19 Jul
Lifestyle

Nike Tech Hip Pack

●BLUF: The Nike Tech Hip Pack is an over-sized fanny pack with a unique and functional design that makes it suitable for a variety of activities.

I recently took a girls trip to Sedona, AZ, which included a hike on the beautiful Devil’s Bridge trail. I’ve been hiking a few times before, but I always struggle with bringing the right gear. For every hike there are essential items that must be packed, so choosing the right bag was vital! For this trip i decided to try out Nike’s Tech Hip Pack.

●FEATURES: Lightweight with adjustable straps and zippered compartments in a tech design.

  • across the shoulder like a book bag.
  • around the waist similar to a fanny pack

●PROS: Optimal Size – shaped like a fanny pack but the size of an extra small back pack. Well designed – There are several ideally located pockets which allows for organized packing of all your essentials. Durable Material– 100% polyester, water repellent, easily cleaned. Nike recommends spot cleaning, but after my hike I threw mine in the washer machine and it came out looking brand new.

●CONS: The hip pack is small in size, but due to its unique design it can fit quite a bit of items. It’s easy to over pack this bag, and once that occurs it’s no longer comfortable to wear around the waist, but can still be comfortably worn across the shoulder or chest.

● EZ Impression: Nike’s Tech Hip Pack ended up being the perfect accessory for my hike. I was able to bring a large sized water bottle, my cell phone, wallet, sunscreen, sweat towel, journal, pen, and camera tripod with more room to spare! This small sized bag is also ideal for travelling and everyday use as a gym or work pack. It comes in 7 different colors and is well priced at $40 USD. If you’re looking for a new bag, I highly recommend this one. It is comfortable, functional, and fashionable!

30 May
Lifestyle

VIVRANT THING!

●Less than a month away from the official start of summer, I just want to take time to appreciate spring and highlight my fitness fashion inspired by the season.

For me, spring symbolizes arrival and renewal because it brings warm enjoyable weather and recommences outdoor activities. I like to commemorate the season by wearing soft yet vibrant colors. On this specific Saturday, I was experimenting with my first serial workout which involves participating in 2-4 fitness activities through the course of the day.

The lineup consisted of a 07:00 ZenGo cycle class, followed by 75 minutes of hot power yoga. After my workouts I planned on running several errands, so I needed an outfit that was consistent with my activity, didn’t require ironing, and could be thrown in my gym bag. It needed to be functional, comfortable, and cute. Keep reading to see what I chose to wear.

Adidas Deerupt Runner Shoes:

These sneakers are show stoppers. The fishnet over the gold with a predominately white base make them minimal, yet chic.

●PROS: Comfort! These shoes are like slipper sneakers. They are lightweight but snug. I can literally wear them all day and still not want to take them off. The unique style makes them suitable for training and athleisure. There are so many fly colorways, you’ll definitely end up wanting to buy more than one pair.

●CONS: Although predominantly white sneakers are a staple item in any fitness wardrobe, keeping them clean is a task in itself. Mine aren’t dirty yet, but I’m hoping a simple wash cycle will keep them in mint condition.

Love Crew *Fade:

I specifically purchased this tee because it matched my Adidas Deerupts. The faded gold wash makes the color bold but not overwhelming.

●PROS: Lightweight. Can be worn with leggings or jeans, also excellent fit for layering.

●CONS: Lululemon adds a tag on this shirt that says “To Dye For.” Basically the dye jobs on each t-shirt are unique, so all shirts may not appear the same. In addition, the dye of the garment can rub off like denim. I have not had that problem.

Wunder Under Crop HR 23″ *Rib:

These leggings are unique in that they have textured wash almost like a jegging. With a hints of blue, these crops definitely have an athleisure feel.

●PROS: LOVE the material! It has a very soft smooth feel, similar to silk but stretchy and supportive. These leggings are ideal for wearing in excessively warm climates. Initially I didn’t like the fit because they started to slouch immediately after wearing them and they didn’t flatter my glutes (a must for leggings). BUT, after one wash the fit was definitely better. They hugged my form and no longer slipped, so it’s possible that I didn’t have right size.

●CONS: They are high waist (pro), but the ribbed waistband is thick and awkward. It makes the lower abdomen look wide and bulky.

Energy Bra by Lululemon:

I had everything packed except for a sports bra🤦🏾‍♀️ . So after I got dressed I ran into Lululemon @ Bethesda Row and grabbed the perfect bra that not only matched my outfit but was also on sale!!

●PROS: The pattern and color make it easy to match with several different shades of pink, grey and burgundy colored outfits. The bra is sweat-wicking and offers enough support to wear in yoga or for higher intensity training purposes. The removable cups and lycra fibre (allows for stretch and shape retention) make this a high quality bra.

●CONS: Don’t buy it without trying it on. It’s on sale which is great, but we all know you can’t return items from the “We made too much section” at Lulu. Most of the complaints in the reviews are due to sizing.

What is your spring fitness style? How would you incorporate metallic sneakers into your wardrobe? Let me know!

29 Mar
Lifestyle

#JuSTReAcT

● BLUF (bottom line up front) : These shoes are ALL about the FOAM!! They are worth the HYPE AND they are all currently on SALE!

●I would consider myself a part time sneaker head. Nothing beats a comfortable shoe that you can wear to work, workout, and go out (depending on the scene). For my first post =) I’ve decided to review some of NIKE’s running react shoes because over the past couple of months they have been in permanent rotation with my fitness attire.

●What exactly is Nike React? Innovative Technology (est. JUN 2017) initially created to meet the needs of basketball players whose high impact, quick movements require their shoes to be comfortable, functional, and long lasting. When runners expressed the need for the same shoe characteristics, NIKE took the REACT technology and customized it for running shoes. What’s impressive is the way they did their research. Taking into consideration what athletes wanted, they used chemistry and high tech such as heat map data to formulate the foam. Once it was created the foam was submitted to over 17,000 miles of running by everyday runners to confirm the success of the design.

● What should you expect? LIGHTWEIGHT. HIGH ENERGY RETURN. DURABILITY. IDEAL CUSHION.

NIKE LEGEND REACT in Wolf Grey/Cool Grey/ Pure Platinum/Black.https://www.nike.com/t/legend-react-womens-running-shoe-b4Zh09/AA1626-003

●PROS: The legend has the best fit of all four shoes and the best cushion in my opinion. My first thought when putting these shoes on was that it felt like I had a cloud saran wrapped to my feet! The best part is that they are selling them for even less than the online price in NIKE Factory Stores.

● CONS: I don’t have any. I literally love these shoes! But after reading other reviews, I would take into consideration foot width. I have a narrow-medium foot width, so the saran wrap feel is perfect for me. If your foot tends to be wider you may want to go up a size as the shoes fit nice and snug.

NIKE EPIC REACT FlyKnit 2 in Black/Sapphire/Lime Blast. https://us.asos.com/prd/11303148?

● PROS: The epics have the best colorways hands down. The knitted material gives it more breathability than the Legends. It’s a well-rounded shoe. I like to wear these shoes not only for sprint intervals and long distance (*for me no more than 3 miles) runs, but also for HIIT training.

● CONS: This shoe has a similar snug fit to the LEGENDS. It’s recommended that if you want a looser fit, look into moving up half a size. If I’m truly looking for a con in the EPIC, I would say it could use just a tad bit more arch support.

NIKE ODYSSEY REACT Flyknit 2 in Triple Black.https://www.nike.com/t/odyssey-react-flyknit-2-womens-running-shoe-nHFzTK/AH1016-001

● PROS: Easy to go sockless. Lightweight and sleek design make it a comfortable esthetically pleasing shoe.

● CONS: Of the four reacts, these are my least favorite to run in. They are the same size as my other reacts but have a smaller fit. I completed some sprint intervals in these and had no issues during the workout, but as soon as I took the shoe off, I experienced painful foot cramps. My preference is to wear these for training and athleisure.

NIKE REACT ELEMENT 55 in Particle Beige/White/Smokey Mauve. https://www.nike.com/t/react-element-55-womens-shoe-HHLDLJ/BQ2728-200

●PROS: Absolutely the lightest of all the reacts with the most unique sole design! The rubber pods seen on the outsole can also be found on the bottom of the shoes. These pods enhance traction but have no effect on the amazing cushion found in all four shoes. SUPER Comfortable!

● CONS: The tongue is annoying! It’s suede and disconnected from the rest of the shoe. Requires adjustments every time you put the shoe on. These aren’t slip on and off shoes.

●SUMMARY: You can always find a drawback if you’re looking for one. With the Nike React running sneakers I really had to look hard. With that being said, these shoes are a must have in your wardrobe. With all of the cute colorways Nike keeps creating, you’ll have to use all your willpower to keep from buying every pair!

● REFERENCES: https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/innovation/react. https://news.nike.com/news/nike-react-foam-cushioning