Hasta La Ideas

Up your game with the best gear for staying active and having fun

Tossing a frisbee around makes a great way to stay fit and have fun in warmer months, but to keep yourself challenged (and stylish), more and more brands are offering products to inspire the potential Olympian in all of us. With local events like NYC’s community-based Recess (pictured below left), Susan Sarandon introducing her Ping-Pong franchise SPiN across the U.S. and intramural sports leagues on the rise, now’s the time to pick up a new sport.

The beauty of bocce is that you don’t need a professional setup for a good time. Any level strip of grass, sand or dirt will do, but a beautifully-appointed set like Haus Interior’s Deluxe Bocce Ball Set ($450) makes the difference.

Nike’s new Seitiro Soccer Ball ($150) uses the brand’s GEO II technology with premium foam layers for arguably the most advanced and well-balanced ball available. Perfect for casual pick-up games at the beach or more serious play, this high-tech ball’s graphics are specially-designed to up your game by using graphics more easily seen in the periphery.

Leather Head Footballs ($132) are handcrafted from individually-selected hides of Horween leather. Slightly smaller than the average pigskin, this upscale version will add a little class to the scrimmage at your next picnic.

Badminton, created by British military officers stationed in India in the mid-1700s, makes supremely fun way to keep active even if you don’t have a sprawling estate. Manufactum’s racket (£20) uses bamboo for its superior bending strength. Their feather shuttlecocks (£15), however, keep it traditional with natural feathers for superior flight quality.

Take the leisurely activity of kite flying up a notch with New Tech Kites (average prices run around $70). The award-winning kite-maker offers an extensive collection of sport kites, some with wingspans over six feet wide. Fun for kids of all ages, the more challenging designs are also a great way to train for kite surfing.

Umbra’s portable Pongo Ping Pong Game ($40) allows you to take your table tennis with you anywhere. The easy setup includes two paddles with retractable handles, two balls and drawstring bag.

Five more-than-meets-the-eye designs for the patio

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With summer in full swing, poolside patio chic just got that much more appealing with Spain’s top designers on deck to transcend pedestrian lounge sets into sleek and functional furnishings. Turning outdoor furniture into an inward meditation on minimalism and ingenuity, Spanish artisans craft dual-function designs that are as much at home overlooking the Mediterranean coast as they are eying the cityscape from a rooftop terrace.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, furniture design firm Expormim opened a new showroom featuring outdoor furniture that captures the “Mediterranean way of life.” Both playful and utilitarian, a standout piece is the Ulah, created by Mut Design. The unique seesaw chair is crafted out of woven polyester that serves as a comfortable rocker and as a conveniently collapsible, stackable unit.

Valencia’s Vondom evolves modern furniture design into multi-purpose function with its flowerpot-cum-table series. Created for Vondom’s Moma collection, designer Javier Mariscal customized three table models that accommodate both vegetation and varying degrees of comfort for situational seating (lounging, lunching or standing).

Heating up the innovation of outdoor furniture is Spanish label, Kettal, with its Zig Zag Fire Pit created by Emiliana Design. Doubling as a coffee table or barbecue, this aluminum and mesh-woven design makes for a versatile veranda centerpiece.

Also on Cool Hunting:

Spanish lifestyle brand Point creates modular reinventions of the wicker standard for outdoor décor. With its mobile table-slash-tray, Point seamlessly merges the craftsmanship of contemporary ingenuity with nostalgic charm.

Inspired by his background in textiles, renowned designer José Gandía experimented with materials and shapes to interpret open-space recreation. Taking outdoor furnishings indoors, Gandia encapsulated the patio experience with his glass-enclosed pavilion titled The Cristal Box that combines a porch and pergola for an all-in-one outdoor living room. Constructed of thermolacquered aluminum and wood, The Cristal Box invites backyard basking all year round.

Interiors From Spain details the latest in Spanish design from upcoming products to project highlights.

Aspen-style schooling on Orbea’s full-carbon road bike

As an avid urban cyclist, I’ve spent many hours riding various city streets on a fixed gear bike. When The Little Nell Adventure Concierge challenged me to a full road bike experience traversing the beautiful terrain of Aspen, I wasn’t sure how I would measure up. Home to some of the most challenging roads for competitive cycling in the U.S. with its treacherous climbs and speed-demon downhill stretches, the topography is tough for even world champions to tackle.

To aid in my endeavor, The Little Nell outfitted me with a top tier cycling kit, a full carbon Orbea road bike, top of the line bike computer and local professional cyclist and trainer Scott Kasin.

After a few pointers, some subsequent adjustments and a little mockery about “riding like a bike messenger” I was cycling more smoothly and efficiently. Having one of Aspen’s top athletes riding alongside me proved an invaluable resource in learning how to properly operate an elite competition road bike.

Carbon from head to toe and laced with Dura-ace components, the robustly lightweight Orbea road killer really took off when pointed up hill. And after four straight hours of leg burning ascents, the Orca felt right at home and under control bolting downhill at well over 40mph. To understand the full capacity of the cycling machine, Orbea’s intensely accurate description helps set the scene, stating “It is not a product, it is a feeling. It’s competition. It’s adrenaline.”

By the end of the second day my Garmin Edge 800 informed me I had ascended over 6,000 vertical feet, ridden nearly 70 miles, conquered the breathtaking Maroon Bells and climbed from flower laden valleys to the snow covered peaks of Independence Pass—the most difficult stage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. What began as a formidable task turned into an exciting adventure thanks to Kasin’s stern teachings and integral instructions, which kept me on course even when a certain “Livestrong” cyclist sped by in a flash of yellow and black.

For more information on the Aspen cycling experience, visit The Little Nell Adventure Concierge.

Images by Graham Hiemstra and Cameron L. Martindell

Our first of three camping features lets you rough it in style

Even a passing mention of camping conjures up vivid memories of sleeping under the stars, watching the sun rise and the quintessential smell of a campfire. An adventurous way to escape the daily grind, we’ve prepared a few gear round-ups for different levels of outdoorsiness. This first—for the more sedentary car camping set—includes a few items that will enhance your time at the campground.

As a perfect addition to any road trip (especially ones ending at camp sites), Courtney Heffernan’s Vehicle Field Notes offer cleverly designed notebooks to assist in some of the less exciting aspects of car travel.

Three originally illustrated notebooks are available to help with determining gas mileage, notes for accidents, oil changes and servicing. Clear, bold design makes these small journals a pleasure to look at even if they’re not frequently used. Contact Heffernan directly to inquire about ordering.

Standing at just over nineteen inces high, the Tundra 105 from Yeti Coolers is big enough to hold food for the whole family, with thick enough insulation to keep it cold for longer than you might expect—all the while working as an extra, and always needed, seat around camp. The Tundra series is one hell of a cooler; its wrap around freezer style gasket seals in the cold and its unbreakable hinges ensure that your supplies are kept fresh. The dual nylon rope and handle grips are a nice touch as well. It sells online for $430 from the Yeti store. A more affordable but also heavy-duty option, Coleman’s Heritage Cooler is a workhorse that holds up to 223 cans, 55lbs of ice and comes with a tray and cutting board—perfect for cutting up all those limes to help wash down a cold beer. The classic cooler sells online from Coleman for $250.

Black Diamond’s Titan Lantern provides light for all camping needs. Capable of producing up to 250 lumens of light you may just be able to light up everyone else’s’ campsites too. Dimmers are essential to controlling the mood, and we really appreciate that feature on this lantern. Plus it’s collapsable so it’ll pack away easily and it’s sturdy hook allows it to be hung from most places easily. The Titan Lantern is available through their online shop for $80.

Design Salt’s Cocoon series makes great lightweight travel products, including “sleeping sacks” that are designed to either line your sleeping bag or simply replace it on hot summer nights. The OutLast Coolmax is made of extremely breathable fabric that wicks moisture and dries fast, perfect for humid nights. This machine washable travel sheet comes in an assortment of colors and sells for $60 at Design Salt along with their other great travel gear.

Weighing in at less than 6 lbs. theBodum Picnic Grill is constructed of lightweight steel with an easy to clean colorful enamel coating. Bodum’s clever design features clamps that hold the lid securely in place for transportation. The performance is top-notch and the delicious smokey charcoal flavor infused in your burgers and eggplant will throw your friends off the fact that you really bought it for one of its six summery colors.

Of course no camping trip is complete without s’mores made over a fire. Gear Patrol led us to the S’More To Love STL-600 S’More Maker, a convenient rack that lets you roast up to six s’mores at a time. The STL-600 S’More Maker sells from Amazon for $15. To get the fireside snack melting fast, start with Fidibus Firelighters. These pure wood fibre sticks are soaked with natural paraffin and come 18 to a box. The German kindling can be picked up online from ManuFactum for €7.

Seven of the latest and greatest ways to get the most out of your bike this season

With spring in high gear and summer right around the corner, what better way to celebrate than with some long bike rides? Since you’ve already picked up a bike from our seasonal bicycle guide, we’ve put together a brief list of some of our favorite accessories for your spring pedaling.

Conceived with the sporting cyclist in mind, Brooks’ B15 Swallow Select saddle was originally patented in 1937. This reproduction brings back the timeless design of hand-hammered copper rivets paired with a rich organic leather that breaks in for an ergonomic, customize fit better than other standard leather saddles. Although its minimal silhouette and aggressive design was originally intended for the avid road cyclist, this saddle also performs quite well for the ride-to-the-office-and-then-to-the-pub cyclist. Dropping in June, the B15 Swallow Select will sell for €190.

Linus Bikes’ Market Bag is the ideal addition to any grocery-getter. The traditional panniers firmly secure to any rear bicycle rack with just a few brass snaps, making them easy to take off too. Constructed with tough waxed canvas and oil skin leather, the super-durable bags roll up neatly when not in use. The pair come with one adjustable shoulder strap for mobility and in multiple colors for $130.

Another new product from Brooks—who’ve dominated the cycling world since 1866, by the way—the Islington Rucksack is a 2011 release obviously designed with the cyclist in mind. Constructed of sturdy water-resistant cotton and vegetable tanned leather, this pack has more than enough room for picnic supplies or a soccer ball for a relaxing weekend in the park. The innovative shoulder harness design allows for the straps to adjust to cross the chest or waist for added stability while riding, and coated cotton will scratch with prolonged use, lending an appealing patina. Grab it for €300.

Specialized’s S-Works Prevail is the ultimate lightweight road helmet. Built with patented Kevlar-reinforced construction and designed with incredible ventilation, it keeps domes safe and fresh. It’s the lightest on the market and so aerodynamic that you may just go faster with this puppy. Our favorite feature has to be the simple Mindset micro-dial fit system with height adjustability that makes for a perfectly comfortable fit for any-sized noggin. Available for $230.

Made in NYC and designed to soften the harsh blow of an east coast summer, Outlier’s Three Way Short is constructed of their branded 4Season fabric woven in Switzerland by Schoeller Textiles to produce an extremely breathable material to keep you cooler in the heat, resist stains and dry fast. These sleek shorts have an 8.5″ inseam landing just above the knee for a classic (think Gold Finger-era James Bond) and comfortable fit. Perfect for keeping you looking sharp even after the commute, trip to the beach or a friend’s BBQ, they represent summer style up for grabs in multiple subdued colors for $128 a pop.

Princeton Tec’s new Push bicycyle light delivers 260 degrees and 68 meters of visibility, powered by a 100 lumen vessel light with up to 63 hours of burn time. Small windows on the side emit flashing red lights to keep drivers notified of your presence, while the powerful LED illuminates the way. In addition to an easy on/off switch, an ingenious bar mount mechanism easily detaches to prevent the little gadget from getting permanently “borrowed.” All this in a tiny package costs just $50.

Small and portable, Avenir’s Mini Tool is accented with wood and has everything a bike enthusiast needs. From hex wrenches to a chain tool and even a phillips head screwdriver, this multi-tool is the ultimate cyclist pocket gadget. It’s a great buy for the buck at just $14.