Friday Debrief: Full Metal Fenders, Crazy Ultralight Camp Shoes, Lots of New Bags, and More…

The weekly Debrief highlights small but important bits of news, products, and things that caught our attention on the website, in the conversation, and elsewhere around the community. These include upcoming events and interesting items our readers shared in the comments. Check out this week’s findings below.

Bits & Bobs

New products that are worth highlighting but didn’t make the Dispatch…

Tour Te Waipounamu 2024 Stories

Made in New Zealand / $12 E-book download at TTW

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Tour Te Waipounamu 2024 Stories is an inspiring compilation of ride reports and photos from the 2024 edition of the race. In its 80 pages, it shares a depth of experiences from the uncompromising terrain and unpredictable weather the 1,330-kilometer route is renown for, and it digs to the heart of what participating in a grueling yet deeply rewarding event feels like.” It’s available as an electronic PDF download, and all funds from will go toward costs of race administration for future editions of the event.

The High Above Rad Pack is Back!

Made in USA / $90 at High Above

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The Rad Pack, one of High Above’s original designs, is back and better than ever. This time, it has an updated mesh back panel for better breathability, ETC loops for jacket or knee-pad carry, and their go-to Fidlock buckle. The Rad Pack is available in three new colors (black, camo, or teal), holds approximately 1.4L, and is handmade in Seattle, Washington.

$35 PNW Loam Levers!

Made in China / $35 at PNW Components

The folks at PNW stumbled upon some old first-gen Loam Levers, and they are offering them for just $35 each (regularly $69). The Loam Lever comes with your choice of a black or graphite body, five thumb pad colors, and includes a 22.2mm clamp. Miles reviewed the Gen 2 Loam Lever here, but the Gen 1 model is a fantastic dropper post lever and a huge upgrade over most stock levers.

Tunitas Creative Convertible Crossbody Bag

Made in USA / $90 at Tunitas Creative

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The new Tunitas Creative Convertible Crossbody Bag conveniently converts into a larger musette bag for those moments when you find yourself needing a little more carrying capacity. Designed for everyday essentials, the crossbody bag holds 1.5 liters, and the musette holds up to 9 liters. It’s made from a Ecopack or RX30 exterior fabric (depending on the color).

The Athletic “I Like Bike” Hat

$35 at Athletic

In a time when the future is uncertain and there are more questions than answers, The Athletic Community’s new “I Like Bike” hat is something we can all agree on. It’s a green unstructured six-panel with an adjustable fabric strap with a brass metal clasp and is made from 100% brushed cotton twill. Do you like bike?

Bags by Bird Tail Grab Restock

Made in USA / $125 at Bags by Bird

The Tail Grab from Tucson’s Bags by Bird is a medium-sized handlebar bag with a rider-facing opening. Although the design has changed since the original version we reviewed, it’s a great option for big day rides, commuting, or even lightweight summer campouts. Bags by Bird just restocked their classic Tail Gran lineup with a handful of ready-to-order options in some nifty black fabric variations.

PDW 26″ Full Metal Fenders

Made in Taiwan / $149 at Ride PDW

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Made of sturdy anodized aluminum and adorned with laser graphics, the PDW 26 x 2.5″ Full Metal Fenders fit bikes with 26″ diameter wheels. They can fit up to 26 x 2.2″ tires and come with special extra-long hangers designed to better fit 26″ frames and forks. The double rear stays add stability and prevent rattling.

Dustin Klein x ENDURE GORE-TEX Jacket

$260 at Gore Wear

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Dustin Klein and Gore collaborated on a limited-edition version of Gore’s best-selling GORE-TEX Jacket. The Dustin Klein x ENDURE GORE-TEX Jacket is 100% waterproof, has an over-the-helmet hood, extended back, and is made from repurposed materials that were headed to the landfill. The jacket is only available in the US and won’t be around for long.

Zpacks Ultralight Camp Shoes

Made in China / $34.95 at Zpacks

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Starting at only 1.8 oz (51.7 grams) per pair, the Zpacks Ultralight Camp Shoes are some of the lightest weight and smallest packing camp shoes we’ve seen. They feature a thin 4mm foam sole, a closed-toe design, and the upper is made from Robic nylon and Lycra mesh. They come in three sizes and are available to order now. Looking for other lightweight shoes or sandals for around camp? Make sure to check out our roundup.

Un Abécécaire du Voyage à Vélo (A Primer on Bicycle Travel)

Made in France / €24.90 at Atlas du Cycle

Timothe Girard’s Un Abécécaire du Voyage à Vélo, which translates to “a primer on bicycle travel,” explores several themes related to travel, cycling, drawing, architecture, and landscape. It’s an ABC-style guide, with each letter of the alphabet introduced by a drawing of a bicycle, designed to be an incentive to help readers discover through different mediums (writing, drawing, cartography) while traveling by bike.

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Kerry MacPhee’s Highland Trail 550 Story

This spring, 37-year-old Scotland local Kerry MacPhee became the first woman (and sixth overall rider) to finish the 2024 Highland Trail 550 (HT550) event, finishing the rugged 550-mile route in just 3 days, 23 hours, and 18 minutes. We shared a congrats post and photos already, but Genesis Bikes recently published a reflection from Kerry that you can read here.

University of Oregon SPD Bikepacking Shoe Survey

Rachael Belshaw, a graduate student in the Sports Product Design program at the University of Oregon, is conducting a survey to gather insights on bikepacking and explore how footwear can be optimized for this specific activity. The information collected will be used to create an infographic that highlights trends in bikepacking footwear utilization and identifies potential features that could enhance the design of a specialized shoe. Fill out the form here.

I Took My Friend On His First Bikepacking Trip

In episode 20 of Daniel Camp’s YouTube series highlighting his bikepacking journey from Alaska to Argentina, he rides the San Jose Del Pacifico Grand Dirt Tour route in Oaxaca, Mexico, with his friend Somi. Watch the 25-minute video above and learn more about the route here.

Hulsroy: Making Stainless Steel Bottle Cages II

After we shared the Dispatch about Danish builder Mads Hulsrøj Jæger’s new No Tab Bottle Cages yesterday, Mads tipped us off to his latest YouTube video, which walks through the manufacturing steps for each cage in detail. It’s a follow-up video to his original video and includes some new pieces of equipment he’s acquired to streamline the process. Watch it above.

Trek Teases Steel Top Fuel

This week, Trek posted some photos of a prototype steel full-suspension mountain bike designed by Trek industrial designer Kyle Neuser. The steel frame is paired with production Top Fuel stays and rocker link and finished with a paint scheme inspired by Trek’s steel bikes from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Let Trek know in their post if they should make it.

Big Brain Party MTB Geometry Master Course

Steve from the Hardtail Party YouTube channel and the new Big Brain Party channel just launched a new Advanced MTB Geometry master course. The course includes over 130 video modules, unlimited lifetime access, and you get to set your own learning pace. The course costs $189, and you can sign up at BigBrainParty.com.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

Escape L.A.

Escape L.A. is a 300-mile bikepacking event highlighting the beauty, accessibility, and contrast of the public lands surrounding Los Angeles. This year’s grand depart started yesterday morning with 23 riders registered for live tracking. Follow their progress live here.

Cohutta Cat

The Cohutta Cat is a 290-mile figure-eigh loop in the mountains North Georgia and Eastern Tennessee, starting at the Mulberry Gap Adventure Basecamp near Ellijay. The 2024 grand depart takes off this morning, and there is a small but brave group of riders signed up for live tracking. Follow them here.

Wish We Were Here

Shedding a little light on a route one of us is dreaming about riding at the moment…

Lucas Winzenburg: The Jura Traverse

Josh Meissner and I recently finished a heavenly five-day bikepacking through the Voges in France, loosely following the Traversée du Massif Vosgien (TMV) route, and I wish time permitted us to make the connection to the Jura Traverse a little further south and keep pedaling, maybe all the way down to the Mediterranean. Having lived in France and traveled extensively around it on a dozen or so visits, the Jura remains one of the last pieces of the Hexagon to unlock. Another reason to get back soon!

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, posts from a handful of folks currently taking on Australia’s Tassie Gift…

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