Remember how I wrote that random post on Monday, catching y’all up on the inner workings of my brain? Terrifying, I know, especially because I’m about to do it again!
You see, I test a lot of gear. And by a lot, I mean a whole lot! The gig has its perks {obviously!} but it also has its downsides….like backpacking in Canyonlands in a pair of pants that absolutely, 100% drove me insane! Having said that, there have been a few items sent my way in the past month or so that have piqued my interest. Check ‘em out!
Keen’s Uneek Sandals
Apparently my Uneeks climb trees
Keen’s Uneek sandals are, well, definitely unique! {I can’t believe I just wrote that…womp, womp!} Made from two cords and a sole, these suckers look a lot different than any other shoe I have. Originally, I received a size 8 and the shoes were pretty tight; in fact, I thought they were verging on uncomfortable and blamed it on the corded upper. However, they sent the next size up {size 9 since they only have whole sizes) and I am singing a different tune—comfy! I wore them with a pair of skinny jeans and they kind of remind me of a hippy-esque moccasin or something. What do you think?
They launch today {June 5} so check ‘em out if you like the way they look!
TurboPup K9 Meal Bars
Shawn Parry, the founder of Teton Sports, turned me onto TurboPup back in January when I was in Salt Lake City for OR. He knew I was flying back to Denver and obviously knows of the cuteness that is Tals, so he chucked a couple bars my way so that I could try them out.
The thing is, they then sat in my car for a solid two months until I remembered that I had them! Truthfully, a meal bar sounded kinda bizarre to me. I mean, I barely eat bars myself so a dog bar seemed like a whole ‘nother ballgame. Would doggie protein shakes be next?!
Long story short, we took Tals hiking one day, found the bars and tried them out. Final verdict? Tally absolutely loved them! Literally, she scarfed the bacon flavor down like she hadn’t eaten in weeks, which I know isn’t the case because girlfriend has been packing on the pounds lately.
Why do I love them? Aside from their apparent flavor, each bar is so compact and easy to stow. I can throw a stack of these in my pack for backpacking and they take up far less space and weight than her regular dog food. They are also made with all-natural, 100% human-grade ingredients, so worst case scenario, I can much on them while on the trail!
Enso Roller
Torture device
After communicating with the PR firm behind Enso, I was seriously curious about this roller! I became a daily foam roller last year after my back issues popped up and my doc essentially threatened me with pain for life or foam rolling. Although the options truly weren’t that different, I went with foam rolling and try to roll at least once a day, if not more.
However, I just had a standard, hard foam roller that while effective, was beginning to lose its charm. It was sometimes too much for really sore muscles and not enough for others…which is the beauty of the Enso roller!
All of those black discs are moveable so users can regulate how much pressure to apply to their muscles. If you push a bunch of discs together, you will lessen the pressure. If you separate them and roll out on a singular black disc, the pressure will be off the charts. Remember in high school physics class when you learned why a high heel hurts far more when it steps on your hand as opposed to a flat soled shoe? Same logic.
The downside to this foam roller? It is pricey! It retails for $89 which is a heck of a lot more than my old $25 roller from Amazon. For regular users, that price may be soul crushing but if you’re an avid athlete who deals with chronic sore muscles, you may want to take a look. I’m definitely a fan!
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What’s your favorite gear these days?
Would you be interested in a “gear I’m NOT loving lately” post?