I'm All About The Trekz Airs, No Treble!

And now the disclaimer: Aftershokz sent me a pair of Trekz Air to test and review as part of being a Bib Rave Pro. For more information on becoming a Bib Rave Pro and to read and write your own reviews, go to Bib Rave.

 I had heard people raving about Aftershokz on social media and was intrigued. When I first started running 7 years ago I wore headphones. Like everyone else I wore the kind that you stick in your ear and they block out everything else. That's good if you're in a house or at the gym, but on the road you need to be able to hear what's coming up or behind you. After almost getting hit by a car I stopped using them. That was about 3 years ago.

Aftershokz uses bone conduction to transfer sound while keeping your ears open to whats going on around you. I was skeptical at first, then I did my first 13 mile run with them. I could clearly hear my music, but I could also hear cars on the road, birds chirping and other runners when they said 'good morning' as they ran by. Simply put these things are no joke.

The specs on these are pretty impressive. Weighing in at just over 1 ounce, you really don't feel them. They're super light and stay put around your head. The part the sits in front of your ear is snug without to much pressure. As you can see from the photo, the part around the back doesn't touch your head and it doesn't bounce around.

The headphones are simple to operate. the button on the side controls answering the phone, skipping songs and pause/play. You can also use the button for call waiting and to reject a call. It can also activate Audrey, the Aftershokz digital assistant.

On the bottom of the opposite arm are the volume controls. The + button also cuts the headphones on. This is also where the battery charger is located. You get 6 hours of continuous music, and up to 20 days of standby. That's impressive. These bottom buttons also mute, change the EQ and can tell you how much battery you have left.

So after 3 years of not listening to music on my runs what did I listen to? Why 80's Brit New Wave of course.

You can get your own Aftershokz Here. Also you can use the code BRBUNDLE for $55 of the Bib Rave Bundle, which includes a trucker hat, towel, water bottle, and USB power bank. You can also follow them on Insta and Twitter @aftershokz

As always you can keep up with me on Twitter and Insta @bwachter70 and on YouTube

Thanks for reading, and lace up and go for a run!

Ben

It's HOVR time!

Welcome back folks, as a Bib Rave Pro Under Armour sent me a pair of the HOVR Sonic to test and review. For more information on becoming a Bib Rave Pro, and to leave and write your own reviews, go to Bib Rave.

My feet in HOVR Sonic

 When I was selected for reviewing the Sonic's, I was skeptical at first. I am normally a zero drop runner, and have been since I first started running. The HOVR Sonic is a 8mm heel toe drop and comes in at 9.6oz. It has a knit upper and features their HOVR foam tech. I've put 100 miles in these, so let's get right to the good and bad.

THE UPPER

The upper really impressed me with these. The lightweight knit upper was ventilated and molded to my foot. I didn't have hot spots and the elastic material helped hold my heel in. There is a plastic type of material on the heel that helps hold your foot in, I have never experienced this in a shoe before, but it wasn't bad.
 One problem I have with knit uppers is how hot they can be in the Summer. These were hot, but the ventilation helped.
 The tongue was super! It was thick enough that you couldn't feel the laces and had elastic on the sides helping to wrap and hold your foot in. The flat laces were a nice touch as well. I could run in them without double knotting them.

THE LOWER

The real claim to fame with the Sonic's is the HOVR foam. Inside the outer foam is a layer of foam compression wrapped to keep it from breaking down. It keeps the shoe firm, but cushioned so you can turn up the speed when needed. Being a mid foot striker, the shoe rolls forward nicely to propel you forward. They're starting to show some signs of compression on the sides where the cut out is near the heel, but for 100 miles I would think it's normal. 

The out sole features full blown rubber covering the entire shoe. Personally I think it's a little much and hinders some of the flexibility. 

Overall I've enjoyed running in the UARunning HOVR Sonic. They surprised me with a good fitting upper, an awesome tongue, and a firm quick ride. My only question is where did the 'e' go? It must be too fast. To get your own pair check out the link HOVR

If you want to follow me on Twitter or Insta

Or sub to my YouTube channel HERE

As always thanks for reading and lace up and get out there,

Ben

Keep it Shady!

As a Bib Rave Pro I was sent a pair of Shady Rays to test and promote. For more information on becoming a Bib Rave Pro and to read and write race reviews, go to Bib Rave. 

What is up everybody? I was recently selected to test out some sunglasses from Shady Rays and they did not disappoint. Shady Rays is a smaller company bringing you a multitude of styles and price points. I have a problem with losing or breaking my shades so I like to find a decent product for a good price.  Another facet of the company I can get behind is a portion of the proceeds from every pair sold goes to Feeding America. I like and support companies that offer a good product and help those in need.

I selected the Signature Series Emerald Ice Polarized for my pair. Being a kid of the 80's, I love the classic 'Wayfarer' style frames and mirrored lenses. Plus the frames are clear, so maybe I won't get tan lines on the side of my face. The glasses themselves are light weight and fit my face. I wore them during a recent half marathon and they didn't bounce or fog up. Pretty much, where you put them is where they are staying. 

The hinges are metal and snug, which I like. It doesn't feel like they're going to stretch out and fall off. Another good thing is the lost of broken warranty. If you lose or damage your shades,  Shady Rays will replace them for up to 2 pairs of the same style. I cannot think of another company that will replace glasses if they are lost. As far as cleaning the lenses, they come will a soft case for storing and wiping them off. I have used my shirt on occasion and have not had any problems. I still think you should stick with the cloth. 

Full sun/ all Shady

Over all, I've been pleased with my Shady Rays, and plan on getting another pair to switch up things once in awhile.

Thanks for reading and remember to lace up and get outside!

If you want to check out Shady Rays go here. Use code BIBRAVE and get 50% of 2 pairs for a limited time!

Follow me on Twitter or Insta @bwachter70

I'm Melting!!! A Gatorade Endurance Review

"Disclaimer: I received Gatorade Endurance to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

Hey everyone, I'm back to talk about Gatorade Endurance Formula Gel and Hydration Mix. I had a short test time with this one, but was able to get in several runs while testing and I have to say, I quite liked it.

I remember back in my misspent youth drinking Gatorade and the only choice we had was Lemon-Lime, and it was horrible. Well Gatorade has come a long way. They sent me a container of the new Watermelon Endurance formula and I have to say I really liked it. The powder was fine and fast dissolving, while having a light and good taste. It was perfect for the heat and humidity here in Central VA. You're looking at 90 calories per serving and 300mg of Sodium. There's also 140mg of potassium, 22g of carbs with 13g of sugars rounding us out. Sometimes when I'm running and it's hot out drinking something sugary will make me sick, but I never felt that with the Gatorade Endurance.
 2 scoops in a 16 oz bottle seems to do the trick for me. It's also good to mix up the night before in warm water and chill it in the fridge. I haven't tried freezing it into cubes but that will be an experiment for another day. There's also Lemon Lime, Orange, and Cherry.

 I have a love/hate relationship with gels. I've tried some where I like d the flavor and they upset my stomach and others tasted bad but gave me that boost I needed. The Gatorade Endurance Gel was a surprise. Usually you have gels that are very thick and need a lot of water to get down. The Endurance Gel was smooth, light and the first gel I felt I could take without drinking anything. It didn't bother me one bit. I felt like I could take multiples during a long race/training run and be fine. On my most recent long run, I followed their instructions and had one 10 minutes before and around an hour into my run, and didn't feel rundown or tired. Now I was sent the Mango flavor, and I'm not a mango fan, but it kind of grew on me so I could tolerate it. They also make a Blackberry, Vanilla, and Apple Pear if you want something different.

  The gel comes in at 80 calories with 90mg of sodium, and 35mg of potassium. Finishing up with 20g of carbs and 6g of sugars.

Looking at the website Gatorade offers a chew, and a Energy drink too.

For more information on Gatorade Endurance, click on the link.
You can follow me on Twitter or Insta.

Thanks for reading and as always,

Lace up and get out there!

Ben

Blisters Suck!

Hey everyone and welcome back. As a Bib Rave Pro I am sent items to review and promote and this time we are looking at KT Tape Blister prevention. For more information on becoming a Bib Rave Pro and to read and write your own reviews go to Bib Rave.

 So like I was saying, I was selected among others to test and try out KT Tape Blister Prevention Tape and Blister Treatment Patches. This was a rather hard assignment as I was training for a half marathon and did not want to get, nor try to get a blister. Luckily some new shoes, decided otherwise and I gave both products a good run thorough their paces.

 I had started testing a new pair of shoes, more on those next month, when I started to get a rub on my Achilles tendon. Looking at the new shoes and what I usually wore, I could tell that the heel cam in and I was not used to it. I wear short socks so they didn't help a lot but provided minimal protection. I added the prevention strips on my heel and they helped relieve the rubbing. There is one problem, if you have sweaty feet like me, the strip will only last a day. Also being part Hobbit or Bigfoot, I would shave where you place them if needed. I regularly use KT Tape pro for my IT Band and shave my legs where i apply and it will stay on longer. The strips are about 3 inches long and maybe an inch wide and are more fabricery that other versions. They did the trick as my heel stopped hurting and once my shoes broke in they worked out well.

 Like I said earlier, I did not have any blisters so I couldn't test the blister treatment so I went ahead and placed one on my heel. It's hard to see it but it's there on my heel where i was rubbing a spot. From speaking with other Pros that had blister, the patches work well for keeping the wound dry and clean, and that's what you really want. They are about the thickness of a moleskin patch and are 3 inches long and an inch and half wide ovals so they will cover a good variety of blisters or other problems.

Well that about covers this review, I wish I had more time or ailments to explore and use the product on and if something comes up I will post an update video on it. If you want to try out KT Tape use the code BIBRAVE30 for 30% off your purchase at KT Tapes website. IF you want to see my Youtube review, go here, and to follow me on Twitter and Insta look me up bwachter70.

 As always lace up and get out!



Ben

Live More Now. (Rainy Day Edition)

   Welcome back to the blog. Last post I got to talk about returning to fly fishing with Buff and today I would continue the story but we've received almost 12 inches of rain in the last month and the rivers have been high and muddy. I've still been getting my runs in between the rain so at least we are getting something accomplished.

The other weekend  I went back out to Charlottesville to run on the Rivanna trail and maybe do some fishing. The river was still up and even though the kayaks were enjoying it, I did not want to get in trouble out on the rocks so it was just a running day for me. This section of the trail is paved for 2 miles, then you hit a small section of single track dirt until you reach the end. Yes, there's a sign to tell you that.

Found it!

After my run, I decided to pull out my fly tying gear and give it a try. One of the allures of fly fishing for me was being able to catch a fish on something you made. I went all in back when I first started and threw away most all of my materials when we moved three years ago. Going through my box all I had left was some string, most of my tools and a bag of alpaca fur. While out shopping with my daughter I found a small bag of pheasant feathers at a craft store so I picked them up to see what I remembered.

 The first one while the body looked good, the floss wrapped well and the body was tapered nicely, the hackle was way too big. I tied a second one exactly the same and while it was better overall I messed the head up and tossed it to the side.

My last one came out pretty well. I found some green yarn and used it for the body with an orange tag using some embroidery thread. After adding the hackle and finishing the head, I think it turned out well.

Thanks for reading and lace up and get out there,

Ben

Live More Now on the Rivanna

Rivanna River Charlottesville, VA

Welcome back to the blog. We're going to take a break from yapping about running and take about an oppurtunity I was presented to work with Buff on the 'Live More Now' campaign. I had to select something besides running and Buff supplied me with product to help make it happen.

"Disclaimer: I received several products to use and review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

Lets go running!

 And with that out of the way we can start our day. I decided Saturday the 12th would a good day to start this journey. I was already taking part in a trail 5k and could stop on the way home and go to the Rivanna River in Charlottesville and try my luck at Fly Fishing. Before my daughter was born I went fly fishing at least three or four times a month. I loved the fact that you had to work at it to catch anything. Once I started tying my own flies, I was 'hooked'. Catching a fish on something you made with string and feathers was just an amazing feeling. As the years went by I fished less and less, and when I did go it was to take my daughter fishing at the local farm pond. Finally I stopped all together.

Now I'm back and ready to go.

The 5k went well. It was mostly uphill on single track trails with lots of roots and rocks. I didn't see any danger noodles, but being in the middle of the pack I didn't expect to. Once the race was over and I drove back to town I went to the park and gathered my gear. The last few times I went fly fishing I was becoming a minimalist, just my rod, chest pack and snips and hemostat. I really should get into Tenkara with the little bit of stuff I carry.

When I first started I wanted all the gear, the vest all the tools, multiple rods and reels, waders, the whole bit. 90% of the time that stuff just sat in a closet. Or was thrown away or donated.

It was bigger in real life!

Anyway back to the river. I hiked about a half mile upstream and found a set of small rapids with large pools I could cast too. I waded in and after a few clumsy casts managed to hook my first fish, a pretty sunfish. I was using my Eclipse Gloves for the first time and was worried I would snag my line using them but they never got in the way. They kept my hands cool and sunburn free. They also worked well with the spiny fish I was catching. I moved further into the river and caught a couple of Smallmouth Bass but called it quits after several kayaks and canoes came through and scared everything away.

Nice Smallmouth.

All in all it was a great day. My Buff trucker kept  the glare out of my eyes and the mesh kept my head cool. I had a lot of fun, and have several more trips planned in the next few weeks.

Until next time, lace up and get out

Ben

You can follow me on Twitter and Insta, @bwachter70
Get your own adventure started at BUFF