Compiled by
TOM KELLY
Bollé Vortex sunglasses
Bollé make great sunglasses, but it is not one to use a generic word when an esoteric, trademarked portmanteau construction or six might do. So we’ve “thermogrip nosepads” – which also absorb moisture as well as doing the gripping bit.
The Vortex’s interchangeable lenses are super-strong thanks to their “ultra-lightweight trivex” construction. And they’ve a “carbo glas coating” to protect from scratches. Well, what else could it be? And there’s the B88 frames in durable, flexible high grade nylon too.
Then there’s SOS (sport optical system) which allows you to secure an (optional extra) adapter with your prescription into the frames. This is an excellent way to combine hi-spec sunglasses with a prescription pair that doesn’t involve any clip-on attachments with the look of a cheap, retro-fitted sunroof.
Personally, I'm a geek in spec with all this jargonising and tech guff, especially when it's applied to a product as good as Bollé's Vortex: these are top technical shades for the outdoor life as shown by them making it on to the Gear of the Year list of leading US magazine Outside. Not bad value either.
Cost:€140 from eyeshop.com. Rx adapter for prescription extra, around €30.
Pool Bike Monte Carlo
From the sublime to the submerged. Yup, it’s a bike to use in the pool. An exercise bike, that is, with paddles attached to the back which you can set to the resistance level you want.
The benefits of exercise in water are well documented: buoyancy reduces the hit on joints, yet the inherent resistance in water means every movement works you harder. There are all sorts of aquarobics and low-impact water-based exercise regimes. And now exercise bikes too.
Well if the idea appeals, the Pool Bike Monte Carlo Pool Bike (yes, that’s its full and correct title) is the one. The original of the species, it’s tested in salt water and is guaranteed never to rust.
Moreover, these pool bikes are completely waterproof, including the LCD display which shows time pedalled, distance, etc, just like a regular exercise bike, and are the only ones with four-paddle adjustable tension.
Apparently, they work in as little as 60cm (2ft) of water, so a deep bath could do the trick – that’s if you don’t want to sit cycling away at the shallow end of the pool, churning up the water like the high speed ferry preparing to leave port.
Perhaps I’m sneering a little too readily, as the firm claims the US Navy uses them. So there, and all for the price of a year’s premium gym membership.
Cost: $899.95 (€613.50) on hammacher.com
Sea Squirts life jackets
Counteracting younger kids’ reluctance to wear life jackets, Sea Squirts tap into an aquatic playfulness with real charm. These are neoprene life jackets designed to look like a flotilla of sea creatures, complete with dorsal fins, including the “Grreeat White Shark”, “Killa Whale” and my favourite, the orange “Clownfish” (that’ll be a Nemo for most of us.)
The fins aren’t just a whimsical design feature, they’re tough enough to be a handle to lift them and their wearer with. So you can pluck your sea-spawn out of the water like a hungry bear might a passing salmon and the fins fold over to let the kids sit back. US Coast Guard certified, they’re ideal for skiing, wake-boarding or just out sailing and thanks to the neoprene and fabric liner, the jackets are useful as a comfortable, warming layer. And of course, there’s always the added allure that you can possibly clear the beach with a Jawsesque crawl to shore.
Cost: $69.95 (€48) on opacove.com