FitSugar

Don't Let Camping Break the Bank - Rent Gear Instead

Michele Foley — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:42:28 PDT

I love renting bikes when I am on vacation. It's a great way to incorporate exercise when traveling and an easy way to test out the waters if you're thinking about buying one. But bikes aren't the only fitness-related things you can rent, which is something I learned when visiting my favorite outdoor gear store, Sports Basement.

While I was waiting in line to make my purchase I was surprised to see someone renting all the essentials for a weekend of camping: tent, stove, sleeping bag, and even trekking poles. When I spoke to the salesperson, he told me that more and more local gear stores are renting equipment because it encourages people to hit the outdoors without having to make a major investment up front. I was also happy to find out that national chains like REI, Sports Authority, Eastern Mountain Sports, and Sport Chalet also rent gear. But if you're nowhere near a sports store, don't fret, you can also rent gear online or by phone from LowerGear, who will ship the equipment to you. Besides camping equipment, most stores rent gear for snow sports, tennis, water sports, and cycling. In general, the rental prices are up to 90 percent off what it would cost to buy the same stuff.

I'm pretty stoked about the idea of renting gear and am already making plans to rent a two-person kayak with a friend. It's a great way to get in shape without having to commit yourself to a huge investment, especially for sports that have a limited season.

Win a $250 Gift Card From REI

FitSugar — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 08:46:35 PST

This contest is now closed. Thanks to all of you who left comments! The winners will be posted shortly.

Have you already left a comment to enter the drawing for one of two $250 gift cards for REI? If not, read on and write something, anything really, in the comment section below. (If you have already entered, remember just one entry per person - all repeat comments will be ignored.)

Christmas is fast approaching, and while you might be coveting some new snow gear, this isn't exactly the best time to splurge on yourself. So I'm here to solve that problem for two lucky FitSugar readers. We're giving away two gift cards worth $250 each for REI, one of the sportiest gear stores around!

Even if you are not into Winter sports, I am sure REI has something you can put to good use. The retailer carries everything from camping gear to yoga wear. If you consider yourself a gym rat, REI can even hook you up with a heart-rate monitor. Seriously, this place really does have something for everyone.

To enter to win one of the $250 gift cards, all you have to do is leave a comment. (One comment per person; duplicate comments will be disregarded.) You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member to leave a comment. So if you're not already a member, just register here for an account. It takes about 60 seconds!

Interested in more details? Click here for the official rules.

The contest will end on Monday, Dec. 17, at 12:00 p.m. (PST), and then I'll randomly select two winners from the comments. Don't forget to email this to all your friends and family so they can have a chance at it, too!

Get Your Green on at REI

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 02:00:00 PDT

It is no secret that I heart REI. They make and sell great gear. The sales people are extremely knowledgeable. Their online store is great. Plus it is a co-op that you can join, and at the end of the year you receive a dividend check. Well, if you like giving your greenbacks to green stores, REI is the retailer for you. And they continue to get greener!

While getting my green on over at treehugger.com, I just read that not only does REI now use ecologically sensitive labeling to indicate products that are designed to have less impact on our planet, they are also building green stores too. I call that a green double up!

Now you can shop easily for eco gear made with sustainable and recycled materials bearing the eco-sensitive label in a store designed to minimize REI's carbon footprint. The new REI store opening soon in Boulder, CO, is their green prototype store that uses solar energy to reduce its electricity consumption by 20 percent and its water usage by 30 percent.

If you can't make it to the Boulder store, you can always shop their eco labeled products online.

Get in Gear: Shock-Absorbing Hiking Poles

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:45:00 PDT

I went hiking this weekend up a trail named Hell's Brook. I learned the name after arriving at the trail head. If I had had that knowledge ahead of time, I would have known to bring along my hiking poles.

I'm liking these from REI called Traverse Shock Trekking Poles. They're only $79 for the pair, when others can run you almost $200 for just one.

What makes these poles so different? To find out

read more These are spring-loaded, so when you're trekking down a steep trail, they bounce a little as you put weight on them, which absorbs shock. This means your hands and wrists won't have that repeated jarring vibration you get with regular rigid poles, which helps prevent thumb and general hand pain. When you're going up hill, these poles have a locking mechanism to make them rigid (without the bounce), for more stable climbing. You can also choose the length you want, so you can make them shorter on the way up and longer on the way down. The maximum length is 57", but these poles can compact to 27" for easy storage. Another great thing about these poles is that they're made of aluminum, so they're durable and lightweight - only 19.7 oz for the pair. Hiking is such an awesome activity to do in the fall, and hiking poles will make your experience so much safer and easier on your knees and lower back. Plus they spread the workout around so your upper body gets into the action, not just your legs. Poles also enable you to conquer tougher and steeper trails. Upward, ho!

Get in Gear: A Camping Stove is a MUST!

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:00:00 PDT

Just because you are "roughing it" in the woods with your tent and sleeping bag does NOT mean you must be stuck eating only trail mix. Having a camping stove is a necessity when campground camping. I definitely wouldn't truck this stove around while backpacking, but if you're driving to your campsite, you can pack whatever you want.

This Coleman 2-Burner Propane Stove has double burners so you can boil your pasta and sauté veggies at the same time. One 16.4 oz cylinder or fuel will last over an hour with both burners on high, so you'll have plenty of time to make a fabulous meal.

Want to hear more about it? Then

read more Worried about wind blowing dirt into your food or blowing out your flame? This stove comes with two folding WindBlock™ shields. You can also flip these shields down so they act as shelves to hold cooking utensils and spices. It's easy to clean and comes with a durable metal case to protect your stove. And the best part is that it's fairly inexpensive - you can order one from Rei.com for only $46.00. That's quite a deal considering eating healthy on your camping trip is so important. Fit's Tips: Looking for some ideas on what to cook on your Coleman Stove? Just think about what you like to make on your regular stove and do some slight adjustments. You can cook just about anything, as long as it doesn't take too long. Save time by prepping meals ahead of time. Pre-cut veggies and pre-measure ingredients, and then store your food in a cooler. Then when you're ready to eat, cooking a healthy meal will be a cinch. Source

Get in Gear: REI Lightweight Sleeping Bag

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:00:00 PDT

I have a lot of wonderful memories of camping with my family as a kid. There was nothing like the feeling of snuggling into your sleeping bag inside your tent after a night of roasting marshmallows by the campfire. Back then I had this huge, thick sleeping bag made out of flannel and a whole lot of stuffing - it was like a comforter with a zipper.

Camping gear has come a long way since then, and that huge, puffball sleeping bag just wouldn't cut it on a backpacking trip. Check out the REI Kilo Flash +35 Sleeping Bag. It only weighs 1 lb 4 oz, and it's less than 1 foot long once it's rolled up and snug in its stuff sack. It's made of goose down, so it'll keep you warm in up to 35°F weather - perfect for those chilly summer nights in the mountains.

This sleeping bag is designed for women. It has a narrower cut at the shoulders, and extra insulation in the footbox and torso areas where it's needed most. Plus it has a hood at the top with adjustable draw cords so you can tighten it to your face and keep the cold out. It's like one big tube of cozy warmth.

Want to know why this sleeping bag is my favorite? Then

read more Another cool feature (and why I love this sleeping bag so much) are the sleeping pad loops underneath. They allow you to keep your sleeping pad attached to the sleeping bag so it shifts and moves when you do. Nothing's worse than waking up on the cold rocky ground next to your sleeping pad. You can order it from REI.com for $179. Not a bad deal for a lightweight sleeping bag with such great features. Fit's Tips: This sleeping bag will fit a woman who is 5 ft 6 in tall or shorter. If you are taller, you'll want to order this sleeping bag in the LONG version.

Get in Gear: Basic Heart Rate Monitor Polar FS1

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:30:00 PDT

If you're new to doing cardio such as biking or running, and you want to know if you are working at the right intensity for your body, using a heart rate monitor is a great idea. Whether you are doing cardio to lose weight, for fun, or to build your endurance for competitions, a heart rate monitor will give you an accurate readout of how hard your heart is working.

Shopping for a heart rate monitor can be a bit overwhelming since there are so many different kinds. Plus they can be pretty pricey depending on how many bells and whistles they come with. If you are just starting out, there's no reason to spend tons of money if all you want to track is your heart rate.

The Polar FS1 heart rate monitor is a great, basic monitor. The black transmitter band goes against your skin and around your chest (you can stick it under the elastic of your sports bra). The watch on your wrist watch continuously tracks your heart rate so you'll know when you reach your target heart zone. The watch even gives you visual and audible alarms to keep you in your target zone. The watch also keeps track of how long you've been exercising, so you can figure out how long you've been "in the zone" during your workout.

You can order one from REI.com for only $59.95, which is an awesome deal on a basic heart rate monitor. When you use one, you can actually track your progress and see improvement in your endurance, so I found that it was just the thing to motivate me to workout.

Not sure what your target heart rate is? Check out the FitSugar calculator it will help you find your zone.

Get in Gear: Salomon Vest

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PDT

I love exercising in the Spring, and even though it's warmer than it was a month ago, you still need to wear some kind of layer to keep you warm. You don't necessarily need a big long-sleeved jacket, so this is the perfect time of year to sport a vest.

Check out this one from Salomon. It's made out of "ActiLite," a fabric that is abrasion resistant, moisture wicking, and breathable. When you're working out in cooler weather, you need something like this that will wick away moisture from your body, because if you get wet, the cool air will make you colder.

There are 2 hand pockets and a chest pocket with a hidden zipper. I love a lot of pockets so I can carry my keys, my cell phone and my iPod if I want.

This vest is made for women, so it has a slim, flattering cut. It comes in black, white, apple green, or tropical blue (as shown). For only $55, this Salomon vest sold through REI.com is a steal.

Sandra Bullock Wears Extremely Loud Running Shoes While Holiday Shopping

Katie Henry — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:29:40 PST

Sandra Bullock kept to a tight schedule in NYC yesterday, stopping by the gym, then picking up some gifts at REI and finally dropping in a spa before heading home. This year's holiday season has an extra special meaning for Sandra and her number one guy, Louis. She recently admitted she plans on spoiling Louis with "ridiculous" gifts, like a life-sized lion. It's also a big month for her professionally with the limited release of her first film since winning an Oscar, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close on Christmas day.

This morning brought some early holiday gifts to many of her closest friends in Hollywood. Her Gravity costar George Clooney earned a SAG Award nomination for his role in The Descendants, and pal Meryl Streep was recognized for her work in The Iron Lady.

Cyber Monday Deals on Everything Fitness

Michele Foley — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:14:59 PST

Even if you missed Black Friday, there are still a lot of shopping deals to be had tomorrow. Cyber Monday is when retailers present some of their best deals online - from free shipping to massively reduced items - or in some cases, they put the entire store on sale. If you're looking for fitness and health products, look no further. Just remember to act quick - most of these deals are one-day sales that end promptly at 11:59 p.m. in your particular time zone.

See the Cyber Monday deals after the break!