Active Essentials: Play Hard, Stay Well

The right items in pack or pocket can make all the difference this summer. Find the first three and get outside for more amazing days.

Nut Butter For Non-Stop Energy

Finding meaningful calories on the go can be challenging.  Plowing across Kansas on the Interstate or arriving at the campsite late, there’s reason to carry some quick options.  Same holds while waiting for the overnight train to Milan.

Justin's Nut Butter Squeeze Pack Our Experience: Nut butters work. Squeezed into your mouth, rubbed on a day(s)-old baguette or even stirred into pasta, they deliver immediate satisfaction and time-released calories. New options add to portability while keeping vegans and peanut-allergic travelers in the game (make certain you read all labels and cautions).

Our Proof: Check out a few of the stats, these from Justin’s Almond Butter 1.15oz Squeeze Pack:  16g of fat in 190 calories with no sodium or cholesterol.  With 7g of protein, there’s reason to replace the greasy rotating hot dog, bag of chips or muffin with one of these.

Our Recommendation: Get the stress relieving benefits of kneading a package until it’s time to squeeze out the goodness.  Don’t forget to stay hydrated and lick your smiling lips frequently while consuming.

Saline Solution For Spring And Beyond

What’s in the air lands in your nostrils, from fragrant flower aromas to irritants, allergens, viruses and bacteria.  Saline streams into your life, clearing the air at home and away.

Simply Saline Nasal Relief Spray - 4.25 fl oz Starting at: $9.21 Our Experience: Colds cut down in frequency and duration.  Better breathing after doing dust-provoking projects at home and powering through Atacama Desert sand clouds.  Less congestion at night for easier sleeping.  Requiring frequent use to be effective, this nearly free spray is available pre-packaged or can be formulated at home.

Others Who Agree:  WebMd sees it helping prevent the spread of infection to other sinuses.  Dr. Oz makes it “your first line of defense” in fighting and minimizing colds and flu.  MyOptumHealth.com suggests saline can reduce allergy med use.  

Our Recommendation:  Give it a shot, heeding manufacturer warnings in light of any health concerns around sodium. 

1” Gorilla Tape Rescues The Day

Life isn’t about making duct tape wallets.  It’s for living, even when fabric rips, phone mounts fail and luggage isn’t lugging anymore.  The 1” version of a new classic fits in pocket, pack or car console.

Gorilla Tape Roll, 1" Our Experience: From untethered bike handlebar tape to torn tent pole sleeves, we’ve saved our own bacon regularly with this one.  While offered in a wider version, the narrow option suits more applications and avoids having to split the high-adhesion tape.  

Our Epiphany: At a hard-core survival school in Appalachia, Gorilla Tape was the only material in our pack that started a fire easily in wet conditions; simply unwind this black magic and create a wadded-up ball placed under bigger tinder and small kindling.

Our Recommendation: Three rolls for starters; one for home, one for luggage and one to give to a friend.