Is there a recognized type of travel that is more toward the adventure spectrum vs the digital nomad scene? The majority of one bag travel packs I see reviewed with high ratings and talked about seem clearly focused on the digital nomad and mostly urban/front country/hotel/city traveler with a nice laptop/electronics. It is almost always a clamshell design with wrap around multiple zippers, multiple compartments, many mesh internal storage sections well padded laptop sleeves designed for cowboy fast draw airport action. Do those type always get rated high becaue the youtube channel reviewers all all digital workers with laptops, multiple cameras and drones? I guess the other style is a backpack more in the hiking style. What is out there that is rugged, very highly water resistant, low key visually, very light weight, no zippers or fragile failure points that do not look expensive (draw attention) or scream my $$$ laptop is inside. Something equally good to carry all day, be strapped to a mule or tied on top of a chicken bus. What would this type travel one bag be called?
Yes, they would be like a low key day pack. I'm thinking of a bit larger do it all 35L-45L that is very tough - no main zippers. Something that when I do head out of the urban area on a chicken bus nor back of the grain truck for the mountains and need to carry 4L of water and 2 days food becasue it's unknown what the village store (if there is one) will have.
As an outdoor gear designer for 20+ years, I've had access to and have used about every type of bag and pack fabric you might mention. As of 2024 my personal travel bags are all Challenge Ultra X. For my smaller lightweight bag options (sub 30lLdaypack or shoulder satchel) the Ultra 100X and 200X are great. For a max durability fabric for a main bag that will get a lot of chicken bus or nasty river dugout floor abuse the Ultra 400X is great. There are more abrasion resistant fabrics but they weight a lot more and are a bit of overkill and can create other functional problems in some design applications. I also like that the Ultra 400X in the dark gray color is very low key stealthy while not looking slick or expensive even though it is quite expensive for a fabric. Ultra X is also easy to fully seal tape the inside laminate and duct tape repair in the field.
Not a day goes by I do not think back to the early XSUL sub 4oz packs of spinnaker or 1oz DCF. Those were good days when people were tough and blisters got injected with superglue because it was FUN and you did not post about it on IG. Routes were picked beacuse if it was not crazy and delusional it was not worth our GD time. Nowadays you even mention XSUL and you get branded as "Unsafe" , "Reckless" or even "Stupid" ! I'd love to do a run of those packs and make customers sign a hold harmless wavier. Just think of the adventure. MY GOD JERRY, THE ADVENTURE!
Quadruple all the MEDs. 8 Motrin is only enough for 24hrs for a twisted ankle or knee or partial torn rotator cuff from a fall with outstretched arm. Ask me how I know.
If your poles are short- you may note to switch for the free 12" jack in the order comments. Vinyl end cap flatens out in use. 12" jack is best used with pole tips ends that are not tiny or weak.
My hack for any widefoot type LW fork cage. A thin aluminum disc about a $1 on eBay. Tapped the new hole in the cage foot and used a back up bolt. Thin dense foam glued to the top for cushion. Very LW hack. I really like the lightweight Widefoot cages. Perfect for a 2L soda bottle inside the 2.5L MLD dry bag on the fork. Carry 2L of water securely. Drybag + 2L PET bottle is 3oz vs a 2lb steel bottle
Noting that we have not heard from any customers about any Ultra X delamination problems. It has been over 2yrs (2+ thru hike seasons) and many hundreds of packs and other Ultra X gear out there. We did have a very few customer issues from early pack builds before the use of Ultra TNT taping of seams and stress points with the earliest first run of regular ultra (3 yrs ago now) but none from the second gen runs of non X ultra. We have not used the non X ultra for 2yrs. The DCF pack fabric problem was mainly abrasion. The fairly thin 150d polyester exterior was not very tough.
~OMNI CAMLOCK POLES Intro Sale Only $45~
5oz Fits any tent under 65" Super Strong
The lightest and strongest camlock straight tent poles available to fit any single pole pyramid or 2 peaked style tent under 65".
Easy to remove sections adjust the pole to fit anything under 65"
Can swap the beefy 4mm bungeee shock cord to 2mm to save about .5oz
(Note: If you have an order or place a new order for a pyramid tent and add the pole from the shelter menu, these poles will ship with them.)
Save 5- 10 oz and lot of space with no footprint. Use this instead: https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/ul-ground-cloth/
Altra Timp trail runners if lowest temps above about 40 and not huge amounts of cold rain.
The down goes on the inside - any insensible perspiration or moisture from the inside is more likely to accumulate in the outer synthetic layer which is much easier to dry. same for any moisture do condensation that may form on the outer layer.
At about 45 degrees or warmer, Synth quilts are about the same overall weight as 800+ down and as the weather gets warmer, moisture and humidity is often more common and that is where Synth shines. Synth packed size is a bit larger but it's already pretty small anyway not having that much synth insualtion. Synth is very easy to wash and dry in a machine. My do almost anything system for above 10F is a 30F down mummy + a 50F Synth quilt. Mix N' match as needed.
My +10 year old MTB w/ a low/mid level 120mm Rockshox has many hundreds of riding hours and no service. Works pretty well. Can always lock it out.
Platypus resevior hose also works well. Really gets in there.
FLASH SALE TENT POLES
$20ea
55" and 59"
https://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/pyramid-tent-poles/
Noting that if you are not repackaging and premixing in the morning you are missing out on the full AM experience of convenience, dependability and ultra light weight. If you are waiting hours for the AM to take effect you are missing out on the functional usage options. If you are tasting a Clorine Dioxide/ Bleach taste then you may be overdosing. See the link to the Andrew Skurka info for a full info overview.
Barefoot LD hiking sounds like pennance. Maybe for a crime like shoplifting weird cuts of meat and naming your 2nd child after a LD trail.
If it's not stupid crazy and delusional it's not worth our time.
Cuthroat + Ti Tumblewed Rack - Looks Great! My wife and I use the same bikes and racks.
Pro Tip #1: Use a thin plastic/nylon/delrin washer between the lower rack mount and the carbon frame. Helps prevent any possible abrasion if the bolt loosens a tiny bit. Also - and I know this is extreme OCD with almost zero potential - any potential galvanic corrosion.
Pro Tip#2: As with any brand of soft flat mount mini panniers that fit flat agianst the rack, consider if you need any additional barrier to abrasion over the rack legs or bottle mounts. Flat bolt hole plugs may be a good idea or even using a strip or circle of protective HD tape on the pannier back over the contact points. Make sure that the panniers are vertically tight so they do not bounce up and down. Every bike bag set up needs a bit of of an engineering/experience mindset to maximize the system.
Tumbleweed Titanium Mini Pannier Rack
bikepacking