Exercise tools for a sharper image
Exercise is a simple pleasure. But to the delight of many gear-hounds, fitness equipment increasingly is not. High-tech and high-design gadgets have now invaded the gym, pool and trail -- and made workouts safer, more effective and fun.
Adidas_1
Thirty years ago, running shoes got foam cushioning. Twenty years ago, companies started pumping air, gel or fluid into our soles. And today there is ... the microprocessor? No shoe is more complex or expensive than the Adidas_1, the first running shoe with an electronic brain. When you change speed or go from road to trail, a sensor sends a reading to a chip that estimates the best cushioning. Next, that message goes to a tiny motor in the arch, which pulls a cable to expand or flatten the shock-absorption heel pad. Adidas will release its updated system, 1.1, Nov. 1.
Price: $250. Available at Adidas stores in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Irvine, and other retailers; www.adidasus.com.
Magic Hydro Epoch surfboard
Compared with a normal surfboard, the Magic Hydro Epoch is missing a few things: dents, a foam core and about 4 pounds. It’s hollow, a state-of-the-art development made possible by using a super-strong, ding-resistant carbon-fiber shell. The Magic has a unique tactile feel that helps surfers read the water, says the board’s designer Steve Walden. That enables quicker response to changing wave conditions and better handling.
Price: $1,200. (805) 653-1717; www.waldensurfboards.com.
Speedo Hydralign
Sometimes, you don’t need microprocessors or high-tech materials to build a better mousetrap -- just common sense. In Speedo’s Hydralign swim goggles, the bottom half of the lenses are frosted. To see through the top portion of the limited viewing window, you must angle your head upward, a more efficient position for fast swimming.
Price: $15. (888) 4-SPEEDO (477-3336); www.speedousa.com.
PowerTap SL
The world’s best cyclists are packing up their heart rate monitors and strapping on the new high-tech kid on the block: the watt meter. Whereas heart rate can be influenced by illness, emotion or hot weather, wattage is a consistent measure of exactly how much power you pump into the pedals. Several watt-meters are out there, but the most economical and welldesigned one is the electronics-packed PowerTap SL hub system from Saris. The SL has an internal strain gauge that measures torque and twisting, then displays cadence and power figures on an easy-to-read handlebar readout.
Price: $1,200 to $1,300 (wheel included). (800) 783-7257; www.cycleops.com.
The GyroGym
If you guessed “astronaut training,” take a bow. The GyroGym takes the all-body workout to a wild new level by transforming you into the spinning, whirling nucleus of a 10-foot-tall gyroscope. It’s derived from an abandoned 1960s NASA design, and was featured on the TV series “Star Trek: Enterprise.” Rotating upside-down and sideways, as fast or slow as you please, the GyroGym accommodates all body types and fitness levels. It stretches and strengthens every muscle in your body and works your heart, but is as fun as your own private amusement park.
Price: $6,995; $9,495 (transportable model). (800) 600-GYRO (4976); www.gyrogym.com.