Becker Surfboard
Becker Surfboards’ factory in Hermosa Beach, Calif., produces 2,000 boards a year, from 5-foot face-carving short boards to stand-up paddleboards of boatlike proportions. Somewhere in between, the J.J. Wessels–model longboard (shown) is a 9-to-10-foot nose rider befitting its namesake. Wessels, a California-coast mainstay who screens and dyes the boards himself, is known for endless nose rides and seamless turns. Starting at $725 and customizable to the buyer’s specifications, each board is hand-shaped by Jose Barahona, Becker’s only master shaper since cofounder Phil Becker retired two years ago. —Oliver Slosser
Becker Surfboards, 888.673.0225, www.beckersurf.com
Fluid Rower
The standard rowing machine, with air resistance generated by fan blades, has not changed much in the last 20 years, according to Chris Fisher, the founder and president of Out-Fit, a Southern California–based fitness-equipment supplier and gym designer (Room Tour, page 42). To bring a true rowing experience into the home, exercise-equipment manufacturer First Degree Fitness created its Fluid Rower line of products. "It’s shorter and more compact than a standard rowing machine, yet still gives you the same range of motion," says Fisher of a $2,199 Fluid Rower model (pictured) that he recommends to clients. "Instead of air resistance, it uses real water resistance. If you’re used to being on the water, it will better re-create the actual rowing experience." —Bailey S. Barnard
First Degree Fitness, 205.980.9861, www.firstdegreefitness.com
Hublot All Black Bike
After collaborating with the Swiss manufacturer Zai to create a limited edition of all-black skis, the Swiss watchmaker Hublot is partnering with BMC Cycling to extend its sleek monotone design to the bike lane. The limited-edition Hublot black bike debuted earlier this year at the World Stars Cycling Criterium, a charity race held in Monaco on the eve of the Tour de France. Weighing just over 15 pounds, the $20,000 cycle has a carbon-fiber-and-aluminum frame for lightweight durability. "This bike is totally fusional—it is rigid and flexible, powerful and comfortable," says Hublot CEO Jean-Claude Biver. The ceramic-titanium pedals reduce friction and make the bike suitable for tough terrain. The Swiss partners plan to produce 30 bikes; nine have already been sold. —Hayley Lerch
Hublot, +41.22.990.90.00, www.hublot.com
Power Plate
Of the many benefits provided by whole-body vibration workouts, Power Plate’s product line primarily delivers an accelerated training session. Incorporating one of the devices into a workout achieves maximum results in a minimal amount of time. The omnidirectional vibrating movements of the plate force reflexive muscle responses. For example, holding a squat position on a Power Plate stimulates the calf and quad muscles, among others, much more than holding the position on a static surface. "Most of our clients travel a lot and have very busy schedules when they’re home," says Andy Clay, a co-owner of Blue Clay Fitness, who uses several Power Plate models at his facility in Beverly Hills—including the $10,500 top-of-the-line pro 5 AIRdaptive model (pictured). "The Power Plate caters to our clients by giving them a quick full-body workout." ––B.S.B.
Power Plate, 949.863.1737, www.powerplate.com
TRX Suspension Trainer
It is a little-known fact that every Navy SEAL is expected to know how to sew. When Randy Hetrick, an ex–Navy SEAL commander and the proprietor of Fitness Anywhere, found himself on missions without conventional exercise equipment to use, he took some parachute webbing, a karate belt, and his needle and thread, and created what would later become the TRX Suspension Trainer. A few more prototypes later, the TRX was launched in 2005; it is now helping gym junkies step away from the weight bench to do their workouts almost anywhere. Users tie one end to a tree, a door, or any other weight-bearing object, and use the two nylon straps to perform any of over 300 workouts. The TRX is sold through Fitness Anywhere for $150 and comes with instructional videos or cards with workouts designed specifically for a wide variety of users. —O.S.
Fitness Anywhere, 888.878.5348, www.fitnessanywhere.com
Turbosonic X7
The Turbosonic X7, though similar in look to the Power Plate, provides different vibration-training benefits. The X7 ($15,995) encourages activity throughout the body’s cellular and lymphatic systems for decreased recovery time from injuries and muscle soreness, and has full-body therapeutic advantages. The two 2,400-watt subwoofers in the X7’s platform vibrate up and down, aiding relaxation. The X7’s set frequency-response programs focus on specific muscle groups, while its whole-body programs vary in frequency response and intensity to induce muscle relaxation and sensations akin to a personal massage. Simply standing on any of the various vibro-acoustic Turbosonic models for just 10 minutes a day is believed to increase muscle tone.
––B.S.B.
Turbosonic USA, 877.684.7245, www.turbosonicusa.com
MyRide 3wave
The Indoor Cycling Group, which offers comprehensive cycling products and programs, is bringing the high-intensity atmosphere of group spinning classes to the home gym with the MyRide 3wave. The company’s $1,999 unit can be placed in front of any stationary bicycle to guide its user through 108 different cycling workouts. "This is for the person who loves the motivation of that instructor saying, ‘Get out of the saddle, crank down, and bring your chest to your handlebars,’ " says Out-Fit’s Chris Fisher. "It creates that one-on-one indoor cycling experience for those who can’t make it to a class at a specific time." The system’s 15-inch acrylic LCD screen resists sweat damage and displays several virtual trainers operating at different intensity levels to accommodate any user. The player operates with sensor-touch buttons and includes a DVD drive so cyclists can break from virtual training and still be entertained. Thanks to its thin, wavelike shape, the system takes up minimal floor space standing upright or mounted on a wall. —H.L.
Indoor Cycling Group, www.indoorcycling.com
Precor AMT 100i
Exercisers are now free to move about their cardio machines thanks to the Precor AMT 100i, which combines elements of a step machine, a treadmill, and an elliptical trainer into one device. The AMT 100i allows for weight-bearing cardio exercise without the impact, but unlike other machines, it adapts to the user’s body movements and stride length (from 1 to 27 inches). Users can exercise across a broad range of resistance levels—from 1 to 20—and in turn simulate a variety of activities, from sprinting to climbing stairs. Just as this adaptive-motion training provides flexibility in terms of range of exercises, the 100i can accommodate almost anyone, regardless of size. "The machine fits you, whether you are 4 foot 8 or 6 foot 8, because it adapts to work with your torso and leg length," says AFP president and CEO Bryan Green, a fitness-equipment-and-service provider (Room Tour, page 40). "This unit is user-defined versus machine-defined." Whether completing one of four preprogrammed workouts or varying movements on their own, users are alerted of which body parts they are working at any given time thanks to the stride dial system on the AMT 100i’s display. An optional entertainment system with a 12-inch screen is a $1,750 addition to this $7,995 unit. —H.L.
Precor, 425.486.9292, www.precor.com