Vibram FiveFingers Bikila:Why are these not called FiveToes? I dunno. Anyway anticipating or perhaps in some way facilitating the rise in barefoot running, Vibram's FiveFingers range of separate-toed footwear has been around since about 2006.
But of course, they’ve been supplying sole technology to technical boots for years. So they know toes. And they want us to know ours too.
The Bikila is designed for running, to encourage a more natural, balanced form and foot-strike. The thinking in barefoot running is that with cushioned trainers, we’re inclined to heel strike – land on our heels with the full force of body weight plus momentum with each stride; whereas barefoot, we land on the balls of our feet and smoothly roll the foot forward, so less of a harsh impact. And we naturally correct our posture and so on because we can feel what’s right.
Some nerd-porn: the Bikila has a Dri-Lex covered 3mm polyurethane insole and a 4mm anatomical pod outsole design that offers more underfoot protection. The upper has a padded collar and tear-resistant toe protection.
Vibram FiveFingers shoes are championed by many runners, surfers and the like, but they’re trying to go street casual too, with quite challenging results. Some of these look vaguely shoe of Frankenstein. On the other foot, of course, when FiveFingers first appeared they were like a novelty gimmick. Available in women’s and men’s.
CostVibram FiveFingers Bikila, €119 from 53 Degrees North.
Contigo Autoseal MugUntil a couple of weeks ago – before I binned it in a coffee-stained grump – I'd an insulated mug which intermittently I'd fire a cuppa into and bring with me in the car. Unfortunately, the interval between uses was such that I'd stupidly forget the wretched mug was so badly designed, that because I'm not Jagger-lipped, it simply just spilt over me. Luckily, its spillability was only matched by lousy insulation, so the coffee wasn't hot.
Contigo, on the other hand, has designed a really well-thought through range of sports bottles and insulated mugs for travel and the outdoors life.
It has what it calls Autoseal technology – basically, you can use them with one hand. You press a button to sip and it opens a perfectly-shaped slot. Then it seals leak-proof again. Neat, easy.
As well as the autosealing feature, they’re good looking, with proper double wall, vacuum insulation. So your bevvy will stay hot for about four hours or chilled for about 12. One final thought, the “mugs” don’t have handles, so are they still mugs? Size 500ml, in stainless steel and BPA-free.
CostContigo Autoseal Insulated Mug, €29.99 from Viking Marine, Avoca, and stores nationwide listed at contigo.ie.
Hindsight 30 Rear View CameraSome people have taken to referring to this new (too new to be in the shops just yet) piece of bike kit as a digital mirror. Yeah. That doesn't really do it for me: the Steal-Me-Now is probably what it'll have to be called whenever it gets here.
Still the principle is fine. Get yourself a digital eye in the back of your head – or your hind, perhaps – for when you’re cycling around town. The Hindsight 30 has a rear-view micro camera mounted below the seat, with a red LED you can set to flash or not. Red eye reduction for whomever’s about to cream you. This is connected to a 9cm (3.5 inch) LCD display on your handlebars, powered by a rechargeable battery. You can get 13 hours of buses bearing down on you from a single charge, though the lack of a dynamo self-charger is a bit of a head-scratcher.
A good number of cars feature versions of these rear- view cams, so it’s likely they’ll be part of bike infrastructure eventually. Until then, you’re best to stick with your existing mirrors. The analogue ones.
CostCerevellum Hindsight 30, price tbc. See cerevellum.com for details.