Hold the Phone!! Beeline Cases Review and Giveaway!

http://beelinecases.com/

Hey!

Hope everyone is having a great week.  I'm actually coming off of a week of no running since my 50K run at Greenland Trail last weekend (race report coming!).   Not because of injury or anything, just felt like I needed a break....  BUT... back at it again today...  I have a 100K in September!

So, I figured this would be a great time to get some reviews done.... AND host a giveaway (which I haven't done in awhile).   Today I am reviewing a terrific new product from a new company called Beeline Cases, and for any of you that have an iPhone, and have dropped it.... this is for you!!  And Android users, I think cases are in the works for you! So check out my review of this cool case, and stick around to enter to win one courtesy of the great folks at Beeline!

Ok.. what's a Beeline Case, and why do you need one?   Beeline is for anyone who has an iPhone, and believes it should stick with them, and not anywhere else!  Not just dropping it, but also leaving it somewhere...  

Beeline accomplishes this by equipping their cases with this strong carabiner clip, and a 30 inch Kevlar cord.  The clip attaches easily and the cord can be racheted out, and retracted simply and easily.

SO...   when you drop your phone taking that selfie out in the snow, or on a rocky trail... boom, the cable catches it.  More importantly, if you happen to be rock climbing, or peering over a suspension bridge etc....  Beeline saves your phone from imminent doom, as well as the crushing depression you may have from not being able to access social media on demand until you replace your phone!   In this pic it looks close to the ground, but in reality, attached to my chest strap, it's still close to a foot off the ground... safe!

Here is my iPhone 5S tucked neatly away in the shoulder pouch of my Orange Mud Hydraquiver, and extended from the clip on the shoulder strap to use.  Easy to clip on, easy to use, and retracts with the push of a button when I tuck the phone back into the pocket.

From a tech perspective, here's what the case looks like inside.  Pretty cool design, that also works really well.  The features I liked about this case (besides saving me from dropping it 3 times so far), is the great fit, design, and ease of use.

Unlike some other cases I have, the outer edge around the screen fits snugly, and is raised just enough to protect the screen if you set it face down, but it doesn't wrap over the screen, so you don't give up any of the viewing area, and the controls and access to ports is great.  The manual silence switch is a tad tough to get at sometimes, but not impossible.  Considering the addition of the retracting cord, the case is still relatively streamlined and not heavy.  And, the case is tough... in the off chance you drop it without the secure cable (I've done this once), it does a great job of protecting your phone.

The Beeline case is available for the iPhone 5, 6, and 6+ (Android version coming).  To check out all the cool colors/designs, check them out at http://beelinecases.com/ .   The cases retail for $59.99 and free shipping.  Much cheaper than a new phone!






Ok....  now let's give one of these killer cases away!  I'll run this giveaway until Monday, May 18, 2015 at 10PM MST.  Contest is open to residents of the US and Canada.   Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below... thanks and good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks again for tuning in!

Happy trails!

Jeff
barefootinclined@gmail.com
http://barefootinclined.com

Casual comfort: kigo pai and leon review!

Contrary to popular belief, I don't always run, and I don't always wear running shoes/sandals!!  I do keep several pairs of what I would call "casual" shoes, that are still minimalist... and comfortable!  Those include Lems Primals, Lems Boulder boots, SOM SPL's and kigos!   And of course Ms. Barefoot Inclined also enjoys her kigo's and her  Ryder boots from Vivobarefoot :-).

So this week, I'm happy to provide a review of some of the latest models available from kigo.  Actually, another joint review from me and Ms. Barefoot Inclined.   If you haven't heard of kigo, you should check them out...    Not only do they make some terrific minimalist shoes, they are also really focused on being environmentally conscious, with a focus on recycling and reusing shoes to benefit the globe.

I love this "cradle-to-cradle" graphic from kigo that shows how kigo shoes can be reused or recycled, including earning a 25% reward to those that return their worn shoes!  Such a cool idea in a world where it seems there is still so much waste....

OK... so all that is fine and great... but what about the shoes???   Well, as far as minimalist casual shoes go, I think kigo is spot on.  Particularly with their focus on all that makes a shoe really minimalist.  3mm sole, super light weight, roomy toe box, zero drop... and on and on...

So, I tried out the kigo pai...   and yes, those are poppy red!  While not necessarily my first choice in color, they are pretty cool.  But, looks aside, these feel like I'm wearing nothing, which is the sign of a terrific minimalist design. These fit like feather light slippers, and provide just enough protection to get out and do just about anything you want, with a great barefoot-like feel.

Here is the kigo leon that my wife is wearing, and as you can see, there is very little to this shoe!  And she absolutely LOVES these shoes...  as well as her kigo curvs (no longer available) and kigo flits.

While the uppers are constructed from a 100% recycled PET (yep, plastic bottles!), the insides are lined with a 50/50 material of recycled PET and cotton...  really comfortable, with or without socks.

The soles are a Gomma rubber 3mm, with a 1.5 mm eva insole for a super comfortable ride...

AND... obviously they are very flexible, passing the rolling/squishing test with flying colors!

One thing I should mention though is...  you might love them too much!  Remember I mentioned that Ms. Barefoot Inclined LOVES kigo's?  Well.. she just loved her leon's a bit too much.  A combination of a LOT of walking, and our rough chip seal roads here in CO was just a bit much.  So, this is probably the only area of recommendation I would have for kigo...    just a small strip of rubber on the toe, or wrapping the sole up on the front would have prevented or delayed this issue.  But, aside from that, they are by far her favorite shoes and I believe she will love them to death :-).  Fortunately there is life after death via the "Recycle|Reuse|Rewards" program at kigo!

So, the final word?  If you love minimalist, as in true minimalist, you'll love the feel of these shoes.  And the bonus is the smaller carbon footprint you will leave behind!   The shoes retail for $75, which is not bad considering the work that goes into producing them, as well as the 25% off reward you get when it comes time to recycle them! However, keep tabs on kigo's webpage and Facebook page for discount deals and sales.

Have a great week and happy trails! (or roads.... I guess... ;-)  )


Jeff
barefootinclined@gmail.com
http://barefootinclined.com