I’m lucky to have the salt marshes & mudflats virtually on my doorstep – it is just the place to blow away the cobwebs after days of overeating and drinking during the Christmas/New Year period. In fact, it is a great place to walk whatever season – the marshes change so much and the salty air is so embracing. On New Year’s Eve 2018 the weather was cloudy but mild – unlike previous years where the air was crisp and the skies were cloudless and blue. The ground was a bit muddy underfoot too … very muddy… but nothing that a good pair of wellies or walking boots can handle. So where are these salt marshes?
The green coastal areas are the salt marshes – my walks are at the north of the River Blackwater around the creeks of Tollesbury & Salcot
The Saltmarsh Coast is the 75 miles of coastline and creeks that stretch from the estuary of the River Crouch to the south to the estuary of the River Blackwater in the north, of the Maldon district of Essex in South East England. The Blackwater Estuary is internationally recognised as being an area of outstanding importance for wildlife and conservation – the marshes are habitat for migrant wildfowl and waders; and a magnet for thousands upon thousands of wild duck, geese and wading birds. On Old Hall Marshes it is estimated that around 4000 Brent geese feed here in winter. The site also supports 24 species of butterfly, dragon and damselflies.
No wildlife or birds to be seen today though! When the tide comes in the grasses are under water. Walking along the seawall at Tollesbury.
Historically the Romans were interested in this highly salty area – the Roman town of Colchester (Britain’s oldest town) is only around 10 miles away and the famous Maldon Salt is still produced in the town of Maldon. However, in the 19th century the major industry here was oyster dredging. Small oysters were dredged at Tollesbury and sent along to the Kent coast to mature. There are still small oysters to be found. As the Tollesbury mudflats are a very important area for native oysters, it is a good place to spot oystercatchers, so my birdwatcher friends tell me.
Oyster beds, River Blackwater… I took this photo in the summer from Tollesbury Wick Marshes.
One feature I always photograph whenever I walk the seawall and that is the Tollesbury Tree …. it looked quite lonely this week!
Tollesbury Tree
There were still grasses and berries abound but under the cloud the mud reigned supreme.
I can’t wait to show you the seawall in Spring and in the sunshine….here’s a sneak peak from a previous summer ….
Linda x
All photographs are by Linda Hobden; map downloaded from Maldon District Council’s Saltmarsh tourist site.
Embarrassingly, I had always associated cheerleading competitions with America – along with baseball and American Football – until recently, that is, when I discovered that cheerleading competitions are alive and kicking in the UK too! I’m delighted to introduce onto my blog this week, Kimberley Mason, founder of ICE (Incredibly Cool Events) who gave me an insight into the cheerleading scene in the UK. Hi Kimberley!
Hi! I am Kimberley Mason I was born in the West Midlands and was raised on dance classes and competitions.
What inspired you to start up ICE (Incredibly Cool Events)?
After running my community interest company and working in sport for disadvantaged communities I felt there was a big need for affordable accessible cheerleading and dance competitions.
ICE organises cheerleading and dance competitions, workshops & Coaching. What would a cheerleading team expect if entering an ICE event?
They would get a help from a friendly team during the lead up to the event, affordable prices and all the support needed to get their teams feeling confident so they could give their best performance on the floor. There are big trophies, a medal for each competitor and a beautiful back drop to perform in front of. We have a highly trained judging team that offers constructive feedback at each of our events.
When did you start “cheerleading” & what was it about cheerleading that attracted you ?
I started Irish dance at the age of 7 and although I loved it the heavy shoes were not for me. I then tried freestyle dance and loved it. Dance became my passion from then onwards and I took part in competitions on a weekly basis. I found cheerleading at the age of 18 and the more I learnt the more I fell in love with it. I loved the fact that it was a team sport and the way the competitions were organised. The cheer spirit and the team ethos were definitely the main attraction.
What are the benefits of cheerleading?
Cheerleading has many benefits; it improves fitness, helps with life skills such asworking as team work and co-operation, it helps build confidence and there is a fantastic social side.
Is cheerleading suitable for everybody?
Yes all ages and abilities, cheerleading is done on a level basis so there is a level suitable for everyone. There are different elements to a cheer routine, dance, tumble, stunt and jumps.
Do you enjoy any other genre of dance?
Yes I enjoy all styles of dance, we offer pom dance, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, hip hop and next season we will be offering Acro.
Although you are based in the UK, are teams outside of the UK allowed to enter your events?
Yes of course we welcome everyone.
What ICE events are planned for the rest of 2018/2019?
We have lots of dance and cheer events lined up for the next season and they take place all over the country :
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
At the moment I’m pregnant with my second baby so a big maternity dress with expandable sandals for my swollen feet. When not pregnant you will find me in leggings and jeans and flats, usually covered in George’s (my toddler) latest meal.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
I love ASOS because there is so much to choose from and outfits and shoes for every occasion.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
I would love some fashionable day wear but I have a feeling with baby boy number 2 on the way it will be a while until I make any major investments into my wardrobe, although I will be investing in some winter boots at the start of the winter season.
Boots or Shoes?
Boots, they look lovely and are very comfortable plus there are lots of different styles, long, mid length, ankle, flat etc so there is something for most occasions.
For Pinning Later
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc
I wish you the very best for both your impending nappy event and your programme of events, Kimberley. I think the name of your company is incredibly cool too….
Linda x
All photos published with kind permission from Kimberley Mason (Incredibly Cool Events).
Ahh …Summer Sun! In the Northern Hemisphere the summer season has begun in earnest with the UK, USA, Canada and Europe warming up nicely with an impromptu heatwave …. and there is no better time than now to introduce Australian brand, Tesalate, to the blog. Tesalate towels are not only beautifully designed but they are super absorbent and, most impressive of all, they are totally sand free. Co founder Jacky was lovely enough to answer my questions about her vibrant and eye catching designs. Hi Jacky!
This is Volkan – Jacky was too shy!
Hi! I’m Jacky, co-founder, designer and beach bum (tester). Volkan is my business partner.
What inspired the launch of Tesalate towels?
Volkan and I were hiking to a remote beach in the Royal National Park near Sydney. On the hike back, our towel was heavy, smelly, and filled our backpack with sand. So, we figured we can make something much better.
I love the eye-catching designs of the towels – my favourite is the Phoenix design. To date, what has been your most popular design?
In every country, a different one is popular. What we love seeing is that people are often adventurous. They will buy something really colorful and out there.
What’s your most favourite design in your collection?
To Tuscany, but then again I’m a sucker for turquoise.
I’m often interested about origins of some brand names – and Tesalate is one brand name I’m intrigued about. What is the reasoning behind the name?
Our original designs were all tessellations (repeating patterns).
Apart from being beautifully designed the towels are compact, super absorbent, lightweight … and astonishingly are totally sand-free! What are the towels made of? How do you care for them to help maintain their absorbency?
We spent a year developing our own fabric called AbsorbLite. It’s made of a form of microfiber, which means it has a lot of performance features. Our finish and processing allow it to be completely sand-free.
Growing up, did you all have dreams of being a designer or did you have other career plans?
I always knew I wanted to create something. Design for us is more than the towel. It’s how we interact with customers and it’s the environment we create for our employees.
As Tesalate is based in Australia, are your products available to purchase worldwide?
We ship worldwide for free. In fact, we have shipped to over 100 countries since we’ve launched.
If you could visit any place in the world to get inspiration for a new towel design collection, where would you go and why?
Sydney! Luckily we live here. There are a hundred different nationalities, and every area has its own subculture. I’ve been to a lot of amazing places, but I have never been to a place where it is a mix of so many cultures. Plus, we have a world city, we have amazing beaches, and we are surrounded by national parks. Can you tell I love Sydney?
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
Beachwear or anything that is comfortable.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
There are too many to mention. But generally, I like to shop at sites selling beachwear.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
Nothing definite comes to mind right now. But quality should matter most when it comes to choosing any product.
Boots or Shoes?
Neither. I like going barefoot since I love going to the beach.
For pinning later
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook etc so that readers can find out more about Tesalate.
Wow, dear readers, what do you think about those towel designs? I love each and every one of those designs and I still think that being totally sand free is just amazing! Thank you Jacky for taking the time to chat on the blog about your fantastic product.
Linda x
All photos published with kind permission of Tesalate.
Prostate Cancer. Did you know that in the UK, about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives? It is the most common form of cancer in men in the UK. Prostate Cancer is killing more men than breast cancer in the UK, according to latest 2018 figures published in February. Women have screening for breast cancer and this is one reason why mortality rates for prostate cancer are now higher than breast cancer – there is no national screening programme for prostate cancer and research into prostate cancer lags about 20 years behind that for breast cancer.
What is the prostate? Basically it is a gland about the size and shape of a walnut, sitting underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra. It’s main job is to help make semen.
Unfortunately it is often symptomless at first – in later stages it can cause pain, difficulty in urination, sexual intercourse problems & erectile dysfunction. The cancer cells can spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes.
The average age for men to be diagnosed is between 65 & 69. Men under 50 can get it, but it isn’t that common. Risk factors include: being male; aged over 50; having a father/brother who has had prostate cancer; having a mother/sister who has had breast cancer; if you are black – 1 in 4 black men are at risk, although the reasons why has not been discovered as yet but it may be connected to genes.
Prostate Cancer UK is the UK national charity looking to spread awareness about this cancer and this year my husband Adam is doing bike rides on behalf of Prostate Cancer UK, trying to raise money and awareness. I interviewed Adam to find out more…
Adam, on June 23rd 2018 you are taking part in cycling the first stage of the Tour De France , on behalf of Prostate Cancer UK. What made you decide to take part?
I’m a man of a certain age and Prostate Cancer worries me. If I can do something to help those who are suffering or will be suffering in the future by pursuing a hobby I enjoy, then I’m more than willing to take part. I’m an avid Tour de France fan and having the opportunity to ride a stage of the Tour de France which my cycling heroes will be racing a week later, is a worthwhile challenge and a chance to make a bit of a difference.
Also on behalf of Prostate Cancer UK, you are riding in the Prudential London Ride 100, at the end of July, which you have ridden before. What are the toughest parts of the course?
Leith Hill. Absolutely Leith Hill. It is a very narrow and steep section of the road and it gets congested with people walking and pushing their bikes instead of riding, so it does become a challenge to maintain enough momentum to stay upright.
How are you preparing for the rides?
By riding lots. It’s all about hours in the saddle and the miles. Training up to 75% of both distances up to the events and lowering the mileage a week before.
Have you got other rides on your bucket list for the future?
If I tell you that you won’t let me go! LOL! I quite fancy the Granfondo Campagnolo Roma ….darling! 😉 Maybe one day a mountain stage of the Tour de France rather than a flat stage, but I would need to lose a few pounds first!
What do you enjoy most about cycling?
I enjoy the exercise, my cycling companions, the noticeable fitness improvements, sense of achievement after finishing long rides, being outside & enjoying the environment. I don’t enjoy busy roads and close passes.
Personal now – what clothes and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
Besides tight figure hugging Lycra …. cargo shorts, t shirts and trainers. However, I do wear a 3 piece suit and Jeffrey West boots on occasions!
Favourite Shops/Online Sites:
Wiggle (online); Cycle Evolution, a local bike shop in Colchester.
Boots or Shoes?
Trainers generally; flip flops in the summer; boots when I’m poshing up!
If you enjoyed “Sex In The City” and “Bridget Jones’ Diary”, then you’ll definitely will enjoy “Dating Daisy” by author-doctor-blogger-book reviewer- agony aunt columnist Daisy Mae. I caught up with the bubbly Daisy to find out more about her chick-lit novel, her writing, her doctoring, and her love of dancing! Hiya Daisy!
Boo! – now that I have your attention! – I’m Daisy Mae, doctor, author and writer. In fact Daisy Mae is my pen name. I have kept my real doctor’s name a secret to help maintain patient confidentiality etc… I’ve been a Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare specialist for far too many years! – prior to this I was a GP. My special interest is Menopause (take a look at my Dr Daisy Blog at www.menopausematters.co.uk).
What was the inspiration behind your novel “Dating Daisy”?
I started writing my first novel “Dating Daisy” in 2014, and it took 3 years to finish. Although it’s a fiction book, it’s based on my own internet dating experiences. Most people say they read and laugh at the internet dating scenarios, and then laugh again at my tales of working as a doctor in a sexual health clinic. That’s so good – as I love to laugh – don’t you? I didchange all the details in my book – names, times, places etc… and embroidered the story of course – so the only person who knows the real truth– is me! So it’s a humorous fiction book, but with a difference!There are emails, jokes, limericks, poems and even a recipe for love! Don’t miss dating Daisys’ Kissing Tips and Anti-snoring Tips! One of my reviewers wrote “YOU COULD DIE LAUGHING READING THIS BOOK!” yes – in capital letters! Thank you Mahiraj! https://www.datingdaisy.net/mahirajjajedareviewofdatingdaisy
In fact, there are numerous “Dating Daisy” book reviews on my website –https://www.datingdaisy.net/chicklitreviewsofdatingdaisy “Dating Daisy,” has been described as a cross between Bridget Jones’ Diary and Sex in the City, for example!
Congratulations on being self-published – how does it feel to get control over your book sales, etc? What was your main highlight and what proved most frustrating?
In 2014, aged 52, I found myself divorced after a 27 year marriage. Both my parents also died quite suddenly around the same time. It was a very low point in my life. We had been a close, and I thought happy family. Suddenly all my hopes, dreams and memories were shattered. I was completely devastated. However … being me, I managed somehow to pick up the pieces. Life is very much for the living. There are no dress rehearsals. I was already 52. I decided to turn my life around –took the plunge and started internet dating. I hadn’t had to think about dating for nearly three decades. I wasn’t confident even about how to use the computer! Things like writing a profile and uploading a photo seemed monumentally difficult. I had to get over the embarrassment of people seeing me on a dating site! Grim! – But the things that then happened to me wereso unique and so funny, I felt I had to write them down! So “Dating Daisy” was created – a diary of my life events at the time.
I chose to pay for a publishing deal. This is because aged 52, I did not have time to sit around and wait for the inevitable rejections which all authors have. I wanted to be a writer, and I needed to see my work in print, and fast. I also knew nothing about the publishing industry. This seemed the quickest and most straight forward way to seeing my book for sale in a book shop. I never sent my book to any traditional publishers so I have no idea whether it would have been published or not. I do dislike the snobbery about authors and publishing and I wish other writers would realise that “vanity” publishing is not always a last resort – it may be a very positive choice. I am now however publishing by myself on Amazon KDP and I have parted from my original publishers. I had been pleased, especially with the publicity they organised for me. However eventually, I wanted to be in control of my book sales, advertising, book promotions etc... Publishing by myself gives me so much more choice and flexibility.
“Dating Daisy” has been described as a cross between “Sex In The City” & “Bridget Jones’s Diary” – about a middle age woman who starts online dating who also happens to be a doctor in a sexual health clinic. Being a regular blogger yourself on Huffington Post & on your own blog, writing articles about internet dating & sexual healthcare interspersed with book reviews – did you find writing your novel harder or easier than you expected compared to your serious factual articles?
“Dating Daisy” flew out of my head and onto the paper! It was easy and in fact I became addicted to writing and couldn’t stop! I made myself laugh all the time. And when something happened I couldn’t wait to get home and write it down! I used to tell my dates I was writing a book about internet dating and wait for the reaction! It was all quite hilarious at the time.
Writing as a blogger is more difficult than writing a novel, because you do still need a “voice,” but a different kind of voice. Even though you are imparting information, it’s not the same as a text book piece. It’s more of an opinion piece, but also it needs to be engaging and factually correct. I don’t feel I always get this right.
I also write web content for a medical online agency, and this is different again – I have to stand in the shoes of the person who has just clicked online, andwho may be worried or frightened. This means explaining medical conditions in everyday language. I try very hard to write empathetically. (Do contact me if I can help you as I am always looking for more web writing options.)
For each role, I have to wear a very different hat!
You are a NHS doctor working in the field of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, specialising in Women’s Health & the Menopause. Do you feel that writing factually about a condition or symptom in a novel helps spread awareness, eg sexual diseases & associated consequences?
I am passionate about sexual health, contraception and menopause. In “Dating Daisy,” as this has been my major interest for nearly 30 years!, I just couldn’t help myself write one whole chapter on contraception, and one whole chapter on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s). In a way, this may seem strange as this is a fiction book, but in it, there are two text book-ish chapters. However, as it’s my book, I decided that I could put in whatever I liked! This may be the first novel/text book cross breed! I rather hoped that anyone reading it, might decide to go and see their GP and make some good womens’ health choices. If they do, then I will have achieved something really worthwhile – through publishing a novel.
Growing up, did you always hope to have a career connected with writing or the medical field or were your dreams directed elsewhere?
My parents were huge believers in a good education, and they sent me toboarding school for seven years, just because they honestly thought this was best for me. I wasn’t so sure. However, I did well at school and got into medical school. As a young person, I always thought that I wanted to be a doctor. However, languages were naturally my strongest subjects and I was sorely tempted by English, French and possibly journalism. I do have regrets as medicine is not the sort of career most people might imagine it to be. Now, I am lucky to be able to combine both medicine and writing.
Apart from your medical articles , you also write a lot of book reviews. Where do you prefer to read – in bed, in a comfy chair, in a library surrounded by books or elsewhere? Do you prefer hardback, paperback or kindle? Favourite genre?
Reading is a fantastic pastime. I marvel at other writer’s creativity and powers of expression. I love to read, and my favourite novels are always the humorous ones! I have just read “A Man called Ove,” by Fredrik Backman, and it was hilarious. https://www.datingdaisy.net/bookreviewamancalledove
One of my other most favourite genres are psychological thrillers – for example by author Barbara Vine. I have read all her books and adore them. It’s the chilling feeling in the spine that I love as something happens in the plot that’s often quite macabre. You will hear me say time and time again, that I just love a good story well told, and some of all time favourites are “The Book Thief,” by Marcus Zusak, “A Thousand Splendid Sons,” by Khaled Husseini, and “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett. If you don’t read these books, you will be hugely missing out. They are incredible. I enjoy doing Daisys’ Book Reviews on my website. I run “The Fabuloous Book Club” with 7 girl friends, and then post reviews on my site. Its super fun. I do review other books as well.
Have you seen one of my latest book reviews – it’s about the new best seller – “Little Miss Shy Goes Internet Dating,” by Roger Hargreaves!! Do read it, both the book and my review! Hilarious!
Hmm … I do prefer to hold a real book in my hands, however, I am so busy now reading and reviewing, I use the kindle on my phone. This means I can read while I am queuing in the supermarket or on the train for example – I don’t need to waste a minute! I usually read before bed time. I also listen to audiobooks while out walking. I love this! Audiobooks are such a great invention for busy people. I can’t recommend this highly enough. I do save books up to take on holiday and adore my holiday reading. I have a stash by my bed, one of which is the new Ken Follett, “A Column of Fire.” I will be reading this on my cruise to St Petersburg!
Where can people purchase “Dating Daisy”? Is there worldwide availability?
My novel “Dating Daisy,” is now only for sale on Amazon, as an ebook, paperback and an audiobook. It is on Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.com. The iBook is in process.
When you are not reading, writing or working, I hear you are a bit of a dance fan! I love watching the Argentine Tango on Strictly Come Dancing. What types of dancing do you enjoy?
Dancing is absolutely my most favourite pastime in the world! I used to dance with Voldemort – my ex-husband– but when we split up, I lost my dance partner and didn’t dance for a few years. When I met Edward, we started together again from the beginning – as he had never danced a step! It has given us such incredible fun and joy to dance together. We have done all our medals: social dance, bronze, silver and gold and now we are doing gold bar one –in Ballroom and Latin. Our favourite dances are Foxtrot and Quickstep, although Edward is mad on Argentine Tango. I also love sequence dancing. I have written about dancing in Dating Daisy and in my new book, “Daisys’ Love Secrets” – due for publication any day soon. My poem “Learning to Dance,” has caused a lot of laughs at the dance school. – Yes, it’s in my new book!
We dance regularly, being part of a dance school (DM Dance Centre).We have made fabulous friends through dancing, and not only have group nights and private lessons, but we go to dinner dances, on dance holidays and to watch dance competitions. It’s given us so much to do together. Our highlight was doing the Viennese Waltz at The Johann Strauss Viennese Ball in Vienna in 2016! Next on the agenda is an Argentine Tango in Buenos Aires! … watch this space. I always do what I set out to do!… and I’m looking!
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
Fashion is an issue for all women. You can’t get away from it. I suppose I have my own style?! – On an average day working from home I will be in jeans or leggings and a T shirt/round necked top – usually I like bright colours like fuschia pink or red. Over the top I wear a variety of comfy sloppy jumpers. In the winter I usually wear slouchy boots – black or grey suede. I prefer plain colours to floral prints. I often stick my hair up to get it our of the way. I like to think I have vaguely Goldie Hawn sort of look – but probably not! However, I love getting dressed up for a black tie event or a Ball. I have some beautiful long dance dresses and a fabulous array of sparkly dance shoes. Edward and I always try to be colour coordinated! I love the fact that I am now 56, and have a lovely lifestyle with lots of champagne type events – at a time when I might have been having cocoa and slippers!
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
I am quite a traditional shopper. With clothes I do always prefer to try them on and rarely buy clothes on line. I tend to go to John Lewis if I’m looking for something special. It’s hard to find nice dance dresses and I have a tailoress who I go to who will adjust the length for me in my dance shoes. My favourite dress is a full length, evening dress in bright red, satin from Damsel in a Dress. I have a favourite Cha Cha Cha dress that actually I bought having hired it first, in a fancy dress shop! I have a beautiful Hobbs, long black dress, with nude, embroidered back panel, and it’s gorgeous. There is a taffeta underskirt so the skirt swirls out when you are walking or dancing. I adore it.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe/accessory wish list?
We are off on a cruise for our summer holiday to St Petersburg – Yikes! – so I will be getting busy soon compiling a cruise wardrobe. This is exciting as there several black tie formal nights at sea, and it a great excuse for a few, new long dresses! I love putting together the colours and the bling! On a cruise ship – the more bling the better! Of course it’s also important to have nice day wear and sightseeing clothes etc… so I will be looking for thin, light weight summer tops and shorts/dresses. I always love bright colours. You can usually see me coming! Then in September we are going on our dance school holiday to Portugal – so another week of dance clothes will be required …. so much shopping … so little time! Accessories are more difficult. I love earrings and bracelets, but for some reason I find necklaces difficult. I like my neck bare. Rubies are my favourite jewels, and Edward bought me a beautiful ruby ring last year. I don’t know if nails and hair are accessories but I regard them as such! I always have my nails done – acrylics and shellac. For women, beautiful hands are essential. I have had hair extensions for the past two years, and loved them, but I recently had to have them out for a while to give my scalp a rest. Actually they were really good for my own hair and helped the condition of my hair enormously. Instead I have a clip in pony tail which is great fun. My friends and I have started a habit of giving scarves to each other for birthdays, so I now have quite a collection, all bright colours of course! I love snoods, for the winter. And fake-fur wraps for my ball dresses.
Boots Or Shoes?
Shoes can make or break an outfit and are actually very important. I am tall – 5ft9, but so is Edward, so when we are together I can still wear heels, and often do, as I’m often wearing wearing dance shoes. Putting on a beautiful shoe does something to your insides doesn’t it? It’s a Cinderella feeling! However, I am sensible! If we have a day out for example in London, I will be in my flatties! I like to wear close fitting straight trousers, sometimes with a stirrup and little flat suede shoes in a contrasting colour. I have two pairs of suede boots that are old friends! I only wear them however with trousers, never with skirts or dresses. I’m very fussy about shoes – they have to be comfortable, fashionable enough not to be square, but not outlandish – I don’t like wedges, trainers or anything clumpy. I like shoes in plain colours – my favourite pair for going in at present, are bright red! Yes – I do try to match the handbag don’t worry!
Oh Daisy, I have so enjoyed having you on my blog – it was such fun to have a giggle with you! I love your book Dating Daisy – and I’m sure a lot of my blog readers will enjoy it too!
Linda x
All photographs have been published with kind permission of Daisy Mae.
Ever since I have considered putting my house up for sale and downsizing, I have begun to fully realise the need to declutter and keep things tidy – both in the house and garage – so when I came across Gearhooks and their tagline: Make Space. Save Time. Do More. – I was more than intrigued. Born out of a need to store mountain bikes, founder Luis devised a brand new storage system designed to tidy up clutter, keep gear safe, tidy, clean and dry in the minimum amount of space. I caught up with Luis to find out more…
Hi! My name is Luis Prtak. My dad is Austrian but I think the name is Czech. I studied Engineering at Leeds Polytechnic back in the ‘80s (when there still were Polytechnics) and since then have been a Production Engineer, Salesman, Sales Director, Commercial Director, started my own business, sold it, been a house husband (happy days), volunteer with SCOPE, Teaching Assistant, mainstream primary and secondary school teacher and currently a part time SEN teacher in a children’s home whilst getting GearHooks off the ground. Oh and I’ve also helped my wife, Fran, bring up Nick and Emily (Engineer and Archaeologist). The best bit was being a Dad and I’d do it all over again at the drop of hat. Fran won’t!
What inspired the setting up of Gearhooks?
Compulsive tidiness! All 4 of us go mountain biking and Nick does downhill racing too. We also like to ski, I play a bit of golf and I keep buying guitars to see if one will improve my playing. None of them have,by the way. It was the bikes that started GearHooks. Whenever I bought a new bike I couldn’t bring myself to part with the old one. Over the years, I had bought separate hooks to get them off the garage floor and got sick of drilling holes and moving them to accommodate new bikes. I bought a load of steel channels, threaded bar and bits and pieces to make a system where I could move the hooks around without drilling more holes. Friends saw it, liked it and asked me if I could make them one. After a couple of years of designing, 3D modelling, CAD drawings and prototypes we ended up with the bikes racks. It wasn’t long before I realised that I could use the same system, with a few special hooks, to store our skis, golf bags and guitars too.
What are the advantages of the Gearhooks?
Well, it keeps all my gear in one place so I know where it is. It’s off the floor where it’s clean and dry and I’m not falling over it all the time. It uses wall space which is otherwise not used. It makes it all look really smart, especially the guitars and it makes me feel calm.
Building shelf modules is the non glamorous part of my job as a retail merchandiser – and, I find, it is hassle most of the time – so, how easy is it to install Gearhooks?
You need some really basic DIY skills. One of the main things about the system is that you only ever need to drill 3 holes to fit the rail. Once that’s on the wall you can add more hooks, move them around with just an Allen key – the kind of thing you put IKEA furniture together with.
You have a variety of storage systems to store bikes, golfing gear, skis, snowboards, fishing gear, musical instruments … have you got other plans in the pipeline?
Yes. Most of them are all designed and ready to go. I just need to find the stuff to put on the hooks and take some photos for the web site. There are hooks and racks for gardening tools, DIY tools, tennis rackets and other sports gear, archery and target sports, water sports like diving and snorkelling, water skiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, canoeing and kayaking. The list goes on.
My favourite is the gardening gear rack. There are a few around but none like ours. Most other racks hang everything next to each other, one item deep on the wall. Before you know it the wall is full. I know that I have at least 3 shovels, one of which I use all the time and a couple as spares for family or friends to use when they come to help. Ha ha! Anyway, with the GearHooks, each hook will hold 4 or 5 implements. That could be a hook for shovels or you could have a shovel, spade, fork, edger and so on all on the same hook. They are strong enough to hold sledge hammers, axes, chain saws and leaf blowers as well. If the rail is mounted high on the wall, you can store several rakes and brooms on a hook too. On a 1M long rail you could get up to 8 hooks and adjust them up and down to avoid everything clashing. That would mean around 40 different things in just 1M of wall space.
I love the photo of a row of guitars being stored via Gearhooks. Have you come across any unusual uses for your Gearhooks or any strange requests?
No but I’m hoping we do. I’m sure people must work in jobs where stuff needs to be stored so it’s out of the way but easy to get to. Maybe there are applications in hospitals or factories. We can design and make any type of hook to hold just about anything. Maybe we should run a competition and give away a rack to the winner?
Although you are based in North Wales, are your Gearhooks available worldwide?
We’ve already shipped to the Netherlands and can ship to anywhere in Europe including Greece, Romania and Serbia! No problem. We use DPD for next day delivery in the UK and its 2 or 3 days to most other places.
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
I’m lucky. I’m 6’ and slim (even though I’m a pie and beer monster) but I’m no fashionista. My son Nick is though, but he lives in Liverpool so there are a few more trendy shops around. Bear in mind this is North Wales. You’ll usually find me in scruffs for chopping logs or chasing sheep out of the garden or in Goretex biking gear.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
I hate shopping in person. It just takes too long picking things up and trying them on. Half way through a shopping spree I feel guilty and worry that the grass needs cutting. I tend to buy most of my clothes on line. The problem is I send most of it back so I might need to re-think my strategy.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
I’d really like to relax enough to go to a personal shopper and get them to choose things that I wouldn’t. I love tapered jeans and slim fit shirts. I’d really like a sharp black, wool suit but know I’d never get to wear it.
Boots or Shoes?
I wear leather boots most of the time because I think narrow trousers sit better on a nice pair of boots. I’ve got a lovely pair of Loake shoes that look great but are a bit tight (I bought them on-line).
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers of the blog can learn more about Gearhooks.
We have a fairly new Twitter and Facebook pages but its best to look at GearHooks.com to see the full range.
Thanks Luis .. such a great solution to keeping the garage/storage area uncluttered!
Talking of bikes … my husband is riding the first stage of the Tour de France in Western France at the end of June in aid of Prostate Cancer – for info of the route, the story, the video, the charity – please check out the website: http://adamhobden.com
Linda x
All photographs have been published with kind permission of Gearhooks.
So what has dance and pharmacy got in common? Well, my interview guest this week, Professor Arun Nadarasa, has an aim to close the gap between the health and well being component of patient care enhancing the use of social prescriptions. The Professor has written a book “Pharmacy Movement”, with the message that medication is not always the answer to every disease. Where does the “Krumping” come into it? Well, this professor also happens to be a Krump Performance coach too…. Hi Arun!
Hi! My name is Arun and I am a pharmacist by trade where I started working since February 2013. I did my degree at the University of Bath from 2006 till 2011. My passion is Krump dance which I started in April 2008. I was born in France and I moved to UK in 2002 with my parents and my two younger sisters. My ethnicity is Srilankan Tamil.
What inspired you to write your book “Pharmacy Movement”?
The inspiration started when I came across the NHS Five Year Forward View at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Annual Conference in September 2016. The speaker talked about bridging the gap between health and wellbeing. This then made me reflect on Pharmacy being Health and Dance being Wellbeing. I was then trying to come up with a cool name for the combination of both like Dance Pharmacist, Creative Pharmacist but Movement Pharmacist stuck with me since movement is the basis of dance.
What is Social and Digital Prescribing?
Social Prescribing involve recommending non-medicinal activities (like dance, music & singing) to patients to improve their social connectedness since social isolation is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Even a Minister of Loneliness was appointed in UK to tackle this national problem. In contrast, digital prescribing involve recommending mobile apps to patients leveraging their daily usage for empowerment of their habits and mindset. For instance, Headspace is great to learn meditation and others include the number of calories consumed daily as well as quality of sleep.
Although you studied Pharmacy at the University of Bath & you are a community pharmacist; dance features quite heavily in your life, especially Krump dance. Now, I must admit I had to google “Krumping” … can you explain what Krump dance is?
Krump is a street dance which combing both ballet and boxing. It was created in 2001 by Tight Eyez and Big Mijo in Los Angeles as an outlet to express their frustrations and escape gang culture. It stands for Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise as it was commonly used as a praise dance in churches. It is now present in 95 countries and European Buck Session (EBS) is the World Championship of Krump Dance held in Germany annually since 2008.
What attracted you to “krumping”?
The energy it gave off. I started Judo at the age of 7 and I gained my black belt at the age of 18 under the mentoring of Basil Dawkins from Moberly Judo Club in London. Since I have loose ligaments, I kept getting knee injuries whilst at University as I was training with the judo team there. It was the same of Breaking (also referred as Breakdancing) which I started in 2006, since it focus heavily on legs, I was getting injured frequently whereas Krump is predominantly upper body based so I made the complete switch in December 2009.
What are the benefits of “krumping”? Could the same results be applied to other forms of dance?
It is very therapeutic since it requires lots of stamina and grit, your body become toned very quickly and improve your stamina considerably. It is also useful in releasing not useful emotions through dance which lead me to set up a charity called “Krump Save Lives”. Yes, dance is recognised to have rejuvenating properties and increase longevity for practitioners along with music and smiling.
You spent 16 months, invested over £10,000 and interviewed 24 world experts on getting your unique book out there – are you pleased with how the book, Pharmacy Movement” turned out? Was being an author harder than you expected? Would you consider writing more books?
Yes definitely, the UK Prime Minister has a signed copy of my book and the Queen of England acknowledged my book. It also lead me to give a speech in Paris about the benefits of Social Prescribing within the medical sector. It was definitely a learning curve, the beginning was the hardest for sure but thanks to my family and friends’ encouragement, I kept going. Yes, I have 6 more books planned within the Krump industry.
Is Krump Dance therapy suitable for everybody?
Yes, Krump dance is universal, as long the dancer don’t have a medical contra-indication like osteoporosis or a heart condition, then it’s fine. I did my first Krump dance class with Parkinson patients back in June 2017 which was an amazing experience. Children as young as 2 years old can start Krumping. The oldest Krumper in the world is Old Skool in USA who is over 70 years old.
Although you are based in the UK, is your book available to purchase overseas?
Yes, it is available on Amazon as a hard copy as well as a Kindle edition.
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
When it comes to Krump, I like wearing Jordans which is common within the Krump culture. Krumpers tends to wear black t-shirts which can have Krump designs and normally I wear black jeans. For professional networking events, I normally wear either my blue, red or black suits to maintain my brand.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
I normally buy directly from the Krump Clothes designers when I travel to support the Krump economy. I am a massive fan of Starbucks as it boosts my creativity on what I can do for the Krump and pharmacy sector. Amazon is another website I normally use to buy personal development books.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
I would love to wear smart clothes, those which can measure your heart rate and related health metrics. For shoe, I envision that there will be a dedicated Krump brand for shoes which will elevate the Krump economy by fellow entrepreneurs.
Boots or Shoes?
Shoes since it is easier to dance with them especially when it comes to Krump footwork which can be very fast so weight plays an important part. The sole needs to be thick enough to absorb the impact of the stomp. It needs a fine balance between the two.
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers of the blog can learn more about Pharmacy Movement & Krumping 🙂
You certainly kept me entertained Arun, although I’m not sure I can Krump, I can certainly appreciate how dance/movement in general can help maintain our health, especially as we get older.
Linda x
All photographs have been published with kind permission of Arun Nadarasa.
Video link from YouTube, as recommended by Arun Nadarasa
Coffee. For a lot of us, we can’t seem to function without a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Trying to go on a health kick, and struggling to forego that daily wake up routine? What if I told you that there’s a coffee available that is tasty AND contains our daily vitamin intake? Sounds good, doesn’t it? I thought so, so I caught up with Vitamin Coffee founder, Bryn Ray, to find out what is so special about his coffee….hi Bryn…
Hi! I’m Bryn Ray – fitness and coffee enthusiast, turned entrepreneur to blend those enthusiasms.
What was the inspiration behind the setting up of Vitamin Coffee?
A software designer by trade, when I worked in the city I found myself coming in rather groggy after some of the nights before. The old solution used to be a mug of coffee and a glass of some horrible effervescent fizz, so I thought there must be a way to blend the effect of both things. That’s where the Complete and Defence version of Vitamin Coffee were born, the Energy blend then followed when I started reading ingredients list of pre-workout drinks.
You currently offer 2 coffees – medium & dark with a choice of 3 vitamin blends (Medium, Energy, Defence). The coffees all contain the full daily requirement of 14 essential vitamins and minerals – so what is the difference between the blends on offer?
All three blends are based on the same set of vitamins. The Complete offers 100% of what you need of each per day. The defence is then hyper-dosed with extra vitamin C and D which has positive effect on the immune system. The energy is higher in B-vitamins which are particularly useful for people who are very active, it also has added caffeine (on top of the standard amount in the coffee).
Early days yet I know, but what coffee blends are proving most popular amongst your customers so far? Have you got a favourite blend?
Medium Defence seems to be the superstar, but it is winter. My personal favourite is the Dark Energy, I drink it before every workout.
Where do you source your coffee beans from?
The Medium blend sources from Asia and Africa – it’s a little unconventional, but it’s based on Monsoon Malabar beans that give it an incredibly smooth and creamy taste. The Dark blend is a brighter and fruiter pairing Central and South American single-origins with Ethiopian Mocha Djimmah beans for boldness.
Can the coffee be purchased as a one off or is the coffee available on a subscription basis only?
Coffee can be a one off or as a subscription at your chosen interval. The bags each contain 14 daily servings so with most customers being daily drinker a two week subscription is the standard.
As you are based in the UK, is your coffee available to customers abroad?
Currently we don’t ship abroad, but we’re actively looking into distributing around Europe.
Personal now- what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
Generally, i’m a monochromatic man. Black Levi 511, black leather Janoski and a long sleeve sweatshirt.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
Most of my tops come from Reiss, Cos or Arket. Recently started to use Farfetch online though which I like.
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
A new coat is next on the shopping list – all suggestions welcome.
Boots Or Shoes?
Boots – I think they give a cleaner line to a silhouette.
New coat, eh Bryn?… I think a black leather coat would look good especially as the styles of the 70s & 80s are trending at the moment. For a more classic look, a black wool pea coat always looks stylish and you can wear a suit under it although it equally looks good with those black Levi’s you favour 🙂 Thank you for introducing us to your coffee and it’s great to know that we can still have our coffee with the health kick included.
Linda x
All photographs have been published with kind permission from Bryn Ray/ Vitamin Coffee
Originally from Rochester, New York – now residing in San Jose, California – my guest this week is Carol Cassara whose business, A Healing Spirit, opened its doors in April 2017. A Healing Spirit provides loving support for healing of all kinds. Loving support including everything from products such as journals, tapes , through to hypnotherapy sessions, past life regressions and between life regressions. Her kind words have been appreciated and given comfort to many, including myself. She’s a healing spirit indeed … and I am honoured to welcome Carol onto the blog. Hi Carol!
Hi! I’m Carol. I’m a writer, a former corporate exec and consultant and a free spirit who goes through any door that opens. Or at least peeks in!
What inspired you to open your business, A Healing Spirit?
My closest friend battled cancer for 6 years. During one of her hospitalizations I put together a crude little box of affirmations. She loved them and told me outright I needed to make and market them. After she died, in her honor I developed two decks of beautiful affirmations and two supportive guided journals to help people who are battling disease and trying to heal and those who are grieving. She is with me every step of the way from the other side.
What are the main objectives & benefits of A Healing Spirit?
I provide products and services that lovingly support those who are healing. Many scientific studies show that we do better when we feed our mind positives and also when we express our feelings about our situation. For example, one study showed that breast cancer patients who wrote about their feelings about heir disease had about 35 % fewer symptoms and cancer-related doctor visits. Other studies on expressive writing had similar results. I based my products on that scientific research. But some people don’t like to write or don’t know how. That’s why each page of the journals has a prompt or an activity. Something to respond to or to do. And instead of writing, you can draw, collage, paint—whatever. One day I believe this kind of activity will be prescribed by doctors—maybe not in my lifetime, but in time, as more and more studies begin to show and understand the way the mind can help the body heal.
You are also a hypnotherapist – available via Skype or in person if you happen to live in the San Jose area. Could you describe a typical Skype hypnotherapist session? What could a customer expect?
Hypnotherapy can be an effective way to address anxiety, flight phobias, chronic pain, prep for surgery and even to support chemotherapy. There’s no magic about it—it’s simply a form of guided imagery and it helps us turn off our conscious mind so that we can communicate with our subconscious. The idea is to repattern thinking to support healing. Skype is very effective because hypnosis is all about following the hypnotherapist’s voice. With earbuds in, there is absolutely no way to not follow the voice. It can be even more effective than in person, actually. The client doesn’t even need to see me but I need to see them waist up to monitor their breathing and eye movement. Actually, I plan to be in London this summer and could see Londoners one on one! 😉
I love the pre recorded downloadable audio tapes available to give support to cancer patients as they endure chemotherapy; to help those in chronic pain to manage their pain; to give guided imagery to those suffering from grief; and even support for those suffering from anxiety or insomnia. What are the benefits of the audio treatment?
It’s similar to hypnotherapy, only not customized. Still quite helpful and effective. You can download on your device and listen any time. The chemo support audio is particularly good to use during any kind of treatment to help your mind support your body’s healing. It’s an extra step that those in treatment can do in addition to their chemo or radiation. A few months ago I worked with a hynptherapy client who was to have a painful surgery. He not only went into surgery anxiety-free but emerged pain-free! The doctor kept pushing opiods on him and he kept telling the doctor “But I have no pain.” The topper was that he healed so quickly that the doc released him from care early, saying he was healed already. The mind is powerful and hypnosis is an effective way to put it to work to support health and well being.
Tell me about your guided journals, “A Guided Journal For Healing” and “A Guided Journal through Grief”
Both of the guided journals like workbooks with writing prompts and activities—the Guided Journal for Healing is for those battling a big disease or condition. It helps them express their feelings about their disease in a private way and it also contains helpful activities, ideas and meditations. The Guided Journal through Grief is for those who have lost a loved one. It allows you to say the things you might not have said and to remember the beautiful things. Customers find them helpful and that reaffirms my commitment to supporting those who are healing from anything.
Out of all the services you offer on A Healing Spirit, what services are most popular?
The beautiful, thoughtful gift packages. I offer two sizes of supportive condolence gifts and two sizes of gifts for those who are healing. They’re beautiful, helpfull, different and affordable. I offer free US shipping and discount shipping to most other countries, including most in Europe. I’ve had positive feedback from customers who have given them as gifts—the recipients have had great things to say. I have some testimonials at the bottom of AHealingSpirit.org A close second is hypnotherapy, especially fear of flying, fibromyalgia pain/chronic pain and anxiety. I’d love to work with more chronic pain and chemo patients anywhere in the world— hypnotherapy can be a big help in supporting treatment.
You have worked in corporate businesses in the heart of Silicon Valley, as well as being trained in hypnotherapy and being a successful blogger/writer; but growing up though, did you inspire to follow your eventual career path or did you have other ambitions?
I really wanted to be a journalist! And that was my original college major. Then I wanted to teach college. I ended up on the corporate side but did freelance journalism and I have taught at the university and college level on and off since grad school. The best of all worlds.My career has been varied and interesting. Joan Rivers once said “I was smart enough to go through any door that opened” and I think I’ve done the same.
Although you are based in the USA, are your products & sessions available overseas?
Yes absolutely. Skype is perfect for hypnotherapy and I discount product shipping to many countries.
I know that you are a lover of travel & that you have been to many exotic locations around the world. Where has been your favourite location so far? Least favourite/ most disappointing? What place is number one on your current bucket list?
I loved Morocco and had a love/hate experience in India. I am definitely a Europhile and could live in London. I did spend a month living in Rome once. It was amazing. And my trip to Paris last year—maybe my sixth or seventh, I’ve lost count– was the best! I am always up for going somewhere new but the temptation is to go back to old favorites that I love. Australia and New Zealand are on my list for ’19.
Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?
That’s hilarious because I work at home 75% of the time. So leggings or jeans and a tunic top are my go to outfits. Sometimes, like now, I’m actually in my PJs. 😉 I love a calf length skirt and boots or leggings if I’m going out to speak.
Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?
None in particular but I do haunt your site all the time and admire the shoes and boots!
What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?
I would like a really cool duster, calf length. I don’t really have many wishes I haven’t been able to fulfill. My California life is so casual!
Boots or Shoes?
I adore boots. I just like how they look! But my feet have become more like bricks at this age so fit is always an issue.
Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers of the blog can learn more about you & A Healing Spirit.
My products and services can be found at AHealingSpirit.org and there I have a blog (see the BLOG tab up top), too, with interesting guest bloggers and supportive posts. Subscribers to my every-so-often newsletter get exclusive discounts and gifts –see the home page subscription button. I don’t believe in bombarding subscribers with emails—just every so often.
Also: I am happy to offer your readers a discount on any Skype hypnotherapy. Or past life regressions, which we haven’t talked about and can also be a healing modality. Anyone interested in learning more about any of it can mention your blog when they contact me if they want the discount: carol@ahealingspirit.org
Oh Carol, thank you so much for offering blog readers a discount! You’re so kind and I hope to catch up with you when you are in London. I really like the idea of keeping a journal or doing some artwork to aid healing or to help overcome grief. I know people who embark on “projects” to help in the grieving process …. dear readers, what would you pursue to help aid healing? Do share your thoughts!
Linda x
All photos have been published with kind permission of Carol Cassara, apart from the last photo (for Pinterest) which was taken by Linda Hobden.
If you feel inspired to participate in any sporting activity, it’s important to keep well hydrated, especially if you are: sweating away in a poorly ventilated gym; lobbing a shuttlecock over the net in a sports hall; cycling up and down the hills and country lanes; hiking in the wilderness; scoring goals on the football (soccer) pitch or netball/basketball hoops. In fact, keeping well hydrated daily is a must, even if you are not particularly active. Drinking water regularly as been shown to: increase energy, relieve tiredness, boost the body’s immune system, improves the skin, promotes weight loss (water has zero calories!), aids digestion, relieves cramps and headaches. Schools in the UK encourage children to take in a water bottle to use and sip throughout the day to help them keep alert and use those brain cells. Having 5 children and an active cycling mad husband, I have a drawer full of water bottles – not all are the same and when I was given by ION8 their water bottle to review, I was looking forward to seeing if the ION8 stands up to my family’s scrutiny!
My 12 year old son Jack was the perfect reviewer/critic. He has had 3 water bottles since the start of the school term. One was lost; one leaked badly due to the spout snapping off that he had to have a new rucksack; and one split. He takes a water bottle to school and refills it throughout the day; the water bottle has to endure a bus journey there and back; and Jack doesn’t treat his bag with kid gloves either. So, the ION8 has a lot to live up to! This is what Jack expected:
1. NEEDS TO BE REUSABLE & ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
Jack drinks a lot of water during the day – it is important for him to be well hydrated as he does suffer from migraines and water helps to alleviate the headaches. It is also cost effective according to Jack as it gives him more money by refilling his water bottle to buy another chocolate muffin! Refilling bottled water bottles isn’t a good idea as tiny cracks often appear in the bottle after its initial use and these cracks can harbour germs such as the dreaded norovirus. Reusable bottles have been designed for multiple usage. The ION8 is reusable, is bpa free and is made of non toxic Tritan – a material that is highly resistant to odours, can be easily cleaned & is dishwasher safe. 10/10
2. NEEDS TO BE STYLISH.
The ION8 is definitely stylish. The product was winner of the Reddot Design Award 2017. I wasn’t sure until the water bottle arrived, what colour I would receive. There are 14 different colours to choose from – I was hoping it wasn’t going to be pink as I have 4 boys and a daughter who doesn’t go a-bundle on pink – but as luck would have it, I received the black glossy onyx colour. This was the preferred choice. Jack approved. I think the colour was the main deciding factor for him. From my point of view the range of colours was a fabulous idea especially in families where each person can have their own water bottle identified by a different colour. Like packs of toothbrushes in assorted colours….. I’m sure you’ve got the drift 🙂 Only downside to the design that Jack mentioned was that opening and shutting the lid, the click was loud especially when he was taking a quick swig of water during his lesson and the classroom was relatively quiet. 9.5/10
3. NO LEAKS.
Having been through various water bottles that have leaked despite being upright for the majority of the time, this was a major consideration. Soggy schoolbooks are a no no. Soggy gym kit – not amusing. ION8 claim to be 100% leakproof 100% of the time. They also offer a lifetime guarantee. The lid lock offers that peace of mind as well as the inner seal (which can be replaced). Most water bottles have just the spout at the top which opens and closes – where most leakage occurs – so the lid is a pretty good idea. The ION8 has lasted 10 days with no leaking so far…. 10/10
ION8 comes with a tough carry strap, but I did not test the strap. Another difference is that the spout is at the side and not in the centre like most water bottles. Drinking out of the water bottle is like drinking out of a cup – you need only to tilt the bottle slightly.
The aperture on the ION8 spout is wide to allow a uninterrupted flow of water. Water bottles, including the ION8, do not have thermal properties, such as keeping a hot drink hot or a cold drink cold – but the ION8 is capable of holding cold beverages as low as -10C as well as hot beverages up to 96C.
The company mission is to produce the simplest and safest BPA free, spill free, leak proof water bottles, hydration products and drinking vessels. My son and I are very impressed with what we’ve seen so far. As far as water bottles go, the ION8 is the bees knees and we’ve been converted! 🙂
ION8 is available to buy via Amazon UK, Amazon USA, Amazon DE (Germany); Amazon ES (Spain); Amazon IT (Italy); Amazon FR (France).
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