Gear Closet: 180s Foundation LED Gloves

With winter now firmly set in, the cold temperatures and short days sometimes make it a little more challenging to get outside and maintain our normal workout routines. But if staying warm and visible are your goals, than an innovative pair of gloves from 180s is about to take away all of your excuses. The new Foundation LED gloves cleverly integrate a bright light right into the design, providing comfort and convenience in one great package.

Made from comfortable and durable  QuantumHeat fabrics, the Foundation gloves provide a snug, yet non-restrictive, fit that feels great on your hand.  They are also a surprisingly warm considering how thin and lightweight they are. If I were simply judging them based how they perform as gloves, I would give the Foundation LED's high marks for protecting my hands from the elements, while still allowing me to accomplish basic tasks that require manual dexterity. It is refreshing to have a pair of gloves that allow you to tie your shoes while out on the run, without having to remove them from your hands.

As with most of the gloves from 180s, the Foundation LED's also feature ALLTouch technology. This allows the wearer to interact with his or her touch screen devices – such as a smartphone or mp3 player – while still wearing the gloves. This is another handy feature to have when the temperatures turn cold, and you don't want to take the gloves off just to select a new music track or respond to a text while running. The snug fit of the gloves also helps to ensure accurate use of the touch screen as well.

The feature that really sets these gloves apart from the competition however is the integrated LED lights that provide quite a bit of illumination without adding undue bulk. Each glove has a small lightbulb stitched into place just above the forefinger, with an on-off button situated on the wrist. When turned on, the two lights give the person wearing them a set of headlights that not only make them more visible in the dark, but also allows them to illuminate their way while running, walking, or taking part in any other outdoor activities.


I am very impressed with how much light the tiny LED's in these gloves manage to put off. During the day, or in a well lit room, they don't seem all that impressive, but out on the road in the dark, they are very effective. So much so that I wore them to my weekly running group one evening, and had several members comment on them and inquire as to where they could get a pair. It was immediately apparent to my companions that this was a very useful piece of gear that could make an evening run much safer.

It is clear that 180s has put a lot of thought into the design of these products, and that they had outdoor athletes in mind when they created them. The Foundation LED gloves will impress you with their integrated lights of course, but the fit and feel of the gloves will be what keeps you wearing them. The fact that you can interact with your tech gadgets without having to take them off is simply the icing on the cake.

If you're looking for a great pair of gloves to wear on your outdoor workouts, I can't recommend these gloves highly enough. They are warm, comfortable, and dare I say even stylish. The addition of the integrated LED lights is perfect for those evening runs, helping to keep you safe out on the road. 180s has priced the Foundation LED's at $55, which is a price I find to be fair considering the level of performance they provide. At the moment, they also happen to be onside for just $22, which is an incredible bargain. Take advantage of this bargain while you can.

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Gear Closet: Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Earbuds

Now that Christmas is over, it is time to start looking ahead to the New Year, a time when many people make resolutions to workout more and to get into better shape. Over the past few years, there have been a number of great new wearable technology products that have hit the market that can help us achieve those goals, including numerous activity monitors and smart apps. One of the more innovative of these products is the new Jabra Sport Pulse wireless earbuds, a device that combines a pair of Bluetooth earphones with a built-in heart rate monitor.

If you're a serious outdoor athlete, you have probably worn a heart rate monitor at some point. Traditionally, these somewhat bulky devices are strapped across the chest in order to keep track of your heart rate while on a workout. This can help track performance over time, and give you an indication of how efficient you are as runner, cyclist, or even swimmer. But wearing that chest strap can be uncomfortable and distracting for many athletes, which is why they aren't used as much as they could be.

The Jabra Sport Pulse does away with the bulky chest strap altogether, and puts the heart rate monitor into the headphones themselves. These earbuds are a bit larger than most others you'll find on the market, but once you get them properly fitted (using the included EarGels and EarWings), and have used them a time or two,  you'll soon forget that you are even wearing them at all.

The Sport Pulse earbuds pair wirelessly with a smartphone or Bluetooth enabled mp3 player, allowing the wearer to listen to their favorite music or podcasts while they workout without having an annoying cable running from their ears to their device. This same connection shares heart rate information with the Jabra Sport Life app (available for iPhone and Android), which tracks progress over time, and suggests workouts for improving performance as well. With the app installed on your smartphone, you can check historical data for your workouts, and see how your fitness levels change.


Throughout your workout, the Sport Pulse earbuds will also provide audio feedback to let you know how well you're doing. At ten minute intervals, a voice inside your ear will let you know how far you've run, how fast you're moving, what your current heart rate is, and what "fitness zone" you are operating in. Those zones can include "fat burning," "cardio training," and "intense cardio training" – amongst others – depending on how hard you are working out at any given time. This audio updates make it easier to know how well you are performing on any given workout, and can motivate you to go a bit harder and faster when you feel the need.

As someone who runs nearly every day, it is incredibly liberating to not have to deal with any kind of cable running from my earbuds to my music player. This may seem like an insignificant thing, but if you've ever found that cable to be annoying while you run or ride, you'll understand how nice it can be to do away with it altogether. Throw in the ability to do away with the heart rate monitor strapped to your chest, and you start to see how convenient these headphones truly are. If you routinely run with a heart rate monitor now, you owe it to yourself to try these earbuds out. You may just discover how nice it can be to workout with a single wearable device that can function as your earphones too.

Jabra has included a number of other nice features on the Sport Pulse earbuds as well. The addition of an in-line remote comes in very handy for starting and stopping your music, while another button on the left earbud allows you to begin, end, and pause your workout too. An integrated microphone lets the user take phone calls while wearing the headphones, and it is even possible to interact with Siri on the iPhone (and Google Now on Android) while working out too. While I generally try to run to get away from phone calls and text messages for a little while, it is nice to have the ability to take them if the need arises.

These earbuds have also been built with the outdoor athlete in mind. They are surprisingly durable, and have been designed to resist rain, dust, and the shock that comes with being dropped. Jabra knew that they had to make the Sport Pulse earbuds tough and dependable, and it shows in how well they are constructed.

It is hard not to be impressed with all of the technology that is crammed inside the Sport Pulse headphones, but they do come with a few flaws. For instance, I was less than impressed with the sound quality that they delivered. Jabra has a great reputation for delivering very good sound, but the Sport Pulse sound just "okay." They aren't particularly bad, but there is also nothing to get all that excited about either. I would have liked to have heard a little more punch – for lack of a better word – out of my music, but instead the sound quality left me feeling a bit detached from what I was listening to. That said, the music and vocals sounded clear, there just wasn't anything exciting about it in any way.

Since these are wireless earbuds with a heart rate monitor attached, they also have a built-in rechargeable battery. That battery is good for about four hours of life before it needs to be recharged. That means you'll have to remember to plug in and charge yet another device if you want to use these regularly. For me, I can get about three normal workouts from these earbuds before I need to juice them up again. Optimally, I'd love to see the battery life at least doubled, but considering how small these headphones are there will need to be some significant breakthroughs in battery technology to make that happen anytime soon. For now, you'll have to recharge these headphones often, and keep your standard pair of wired earbuds close by just in case. Fortunately, the Sport Life app provides information about the current level of charge on the batteries, which is a good reminder of when it is time to plug them in.

Jabra sells the Sport Pulse wireless earbuds for $199.95, which sounds a bit expensive if you're just comparing them to other Bluetooth earphones. But when you factor in the built-in heart rate monitor, they actually become quite a bargain. The fact that you can do away with entangling wires running to your audio player, and get rid of the bulky chest strap at the same time, makes this product completely worth the money for many outdoor athletes. If you set your expectations accordingly for the sound quality that these headphones produce, and make it part of your routine to recharge them regularly, you'll find that Jabra has created an excellent product for those who are serious about their fitness.

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Gear Closet: Armpocket Flash Smartphone Armband for Runners

Still looking for a last minute gift for the runner in your life? Than you may want to consider the new Flash armband from Armpocket, a protective case designed for larger smartphones that comes with a couple of nice extra features that are sure to be appreciated both by you, and the person who uses the armband.

As a daily runner, I like to listen to music and podcasts throughout my workouts. That means taking my smartphone or mp3 player with me when I hit the road. The problem is, I recently purchased a new iPhone 6, which is much larger than its predecessors. Finding an armband case for the phone has been a bit of a struggle, as there aren't many designed specifically for Apple's new devices. I know that there will soon be plenty of options to choose from as more companies release new options, but at the moment there are few good choices for the iPhone 6 or it's even bigger sibling, the 6 Plus.

The Armpocket Flash was built with larger smartphones in mind however, and it has absolutely no problems accommodating the new iPhone, even if it wasn't made specifically for that device. In fact, there is so much room inside that it actually doesn't fit my iPhone quite as snugly as I'd like. For the most part, this isn't a big issue, but  trying to use the phone through the touch-sensitive protective covering can sometimes be an exercise in futility. Since the touch screen window doesn't fit tightly agains the phone, it doesn't register taps and swipes as cleanly as I'd like. On more than one occasion, I've actually had to take the phone out of the case to get it to do what I wanted. That defeats the purpose of using a case in the first place, and was a source of frustration while testing this product. My advice is to set up your music and fitness apps ahead of time, and slide your phone back into the case before you get moving.


That one annoyance aside, I actually found that I really like the Flash. It is obviously a very large armband, but considering the size of popular smartphones these days, it has to be. Despite its size however, the Flash fits very comfortably on my arm, and stays locked in place even on more vigorous runs. While you will be well aware of the large armband you're wearing, it really doesn't impact your workout in any way.

As you would expect from a product like this one, it features a nice audio access port for headphones which can accommodate nearly any device that you put inside. The armband is also made out of sweat and water resistant materials that ensure your device stays well protected from moisture at all times as well. Interior compartments allow you to carry a key, ID, and other small items with you when you hit the trail, and the memory foam cushioning molds the case to your arm quite nicely.

Of course, a lot of these features are just what you'd expect out of a good armband built for frequent runners. But the Flash has another feature that helps to set it apart from the competition, while also providing a bit of extra safety if you find yourself out after dark. Armpocket has integrated a set of red LED lights into the side of the case which aid in visibility out on the road. These lights have three modes that allow them to stay on constantly, or blink at two different speeds. Blinking red lights on a dark street will certainly catch the attention of drivers, helping to make them more aware that you are passing by, something that I'm sure we can all appreciate.

The addition of the LED lights to the Flash means that this product is not machine washable. If you get as sweaty as I do when running in the warmer months, that could be a potential problem. Immersing the armband in water will probably kill the circuits that operate the light, so you'll have to be careful when cleaning this product by hand.

The Armpocket Flash feels incredibly solid and durable in your hand, and it seems like a product that will last for a long time. I've been using it for several weeks, and it it still looks like it came right out of the package. It also does a great job of protecting its expensive cargo too, as my iPhone 6 has always come out of the case clean and dry, without an ounce of moisture seeping into the interior.

With a price tag of $49.95, the Flash is competitively priced with similar product, while also incorporating the LED lighting system. This makes it a very good product for the avid runner who will appreciate everything the case brings to the table. If you're in the market for an armband running case designed for larger smartphone, this is a very good option. While I wish that it fit my iPhone 6 a bit more snugly, I truly appreciate the extra storage and the LED lights that provide extra visibility on evening runs. I think the runner on your holiday shopping list will agree.

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Video: The Steepest Running Race in Europe

I never thought a video would make my legs throb with pain, but this one just about did the trick. It was shot at the Red Bull 400, which is held annually in Harrachov, Czech Republic. The event covers just 400 meters, but it runs up the side of a hill that is typically used for ski jumping competitions. That means it is extremely steep, and as you'll see from the video, extremely demanding as well. You better have good lungs and strong legs if you want to compete in this race.

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Video: No Sleep Till Bakewell - A Climbing Endurance Challenge

This short film is sure to provide some inspiration on a Friday. It is the first of a series of videos with the theme of "Never Give Up," that is sponsored by Casio's G-Shock watches. In this clip, climbers Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker attempt to 125 individual claims, and run 23 miles, nonstop over a 24 hour period. This is a challenge that they set for themselves a number of years ago, and only recently went for it. Pretty compelling stuff.

G-SHOCK Presents - No Sleep Till Bakewell from casio electronics on Vimeo.

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Adventure Tech: Introducing the Apple Watch

Yesterday was a big day in the world of tech gadgets. Not only did Apple unveil its new iPhone, it also showed off a new payment system that uses NFC technology to purchase things both online, and in brick and mortar stores. But perhaps most importantly of all, the company also took the wraps off a new product called the Apple Watch, which could hold a lot of potential for outdoor athletes.

If you recall, a month ago I mentioned how wearable technology was a hot item at the latest Outdoor Retailer show. A number of the companies that produce fitness watches were on hand, and showing off some innovative new options for athletes. These watches and fitness trackers were thinner, lighter, more comfortable, provided more functionality, and now have the ability to connect to your smartphone to share data. It was clear that there was a concerted focus on creating devices that were easier to use, and offered innovation that had been lacking in previous models.

Apple's watch will be competing directly against those devices in the fitness space, but it also hopes to do so much more that those devices as well. It tethers to an iPhone to provide data, and can pretty much do just about anything you'd expect from a smartphone, but with functionality shrunk down to fit on your wrist. You can use it to control your music for instance. It can display texts, emails, and other alert messages. It will provide walking directions to a destination, and it can display weather updates or give you your schedule for the day. Oh yeah, and it can also tells time.

Of course, most of that stuff already exists in smartwatches available from other companies as well. But Apple has wrapped it all up in an intriguing new operating system that looks easy and fun to use. This will help set their watch apart from its competitors in many ways, as it appears to have Apple's trade mark was of use, allowing anyone to quickly find the functionality that they want, and dial it in for their needs.

But Apple is banking on this device to be more than just a smartwatch, at least as we've come to know them thus far. It is hoping to put the Watch at the center of our workout routines, serving as coach, motivator, and activity tracker. With the launch of iOS 8, the operating system that runs the iPhone and iPad, Apple has introduced a new product called HealthKit. This set of system API's allows app creators to track and store fitness data in a central location, allowing us to chart our progress over time. It will also allow us set goals, and keep track of everything we do throughout the day, whether thats running five miles, riding the bike for an hour, or simply strolling around the block. HealthKit is at the center of a big push to create a healthy lifestyle, and the Apple Watch will have a major role in that as well. 

Apple has packed a lot of technology into the Watch, including a number of sensors for tracking movement, speed, and calories burned. It also has a built-in heart rate monitor that can accurately track just how hard you are working at any given time. This does away with the bulky chest straps that we've all used in the past, which is reason enough to be interested in the device alone. Those sensors are said to be highly sensitive, allowing the device to know when you're working hard, and when you're slacking off.  

But Apple says those sensors will be active at all times, tracking what you do not only during your workout, but also throughout the rest of the day too. If you elect to climb the stairs, rather than take the elevator, the watch will know it, and add the extra exercise to your records. Over time, it will learn about your routine, and help set new goals designed to help you improve performance. In a sense, it will become a virtual coach, giving you incentives to strive to improve. Apple has big plans for HealthKit, and this is probably where the Watch is most likely to appeal to outdoor athletes. Additionally, the HealthKit system is open to all app developers to use, which means we'll probably see apps like Strava and Map My Ride integrating into it as well. This holds a lot of promise for helping us improve how we run, bike, climb, or do just about any of our other favorite activities. Just don't plan on taking it swimming, as the Apple Watch is water resistant, not water proof.

There are a lot of unknowns about the Apple Watch at the moment, and hopefully those things will be made clear prior to launch. For instance, battery life remains a big concern with Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioning multiple times throughout the keynote how the Watch would be able to function "all day." That doesn't bode well for those of us who aren't use to charging a watch on a daily basis the way we do a cell phone. My Suunto Ambit can usually go ten days or more between charges, even with daily runs using GPS. That said, even that took me some time to get use to. While we don't know just yet what to exactly expect out of the Apple Watch's battery, I'd be willing to venture a guess that this thing will be charging alongside your iPhone every night. 

Exact pricing remains a mystery as well. We know that it will "start at" $349, but that will no doubt be fore the base model. A Sports Edition will be offered as well, which will include a specially designed band for working out, and the watch itself will be a bit more ruggedized as well. Apple hasn't said what the price of that version will be, and it likely won't be revealed until we get closer to the release date, currently set for "early 2015."

It is important to keep in mind that the Apple Watch will offer a lot of functionality specifically designed for fitness, but it is a lifestyle gadget that will go well beyond that as well. The fact that it can do so many things, while also being at the center of your workouts, is very intriguing. This could be the watch you wear all day, and not just the one you use when you go for a run. With that in mind, the designers at Apple have even cleverly constructed a wide variety of bands that can be quickly, and easily switched out, giving the watch a unique look with each one. That extends the versatility of the watch even further, as you can snap on the sports band for a run, then switch to a more casual band for a night out on the town. All the while, the Apple Watch continues to track your movements, provide status updates, and remind you to pick up milk on the way home. 

As I said, the potential for the Apple Watch is off the charts. Now, we'll have to wait to see if it delivers. 

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Video: Extreme Mountain Running in Italy

The Red Bull K3 is an incredibly tough mountain running race that was held in Italy recently. It challenges participants to cover a mere 3000 meters in as fast a time as possible. But those 3000 meters happen to run up the side of a mountain, at an almost vertical angle. The video below will give you an example of what that event is like, and it will probably make your legs hurt just watching it. This makes my daily runs, on hilly terrain no less, look like a walk in the park. English subtitles are available from the closed captioning option of YouTube. Enjoy!

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Adventure Tech: Jabra Announces Bluetooth Earbuds with Built-In Heart Rate Monitor

In one of my post-Outdoor Retailer articles I mentioned that wearable technology was a popular item at the show this year, with a number of great looking fitness, running, and mountaineering watches in the works. At the end of that article, I even hinted that there was a product coming that would put a heart rate monitor in your earbuds, freeing us from the cumbersome and uncomfortable strap forever. When I wrote that, I wasn't able to share who was making the product, or when it was coming. But yesterday, Jabra took the wraps off of this gadget, announcing pricing and availability for their new Sports Pulse Wireless earbuds.

These new earphones are obviously designed with the runner in mind. Lightweight, durable, and built to take on your daily workouts, they offer excellent sound quality with wireless Bluetooth connectivity to your smartphone or mp3 player. Encased in carbon fiber, the Sport Pulse Wireless are sweat- and rain-proof, while remaining comfortable to wear, even on extended runs.

But what really sets these earbuds apart are the integrated heart rate monitor. Wearing these will allow runners to leave the bulky strap monitor and home, in favor of this incredibly lightweight solution. When paired with Jabra's app the provide feedback on performance throughout your run, and record improvements over time. They'll even allow you to set goals based on distance run, calories burned, and time out on the trail or road.

Having seen these earbuds in person, I can attest to how small they are, while providing good sound quality for your run. Additionally, I happen to love using Bluetooth earbuds, as they eliminate the wire running to your music player during a workout. Finding a pair that can stream music wireless, and serve as a heart rate monitor is simply incredible. Jabra says the Sports Pulse Wireless are good for five hours of battery life, which is an improvement on previous generations, even though they are smaller in size. That means that most of us can get a couple of workouts in before we need to recharge, while marathoners can be sure that they'll make it through a long run without worry.

The Sports Pulse Wireless will be available to purchase in late September, with MSRP of $199. That's a bit pricey, but if they deliver on their promise, they'll be worth it. Check out the video below for more.

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11-Year Old to Become Youngest to Run a Marathon on All Seven Continents

An 11-year old boy is about to make us all feel like complete slackers.

On September 7, Nikolas Toocheck will take part in the  Chenaii Trail Marathon, held each year in India. If he completes the run, he will set a record for the youngest person to ever run a marathon on all seven continents. He has already finished marathons in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica.

Nikolas launched his efforts to achieve this goal back in 2012, running his first marathon in the Delaware. From there, he simply continued checking off the other continents, until he had just Asia left. In a couple of weeks, he hopes to add that continent to his list as well.

This young runner isn't tackling this challenge just so he can set records however. He is also running to raise funds for a nonprofit called Operation Warm that he has been instrumental in as well. The organization provides warm winter coats to underprivileged children who come from families who can't afford to buy coats themselves. So far, Nikolas has raised more than $40,000 for Operation Warm, which has purchased coasts for 2000 children. But he has his sights set much higher than that, hoping to reach his target goal of $1 million, which would benefit 50,000 kids.

Nikolas has dubbed this endeavor as Running the World for Children, as he has been using this platform to spread the word about Operation Warm as often as he can. As he nears the end of his challenge, he'll concentrate his efforts on raising more money for the cause.

According to Nikolas' website, he started running with his dad at a very young age, and competed in his first 5k at the age of 5. In that race, he mostly covered the distance on his dad's shoulders, but a year later he completed the same distance completely on his own. Since then, father and son have continued to run together, completing several marathons together. An avid trail and road runner, Nik doesn't seem to have any plans to quit running anytime soon.

Pretty inspirational stuff. Think about this young man when you head out for a run this weekend.

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