Muscles Not Motors Gear Review – March 2009
By
Ryan James Leclerc
Posted February 27th, 2009
Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.
KINETIC ROCK AND ROLL TRAINER
Riding a bicycle on a trainer in your living room may be a great way to maintain your fitness during the long winter months, but it is a tremendous bore. Aiming a fan at yourself, watching a Tour de France video, and having your loved ones stand beside you and cheer can help, but that, too, can grow tiresome. There really is no good way to make riding a trainer fun, but if you want to be able to drop your friends on those early spring rides, you need to do the time. For a trainer that strives to deliver as much of a realistic experience as possible, check out the Kintetic Rock and Roll trainer. It is the only trainer on the market that offers a natural side-to-side motion. This unique feature, which can be locked out, engages core muscles and improves your technique. Best of all, when you jump out of the saddle to sprint, your bike will “rock” just like on the road, and unlike rollers, when you beat Mark Cavendish to the line, you can throw your arms in the air and not worry about crashing into your coffee table. $559. www.kurtkinetic.com.
AHNU FIRETRAIL XTR RUNNING SHOE
Running is another great way to work off the rust and “insulation” that accumulates over the course of the winter, and its get you out of the living room and away from that blasted trainer. But you can’t just slap on your Chuck Taylors and head out on a 5K jog. To reduce the risk of injury, it is imperative that you have appropriate footwear. Talk to someone who knows the mechanics of the foot and can recommend the type of shoe that offers the proper support for your flat, pronated, or supinated feet, and then check out Ahnu. The 14.11-ounce Firetrail XTR, with its Neutral Positioning system, works to stabilize and center the heel upon impact, keeping the foot as neutral as possible during the roll and toe-off phases. Slip resistant lugs will keep you from crashing into a snowbank. $115. www.ahnufootwear.com.
ORIGO PASO PEDOMETER WATCH
Whether you walk or run, it’s nice to know how far you’ve gone. The Origo Paso Pedometer Watch will tell you your distance traveled and will also count your calories burned, steps taken, and even monitor your current speed. “Wow! I’m walking at three miles per hour!” Unlike conventional pedometers that need to be clipped to your hip, the Paso is worn on the wrist, so all those vital stats are easily accessible. But only glance at those stats. You wouldn’t want to crash into a street lamp. $40. www.origowatch.com.
