Yaktraxs — Ice Safety Footwear

With the threat of impending ice and snow, the thought of going out for your daily walk or even walking to the mailbox can stop you in your tracks. There is an inexpensive solution to get a grip you’ll need this winter — Yaktraxs.

Yaktraxs are made out of an injection-molded thermal plastic elastomer designed for easy on and off aplication. The coils are protected against rusting and hand-wound to give you 360º of traction on ice and snow. The outer band conforms to the length and width of your boot or shoe. The high strength horizontal coils provide forward and backward stability. The vertical coil pattern provides side-to-side stability. They can be worn in temperatures as low
as minus 41F.

The Yaktrax Walker is the original version and is ideal for pedestrians, the elderly, or anyone who wants greater stability on ice and snow. The Walker grips into the ice and packed snow letting you walk or run as you would normally.

The Yaktrax Pro is ideal for the person needing increased durability while walking or hiking during the winter months. It is equipped with a removable performance strap that is designed for stability. The Pro still has the same simple design and effectiveness as the Walker with unique 360º of traction with every step you take.
www.yaktrax.co.uk

FitFlops

Walk About staff ran across an ad recently in one of our local newspapers promoting the FitFlops, stating the shoe was like a walking workout. This claim piqued our interest. We emailed the company in London, England, and asked for a sample pair to try. The press release claimed “The FitFlops uniquely built multi-density midsole activates muscles midstep to help tone thighs, calves and glutes by slightly destabilizing the foot as one walks, creating a continuous tension in the leg and buttock muscles. FitFlops are biomechanically engineered to improve core muscle strength, absorb shock on feet, knees, and back, encourage better posture, burn calories, help reduce cellulite, and lessen joint strain.”

Developed by expert bio-mechanics Dr. David Cook and Darren James at the Centre for Human Performance at LSBU in London, FitFlop midsoles incorporate patent-pending micro-wobbleboard™ technology to give you a workout while you walk.

We received our sample within days and decided to give them a try. With the cold, wet days in the Pacific Northwest, the FitFlops are perfect for wearing around the house — why not get a workout while “not” working out. The first thing you notice is your posture changes. You stand up taller, and although you don’t have to concentrate to walk, you notice a slight difference in the way your muscles have to work while walking. We liked the fact that you get the feel of walking barefoot, but the midsole cushion helped absorb the shock.

Although no one felt a burning workout after wearing our Fitflops, we remain hopeful we will plus they are fun and fashionable. Fitflops can be found at most Macy’s.
www.fitflop.com

Gel-Bot Water/Energy Drink Bottle

Tired of searching in your fanny pack for your gel and then struggling to open the package, storing the empty wrapper, and finally washing it all down with water? Well all of those steps just got a lot easier with the Gel-Bot by Hydrapak. Gel-Bot is a water bottle with an integrated gel flask. Using patented Energy-Core technology, Gel-Bot allows consumption of an energy gel or water from one bottle. Gel-Bot is easy to use while out power walking, Nordic walking, or hiking on trails. Just squeeze the bottle with the valve pushed in to get the energy gel or pull the valve out and squeeze to get plain water; it looks and stores just like a regular water bottle.

The SoftFlask is a gel flask designed for optimal performance and is made of medical-grade urethane. It is soft and flexible which allows you to squeeze out every drop of gel and unlike other gel flasks SoftFlask works equally well filed with one serving of gel or six. It cleans up with soapy water and is ready for the next trek.
www.hydrapak.com or call 510-595-8318