Advantages: tones the bum&thigh area, fits easily under jeans
Disadvantages: small pads repeatedly curl and stick together

...Did you know there are several groups of muscles in your bum and thigh area that all contribute towards the way your legs are shaped and how you walk? Well no neither did I until I started using the Slendertone Bum and Thigh (BT) shorts. The day after using these shorts I could certainly feel where these muscles were located! I've only had these shorts a few days, but I bought these shorts as an accompaniment to the Flex Max belt, and as promised in my FM review, here are my first impressions of the BT shorts. For those who aren't aware of Slendertone or the EMS craze, then I will briefly bring you up to speed. EMS is Electric Muscle Stimulation and Slendertone provide a range of body toning garments that use EMS. EMS basically stimulates your muscles to contract and relax as they would during exercise, however, you don't have to put... Read review

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Advantages: Great quality, good price, excellent!
Disadvantages: Difficult to walk in

...Having not ridden a bike for just over 11 years, and, therefore being a 'born again' cyclist I nver realised the pain and agony that I would suffer. I have never been in to lycra. The skin tight look is very unflattering on me and there is no way that I can pull it off. I always thought that 'proper' cyclist clothing was just for show and served no real purpose. How wrong was I. My first ride out consisted of a 10 mile warm up. I went out in a normal pair of shorts and............... After the first 2 miles I was getting a numb rear. After 5 miles the chaffing set in, and after 7 miles I was in absolute agony. I could not sit down properly for 3 days and I was walking funny for 2. After this fiasco I went in to a local shop and decided to get some lycra shorts. I was told by the very helpful assistant that there were... Read review

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Advantages: Will enhance riding confort and performance by untold amounts
Disadvantages: Quite expensive at c.£50

...Being an increasingly keen participant in cross country mountain biking, I decided to kit myself out with the necessary clothing to ease the pain of those long rides. Not being one who is easily conned by clever marketing, and of course being a lifelong sceptic, it was out of character for me to follow recommendations to buy the Endura MT500 short. These may initially seem expensive at around £50, but believe me, for the money you will not be able to find any better. Long climbs become suddenly more comfortable, and you don't get the chafe around the seams as you would with cheaper shorts. The kevlar seams are fully flatlocked, giving the short superb flexibility, and removes the embarrassing worry of the short giving way when the going gets a bit rough (see gorse grass and bramble attacks!). Further durability is provided... Read review

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Advantages: warmth, safety, comfort
Disadvantages: price

...Cycling can be enormous fun, but it can be an absolute nightmare if the heavens open and you are 50 miles from home, in the pouring rain and the howling winds, with only your mountain bike and your own rapidly decreasing energy to get you back home. The driving rain (and how you wish you had a car to drive at moments like these) quickly soaks through your clothes, leaving you soaked to the skin, shortly after your shoes are reduced to a soggy mess of materials on your feet. Fearing hypothermia, you have no choice other than to continue across the desolate moors, hoping your fingers wont freeze to the handlebars. This happened to me, and the one thing I vowed after that experience, was next time I would be better prepared. It has cost me some money to buy the clothes I will mention, but believe me, they are a very... Read review

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Advantages: Nice lining and looked smart.
Disadvantages: Lining didn`t last long.

...Loveson are a brand that make riding boots and it is possible to buy long or short boots made by Loveson depending on the choice of the individual. The boots that I am reviewing today are long rubber boots. They were the first pair that I bought when I first got my horse. The boots that I bought were Loveson Grantham and they are leather look PVC. They had a red lining and removable inner sole. I thought they appeared good quality compared with a lot of the other long rubber riding boots. They were around £35 at the time which made them a bit more expensive than other rubber but the quality was much better. The boots come in normal width or wide as well as half sizes. When I first tried the boots on I was very impressed with the lining. It was a burgundy red colour, slightly padded with a removable inner sole making them... Read review

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Advantages: Quality of mayerials & manufacture. Pocket arrangements
Disadvantages: Shape design and cut. Cost.

...Wanted an all purpose touring short to replace my Beanbags which are destined for the dustbin. Polaris Nexus Touring Short: Tried to find local shops which stoke this item, but without luck. Therefore bought on-line. Pleasantly surprised by quality of material and manufacture. All going well until I tried them on. At six foot, I'm tall but not enormous. With a normal waist of 36" I obtained the XL size (37"). The waist would have been just right if it was at my waist. Fit is more like a pair of hipsters than cycling shorts. Needs a further 2" in body length. Given the XL tag, the seat was far too tight and the cut at the front (under the delicate bits) more so. I have a traditional dropped bar touring bilke with bars 2" below saddle, so tend to lean forward - after an hour, dowright uncomfortable. Does raise question... Read review

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Advantages: Great For Aerobic Work
Disadvantages: Misleading Adverts

...on there for only £24.99 with loads of extras that the TV shop wanted £99 for so I bought it and in two days the courier was on my doorstep delivering. After taking it out of the box and tossing the box aside for the cat's and babies to have fun with I set it up in front of the TV and stuck on MTV to have a go setting it on the hardest setting as I am quite Macho really deep down inside lo not that I must have looked very Macho bopping from side to side to some Take That track on the TV. I climbed on and started as instructed sliding from side to side as I was in my socks I kept slipping off of the steps so had to put my trainers on, just imagine not a pretty sight me in boxer shorts and trainers on a stepper in front of the TV. After about ten minutes I was finished I could not go on anymore and it made me relies just how unfit I had become... Read review

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Advantages: Waterproof, well constructed
Disadvantages: Bit stiff at first

...woman of the Fells and I should stop here and leave you with this impression. However, never being a woman who likes to mislead, I should perhaps add here that the reason I chose the blue boots over the brown is that they go well with denim. All walkers know you should never wear jeans for walking as they retain water and make you feel cold. I have to own up here that I am a fair weather walker. We only go walking when the weather looks good. If en route, we see cloud in the area we are heading for, we will often change direction and head for the sunnier spot. Who wants to walk in the rain? Not me. I don’t really like doing steep climbs either since there are nicer ways of making your heart race. Generally we do reasonably challenging walks that the kids can manage but that are away from the crowds. I also like to walk in a short skirt... Read review

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Advantages: easy to use, durable, info window
Disadvantages: no settings of levels, not enough to get a complete workout

...... Read review

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Advantages: Challenging but accessible course for mid handicappers
Disadvantages: Not hard enough for better players and not the best course in the area

...is available at just over half price. There are a range of memberships (supported by various promotions) available which carry the normal benefits you'd expect. Hole 1 - 320 Yds Par 4 A gentle opening to the round the first hole is a short par 4 that plays even shorter due to the fairway running downhill all the way to the green. There are sparse trees running the length of the left hand side and a group of trees on the right at about 200 yards. This is the first of the member's holes and regulars will be aiming just to the left of the group of trees and hoping for a good bounce and run towards the green. Large bunkers to the left and right of the green provide the protection against this approach. My score: 6; despite driving pin high two visits to the bunkers put paid to a good score. Hole 2 - 180 Yds Par 3 A long par 3 that plays even... Read review

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