We love seasonal guides since they often offer us an opportunity to be introduced to products (and even services at times) that we hadn’t heard of, so it’s an exploration of sorts. This year’s Spring Gift Guide includes technology, fashion, foot comfort and wellness. Let‘s start with an audio brand that is new to us: H20 Audio.
H20 Audio Headphones
We were fortunate to be able to review both their over the ear headphones and their light Bluetooth enabled set. Using something they refer to as RIPT (Real Isolation Performance Tech) technology, a key benefit is the advanced noise cancellation which eliminates distractions like gym chatter or unwanted noise (think airports or your neighbor‘s leaf blower) while delivering crisp, clear audio. Specifically designed for athletes, they are 100% sweatproof, making them a great exercise option. These headphones include patent-pending washable silicone ear cushions for hygiene during tough workouts and premium leatherette cushions for extended, all-day wear.
They also include custom 45mm drivers for that vibrant, high-fidelity sound with deep bass. There are intuitive buttons and a built-in microphone that allows you to easily control music, take calls, or activate your voice assistant.
The RIPT-Lite headphones also have noise cancellation features. They’re ultra-lightweight at just 3.7g and IPX5 sweat-resistant, making them a viable choice for workouts or everyday use. They are powered by six microphones for crystal-clear audio and the earbuds are ergonomically designed for maximum comfort. So far, so good. We are loving the luxuries of both sound and comfort, beautifully wrapped into one product.
The battery life is decent, with up to five hours of play time per charge, and 30 hours with the portable charging case. Like the over-the-ear headphones, there are intuitive touch controls make it easy to manage calls, music, and volume. We opted for the fun turquoise blue/black combo — gorgeous right? It’s ever-so stylin’! Sure they need to be functional and effective, but if a product is ugly, I won’t use it regardless of how great the features are. These may very well be the most beautiful set we’ve seen to-date. Well done H20 Audio.
For more information, including how to purchase, visit their website.
Mountain Warehouse Adventure Clothing
Another new brand on our radar is Mountain Warehouse that offer great adventure clothing options. We tested out the Nevis Fur Lined Hoodie in Teal. The color had me at hello and drew me in. One of the things we love about this brand is their non-traditional color choices. In other words, vibrant and fun, without being too in your face.
The Nevis Women‘s Fur Lined Hoodie is perfect for a Spring stroll through the park or a hike in the woods. With a soft fleece lining to keep you warm and a hood for better insulation, this hoodie is ideal for Spring and Fall seasons. It includes a sherpa soft, wool-like lining, zipped pockets for storage, an adjustable hood and a chin guard, which is fabric on the underside of the zip for more comfort at your chin and neck area. There’s also a two year warranty. Woot woot! The only thing we’d mention is that the sizing is a bit smaller than average, so we’d recommend ordering one size up to be safe.
The Nevis Women’s Hoodie in Teal
We also love the Marker Men’s Active Hoodie, which is designed to keep you comfortable during any workout or adventure. It is both lightweight and breathable, featuring quick-wicking and quick-drying fabric to help you stay dry. Unlike the women‘s hoodie, the Marker Men‘s hoodie has an added chest zip pocket. It also has super comfy elasticated cuffs and hem and the we found that their sizing guide is pretty true to average size. Below, Anthony wore it out for a Sunday stroll.
Anthony wearing the Marker Men’s Active Hoodie from Mountain Warehouse
The color is stunning right? For more information on both men’s and women‘s styles, visit their website.
Icebug Shoes
Truth be told, it was the color that drew us in. A great option for Spring and Summer, these fabulous Iceburg shoes are easy to slip on and off, and incredibly comfortable. Get this: they are also machine washable. We fell in love with the steel blue (below) but they have tons of colors to choose from, including mustard, pink, turquoise, black, terracotta, violet and more. The big plus for these shoes? They boast a very strong grip, which makes it an incredibly versatile shoe. Think slippery docks, decks and other slippery surfaces, making it a perfect travel shoe.
We’ve gone on two hikes so far and both times I wore them. The first one had more slopes whereas the other one was more woodsy and flat. The traction was great in both cases and they’re SO comfy. No wait time to break them in, a rarity for any shoe. The terracotta color is gorgeous too and oh so versatile — you can dress up or down.
For more information about the brand and to see a wider selection of shoes, be sure to visit their website.
Shady Rays Sunglasses
How many times have you found a fabulous pair of sunglasses only to lose them on your very next trip? Shady Rays makes affordable and robust sunglasses so you don’t have to stress every time you put them on. Every pair of Shady Rays sunglasses features what they refer to as a signature Lost & Broken protection. It translates to this: if you lose or break your pair for any reason, they’ll send you a new pair.
Best of all, most of them are unisex even if they aren’t labeled as such. The designs are versatile enough (colors and styles) that you can wear them for adventurous activities like hiking but also out for an outdoor brunch or a day at the beach.
You can sort and filter by activity as well, such as everyday use, driving, active lifestyle, fishing, running, hiking, golf and so on. They also offer a whole line for kids as well. Personally, I loved the Allure line for women — so many varieties and colors.
They offer snow goggles as well and you can also shop by “fit” as well. They also come with super protective cases. We love their easy-to-use website, so be sure to check it out for the volume of options they offer and have fun shopping! Two thumbs up.
KANHA CBD/THC Gummies
You’re probably wondering how CBD/THC gummies ended up in a gift guide? First of all, they’re increasingly popular and yet people are still confused about where to get them, which brand to buy, as well as the pros and cons. While we won’t do a comprehensive look in this Gift Guide (we plan to do a follow up piece at some point that goes deeper), we’ll start out with the number one benefit we’ve experienced so far: they’re great relaxers and sleep aids.
We tested out the Kanha brand which offers gummies with different radio combinations (CBD, CBN and THC). While we’re not doctors and always suggest you consult one before trying any CBD/THC solution, we have discovered them to be a good alternative to Advil PM or another over-the-counter sleep aid. In asking around, we’re finding similar aha moments and comments: “I drift off into a deep sleep and don’t keep waking up through the night.”
KANHA NAN is their vegan gummie which utilizes nanomolecular technology with a vegan base to create delicious, fast-acting gummies. With cannabinoid particles smaller than a wavelength of light, it only takes 5-15 minutes on average to onset. And, take a look at how many flavored choices there are: orange, lemon, green apple, blue raspberry, watermelon, acai and many others.
While we’ve had limited time with them to-date, our favorite combo is 5 MG of each for sleep. That said, the 20:1 radio is also great because it has such a small dose of THC per gummie, that the CBD is doing most of heavy lifting. With the lower dose of THC, you don’t wake up with dry mouth but remain relaxed for most of the night (in our case). Some only offer THC so it depends on what effect you’re looking for. Best to visit their website and read up on the combos to get an idea of what might work best. You can then select the region to see if they deliver to your city or town.
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Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
