Gear Box: CamelBak Charge LR Hydration Pack

For active, outdoor enthusiasts, the hydration pack just might be the greatest invention ever. The ability to conveniently carry our water with us no matter where we go or what activity we're doing, has made our ability to play and work outside much easier. Over the years, the hydration pack has evolved to the point where they are now lighter, easier to use, and more ergonomically designed to fit our bodies. They've even become specialized to the point that there are now hydration packs built for specific sports. Take for example the new Charge LR from CamelBak, a pack that has been built from the ground-up for mountain bikers.

The Charge LR takes a new approach to the hydration pack design by shifting the water bladder onto the lumbar section of your back. This changes the dynamic of where the weight sits and actually results in a much more comfortable fit, particularly when wearing the pack for extended periods of time. In fact, this change is so dramatic, that I would go so far as to say that the Charge might be the most comfortable ultralight hydration pack I've ever used. The design works especially well while riding too, never impeding movement or restricting your ability to hit the trails hard.

The lumbar-based design isn't the only thing that the Charge LR brings to the table for mountain bikers however. The interior storage compartment provides designated spaces for carrying a multi-tool, spare tubes, a cell phone, keys, and other assorted items. There is even enough room for a lightweight jacket, just in case the weather shifts while you're on your ride. Zippered hip pockets on the belt are a great place to keep energy bars close at hand, while an exterior stretch pocket handles overflow gear with aplomb.

CamelBak went all out on making the Charge easy to adjust and super comfortable to wear as well. The padded belt and shoulder straps carry a full load without missing a beat and the 3D mesh suspension system means that the pack will work well for riders of a variety of sizes. In another nice touch, the pack designers included lumbar compression straps which allow riders to keep the pack snugly in place, even as the water in their hydration bladder  goes down.

With all of those features and design elements combined into this one pack, the question is, how well does it work while mountain biking? Quite honestly, the Charge LR is is even more than the sum of its part and it makes a perfect hydration option. The narrow design of the pack and lumbar based hydration bladder really are a fantastic approach for riders. CamelBak has done a great job of recognizing the needs of mountain bikers, and delivering them a product that fills those needs nicely.

Unfortunately, the Charge LR isn't available until February, when it will hit stores with an MSRP of $100. Trust me, it'll be worth the wait.

Gear For Winter Cycling

Technology and gadget site Gizmodo posted an article yesterday that featured good suggestions for gear that would take the sting out of winter cycling. For many riders, winter is a time in which they either move to a stationary bike indoors or stop cycling altogether. But as the old adage goes, "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear," and with the proper equipment, you can continue to hit the road even when the snow starts flying.

Among the suggestions from Gizmodo are the inclusion of snow studs on your tires, they recommend a set from Schwalbe that run $78. They also give the thumbs up to a powerful light from Cat Eye and a hydration pack from CamelBak. Of course, the most important thing is to stay warm however, and for that they recommend starting with a pair of Snowpocolypse pants from Mountain Hardwear.

The list only contains seven items, so it is far from comprehensive, but if you're someone who loathes the end of the cycling season, and wishes you could ride all year long, it is a solid place to start. For me, it all begins and ends with the clothes you're wearing, so don't scrimp on base layers, cycling jackets, and so on. It'll make your cold weather rides much more enjoyable.

Video: Therapy On A Bike

Adventure Journal delivered up another fantastic video this morning, this time in the form of Suspension Therapy. This beautifully shot mountain bike video that will leave you longing for more days on the trail – which are becoming increasingly rarer here in the Northern Hemisphere, as the colder weather sets in. Even the music is hauntingly beautiful in this short film.

Apparently the video was shot as a promo for a new business, aptly named Suspension Therapy, which helps riders to properly tune their bikes. Not sure how the business is doing, but the video is an absolute success.


Suspension Therapy from nsmb.com on Vimeo.

Video: Man's Best Friend!

I came across this video yesterday on the Wend Blog, and thought it was just too cute not to share. It features a mountain biker headed out to the trail with his faithful companion Lily, who is an adorable little dog who simply seems to love running. Particularly after her owner on his bike. She seems to skip along beside him all the way down the trail, and has more energy than any creature ought to. After watching this, you'll want a Lily of your own to take out on the trail with you. Good stuff!

A 360º Panoramic Video Mountain Bike Ride Through Moab

Moab, Utah is considered one of the best places to go mountain biking in the U.S. – if not the world. There are an abundance of trails for a variety of skill levels and the views are simply spectacular. One of the more popular of those trails is Slickrock, a 13-mile long loop that offers a significant physical and technical challenge. In short, it isn't a trail for beginners.

For those of us who haven't had the opportunity to ride Slickrock, there is a great new panoramic interactive video that allows us to check it out for ourselves. The video was made by three men – Joergen Geerds, Dan Finkler and Mark Sevenoff– who used six Sony Xperia Android phones to capture the entire 360º view around them as they rode. The result is a very cool interactive video that allows you to switch views, pan and zoom, and generally experience the entire ride without fear of crashing.

You can check out this amazing interactive video by clicking here. I've also embedded another video below which gives you an idea of what the project was all about and how it was made, using rather simple technology. It's an interesting piece, but really only sets the stage for the interactive version, which will keep you entertained for some time. Be sure to switch between the various views. The "Little Planet" option is especially trippy.

Video: Mountain Biking Through A Forest

If the mountain biking video I posted earlier wasn't your cup of tea, perhaps you'll enjoy this one more. It comes to us from the Coastal Crew, who prefer to ride not in the wide open desert, but the lush green environments of the forest. This looks like a lovely trail to ride, although I could do without the insane jumping.

Thanks to the Adventure Journal for sharing!




Coastal Crew - Summer Time Voltage from The Coastal Crew on Vimeo.

The Descent II: Mountain Biking In Utah

While back there was a great wingsuit video making the rounds called "The Descent" that was not only extremely well done, but served as a great commercial for Casio's line of G-Shock watches, which were used prominently in the short film. Now, Casio is back with "The Descent II," which leaves the skydiving behind in favor of some great mountain biking in Utah.

This time out, riders Cameron Zink and Kyle Strait are testing out the G9300, a solar powered time piece designed to take a lot of punishment, that also features a built in thermometer and digital compass. While it looks like a fine watch for active people however, the video is all about the riding, and well worth watching for that alone. It is very nicely done.

Mountain Biker vs. African Antelope

So you think you've had some rough days on the mountain biking trails? Check out the video below in which rider Evan van der Spuy of South Africa literally gets bowled over by a red hartbeest, a type of antelope, that according to the Adventure Journal, can grow to be in excess of 300 pounds and run at 40 miles per hour.

This encounter took place near Albert Falls Dam in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Fortunately, Evan came away with just a sore neck, but had to go to the hospital to be checked-out none the less. He did have his helmet broken in the encounter as well.

So what't the wildest thing you've come across out on the trail? I've encountered a few deer on occasion, but that's about it. They've mostly left me alone though, and fortunately didn't decided that I was a mate that they wanted to chase down.

The Season Returns!

Last year The Season was a break-out success amongst outdoor enthusiasts and athletes. It was an incredibly well done series of videos created by Fitz Cahall and Bryan Smith, that succeeded in capturing the essence of adventure in its many forms and delivering it to an eager audience.

Now, the show returns with 22 all-new episodes and five new athletes to profile. It launched with the first episode of season 2 last week and the second episode is already available as well. Episode 2.1 kicks things off with a preview of The Season ahead, giving us a tantalizing glimpse of where the show will be going in the weeks ahead. The second episode introduces us to Kevin Landry and Jeremy Norris, two mountain bikers who share a passion for building trails as much as riding them.

Excellent videos and a welcome return for this great web series.




It begins...The Season 2.1 from Fitz Cahall and Bryan Smith on Vimeo.


The Season 2 Episode 2.2 from Fitz Cahall and Bryan Smith on Vimeo.

A Bike Race Of A Different Kind

While the climbing and the descents in Le Tour will be quite impressive over the next few days, the riders in that race have nothing on the guys in the Megavalanche, a race that also takes place on the Alpe-d'Huez but features a distinctly different kind of riding. Check out the video below, which comes our way courtesy of the Adventure Journal, to see what I'm talking about.

The winner of this race was rider Remy Absalon, who took 40 minutes to cover the 20 miles and 9000 foot descent to the finish line. Crazy and scary!

Megavalanche 2011 Alpe d'Huez

GoPro Captures The Ouch!

We all know that GoPro helmet cams can be a lot of fun, and have provided endless hours of entertaining video over the past couple of years, but this video puts it all into a new perspective. It captures two mountain bikers bombing down a run, and then crashing along the way. I won't give too much away, but there were too moments that made me wince and say "ouch!" out loud. First, when the lead rider crashes, then bounces off a tree, and second when the cameraman runs him over. Both made me hurt just watching 'em.

Thanks to the Goat for sharing. Nice find!



Mount 7 Wet Dream Crash from Robb Thompson on Vimeo.

The Eighth Parallel Examines Women's Adventure Sports In Indonesia

The Eighth Parallel is a fantastic short film created by Darcy Turenne, who traveled to Bali and Java in  Indonesia to interview a group of young women who are pursuing their passion for adventure sports. Amongst them are rock climbers, mountain bikers, surfers, and more, with each of them expressing what drew them to their particular sport and the obstacles they had to overcome to pursue these activities in a culture that doesn't see many women in that light.

The Adventure Journal has an interview with Turenne, in which she talks about making the film and shares insights into what she learned along the way. You can read that interview here, and it is definitely worth a glance before watching the video below. The short film is over 27 minutes in length, so settle back and enjoy.




The Eighth Parallel from Darcy Turenne on Vimeo.

Riding The Tour Divide

Yesterday I mentioned that the Tour Divide mountain bike race had gotten underway. The epic event features more than 70 riders attempting to cycle the length of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which covers 2745 miles between Banff, Alberta, Canada and Antelope Wells, New Mexico. Over the past few years, the race has grown into quite an event, with the riders dealing with weather and challenging trails, while going completely self supported in the race.

Last week, prior to the start of the race, the Outside Blog posted an interview with Kurt Refsnider, who is one of the riders currently out on the trail. Refsnider is considered one of the favorites to win the race, having finished second back in 2009 in his inaugural run of the Tour Divide. Since then, he has earned plenty of experience in endurance mountain biking races and seems poised to make a run at the top podium spot.

In the interview, Kurt talks about the challenges of the Tour Divide, citing the distance and route, but saying that the self supported nature of the event is what really sets it apart from other long distance races. He also talks about his goals for this year's race, how he has prepared for it, and more. Of particular interest for many, like myself, is the gear that he is carrying with him and the bike he is riding along the way.

For those who are new to the Tour Divide, or just want more insights into the event, this is a good interview. I have a ton of respect for these riders, most of whom simply ride for the fun and adventure of it. This is one very challenging race, and it takes a special person to be able to complete it.

Good luck to all the racers! Enjoy the view!

2011 Tour Divide Mountain Bike Race Is Underway!

The 2011 Tour Divide mountain bike race got underway last Friday with 68 riders setting out from Banff, in Alberta, Canada, and another 15 starting in Antelope Wells, New Mexico. Those riders will now ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route end-to-end, covering more than 2745 miles (4418km) in the process.

Over the past few years, this race has continued to grow in popularity and participation. It is a test of both skill and stamina, as the riders must cover the trail in a completely self supported fashion, meaning they have to take all of their gear and supplies with them along the way. They can, of course, pull off the trail and resupply, but otherwise they have to be self sufficient along the way.

The route itself has the distinction of being the longest off-pavement cycling route in the world, with much of it being a series of loosely affiliated trails that interconnect with one another. In recent years, those affiliations have gotten a bit stronger, but there are sections that are still quite challenging to navigate depending on the current conditions.

Have just returned from Aspen, Colorado this weekend, I can also tell you that there are sections of the Rocky Mountains that still have a good deal of snow in them. The racers may have to deal with that as they go along as well, and while the weather is warming, it may be sometime before all the passes are easy to cross through. In fact, a blog post on the race website this morning indicates that there are number of detours already in place thanks to the continued snow conditions. Those conditions should improve as the riders head south, but it may be some time before they completely escape the powder.

Stay tuned for updates, as it generally takes a few weeks before the race is won, and longer for all the riders to reach the finish line.

Teva Mountain Games Results

Over the weekend, the 2011 Teva Mountain Games took place in Vail, Colorado. The 10th annual event saw some of the top outdoor athletes in the world going head to head in a 23 different competitions that included mountain biking, road cycling, trail running, bouldering, paddling, and more. As usual, it looks like this was a great event, that combined outdoor adventure, music, and art into one big party.

One of the highlights of the event was the paddle down the whitewater of Steep Creek, which challenged kayakers with its wild rapids and treacherous boulders, before eventually crowning Adriene Levknecht of Lowell, Michigan the champion. To get a sense of what that run was like, check out the video below and then click here to get a list of all the winners in the various categories, including the Ultimate Mountain Challenge, which pits the top outdoor athletes against on another in a 10K trail run, a cross country mountain bike and road cycling time trial, as well as traditional paddling event and a stand-up paddling race as well.

Congrats to all the athletes who took part in the games. It looks like it was another great weekend in Colorado, which seems to be the capital for these kinds of events.

National Trails Day Is This Saturday

Just a reminder for residents of the U.S., National Trails Day is this Saturday, June 4th and everyone is encouraged to get out and hike, bike, run, paddle, or climb your favorite route. There will also be a number of trail maintenance events around the country, giving us all the opportunity to help build and restore trails in our own communities.

This is the 19th annual National Trails Day, which is sponsored by the American Hiking Society. The event is designed to help encourage Americans to live a more healthy lifestyle and appreciate their wild, green spaces as well.

This year, there are more than 2000 events scheduled to take place on NTD. To discover one close to where  you live, click here, scroll down the page, and use the interactive map to see what is happening in your state. With that many official events going on, there is bound to be something that you can participate in.

Not that any of us need an excuse to get out on a trail!

Riding The Brown Powder

Check out this amazing looking trailer for a mountain biking film that is due out later this year. Not only does the riding look like a lot of fun, the setting is simply beautiful and the camera work is amazing as well. The riders featured in the video say that they build their own trails to ride, but they do it for themselves, never creating a one-off experience they'll use for their videos or to just ride a few times and move on. Judging from the quality of the video, I say they put that craftsmanship in everything they do. This is really well done.

Thanks to the Adventure Journal for sharing this.

From The Inside Out - First Look - More Mountain Bike Videos

Buy Stuff From Planet Gear, Help The International Mountain Biking Association

Remember that members only gear shop called Planet Gear that I told you about awhile back? Well, they launched on schedule at the end of March, and have been offering up some killer deals ever since. But they've also been partnering with some other organizations, and helping out the adventure community where ever they can. Currently, they're working with the International Mountain Biking Association, offering up some proceeds to help their efforts.

For everyone who signs up to be a member for Planet Gear using the link PlanetGear.com/IMBA, the company is donating $1 to the IMBA. Additionally, everyone who signs up through that link and spends $50 or more, Planet Gear will award the IMBA $10 in credit.

Remember, signing up for Planet Gear is absolutely free, and if you're a gear hound, like myself, they have some excellent deals to help update your aging gear or add some new items to the closet. And if you sign up now, you can also help an organization that works tirelessly to create and protect mountain biking trails across the globe. For those of us that enjoy that sport, this is a big deal, as some places have really cracked down on how trails are used, often excluding mountain bikes from the list of what is acceptable.

Definitely a great way to aid the IMBA, while also scoring some good deals on killer gear at the same time.

Gear Box: Solite 150 Headlamp

Back in January, when the Winter Outdoor Retailer show was taking place, there was a lot of buzz about a new headlamp from a company called Light & Motion. The headlamp is called the Solite 150, and all of the early previews and reviews raved about what a great product it was, but all I could think was "For $150, it better be a damn good headlamp!" Recently, I got my hands on a unit so I could see first hand if it was worth the hype – and the money!

The first thing I noticed when I took the Solite out of the box was that it certainly lives up to its name. It is indeed very light, weighing in at just 150 grams or about 5.3 ounces. The second thing I noticed when I turned on the light was just how bright it is. At the highest of the three settings, the Solite cranks out 150 lumens, which is very bright in the dark. At that setting, the included rechargeable battery pack is only rated for three hours, so you may want to crank it down to the medium or low settings which offer 75 and 33 lumens respectively. Both were more than adequate for casual around camp and night trail hiking.

Where the highest setting does come in handy however is when riding your bike. Those 150 lumens make it easier to see further down the road, which is useful when traveling at higher speeds, and it ensure that other vehicles will see you as well. The Solite comes with a great, easy to use quick mount for your handlebars, keeping the light locked in place when out for a ride. It is a nice touch that the Solite comes with both a headband and handlebar holder, making it all the more useful For your $150, you're going to want to use it as often as you can.

The Solite does have one issue, and that is its rechargeable batteries.  While they are rated for 40 hours of life on their lowest setting, and my tests seem to bear that out, on an extended trip you'll want some way to charge them, and there is no way to use standard batteries. The light charges via USB, which means you'll have to get creative on how you want to charge while in the backcountry. You could take your laptop with you of course, but that's generally more weight than you'll want to carry, and laptops have their own battery issues. Fortunately for me, I have a Solio Classic solar charger, which collects and stores energy from the sun just for recharging these kinds of devices. It worked well with the Solite, although it did take awhile to charge it up fully. I realize that not everyone has that kind of gear at their disposal, and for them I'd recommend a headlamp from another manufacturer that uses standard batteries. Chances are, you'll find one for less money as well.

On the other hand, if you really demand performance out of your gear, and you're always looking to shave weight off your pack, the Solite is a great choice, even for $150. I also have a feeling that this headlamp will prove very popular with the adventure racing crowd. It is durable, bright, and versatile. Something that the AR crowd is always looking for in their gear.

So? Is it worth the $150 price tag? For the casual hiker/backpacker, I'd say no, there are cheaper alternatives that get the job done for them. But for those that need a little something more than "getting the job done," this is a great piece of kit that will definitely prove itself useful in a wide variety of situations.

Unfortunately for me, I have a penchant for leaving my headlamp in some distant country while I travel. Leaving my Solite behind would hurt. A lot!


MSRP: $150

Croatian Adventurer Sends Welcome Message To The World

This is a fun story I shared over at Gadling today, but wanted to post about it here as well. An outdoor enthusiast from Croatia has embarked on an ambitious project which he hopes will send a gigantic "welcome" to the rest of the world from his home country.

On Tuesday of this week, Daniel Lacko set out on a pre-set course that will take him through some wild Croatian backcountry on foot, kayak, and bike. The journey will cover more than 2500km (1553 miles) and will pass through eight national parks, three nature preserves, and a number of other protected areas. Lacko will climb ten mountains and paddle or swim on six different rivers, not to mention Croatia's legendary sea coast. All the while, a GPS device will be tracking his progress and marking his route, which if he adheres to properly, will end up spelling out the word "Welcome" in giant letters across the map of Croatia.

The entire journey is expected to take two months to complete, and Lacko hopes to arrive in Dubrovnik by June 5th, which is World Environment Day. That means he'll have to make good time through some very challenging terrain, and he must stay on his prescribed course in order for the project to succeed. So, no matter what obstacles are thrown in his way, he must find away to forge ahead.

You can find out more about the project, and read Daniel's blog, on the official website and keep updated on his progress on the Facebook page as well.