We’re not in Kansas any more! These sweet boots have sticky rubber outsoles that grip rocky terrain and insoles that offer comfort right from the get go. The leather upper provides incredible support around the ankle. If day hikes on rough trails are in your future, we find the Topeka to be a sure bet.

www.lowaboots.com MSRP $195.00

The Promenade is great for the hiking minimalist who wants the support of a good hiking boot without having to break them in. Perfect for shorter hikes or everyday wear the suede upper is breathable and ultra plush. The flexible rubber outsole is light yet provides ultimate traction on the trail. The GORE-TEX® lining is completely waterproof (Gore guarantees it) for comfort in muck, slush, and rain. Destination: outside!

AKU Promenade GTX women’s hiking boot: available through www.amazon.com MSRP $ 180.00

Get ready for trekking in style! We love the look of this resilient boot. The suede upper features two contrasting colors and the GORE-TEX® around the ankle and inner lining keep your foot cool. The laces thread through metal eyelets that can actually move as your foot bends and your toes are protected by a reinforced toe box. The Mustang is a great medium weight boot that will have you atop the summit in no time.

www.scarpa.com MSRP $175.00

I’ve been a big fan of electrolyte tablets since they first started appearing on the market. They aren’t messy, like mixes can be, they slip into your bag or pocket and stay dry and intact in their tube, and it’s easy to share with a friend when you’re on the road.

There aren’t too many companies out there making effervescent electrolyte replacement tablets and I was excited to try a new product called ZYM Catapult from a Chicago-based company, BE Innovations. They’ve had a tablet on the market called Endurance for a while now. Catapult is a little different - it delivers a nice dose of caffeine from guarana and a jolt of vitamins B12 and C. The B12 is supposed to prevent the caffeine jitters but it also keeps energy levels high (remember your grandma getting B12 shots?)

I took a tube of Catapult to the Northern Illinois MS150 this weekend to give it a try. We rode 100 miles the first day and I was a little concerned about bottle after bottle of caffeinated go-juice. It really can make you wired if you’re not a big caffeine drinker, along with making you look desperately for the next porta-potty, so I mixed it up, drinking a non-caffeinated drink every other bottle. But I shouldn’t have worried - I never felt too caffeinated during the day.

The results were great! I felt strong and fresh-legged most of the 100 miles we rode that first day, until we hit headwinds that made even our team leader struggle. I’ve found that electrolyte replacement can make a huge difference in how quickly you recover after exercise, so finishing off the ride with a final bottle of Catapult helped get me ready for the next day of riding (well, that, and a huge plate of pasta). I really appreciated the B12 boost - it’s good stuff.

ZYM Catapult comes in a nice berry flavor and it’s a bit sweeter than the other effervescent tablets I’ve tried. None of them have actual sugar - they are all basically calorie free, using sorbitol to sweeten. The sweetness helps mask the salty taste of the electrolytes, but it’s not cloyingly sweet like some premixed drinks are. Each tablet makes 16 to 20 ounces of drink, just perfect for most cycling water bottles.

One tip I’d pass on to you: sports nutrition has gotten more complicated as drinks, gels, bars, and chews get more refined to target specific needs. You need to pay attention to what and how much you are getting as you mix them all, so if your gel has lots of vitamins or sodium, make sure your drink has less. While I was trying out Catapult, I made sure I didn’t overdo my gel, which also has caffeine in it. Not all rides are as supported as the MS150, with porta-potties every 10 miles!

ZYM Catapult: $8 to $10 for a 10 tablet tube, depending on where you buy it. Check out gozym.com for a list of distributors and retailers.

I love this bag! It goes with me on the bike, off the bike, everywhere. It’s just the right size to fit into my bike panniers (rear bags) with my clothes or lunch inside and, when the top is rolled down, it keeps the wet out on rainy days. Groovy little recycled tire tubes surround the webbing handles where your hands grip, making it more comfy to carry a heavy load.

If a whole grocery sized bag is too much for your cycling needs, check out Pedro’s Ethic seat bag, made of the same HDPE recycled plastic. Both the market bag and the seat bag have a 10 year life span and are totally recyclable when they finally blow out. I’ve got to hand it to Pedro’s for their efforts to bring eco-friendly products to the world of cycling. Visit their website sometime and see what they’re up to!

Pedro’s Ethic Metro Market Bag, msrp $23 www.pedros.com