368 Part VIII: The Part of Tens
hydration-pack users drink more fluids — and drink more frequently — than
water-bottle users. This makes sense because biting down on a tube is much
more convenient than reaching down to grab your water bottle. Hydration
packs cost $40 to $100. Many come with extra zipper pockets to store food,
money, extra bike tubes, and so on.A Good Pair of Socks
You probably put quite a bit of thought into purchasing your athletic shoes,
shorts, jackets, skates, skis, and helmets. But socks? Nah. Chances are, you
grabbed a six-pack at the discount store without considering anything but
the price.It may seem ridiculous, but there are socks designed for almost every sport,
and usually they’re worth the extra money. Socks act as a buffer between your
foot and your shoe, so they help prevent blisters, calluses, and other shoe-
friction problems. For each sport, you use your feet differently and wear dif-
ferent shoes, so it only makes sense to wear different socks. There’s even a
difference between running socks (extra padding across the toes and bridge
of the foot) and walking socks (more padding in the heel).Suzanne used to cycle in the same cotton socks she’d wear to the movies. It
wasn’t until she scored a pair of freebie biking socks at a fundraiser that she
realized the difference: Socks designed for cycling wick away sweat and let
her feet breathe. And when it rains, her feet don’t freeze. She now gladly pays
$7 for Air-eators, her favorite brand.Experiment with different types of socks, and before you invest in a whole
new wardrobe of socks, buy a single pair to test. In general, we prefer light-
weight synthetic sock materials such as CoolMax because they breathe
better and dry faster than cotton or wool socks. We also like SmartWool socks
($7–$15), which are made from high-quality wool and specially treated so
they dry quickly and hold their shape well. Two other sports sock brands
that we like are Wigwam and Thorlo.Stretching Mat
Sure, you could stretch on a rolled-up towel or plush carpet, but how often
do you actually do it? A mat not only makes stretching more comfortable but
also reminds you to do your flexibility exercises. For about $7, you can get a
perfectly functional stretching mat made of flexible plastic. (The $7 ones are
too stiff to roll up, but they fit pretty neatly in a closet or under a bed.) If
you’re willing to pay $30 or more, you can get a mat that folds up and has a
cloth covering.