sportsunlimited Archives | Sports Unlimited Blog

EvoShield – The Future is Cool, Welcome to It

EvoShield uses dispersion technology with their custom molding shields to defend your body better than traditional protective gear. This advancement in protection has rapidly changed the way players of all sports protect themselves and shows no sign of slowing down. It is hard to believe that something so lightweight and thin can protect you as well as these Shields can, but RG3 knows it. The cutting edge is pretty sharp these days and that is what makes EvoShield so exciting. Learn more about EvoShield’s technology here.

Click on the big image to check out EvoShield products at SportsUnlimited.com

By Isaac Clark

Isaac is a dude at SportsUnlimited.com

We’re On Twitter With Giveaways!

WE ON TWITTER!!! @sportsunlimited – It’s a thing now. You can win tons of gift certificates and also be awesome by following us!

Hello Friends,

Just a quick note to follow us @sportsunlimited on Twitter!

We give away gift certificates every week just for following and retweeting.

Seriously, who doesn’t want free moneys for buyin’ stuff?

By Isaac Clark

Isaac is blowin’ up Twitter at SportsUnlimited.com

Position Tech Football Cleats System: Product Spotlight

The concept is innovative, the technology is remarkable, and the execution is, well… Heisman-worthy. Notch up your game with the Position Tech Football Cleats System. Whether you are using them to benefit your game for a specific position, an area of improvement, or an adjustment in playing style, these custom low-carbon-steel-tip cleats screw into your football shoes to improve traction and game-day performance.

Product Spotlight: Position Tech All-Pro Replacement Football Cleats

Proven to increase traction by 20% over standard cleats, the Position Tech system is a favorite of players, teams and coaches at NFHS and NCAA levels (approved by both NFHS and NCAA). This pack gives advantages in the following areas: Speed, Agility, Power, and Balance. With specific cleat construction for each area, you can customize your configuration to best suit your needs as a player.

The Types:

Speed Cleats:

Anterior scoop improves vertical explosiveness
Lateral slashes bolster side-to-side acceleration

Agility Cleats:

Lateral scoops supplement swift change of direction
Anterior scoops augment cutting

Power Clears:

Lateral wings enhance directional burst
Anterior power pocket boost primary move burst

Balance Cleats:

Posterior channels help with stabilization
Lateral grooves improve traction

The pack contains the following: 12 power cleats, 10 speed cleats, 6 agility cleats, 6 balance cleats, cleat wrench, and a guide for configuring every position on the field.

Configure any combination of speed, agility, power, and balance cleats to become like your NFL idol or a new prototypical player! What kind of player do you want to be?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyI-oUsVRJg]

By Isaac Clark

Isaac is a writer at Sports Unlimited.

Sports Unlimited also offers smaller sets of Position Tech cleats designed specifically for…
Power & Balance
Power & Speed
and
Speed and Agility

Neymar To Barcelona, Will Play Alongside Leo Messi

Next season we’ll be seeing what has now been hyped for quite a few years. Neymar will be playing in Europe and to the chagrin of Madrid, he will play alongside Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona. The Brazilian phenom is 21 years old and has the offensive prowess of hmmmm, I don’t know, Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. He may not yet be in their realm of quality, but he soon will be in their local realm and hopefully will use the opportunity to learn from two of the greatest players alive as a teammate and as a rival.

Neymar will leave Santos, his boyhood Brazilian club, for the big stage. This should excite soccer fans around the world; to see this young superstar play on field with the likes of Messi, Iniesta, and Xavi Hernandez. I have only seen the fun-haired Neymar sparingly in televised Brazil national games, but have watched highlights of the deft-footed and silky smooth forward on YouTube countless times. He doesn’t have a jersey number yet, but Blaugrana fans have been clamoring for jerseys ever since the news of his signing. The soccer season just ended in Europe, but Neymar to Barcelona is already prepping the world for an incredible and exciting year.

Maybe it’s time for me to swap out my Barcelona, Ronaldinho jersey for another Brazilian?

By Isaac Clark

Isaac is a writer at Sports Unlimited.

Under Armour HeatGear vs Nike Dri-FIT – The Sports Apparel War

Nike vs Under Armour. Technological sounding names dominate the athletic apparel war between Nike and Under Armour, but what do they mean? Comparing Nike’s Dri-Fit and Under Armour’s HeatGear, we are going to review what these technologies do and which one is better for you!

Under Armour HeatGear vs Nike Dri-Fit

Technological sounding names dominate the athletic apparel war between Nike and Under Armour, but what do they mean? Comparing Nike’s Dri-Fit and Under Armour’s HeatGear, we are going to review what these technologies do and which one is better for you! Finding the right performance shirt, compression pants, running shorts, and compression socks for the summer can be tough, but when you discover the right ones for you, you may never go back to wearing regular clothes while working out.

Under Armour built its company with a foundation in performance apparel and turned into something much more significant. In 1996 the founder of Under Armour created the first t-shirt made of moisture-wicking synthetic fabric, effectively inventing the industry of ‘Performance Apparel’. To this day, the company continues to produce and improve upon their signature HeatGear.

Let’s get into the nitty gritty about these sportswear rivals.

Under Armour HeatGear

Basics:

HeatGear uses super lightweight fabrics to keep you cool and dry in warm and hot conditions whether you’re out for a walk, training hard, or dominating the football field. Its exceptional moisture transport systems wick sweat away from your body, while maintaining ventilation. Sounds like any ‘performance apparel’ I’ve ever heard of, so let’s dive a little deeper to get a greater understanding.

What Does Under Armour HeatGear Provide?

Moisture Transport Systems: Hydrophobic fabrics wick the moisture from your body and pull it through the material so that it evaporates quickly, keeping your clothes light and your body cool and dry.

Odor Control – Anti-microbial technology resists the growth and spread of bacterial odors within the fabric. The evaporation of sweat quickly and efficiently combined with the anti-microbial technology reduces odors better than any other system.

UPF – Ultra-Violet Protection Factor – UPF protects you from the sun, plain and simple. Extra protection from UV rays is always a good thing for your skin, body, and overall health and Under Armour has added this screen to their impressive arsenal.

Some Under Armour gear is equipped with additional features. Check the tags for the following!

Strategic Ventilation + Armour Stretch

Modular Protection Zones + 360 Degree Reflectivity

Wind Resistance + Armour Grip

Those features are the foundation of HeatGear, but HeatGear is separated into different fabrics to help you differentiate what gear you need for what situation. Here is a run-down of Under Armour’s lineup.

FABRICS:

Under Armour Tech –

This is the classic, super-soft, natural feeling material that mimics cotton, but provides the performance benefits of synthetic material. Traditional UA look and feel and is generally the most affordable option.

Charged Cotton –

It’s cotton, but better. With Charged Cotton, you get the feel, weight, and comfort of cotton with the impressive moisture transport system that wicks 5% faster. This cotton dries 5x faster than standard cotton. Perfect for athletic activities or just relaxing, it’s a soft garment with performance tech built in.

Under Armour Catalyst –

Surprisingly made entirely of recycled plastic bottles, Catalyst is super soft and smooth. Incredibly light with body temperature regulating tech, the best feature of this fabric is how light and smooth it is.

Under Armour coldblack –

It shocks me how noticeably coldblack affects the temperature of the garment and in turn, your body. The technology makes dark fabrics act more like light fabrics in the sun, retaining less heat during performance. Oh, and it makes light colors act like nothing at all. Providing the best moisture-wicking tech and all other HeatGear benefits with the temperature regulation technology makes athletes flock to coldblack.

HeatGear Flyweight –

Ultra-light and smooth fabric with strategically positioned mesh panels to help regulate heat and allow sweat to evaporate faster. Raglan sleeve design and smooth Flatlock Seams do not restrict range of motion. This is lightweight, lightweight, lightweight.

All of these different fabrics are available in multiple fits: Compression, Fitted, Semi-Fitted, and Loose.

HeatGear Sonic –

The newest innovation from Under Armour, Sonic is a compression material that increases muscle power through ultra-tight fit. They call it a “second skin” because it provides the benefits of compression technology without sacrificing comfort so that you can wear it all day. Shirts, tanks, pants, shorts, they have it all.

Shop Men’s and Women’s HeatGear

This isn’t all about Under Armour. It’s Under Armour vs Nike, so let’s get to Nike!

Nike Dri-Fit

Basics:

Dri-Fit uses microfiber, polyester fabric to wick moisture from your body to the outer surface of the fabric so that it can evaporate quickly to keep you cool for a… dry fit. This sounds mighty similar to Under Armour’s signature moisture transport system.

What Does Nike Dri-Fit Provide?

Moisture Wicking – It does that whole ‘wick moisture from your body’ thing. This allows sweat to evaporate to keep you light and dry.

Dri-Fit UV – Provides minimum of 30 SPF to protect you from ultraviolet rays. This is only in certain Dri-Fit products so make sure you look for it on the label or tags!

LINES:

Nike Pro Dri-Fit –

Mesh panels and flat seams are featured in the Nike Pro Combat line to fit smoothly to the body for a close and comfortable fit. Different Pro products can be made of different materials so be sure to take closer looks at these.

Nike Legend Dri-Fit –

Crew neck and inside taping bring comfort through mesh design. Made of 100% recycled polyester and is constructed with flat-seam to reduce chafing.

–

Nike Miler Dri-Fit –

Basically the same as the Legend, but with added panels in the side improve mobility. 100% recycled polyester.

–

Nike Tailwind Dri-Fit –

This line features a mesh fabric panel and three eyelets in the underarm to provide air flow and reduce chafing. Nike designs this with flat seams to improve range of motion as well. Body is made of Dri-FIT 85% polyester/15% cotton. Side panel constructed of Dri-FIT 86% polyester/14% cotton. Also this line has a cool zip pocket at the waist/back for easily securing valuables when running.

Nike Knit Dri-Fit –

56% polyester and 44% nylon, the knit line is a soft touch Dri-FIT moisture-wicking fabric. Knit fabric is designed with mesh panels for lightweight ventilation.

The Conclusion:

We can breathe easy, the information dump is over.

The major benefit that these workout clothes provide is their moisture wicking/transportation systems. If you have never tried these products before, it is amazing how different a run, a game, or a workout can feel when wearing clothes that are specifically designed to improve your performance rather than simply not get in the way.

Both brands of performance apparel are great choices for your athletic activities, but there are so many fabrics and so many lines just within the HeatGear and Dri-FIT names. In my years of using these fabrics and diving deeper into their technology and construction, it seems as though any of the Nike products would work for me and feel great, but I can find the proper sportswear specific to my needs through the fabrics and fits that Under Armour provides.

Nike has proven that people love their comfortable, performance fabric, but it seems as though Under Armour, the originator of performance apparel, may have a multitude of additional benefits and defined options.

Making informed decisions is the best way to choose between Nike and Under Armour, but sometimes it takes trying both to truly understand!

What do you think?

Best Summer Games – A Top Five List

What better allows you to be a friend, teammate, competitor, host, and inspirer of happiness than summer lawn games? Well, there probably are other things that lend better to those roles, but heck, summer games are fun and can bring together a family and friends! I remember, in my younger summers, sitting in a low, striped polyester beach chair in the back yard, holding a glass of iced lemonade to my nape and watching my cousins blow bubbles in the sun. That child, hot and bored, wished for something a bit more exciting and fifteen years later, I happily present to you, the top five backyard games for this summer.

5. Badminton

An Odd Garden Variant of Tennis

If you haven’t seen the game of badminton before, you’re missing something extraordinary. Reminiscent of 19^th century England, the game consists of lightweight racquets, a net, and the illustrious shuttlecock. The (usually nylon) feathers of the shuttlecock provide drag so that it decelerates much quicker than a ball, which means, no out-of-the-park home runs for any over-excited players. Hit the shuttlecock in the air over the net until it hits the ground! Easy to set up in the back yard or in a park, lightweight, and affordable, badminton is a great way to involve anyone and everyone. Cheerio!

Try the Franklin Elite Series 4 Player Badminton Set

4. Volleyball

Sick Dig Bro!

Another net game, volleyball is an incredibly fun way to get some exercise. Setting and spiking competitively or leisurely tossing the ball back and forth, this game works for everyone. Learning this game also can have advantages when you come across a game of indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, or even water volleyball. Make some memories this summer with family games of backyard ball in the sun.

Recommended volley ball set – Park & Sun Spectrum Classic

3. Toss Games

Did You Say Cornhole?

At my desk, there isn’t much in this world more enticing than being outside with some buddies, baseball game on the radio, and tossing a bean bag with a cold beverage in my free hand. I don’t know about you, but I’m a fan of relaxing and taking advantage of the warmer months. Sometimes referred to as tailgate games, toss games are simple and require little set up. Usually in the form of a bean bag, players toss the object underhanded at a target. Rules depend on the game being played, but the simplicity and the game-day feel of toss games definitely put them on the top five summer games list.

Fun bean bag game for the family – Corn Toss by Sport Design

2. Croquet

Through the Wickets and into the Stake, Old Sport!

With origins dating back 400 years, croquet can transport you through time. Well, no. But it is exciting, classic, and perfect for some backyard Saturday fun. Whether you’re sporting knickers and argyle socks or some under armour shorts, any day with reasonable weather is a perfect day for croquet. I had fun playing this ball and mallet game as a kid at my grandparents’ house in Maine and this summer I will be definitely getting into some croquet mischief, putting on an English accent, creating new rules, and competing feverishly with my young nephews. Undoubtedly a winner, croquet is perfect for backyard hangouts.

Best seller – North Meadow Scottsdale 6-Player Croquet Set

1. Horseshoes

Summer Just Got a Bit Luckier

Albeit strange, pitching oversized shoes of a horse is cool. Ancient Grecians tossed them when they couldn’t afford a discus. Soldiers threw mule shoes in Union Camps during the Civil War. Abounded in history, horseshoes is a game everyone knows and playing it is easier than ever today. All you need is two stakes and some horseshoes to pitch. The skillful pitch of the shoe is not something that demands tremendous physical ability, which makes it perfect for players of all ages. Backyard or in the sand, horseshoes defines the summer as the epitome of relaxing, fun, and memorable!

One of the best horseshoe sets around – WD Horseshoe Co. Glory Set

Now, where’s my lemonade?

By Isaac Clark

Isaac is a Lemonade Lover at Sports Unlimited.

Happy Mother’s Day

It is tiring and difficult to exude appreciation on a consistent basis, but our mothers deserve no less. As a family owned company, we at Sports Unlimited feel pretty darned strongly about our families and the special relationship everyone has with his or her mother. This weekend is not the time for us to sell, but for us to celebrate!

Showering our mother or grandmother or the mother of our children with gifts is lovely, but common. The right gift can be truly heartfelt, but the one perfect way to convey our sincere appreciation is simply to spend time with her. Make the phone call, drive down the street or go for a walk with her. When we can’t necessarily say precisely how we feel, a mother knows that a squeeze of the hand, an honest glare, or the words ‘Thank You’ from her son or daughter is the recognition of a lifetime of compassion and giving. At 5:30AM on Sunday, I’ll be awake and groggily readying myself for the Susan G. Komen 5K in Philadelphia, but whether you are racing or not, being active and supportive to your mother in any endeavor is important.

Spending time and acknowledging her value as a mother is what Mother’s Day is about, but that isn’t to say that moms don’t like gifts! I would however suggest that you buy her something that represents the person she is and wants to be. We won’t stop you from running, or relaxing, or climbing a mountain, but maybe this weekend, bring your mom along.

Happy Mother’s Day everybody.

By Isaac Clark

Isaac is a writer at Sports Unlimited.