During the summer months I have a lot of free time which allows me the pleasure of kicking it a bit more often and taking leisurely rides here and there. Sometimes I just don’t want to bust out my full kit and shoes to go for a ride in town. For these types of rides I love to carry around the camera, laptop and other gear but a regular hydration pack isn’t big enough; I need something that’s larger, water resistant, and expandable. It turns out Mission Workshop has some pretty cool gear for just what I am looking to do (or for commuting if that’s your thing). Today I’ll be reviewing the DZR District shoe and the “Made in the USA” Rambler expandable cargo pack.

The DZR District shoes are SPD-compatible (time, CB, Shimano) but most importantly, they’re comfortable. Even with the recessed SPD cleat installed I found walking around comfortable without compromise. The secret is the reinforced area where the cleat is attached which balances stiffness, power transfer (on the bike), and comfort.

Up top there’s a mix of durable canvas and leather with a neat reflective strip integrated into the design on the side along with a highly reflective logo on the heel of the shoe cup. This shoe has a fairly roomy fit (which I love) yet still close fitting enough that you can unclip easily without tearing off your shoe. In the box you also get a set of plugs in case you decide to take your cleats off the shoe and want the plate covered up.

I’ve found myself wearing the DZRs a lot recently as my “go to” shoe for nearly everything I do (except when I decide to hit the DH trails). But for hopping on my bike and heading to the coffee shop or gearing up for an urban assault, these shoes are perfect!

A while back I was hemming and hawing about finding a daypack I could use to carry a bunch of stuff like my camera gear, lunch, and water along for errands and leisurely rides around town. Now the Rambler is not a true camera bag (no segmented padding) but it serves my needs nicely for now (all my lenses have their own padded bags anyway).

The Rambler backpack features a cavernous, weatherproof main compartment that can transform from a 1350 cubic inch pack to an unzipped 2700 cubic inch monster. The uninterrupted main compartment, even when zipped down, easily fits my camera body, telephoto lens, books, and other supporting gear (laptop) when I am on the trails or in the city taking pics. Unzipped I have enough room for other clothing plus snacks (my favorite PB&J sandwiches).

The pack features two other slim sleeves – one right at your back and the other on the front of the bag. Both sleeves could be used to fit a thin laptop in a pinch. On the very outside of the bag there is a smaller zipped compartment for keys, wallet or your breath mints. The opening flap can be used as either a “roll-top” or in a traditional “flap-down” configuration.

The overall construction is a mix of durable weather proof materials (except the expandable fold), with collapsed dimensions of 13″x 19″ x 5″. A carbon fiber frame adds support and the urethane-coated zippers should last a long time. The main straps are padded and about 2.5″ wide with an adjustable-height sternum strap. An optional waist belt is a good addition if your gonna get aggressive on your bike as it adds a measure of stability to the whole system.

I used the Rambler as my commuter / carry a ton of stuff pack. This is not a true hydration pack as it is a bit too heavy and does not breathe that well. But if you’re a person who commutes to work this may be a great solution for carrying an entire change of clothes, a laptop, and a lunch on your bike.

I typically rolled with the Rambler in the zipped up, 1350 cubic inch configuration and looped my tripod on the outside when I was in the city taking pics and stuff. On one occasion while shopping I even fit my heavy Kryptonite lock in one of the sleeves and did some shopping with my DJ bike with no worries about the added weight from the lock.

As you can see from the photos, this is a very rectangular bag which makes it ideal for carting stuff like books and boxy items. The only problem I found is when I carried a bunch of small things they tended to fall to the bottom of the pack which required me to dig to find them again. Perhaps a few small elastic sleeves would really make the main compartment that much more useful. All in all this is a decent pack for those who are riding hard on the urban scene. Heck I even found myself using this bag on the slopes to carry my gear in for some photos of the DH riders on the trail.

Check out the Mission Workshop website – you might be surprised at what else is out there for bikers other than spandex and polyester! The DZR District shoes are available for $85 MSRP and the Rambler Backpack goes for $239.

Thanks to the folks at Mission for sending the gear for review.

The Air BackPack 2Core from Topeak is a curiously awesome hydration pack. It’s small in form, but packs tons of gear among its cleverly hidden pockets. It’s quite light at 645g yet  it’s still loaded to the brim with technical features. Among conventional hydration packs, the AirBackPack is like an enigma, wrapped inside a kite, wrapped again inside a stealth bomber. This is the back pack that Bruce Wayne would use on weekends. For short, I call it the “Bat” Pack.

In terms of standard features, the Air BackPack 2Corerates an A+. This pack comes with all the normal things such as a 1.5L hydration core, sealed zippers, rain cover, helmet holder, mp3 pouch, reflective strips, utility clips, a stuff sack, and pockets and even more pockets. I won’t go into the details or performance of those things, because they’re not particularly interesting and they all worked as expected.

Now here is where things get exciting. The central concept behind the Air BackPack is the “air mesh” frame built into the pack. Instead of the usual foam padding and rigid support frame, this pack uses an inflatable grid for the back area and the hip straps. Included with the pack is a tiny little hand pump that allows you to inflate the back air mesh and the hip air mesh separately to your own preference. By adjusting the pressure in each of the air compartments, you can fine-tune how the pack fits you. The air padding provides structure for the pack but it also distributes the load evenly across your body, making for an incredibly comfortable fit.

The other really cool thing about the Air BatPack is the “core” concept that makes storage somewhat modular. Inside the the long zipper that goes straight down the middle is the bag’s main storage compartment, which contains a few small internal pockets, the mp3 pocket, and the “gear core.” The gear core has six or eight little pockets that would be good for tools, parts, food and other stuff that is smaller than your hand. The best part, though, is that the gear core can be unclipped and completely removed from the inside of the bag, clearing up space for other stuff or just lightening the load when you don’t need it. Now this might not seem all that revolutionary, but this really blew my mind when I thought about how easy this makes it to use the bag across multiple activities. I could hit the snowy trails in the morning, take out the gear core full of food and tools, fill the bag full of books and take it to school, add a different gear core full of waxes and hand warmers, and then take the bag skiing in the afternoon. Sure, you could go through the process of packing, unpacking, and repacking all of your crap, but the core concept makes life a whole lot easier.

There are few, if any, outstanding deficiencies in this product. Still, I do have issues with a few things. First, I’m not a big fan of the bite valve on the drinking hose…it’s just not that great. Secondly, I don’t particularly like the use of some of the hook-and-loop straps, which tend to get mudded and mangled easily. I’m also on the fence about the lightweight 210 denier nylon because I just don’t know if it will stand up to extreme use. Finally, there’s a rubbery patch on the front of the (extremely comfortable) shoulder straps that makes me unnecessarily hot and sweaty at the front of my shoulders. Despite all that, the general quality of design and construction makes this one of the nicest packs I’ve ever used.

The Air BackPack is an aerodynamic, lightweight, form-fitting pack meant for cycling, but it is versatile enough to serve you well in other outdoor activities. This pack’s clever technical features make access to your gear quick and easy. Furthermore, the Air BackPack’s gimmick-free innovation provides a comfortable fit that can be infinitely adjusted to suit any rider.

Thanks to Topeak for providing us with the Air BackPack 2Core for review. For more information and details check out Topeak’s website.

As a professional trailbuilder, my trail backpack gets a lot of use and abuse. I need a comfortable pack with lots of space and functional pockets to hold tools plus it needs to be tough since trailbuilders like me tend to be hard on equipment. Enter the Dakine Builders Pack, a backpack designed to fulfill the needs of the most demanding trailbuilders.

Features

The expandable chainsaw pocket in the front is the main feature that sets the Dakine Builders Pack apart from other backpacks. This pocket is large enough to fit most any chainsaw and has a slit in the bottom for the chainsaw handle to stick out. The pack also features three straps to secure your saw and the two upper straps are lockable which helps you get to your destination without having to stop and adjust. Of course it’s always good practice to travel with the chainsaw bar cover on to prevent injuries (and yes, I am aware that I don’t have a cover on in the following picture).

Another unique feature of the Dakine Builders Pack is the lopper strap located on the front of the chainsaw pocket. This allows your loppers to slide between the big rubber strap and the chainsaw pocket, and gravity holds them in place. The pack also has a large front pocket, perfect for holding a drill with extra batteries, and a small nylon pocket inside, suitable for holding saw tuning and other small or fragile tools.

The two side pockets are intended to hold fuel or water bottles. Between the side pockets and main compartment are a slot and strap intended to hold a hammer, mattock, hatchet or other tool without a long handle. You can slide the tool in right side up or upside down, whichever you prefer.

The small top pocket is useful for storing safety glasses and the nylon pocket inside is suitable for storing a pen, paper and keys. The main top flap is great for access to the main compartment, making it quick and easy to add or remove items. You can also access the main compartment from the back via a full length zipper.

You’ll find another nylon zipper pocket in the main compartment which is ideal for keeping your cell phone, radio, camera or other valuables out of the rain. Just below that is a stretch pocket with a first aid bag (medical supplies not included).

There are two more small pockets on the waistband with waterproof zippers, perhaps useful for carrying easily accessed snacks. The Builders Pack has six utility loops on the front and four on the back. These can be used with bungees to carry bulky items like a tent, sleeping bag or tarp.

The Dakine Builders backpack has excellent padding, found in the back, lumbar, hip and shoulder areas which you’ll appreciate when this pack is fully loaded with tools and supplies. The padding has a comfortable, gel-like feel. The shoulder strap is adjustable on the top and bottom, the chest strap is adjustable in height and length, and the waist strap is adjustable in length.

The Builders Pack is made of Cordura Ballistic Nylon, an extremely tough fabric designed to resist tearing. The buckles are made of thick, strong plastic which is great because trailbuilders like me tend to break standard buckles quickly.

The nail storage bag has four compartments and two handles and is built tough. You can fit about 100 12-inch spikes in this bag which is a heavy load.

Aside from trailbuilding, the DaKine Builders Pack is very useful for riding days too. The chainsaw pocket works well as a full face helmet holder and there are multiple places to stash armor, lunch, goggle,s and valuables with room to spare.

This pack costs $140 MSRP, holds 1800 cubic inches or 29 litres of volume, measures 21”x11”x8”, and weighs 4 pounds empty.

Testing

While trailbuilding I fill this pack with a chainsaw, fuel, bar oil, saw tuning tools, lunch, hand clippers, a tape measure, a hammer, nails, spikes, a mattock, water, a cell phone, safety glasses, and earmuffs. The DaKine builders pack stores all this with room to spare. It sits nicely on your back and feels lighter than it actually is when loaded up. The best part is that I no longer have to use my hands or a wheelbarrow to carry the majority of my tools. This means my hands are free to carry larger tools that are too big to be carried on my back, or I can ride my bike into the building zone.

The Builders Pack is very useful for riding days too. I often pack it with my full face helmet, goggles, knee/shin pads, arm pads, tools, spare tube, water, and lunch and it holds all these items with ease. Some might argue that this pack is too big to use as a riding pack, but Freeriders/Downhillers who have to pedal or hike 4+ miles to the top of a hill will appreciate a place to store their armor.

The Verdict

As a professional trailbuilder, I wholeheartedly recommend this backpack. You can fit almost every tool you need on your back, freeing up your hands for other tasks. It’s built tough and should last for years plus it makes transporting tools to the work site really easy. For me the icing on the cake is it works equally as well for transporting DH and freeride gear. The DaKine builders pack is well thought out, durable, and very functional.

A big shout out to DaKine for providing the Builders Pack for review.

You’ve probably seen a folding mountain bike before but this one is different – it’s meant to be carried in a backpack! The “Mountain Monk” is from German designer Thomas Kaiser and the idea is that you hike up a mountain with the bike on your back then ride the thing back down – sorta like a self-shuttled downhill run. Although at least one prototype exists Kaiser is still looking for production partners.

The Mountain Monk sports both front and rear suspension and disc brakes but skips the pedals since it’s meant for downhill riding only. The bike isn’t light – the current model is about 21 pounds – but it still beats pushing your 40 lb. rig uphill. The 3 gallon backpack also includes a pouch for your helmet and gloves. Could this be the start of yet another mountain biking offshoot – bike hiking? We’ll be keeping an eye on the Mountain Monk…

Via Wired Blog.