What's New

Stuffitts Shoe Savers, moisture and odor-fighting inserts; available at www.stuffitts.com; $24.95

The pitch: "Dry shoes eight times faster than air-drying alone, eradicating odor by absorbing moisture and creating an inhospitable environment for the source of shoe odor: bacteria."

The skinny: Soccer cleats worn by my teenage son tend to be wet and smelly. We've tried stuffing them with old newspapers in the past, hoping to soak away an odor I consider 10 times worse than a wet, dirty dog. These efforts didn't work, and the cleats took up residence on the front porch.

Stuffitts target the moisture problem head on. The wicking material and replaceable red cedar insert did a good job of drying, especially during an especially wet and muddy week of practice. This is good in this humid climate.

I remain on the fence about the odor. I'm fond of cedar; it reminds me of my grandmother's heirloom trunk. But mixed with wet leather and grass, it's a bit funky.

KT Tape, kinesiology tape for athletic injuries; available at Sports Authority and Dick's Sporting Goods; $12.99 for 8 to 10 application strips

The pitch: "It is the only kinesiology tape to come in convenient, easy-to-use precut strips specifically designed for athletes to apply themselves."

The skinny: Most of us first saw KT Tape plastered on Olympic volleyball player Kerri Walsh and wondered how it could be more helpful than an old school Ace band.

Unlike wraps, kinesiology isn't so much about stabilizing a pulled muscle as it is about relieving pain. The tape lifts and pulls skin at certain points, helping neural and sensory receptors nearest pain. Less pressure translates to the body's ability to move freely, despite injury.

A test to relieve shin splint pain worked. The tape felt taut, but the shin and foot pains I normally feel after a long run weren't sharp or distracting. I didn't feel like wrapping it up made me perform better as an athlete, but I wasn't in pain.

KT had to go an extra step with visual instructions to help amateur users. They help, as do precut strips that make stretching and placing the tape manageable. KT claims the tape can stay on for up to four days. But it's so sticky that applying it incorrectly can create a bunch of wasted tape. Don't expect to apply it and shift the tape later. Pull it off, and it's done.

Mary Shedden