Review; RecoFit Arm Cooler Compression Sleeve

October seems a bit late to be reviewing a ‘heat’ thing but seeing as temperatures topped out yesterday at 93f it looks like we had autumn, winter and spring earlier in the week when it rained and was cloudy for three days! That being said these sleeves are something you could easier wear in the cooler months as they do have some warming properties. Anyway onto the review.

The good folks at Wilderness Running Company sent me a pair of the RecoFit Armcooler Compression Sleeves earlier in the year to review and if you were reading my training posts from July and August that you’ll remember that (a) I went to Las Vegas and (b) we’ve had an endless summer and the temperatures were frequently above 100f. So I was happy to try something…anything that would cool me down. First here’s the product info from their website:

“Features light compression, 50-plus UV protection, anti-microbial properties and the cooling quality of Icefil fabric — great for triathletes, golfers, tennis players and anyone outside under the hot sun”.

I though that this was a bit light so I did a quick Google search on “Icefil fabric”, here’s a synopsis of the results:

Descente introduced a new ‘Icefil’ fabric to its top range of clothing for 2009. Descente claims the fabric’s Xylitol treatment absorbs heat from your body and also blocks IR rays from the sun, thus supposedly reducing surface temperature by up to five degrees Fahrenheit as compared to untreated fabrics….Icefil is not a permanent treatment but it is said to retain 70 percent of its effectiveness after 70 washes. Source.

Icefil fabric works not just by absorbing body heat but also by preventing solar energy from reaching the skin- it's neither cool nor clammy to the touch. Source.

So as you can see the fabric's practical application has been aimed at cyclists, there are also quite a few golf shirts available and even an equestrian line, surprisingly I couldn’t find anything for runners.

I am pretty used to wearing armwarmers during cool morning or evening runs and so how they felt came as no real surprise. The compression is uniform and not too tight, there are held on the upper arm by a combination of the compression and a strip of tacky rubber, basically relying on friction to stay put. My arms are best described as average and there was no issue with the fit, they do come in three sizes so try before you buy. In terms of color you can have any color as long as it’s white; white obviously contributes to the reflective qualities of the fabric.

I can’t really categorically say that the Icefil kept me cool or cooler than being without it but I am sure there was some benefit. While in Vegas I was popping into McDonalds to refill my handheld bottle with ice and would stuff some ice inside the sleeves and surprisingly it did not instantly melt so there must have been something going on, also when the ice did melt the wet took a while to evaporate (fyi if you keep the ice on your wrists it will cool you down quicker as the blood is closer to the surface of your skin, that’s why running your wrists under cold water cools you down) so the slow evaporation helped with the cooling.

I also wore them on several long runs through the Santa Monica Mountains. One benefit that you’ll not see on any of the marketing is their protective qualities when you’re rolling down the side of a mountain. Not something I planned but they save most of the skin on one elbow!

Finally I wore them all day and night…and the next day at 100 in the Hood without issue and they kept the chill off during the night.

Not the cheapest thing that you’ll add to your running closet, I would say that for the extreme heat they’re definitely worth trying, they can double up to add some warmth in the cooler months and as a runner or cyclist you can wear them, although I am not sure I’d wear them at my local golf course, my swing is so bad that I really don’t want to draw any extra attention to myself.

If you interested in trying them out you can find them at WRC and if you’ll use the code QUAD10 at checkout you’ll get a 10% discount. In fact check out their website anyway, they’ve got a sale on their sunglasses, Garmin products, trail shoes and a few other things.

A change in scenery!

You have probably read some of my reviews on products kindly supplied by the Wilderness Running Company. Well now I get to go and run with them, they have put together a great weekend of trail running in November in the Zion National Park that they are calling Pure Zion. I must confess that this post has been delayed and now all 16 slots are full, (sorry guys my bad), spaces were limited due to Park Service rules, there is a waiting list if you want to add your name email Stacy at stacy@wildernessrunning.com, there will be more events and next time I’ll be a bit quicker off the mark for you guys. Also WRC is having a summer blowout, check it out there's a whole bunch of stuff on sale, I picked a great pair of Salomon Shorts and a Salomon Top; reviews to follow, use QUAD10 at the checkout to get another 10% off.

In the meantime check out some of the photos of the area!

Big valley views

Bigger valley views

Looks brutal, right!

Talking of photo’s here’s where I am heading in 9 days (must control freak out), the scenery looks awesome and is very different from what I am used to, things like trees don’t really exist round here as such, well Palm trees but they don’t count! These are from the first half of the course.

Big views of Mt Hood

Look trees, shade!

Bigfoot was here!

The taper is going wellish, my cold is going away, I am mostly hitting the targets I set and forcing myself to go to bed at a reasonable time, work is crazy insane busy and pretty stressful but that’s what pays the entry fees, right!

Oh and if anyone has any unopened Cytomax Pink Lemonade going spare please please let me know, it has become rarer than Rocking Horse poop!

Review; Drymax Trail & Trail Lite socks

Never one to try and fix something that’s not broken and in much in the same vein as the XT Wings vs. Oboz Ignitions review I was a little reluctant to try another pair of socks, my turn-to’s for the last couple of years have been from Darn Tough out of Vermont, you can read my initial review here. However I was curious to try the trail offerings from Drymax of which I had been sent, from the good folks at Wilderness Running Company, the Trail and Trail Lite, especially after reading Donald’s and Rick’s reviews.

Typically for my reviews I copy and paste some info from the company website, usually I find anything that ranges from a few bullet points to half a page, not so with Drymax, these folks are serious about socks. Their website contains a wealth of info about the technology, much of it proprietary, which means you’ll not find it anywhere else, including videos, in depth explanations about what ‘wicking’ actually is, the requirement of padding, correct sizing, antimicrobial factors, blister causes and the list goes on. So my suggestion is to check it out yourself, it’s not overly technical and easy to understand.

And so to the socks. Both socks rely on the same technology the only real difference is that the Trail Lite has less padding making it more suitable in warmer climates or of course for during the summer. The sole of the Trail sock is well padded. Drymax makes a big effort to emphasis they use ‘dense’ padding rather than ‘thick’ padding and the Trail sock is rated as a Medium Dense+, as stated the Trail Lite has less padding and is therefore cooler. On both pairs there is some nice padding around the ankle creating a snug fit which reduces the entry of dust into the sock.

I’ve worn both pairs of socks on long runs and I would agree with the premise of the Trail vs. the Trail Lite, the Trail is warmer and will be great for the winter. So for the summer the Trail Lite’s are perfect. I am fortunate to not suffer from overly sweaty feet even so the wicking is excellent and I think this adds to the cooling effect of the sock. Even in Southern California wet feet can happen; there are some minor streams that need walking through even in Summer. The Dual Layer Moisture Elimination System removes sweat, sweat vapors, and water from the skin through the inner Drymax layer to the outer absorbent layer. The double welt top is made of Drymax fibers to repel water, so when you splash through water, the top of the socks stay dry.

The dense padding is noticeable and does provide some degree of cushioning which is my preference and also allows for a snug fit with my shoes. The sock’s fit is improved with a inseam band that hugs you foot and the seamless toe which minimize any possibility for blistering from friction.

The socks are available in five different sizes to ensure the best fit and come in sensible trail colors.

So in conclusion once again I’ve been reminded to have an open mind, originally reluctant to try them the more I wear them the more I like these socks and they do do everything that is on the box! One other incentive is that that are a good $2-3 cheaper per pair than the Darn Toughs (which you can also get here from WRC if you want to 'run' your own comparison). Add to that the discount that can be had from WSC of 10% and you can snag a pair for under $10, just click here for the Trail socks and here for the Trail Lites, use ‘Quad10’ to apply the discount when you check out.

Review; Oboz Ignition II

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time you’ll know that I love my Salomon XT Wings for trail running, you can read their review here.

With that in mind I am reluctant to try new shoes, working under the maxim of ‘if it ain’t broke etc’ well after some discussions with the good folks at the Wilderness Running Company they persuaded me to give something new a try and, well, I just may have found an alternative; the Oboz Ignition II

First some info from their website; The Ignition II is an updated version of the shoe Outside Magazine calls "Rookie of the Year". The dynamic bootie construction wraps around your foot to keep trail debris out while the forefoot cage locks your foot down to provide a secure fit.

* Synthetic Leather and 3D Air Mesh Upper
* Dynamic Bootie Construction
* Floating Forefoot Cage
* 3 Part Midsole
* Dual Density EVA
* EVA SupeSkin Plate
* Nylon Shank
* Ignition Outsole; 2 Density EVA Midsole - higher density heel perimeter for stability, lower density elsewhere for cushioning
* Underfoot EVA SuperSkin for torsional stability and stone bruise protection under the metatarsal heads
* Heel TPU clip for stability and upper/outsole integration
* Multi-directional high friction outsole
* Graded nylon shank for lateral and torsional flex control
* Strobel Lasted
* 3D Injection Molded Asymmetrical External Heel Clip; our external heel counters are 3 dimensionally injection molded. Unlike a flat molded heel counter common to most outdoor footwear, they provide long term support, motion control and heel lock. The heel counters are engineered gender specific to account for the differences between men's and women's feet: different heel-toe/heel-ball length ratios, different forefoot/midfoot girths, different Achilles heel attachment points, and different feet entirely.
* BFIT Tri-Density Footbed; our B-Fit insoles are designed with multiple densities of foam, providing support throughout the plantar fascia, and a defined and formed heel cup, these are after-market quality insoles, installed as original equipment.

And so on with the review. I have over 50 miles on these shoes now, not so much but as a guestimate about 10-15% of they’re useful life of 400 miles, and here is my initial review, I'll do another as the mileage increases.

Gender specific, the shoes are well constructed; they have a ventilated mesh upper which is composed of two different types of fabric. Rather than eyelets for the laces they have loops which are located on the top of the eyestays that are secured around the quarter panel to sole of the foot and heel cup. There are four eyestays that extend under the mudguard that rises up from the outsole of the shoe, the final loop at the toe end of the shoe removes the option for gaiters which initially was a deterrent, given my love for Dirty Girl Gaiters; the idea of a gaiter is to reduce debris from entering your shoe and causing irritation/blisters. There is a solid toe cap which seems to be double layered for extra protection. I sized up half a size to an 11 and they fitted great out of the box, there is a roomy toe box and despite their narrow look they fitted my foot very comfortably. The heel is not restrictive and the cupping is nicely supportive without pinching anywhere.

The most unusual feature of this shoe is that there is no tongue. The opening for the foot is a elasticized opening that is designed to envelop your foot.The top of the ‘tongue' sits at the approximate height as it would do normally and it is soft enough to roll/fold with the motion of your foot, there are well secured loops (I gave them a good tug) on the tongue and heel to allow you to get your foot in.

The sole has a solid grip pattern and is perfectly comfortable when walking on concrete and tarmac, I wore these around the house etc for several days prior to taking them to the trails, you can see the sole pattern compared to a retired pair of Wings, as you can see plenty of grip and a nice torsional shank. Not overly cushioned, the ride quite low, something that might appeal to anyone who is trying a more minimalist approach to running, they keep you in contact with the trail nicely and you can feel your way along with exposing your foot unnecessarily but provide you enough protection to absorb the narlier of obstacles. The weight of the shoe is well within the usual ranges that you’ll find for trail shoes at 13.5oz.

Of specific interest was the shoes ability to resist dust and sand entering through the uppers, typically after a long run my socks and feet look like I have been running without socks, and while I do often take photos of my icky feet; see here, I was pleasantly surprised to see how well they resisted, I wore these on Sunday night and fully expected to see the usual dusty dawgs once I removed my shoes, well not so this time. After removing my shoes my socks and feet were actually remarkable clean! This is a great feature as debris in your shoes can be an absolute nightmare as most trail runners will tell you, however this may mean that they are a little warm although this is not something I have specifically noticed.

Untested were their water resistance or drainage; southern California in the summer, water about a lot - they're ain't!

So in conclusion if you looking for a pair of trail shoes and thought of parting with $120, the current price for a pair of Wings makes you blanche these could be a great pair for you. Comfortable out of the box, gender specific, great at keeping trail muck out of your shoe, not too bright if you’re looking for a more neutral color and grippy on the trail, what’s not to like?

Of course I want to share the love and the good folks at WRC are running a special for you, order a pair following this link and you qualify for a free pair of Bridgedale socks (which are excellent; see my previous review and will save you $14-16) add the ‘Quad10’ discount at checkout and qualify for 10% off the normal retail price of $85.00 as well as free shipping and handling in the lower 48, you can be on the trails in shiny new shoes 'n' socks for a smidge over $75.00!…like I said what’s not to like?

See previous gear reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at quadrathon@gmail.com.

Review; Bridgedale; Bamboo Mens Lo and X-Hale Multisport

As part of the ongoing sock post reviews from the goodie bag…well actually rather large goodie box that I received from the good folks at the Wilderness Running Company today I review two offerings from Bridgedale; Bamboo Mens Lo and the X-Hale Multisport.

I’ve put 50 or so blister free trail miles on each of these so while early days it’s certainly sufficient to give me an idea on how they are going to perform as the miles accumulate.

Bridgedale; Bamboo Mens Lo

From the website: This cool, comfortable low cut sock is knit using quick drying bamboo yarns. Bamboo feels silky soft and keeps feet feeling fresh with it’s naturally anti-microbial properties. Bamboo and Coolmax® wick moisture away from your foot giving lasting, all day comfort.

Fiber Content: 35% Bamboo, 34% Coolmax®/polyester, 30% Nylon/polyamide, 1% Lycra®/elastane

I can testify to their silkiness, they do feel softer than my usual trail socks which are feeling their age. In fact the more you wash them the softer they feel. As you can see in the photo the sock is divided up around the foot, the zones are zoned into ventilation and cushioning, I should say that these socks are light on the cushioning front the benefit of this is that they are on the cooler side, it’s all a trade off. From a ecological standpoint Bridgedale supports “Plant a Boo” which supports the fight against global warming, more info is available here. Whether it is the bamboo on in the general construction which includes Coolmax® they do keep you feet nice and dry and cool. In summary a solid pair of socks that work well if you are in warmer climes and don’t need to have too much padding. These are only available in gray.

Bridgedale; X-Hale Multisport

I was really keen to try these socks as when I planted my sock stake in the ground last year these were in the running (no pun intended) but I was unable to get them in the color I wanted so I passed…anyway I digress. So here is the website blurb:

X-Hale: Targeted impact padding and cooling ventilation. Suitable for Multisports: Hike, Run, Bike, Fitness, X-train.

Light, breathable, cushioned and close-fitting. Light mesh allows air circulation. Cushioning under heel. Ball and toes provides protection and WoolFusion® helps drive moisture away.

Fibre Content: 42% Nylon/polyamide, 28% Merino Wool, 28% Endurofil™/polypropylene, 2% Lycra®/elastane

Not as silky smooth as the Bamboo Los these are much more of a workhorse however they do share the ‘zoned’ areas with a lightweight cushioning underfoot and thinner areas on the top of the foot. Again the zoning works well although I would say that Bridgedale has rated these as cooler than the Bamboo Los but I would say that the reverse is true and to my feet these felt warmer, although there were worn on different days, but this is a southern California and recently it’s been hot with a liberal smattering of hotter! In a similar vein, these are definite worthy of your consideration if you’re looking for a solid pair of socks with light padding. Available in several colors including blue, black and white! (not recommended for the trails).

A comparison between the two is difficult as they are in essence very similar. The X-Hale’s have more cushioning and are a little warmer, the Bamboo Lo’s are silky smooth and are cooler. Both have hidden seams on the toe area which is the place most likely to cause irritation. Both are well constructed and you'll not be disappointed by the quality of either. So really it's a case of you pays your money you takes your choice.

As with previous reviews WRC will be offering a 10% discount if ordered through this review, click on the socks names above to be directed to the right link, also if you use the Coupon Code ‘Quad10’ on checkout you'll receive an extra 10% discount…woot!

You do the math!

You may have seen a similar image flashing in the right hand menu for the last month or so and wondered what the hell is this; so allow me to explain. A while back I was contacted by the Wilderness Running Company promoting themselves. I had seen their adverts in Trail Running Magazine, and this prompted to go to their website, a dialog was entered into and they asked if would be interested in writing some trail reports for their City Guides section of their website, always willing to share the beauty of my local mountains and with my pending assault on the Backbone Trail I jumped at the chance.

Then more recently I received another email inquiring as the whether I would be interested in reviewing some of the items that the carry in stock. Now if you know anything about me you'll know that I am a complete kit magpie; if it's shiny I want one! And so I jumped at the chance and one I got, in fact, one of each of the following:

Bridgedale Socks (Multisport, Trailhead, and Bamboo Lo)
Drymax Socks (Trail Running and Lite Trail Running; to follow)
Darn Tough Socks (Run-Bike Merino Wool-Cushion and the Run-Bike Merino Wool-Mesh)
Sugoi Socks (R&R Compression Knee High)
RecoFit Compression Calf Sleeves

They've a sock promotion going on in July and August, but I also got a pair of Oboz Ignition II trail shoes!

Now before you sigh and say sellout let me tell you a little about the company; they're a fairly new company, so they need all the help they can get. Like me, their focus is on trail running, like me, they like ultras but they are expanding to marathons and trail races in general. They provide online City Guides for trail running, an Owners Journal about new kit and ongoing tests, there's an affiliate program and oh yeah they have top notch product reviewers, (no not me) Donald from Running and Rambling is on board and he just finished the Western States 100 race!

And so c'mon what not to like, well how about sharing some of the love you ask; well okay, use the code Quad10 when you place your order and you qualify for 10% discount on your order and orders over $50 after the discount will also qualify for free shipping (in the lower-48). Click on the image above, the one in the side menu or here to place your order; don't click on the sock links or it won't work.

So far I am three pairs in so stand by for a sockreviewathon!