There’s no shortage of portable power banks on the market, but there are fewer focused on the Great Outdoors. The new Nitecore NPB4 is packed with features designed to embrace rough treatment in the field whilst still integrating all the latest technical specifications and functionality. This 20,000 mAh Li-ion battery pack showcases multiple fast charge…
Lizard Skins Grips and Handlebar Tape
Lizard Skins, founded in 1993, has been manufacturing quality cycling accessories for almost three decades. They initially designed products to protect the bike and rider but have since expanded to gloves and grips. The company’s continued research meant that in 2008 they created their most innovative grip and flagship product, Durasoft Polymer (DSP). DSP provides…
Club Ride Apparel
Club Ride is “mountain lifestyle clothing,” designed from a biking perspective but intentionally made to be multi-functional. Founder Mike Herlinger wanted to “create clothing that spoke to the lifestyle led by the mountain bikers, hikers, raft guides, and ski bums creating their own opportunities in mountain towns.” Ten years later, Club Ride has spearheaded the…
UBCO 2X2 App
As someone obsessed with cycling and overlanding, I’ve watched with interest as more electric bikes have come to market. I’m particularly intrigued by products that bridge the gap between bicycle and motorbike, thus offering comparable speed to a moped, without the weight or emissions. I truly believe that this style of bike will dominate city…
Bikepacking Kitchenware
Food, water, and coffee. The triumvirate of life. I wouldn’t say I was addicted to coffee, only that without my morning espresso, I’m completely unable to function—often not sure who I am, where I belong, or what day it is. On my bicycle tour from John O’Groats to Lands End, I packed a heavy stove-top…
A-Squared Bikes
I generally share stories from bikepacking adventures on mountainous dirt roads. Thus, one could be misled into thinking that I don’t particularly enjoy road riding or the thrill of a lightweight aero bike, which isn’t the case. I love shredding my mountain bike on muddy single-track, yet there’s something equally rewarding about the effortless speed…
Salsa 2021 Timberjack
The Salsa Timberjack is an aggressive hardtail designed around the trifecta of ‘fast, fearless, and fun’. This bike is well equipped for playful riding, integrates progressive trail geometry, multiple set-up options, and exciting features that give you the confidence to nail lines with speed and control. I love hardtails and agree with Salsa that in…
Bikepacking Clothing Essentials
Well, look what the cat dragged in—the ‘Jack Mac’ signature look. Make no mistake, when it comes to clothing, I take my styling cues from Stig of the Dump. I appreciate fashion and style, but honestly, I’m generally too busy spending every penny I earn on my hobbies or experiences. I make an active effort…
Bikepacking Bedtime
On a bikepacking trip or any strenuous human-powered adventure, you depend on a good night’s sleep. I can’t tell you how miserable it is to spend a night unable to rest through discomfort, and then forcing yourself over a mountain range the next day. Lack of sleep, combined with hunger and dehydration, is a first-class…
Moots Turns 40! 1981-2021
In 2021, Moots turns 40, and that’s pretty dang impressive for any company, let alone a small bespoke bicycle manufacturer. This longevity is the product of exquisite workmanship and a subsequent loyal following. Brent Whittington, the owner of Moots Cycles, states, “As you can tell, we are all excited here at Moots, and 2021 is…
Overland News of the Week
Mac’s Tie Downs Monkey Face Mac’s Tie Downs’ latest offering is a nifty little device called the Monkey Face, designed to make securing cargo even simpler for folks with stake pockets. The .375-inch laser-cut steel tie-down interface is welded to a .1875-inch square steel tube (which secures in stake pockets with an included linchpin), and…
Leatherman Rebar
Prehistoric man required the bare essentials: water, food, shelter, fire, and the latest multi-tool. Humans, like moths to a flame, cannot resist their primitive urge for a pocketable device concealing many tools. In such an instance, Steve, a mid-level IT consultant, happily married, with three kids and a Prius, can be found in the garden,…
Field Tested :: Nocs Provisions Standard Issue 8 x 25 Binoculars
Nocs Provisions Standard Issue 8 x 25 Binoculars Fuss and bother are two elements I can live without when it comes to gear, and these binoculars from Nocs Provisions, lovingly conceived in San Francisco’s Citadel of Excitement, fit the bill. First off, they come in a small, recycled cardboard box put together without glue—easy to…
Bikepacking to Mordor
If Frodo and Sam had ridden steel-framed steeds to Mordor, what would their bikepacking bag setup have looked like? It’s a question that has ruined many a night’s sleep. Thus, today I’m sharing five of my favourites in the fight against Sauron. Carradice Saddlebag Much like Po-tay-toes! Boil ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a…
Escaping a Digital World
I love technology and the access to information and education, online entertainment and inspiration, remote working capabilities, and communication benefits it provides. However, as technology encroaches ever more on our lives, I’ve found the need to push back. I can’t help feeling the days of owning our devices are slipping away, and we’re increasingly becoming…
Sena M1 and M1 EVO Bluetooth Helmets
I’m surprised by how rarely helmets are discussed in the cycling community when you consider they’re such a hot topic in the motorbike world. I remember doing my licence and the tutor talking us through some of the horrific motorcycle accidents that happen at low speeds and realising I was frequently going much faster on…
Overland News of the Week
Ötzi Adventure Gear Spark Flatpack Portable Grill Bringing the barbecue along on off-road adventures can present a bit of a dilemma if you have limited space. But with Otzi’s flatpack portable grill and 9- by 9-inch footprint (when packed flat), there’s no reason to leave it behind. The Spark is made of precision-cut pieces of…
Garmin inReach Explorer Satellite Communication
Product Review—Garmin inReach Satellite Communication First off, a disclaimer: my husband and I used Garmin inReach Explorer Satellite Communication during a round-the-world motorcycle trip that lasted 708 days. DeLorme inReach (bought out by Garmin in 2016) gave us two Explorer devices—one we received on loan; the other we paid for at a 50-percent discount. The company…
Bikepacking During a Pandemic
Let’s start with a riddle: what’s invisible, arrived in 2020, caused global chaos, and begins with the letter ‘C’? Ah yes, Covid. It has been a rather strange episode here on Earth, and there aren’t many of us who’ve not been affected. It’s all too easy to curl up on the sofa, grab a tub…
Hyperlite Ultamid 2 – Ultralight Pyramid Tent
The Hyperlite Ultamid 2 is a portable palace targeted primarily at the hiking/bikepacking community and weighs just 534 grams (just over 1 pound, weight only includes perimeter guy lines). The optional insert adds an additional 626 grams but turns the tent into a four-season shelter (there are lighter inserts available on their website, including a…