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FUNKY FOLDABLE FRESHNESS Reegs & Ronnie Running Cap | RRP R550 | reegsandronnie. com These locally designed caps aren’ t just for the cool kids, although you’ ll definitely feel like one out on the road. The five-panel design provides a snug fit for both smaller and bigger head shapes, with an easily adjustable strap for fine-tuning. Once tightened, the extra strap length tucks neatly into the inner seam rather than flapping loosely. Even when pulled to its tightest, we didn’ t see any extra fabric creasing. The brim is soft and pliable, too. We put it through its paces, packing it into hydration vests and flipping it up, and it retained its shape. Combined with its shorter length, it has a nice modern, contemporary look. It’ s light, made from a soft, non-bulky fabric rather than anything heavy that may retain heat. The inner sweatband works well and we didn’ t experience any itch or chafing. Reegs & Ronnie describe the fabric as a technical quick-dry material that wicks sweat and dries fast during intense road or trail runs, which lines up with what we found. They also build in UV protection. At R550, it’ s right in the middle of what the global sports brands charge locally for technical, five-panel builds.
If you want a bit more neck cover, they also do a funky-looking bucket hat in the same cool colourways. Some of their styles include dedicated mesh side panels for extra airflow, a feature not found on the running cap we tested.
AI ON YOUR WRIST, FOR YOUR HEART Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 | RRP R14 999 | samsung. com Samsung is a trusted technology brand in nearly every household. From bigscreen TVs to cutting-edge foldable cellphones and so much in between, these guys make cool-looking, reliable stuff that we use every day. Like other tech brands, they have created sports watches, but until now there hasn’ t been a big focus on health. However, over the past year AI has become a huge driver for the brand, leading to massive spin-offs, and the recently launched Galaxy Watch Ultra2 delivers a new era of health monitoring for Samsung.
The watch features the groundbreaking Snapdragon Wear Elite platform, a wearable processor that supports independent, on-device personal AI. This AI transforms complex biometric data into personalised, actionable guidance across the full spectrum of user health. A variety of features includes tracking sleep apnoea, vital stats, heart-health score, daily cardio load, fitness index, and even hearing protection. The trail run feature tracks detailed elevation, climbing progress and terrain impact so users can better pace themselves and reduce injury risk. It also provides real-time hydration guidance through nutrition alert, a new addition to the existing sweat-loss feature. By estimating sweat loss relative to body weight, it guides you on when and how much to hydrate.
It’ s got a great-looking slim 47mm profile, a bright sapphire-crystal AMOLED screen and a long-lasting battery housed in a shock-resistant titanium casing, and comes in a range of soft-touch and fabric wristbands to suit different users and occasions. It acts as a vigilant health companion, turning daily vital signs into proactive, actionable insights and providing timely alerts.
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26 | RUN FOR YOUR LIFE