the GearCaster

Completely Unbreakable Eyewear

2012-02-14T09:12:09-08:00

Tired of having to buy a new pair of sunglasses every time you accidentally sit on them or crush them in your bag? Austrian company Gloryfy has created a line of sunglasses and goggles that are completely unbreakable, not only protect your eyes from potential shattering injury, but keep you from constantly having to buy a new pair.

After four years of development, Gloryfy perfected a flexible material called g-flex. Used for both the frame and the lens, this material renders a pair of sunglasses or goggles completely unbreakable. No matter how you bend or crush your eyewear, the elastic material will always return to its original shape.

In addition to flexibility, the lenses offer 100% UVA and UVB protection. In order to offset the curvature of the lens, both Gloryfy sunglasses and goggles use a prism correction specific to the g-flex material.

A simple safety release mechanism enables the side pieces of the sunglasses frame to snap off in the event of being overstretched. This same mechanism also allows you to quickly interchange pieces from different frame designs for a whole new look.

The unbreakable Gloryfy technology can be found in 7 different styles of sunglasses and 2 different snow goggles. Ranging in price from €100 to €130, the eyewear can be purchased worldwide from the Gloryfy online shop.

Rain Pants That Look Like Jeans

2012-02-13T07:00:00-08:00

Vaude has come up with some new bike rain pants that the hipster set will absolutely love. The Homy Rain Pants give the illusion that you are wearing jeans, meaning you don't have to sacrifice on style during your bike commute in nasty weather.

Although made from recycled polyester, the Homy Rain Pants have a jean textile fabric look, complete with jeans-style decorative stitching. The bike rain pants provide you with full weather protection, so whatever you are wearing underneath stays dry and clean for use at your destination.

The Homy Rain Pants feature a mesh lining to help keep air circulating so you don't overheat, ruining your nice clothes with sweat from the inside out. Adjustable cuffs keep the rain pants from getting caught in your chain, as well as making them easier to get in and out of wearing shoes or boots. Reflective elements up and down the pants help with visibility in bad weather.

These bike rain pants proudly bear the Green Shape label. Green Shape is Vaude's quality label for products that are made of at least 90% organic cotton or recycled material, colored using eco-friendly dying processes, and conform with the stringent Bluesign textile standard.

There is no reason these stylish and eco-friendly rain pants have to be reserved for the bike commuters. Whipping these out on a stormy hike would be pretty cool as well. Look for the Vaude Homy Rain Pants starting next fall.

Recycled Softshell Jacket For Winter Fun

2012-02-12T07:00:00-08:00

Along with the Earthtec Laurel Softshell Pants, Vermont based outdoor retailer Climb High sent me the Water Lily Hooded Softshell Jacket. I have worn the jacket almost all winter now, across Colorado, Utah, and even in the cold and wet winter weather of San Francisco.

The Water Lily Jacket is constructed out of a durable stretch-woven face fabric. Made from 94% recycled PET and 6% spandex, this softshell fabric is treated with a DWR finish in order to repel water and stains. A permeable membrane blocks the wind, while allowing the jacket to breathe so you don't work up a sweat when moving.

The super soft and velvety velboa lining is made from 100% recycled PET and feels great against your skin, especially inside the hood. The Water Lily Jacket design includes the same fun frog accents as the Laurel Pant and the rest of the Earthtec apparel line.

The softshell jacket features two exterior zip hand pockets, a zip chest pocket perfect for storing your phone or iPod, and two internal stash pockets for extra gloves or snacks. A drawstring hem, elastic cuffs, and a snap flap over the front zipper help to keep the warmth in and the weather out.

As the Water Lily Jacket is somewhat heavy, I would not wear it for highly technical pursuits such as ice and alpine climbing. However, the softshell jacket makes an extremely warm everyday winter jacket and would also be great for lighter winter pursuits such as hiking, snowshoeing, cross country or even downhill skiing and snowboarding.

In terms of fit, I would recommend ordering a size up from normal if you plan to wear layers underneath. Though a medium fits me pretty well through the body, the arms and shoulders are both too tight and too short.

Bottom Line: The Water Lily Softshell Jacket is reasonably priced, stylish, functional, warm, and does good for the planet at the same time.

The Earthtec Water Lily Softshell Jacket comes in a hooded and non-hooded version, with four different colors (purple, white, blue, black), and retails for $140 over on the Climb High website.

Merrell Frost Glove Winter Boots Review

2012-02-11T07:00:00-08:00

At Outdoor Retailer, I was given a pair of the new Fall 2012 Merrell Frost Glove boots to try. As the Frost Gloves are fully insulated and waterproof, what better place to test out these winter boots than hiking around Europe during one of the coldest winters on record.

Lined with 80 grams of PrimaLoft Eco footwear insulation, the Frost Glove boots will keep your feet cozy warm in even the coldest of weather. An anti-microbial treated fleece lining adds an extra level of warmth and comfort. My hands, face, and even legs got cold quickly when walking around outside, but never once did I have cold feet.

The outer fabric is treated with a DWR finish in order to repel water and stains, great for keeping the salty and dirty slush of winter from ruining your boots. The waterproof membrane will help to keep your feet dry while remaining breathable. I never once had a problem with sweaty feet, even when walking the endless miles of ISPO trade show floors or strolling through over-heated museums.

Keep in mind, if you plan to walk around all day in your Frost Glove winter boots, these are a barefoot style shoe. Merrell added a small amount of arch support however, with a minimalist 3.5 mm cushioning to protect your feet from the cold ground. I personally could have used my Footbalance insoles for the boots, as my knee was bothering me after a long day of walking with little arch support.

The Frost Glove boots feature an aggressive lugged Vibram outsole. I had no problem with grip over a variety of snow, ice, slick pavement, loose gravel, and muddy terrain.

The black colored Frost Glove boots are accented with a nice purple stripe down the front and back. You can wear them folded down, as in the top picture, or all the way up for some extra warmth. A drawstring top enables you to pull them as tight as you want, useful if you are going to be tromping through deep snow or want to wear them under tighter pants.

Bottom Line: Ladies, I know it is early but you will want to put the Frost Glove boots on your holiday wish list for next year. These winter boots are not only fashionable, but will keep your feet toasty warm throughout the entire season.

The Merrell Frost Glove boots retail for $125 and will be available for Fall 2012.

Action Camera With Integrated Wi-Fi

2012-02-10T07:00:00-08:00

By integrating Wi-Fi directly into the action camera, the new Gobandit Live does away with the need for a computer. Using a simple smartphone app, you can edit your adventure videos then instantly share them with all of your friends.

Equipped with a 170-degree wide angle lens, the Gobandit Live records full 1080p HD resolution video. The action camera will also shoot 3 Megapixel photo stills, with various time-lapse settings and the ability to shoot multiple photos per second.

Integrated GPS, barometric altitude, 3D and 3-axis gyro sensors will record your speed, maximum speed, G-force acceleration, altitude, and map your trail for the day. The Gobandit Live also packs in ANT+ compatibility so you can overlay your heart rate, along with other ANT+ sensor information, directly on top of your videos using skins.

Using Wi-Fi, you can connect your action camera to the Gobandit Mobile smartphone app where you can see the point of view, adjust the camera settings, edit your videos, and add skins highlighting all your performance data. Directly from the app, you can then share your videos with either the Gobandit Community or any social networking site.

The Gobandit Live supports microSD cards up to 32GB. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery will last for up to 2.5 hours of recording time. To ensure you can use your action camera on any type of adventure, the Gobandit Live package comes with a lateral surface mount, goggle mount, and universal mount.

The Gobandit Live action camera retails for $429 and will start shipping March 15th.