Stocking stuffers!
Super silent sports schwag Not that any of us need more stuff, but the gift-giving season is upon us. Regular writers to Silent Sports were asked to share some ideas with readers folks who would still write letters to Santa if he accepted letters from the chronologically challenged.
What
follows are no-nonsense, practical products no flashy Lycra outfits here. It's better to feel good than to look good out there, people. (Sorry, but that's a bubble that's been begging to be burst.)
Get your shopping done before it starts snowing. Then the holidays are yours.
You have to give to get!
Dear Santa,
Please have your North Pole elves gift wrap ...
Nordic poles
In the past few years, I have written articles on how to buy snowshoes and on various
brands of snowshoes. But there is an accessory I use year-round that I refuse to go without, be it for snowshoeing or backpacking. It is my trekking pole.
Many snowshoe hikers who are out for aerobic benefits of the sport will often use a pair of trekking poles. Some hikers use just one pole as I do. I personally find the single trekking pole valuable for helping with balance in difficult terrain, aiding with momentum when moving uphill, breaking a downhill gait, reducing stress on back
and knees or poking the person in front of me if they are moving way too slow.
A few years ago, I converted from the rugged wooden hiking staff to a commercial lightweight aluminum staff and now they can't pry it out of my hands. I bought a Komperdell antishock, collapsible, aluminum frame, steel-tip pole. Komperdell, a long-time established company based out of Mondsee, Austria, makes a wide variety of trekking and ski poles. Go to their Web site at www.komperdell.com and click on "trekking and walking" for an array of styles to choose from that would suit your needs.
For winter, be sure your pole comes with a snow-basket that fits onto the end of your pole for added flotation. In spring, replace it with a rubber cap that fits over the carbide tip
and you're good to go for the other seasons.
Now and then I found some Komperdells online at Sierra Trading Post, www.sierratradingpost.com with sale prices ranging from $45 to $65. Go to the REI homepage, www.rei.com, and you will find some in the $60-plus range. Occasionally you may find some poles on closeout in the REI Outlet online at www.rei.com/outlet/index.html.
This is a gift that keeps on giving as it can be put to use year-round, not just during the snowshoe season.
Jim Joque
For the snow blind in a budget bind ...
Eye shields
I was literally hit in the eyes by this stocking stuffer.
I was skiing late last spring on the Tech trails in Houghton, Michigan, and the snow was coming down like pellets. If you know those trails, they have some of the longest, fastest downhills in the Midwest. Close your eyes and you
couldn't see the trail, but open them and risk losing your sight. Not a good choice.
Glasses were no help as they both fogged and clogged up, becoming as big of a distraction as the snow. I finally went out to the car and found an old scratched up plastic eye shield at the bottom of my wife's ski bag and was able to ski pain free, not to mention being able to stay on the trail.
I immediately ordered five pair. One for myself and four (you guessed it) as Christmas presents for the
adult skiers in the family.
There are several brands available. Briko distributes one that retails for $35 and Joe S. Gollinger and Associates distributes a Cebe model that sells for $28. If your local shop doesn't carry them, New Moon (800/754-8685) has the Briko and King Keyser Ski Shop (630/323-4320) carries the Cebe.
This is something that you won't need often. But when you do, you really need it.
Lee Borowski
I'm not calling you names, I just want ...
Dumbbells
Often overlooked due to the marketing campaigns of multi-million-dollar home equipment manufacturers, dumbbells may be the most durable, cost effective and functional training aid you can add to your home gym. Dumbbells can be used to train any muscle in the human body.
Especially for athletes, the use of dumbbells is often more effective than home gyms or machines when the goal is to enhance your athletic performance. In fact, there is a substantial body of evidence that
has concluded resistance training via free weights has a greater transfer to the enhancement of athletic performance compared with training on machines.
The reason is, much of the training completed with dumbbells can be performed in movement patterns and speeds more specific to particular sport. Machines are often designed to isolate a particular muscle or muscle group and this type of isolation training is far from what an athlete needs to enhance performance. All sport-related movements
require several muscle groups working together simultaneously and usually while standing.
A set of dumbbell pairs starting at 5 pounds and going up to 40 pounds in 10-pound increments will run you in the neighborhood of $50 to $80. Dumbbells can be found at Fleet Farm, Wal-Mart and any number of fitness or sporting goods stores.
No warranties needed, I've never seen a pair wear out. I've seen a couple get bent or dented due to being dropped, but they always remain useful.
If you've
got a serious athlete you're buying for this holiday season, don't miss this diamond in the home exercise equipment rough.
Gregory Renfro
Please, no more neck ties. But dad will accept (really) ...
Socks
It's a given that no skier has a good time if their feet are cold or uncomfortable. Good socks can make the difference.
A decade ago SmartWool socks hit the scene and the story of da feet has never been the same. Knit of Merino wool, SmartWool revolutionized the
sock business. Warm, durable, machine washable, and, most importantly, lacking the scratchy, hair-shirt feel that had long marked wool garments, SmartWool socks are still the standard bearer for socks.
But wait! The venerable Wisconsin company Wigwam introduced a new sock a season or so ago and it's giving SmartWool a run for the money.
For years skiers, hikers and their ilk have layered socks wearing a thin, moisture-transfer sock next to the skin, and a thicker, warmer sock over
that. It's a good combination and it's worked for years. But the InGenius socks from Wigwam use a special knitting process that combines a liner and outer sock in one sock. The inner fibers of the InGenius are a moisture transfer synthetic fiber; the outer layer is Merino wool. The best of both worlds in one sock.
The InGenius Hiker is the best bet for cross-country skiing; the InGenius Boot Sock is a thicker, warmer sock for colder feet or less-active skiers.
When it comes to
sophisticated knitting machines and what they can do it's tough to top Euro Socks. A newcomer to the American scene, Euro Socks are extremely technical, combining various fibers and different knitting patterns to produce a sock that provides extra cushioning under the sole, easy flexing, moisture transfer and, of course, warmth. Euro Socks take the basic sock and elevate it to what might best be described as a "technical base layer for your feet." They're a great choice for any
active person.
Mitch Mode
Despite the name, this one's not just for
biathletes ...
Resistance exercise
To to honest, I never have been a big fan of elastic resistance exercise. Then I experienced Armit, a system designed specifically to address the muscles used in poling for cross-country skiing. Introduced to the product during a dry land skiing class this fall, it is now an integral part of my routine in my endless quest to be a better skier.
Designed and
sold by Motioneering, Inc., each Armit includes two sets of resistance cords, the hook and clip you need need to install your device indoors, and even a webbing loop that you can wrap around a tree limb if you're outside or away from home. Each Armit comes with a 74-page owner's manual with detailed instructions of exercise progressions and a full description of Motioneering's RepMotions system.
You can benefit from Armit whether you are in the Birkie elite wave or just getting started.
What makes this system stand out is its specificity to Nordic skiing. That's because its designer, Doug Garfield, is an exercise physiologist, author and teacher who also happens to be passionate about nordic sport.
You can get Armit for $49.95 from Motioneering, P.O. Box 4784, Naperville, IL 60567-4784. For more information, e-mail info@thesteadyski.com.
Bob Richards
Look, ma, both hands ...
Cycling gloves
Many cyclists suffer from hand pain and numbness for which there are various causes. The new Spenco Ironman Elite Gloves ($40) reduce or even eliminate the discomfort caused when riding for any length of time.
I've tried other gloves of this type and found that in some cases, the pads were totally ineffective and in other cases, the gel inserts were so
large they ended up causing hand pain and grip difficulties. Spenco's new design forms to the hand better and the gel inserts are smaller.
The new design claims to protect the median nerve in the hand and reduce numbness and hand fatigue. I've had the pleasure of using these gloves for a very short time this year and find that they really do cut down on the numbness and pain.
Stacey Carlson
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