UA and Sochi

Over the weekend a friend, and fellow blogger 52makes.com , sent me a lovely little text asking me if I'd heard about the issues with the Under Armour speed skating suits in this heres Olympics. I'm still getting the hang of collecting information, trying to figure out what to read, trying to stay current, especially since I haven't been ehrm following the Winter Olympics... I appreciated the tip. Thanks Joe!

Here is a little back story: Under Armour has been sponsoring the US speed skating team since 2011 and has since worked on improving the suits' design and performance. Most recently they dressed the team at the US World Cup circuit where team America performed very well. In anticipation for the 2014 Olympics UA teamed up with defense contractor and F-16 developer Lockheed Martin Corp. to create "the world's fastest suit". Yes F-16, as in fighter jets F-16. Just wait because this gets more intense. After two years of top secret research, 300 hours of wind-tunnel testing on fiber glass mannequins, 225 different suit models, (testing the most optimal fabric placement/design variations) out comes... t h e  M a c h  3 9, (queue the fog machine, release the eagle... wave the flag).

First I want to talk about the suit itself because the idea behind it is pretty cool and should be appreciated. Then we can get to the drama bomb of this whole situation.

Picture source: http://galleries.apps.chicagotribune.com/chi-hightech-speedskating-suits-20140116/

 *Note, the Mach 39 was designed for the long track only. When I was doing research I kept coming across a similar suit, especially on the women, that didn't have the dimpled poly, the stretch cross-body zipper, or the back mesh - those are for the short track.*
There are a few key textiles and design features that were supposed to make this suit superior to what's out there right now. The first feature I noticed was the dimpled polyurethane panels at the hood, the forearms, and the lower legs which are supposed to "cut" through and divert the air flow around the body instead of pushing through it. Then you have the "slippery" silver fabric at the inner thighs and armpits which reduces friction. What is this slippery fabric you ask? Slippery fabric. I've been trying to find that out myself, I can only assume it is a coated spandex?? The zipper was also specifically developed for this suit. It is a special stretch zipper that moves with the wearer's natural movement. They have placed it across the wearer's body instead of right down the middle. This is supposed to add comfort to the suit and by keeping the zipper away from the neck it's also supposed to make sure the zipper stays closed. And then the vent... UA designed the suit with a mesh panel at the back, between the shoulder blades for a cooling effect, to allow heat to escape so the wearer doesn't get too hot. THIS is the feature that is making everyone throw some side eye. Apparently the back mesh panel was causing drag in the suits and costing the athletes' precious seconds in their race times - especially since the two Gold Medal favorites failed to place in their first races. Not to mention that some of the women speed skaters had the UA technical team remove that same back panel after their initial races, (UA sent a team over to Sochi in case of emergency alterations). It's been a few days since this has happened and in the meantime the team has been allowed to wear their alternate suits which they wore at the World Cup, also made by UA, fun-stuff not included. Apparently the team was 50-50 about switching the suits; some wanted to continue wearing the Mach 39 and the other half wanted to switch. But since the Olympic rules state that a team must all wear the same uniforms, they decided with the old suits....out with the new, in with the old eh? I have to say, they are pretty lucky that the U.S. Olympic Committee, (USOC) approved the switch, 'cause that would have really sucked.

Alternate US Speed Skating suits, also by Under Armour

 Mmm-kay, this what I think about all of thissssss. Well first, the initial speculation that the suit was costing medals doesn't really apply anymore. Since the switch was approved the US Speed Skating team still has yet to medal - there are still a few races left though. I'm just going to say it... isn't it entirely possible that the US is just being out-skated?
There are a few things that bother me though. From what I've read, UA only recently gave the suits to the team back in January. In fact, it sounds like the athletes didn't get to test out the suits prior to arriving in Sochi. Thankfully though, UA sent a technical team there to take care of any unforeseen alterations - I hope you pay your oracle well UA. I'm also curious about the testing process. It was stated that they put fiber glass mannequins under vigorous 300 hour wind tunnel testing, but the mannequins were stationary? Would it have made a difference had the mannequins actually simulated a speed skaters motions? Would they have been able to see the issue with the back mesh panel? I don't even know if that would be possible but I'm just gonna put it out there.

I don't think UA deserves all the blame and so far everyone agrees. I don't think people are that, uh, silly, to not consider everything that goes into winning an event: suits, training, conditions, competition. In one of the articles I read they pointed out that in an effort to stand out and really make space for themselves in the active performance industry, between Nike and Adidas, UA strives to challenge what we think of "performance wear". I think teaming up with Lockheed is a perfect example; taking the concept of defense, machinery, engineering and incorporating it, funneling it down to something simple like clothing. The brand image speaks to making your body preform as the best machine it can be. I get it. UA is new, Nike and Adidas are very, very seasoned. I can appreciate UAs efforts to establish themselves but with that comes risk. Do I think this is going to hurt them. Absolutely not. If anything this will, and already has, generated more awareness about the brand. They gonna be just fine. 

Music I'm Running To: February Edition

I listen to music while I run. It helps distract my mind from focusing on how tired I am, instead I day dream about how bad-ass I *think* I look like....huffing and puffing up that hill.

Here is a list of some of the recent songs I've added to my running play list. Pull it up selector!

1. FITZPLEASURE by Alt-J, (side note, I absolutely LOVE this band. I lurve it).

2. CHANGE YOUR LIFE by Iggy Azalea

3. REVOLUTION by Diplo (feat. Faustix & Imanos and Kai)

4. RIOT RHYTHM by Sleigh Bells

5. TIK TIK BOOM by Britney Spears

Enjoy!!!

Weekend Update: CW-X PreformX Tights

After my post on Nike's recovery hypertight it kinda got me thinking about compression and recovery and the validity of what's out there in the market right now. Now that I know a little more about what actually happens to my muscles after a work out, (edema... lactic acid build up) I have a different curiosity for what those products are trying to achieve. I hesitate to call this a "trend" in performance wear because it isn't. The idea and science behind compression-wear has been around and those who focus on it do it well. Perhaps it's more fitting to say that the market is expanding into more categories...ish...socks, calf sleeves, sport bras? (mmm That feels like kind of a stretch) but I can say that more and more brands are tag-lining their products as "compression" which I feel is watering down the actual meaning of it.

I just started running again after a few months hiatus... yes I know its cold and yes I did have to walk through icy snow to actually GET to the park, much to the amusement of some sanitation workers, but I'm feeling it right now so I'm going to go for it. I also play soccer most Sundays and that adds up to a lot of running pour le gambes. It doesn't help that I am terrible at stretching properly. Come Monday my muscles are super tight and achy. So I said, you know what... imma treat myself. I didn't want to break the bank and I'm also not planning on training for a marathon anytime soon so I wanted something reasonable but still legit. I did a little research, mostly price driven, stumbled upon CW-X's Preform-X Tights, did a little reading, live the aesthetic, $74.95, SOLD. I bought my tights at Paragon, my favorite sports mecca, but they are widely available online and you can shop around for a more competitive price. I'm impatient and I want it now. When I spoke with the girl at Paragon she kept stressing that the compression tape actually helps to align your body while you run and keep it that way so that your muscles preform how they should, ideally giving you a more powerful and balanced stride while simultaneously reducing muscle fatigue for a faster recovery.

Very simply put, CW-X, (Conditioning Performance Wear) is part of the Wacoal Cooperation. Wacoal Corp., based in Japan, has been one of the leading and most reputable intimate apparel brands in the market for almost 40 years, creating designs based on a throughout understanding of the human body and access to an impressive library of textiles. In 1991 they decided to break into the performance apparel industry using the same dedication and introduced CW-X to the Japanese market. The research team in Kyoto spent many years studying, analyzing, and understanding what happens to muscles and joints during injuries. They then decided to introduce it to the US market and created the Wacoal Sport Science Cooperation based right here in NYC, (yey!). SO, CW-X is a brand under the Wacoal Corp. subsidiary Wacoal Sports Science Cooperation. Yes? Yes. CW-X boasts to be the world's "first truly anatomically-engineered high performance sports apparel" with 50 patents worldwide and serving a wide-range of activities, from running to skiing. Sounds pretty legit to me.
The science behind CW-X is based on kinesiology a.k.a the science of human movement. Remember the kinesio tape that was all over the 2012 Summer Olympics? Well CW-X developed their now patented CW-X Support Web Technology based around kinesiology-taping. So the placement of the compression tape is specifically placed to be most effective on specific muscle groups, problematic joints, and overall provides a supportive exo-skeletal to make sure your body preforms at its best.

So I took them out for a spin last weekend, semi skeptical, semi excited. They have met my expectations and I haven't stopped talking about them since - ask my friends.  Yes, I felt a difference in the overall alignment of my stride. Yes, my muscles felt different. Yes, my muscles recovered and felt fresher faster, (I also wore them for 1 hour after my run). I ran more evenly and even longer...like almost 1/2 a mile longer. I am very curious to see how I continue to preform the more I wear them. Fit-wise, I liked that they are high-waisted. Mine went all the way up to my natural waist and they stayed put without my having to tie the drawstring too tight. I bought a size medium. I usually wear a small in running tights but since these are compression tights I assumed to go up a size and boy was I lucky... not only did I NOT try them on, but I also didn't consult the very handy size chart, (height + weight) they provide with their hangtag. Please review the size chart they provide to make sure you buy the correct size. I happen to fit right in the grey area between a small and a medium but I'm happy I went with the medium. 
Dare I ask, why would you wear anything else? I like to people-watch while I run. I like to see what and how people are wearing and all I kept thinking was "these are helping my body preform better not only during my immediate movement but hypothetically also protect the longevity of my muscles - why isn't everyone wearing these?" At this moment I kinda don't want to wear anything else. This weekend I picked up the thermal version of the tights, the Insulator Perfx Tight but I decided not to run due to the weather because I have my limits, but I can't wait! I should mention that post-run, when I was heading home I did get a little chilly so I would advise not to wear them in 30F weather - get the thermal ones. But what I really have my eyes on is their Revolution Tights. Although they don't list them under "recovery" on their site that is what I would wear them for since the compression construction is lighter and covers more area, and they have starts all over them. It's on my xmas list Santa.

Behold the beauty of this graphic.

Keep it Tight

I've been working on two posts recently and they are taking a little longer then I thought so in the meantime I figured I'd do a little quickie post:

From left to right: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Soccer), Jon Jones (Martial Arts), Lebron James (Basketball), Colin Kaepernick (Football), Matt Kempt (Baseball)

Nike has recently started to create buzz over their Combat Recovery HyperTight, one of their first "post-game" products. After dominating the "in-game" performance market they are starting to focus on keeping athletes fresh and ready for the next game.

Essentially the HyperTight is a post-game / post-workout compression tight worn in between down-time or travel that helps reduce the swelling that occurs in the legs allowing for a speedy muscle recovery. I first read about it on Hypebeast  then poked around Nike's website where they provided a wonderfully thorough explanation of the tights, and in true Nike fashion, they be some fancy tights. 

Designed in Nike's Sport Research Lab, (which I'd like to camp in for a week or so or forever) and in collaboration with Manchester United, the Seattle Seahawks, and other pro-athletes, they have developed the tights around this "graduated compression system" where the compression is tightest at the ankle and reduces as it moves up the leg. Now, I'm very easily impressed by a well-made video and Nike gets me every time, so I can't tell if this a genius game-changer or a basic no-brainer but howevers.... watch it.

The design of the tight is pretty straight forward, it is just a tight after-all, but I like that Nike added the stirrup at the foot to make sure the tight stays where it's supposed to and that the compression grid stays at the intended muscles. It's made of Nike's Dri-Fit fabric so you can count on the tights being comfortable and cooling.

The purpose of the tight is to help with edema, a common post-physical occurrence that happens when fluids accumulate in the system, usually at the hands and legs, mostly at the ankles. Or in layman terms, swelling. The tights help to reduce the swelling by constricting the lower leg where the fluid would usually build up thus allowing for a faster muscle recovery turnaround. I kind of imagine that it takes that fluid and kinda re-distributes it along the leg so it doesn't just collect at ones ankles, (yes, that sounds medical enough for me). What Nike has done is develop this graduated compression grid, or "power grid", which is printed onto the tights - it's that rubbery-looking stuff. The power grid design is wide and more frequent at the ankle then gets thinner and less frequent as it moves up the leg. I have to admit that I'm a little curious about how a printed grid can affect the fabric's tension enough to compress muscle - I would have assumed that the grid would have to be knitted with the fabric. But that is why Nike is Nike, they just do it.  

Many of you might not care about this next part, but this is my blog and my educational adventure and you might learn a little-something-something, so deal with it...
More technically put; the compression at the ankle starts at 15-25 mmHg, (the higher the mmHg, the tighter the fit), then reduces by about 60-80% at the calf and then an additional 30-50% reduction at the thigh. WHAT is mmHg you ask? Well it is a super fancy compression measurement known as "milimeter of mercury", (get it because Hg is mercury, science bitch!). And HOW do they measure that pressure? By an even uber-er fancy thing called the Salzmann Testing Apparatus - I kinda giggled over "apparatus", not machine, apparatus, get your facts straight. The Salzmann apparatus measures pressure created on the leg via sensors which are placed between the wearers leg and the tights. You kinda have to admit this is cool - did you know how they measured compression pressure? No? And now you have a fun party fact. (See below for impressive pictures of the said apparatus).

Where and when can you buy these? Well you'll have to wait until February 3 when they become available online at Nike.com and globally at select retail stores. *Glowing yellow not included*

Branducation: Lucas Hugh

I love Pinterest. Looovvee Pinterest. I love it for so many reasons but for the sake of relevance... I love it because it has helped me discover brands I wouldn't necessarily have come across. I did a lot of heavy pinning this weekend, behold my treasures...

Lucas Hugh, a women's luxury athletic brand based out of London is creating athletic wear for the woman who does not want to compromise on performance or style. Director Anjhe Mules started the brand in July 2010 with a background in swimwear, (which is very evident - some of my favorite pieces are her swim pieces).  Their philosophy strongly emphasizes the idea behind "art and science", marrying sports technology with sophisticated, high-fashion attitude. Often they also collaborate with artists and photographers, bringing a more runway look to each piece. Their A/W 2013 collection was inspired by the Rover Curiosity Mission; sci-fi silhouettes and ulta-modern. However there were a lot of pieces I would wear - and I tend to on the conservative/function scale of active fashion. I always get a little hesitant when I hear luxury+sci-fi silhouettes+performance wear all in the same sentence. LH does a very nice job of it! I see the inspiration but I also respect the functionality of each piece. Well done you. And for an extra fancy trivia fact: you can see Lucas Hugh in action, literally, in the most previous Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie.

LH has all the makings of a luxury performance brand. I always take the "about" descriptions with a grain of salt but so far so good LH. Producing in one of Europe's most technologically advanced factories gives them a huge advantage AND, (which I think is pretty cool) it also happens to be the research laboratory for Olympic swimwear development. Their fabrics are treated as one would expect from a performance activewear band; breathable, UV-protected, antimicrobial, moisture wicking. They mostly work with a tight-weave polyamide-lycra mix which gives each piece a mild compression fit which in turn assists with blood flow and muscle strain, okay makes sense... but apparently, "seamsealed technology" is a common feature in their design/construction. I say "apparently" because when I think of seamsealed I think of extreme weather and extreme performance garments - think winter wetsuits that need to protect the wearer from -30 degree water or snowboarding jackets, but workout leggings? I actually think its great and it makes sense. Seamsealed technology not only protects the wearer but the fabric as well and increases the longevity of the garment. For a luxury performance wear clothing line that lets me know that the clothing they are producing is supposed to last and has purpose - it's an investment. It also helps against chafing which is something I did not know but I can totally appreciate.

I have to give them credit, they are really stepping up and delivery on what their brand is about.
This was definitely a pleasant little discovery and I honestly look forward to seeing their continued success and evolution.
I encourage you to check them out! : http://www.lucashugh.com/

Accio Zipper

A few weeks ago Under Armour debuted their MagZip Jacket, (the line isn't available until 2014 so calm yo' tits ya'll) with its "revolutionary" magnetic zipper feature. I'll be honest, it's pretty cool. Right now, in the performance activewear industry, the focus has been fabrics - moisture wicking, antimicrobial... but there hasn't been a lot of "practical" innovations. Although this isn't a reinvention of the wheel I think it's a preview of what's to come. Adding or integrating technology into performance garments has been an on-going trend. Perhaps the magnetic zipper is the first example of how we can enhance the more mundane, overlooked aspects of garments.

Essentially MagZip is a strong magnet + a re-engineered zipper clasp which automatically guides the two ends of the zippers together which then allows you to zip up the jacket one handed. *MAGIC* I encourage you to read more articles on this for the comments alone, they are pretty highlarious but they also bring up interesting points; is it safe for people with pacemakers and more importantly, is UA going to share the knowledge...
Although the zipper is patented and licensed by Under Armour the idea actually came from engineer Scott Peters. Peters originally designed the zipper to help those who suffer from a lack of fine motor control and coordination dress themselves with more ease and worked through about 25 prototypes before getting it right. I hope it still gets put to its original purpose. Yes it's neat, and yes when its available for purchase it's going to sell out but I hope Under Armour shares the wealth. I don't know, it would be too bad if UA having the patent meant exclusivity to the activewear world - this could do a huge amount of good for who Peters had in mind.

Do I think this is going to be an explosive trend? No. Am I going to try it on and zip that thing up repeatedly, with one hand, like a boss? Yes.

A Time to Reflekt

This is kinda old news so bear with me, (I'm still getting used to this blogging-thing). A few weeks back we were doing trend research for Fall 2014 and few things caught me eye but one in particular was reflective-wear / details. It's nothing new but there are some cool things happening. I think when people hear "reflective" they think work wear vests and other, more industrial clothing but there are a few brands that are working towards making some pretty cool pieces. 3M is the reflective manufacturer of choice and it's pretty exciting to see it seeping into the fashion world.

Ice Cold is one brand to check out.

Founder and designer Michael Cherman started the brand with socks. They're actually kinda cool for socks. You're supposed to stretch them out and crack the 3M reflective dots before you use them... "that's how you know they're fresh". I like that idea, it's like glow sticks - little mini raves on your feet.
Apparently Cherman suffered one-too-many accidents on the busy streets of NYC which inspired him the develop the socks. They're geared for cyclists and runners and offer function with style. Since then they have expanded their product line to t-shirts, hats and collaborated with other brands, such as Wish, (check out their anorak).
Check them out here: http://www.icecoldny.com/

ISAORA.


ISAORA #GetReflective from ISAORA on Vimeo.

The more I read about this brand the more I'm crushing on them. I'm really digging what they do, especially their philosophy. I like to hear that a brand practices what it preaches and the team at ISAORA seems to do just that. I'll have to do a separate brand-feature post about them because there is way too much to say.  The brand's focus is to bring aesthetics to high performance fabrics and make clothes for the urban consumer.  Back in December 2012, (throwback...aanndd not really available for purchase) they debuted their reflective jacket and vest. The cool thing though is that they garment dyed the reflective fabric - which I, frankly, didn't think was possible. It's described as 3M-like Italian fabric so it must have some natural-fibers in it to be able to take the over-dye, not to mention it looks pretty freakin' cool. True to their word it delivers on its functionality.
Check them out here: http://www.isaora.com/

The piece-de-resistance though is brought to you by Stone Island. One of my all-time favorite menswear brands. For an established brand they never get too comfortable and are always putting out the coolest and innovative stuff. Science Bitch! Stone Island delivers consistently. Please make womenswear, thank you sincerely, Lazy Cat.

Their take on the reflective trend puts them in a different league. Back in 2010-ish they introduced the idea of "liquid reflective technology" which is a reflective solution made of thousands of glass microspheres. Each garment is individually sprayed with the solution and then baked dry, (the baking process is similar that used for car bodywork) which also happens to make the garment water and wind resistant. Each garment was individually treated. Then they really capitalized on the idea and rolled with it. It seems like every season they release a new piece using "liquid reflective technology".
In 2012 they released more jackets in different silhouettes. Then, THEN for their 30th anniversary they released their fully reflective KNIT jacket. Ok, lets break this down for impact. Prior, they were spraying and coating their garments which gave them this sort of spotty, imperfect look. Pff next! Let's just make the 'effing YARN reflective. So they took the same microsphere idea but instead of spraying the surface they created microsphere micro-tape and melted it to polyester yarns and then knitted the damn thing together. The actual jacket is simple and clean as it should be, letting the technology be the focus. It looks so cool and the debut video just seals the deal, (check it out below). You keep doing you SI.
Check them out here: http://www.stoneisland.com/