Ring in the New Year with a reboot of your wellness routine. The Arb’s tech correspondent (and keen runner), Ollie Pickup, has hunted down the hottest fitness tech and handy home devices to spur healthy habits – without skimping style. From illumination for nocturnal workouts to effortless charging, these smart gadgets eliminate excuses to make the most of the months ahead while keeping sustainability in sight. Go on, give yourself a shiny upgrade. You deserve it.
Listen up, audiophile athletes: snap on the TOZO OpenReal Bone Conduction Headphones
Finding headphones robust enough to withstand body combat yet stylish enough for sashaying down country lanes can be challenging. Let us propose the perfect solution: TOZO’s revolutionary OpenReal bone conduction headphones.
Priced at just £49.99, this innovative audio kit lets the user listen to crystal clear tunes while keeping ears open to the outside world thanks to non-invasive “contactless” speaker placement.
Now for the science: using air conduction technology to deliver a high-quality audio experience, the TOZO OpenReals use directional sound technology to ensure that audio is directed towards your ears, minimising sound leakage to not disturb others while enhancing the listening experience. They also feature an IPX7 water resistance rating protection.
With the New Year health kick well and truly, ahem, kicking in, the OpenReal’s sporty titanium alloy neckband promises to keep up with even the most intense HIIT habits and marathon training schedules. Its athletic design can be easily slipped on pre-workout, and clever conduction tech ensures superb sound without irritating in-ear buds.
So, boost exercise motivation this January with TOZO’s OpenReal Headphones. Their unrestricted, natural audio makes breaking a sweat while soaking up Spotify’s hottest hits even more satisfying.
To keep up with innovation in athletic audio gear, please find the TOZOs at www.tozostore.com.
Enjoy a glow-up with the Bodylite NightVision LED Belt
For those who believe the party needn’t stop when the sun goes down, staying visible on dimly lit winter walks – or runs – can prove problematic. But thanks to Bodylite’s new slimline NightVision LED belt, dusk amblers and night-time joggers can stand out from the shadows and stride on safely with its integrated illumination.
Available for only £17 in a spectrum of festive bright colours, this handy hands-free accessory ensures evening exercisers remain seen even on the darkest January nights. Its smart LED strip casts a 23-metre beam designed to make wearers visible to vehicles up to 1km away, helping hazard-proof hazardous conditions.
Promising up to six hours of glow time come rain or shine, the water-resistant casing also boasts a handy pocket for stashing keys, cards or a sleek smartphone to control ambient tunes. Its slim buckle cleverly allows additional space for attaching BodyLite’s signature safety light for doubly dazzling definition. It is also NightVision compatible for extra illumination for those winter runs.
Be more illuminated by running to www.bodylitegear.com.
Better measure your fitness with the 4iiii Viiiiva Heart Rate Monitor
Recreational runners chasing new PBs will love 4iiii’s Viiiiva heart rate monitor for tracking fitness efforts.
This clever kit uses advanced optical sensors packed into a slimline wristband to track fitness efforts, providing precision metrics on every pulse. Unlike the clunky chest straps of old, the streamlined Viiiiva monitor promises comfort even over long distances without hindering movement or chafing skin. Its supple, lightweight silicone strap fits smoothly, and a replaceable CR2032 battery lasts up to 200 training hours – plenty of longevity to make healthy New Year resolutions stick.
The insightful intel doesn’t just display their current cardio stats in real time either: once synced to the 4iiii app, the £49.99 Viiiiva also stores up to 65 hours of historical data to monitor progress and recognise patterns in performance over days, weeks or months.
If this makes your heart flutter, please visit www.shop-uk.4iiii.com.
Pack it up, pack it in with Chrome’s Bravo 4.0 backpack
This one is for the eco-conscious trendsetter permanently on the move. Debuting for AW23, Chrome’s new Bravo 4.0 backpack puts a sustainable spin on their signature urban-chic style – now even more weatherproof and high-functioning for the demands of modern life.
Built smart yet stylishly from recycled fabrics, this practical carry-all easily converts into a pannier bag for biking about town come January sales season. Padded laptop (up to 17 inches) and smartphone pockets keep high-tech cargo safe, while the 35L capacity swallows up gym kits, weekend luggage and more.
Frequent flyers will also welcome the Bravo 4.0’s removable crossbody strap, which cleverly clips a helmet, bike lock or umbrella into place. And its breathable back padding promises comfort even when loaded down by holiday shopping hauls or post-festive leftovers.
So, at £200, owners of the Bravo 4.0 can cruise flamboyantly into 2024 while doing their bit for the planet. Choose from three colours: Classic Black X, waterproof recycled and highly tear-resistant Red X, or glow up in the distinctive Amber Tritone.
For stockists, more information on the range, or to buy online, visit www.chromeindustries.com.
Be a Smarter Video Caller with the Logitech Zone Wireless 2 Headset
Keep connected in any environment with Logitech’s artificial intelligence-powered Zone Wireless 2 Headset. These are clever headphones with noise cancellation to focus entirely on the task at hand – as ambient sound filters away – whether closing deals or quizzing cousins. With crystal clarity assured, switching to transparency mode ensures you don’t miss a thing happening IRL, either.
Launched in October, these clever headphones, currently priced at £299.99, also tune out exterior disturbances through active noise-cancelling technology…
If you’re keen to improve your video conferencing, dial into www.logitech.com.
Epson’s LW-C410 Label Maker could get you out of a sticky situation
This Epson Label Maker, the LW-C410, available for just £49.99, is a neat little gadget that allows users to personalise jars of jam, toys, books, and whatever they want. Its fuss-free mobile app makes light work of creating cute logos and stylish batch badges.
With a light frame, mobile connectivity, and the ability to print on 12-18mm tapes and ribbons, it can be easily set up in any home space for crafting, organising and more.
Improve your label game by heading to www.epson.co.uk.
Reflect running ambitions with Castore’s new Light collection
If, indeed, you plan to hit the ground running, literally, in 2024, then you will need gear: take your pick from Manchester-headquartered sportswear manufacturer Castore’s new, lustrous Light collection, launched at the start of December. For instance, the men’s light breathable running gilet, at £90, oozes cool – and keeps the wearer warm enough.
Its lightweight fabric wicks sweat while trapping in the heat to shield against winter elements. The smart funnelled neckline keeps icy draughts at bay and the gilet’s handy side pockets are perfect for packing energy gels when powering through the post-Christmas jogs. Stand out in the shadows, illuminated by Castore’s eye-catching reflective detailing.
To keep pace with Castore’s new running range, please visit www.castore.com.
For the energy economist: Voltaware electricity usage monitor
Of course, after all that festive excess, January brings an opportunity to press the eco-friendly reset button in 2024. With Voltaware’s ingenious electricity monitor helping households track appliance costs and curb carbon use, consumers can painlessly pinch pennies while doing their bit for the planet.
Granted, this might not be the most exciting pressie for everyone. But think of the money saved for next year’s gifts. The Voltaware Sensor, available on Amazon for £199, uses AI to track the energy usage of household appliances. Using a credit card-sized sensor that easily slips inside the fuse box, Voltaware’s clever tech identifies exactly which gadgets and gizmos are guzzling the most valuable volts. It breaks down energy bills for each appliance – with real-time, daily and monthly reports – identifying the cost per appliance, while enabling users to make meaningful behavioural changes to reduce electricity bills and energy wastage.
It then translates raw power data into cold hard cash via a user-friendly smartphone app. So families can finally pinpoint the cheekiest contributors to killer heating bills this winter.
To get aware of your energy consumption, please head to www.voltaware.com.
Header photo by Tyler Franta on Unsplash
