Showing posts with label Product Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Product Reviews. Show all posts
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
Product Review: Kiefer Team Backpack
I have had the Kiefer Team Backpack for about a month now and honestly I have to say, I'm not really a fan of it as an every day gym bag or even as a swim bag (which I will explain later) but as a triathlon bag, I absolutely love it! I also think it would make for a great weekend camping bag or overnight bag as well.
The reason why I say this doesn't make for a good swim bag for me is simply because my YMCA provides towels, kickboards, swim buoys (which also happen to be the Kiefer brand) and just about everything I would need for swim drills so all I have to really pack when I go swimming is my swimsuit, swim cap, googles and flip flops which makes this bag too big. But I used this bag for my indoor triathlon a week ago and was quite surprise how it held everything I needed and I'm sure it will come in handy this summer for triathlon racing.
This bag does have plenty of pockets and compartments which I really like. I hate digging around the bottom of a bag trying to find something. I also prefer backpacks over duffle bags because well duffle bags just don't fit in lockers very well unless you turn them sideways shifting all the contents inside. With this backpack, I found the side pockets very convenient as I could access them while the bag was hanging in the locker. I always hang it on the left side of the locker and use the left side pockets for all my necessities for getting ready to go back to work (comb, brush, hairspray, lotion and makeup). There are three internal pockets which I use one for my flip flops so I didn't have to dig around for those (in my other bag, they always ended up at the bottom) and various other things (socks, hat, visor, etc) for the others. As far as those straps on the front, well I have yet to find a use for them and why they are even there. I think it would of been better if another smaller pocket was added there instead or even bungee cords.
This bag is quite comfortable even when full. The padded straps never dug into my shoulders and it never shifted around when I walked and while the backpack looked quite large on me, it sure didn't feel big.
This bag is currently on sale for $24.95 at kiefer.com which I feel is a steal at this price. There are similar style bags on the market for a lot more. The quality seemed to be great as well. In my 1 month of putting it through some abuse (such as taking it in and out of a locker) this bag shows no signs of wear and still looks brand new. In fact the pictures shown below were taken after 1 month (or ~20 gym visits) of use.
[gallery columns="3" link="file" ids="1557,1554,1556,1558,1555"]
Store all your swim gear, wet and dry, in Kiefer's sturdy, standup backpack. Our backpack has all the right pockets and zippers to organize and transport swimwear, training gear, towel, electronics, personal care items, and street clothes.
Features include one large zip 8" x12" wet pocket, three roomy interior pockets to organize gear, and two 7" x 9" zip side pockets with mesh to provide easy access to smaller items. Hold your phone in the side zip pocket with ear phone port. Comfortable padded straps, and easy grip handle let you focus your strength and attention where it belongs - the swimming pool.
We've left plenty of room to add a team logo on the front flap.
Dimensions: 19" tall, 13" wide, and 10" deep.
Colors: Black and Navy.
Full disclosure: While I did receive this bag free of charge, it in no way affected the outcome of this review.
The reason why I say this doesn't make for a good swim bag for me is simply because my YMCA provides towels, kickboards, swim buoys (which also happen to be the Kiefer brand) and just about everything I would need for swim drills so all I have to really pack when I go swimming is my swimsuit, swim cap, googles and flip flops which makes this bag too big. But I used this bag for my indoor triathlon a week ago and was quite surprise how it held everything I needed and I'm sure it will come in handy this summer for triathlon racing.
Pockets & Compartments
This bag does have plenty of pockets and compartments which I really like. I hate digging around the bottom of a bag trying to find something. I also prefer backpacks over duffle bags because well duffle bags just don't fit in lockers very well unless you turn them sideways shifting all the contents inside. With this backpack, I found the side pockets very convenient as I could access them while the bag was hanging in the locker. I always hang it on the left side of the locker and use the left side pockets for all my necessities for getting ready to go back to work (comb, brush, hairspray, lotion and makeup). There are three internal pockets which I use one for my flip flops so I didn't have to dig around for those (in my other bag, they always ended up at the bottom) and various other things (socks, hat, visor, etc) for the others. As far as those straps on the front, well I have yet to find a use for them and why they are even there. I think it would of been better if another smaller pocket was added there instead or even bungee cords.
Comfort
This bag is quite comfortable even when full. The padded straps never dug into my shoulders and it never shifted around when I walked and while the backpack looked quite large on me, it sure didn't feel big.
Price & Quality
This bag is currently on sale for $24.95 at kiefer.com which I feel is a steal at this price. There are similar style bags on the market for a lot more. The quality seemed to be great as well. In my 1 month of putting it through some abuse (such as taking it in and out of a locker) this bag shows no signs of wear and still looks brand new. In fact the pictures shown below were taken after 1 month (or ~20 gym visits) of use.
[gallery columns="3" link="file" ids="1557,1554,1556,1558,1555"]
Product Description (from kiefer.com)
Store all your swim gear, wet and dry, in Kiefer's sturdy, standup backpack. Our backpack has all the right pockets and zippers to organize and transport swimwear, training gear, towel, electronics, personal care items, and street clothes.
Features include one large zip 8" x12" wet pocket, three roomy interior pockets to organize gear, and two 7" x 9" zip side pockets with mesh to provide easy access to smaller items. Hold your phone in the side zip pocket with ear phone port. Comfortable padded straps, and easy grip handle let you focus your strength and attention where it belongs - the swimming pool.
We've left plenty of room to add a team logo on the front flap.
Dimensions: 19" tall, 13" wide, and 10" deep.
Colors: Black and Navy.
Full disclosure: While I did receive this bag free of charge, it in no way affected the outcome of this review.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Product Review: Amphipod Xinglet with Pocket
I've done about four night runs in the Amphipod Xinglet Pocket and I have to say, I love it! It's very minimal and fits me perfectly (I'm a small). I love how easy it is to adjust and doesn't move around at all. In fact, I barely even feel that it's there whether I'm wearing a fleece-lined pull-over or a thin long-sleeve tee. The front pocket is great for a gel, debit card and key however is too small for most cell phones, especially smartphones.
When wearing the vest, I've noticed cars seem to slow down sooner and give me more room when passing then they did when I just wore my blinking red light. Now with both the vest and my blinking light, I feel like driver's can better see me sooner and that makes me feel safer, a lot safer.
Made for the minimalist, the fully-adjustable Amphipod Xinglet Pocket Reflective Wear covers you with Hi-Viz Green and reflective silver accents for increased safety in low-light conditions. A small zipper pocket in front offers easy access to small essentials.
• Up to 50% more reflective area than most standard running vests
• Front and rear reflective booster zones and full 360° reflectivity
• Features a 4" x 3" ventilated zippered pocket for essentials
• Soft, chafe-free stretch strap construction for superior ease-of-movement
• Airy patented construction won't trap sweat
• Front access quick-clip release for fast on-and-off
• Easy size adjustment for height/waist-wear over a t-shirt or parka
I found the best price to be at RunningWarehouse.
Have a product you would like me to try and give an unbiased review of? Email me at running@ericamelton.com and let me know.
When wearing the vest, I've noticed cars seem to slow down sooner and give me more room when passing then they did when I just wore my blinking red light. Now with both the vest and my blinking light, I feel like driver's can better see me sooner and that makes me feel safer, a lot safer.
Product Description
Made for the minimalist, the fully-adjustable Amphipod Xinglet Pocket Reflective Wear covers you with Hi-Viz Green and reflective silver accents for increased safety in low-light conditions. A small zipper pocket in front offers easy access to small essentials.
• Up to 50% more reflective area than most standard running vests
• Front and rear reflective booster zones and full 360° reflectivity
• Features a 4" x 3" ventilated zippered pocket for essentials
• Soft, chafe-free stretch strap construction for superior ease-of-movement
• Airy patented construction won't trap sweat
• Front access quick-clip release for fast on-and-off
• Easy size adjustment for height/waist-wear over a t-shirt or parka
I found the best price to be at RunningWarehouse.
Have a product you would like me to try and give an unbiased review of? Email me at running@ericamelton.com and let me know.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Product Review: Garmin Forerunner 10
After about two months of running with my Garmin Forerunner 10, I think I can finally post my thoughts about it.
First the watch is much smaller than most GPS watches which is the primary reason why I bought it. I was getting annoyed by the size of my FR 305 and wanted something smaller that I could wear as an everyday watch as well. I'm not really a fan of the colors though. I wish they offered black in the smaller women's version or maybe a white or light blue but I ended up going with the sporty green which isn't too bad.
Since it's a GPS watch it's going to take some time finding satellites. On avarage about 3 minutes but on cloudy/overcast days it can take much longer. However if you start at the same spot as your last run, it can take less than 1 minute. I do like the auto pause feature and really comes in handy at intersections. The run/walk feature is nice too but I wish the beep was a bit louder. If I'm running on the sidewalk along side a busy road or listening to music, I can barely hear it. I have yet to really use the virtual pacer feature so I can't really comment on that.
You can customize two screens with two data fields each (time, distance, pace and calories). I usually have screen 1 set to time and distance and screen 2 set to pace and distance. It's water resistent up to 50 meter which is great to know that you can wear it in a heavy down pour, in the shower or even in the pool. Some will say it doesn't give you your overall average pace and well it does, sort of. If you pause in the middle of a run and let it scroll through the screens, it will show you your current average pace. Obviously you wouldn't want to do this in a race but can come in handy in training. When you save a run, it will give you your time, distance, average pace and mile splits which I really like. If you achieve a new PR, it will tell you that as well.
If you use DailyMile, you will be sadden that DailyMile does not support this watch so you will have to enter your runs manually. It does however sync nicely with Garmin Connect, MapMyRun and RunningAhead.com. I haven't tested it on any other websites.
I'm finding the battery life to be between 4-5 hours of GPS use. I find that when I use the run/walk feature, battery life is closer to 4 hours. If you run more than 2 hours, just make sure the watch is fully charged or you may find yourself with a dead watch in the later part of your run. I usually charge after every run since it charges the sametime it syncs so I haven't really had an issue with the battery life.
If you're looking for a basic GPS watch then this is a great watch! It's the smallest GPS watch I've found and feels just like a regular wrist watch. I would recommend it to those who prefer shorter distances due to the 5 hour battery life.
Have a product you would like me to try and give an unbiased review of? Email me at running@ericamelton.com and let me know.
Appearance
First the watch is much smaller than most GPS watches which is the primary reason why I bought it. I was getting annoyed by the size of my FR 305 and wanted something smaller that I could wear as an everyday watch as well. I'm not really a fan of the colors though. I wish they offered black in the smaller women's version or maybe a white or light blue but I ended up going with the sporty green which isn't too bad.
Features
Since it's a GPS watch it's going to take some time finding satellites. On avarage about 3 minutes but on cloudy/overcast days it can take much longer. However if you start at the same spot as your last run, it can take less than 1 minute. I do like the auto pause feature and really comes in handy at intersections. The run/walk feature is nice too but I wish the beep was a bit louder. If I'm running on the sidewalk along side a busy road or listening to music, I can barely hear it. I have yet to really use the virtual pacer feature so I can't really comment on that.
You can customize two screens with two data fields each (time, distance, pace and calories). I usually have screen 1 set to time and distance and screen 2 set to pace and distance. It's water resistent up to 50 meter which is great to know that you can wear it in a heavy down pour, in the shower or even in the pool. Some will say it doesn't give you your overall average pace and well it does, sort of. If you pause in the middle of a run and let it scroll through the screens, it will show you your current average pace. Obviously you wouldn't want to do this in a race but can come in handy in training. When you save a run, it will give you your time, distance, average pace and mile splits which I really like. If you achieve a new PR, it will tell you that as well.
Website Sync
If you use DailyMile, you will be sadden that DailyMile does not support this watch so you will have to enter your runs manually. It does however sync nicely with Garmin Connect, MapMyRun and RunningAhead.com. I haven't tested it on any other websites.
Battery Life
I'm finding the battery life to be between 4-5 hours of GPS use. I find that when I use the run/walk feature, battery life is closer to 4 hours. If you run more than 2 hours, just make sure the watch is fully charged or you may find yourself with a dead watch in the later part of your run. I usually charge after every run since it charges the sametime it syncs so I haven't really had an issue with the battery life.
Overall Thoughts
If you're looking for a basic GPS watch then this is a great watch! It's the smallest GPS watch I've found and feels just like a regular wrist watch. I would recommend it to those who prefer shorter distances due to the 5 hour battery life.
Have a product you would like me to try and give an unbiased review of? Email me at running@ericamelton.com and let me know.
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