Bikepacking Gear

After moving from Florida to Western North Carolina, Nic is leaning into his new digs as a minor mountain person. Featuring a mix of gear he’s come across recently and over the past few years, his summer Editor’s Dozen ranges from small items he found useful to components he was surprised to find value in. Dig into the full list below…

In our latest tent review, Neil takes a detailed look at Durston’s new X-Dome 1+. Despite some initial skepticism, he came away thinking that this freestanding shelter might be the best one-person tent available. In our Durston X-Dome 1+ review, he covers everything from setup and materials to packed weights and the standout features that distinguish it from the competition. Find it here…

After buying their first house, canceling a winter escape to New Zealand, and discovering their favorite childhood ice cream had made its way to British Columbia, Miles and Emily have had some time to reflect on various items and experiences that have already stood out this year. Find their first Editor’s Dozen of 2025 here…

Looking for a lightweight, stable, and well-built canister stove for your bikepacking kit? The newly updated Vargo Jet-Ti 2 stood out enough to pull Logan back into stove testing after a long hiatus. In this review, he compares it to longtime favorites like the Snow Peak LiteMax and MSR PocketRocket to see how it stacks up in weight, boil speed, stability, and overall performance…

The new Rogue Panda Catalina is a full-length top tube bag designed to add easily accessible storage to your bike. Miles has been testing one for the last few months, including a local overnighter, a route-scouting ride in Northern British Columbia, and a recent gravel race. Find his Rogue Panda Catalina Top Tube Bag review here…

The new High Above Venture3D hip pack is the brand’s most technical pack yet. Stitched in the Pacific Northwest, it combines an innovative 3D-printed pack pad with durable materials and a minimalist, clean design that packs in a few interesting details. We had the chance to try one out for a couple of months for this review…

Designed to meet the needs of everyday life on and off the bike, the London-made Wizard Works Munin Mini Messenger is a shoulder bag that’s small in stature but big on handy features. After nearly a year of daily use around town and on trips far from home, Lucas shares his thoughts in this review…

Adding to their flood of mountain bike drivetrain launches this month, Shimano has another big announcement today: their first-ever fully wireless gravel groupset. It leans heavily on their latest wireless derailleur tech but is a compelling addition to the lineup. Neil has been riding the new Shimano GRX Di2 group for the past month and breaks down everything you need to know in this review, including specs, weights, install tips, highlights, and more…

Originally published October 2022, updated June 2025 In our guide to bikepacking with a dropper post, we covered the benefits and reliability of modern droppers. To sum up the experience, […]

Just two weeks after unveiling their first fully wireless drivetrain, XTR Di2, Shimano followed up with two waves of trickle-down tech in the mid-range XT and entry-level Deore lines. We got our mitts on the new Shimano XT Di2 before its official launch to dig in and see what gives. Find our first-ride review here, including details, weights, pricing, and 10 key takeaways from our time with the group…

The new SRAM Force XPLR AXS (and Rival XPLR) 1×13 drivetrain pushes gravel gearing into new terrain with a direct-mount derailleur, refined ergonomics, and tighter gear progression. Skeptics may question the need for a 13th cog, but this groupset appears to offer meaningful improvements for endurance-focused exploits. Find our initial thoughts in this first look…

Nic recently took the opportunity to make his Ritchey P-29er a bit more gravel-y by adding a new offering from the same company. With three-pack mounts, a drilled fork crown, and sleek looks, dig into his Ritchey WCS MTN Adventure Fork review for more on how this suspension-corrected carbon fork changed an already fantastic bike for the better…