Wouldn’t you know it? The things you look for in a tennis racket—control and power—play against each other. The two were locked up at deuce until Andre Agassi helped develop Head’s Flexpoint Radical OS. Dimples on this 10.4-ounce graphite frame at three and nine o’clock cause it to flex slightly, cupping the ball in the sweet spot for a fraction of a millisecond longer than rackets with less give. This micro-eternity lets you stay with the ball long enough to nail that dreamy line shot. But a wet noodle it’s not: A superstrong metal alloy infused in the graphite cuts down on energy absorption, helping you smash your volleys. Just don’t watch for the flex—that’s indiscernible. Eye on the ball, people!

Head Flexpoint Radical OS

Head Flexpoint Radical OS

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Psst, surfers… Guess what: Paddling out is easier with a paddle. Yes, we know surf kayaks are for kooks, and what we’re suggesting is tantamount to treason. But if you’ve ever caught the masters ripping it up at the Lane, you’ll understand the motives of noble watermen who have crossed over. To ease your own transition, Necky designer Spike Gladwin spec’d the carbon-fiber eight-foot Spyder, pictured here, like one of the shortboards already in your quiver: with three fins, a flat underside, a stiff hull, and, yes, a foam core. Take a seat on the lip, swallow your pride, and hang the hell on.

Necky Spyder

Necky Spyder

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Wash that beloved technical tee all you want and you still might catch a whiff of something nasty. That’s because bacteria tend to marinate in synthetic fabrics, rendering them rank after a season or so of heavy use. Fortunately, with several fume-fighting fabrics now on the market, there’s no need to retire your base layers each year. The next time you hit the local gear shop, keep the following antimicrobial options in mind.

Wool: The original adventure fabric is huge again. Thanks to its natural sweat-absorbing properties, merino doesn’t invite odor-breeding bacteria to hang around like yesterday’s skivvies. Add the fact that this superfine wool is sustainable, bio-degradable, and easy on the skin and you’ve got good reason to pick up pieces from Ibex, Icebreaker, or SmartWool. Silver Ions: Mountain Hardwear is one of a number of apparel companies stitching athletic duds out of VisaEndurance—a polyester fabric dotted with surface-bonded silver ions. Bacteria in your sweat absorb the silver, which keeps the little buggers from reproducing and, frankly, reeking. Wash at will: The metallic ions are coated in ceramic to better survive the spin cycle. Additives: Sierra Designs takes a bath to keep your gear smelling sweet. Or, at least, its base layers do. During the dying process, the Louisville, Colorado-based gear maker saturates its fabric with Ultra-Fresh , an antibacterial solution based on Triclosan—the same stuff found in some Dial soap products. Result? An evenly distributed and nearly permanent anti-nasty force field.

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