2013 Evolve Awards: Accessories

Evolve Awards Nike Flyknit

Nike FlyKnit ($150)
In all honesty, running in socks doesn’t sound all that pleasant. But Nike’s FlyKnit takes the comfort and form-fitting quality of socks and melds it with a lightweight, high-tech runner. The result is a shoe with an upper that’s made out of woven thread — thread essentially made from recycled plastic bottles. (Some foam in the sole is the only part of the shoe that isn’t made from recycled materials.) The weave is tighter and thicker in places where you require more support, and more breathable elsewhere. They weigh in at an astonishing 5.6 oz., which means they’re heavier than your average sock. But not by much.

Evolve Awards Pebble WatchPebble Watch ($150)
Fitness apps are great, but the need to have your phone in your hand while you’re trying to ride a bike, go for a run, or set a world record for most consecutive hours doing the Dougie is not. Well, the geniuses at Pebble have figured out a way to connect your smart phone to a sleek watch (via Bluetooth) that boasts an e-paper face you can customize to your heart’s content. The watch itself can be loaded with apps, and can vibrate whenever you have incoming calls or messages.

Evolve Awards Tommy John underwearTommy John Underwear ($25 and up)
When it comes down to it, you don’t really want to know that your underwear is there. And Tommy John undershirts and underwear make that happen. The undershirts are designed to stay exactly where they’re supposed to be — so no untucking and bunching up above your waist, and no baggy fabric making you look unsettlingly lumpy underneath your dress shirt. Their breathable underwear is designed to help keep you cool and dry, while providing support and avoiding the kind of bunching up that can lead to the kind of fidgeting and readjusting that no one around you wants to see.