GU Roctane Energy Drink Review; GU Sampler Giveaway Contest

Before today’s giveaway post, a reminder that there’s another contest still going on, for a pair of New Balance Minimus Zero Trail shoes - so go sign up if you haven’t already.

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Now that spring is here and I’m ramping up my training mileage with some races on the horizon, I’m spending more time tinkering with fluid and calorie replacement issues out on the trail. Consequently, the timing of today’s giveaway was extremely fortunate, because it gave me a chance to try a new product from GU Energy, a company whose products have pulled me through countless tough miles.

Oh, and have I mentioned that there’s a giveaway involved? Not only that, but the prize is much better for you than it was for me: in addition to getting to try the product I was testing, you’ll also get a sampler of old and new GU products to fuel your endurance adventures this spring and summer. But before I get to the details, indulge me in a brief rundown of the product I tested.

You may recall that earlier this year I hosted a giveaway for GU Roctane Energy Drink before the product was even released – you may also recall that I didn’t get to actually test the stuff myself. (Not that I’m bitter – in fact, the whole thing ended in a cool way, with one devoted reader making a video that earned him the prize. I’m still impressed with that one.) Needless to say, I was happy for an opportunity to finally try the stuff myself after a sampler pack of all three flavors – Fruit Punch, Grape, and Lemon-Lime – arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago.

GU Roctane Energy Drink

As I described it back in January, Roctane drink mix is to regular GU Brew sort of like Roctane gel is to regular GU. Each serving contains 240 calories of complex and simple carbs that are optimized for rapid absorption and accessibility, along with electrolytes and other supplements for sustained performance during long-duration aerobic activity.

Interestingly, the sodium and potassium levels in Roctane drink are lower than they are in regular GU Brew, although it’s tough to tell at first glance because the serving sizes of the two are different. However, it’s the additional ingredients that set Roctane drink apart: taurine to support heart and muscle performance, beta-alanine to improve muscle buffering capacity, branch chain amino acids to reduce muscle damage and delay fatigue, and histidine to help buffer pH during exercise.

Another upgrade from an ultrarunning standpoint is the addition of caffeine, which is absent from regular GU Brew. The grape Roctane drink flavor is caffeine-free, but the other two flavors have 35mg of caffeine per serving to keep your brain alert during long hot days or long dark nights. Combine the caffeine boost with the rest of the nutritional profile, and the Roctane drink would definitely be my preference on race day if it’s available.

From a taste standpoint, Roctane drink has a similarly mild flavor as GU Brew, which is one of the main reasons I’ve always preferred GU drinks over other brands. I typically dilute mine much thinner than the serving instructions, but even at full strength there isn’t an excessively sweet taste. Of course, taste is subjective, which is how we’ll segue to the part you’ve been waiting for: the big giveaway.

Two winners chosen at random from the comments below will receive a few packets of each GU Roctane Energy Drink mix flavor to try for yourselves – but to “sweeten” the deal, GU is throwing in a couple of other goodies. Each winner will also receive one of these:

A GU Performance Energy sampler pack with multiple flavors of regular GU and three flavors of GU Roctane gel, plus sample packets of GU Chomps, GU Electrolyte Brew and GU Recovery Brew. Pretty cool, huh? Now how much would you pay to enter? But wait, there’s more …

You’ll also receive samples of GU’s newly released Chocolate Smoothie Recovery Brew. This is another item that I’ve never tried myself, but two of my readers will get the privilege of testing them out.

We’ll do the regular “one comment, one entry” system on this one, with one small twist to help tilt the odds in favor of endurance athletes. If you’re signed up for a trail ultra or long-distance triathlon this spring or summer, tell me the name of the race in the comments below, and I’ll put your name in for an additional entry. Winners will be announced Saturday night, April 21st.

Thanks very much to GU Energy for sponsoring this contest, and good luck to everybody!

*Products provided by GU Energy
**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.




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My One Thing

“Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.”
- Plato

“Do not try to do everything. Do one thing well.”
– Steve Jobs


You know, it may be entirely possible that I’m spending too much time and energy on all of my writing and running efforts; for all I know, my true calling might lay elsewhere.

At least, that was the thought that came to mind after a copy of April 2012’s Men’s Health magazine arrived in my mailbox:

The publisher sent me a copy free of charge after soliciting my consulting services for an article in this issue – but unfortunately, it’s not for any of the glamorous topics you see mentioned here. I don’t have huge biceps, and I’m certainly not Special Forces fit. I don’t know how to melt your gut. And I can’t even claim I know what a Sexplosion is, let alone pretend to be an expert at it.

Rather, my contribution was in a lower-profile feature titled “How to Do Everything Better” – but that’s not my piece on the first page describing how to host a poker game …

… or the smaller caption a couple of pages further that explains how to score a free hotel upgrade. Rather, my part is the small red box at the lower center, which if you look closer …

… diagrams the perfect technique for launching a snot rocket. And if you look REALLY closely at the 4-point font underneath, you’ll see two sources cited: some fancy-pants physician instructor at a major medical school, and me, with the not-quite-as-grandiose title of “Blogger.” (On the plus side, at least my degree didn’t rack up a six-figure debt.)

Apparently over the years I’ve developed an online reputation as an expert in the fine art of snot rocketry, almost entirely thanks to this little treatise I penned a number of years ago. Since its original publication, the piece gets picked up regularly by other web-media outlets, and ranks toward the top of most snot rocket-related Google searches. While I wasn’t looking, I became one of the foremost authorities on the art of forcibly expelling snot from your nostrils. I’m sure my family is exceedingly proud.

(Incidentally, Google also subscribes to the “Do one thing well” philosophy that’s simultaneously as old as Plato and as visionary as Steve Jobs; check out item number two on this list.)

The funny part is, for major publications like Men’s Health, snot rocketry is serious business. In preparation for the postage stamp-sized garden of knowledge you see on the page, I was contacted by a fact-checker from the magazine, with whom I had the following exchange:

Her: I have the edited version of the information you provided - I hope you will take a moment to review it for accuracy:

"Lightly breathe through your nagging nostril. In one swift motion, seal the opposite nostril tightly with the pad of your index or thumb, rotate your hips and shoulders toward the direction of fire, inhale through your mouth, close your mouth and then exhale vigorously in one swift blast through the nose. Wait until you have a full load before launching, as thinner mucous is more likely to spray."

Me: That’s pretty much accurate – I don’t think I used the term “nagging nostril”, though.

Her: The editor says it means you can check if you need to clear the mucus by breathing lightly through the nostril that seems clogged. If you can't blow easily through, then you may need to clear it. Does that make sense?

Me: Got it - that makes sense. Funny (and kind of gross) that we're getting so scientific about snot rockets.

Her: Yes, it's kind of gross.


Then I had to approve a rough draft of the diagram that somebody probably got paid to sketch:

If I remember correctly, I used to doodle things like this in chemistry class a long time ago, never realizing there could be a future career in it.

So now I’m sort of lamenting the fact that so many of my years may have been misguided. I’ve spent all this time trying to be a writer, gear resource, and minimalist shoe expert, when what I really should have been doing is leveraging my one true area of expertise. And who knows? Maybe I’ll find my new calling to be just as rewarding; as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - that is to have succeeded.”  And a booger-free nose definitely breathes easier than a snot-clogged one.

Yes, quoting Emerson is a pretty highbrow statement on the subject of snot rockets – but then again, that’s what an expert does.



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Vibram Spyridon LS Winner; Random Shots of Beauty

Before today's post, a reminder and an announcement: you still have a week to enter the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail contest, and stay tuned next week for another (smaller) giveaway as well.

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For a contest that was thrown together on short notice, you guys sure know how to make things exciting.

The photo competition came down to a two-man contest - or should I say, a one-man one-dog contest between Rodger (the guy running across the giant butt) and Harry (the almost impossibly cute canine sporting powder blue Vibrams). The lead actually changed hands a couple of times through the day and evening, and by the time the polling officially closed, you could count the vote differential on one hand.

Having said that, congratulations to Rodger, who prevailed by the narrowest of margins and probably owes a favor to all his classmates, dorm buddies, and anyone else on campus he recruited to emerge triumphant. Thanks very much to everyone who participated in the contest - it really was a lot of fun to watch.

However, you may also recall that my intention was to use the winning photo as this weekend's Random Shot of Beauty - but since the photo in question is an enormous backside, the notion of actually describing it as beautiful may be somewhat up for debate. So I'm covering my bases with one from the photo vault, taken on a recent early morning in Fort Ord:

Encountering a sort of otherworldly scene like this - one that's only accessible about 15 miles from my starting point - right at daybreak almost always marks the time in a long run where spending the previous three hours in the dark begins to seem worth it.




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Get Out the Vote! Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS Finalists

You know what we haven’t done for a while? An audience participation post! Which is a shame, because I have to say that my audience is pretty darn awesome.

Case in point is today’s contest, with a new pair of Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS on the line. I put out the call for photo entries featuring barefoot or Vibram-shod adventurers, figuring I could pick three or five standouts as finalists before turning it over to the voters. The problem, predictably, is that I couldn’t narrow the options down to just five – and since I also happen to be the one who makes the rules around here, I figured that there was no reason why I couldn’t expand the field just a bit. As in, more than 100%.

So here are your 10 finalists, plus one more bonus picture that I can’t honestly determine whether or not it’s a legitimate entry. (You’ll understand once you get there.) The rules are simple: vote in the comments section below for your favorite – one vote per commenter – and the one with the highest number of votes by Saturday at 12PM PST wins the Vibrams. If you’re a contestant, it’s definitely fair game to recruit your family, friends, and fellow Starbucks free Wi-fi patrons to vote for you, just as long as they all have a different username.

Good luck to everyone. Here we go!

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Entrant #1: Chris S.

Sure, it looks like your run-of-the-mill ocean vista shot, but here’s the cool part: That ocean in the distance is the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans above Cape Town, South Africa.

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Entrant #2: Chris M.

Another entry from the “exotic locales I’ll probably never see” category: this one comes from Ile Renote in northwest France, with the Château de Costaérès in the background. Tres belle.

**
Entrant #3: Dave

I’m partial to this one, because it’s taken above the Big Sur coastline, and I happen to know the guy who submitted it – as in, in real life. I know ... weird, huh?

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Entrant #4: Rodger

This one seemed compelling for no other reason than Rodger is running across what can only be described as an enormous butt. So in the space of two entries, we’ve gone from chateaus to rear ends; have I mentioned how interesting my readers are?

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Entrant #5: Sean

Back to the exotic: Apparently this is someplace called Sud Tirol in Italy. It suddenly occurs to me that I’ve seen remarkably little of the world; this contest is starting to bum me out.

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Entrant #6: Dylan

Kind of a cool repose, above a cliff-jumping spot called Tar Creek in Fillmore, CA. I suspect Dylan might be friends with the next entrant …

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Entrant #7: Cody

… who is also perched on a high precipice (next to a waterfall, no less) above the very same Tar Creek.

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Entrant #8: Jen

Hey - where are all the female entrants? Sadly, I only received a few from the ladies, but this was one of the coolest, with Jen getting her barefoot yoga on at the top of a mountain. Extra points for the hat, too.

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Entrant #9: Jeff

The Manitou Springs Incline is legendary among Colorado trail runners. This is the view about halfway up. Sheesh. Extra points to Jeff here for getting the photographer to wear Vibrams, too.

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Entrant #10: Orlin

I had to include one snow entry just to remind myself how much I don’t like winter. Plus, there’s a dog, and some famous Philadelphia thing in the background, so there you go.

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Speaking of dogs, it’s time for our bonus entrant, who I believe goes by the name of Harry:

I’m not sure the FiveFingers would fit him, but perhaps his owner would like a pair.

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And there you have it – now it’s time to vote! Remember, one vote per commenter, but feel free to campaign as much as you like to stuff the ballot. The winner will be announced on Saturday afternoon. Thanks very much to everyone who entered, and good luck to all the finalists!



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New Balance Minimus Zero Trail Review and Giveaway

Before today's contest, a reminder that you've got less than one day left to submit photo entries for my Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS giveaway contest. Tick tock!

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In my Minimus Zero Road shoe review, I described how New Balance went back to the drawing board and completely revamped their Minimus lineup after collecting user and laboratory feedback about the first generation released last year. It’s especially telling that they did this with the Minimus Trail model, which proved to be one of the most popular shoes of 2011, and played a monumental role in introducing minimalism to the masses.

Or, to use another analogy: if you consider last season’s version an opening bid toward minimalism, think of this year’s Minimus Zero Trail as New Balance going all-in. It features several changes that purists will appreciate, and strips away every ounce of unnecessary construction to create an extremely lightweight, highly flexible trail runner that still provides decent protection for rugged or technical off-road conditions. Most – but maybe not all of - the upgrades from last year’s model are improvements, and with the finished product, New Balance pretty much sets a new standard for lightweight, high-performance minimalist trail shoes.

And if that isn’t enough to get you excited … you guessed it, we’re doing a giveaway! One male and one female winner will receive a pair of New Balance Minimus Zero Trail shoes to enjoy for his and herself – but in the meantime, let’s run through the standard review:

New Balance Minimus Zero Trail

Here’s what will probably happen when you take the Minimus Zero Trail out of the box: the first thought that comes to mind will be, Holy cow are these things light. And when you put them on your feet, you’ll have nearly the same reaction. Above all the other improvements, that will almost certainly be the hallmark of the Minimus Zero Trail: the shoe is almost incredibly light.

At a mere 4.4 oz, it feels like there’s almost nothing on my feet – and coming from an experienced barefoot and minimalist runner, that’s saying something. The Minimus Zero Trails weigh less than any of Vibram’s FiveFingers (including the bare-bones SeeYa), Soft Star’s RunAmoc, and virtually any other standard bearer for light and minimal footwear.

As the revamped name of these models implies, New Balance corrected the primary drawback of last year’s edition and created a completely flat platform from heel to toe. Stack height is approximately 10mm, which places it about halfway in between Vibram’s Spyridon LS and Merrell’s Trail Gloves.

From the medial view you can also see the synthetic suede overlays that help keep the foot stabilized on the insole. Because the upper material is so thin, these overlays are crucial to prevent movement inside the shoe …

… as is the lined insole, which combines with a traditional tongue and lace system to keep the foot securely in place. Unlike my complaint about the Minimus Zero Road, I haven’t experienced any problems with forefoot movement in the Zero Trail, even on steep hills or highly technical terrain.

I was initially disappointed that New Balance replaced the upper material on last year’s Minimus Trail, which had a true slipper-like feel and was one of the most comfortable shoes I tested all year. The updated upper is remarkably thin, paper-like and translucent, constructed from a durable nylon that resists scratches and abrasions quite well. It seems a bit more permeable to dust and fine grit than the previous model, and feels coarser and less supple against my skin. Perhaps that’s why …

Look at the left 4th toe ... or don't.

… the upper material gave me a nice little blister on the top of one toe after my first 8-miler. After a breaking-in period this issue resolved, and the rest of the Zero Trail’s interior is very comfortable for sockless use – however, I do stick with my custom of wearing socks for multi-hour runs in these.

Peek A Boo toes!

One more note about the upper: have I mentioned that they’re thin? Consequently, the Minimus Zero Trail may be more of a warm-weather shoe than an all-season trainer, because your toes will indeed get cold in them, comparable to the poor thermoregulation of most FiveFingers.

For this year’s Minimus Zero Trail, New Balance uses a new Vibram T-Lite outsole rubber (the green stuff) on top of a layer of proprietary ACTEVA midsole foam (the black stuff) that is lighter and more compression-resistant than most other midsole materials commonly used – at least, it’s supposedly more compression-resistant, as you’ll see. One cool indicator of the midsole flexibility is that when I take the shoe off my foot, it often bends in half from heel to toe just like my FiveFingers do.

I’ve been fortunate to have my test pair for several months now, meaning I’ve racked up well over 200 miles on my Minimus Zero Trails. To my eye, it seems that the ACTEVA material has deformed slightly underneath the higher density green pods at impact areas. Of course, minimalist runners don’t expect much in the way of structure anyway, but the wear pattern thus far suggests that overall durability may be slightly diminished compared to its predecessor.

Placement of the outsole rubber was designed after reviewing wear patterns of from the previous model. The new outsole is even more deeply lugged than the prior version, which was already very aggressive and grippy in practically all conditions, and I’ve really had no problems with traction anywhere, especially on wet rocks or mud. However, spacing of the lugs is so wide that there is room for smaller pointy rocks to jut between them – think of gravel fire roads - so if you’re not accustomed to minimalist running yet, your feet could feel a bit of bruising on highly rocky or technical terrain.

That speaks to a larger point that distinguishes the Minimus Zero Trail from its predecessor: it’s a no-apologies minimalist shoe for runners who are sure of their technique. If you’re not an experienced minimalist runner, start in small doses with this shoe just as you would with a pair of Vibrams. And if you’re still transitioning or still want some substance or structure from your shoes, the Minimus Zero Trail is probably more then you’re ready for.

So … are YOU ready for it? If so, let’s get our contest on. Same procedure for this one as for the road version: one male and one female winner will be chosen at random from the comments below. One entry for a plain ol’ comment, one extra for a Facebook or Twitter link, and a third for a blog link. Include links or URLs so I can verify, and let me know if you’re male or female if it’s not obvious from your username. Winners will be announced Saturday night, April 21.

If you’d rather not take your chance or wait that long, the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail retails for $109 from TravelCountry.com. Special thanks to New Balance for sponsoring this review and contest, and good luck to everyone!

*Product provided by New Balance. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.
**If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Patagonia Strider Shorts Review; Patagonia Nine Trails Shorts Review

Quick reminder before today's post: remember to send in your photo entries for my Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon giveaway - finalists will be announced Thursday night.

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Now that springtime is here, it’s almost time to put the long pants in the back of the drawer and assess your inventory of running shorts. If you’re an ultrarunner, it’s also time to start thinking about what specific clothing items you’ll wear on the start line of your upcoming events.

This year I’ve had the opportunity to test two new shorts from Patagonia – one of which isn’t technically new, as I’ll explain shortly – and they’re both quite impressive, but distinctive enough to meet a variety of preferences. Brief reviews of each follow, with purchase information at the end of the post.

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Patagonia Strider shorts

A couple of months ago Patagonia introduced their Strider short, a lightweight option (total weight is 116g / 4.1 oz) that is great for warm days. Fabric construction primarily consists of a thin, breezy polyester mesh that feels super comfortable against the skin, with vertical mesh insets on the sides that provide even more ventilation. The cut is sufficient to allow complete range of motion, and the fabric has a slight stretch component just in case you need a few extra degrees of movement. I tested the 7” inseam version, but if you want to go even lighter there are 5” and 3” versions available. (Trust me – you don’t want to see photos of me in a 3-inch short.) They come in five color options if you want to buy several pairs and rotate your look throughout the week as well.

7" inseams on a 9" tan line ... or as I like to call it, geek sexy.

Both the liner and exterior fabric are highly effective at moisture transfer, and dry very quickly if you happen to get caught in a brief downpour (it is spring, after all). There is a DWR coating on these shorts, but they don’t resist moisture for very long in the aforementioned spring shower. One quirk I found was with the internal drawcord, which is continuous around the waist. I always find these difficult to manage, so I end up cutting them in front – but then you’re left with ends of the cord that are very short and prone to slipping back into the waistband.

Strider waistband; original (uncut) drawstring at bottom

From a performance standpoint, the Striders are pretty much problem-free, with no chafing, excess moisture, or other discomfort during outings in excess of 20 miles. When the weather gets toasty and you’ve got a long trail day ahead, they are great shorts to reach for.

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Patagonia Nine Trails shorts, in gray

The other short I tested is an old reliable favorite that was part of my go-to race gear throughout 2011: Patagonia’s Nine Trails shorts, which tend to sell out online when they’re released each year. The 2012 version is now available in four colors at Patagonia stores and the company website, and I haven’t seen any reason to take it out of my A-lineup heading into this year’s ultras.

Nine Trails in black, on an early-morning 30-miler

Some of the things I like about the Nine Trails may not be for everybody; at 184g (6.5 oz), it’s slightly heavier than other shorts I own, with a longer-than-usual 8” inseam. However, this is an ideal combination for me during ultras: the longer inseam gives me better sun protection during the day, and the thicker material provides better insulation during the night. Fabric construction features a highly breathable stretch-woven polyester - made from recycled plastics, so it’s green! - with a 4-way stretch component from a small dose of spandex. These shorts also have a DWR finish and wick moisture very efficiently from the soft microfiber liner as well as the main panels.

Air-flow polyester mesh crotch, dual reinforced seam construction

What I appreciate most about the Nine Trails is that they are comfortable enough to wear for 30 consecutive hours without chafing or irritation, and durable enough to stand up to hundreds of miles of training and racing. In my experience, the first point of weakness in a pair of shorts is the crotch area, usually due to the seams unraveling, but occasionally due to pilling or thinning of the fabric from excess heat or friction. Patagonia combats this by using a fast-drying Air Flow polyester mesh for maximal ventilation, and reinforced seam assembly for enhanced durability. After more than 18 months of high-mileage running, my Nine Trails shorts show no signs of breakdown, and there’s no reason to suspect the 2012 version is any less dependable.

With these two shorts, Patagonia covers pretty much all the necessities for long trail outings - whether it's light, short and breezy for extremely hot days, or rugged and sturdy for your more ambitious adventures. The Strider shorts retail for $45, and the Nine Trails shorts retail for $60, both from the Patagonia website. If you’re one of my Northern California readers, you can find both models at the Patagonia Palo Alto store at 525 Alma Street, or the Patagonia San Francisco store at 770 North Point.


*Products provided by Patagonia. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.
** If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.



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Vibram Flagship Store Grand Opening; Vibram FiveFingers Spyridon LS Giveaway!

Because the company is based in Massachusetts, Vibram USA has enjoyed using Boston Marathon weekend to launch promotional campaigns over the past few years. The innovative footwear made their road race debut at the marathon several years ago, and the road-running specific Bikila model was introduced there two years ago. Vibram also has a strong presence at the race expo, and has been heavily involved in panel discussions on topics ranging from barefoot running to minimalist footwear to the most efficient styles of running.

This year the promotion takes on an entirely different dimension for the company who, as one of their recent ads shows, has profoundly changed the footwear industry twice over. This weekend, Vibram USA is opening a flagship retail store in Boston, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, April 14th at noon local time.

According to the press release, the Vibram store is designed as a “brand experience” and a destination where visitors can explore and learn more about Vibram and the benefits of minimalist footwear and training. It will feature “experiential zones” for testing FiveFingers on surfaces such as inlaid marbles, woodchips, grass, a bumpy subway yellow line, and so on. In addition to showcasing all of Vibram’s current styles, the store will also offer select models that are typically sold only in Europe.

If you’re in the Boston area, stop by the store at 292 Newbury Street this Saturday and sign up to win a grand prize of five seasons’ worth of Vibram FiveFingers. But if you’re like me and can’t make it to Boston, I’ll give you an opportunity to win a free pair of your own.

I was honored to be invited to a pre-opening party at the flagship store, but since Boston is slightly out of the way for me in California, Vibram offered to let me be a part of the festivities by awarding a free pair of Vibrams to one of my readers. I chose the Spyridon LS – if you read my Spyridon LS review, you know why – and I’ll announce the winner next Saturday to coincide with the grand opening in Boston.

I also get to choose my own rules for this contest, so I’m going to be a bit creative here: to win, I want photographic proof of how you use your Vibrams, or how you venture into the world barefoot. And since the winner will be announced on a weekend, I’d love something I can use as a random shot of beauty as well.

So here’s how to enter: send me a photo of yourself in a cool outdoor setting, either in a pair of Vibrams, like this one from a Sentinel Dome hike in my KSO Treks:

Or just enjoying the great outdoors barefoot, like this one from a run to the top of Half Dome:

Send your photos to info@runningandrambling.com with the subject line “Vibram contest entry”. My plan is to narrow the entrants down to three or five and post them here, then let readers choose the winner for me. However, this condenses my contest time frame quite a bit, so if you want to enter, please send me a photo ASAP, and I’ll aim to have the finalists posted here by Thursday night.

Obviously, by entering you’re giving me permission to post your name and photo on my website (I’ll also link to your blog if you have one). The winner can be male or female, and will receive a pair of FiveFingers Spyridon LS in whatever size is needed. Good luck to everybody, and special thanks to Vibram for sponsoring this contest!



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