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This coming Pride, consider these tools for staying fresh and ready 24 hours a day. The Obvious: drink buckets of water, pack band-aids for blisters, bring lens solution if you wear contacts and swipe your pits with long-lasting antiperspirant, I beg you.
Clockwise from left: Sunstroke will seriously KO your spirits, so wear a hat like this Castro cap ( Big It Up , 218 Yonge, 416-597-6773, and others, $34.95). Wet Platinum makes the best lube in the country – look for free samples. “Getting lei-ed” jokes never tire ( Flatiron’s , 449 Church, 416-968-9274, and other, $2.99).
Throw your gear in this day pack by Blurr. It features a zesty orange interior and a separate pullout bag for small stuff like keys and your PDA ( Mountain Equipment Co-op , 400 King West, 416-340-2667, $72). For y’all who rock the tanning beds (and deny SPF), dark tanning oil is the way to bake.
Throat sore from celebrating? Pop a zinc and vitamin C lozenge. If the real thing proves too painful, temporary rainbow tattoos carry the message ( Out on the Street , 551 Church, 416-967-2759, $2). This high-protein Detour bar is downright Snickersesque. Burn not, with sweat-proof SPF 30. This lightweight rainbow chain would look hot hanging from a carabiner on your belt loop (Flatiron’s, $7.99 ). One word: MacGyver. If you bust up your shoes/bag strap/hat, fix it with always-handy gaffer tape. These Peaches-inspired shades rock, but the real Peaches rocks even harder (Flatiron’s, $20).
Looks expensive, but this digital organizer is only $29.99, thanks to Grand & Toy’s huge 100-year sale (Eaton Centre, 416-598-0144, and others). Knives, shmives, this Swiss Army Adventurer comes with a corkscrew and scissors, all you need to survive in the concrete jungle ( House of Knives , 218 Yonge, 416-595-5256, $62).
Don’t let that seductive stranger get away. Sharpie permanent markers ensure your digits won’t rub or wash off, at least not for the first week. Even if you don’t indulge, a rainbow lighter (and rolling papers) comes in handy when befriending smokin’ smokers (Flatiron’s, $4.99).
Panasonic’s EB-GD 88 picture messaging phone is a fun (and expensive) way to capture treasured moments. Oh, yeah, it’s also great for showing off, leaning close to strangers (for the photo, of course) and scoring e-mail addresses (the Telephone Booth , 218 Yonge, 416-585-2995, $499 with package $799 without). Travel-size Purell hand sanitizer keeps bacteria at bay.
Pride shtick and minty breath. Could you get a better combo (Flatiron’s, $1.99)? Keep you pucker from getting sunburnt with Aloe Kote lip balm (MEC, $3.95). Is that a big, jutting rainbow wallet in your pocket or are you just glad to see me (Flatiron’s, $45.99)?
Centre: say it proud every day with this rainbow patch (Flatiron’s,$6.99). No condoms? No thanks. Wet Ones for before and after you get fresh. Blow hard or give a little whistle (Out on the Street, $4.95). Bottle opener on a key chain sends mixed messages, but it should be clear: do not drink and drive (Flatiron’s, $8.99).
