The Ultimate Guide to Road Running Shoes

 If you are someone who enjoys hitting the pavement, whether you're a seasoned marathoner or simply a casual jogger, you need good running shoes. The right pair of shoes can greatly enhance your running experience, providing the comfort and support needed for longer, smoother runs. 

Beyond just performance, the right shoes play a critical role in preventing injuries by offering proper cushioning and stability. With so many options available, you can choose the right pair of road running shoes and find the best fit for your needs, which can make all the difference in keeping you running comfortably and safely.

Push and Pull Carts: A Beneficial Solution for a Happy Golfer

 

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When one thinks of a good exercise, golf isn’t the typical sport that comes to mind. And yet it should be, especially if you choose to walk instead of ride in a motorised cart. A walk around the course for a round of golf can provide you with the endurance workout you require to keep your heart health, and overall health and well-being in top condition.

Which calls for the help of a convenient push and pull cart to avoid the heavy lifting. If you compare it to the traditional choice, i.e. the motorised cart, it’s a much more practical, health beneficial, and eco-friendly solution, which would explain its growing popularity over the years. In broader terms, this investment offers you: 

Sitka Hunting Gear: A Comprehensive Buying Guide

Hunting is an unpredictable adventure that requires focus, attention and of course the proper gear. What's important is that you choose your clothing not only based on size and fit but also according to the fabrics and who makes it. Sitka hunting gear is known for its top-notch camo clothing items. Not only it keep you protected from rain and snow, but will also give you the camouflage you so much need.

4 Summer Toys Your Kids Will Love

Summer is the time to have a lot of fun. Everyone loves the long summer days filled with sun, hanging by the pool, and enjoying some games with their friends and family. It's especially good for children. This is their time to explore the world, try new things and meet new friends. To make their time at the pool, in the park or at the beach fun, give them some outdoor toys such as a foam plane or a snorkel set and see them go.

Foam Planes

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If you and your kids are fans of the beach and the outdoors, there are plenty of things you can do to entertain yourself. One of the best things you could do is fly a high-performance, colourful foam glider plane. They've been around for a while now and are a favourite among children. The best thing about these planes is that they don’t need batteries or any kind of charging to fly.

Their simple, yet clever design, is what makes them so special. They come in many different sizes, colours and patterns. Some of them are in a basic colour, some of them are made to look like a real plane, some have a mouth drawn in the front, and some have funny faces, geometrical shapes and all sorts of fun patterns.

They have the ability to fly for over 25m. Their wingspan varies as well. It can go from 30-50cm or even more. Their nose and tail are specifically designed to be aerodynamic and fly to far distances. These planes can also perform some aerial stunts with just a simple launch with your hand. They're made of foam and are easy to assemble. There are no tiny parts you can lose or be a safety hazard for your kid.

Just grab the shaft between your thumb and pointer, run for a short distance, toss it into the air and see the magic happen. Besides being fun, these plains can be very beneficial for your child’s development. They help with fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. The precise movements engage smaller muscle groups in the hands and the fingers. This way they get muscle memory for the next similar task they need to perform.

Hand-to-eye coordination is very important for independence and doing everyday tasks such as brushing their teeth, eating, and buttoning shirts and pants. These planes also boost their imagination because the child can pretend it’s a pilot navigating the plain through some scenarios. It helps them create stories, characters and sceneries that may have never been a part of their life. Plus, they’ll be physically active and learn language skills and communication by sharing their toy with other kids.

Trampoline

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Trampolines are not just made to entertain the kids. They can be a great pastime for adults as well. You and your kids can spend hours outdoors jumping, doing stunts and having fun together. You can never actually outgrow them. But make sure you have enough space in your backyard for it before considering buying one. It can take up a lot of room and get in the way of the moving space.

Level and clear the surface from any obstacles and debris. This way you’ll get a safe environment to dwell in. One of the most common and classical choices is the round trampoline. They come in many sizes and are budget-friendly. But sometimes, you can’t fit more than 3 people at once (which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage).

Square trampolines are bigger and can fit more people at once. They're perfect if you want to practice some flips, twists and turns, or even fly your foam glider plane. But they can be a bit difficult to assemble. Some people consider the oval-shaped ones to be the safest because there are no edges or exposed coils.

If space is a problem, octagonal ones are perfect. They're very sturdy and have a bigger weight capacity. Always make sure you check for the weight capacity, maintenance and safety nets. The answers to these questions will help you make the right decision.

Floats

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When summertime comes, everyone likes to hang by the water, sunbathe and chill by the pool or the ocean. One of the best ways to do this is to invest in floats. They will help your kids relax after a long swimming lesson or when they’re just feeling lazy. These floats should always be strong and constructed from premium materials. PVC is the most popular material since it can tolerate scratches from sharp things and scrapes from pebbles.

Always check the seams on the floats. They should be sturdy and able to handle the weight of the person laying on them. Asking the seller how long it takes for the float to fill up with air is a wise decision. Sometimes it takes a long time, so you have to prepare in advance. Also, check if you’ll need a machine or if you can do it with your lips. Knowing how long it takes for the float to deflate is also useful information.

You can find them in many different shapes, sizes and colours. Flat, bumpy, with pillows and without, with leg holes and cup holders. You can find them printed with every Marvel and DC superhero, all of the popular cartoon characters, shaped like fruits, vegetables and even animals. The choices are basically endless.

Snorkel Set

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No summer is complete without some snorkelling and discovering the beauties of the underworld. Besides being fun, snorkelling is also educational and helps children develop some new skills. But to do this, you’ll need to get your kids a snorkelling set. It consists of a mask, snorkel tube and swimming fins. As you know, being safe is the most important thing. So getting the right fit is a must.

The mask should fit the kid perfectly and not have any small spaces where the water can enter and be a choking hazard. The wrong fit will also make the kid feel uncomfortable and ruin the experience. Make sure the materials are sturdy, comfortable and hypoallergenic. Never compromise on quality and always buy the best you can afford. Get them fins that are adjustable and have an open heel. Most of the time these sets come in bags so you can store them properly and carry them with you wherever you go.

Bike Disc Brakes 101

 Braking is one of the most important safety measures you can do, be it when driving your car or riding your bicycle. Without the necessary movement of linkages and fluids, you'd have to use your foot to slow down or stop. This could easily make you crash. Hence why using your brakes is not only common sense but ideal too. 

Especially if you have disc brakes as these are not only more effective but also safer than the old rim brakes. The former are not as likely to lock up thanks to their longer braking range which also reduces the chances of skidding. Overall, disc brakes are a better option since they have pads acting on a metal bike disc rotor and not the rim of the wheel.

Anatomy of Disc Brakes

Rotor

A bicycle disc rotor is a strong yet lightweight metal component that is attached to both the front and rear wheels. The pads rub on it, and as a result, the rotation of this metal piece is slowed down or stopped completely. The design of bike disc rotors allows you to do both of these actions in a controlled manner without the braking action being uneven.

Calliper

The calliper, although being the exact same component on both the front and rear wheel, it's mounted in different places. When it comes to the calliper on the rear, it's mounted to the frame, while the one on the front is mounted on the fork. Callipers are the main component between a bicycle disc rotor and pads, as they house pistons that push the pads towards the rotors. 

Pads

As you'd expect the pads are the ones that transfer all that stopping power against the rotors. They are the components exposed to the most amount of wear. Although the rotors are getting worn too, pads are made of more malleable materials hence why they wear out faster.

Maintenance of Disc Brakes

Rotors

Since the rotors of a disc brake are the central component, they are prone to heating up quite a lot. All that friction, especially when braking at high speeds, can slowly but surely reduce the efficiency of the bicycle disc rotor. The heat can easily warp your rotors, but you can easily fix that by using an adjustable wrench or a dedicated rotor-truing tool. 

The latter is going to make it a lot easier to tweak your bike disc rotors in place. Truing the rotors is done by turning the wheel to straighten the warped area as it will otherwise rub against the pads. Use the truing tool or adjustable wrench to bend the bike disc rotor into place. Makes sure to do so lightly.

Pads

Sometimes dirt and oils can stick to the pads and they can be transferred to the rotors. When this happens you will feel a major loss of braking power. To get rid of this mess, you should use isopropyl alcohol also known as rubbing alcohol. Using a clean cloth, apply some rubbing alcohol on the cloth and wipe away both the pads and rotors.

If squealing persists after doing so, you'll want to check the alignment of the callipers over the rotors. You might need to centre the callipers to stop this. Also, as you know, the pads can get worn out and start to squeal too. So you might want to check if they need to be replaced, before dealing with the callipers.

Levers

Poor braking performance can also be due to the brake levers not being lubricated well. Lubricating the levers is done by pouring a little bit of lubricating oil into all its pivot points. It would be best if you did this while you're squeezing the levers so they open and close as you leave a drop or two. Sometimes brake levers will require you to reposition brake pads or even bleed the brakes in order for the maintenance to be complete.

Hoses

This goes if you have hydraulic disc breaks. The hoses of such a system should be inspected for any leaks as sometimes they can be present yet it can be hard to detect them. But if you can't see them, are they even an issue? While not straight away, leaks can become a major issue as dirt can build up where the leak is. This can quickly seize the brake lines and thus your brakes. But maybe the build-up of dirt can help you find the leak. Although that sounds like a bright idea, it's already too late if it has happened. Therefore you'll need to take your bike to a shop.

Types of Brake Pads

Organic

Just like there are different types of disc brakes, there are different types of brake pads, such as organic ones. Organic brake pads are, as you'd expect, made of organic materials which makes them the most powerful pads. But it's exactly because of that, that organic pads wear out the quickest.

Semi-Organic

A semi-organic set of pads will last you longer than organic brake pads but they won't provide the same stopping power. Semi-organic pads are a great middle-ground option between organic and sintered pads.

Sintered

The most durable and most popular disc brake pads nowadays are sintered pads.  They are not that powerful but they will last you the longest, especially if you're using your bicycle for everyday riding.

The Ultimate Torch Buying Guide

 Torches haven't always been as reliable and as advanced as they are today. It was a long time in the making when it comes to today's flashlights. Nowadays you can find torches of all sizes and power levels without having to worry about battery life as much. Everyone can benefit from having a torch be it only using it once a month or every day. No matter where you use a torch, it will be of great use especially when you are out exploring the wild at night. But no torch is made the same hence why you should know what to look for in one so it's as useful to you as is the light you get during the day.

Types of Torches

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LED

According to the type of bulb torches use to produce light, they can be put into three different categories with LED being the most advanced. You can easily find online an LED torch since its the most popular nowadays. Why? Because LED flashlights are the most efficient and powerful torches. They also last you a long time without experiencing any issues. This is because instead of a bulb LED flashlights use semiconductors to produce light.

Incandescent

An incandescent torch is one that has a tungsten filament placed inside a bulb. Incandescent flashlights are not as efficient as LED ones since they produce a lot of heat. But they are however more affordable, just not as long-lasting or as powerful.

Xenon

Xenon or krypton torches contain a mixture of typically xenon and krypton gasses as well as a filament that is similar to that used in an incandescent bulb. When current passes through the filament it produces heat and brighter light than an incandescent torch.

Beam Type

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Spot

The type of beam a torch has also determines how well it'll perform in different situations. For example, torches with a spot beam pattern are going to be useful for illuminating far away. But because of their narrow beam angle, they are not meant to illuminate large areas.

Flood

If you want a torch that is able to illuminate quite a big area then you should go with one that has a flood beam pattern. Remember though, these torches aren't able to illuminate far away.

Adjustable

When you want to get the best of both worlds, you go with a torch that has an adjustable beam pattern. This way you can switch between spot and flood without sacrificing one for the other.

Battery Type

Disposable

What most online torch shops have been offering as a power supply in today's torches up until recently are disposable batteries. These types of batteries are convenient in that they don't need to be plugged in in order to make your flashlight torch work. But because they're disposable they aren't as long-lasting and they usually provide very little power toward the end of their lifespan or when you've been using the for a long period of time.

Rechargeable

Rechargeable batteries are the future of torches since they can provide continuous current output throughout their entire runtime. What you need to do is have them on a charger from time to time and they will last you quite a lot longer. Rechargeable batteries usually have longer runtimes than torches with disposable batteries.

Durability

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Water Resistance

The most important thing when it comes to the durability of a torch is its water resistance level. This depends on the build quality of the torch but also the seals it has that will prevent water from coming in. Water resistance is usually expressed in the form of an IP rating and so is dust resistance.

Dust Resistance

Although you might not think of dust as a nuisance to a torch if the model you get is not properly sealed dust can be a big issue. It can slowly but surely make your flashlight torch perform worse and as time passes by it can make it useless. Dust is not as immediate as water damage but it sure does its bit.

Performance

Lumens

When it comes to brightness levels, lumens are what you should be paying attention to. The higher the number of lumens a torch has the brighter the light it can produce. Although you may be tempted to get a torch with the highest lumen count for your budget, it's best not to. Unless that is if you will actually make use of all the lumens it has to offer.

Runtime

The total runtime of a torch, as you already know, depends on the size of the battery. A torch with a large battery capacity will be physically bigger and thus the torch itself. But not everyone needs a bulky torch. You may want a small pocketable one that doesn't need to blind everyone. Therefore you can get one with a shorter runtime. 

Distance

The beam distance of a torch doesn't always depend on the beam pattern. Adjustable torches usually take care of that since they don't limit your beam distance. The longer the beam distance of a flashlight torch the better as it becomes more versatile. But remember that torches that have a long throw are usually on the more expensive side.

Bike Electronics 101: How to Choose a Bicycle Computer

 Knowing how fast of a lap you've had and all the data that comes from it tells you a lot about how much progress you're making if any. This is why most people who cycle and are serious about it make use of a bike computer. This is a small piece of hardware that can be attached to the handlebars. It provides you with plenty of information about your ride and it can be used for a lot longer than a smartphone from a single charge. The body of a bike computer is quite durable too as it can withstand the rigours of the elements quite well. Using a bike computer is far better than using your smartphone since the latter is not as rugged or as long-lasting when it comes to extended use.

What to Look for in Bike Computers

Display

The size of the computer's display as well as its resolution are going to make a big impact on how you use it. The bigger the screen the more information you'll be able to have at a glance. More sophisticated bike electronics will have a colour display which will make all the information on it more discernable.

But keep in mind that smaller displays are going to add less weight and those with greyscale displays will be more readable in direct sunlight. More advanced cycling electronics have touch screens nowadays which are slowly becoming the norm as they'll make it easier to navigate through menus.

GPS

GPS is a feature no bike computer should be devoid of. But not all devices have the same GPS capabilities. More affordable devices are going to allow you to perform a limited number of navigation functions. Costlier cycling electronics, on the other hand, offer full satellite navigation and are usually larger since they display a map instead of just a path.

Connectivity

Something that more and more bike computers have is the ability to work together with your smartphone. Be it via an app or through a cord, the device can use the phone's GPS together with its own to make for a more accurate reading and mapping.

HRM

HRM or heart rate monitor functions are able to record the activity of your heart and provide data that corresponds with a ride. You'll need another device for this such as a smartwatch or a chest strap in order to provide the computer with the necessary information.

Battery

If you want to go on long journeys with your bike, then a computer with long battery life is something you should aim for. The larger the capacity of the battery the more you can use the device without the need to charge it. Usually, most bike electronics will last you up to 18 hours but more expensive ones will last you even longer. Remember though that these are usually larger too since bigger battery capacities make for larger batteries and thus the computer itself.

Compatibility

When it comes to the sensors of your smartwatch, cadence or power meter what you need to remember is that they need to be compatible with the computer you'll be using. While more affordable bicycle electronics allow you to connect only one monitoring device at a time, more expensive ones allow you to make multiple connections. This is thanks to the use of ANT+ or Bluetooth.

Notifications

Although you can't rely on just a bike computer to handle all the readings, you can't rely on your phone while biking either. In order to focus on what's ahead you should look for cycling electronics that can sync with your smartphone's notifications. These are known as smart notifications since they are automatically showing up on the computer although you initially receive them on your phone. This way you won't have to stop and check your phone when you receive a notification, just look at your bicycle computer.

Wired vs Wireless

There are two types of bicycle electronics you can choose from, wired and wireless. Although there was once a big gap between the two, nowadays almost every bike computer is wireless. This is because they are more convenient and provide long runtimes at the same time.

Water Resistance

The most undermined ability of bike computers is to survive through all kinds of weather conditions. Well, in order for that to be the case with yours you should look for one that has a good enough IP rating. Devices that have altitude functions are not meant to be immersed in water since they have a vent that can get filled with it.

Rear Wheel Sensor

In case you're going to use a bike computer together with a turbo trainer then you should know that the sensor and magnet should be able to get readings from the rear wheel. Make sure that your unit is able to fit the chain stays and if it's a wired model you should have a long enough cord that's able to reach that far back.