I recently ran across this article about how best to care for your Triathlon Suit, which got me thinking about a post on how best to care for your H2O Audio cases and headphones:

Hey They’re Waterproof!  Give ‘Em a Rinse – Salt water and chlorine can be pretty caustic stuff, so just like your tri-suit, we always recommend that you give your H2O Audio case or headphones a rinse in fresh water after each use.  Even if you’re just using our headphones on a long run, you’ll still want to give them a rinse when you’re through with your workout, since sweat contains trace elements of salt that can cause buildup over time.

Keep It Shady – All of our products contain different types of plastics and silicone, and while we love taking our Amphibx and Surge Headphones surfing on a sunny day, you’d probably want to think twice before storing your armband on the dashboard of your car.  Excess heat and UV rays can damage plastics and make them age faster than necessary, so when you’re not using your gear, find a nice cool, shady place to stash it.

Keep It Clean – I think it goes without saying that the seal is the most important part of your H2O Audio case or armband.  Making sure the seal is clean, free of cracks, sand, debris or dust bunnies will ensure that you can keep swimming lap after lap while jammin’ to your tunes.

Know Your Gear – Lastly, if you love taking your music with you wherever you go, then get up close and personal with your H2O Audio gear.  Take note of any signs of wear, and especially tear, and if any thing looks suspicious, check it out.  Don’t be afraid to fill up your sink and do an at home leak test (without your MP3 player inside) if you think your gear may have been compromised in any way.  And, if you find that something has gone awry, let us know.  We stand behind our products and would be happy to help you out.

Follow these guidelines and you and your H2O Audio should have many happy workouts together!

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching we start thinking about our lives and the people we love. Sometimes all the duties of life can make it difficult to find the time to exercise. We have to work hard to carve out time each week to get in the pool, head to the gym, or get out and run. There is a significant amount of data showing how exercise will help control ailments, lower cholesterol, and fight heart disease.

One thing that is often overlooked is the positive effects not just on your body, but your mind.  Working out not only makes you feel better on the outside, it makes you better on the inside.

Exercising regularly will strengthen your heart muscles which results in your heart becoming more efficient.  As it becomes more efficient it will improve blood flow and handle stress better.  So for this Valentine’s Day, why not give someone you love something that will help them stay motivated and actually excited about exercising?  With H2O Audio’s waterproof gear they can take their own soundtrack with them wherever they go!

View specially priced bundles for the athlete in your life.

Jamie O'Brien, 2010 Volcom Pipeline Pro Winner

Happy Friday everyone, here’s the highlights from this week in watersports:

Surfing: The Volcom Pipeline Pro wrapped up in Hawaii this week, with Jamie O’Brien emerging as the winner.   Beautiful weather and solid swell made for some great pictures and video from this event.  Also, it was announced this week that Peru will host the 2010 ISA World Surfing Games.  Over 200 surfers from more than 30 countries will travel to the beaches of Peru in late October for the event.

Triathlon: Five people will be inducted into the Triathlon Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Colorado Springs Colorado next week.  The inductees include both athletes and contributors to the sport who will be honored for embracing the multi-sport lifestyle and their accomplishments over the years.

Stand Up Paddle: The first event in the 2010 Stand Up Paddle World Tour kicks off tomorrow with the Sunset Beach Pro.  Including both adult and youth competitions, the event will run through February 14th.

Kiteboarding: Registration for the 2010 North American Kiteboard Course Racing Championships opened this week.  The event will take place in Mexico starting February 27th and offers a $20,000 prize for first place.

Training to swim, bike and run around the world

A few weeks ago we posted a story about a kayaker who is in the midst of circumnavigating the globe, solely by human power.  In another test of extreme endurance, a British teacher named Dan Martin will be embarking on a global triathlon in May.  He aims to swim the Atlantic Ocean, cycle across Europe and run through Canada all in the span of 18 months.

Unrelated, but also incredible, is this video of a surfer who almost collides with a photographers helicopter while surfing huge waves in Hawaii.

It may be the first week of February, but we’re still in the depths of winter and that means your usual workout routine may be hindered by wind, rain and feet of snow.   But, with a little creativity you can keep your training on track.

Instead of viewing the winter months as a set back, you can use your gym time to return to outdoor training and competing  even stronger than before.  For example, check out these top indoor workouts to improve your cycling.

How about an indoor Triathlon?  This Chicago athlete found that there are some advantages to taking the tri inside and found that the event can even be fun.

Speaking of indoor triathlon, if you’re going to be spending more time in the pool and less time in the ocean or lake, it’s probably a good idea to review lap swim etiquette.

So eventhough that pesky groundhog saw his shadow and declared six more weeks of winter, that’s just a few more weeks you have to give these tips a try!