Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 8, 1993 TAG: 9312030360
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LYNN SIMROSS LOS ANGELES TIMES
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
For youngsters who can't swim, or even those who can, Bami Floatems are the latest in flotation aids for 2- to 7-year-olds. And they're not clunky-looking like the old inflatable water wings.
The child's arms fit through armholes in the oblong floats, which rest on the shoulders. Floatems are made of the same hard foam used in many life vests, so they're difficult to puncture and don't deflate, and they are covered with neon pink or lime-green nylon so they are easy to see in the water. They won't slip off easily, because they have a strap at the back and an adjustable one that buckles over the chest.
Floatems retail for $12.99 to $14.99. If you can't find them in your area, call Bami Inc. at (800) 642-4526.
\ Serious sunbathers may want to check out the sun umbrellas and tents marketed by a Canadian company. The shelters are made of a new fabric that firm representatives say will block out harmful UVB (ultra violet B) and UVA2 rays, allowing penetration of UVA1 rays, ``the good part of the sun.''
Pro Cutis North America tested its products at five universities in Europe and Canada and sold them in Europe before putting them on the market in the United States. The new fabric was developed in Germany. Company representatives say the film allows up to 79 percent of the UVA1 rays to penetrate, meaning you can get a tan, but it takes longer than in direct sunlight. The fabric also will cool down the area under the tent or umbrella.
``We feel this new technology gives the sun back to the people,'' says Pro Cutis marketing director Sven Poulsen.
Pro Cutis umbrellas and tanning tents come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They're available in dark or light violet, blue, light green, brown, pink and clear. Umbrellas start at $89. A small tent is
$146.50. To order write Pro Cutis North America, 532 Lysander Drive Southeast, Calgary, Alberta T2C1L7, Canada or call (800) 461-2347.
\ Listen up, surfers. You'll want to check out Bully's Board Cords lightweight competition leash, out last month.
The Comp, as it is called, has a thinner cord than standard leashes. Swivels at each end help keep the cord from tangling. Weighing only about eight ounces, Bully's Comp also has a ``standoff'' strap which attaches around the ankle with polyester Velcro-like fasteners so you can't step onto the cord.
``It's a scale-down of the standard leash, only a lighter weight and a smaller cord,'' says Bully's production manager Chris Bishop. ``Pro guys don't use leashes at all, and most of the other surfers want them as lightweight as possible. We use polyester because it lasts longer than nylon in salt water.''
The 6-foot Comp retails for $16 to $20 Contact Bully's Board Cords, 3044 Industry St., Suite 106, Oceanside, Calif. 92054.
\ Say, skateboarders ... Unless you've been hiding in some cave, you've noticed that the boards, the trucks and especially the wheels are different these days.
We asked skateboarder and surfer Eric Zucker, owner of Ocean Gear in Manhattan Beach, Calif., to explain. ``The boards have a double kick [curve upward] now, front and back,'' he says. ``They used to have a kick tail and be flat in front. In the last year or so, the truck axles are lighter and let the wheels float. They're not pinched to the truck like they used to be.''
Skateboard wheels have been steadily shrinking for the past year or so, according to Zucker. The most popular size is the 40-millimeter polyurethane wheel, instead of the older 60 to 65 mm (23/4-3 inch) kind.
Zucker says the lower center of gravity with the smaller wheels make it a lot easier to perform some tricks. A set of four Z Products wheels retails for about $20 to $30 (bearings additional). If you can't find them in your area, contact Z Products, P. O. Box 5397, Santa Monica 90409.
\ If you're looking for a new skateboarding sensation, you might want to see Snakeboard. Instead of a board, the Snakeboard is a bar with pivoting foot plates, each with two polyurethane wheels.
To slither down a sidewalk or street, a rider must use a continuous toes-in, toes-out rotation with an upper-body twisting motion from right to left. It doesn't look easy, but designer James Fisher says a novice can be up and moving on the board in 20 minutes.
Fisher says he developed the Snakeboard to duplicate the sensation of downhill skiing, and finds that it also offers the motions of surfing, snowboarding, roller skating and skateboarding. Snakeboards come in three models: Pro Board, $149; Competition, $99; Junior Racer, $59. All are made of Zytel ST801, a strong, high-tech DuPont nylon.
Contact Snakeboard USA Inc., P.O. Box 14190, Palm Desert 92255; (800) 343-4005.N
by CNB