Muscles Not Motors Gear Review | July 2011
Teva Links Mountain Bike Shoes
When I think of Teva, I think of two things. I think of rugged, super-comfortable sports sandals, and I think of a company with perhaps the most commonly mispronounced brand name in the world. When I try to explain to people that it’s pronounced “teh’-va,” not “tee-va,” they either shake their head and say “No kidding?!?!” and then continue to mispronounce it, or they tell me that I’m crazy and continue to mispronounce it. Aside from the correct pronunciation of the name, you may also be surprised to know that Teva makes more than just sandals.
The company makes shoes too, from water shoes to canvas slip-ons, multisports to casual kicks, and light-duty to heavy-duty hikers. And this August, Teva is unveiling its first line of mountain bike shoes, the Links, which features a new method of water repellency called Ion-Mask technology. With Ion-Mask technology, the entire surface of the shoe, including the laces, is coated with a nanometerthin (over 1,000 times thinner than a human hair!) polymer layer that is then bonded to the fabric at the molecular level using an ionized gas. The result is a highly breathable mountain bike shoe with superior water repellency that lasts as long as the fabric it protects. Like a duck’s back, Ion-Mask causes water to instantly bead up and roll off, preventing absorption that ultimately leads to soggy, miserable feet.
This revolutionary technology combined with Teva’s 25-plus-year history of making durable, high-performance footwear results in a mountain bike shoe that excels at offering maximum comfort and performance, especially in wet conditions. The nanometer-thin Ion-Mask layer doesn’t, however, do anything to quell the mispronunciation of the name Teva. Price not yet available. www.teva.com
Hydro Flask 64-ounce Vacuum Insulated Growler
I love beer. And if loving beer is wrong, I don’t want to be right. I especially love cold beer, but without refrigeration or lots of ice, cold beer quickly turns to warm beer. Recognizing this very serious and disturbing problem, Hydro Flask has designed a double wall, vacuum-insulated 18/8 food-grade stainless steel growler that will keep your beer safe and cold all the way to the 18th basket, or while you work up your thirst on a mountain bike ride or a good hike along your favorite trail.
The Hydro Flask growler also features an extra-wide mouth to ensure that all 64 delicious ounces flow super smooth down your parched throat. It is, of course, perfectly suitable as a water or juice bottle, and with a few ice cubes thrown in, your beverage of choice can stay cold for up to 24 hours. If you’d rather fill it up with a hot beverage or soup, the vacuum insulation technology will keep it hot for up to 12 hours. Regardless of the temperature inside the bottle, the outside temperature of the bottle remains neutral, so no burned or frozen fingertips. And unlike a glass growler, you can accidentally drop it on the ground and your precious liquid will remain intact. Just make sure the cap is on. $49.99. www.hydroflask.com
Prism SnapShot 1.9 Kite
The next time some smarty-pants tells you to go fly a kite, go fly a kite! And let it be known that you’ll be flying a Prism SnapShot 1.9, which is no ordinary, leisure kite that can be flown while simultaneously eating an ice cream cone. When you take the SnapShot 1.9 for a spin, you’ll be getting an excellent resistance workout combined with a solid adrenaline rush as the power of the wind pulls your arms towards the sky. Dig your feet in the sand and lay tracks along the beach, or just go with it and let the kite give you a little lift off the ground. If you’re thinking of moving up to power kites, the SnapShot 1.9’s 76-inch wingspan and 16.1-square-foot sail area makes it the perfect training wing for buggying or kiteboarding. Made of ripstop nylon with 100 foot by 300 pounds Spectra flying lines, the SnapShot 1.9 can be stuffed into an included storage pouch small enough to take anywhere, so you can be ready when the wind starts to kick, or when you’re told to go fly a kite. $100. www.prismkites.com
