WITH POTENTIALLY valuable shopping time being taken up by reading this column, here are a few items you may not regret missing.
Teva/Grey Ant Performance Stiletto
Straight from the you’ve-gotta-be-kidding school of adventure gear, outdoor specialist, Teva, has teamed up with NY clothing label, Grey Ant, to design the Teva Stiletto. Yes, that’s Stiletto.
Starting with Teva’s ubiquitous Hurricane sandal beloved of rugged, outdoorsy types and hippies, they’ve given it what only can be described as an extreme makeover. I believe the creative term is “re-imagined”. Well, you can’t say they didn’t push the envelope.
With super-tough straps, Velcro fastenings and grippy, moulded soles, the Stiletto has all Teva’s hallmarks. Except that stiletto bit, of course: 4ins of stack ’em up heel. Apparently the look is to wear them with cosy, walking socks. And lots of leg.
You may not be surprised to find out they’re not recommended for hillwalking or climbing, so we’ll leave the surprise element to the price.
Cost$330 (€251) from newhighmart.com.
Selk Bag Mobile Sleepwear (Wearable Sleeping Bag)
You can imagine this might be a bit of fun for the kids, a sleeping bag you walk around in, watch TV, wrestle, lounge. But these are for adults. Sleeping bags you wear.
Their maker, Selk, claim they were designed in the Andes for those who are uncomfortable in traditional sleeping bags. With a nice bit of proprietary jargon, Selk refer to them as “mobile sleepwear”. Hmmm. With sleeves, legs and a hood, it’s a top-to-toe sleeping bag.
In fairness, these are really well made, with proper spec for staying warm, boasting a certified European rating, to withstand temperatures as low as zero degrees. There are zips on the arms for vital access. Like, how are you going to use the remote control when you’re bundled up like the Michelin man?
They’re machine washable and come in a range of colours, thank goodness, because you just mightn’t want one unless you can get the colour that suits. Now what will the so-called Jammy Mammies make of these?
Costfrom £95 (€112) on amazon.co.uk.
Bicygnals Bike Indicators
Bicycle plus signals, get it? People have been thinking about sticking a set of indicators on a bike for a long time. It’s been the sideline of many a would-be inventor, intricately routing wiring around the frame.
Bicygnals – it sounds much better than it looks – has upped the technical ante somewhat by making these ones wireless.
So you simply clip them on the front and back of your bike and there’s a wirelessly connected (disconnected?) controller you use with your thumb. They’re LEDs, so bright and near-everlasting. And you can detach them and stick them in a case when you’ve tied up your horse in town. A cynic might suggest there’s always a chance they’d nick the bike and leave your Bicygnals, of course. But who knows, perhaps hands are so-last-year and these will soon be all the rage.
A deeper concept, though, might be whether cyclists will ever indicate which way they’re going to turn anyway, wireless or not. Takes AA and AAA batteries.
Cost£39.99 (€47) from iwantoneofthose.com