I’ve been wanting to bring back this section for a while… we’ve had it in plenty of iterations over the years, but basically, I wanted to have a monthly column that’s just stuff we’re into. It might be gear, it might be food, it might be an article we read or music we’re liking… or in this month’s case, a travel water flosser that’s a total gamechanger. It’ll be mostly athletic and wellness related, but maybe not all the time. Let us know what you think! For now, let’s dive into what I’m digging this January.
Gore Wear Phantom Jacket
I’ll do a whole post on this eventually as well, but at the moment, the GORE WEAR Phantom Jacket is on a great sale (lowest I’ve seen is $110 for certain colors, up to $160 for the black one that I just bought). I had this in orange last year to review, and I really liked it. The back zip pocket fits my phone, it doesn’t ride up on rides or runs, and weirdly, it’s the most versatile coat ever thanks to its zip sleeves! I was very if-y about these, since TBH, the short sleeve jersey option when you take off the long sleeves is a bit doofy looking at first. But now that I have the black version, it blends with a black shirt underneath and just works as a killer vest. There aren’t many pieces of gear that I get in order to review them, and then buy again because I just love them. (The Osprey pack is one of the few things I’ve done this for.)
Lemon juice + hot water
Yes, I feel like a little old lady. But hear me out: We were at a friend’s place for the weekend earlier this month, and we forgot to bring tea. But I love sipping tea throughout the day when it’s cold out, it’s my main hydration. Since normally, one of my go-tos is lemon ginger tea, I figured hot water with lemon would be a decent substitute. I wasn’t fancy, I just used a bottle of lemon juice they had in the fridge. And I was pleasantly surprised! So much so that it’s now replaced half of my tea consumption, so I’ve lowered our tea cost and saved us throwing out as many tea bags. Win-win. I also feel like it’s been good for my digestion, though I can’t swear to it.
Hoka Speedgoat 5
Fine, fine, I like Hokas now. I put off making the switch for a long time, but I finally had to cave and try a pair after Nike changed their fit / upper on the Trail Kiger and now it doesn’t fit as well. The Speedgoats earned my seal of approval because I went out for my first run in them and… nothing. I didn’t notice them at all. And if you’re a runner, you understand why that’s just about the highest praise a shoe can get.
Travel Water Flosser
I really like using a water flosser, but they’re bulky as all get-out and super irritating to bring with me on trips. Still, I find they’re less aggressive than flossing, while still keeping my gums healthy. (As someone with a lot of dental ‘stuff’ that’s still not perfect, this is very important.) So, I looked to see if I could find a small travel option. I was shocked that I actually could, and at under $35 and with good reviews, I figured it was worth a shot. I’ve been using this one for a month and it’s freaking great. Works just as well as my regular one but it’s 1/3 of the size.
Garmin Forerunner 955
I’ll do a post for this on its own, but thus far, I’ve been psyched on the Garmin Forerunner 955. Yes, it’s pricey, but I wanted a watch that could do navigation and pull up maps given the fact that I do mostly trail running, and it would be helpful to be able to easily get out of the woods! I had a navigation mishap a couple months ago that really pissed me off, to be totally honest, and it made me realize that a map on my watch is important. (I got the Solar Charging option!)
DERMA E Vitamin C Weightless Moisturizer SPF 45
I said 2024 was going to be my year for sorting out skincare and I meant it. But I also hate wearing a lot of stuff and spending a lot of time dealing with that kind of thing, so… Vitamin C plus SPF for daytime, retinol at night, and that’s about it. I’ve been really liking this Vitamin C + SPF blend, it seems to stay on well while training, feels nice, and isn’t too chalky white despite being a physical sunblock vs a chemical screen.
