Review

Tested Tough Columbia Clothing

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 19 Comments

When I was a kid/youth growing up I had many items made by Columbia: jackets, ski pants and their head to toe old fashion yellow rain suit. I used that all the time as an outdoor ed instructor until it felt apart beyond repair. I loved their stuff so I was really excited to test out some new clothing recently.

Last month I was approached by Columbia Canada to review some clothing and participate in Mud Hero Halifax, however the timing wasn’t right and I couldn’t do the event. I’ve done Mud Hero a few years back and had a blast so was disappointed when I couldn’t participate. Even though I couldn’t do it, they still provided some clothing for me to review!

Columbia Tested Tough

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Shimmering Light Racerback Tank (Blue/Green)

I put this tank on right away and loved how soft the fabric felt. Even my girls thought it was “so soft” too. It’s really comfortable and I enjoy wearing during yoga or hiking…actually, just around the house a lot too. It’s perfect for our hot summer days we are having lately.

Facts: It’s 94% polyester / 6% elastane jacquard, Inner Bra: 86% polyester, 14% elastane,
Outer Bra: 94% polyester, 6% elastane. It has OMNI-WICK® High-Performance Wicking Fabric {Moisture-wicking fabric moves perspiration away from the skin to dry quickly on the surface}, 4-way comfort stretch and is an active fit.

hiking with the girls tested tough

Shimmering Light Tank (Pink)

This by far is my favourite item. I’ve worn it to work, on the weekends and out walking. It’s super light and comfortable. I love that I can wear it with a skirt for work or shorts on the weekend. The open back is my favourite and I like that the opening is big enough but doesn’t show my bra. I may have worn this shirt once a week (okay twice sometimes) since I got it. I seriously love it.

Facts: It’s 94% polyester / 6% elastane jacquard; has OMNI-WICK® High-Performance Wicking Fabric {Moisture-wicking fabric moves perspiration away from the skin to dry quickly on the surface}, 4-way comfort stretch and is an active fit.

pink tank dress up down

Women’s Titan Peak Short

These shorts did not disappoint. Before kids we used to go paddling and camping a lot…something we are trying (albeit slowly)…or wanting to get back into. These shorts would be perfect for both. Again, I’ve worn them to work, walking,while coaching soccer, hiking and just every day. These have been another staple this summer, are super light, great for traveling in the car to PEI last week and dried quickly when I got them wet. The pockets stood out with the bright coloured zip and the belt was a bonus.

Facts: “This lightweight and technical performance Titanium short is crafted of 4-way comfort stretch fabric with built in Omni-Shield™ advanced repellency and Omni-Shade™ UPF 50 sun protection. Designed with the serious thru-hiker in mind, the flattering Titan Peak will become your go-to short this summer”.

green tank and shorts

Vent N Vent Slip {Shoe}

These poor shoes! I originally requested a size 8.5 since that’s what I’ve been wearing in shoes lately but they didn’t fit. I had to send them back for a size 8 which was no problem for Columbia (thank you) but there was another mix up and they sent size 8.5 again. We got it all sorted and I’m glad we did as they are really comfortable shoes not to mention lightweight and cute. I don’t own anything like them so I figured why not give them a try. I like how simple they look but fun at the same time. They are really easy to slip on and kept me comfortable all day. I’m a big fan of blue but this is my first pair of “blue shoes” and that I can wear them to work, at home or out and about.

Facts: “Classic slip-on styling and aptly placed midsole vents turn this casual, comfy low top into a warm-weather style statement. The women’s Vulc N Vent Slip-On Shoe features a soft, washed-canvas upper, a vented midsole and sockliner to keep fresh air flowing underfoot, and a soft, full-length EVA-foam foot-bed for cushy, all-day comfort”. Weight: 6.8oz or 200g.

Shoes Tested Tough

Lots of great stuff from Columbia that I’m looking forward to wearing this summer in pretty much any atmosphere. Thank you Columbia Canada for providing the clothing and shoes, all opinions are my own.

For more awesome Columbia items, check out their website here: Columbia Canada.

Do you wear have go to clothing in the summer heat?

Can you wear “workout” clothing to work occasionally, all the time or never?

Do you pair your workout clothing with work day clothing at all like me?

 

Polar A300 Activity Tracker

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 23 Comments

Sometimes I find it hard to remember I’m training for my 5th half marathon (in September) because I feel like I’m taking a laid back approach to my training. Sure I have a training plan that will get me to the start line but I also have “other” things I want to do in the summer. Swimming, cycling, playing soccer AND coaching soccer. It’s busy but it’s working.

To help keep track of all my activity, I’ve been using the Polar A300 Activity Tracker. It’s part of the SportChek Ambassador Program that I’m apart of. Now, if you’ve been around my blog for the last year or more, you’ll know I gave up an activity tracker last year as I just wasn’t loving it any more. I found it wasn’t accurate and would often give me “steps” when I was washing the dishes and even changing diapers (wow, that was long ago!). It was pretty basic and in the end I just didn’t want to feel like I wasn’t getting my steps in.

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Fast forward to the six weeks and I’ve hardly taken this one off my wrist. I usually wear a simple sport watch day-in and day-out …yes even to bed. Why? I can’t see with my glasses off and got into the routine of wearing my watch all the time especially when our girls were babies and I was nursing them around the clock. I just liked to know the time and it was easier to look at my watch then put my glasses on and find the bright clock across our room.

The Polar A300 is an activity tracker; so counts your steps, daily mileage, sitting, sleep and when paired with a heart rate monitor (HRM), can track your heart rate, do fitness test and provide other data along the way. I don’t have the HRM with this device so I’m limited to some of the cool tricks this activity tracker can do. Even though I can’t use the HRM functions, this watch continues to surprise me over and over.

Polar Activity Tracker Anna.jpg

Pro’s:

  • It feels like an every day watch.
  • The arm band is super flexible and you can change the colours if you want to (purchase required) and extremely soft.
  • Pretty easy to figure out how to use.
  • Provides multiple “activities” such as running, cycling, indoor exercise, other outdoor exercise. These can also be changed to the activities YOU do. I’ve added Yoga and soccer.
  • Easy to take out the device from the watch strap and sync on a computer.
  • It can get wet – bonus for the summer and busy lives.
  • It tracks your activity in six  different areas (Not worn, Resting, Sitting, Low Activity, Medium Activity and High Activity).
  • If sitting for too long (60 minutes) it will prompt you to get moving (noise, vibrating and a message).
  • It counts your daily steps, mileage in kilometres or miles, what % of activity you have accumulated and it also tells you what activities you can do to reach your goal. Example: 1 hour 10 minutes of walking or 4 hours and 38 minutes of yard work etc.
  • When you hit your daily goal, it tells you so by vibrating with a message on the screen.
  • When it’s your birthday, a cake appear. Seriously…that was fun. See above!

Polar Flow App (I use)

Polar tracking App.jpg

Con’s

  • It can get fuzzy from your clothing (see picture above bottom right).
  • You need the HRM to use all the functions of the watch.
  • I had some challenges syncing it to the Polar Flow app on my phone but manged to get that sorted with Polar’s IT support.
  • I wish it had a GPS tracker in it (which the M400, A360 and V800 to have).  I like seeing my distance and pace when I run or cycle.

Product Details:

  • Weight 48 g
  • Thickness 12,7 mm
  • Water resistant (30 m)
  • Updatable software
  • Memory capacity up to 60 days (with daily activity tracking and 1 hour of daily training)
  • Rechargeable battery
  • Battery life up to 4 weeks
  • Easy sync via Polar Flow app with Bluetooth Smart
  • Data transfer to PC and Mac with a custom USB cable

I really like the Polar A300 and as I mentioned, I haven’t taken it off (maybe once or twice) since I got it. Two thumbs up for this activity tracker!!  The biggest difference for me between this activity tracker and one I’ve used in the past is that I’m less focus on getting in my daily steps and more excited to track my multiple activities. I would recommend this one of the activity tracker I used last year (and no longer use).

Do you use an activity tracker?

Birthday wishes on your watch, yah or neh?

All opinions in this blog post are my own thoughts and experiences. These products have been provided as part of the summer SportChek Ambassador program.  Thank you SportChek!

Hemp Protein Smoothie Review

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 3 Comments

Through Fit Approach, I’ve been given the opportunity to test out lots of Manitoba Hemp products: hemp hearts, hemp bars and more recently hemp protein smoothie powder.

I’ll be completely honest, I’m normally not a protein power person so I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to review something that I generally don’t use on a regular basis. I was hesitant. Once selected for the review I figured I’d give it a go and give my honest opinion. Please note these opinions are my own.

MH_HPSmoothie_FLV_Launch_FB_cover_header_2016-01-28

Flavours: Mixed Berry, Vanilla Chai and Chocolate. I’m not a Vanilla Chai person so I wasn’t sure if I’d like that to begin with. We’ve been having LOTS of smoothies for breakfast each morning and I’ve been adding the Hemp Protein Smoothie Powder in.

hemp heart protein.jpg

The first morning I put the suggested amount of 4 tablespoons in and gave the smoothie to Lilly and she disliked it. I wasn’t bothered by it like she was but wasn’t sure that was the right amount of powder vs smoothie stuff. Over the next few days I played with the ratio and like 2-3 tablespoons vs 4.

I made a smoothie for my husband with the Vanilla Chai and he loved it. I tried it and wasn’t in love with it so lucky for him, he get’s to have that one to himself. I think one of the things I like about this product is that it’s vegan but that’s not their focus. With Saï being a vegan it can be a challenge to find products for him. All three flavours are vegan.

hemp heart protein smoothie

After my hard IronStrength workout on Monday, I decided to test out the chocolate hemp protein power with some chocolate milk/almond milk. I really loved it. This one is my favourite and I can see myself using it over and over. It wasn’t grainy, mixed really well; especially when you put the cap on right…ha ha yeah, I made a little mess.

Product Information:

Manitoba Harvest is launching a new smoothie product that combines HempPro 70 protein powder, organic harvest greens (spinach, kale and broccoli). Proteins and Greens!!! Each 30 gram serving has 15 grams of plant-based protein and is slightly sweetened with organic coconut sugar. You mix it with 12 oz of fruits/veggies for a smoothie or dairy/non-dairy like drink.

What I liked/disliked about it:

Pros:

  • Vegan
  • Chocolate flavour
  • Not grainy (at all!)
  • Easy to store in reusable bags
  • It has kale, spinach and broccoli in it, gotta get those greens in some how.
  • There website has recipes for baking with it…ummm, hello, yes please!

Cons:

  • Really didn’t like the Vanilla Chai flavour (though my husband did).
  • Would love to be able to buy it in my local grocery store where their other products are for sale.

Would I buy it on my own?

I would buy the chocolate hemp protein smoothie again for sure. The other two, I’d leave the Vanilla Chai for my husband and the Mixed Berry as a back up. If you are looking for something new to try out, I recommend giving the Manitoba Hemp Protein Smoothie a try.

Wanna try it? Here’s a code for you to get 15% off: hempsmoothielaunch16 until April 30th, 2016. You can also enter their contest social media platforms using the #hempproteinsmoothie hashtag! You can check our their website here. (300 gram bag for $24.99 Canadian). 

What’s your favourite flavour for protein powder?

Ever try Manitoba Hemp Protein?

What’s the most important “pro” when finding the right protein powder?

All opinions are my own. 

 

Manitoba Hemp Heart Bars {Contest & Review}

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 10 Comments

Lately it seems as if I can’t get a hold on my hunger especially after I run. I’m just rungry all the time. I’ve been doing my best to eat “good for you foods” but as life goes on, that doesn’t always happen.

As part of being a Sweat Pink Ambassador with Fit Approach, I had the opportunity to test out the Manitoba Hemp Heart Bars! I can’t lie, I LOVED the Apple Cinnamon bar. They filled me up when I needed the extra fuel.

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What are they?

They are these soft bars filled with hemp hearts and yummy other ingredients. Manitoba Harvest whipped up three different delicious flavours to choose from: vanilla, chocolate and apple cinnamon. Each 45 gram bar contains 10 grams of plant-based protein and 10 grams of omegas, so whether you grab one for a pre-workout snack or nutrition on the go, these convenient bars are sure to get you through even your busiest day.

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What I liked about them:

  • Super soft.
  • Lots of protein.
  • Not overly processed with crap.
  • Great as a snack or after a workout when you need a little something
  • Loved the taste of the Apple Cinnamon bar – my favourite.
  • They are also vegan….no I didn’t let my husband try them…whoops!

What I didn’t like about them:

  • The Vanilla and Chocolate lacked flavour; kind of bland.
  • That’s it.

Nutrition Content:

MH_HH_Bar_AC_45g_NFP_2015-10-02

You can check out more at their website here: Manitoba Harvest 

PHOTO CONTEST:

You can win!!! Join this contest by tagging @manitobaharvest #hempheartbar #fuelledbyhemp #sweatpink @fitapproach on Instagram or Twitter for a chance to win a box of your favorite flavor of Hemp Heart Bars! Photos do not need to include Manitoba Harvest products, but of course it’s fabulous if they do.

Eligibility: open to US and Canada residents. Full contest details are here. 

Also: You can use this discount code hhbarlaunch1015 will get you 15% off! Expires 3/31/2016. 

Have you tried Hemp Heart Bars?

What’s your favourite go-to bar?

Which flavour would you want to try?

Note: I was provided this opportunity through Fit Approach as part of being a Sweat Pink Ambassador; all opinions are my own.

Also the photos taken are terrible but I didn’t realise this until after all the bars were consumed 😦 Blogger fail….apparently my eyes are failing me.