According to Sennheiser Meltzer runs two to three hours with music playing, and says he appreciates the support of the neckband, which also includes a reflector at the back to provide a little safety.

The PMX 680 also allows him to make volume adjustments without stopping or reaching for his audio player. He can adjust the volume from a clip on his shirt. So for those looking for a new set of headphones, think of it this way, if it works for Karl Meltzer it probably is good enough for the rest of us!

Sennheiser Official Website

The 7.8 ounce shoe is designed with maximum cushioning and support. It features the same adiPrene+ midsole technology used in the adidas ClimaCool Ride shoes. The adiPrene+ midsole provides resilient cushioning in the forefoot, which offers a responsive ride. The shoe’s SprintWeb provides lightweight support. A nylon mesh construction makes the shoe breathable and yet keeps the foot locked in place for stability and speed. A SprintFrame helps return energy to each stride. The shoe’s Lightstrike EVA reduces midsole weight by 15 percent.

Adidas’ adizero Rush comes in nine color combinations, and an additional pair of shoelaces, in a contrasting color, comes with the shoes. A pair of adizero Rush shoes costs $100.

Adidas Official Website

According to a recent Fast Co.Exisit story this fabric may sound like something from science fiction, but it is actually very real, utilizing “a synthetic polymer that interacts with the body’s electromagnetic emission to induce increased oxygenation and blood flow.” The company claims that when worn as clothing Celliant can recycle energy back into the body by increasing blood flow and blood oxygen levels, and this means better athletic performance, potentially better strength and healing.

Given that some attire – body suits for swimming for example – have been banned, it will be worth noting how this technology is embraced not only in fitness and health, but also in the world of competitive sports. There are already many fabrics, as well as clothing that offers a potential benefits to performance, but now we could be seeing the future as the fabric could help recovery as well.

Celliant Official Website
[Via Fast Co.Exist: “Responsive Fabric” Boosts Athletes’ Health (You Can Wear It, Too)]

“A lot of engineering went into making your foot a high performance machine,” said Mark Verstegen, founder of Athletes’ Performance. “To achieve your full potential during a workout, focus on how your foot interacts with the ground in the same way you think about how your hand interacts with a ball or a bat. Using your foot’s natural power and movement will help you strengthen muscles you never knew you had in your feet, lower legs and throughout your core.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfvHNqkkDTc

The adipure Trainer features independent toe separation design along with a quarter-inch minimalistic profile, which allows a wearer’s foot to be close to the ground for optimal speed, balance and agility during a workout. Additionally, the barefoot-shaped construction of the adipure Trainer mimics the foot’s anatomy creating a natural-feeling shoe that still protects the skin and provides traction and durability.

The adipure trainers is available now for $90 in four colorways for men and two colorways for women to let runners get the barefoot workout for the gym.

Adidas Official Website

The device, which sits inside a specially designed cavity in the outsole of the shoe, can work with a range of sports including soccer, football, basketball, tennis and running, allowing users to monitor, evaluate and increase their performance.

“Understanding individual performance data is one of the best ways to improve your game,” said Mark Verstegen, founder and president of Athletes’ Performance. “For the first time, amateur athletes can have access to the performance tracking and analysis technology available to professional athletes.”

This isn’t just for the hardest of the hardcore either, as athletes of every level can use the miCoach SPEED_CELL to track their unique stats including average speed, maximum speed, number of sprints, distance at high intensity levels, steps and stride during play. The device features on-board memory that stores seven hours of an athlete’s metrics and wirelessly transmits the on-field performance data to their smartphone, tablet, PC or Mac.

While available in select Adidas running shoes since 2009, the adizero F50 is the first soccer cleat available with the unique cavity in the outsole. Adidas will also introduce a full range of miCoach SPEED_CELL compatible footwear for basketball, football and tennis later this year and throughout 2012. In conjunction with the launch of the miCoach SPEED_CELL, Adidas will introduce a series of apps beginning with miCoach Soccer and miCoach Running on December 1, 2011, followed by other sport specific apps for basketball, tennis and football in 2012. miCoach SPEED_CELL will be available for smartphone, tablet, PC or Mac on December 1 for $69.99 at Adidas Sport Performance stores, soccer and running specialty stores and directly from the Adidas website.

Shopadidas Official Website

The Need for Speed The Run and adidas promotion will be celebrated at three of the country’s and game’s most iconic locations: Chicago, San Francisco and New York where consumers will get exclusive access to the limited edition Need for Speed The Run shoe and video game.

“When we heard about Need for Speed The Run, we felt like it was a great fit with our brand and our core consumer, as Need for Speed shares our same vision of striving to be the leading lifestyle brand in their respective industry,” says Simon Atkins, head of Sport Style Division at adidas North America.

The Need for Speed The Run and adidas Originals promotional events kick-off on October 12 in Chicago. 50 pairs of the limited edition Need for Speed The Run Top X shoe will go on sale October 10 at the adidas Originals Chicago store. The first ten consumers to purchase a pair will get a ticket to the exclusive kick-off event at the store on October 12. Headlined by DJ Neil Armstrong and Kids These Days, guests will also be able to get an early taste of Need for Speed The Run, playing as Jack Rourke in the race to be first to New York, equipped with the classic adidas Superstars.

The next event will be in San Francisco on October 27 at the adidas San Francisco store. An additional 50 pairs of the limited edition shoe will go on sale October 22 at the store. The first 20 consumers to purchase a pair will get a ticket to the exclusive event at the store on October 27 headlined by Mick Boogie. It all culminates in New York on November 15 to celebrate the game’s launch.

While Need for Speed The Run isn’t actually a workout type of game, this type of promotion could hopefully get some gamers to think differently about being active this fall.

Electronic Arts: Need for Speed Official Website

What makes this new offering from Adidas unique is that it is not designed for running, it is designed for use at the gym. The adipure Trainer promotes the ’natural movement’ of the body by harnessing the natural mechanics of your own body and uses that to strengthen the muscles, build balance and promote dexterity.

“A lot of engineering went into making your foot a high performance machine,” said Mark Verstegen, founder of Athletes’ Performance. “To achieve your full potential during a workout, focus on how your foot interacts with the ground in the same way you think about how your hand interacts with a ball or a bat. Using your foot’s natural power and movement will help you strengthen muscles you never knew you had in your feet, lower legs and throughout your core.”

(Video after the jump)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUYx6JA4-uk

The new adipure Trainer, just like most other barefoot shoes, features independent toe separation and a very minimal profile of just a quarter-inch. This slim profile allows you to be closer to the ground which Adidas claims increases the optimal speed, balance and agility during your workout.

“My feet are able to move naturally in all directions and I can work muscles from my toes all the way to my calves,” said U.S. women’s national soccer team midfielder Heather O’Reilly when testing out the new adipure Trainer. “The adipure helps me improve my balance and increase my foot and leg strength to help me play a full 90 minutes at my highest level.”

“When I tested out the adipure I could immediately feel the muscles in my feet and legs were getting a different kind of workout,” said New York Giants rookie wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan. “Every advantage I can get in the gym to better prepare for the season will pay off on the field.”

According to the Sports Performance Division, the adipure Trainer is designed for athletes who want to maximize their workout in the gym to get better for game day. The foot is the first part of your body to absorb impact or get you moving, so the designers saw that it is crucial for your feet to provide balance, flexibility and of course strength. This piece of equipment is designed to help athletes strengthen their feet and lower legs while still providing comfort and protection during their strength training and conditioning workouts.

The new Adidas adipure Trainer will be available this November and have a MSRP of $90 and available at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Foot Locker, Sports Authority and Shop Adidas. The men do get four color choices compared to just two for the women; but that is not what is important. The adipure Trainer is designed to get you closer to your workout at the gym, not to be the most fashionable shoe in your wardrobe.

Adidas adipure Trainer Official Website

This past Saturday was the 18th running of the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike race in Leadville, Colorado and the 6th time that I have partaken in the race. This event has really grown in popularity and size during the past few years due to the highest level of professional cyclists like Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer showing up to compete. Along with the professional racers, larger corporate sponsors are becoming involved with this race and the whole Leadville race series, especially after Life Time Fitness took over the reins from Ken Chlouber and Merilee Maupin. As a racer, we have to be up in Leadville early on Friday for our medical check in which gave me a few hours to walk around and chat with the sponsors. Here are some interesting products from a few of the Leadville Trail 100 MTB sponsors.

Adidas Eyewear

In the United States when we hear the name Adidas, we think of soccer or running, but Adidas does so much more. Last year they reintroduced their eyewear line into the U.S. with some innovative features. Adidas was showing off their ‘performance’ level at Leadville and specifically the cycling and running lines. The cycling line includes features such as ClimaCool for better ventilation; Sweat Blocker removable pads to keep forehead sweat out of your eyes; TRI.FIT adjustability featuring three-level height adjustment; Double-Snap Nose Bridge to allow a true custom fit on your nose; and much more. Knowing that most riders wear a helmet, the temples are designed to fit comfortably with a helmet, offer flexibility, be easily removed and also be replaced with an elastic strap if desired. The Adidas Eyewear line has many more features and options so that you can purchase the best pair to fit your needs. The Adidas ‘performance’ eyewear line start at $120 and tops off at $305 depending on the style and features that you order. Most styles are also available in either a small or large frame depending on the size of your melon. If cycling is not your activity don’t despair, Adidas also offers specifically designed eyewear for golfers, snow sport users, outdoor adventurers and casual users. The Adidas eyewear line is made in Austria and comes with a two year warranty.

Koobi PRS Saddles

Soon to be followed by a number of other manufacturers, Koobi has been producing saddles for years featuring their “Personal Ride System” (PRS). The system loosely follows the concept of the springer seats that you might have had on your bike as a kid. The Koobi PRS saddles feature 4/10-inch of travel to smooth out the ride of your bike through the utilization of varying durometer elastomers customized to the weight of a rider. Each saddle is manufactured in Italy, but when an order is placed, specific questions are asked regarding your weight, number of hours that you ride and primary use. Once Koobi has that information, they will assemble a saddle customized for you. The leather used in Koobi saddles are a little harder than normal saddles, and like a good baseball glove, require a few hours to properly break in. Over time, the elastomers will breakdown from use, but new ones can be ordered and installed fairly easily by the end user. Koobi saddles that feature the “Personal Ride System” range in price from $180 to $240. These saddles are recommend for most bikes except those with full suspension. The 4/10-inch travel is negligible when used on a bike with many inches of travel so the rider will really not benefit from the PRS.

Platypus

A few weeks ago, we featured Platypus  in our Made in America feature on Fridays and it was a pleasant surprise to find one of their 1.0 liter Soft Bottles in our racer packages. This year at Leadville, Platypus was showing off their new Origin hydration packs. The new Platypus Origin packs feature a premium, Big Zip SL reservoir at their core, offering the elite performance of super-light, uncluttered design, weatherproof protection and superior fit. The Origin family of hydration packs features include multiple hose routing and access, on-the-go pockets, fit-focused Bio-Curve construction and reservoir storage that doesn’t steal gear capacity. The Origin line ranges from $79.95 to $159.95. The reservoir is made in the U.S.A. and the pack is made in Vietnam.

Herbalife24

Just as important as the equipment is to an athlete, so is the nutrition. Technology throughout the years has helped the athlete fine tune the food and drink they ingest into their bodies improving their performance and health. Herbalife has introduced their Herbalife24 line of products designed to offer the first comprehensive performance nutrition line empowering athletes 24-hours a day. The seven-product line is customizable so you can determine your day-to-day needs based on activity levels and training demands. Herbalife24 is based on the latest proven science and every product batch they produce is third-party tested for substances banned by sporting regulations. This due diligence assures the athlete that what is listed on the label is exactly what is in the product. All products serve a specific nutritional purpose and contain all-natural colors, flavors and sweeteners. At their Leadville booth, Herbalife24 was offering taste tests of their Prolong and Rebuild products. Both products had a good taste and were not too chalky. The chocolate Rebuild was actually one of the best tasting, after-workout drinks that I have tried – very smooth and easy to drink. Herbalife24 products are sold exclusively through Herbalife Independent Distributors and are not available in stores. Checkout their website to customize  the Herbalife24 products for your fitness goals.

Buddies

Launching their product at the Leadville Trail 100 was the Dutch company, Buddies. This new snack food resembles what most Americans might recognize as a corn dog, but this deep-frozen snack is being advertised as a healthier treat. Buddies is the sponsor of the 1996 Olympic Champion, Bart Brentjens and his team (Bart actually finished the 2011 LT100 in 6th place). Buddies essentially is a Dutch roll with a hot dog, apple filling or pear filling inside. They are “produced with all natural ingredients containing just the right nutritional values.” This was an odd product to launch at a sporting event which is so focused on nutrition, but truthfully after racing 100 miles you can pretty much eat whatever you damn well please. As for nutritional value, I have no idea since I could not find that information anywhere.

The new collaboration is set for release next year, and will allow gamers to train using the miCoach hardware, including heart rate monitor (or any ANT+ compatible monitor), which will connect to the THQ’s new video game title for the Kinetic for Xbox 360 or PlayStation Move via miCoach Pacer and miCoarch mobile app.

“We’re taking our successful miCoach line and broadening its reach to an even larger audience, who we hope will find motivation and inspiration from adidas and our roster of star athletes,” said Simon Drabble, Director of miCoach BU for adidas. “In simple words, this combination of console technology and training for sports supports everybody to become better athletes, regardless of their fitness level.”

Players will get an onscreen trainer to guide them through hours of on-screen training and motivating game experience. The system will get gamers toned up beginning next year.

miCoach Official Website
THQ Official Website

There is no denying that adidas has some cool shoes, but now the company proves it really knows cool with the ClimaCool Ride, ideal shoes for spring and summer running. This shoes provide 360 degrees of ventilation. The shoes feature suede overlays for lockdown performance, non-woven fabric for comfort and breathability and injected EVA tooling with maximum flexibility and breathability, plus perforated sockliner for even increased breathability. In other words these shoes look cool and will keep your feet cool.

Out of the box we’re impressed by the lightweight design. In our hands on testing these shoes felt like walking (and light jogging) on a cloud. Check back next week for a full hands on of the adidas ClimaCool Ride, and in the mean time enjoy a video with David Beckham.

(Video after the jump)

adidas Official Website

The shoe of 2011 is lightweight. You’ll see entries from several manufacturers. Adidas brought out its ClimaCool Ride, an 8.9 ounce running shoe. While the loss of a few ounces is something to talk about, the all-around, 360 degree venting is another star feature of the shoe.The zig-zag sole has vents that push air up to cool your soles. A mesh upper makes the top of the shoe breathable while keeping it lightweight. Cushioning called adiPrene in the forefoot maintains propulsion and efficiency. The midsole is flexible while a nonwoven fabric lining provides comfort and breathability. Additional adiPrene under the heal provides cushioning against impact. An adiWear outsole makes the shoe more durable.

Adidas ClimaCool is a moisture-wicking fabric using conductive fibers made of silver-coated yarns in three-dimensionally structured fabrics. This combines to wick moisture and cool the wearer. Adidas created the fabric back in 2001, and continues to put it to use in new athletic wear.

The ClimaCool Ride comes in 26 color combos: 16 for men and 10 for women. You’re sure to find a color in this style that suits your mood and makes you want to wear them on your next run.

Adidas ClimaCool Ride

via [OregonLive.com]

This week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Adidas is showing its miCoach on a new platform, Android. The introduction is in conjunction with Google, also in residence at the international mobile conference.

Adidas has six sports-specific conditioning and training programs such as basketball, football, running, soccer and tennis, as well as an additional program for staying fit. The app uses GPS for active real-time pace-based coaching and location tracking.

Adidas miCoach app includes:

• All-in-one device: your music, coach, workout calendar and phone
• Offers real-time GPS-triggered voice coaching to color keyed pace zones based on a personal assessment workout
• Offers sports-specific workout plans
• Fully customizable so athletes of all levels can create personalized conditioning programs to meet fitness level and goals
• Instant workout feedback with graphs and maps to review and share
• Monitors, manages and analyzes progress over time
• Syncs wirelessly with micoach.com so all data is safely stored online
• Updates continuously with coaching content tailored to your training needs
• Shoe tracking and alerts to keep you at your best and avoid injury
• Indoor coaching only mode for use in the gym
• Available in multiple languages.

The miCoach app will be available to download free from Android Market in April. The program was first launched in August last year for the iPhone and Blackberry. MiCoach app has had one million downloads to date.

If you’re using the miCoach App from Adidas, then you need a case with a good strap or clip for your phone or player. Case maker Griffon is offering 30 percent off its Adidas miCoach armband. It’s normally $29.99, but click on the sale link today and get it for $20.99. While the armband is made to fit an iPhone or iPod Touch, it is made to accommodate most phones and players. It also has a pocket to store keys.

The band itself is made from an ultra-lightweight wicking nylon. It adjusts to fit arms up to 17″ round and is made to stay in place even while holding an iPhone.

Griffin Technology miCoach Armband