dress for the cold and add layers as needed, but not all dogs are properly equipped to handle temperatures well below the freezing point with just their fur coat. This is where LoneWolf Dogwear comes to the rescue and offers custom dog clothing to help keep your four-legged friend warm in the snow.
It is not always necessary to have a slope to pull off a few tricks on your board, all it takes is a tow rope and a vehicle. Now, not only is the hill unnecessary, but so is the vehicle. In what may appear to be an ACME rubber band used by Wile E. Coyote, Banshee Bungee is producing a bungee cord that can be anchored to a fixed object, pulled backwards and released to tow a rider on a snowboard up to 35-miles per hour. 
What may seem to be an odd place for a knife company, Spyderco of Golden, CO, had a booth at the SIA show this year featuring most of their models. One knife in particular caught our eyes, not for any other reason than how it might help you or I our of a backcountry ‘situation’. On the surface, the Assist looks to be just a regular, single bladed knife, but it has so much more to offer. 
Many people claim to know a trail like the back of their hand, while others claim to have trails on the brain. Now thanks to Buff, maker of headwear, wearer’s can truly have the trail on the brain – or at least head. At the Outdoor Retailer Show they showed the new trail maps line of Buff headwear. Heady indeed!
In Finnish a Kuppi is ac cup, and for centuries Finns would warm their hands by using a “little cup” or “Kuppilka,” which held a warm beverage. It was typically low tech such as wooden cup. But now Kupilka is a new high tech twist on the low tech that is designed for hikers and campers, or just anyone who wants a cup with the look that is straight out of the wilderness.
In this high-tech era with texting, email and video chat sometimes the older technology gets left behind. But there are still times when you might need to write something down on actual real paper. But try taking that paper out in the rain, or even on a run or bike ride where sweat will get it wet, and you end up with soaked pulp. Water and paper don’t mix – at least most of the time. We’ve seen waterproof cameras, waterproof headphones so why not waterproof paper?
While the notion of a zombie apocalypse is likely (and hopefully) just a thing for movies and TVs, the popularity of it clearly is having an impact in the real world. At this week’s SHOT Show in Las Vegas Otis Technology, is introducing the Zombie Gun Cleaning System, which is designed to clean all 5.56MM rifles, 9MM and 45 caliber pistols, and 12 gauge shotguns.
For urban dwellers and those with tight spaces finding room for a bike can be no small task. Italian designers BYografia have introduced a solution in the form of a bookshelf designed for bikes. This allows the bike to be hung from the front wheel, while the accompanying shelves allow for storage of other bike gear – or maybe a few books!
There must be a demand for waterproof cases. Not long after we mentioned to you about the 
