So, it’s the middle of winter and you’re out snowboarding or skiing or whatever it is that active, non-blogger people do. But sometime during the day, the weather unexpectedly gets brutal and you’re wishing you had worn a heavier coat or at least an extra layer. Ordinarily it would put a damper on your fun, but NuDown has released a series of winter wearables that let you customize and adjust the level of insulation based on your needs at that moment. And unlike down-filled winter gear, no baby ducks or geese are harmed in the making of NuDown garments.

The line of jackets and vests works with a proprietary technology that uses a pocket-size hand pump to adjust the level of insulation. When you’re extra cold, you pump more air into the garment’s dynamic chambers. This insulates your body from the cold and keeps you going in the extreme weather. When it’s warmer out, you use the same pump to let some or all of the air out of the chambers.

Along with the standard air inflation, NuDown offers argon canisters so you can inflate your jacket or vest with the better-insulating gas. They offer a simple guide to how many pumps you’ll need to reach the desired level of insulation, but trial and error should tell you how inflated the garment needs to be to keep you comfy. The jackets and vests are all windproof, waterproof, and equipped with high-visibility reflectors for safety.

You’ll have to be a well-heeled sports enthusiast to outfit yourself with NuDown products for your winter sports, however. When it’s released in November 2015, the pieces are expected to run between $400 and $600. That might actually be normal for winter sports gear, though – we don’t really know because, like most writers, we hibernate from November to April.

The post Forget the Down: Winter Gear Has Customizable Insulation first appeared on Gajitz.

Wakeboarding typically involves standing on a board and holding onto a line that’s attached to a boat. It’s fun, but it requires at least one other person and that other person usually (annoyingly) insists on taking turns. The Radinn (radical + innovation) electric powered wakeboard lets you be as selfish as you want by eliminating the need for a boat.

Instead, the rider controls the on-board jet propulsion system with a handheld remote control. Since it’s powered by a lithium battery and not gas, the board is quiet on the water and makes riders look kind of like they’re surfing with no waves.

The board turns and moves in the same ways that a traditional wakeboard moves, but the rider is in total control of his or her speed and direction rather than relying on a boat. The handheld remote control has a tether, of course, to keep it from dropping into the water and stranding the rider.

Traditional wakeboard bindings and boots can be used with the Radinn, so you won’t even have to go out and buy all new gear. The board is lightweight and fits into a car or boat just like any other wakeboard. And in case you missed it in the video above (because you were distracted by the unreasonably gorgeous Swedish athletes), it handles like an absolute dream.

The post Water + Wireless: Electric Powered Boat-Free Wakeboard first appeared on Gajitz.

The Schiller X1 is one of the most exciting advancements we’ve seen in biking in quite some time. The X1 gives cyclists the exhilarating experience of biking across water. Equipped with two dual-chamber inflatable pontoons, the aqua bike weighs a trim 45 pounds thanks to its lightweight anodized aluminum and stainless steel frame.

The bike drives like most others, with two pedals and handlebars, but instead of wheels it features two oscillating propellers that move it across the water. It can support up to 300 pounds and comes equipped with high-intensity LEDs so you’ll easily see and be seen.

Unlike some of the other floating bikes (and there have been a few, both commercial and homemade) the X1 can reach speeds of up to 8 knots (10 miles) per hour. The handlebars provide simple and accurate steering, and the X1 can even go in reverse.

Safety was a huge concern for the company as they designed the amphibious bike. They assembled a team of top-notch designers, engineers, craftspeople, and sports experts to perfect the water biking experience.

When you’re ready to pack it in and head home, the X1 disassembles in under 10 minutes and is compact enough to be transported on most bike racks and in car trunks. Its zero-emission, silent, human-powered styling makes it a seriously eco-friendly way to travel without the traffic, car exhaust, and rude drivers you’d encounter biking on the street.

The post Across the Blue: Water Bike Takes Cycling to the Streams first appeared on Gajitz.

Wheelchair extreme sports are an awesome way for paraplegics to stay active and have fun, but like any extreme sport there is an element of danger involved. Since many people in wheelchairs experience partial or total loss of feeling in their lower extremities, it is sometimes difficult for them to tell when they’ve sustained an injury. An untreated injury could lead to serious complications down the line.

The Bruise suit, created by Dan Garrett, Elena Dieckmann, Ming Kong & Lucy Jung, is a smart way to ensure that wheelchair athletes don’t suffer injuries that go unnoticed. Bruise is a pair of high-waisted pants that use technology to show just where an injury occurred and how severe it may be.

The stretchy, breathable material allows athletes the freedom of movement needed to play extreme sports. But if they should happen to fall or sustain a hard hit, the Bruise will indicate if an injury occurred and how serious it might be. The suit does this with several pieces of pressure-sensitive film located in the areas of the body most likely to sustain injuries.

If an area is stressed due to impact, that spot changes color to indicate a possible injury. The color is deeper for more serious impacts, so an athlete can know if they need immediate medical attention or if they can keep playing and just get bandaged up later. The pressure-sensitive film pieces are replaceable and recyclable, so a fresh set can be inserted before the next game.

The post Color-Changing Pants Display Paraplegic Athletes’ Injuries first appeared on Gajitz.

It began with Allen Iverson. During the 2000-2001 season, the then-Philadelphia 76ers star wore a sleeve to help with the bursitis developing in his elbow. Shortly thereafter it became a popular fashion statement among fans. Iverson continued to wear the sleeve after his elbow healed, possibly as a placebo against other injuries. One California-based tech company is taking the ‘basketball sleeve’ to the next level.

Based on the athletic principle of muscle memory, Vibrado has created a sleeve with accelerometers located at the hand, forearm and bicep. These sensors trace a player’s movement and compare them to those of a perfect jump shot.

The data produced by the accelerometers is immediately perceptible by lights and sounds that the sleeve gives off. It is also transferred to a computer program for analysis on things like shot arc and free throw technique. Now coaches can tell the exact point at which a player’s jump shot malfunctions.

The post Basketballers’ Shooting Sleeve is More Than an Accessory first appeared on Gajitz.