Friday Feature: Gearing Up with Winter Wearables
As Forbes.com reports, one in six Americans currently owns a wearable item, with over $2 billion spent just last year on wearables. An article on Nasdaq.com reports that worldwide, up to 85 million units of wearables were shipped last year, and that number is expected to grow to almost 102 million by the end of this year. Chances are, you or someone you know is wearing a smart something right now — watch, hat, shoes, accessories of some kind, you name it.
With our passage into November, it’s getting cooler outside by the week. Depending on where you live, winter may mean a sunny day in the mid-50s or a horribly biting day right around zero. Whether you're preparing for cool weather or a downright freeze, it's probably time to start thinking about winter wearables to stay warm — and connected — in the months ahead.
Hats
For those brisk jogs, bike rides, or even occasional walks to the grocery store, a Bluetooth® hat is handy to have in your closet. After all, our ears are typically the first things to get cold outside, and it’s often just too cumbersome to deal with earbuds or headphones underneath a hat or headband. Instead, bring the technology into your hat and let Bluetooth take care of the rest.
We love BE headwear’s Diver Down Beanie for its classic casual look and rib-knit construction that breathes easily. To keep your ears warm while not getting complete hat hair, BEM’s Bluetooth Headband is an excellent option. It’s sweat and water resistant, so you can still listen to your jams and keep your ears toasty while you get your workout on during those cool evenings.
Gloves
If it isn’t your ears that get the chill outdoors, it is almost certainly your hands! When you’re in and out of gloves trying to juggle music on your iPod®, or worse yet, make and take calls on your smartphone, it can be a downright catastrophe. Enter The North Face®’s Denali gloves. They’re not only made with ultra-warm fleece, but every single finger is touchscreen compatible. They’re perfect for errands around the neighborhood or even some nice early-season camping.
Speakers
If you aren’t in need of constant tunes during your workout sessions, or if you just want to stay connected to audio while getting things done around town, consider a speaker wristband. It's there when you need it (on your wrist) without taking up any extra space when you don’t (again, on your wrist). BEM’s Speaker Band (no longer available on their website) is a basic wristband with a Bluetooth speaker face. The speakerphone function is great for picking up impromptu phone calls out of the house when you don’t want to fuss with removing your hat, gloves or other winter gear.
All of these items are currently available in our awards collection, and we’re always eager to add more of the latest and greatest tech items to our portfolio and share them with you.