Some of our Best of 2018 miscellaneous gear we tested include the superb and high functional Platypus Duthie AM Hydration Pack, the Mountainsmith Cycle Cube organizational bag for carrying all your cycling gear, the Pearl Izumi X-ALP Elevate mountain bike shoe with Boa closure and great hike-a-bike characteristics, the Smith Optics Attack Max sunglasses with huge field of view and MAG magnetic interchangeable technology, and lastly the comfortable and ergonomic Ergon GA3 grips.
Platypus Duthie AM Hydration Pack
Our quintessential all-mountain hydration pack, the Duthie AM is made for ripping trails all day long. It offers extra room to pack and organize your riding essentials, 3 liters of fast-flowing hydration with the new, taste-free, Big Zip EVO reservoir, and an airy FloatAir back panel to keep you cool and ventilated for all-day action. Available in 10.0L & 15.0L sizes.
- FloatAir back panel: Highly breathable mesh is tensioned over a lightweight wire frame, floating the pack over your back and optimizing cooling airflow; the wireframe is reinforced to help prevent the pack from compressing against your back, maintaining airflow.
- 3.0L Big Zip EVO reservoir: Premium taste-free and BPA-free water reservoir feature a 50% faster flow rate, low-profile shape, wide-mouth opening that seals securely, and a convenient quick-disconnect hose.
- Smart hydration pocket: Hook and loop closures hold reservoir securely in place while you ride; dedicated hydration pocket makes it easy to access reservoir for refilling or cleaning.
- Full-face helmet and pad carry: A front stash pocket with adjustable straps, quick-release buckles and stretch side pockets securely stow a full-face helmet and protective pads.
- Waist belt zip pockets: Two zippered pockets on the waist belt stow smaller riding essentials like energy bars or gels for fast, keep-your-pack-on-your-back, on-the-go access.
- Rainfly: Protective rainfly can be quickly deployed from its dedicated pocket on the bottom of the pack for on-the-go protection from rain and mud; it can also be detached for easy post-ride drying and cleaning.
- Magnetic hydration hose retention: Offers clip-free access to the bite valve.
- AM 10 $139.95 and AM 15 $149.95
Thoughts => The Duthie AM 10 is an immensely comfortable pack with a slew of useful and highly functional features. The wireframed FloarAir backpanel offers excellent comfort, breathability, and load carrying capabilities, while the vast array of pockets and compartments provide heaps of places to carry gear, armor, and helmets. The superb Big Zip EVO reservoir with its larger diameter hose and bite valve offer a massive increase in water flow and a smoother draw, plus the shutoff valve is more comfortable to use and more secure. The high-mount quick connect is a joy to use and makes it simpler during water refills and changeouts. The dedicated, easy access hydration pocket has a hook system that offers a secure and stable design to hang the reservoir. And lastly, the Magnetic hydration hose retention works like a charm and easy to detach and snap back in place.
For further information refer to platy.com and Just In – Platypus Big Zip EVO Reservoir.
Mountainsmith Cycle Cube Bag
The Mountainsmith Cycle Cube bag provides you with a convenient way to store, transport and protect your cycling gear, and it comes loaded with features that help you organize all of your equipment and gear in one modular system. This bag has plenty of room for almost anything you need for your road and mountain biking pursuits. You can pack the bag up with all your necessary gear, store it in the closet and throw it in the vehicle when you’re ready to go out for a ride. It retails for $79.95 and comes in a Gray and Yellow color scheme.
Get ready for your next mountain bike, cross and road biking adventure with this functional, compartmentalized, breathable, and cycling-specific storage solution system.
Thoughts => The Mountainsmith Cycle Cube is a superb duffel and gear bag, with an incredible amount of useful compartments, pockets, and sleeves for the utmost in organizational purposes. Besides catering to my compulsive neat freak nature, this bag makes sure you never leave home without all your equipment. When you pack the bag, if you place everything in their allotted locations, you’ll hopefully won’t get out into the field and realize you forget a critical piece of gear, which can always put a damper your riding adventure, and especially regarding comfort and safety.
With the Cycle Cube, you can keep all your bike gear organized in one convenient bag, so you have a place for everything and everything in its place. The Cycle Cube is fully featured and highly functional, and the well-made bag uses robust materials, zippers, and stitching for durability and toughness.
For further information refer to mountainsmith.com and Mountainsmith Cycle Cube Bag Review.
Pearl Izumi X-ALP Elevate Shoes
If you’re down to ride anything, this is your shoe. Perfect for scouting lines, hike-a-bike sections and explosive bursts of power on technical climbs. This high-performance super versatile shoe uses an aggressive Vibram outsole to deliver excellent traction to the pedals and the ground. A 3-layer bonded seamless upper and Boa IP1 precision closure give supreme comfort on every adventure.
- Advanced 3-Layer Seamless Composite Upper delivers all-day riding comfort and durability
- Zonal Bi-directional Closure wraps the foot for a semi-custom fit and secure foot retention
- Boa IP1 reels allow 1 mm micro-adjustability and pop up for a full release
- Nylon/carbon composite ¾ shank for efficient power transfer and off-the-bike versatility
- Lightweight EVA midsole for off-the-bike cushioning and all-day comfort
- Aggressive lugged Vibram Megagrip compound outsole for superior traction and durability
- SPD Compatible
- Men 39-47 in ½ sizes, 48, 49 – Women 36-43 in ½ sizes
- $180
Thoughts =>I have tested various shoes over the years from Pearl Izumi’s X-ALP series, which offers a functional compromise of hike-a-bike characteristics and pedaling performance. The latest in this line-up is the trick new X-ALP Elevate shoe that has lots of high tech features such as a Boa reel, a nylon and carbon shank, a comfy EVA midsole, a 3-layer composite upper, and an aggressive Vibram outsole. The shoes are quite comfortable with just a smidgen of heal lift, though I suggest going up a half size since the toe box seemed a bit narrow for my wider feet. The carbon/nylon composite three-quarter length shank provides plenty of pedaling performance with great hike-a-bike capabilities and the sticky lugs that utilize Vibram Megagrip compound for excellent traction. The front outer rand section of the toe box has plenty of protection when bashing into rocks, and other trail obstacles and the 3-layer seamless composite upper is soft, supple, durable and decently breathable.
For further information refer to pearlizumi.com.
Smith Optics Attack/Attack-Max Sunglasses
Offered in two sizes, the smaller Attack and the larger Attack Max feature Smith’s new MAG interchangeable technology with its proprietary ChromaPop lenses; a magnet-based innovation that enables fast lens swapping for varying light conditions with a simple click. The MAG system which is built directly into the temple to allow for a vast field of view in rimless frame design for invisible fit. Each model is offered in one of three ChromaPop performance lens options – that reveal natural color, enhanced visual clarity and greater definition of objects – and all include a secondary ChromaPop Contrast Rose flash lens for addressing low light conditions. The nosepiece and temples are comprised of Megol which reacts to perspiration by gently adhering to the skin for a comfortable, no-slip fit at any velocity.
Thoughts => The Attack Max offer a massive field of view without any obstructions due to the rimless design. They have superb optics and were comfortable during all-day use, and I never had any fogging issues. The MAG system utilizes two opposing high opposing force N52 neodymium magnets in the temple lug that intuitively separate to allow the temple to slide onto the lens carrier providing a secure locking mechanical engagement that resists forces and rotation. Removing the lenses is simple, squeeze up by the carrier and lightly push inward on the back of the temple lug end, and it pops out to release its connection to the carrier.
The new Attack and Attack Max retail for $249, including two ChromaPop lenses and a hard case are available now.
For further information refer to smithoptics.com.
Ergon GA3 Grips
The GA3 feature a “Mini-wing” design that offers more comfort and wrist support for GA2 grip fans and riders with smaller hands who found other winged grips to be too big. The highly functional and ergonomic grips utilize advanced materials and designs and shapes, to fit the hand as naturally as possible for increased comfort and decreased hand issues.
The all-mountain comfort grip combines the relief benefits and wrist support of ergonomic wing grips with the freedom of movement of rounder mountain bike grips. Utilizing ergonomically optimized shapes allow for low gripping forces, and specific textures are adapted to functional grip zones for your hands. The super soft, UV-stable rubber compound allows greater control even on demanding trails and the wall thickness of the inner core is double butted to increase damping comfort.
Thoughts => The GA3 Grips offer excellent ergonomics due to their functional shape, contours, textures, and soft rubber, and the wings provide superb Ulnar nerve and carpal tunnel comfort. I like wings on grips as they optimize the pressure distribution to the Ulnar nerve, but they’re usually just too wide for my tastes, but the slightly narrower GA3 relief wings are about perfect. They’re wide enough to provide lots of comfort and hand relief, but not too much to get in the way. The rubber is slightly soft, and the wings have a tad of flex, both of which offer just enough cushioning for the hands without being sloppy.
It comes in one size, five colors (black, blue, orange, red, berry) and retails for $29.95.
For further information ergon-bike.com and Ergon GA3 Grips Review.
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