Friday Debrief: Ripsey, Campouflage, Safety Avocado, and More…

We started “The Debrief” on our YouTube channel last year as a way of highlighting the week’s news and things that caught our attention on the website, in the conversation, and elsewhere around the community. To take this a step further, we’re posting a weekly Debrief here on the site to highlight all of those things and more, including upcoming events and interesting things 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…

Farther Bag Co. Campouflage is back

Designed as an homage to the classic enamel camp mug, Tennessee-based bag maker Farther Bag Co. just stocked up on their Campouflage lineup. They are made with 1000D Airwave fabric and are available now in several models, including the Big Tube, Little Tube, Corner Pocket Stem Bag, and Dangler Pro.

Made in USA / $40-65 at Details

New Rocky Mountain Element Color

The Rocky Mountain Element received a major redesign this year, including a geometry update and room for a massive frame bag, which had us thinking it would make a fantastic short-travel full-squish bikepacking bike. While it looks like nothing is changing for 2023, Rocky Mountain just released a fresh green and blue color option, pictured above. The new color is available in the base level Alloy 30 build all the way up to the top-end Carbon 90.

Made in Taiwan / $3,300+ at Rocky Mountain

Ombraz Side Shields

Ombraz recently released removable and packable Side Shields to go with each of their glasses styles. They are engineered with a patent-pending louvered design for ventilation and are built to block peripheral light and reduce glare. The side shields cost $50 and include a new visor-compatible Ombraz case.

$50 at Ombraz in these styles: Classics Dolomite Leggaro Vialle Teton

Nikwax’ New PFC-free Hydrophobic Down

Best known for their lineup of high-performance technical cleaners and waterproofing products for outdoor gear, Nikwax just announced their new Nikwax Hydrophobic Down+ (NHD+) and Nikwax Hydrophobic Down Recycled (NHD Recycled). Both are PFC-free, keep users dry 600-900% longer than competing down products, and meet Responsible Down Certified and Global Recycled standards. Learn more here.

Rogue Panda x Monumental Loop Alamo Top Tube Bags

Rogue Panda Designs, the Monumental Loop, and Collette Marie have teamed up on a fundraiser to increase safety and accessibility on the Monumental Loop route in southern New Mexico. Purchase an Alamo top tube bag with Collette’s exclusive Monumental Loop print and $60 of your purchase will go toward “signage, improved route alignment, extended aid stations, and even more luxurious swag bags” at the 2023 event.

Made in USA / $120 at Rogue Panda

Safety Avocados Back in Stock

After a bit of a delay, the Safety Avocado by the folks behind the Safety Pizza is back in stock and ready to keep you safe on the road. Made in California, the Safety Avocado features a blaze-orange safety ribbon finished with a reflective avocado.

Made in USA / $15 at Safety Pizza

Brooks Ergonomic Leather Grips

Earlier this week, Brooks England launched their new Ergonomic Leather Grips in three colors (Black, Brown, and Honey) and two sizes (130/130mm and 130/100mm). They’re made from hard-wearing thermoplastic rubber with classic leather inserts that match the brand’s saddles and feature an aluminum clamp. And, as their name implies, Brooks says their finger-friendly ergonomic shape is equally suited to city jaunts and world tours.

Made in Italy / $85 at Brooks

King Cage Titanium Iris Cage

Appreciated by plastic bottles everywhere, the King Cage Iris Cage is designed to hold your bottles firmly in place without marking them up, and because of the lack of upper tab, it works well for smooth-sided Klean Kanteen 27oz or 16oz insulated water bottles as well. King Cage just added a titanium version that weighs 57 grams and is made from a solid titanium rod.

Made in USA / $45 at King Cage

Rogue Panda Ripsey Preorder Extended

The Rogue Panda Ripsey is a unique dropper-post-compatible seat bag with the best-in-class tire to saddle clearance, making it a fantastic option for full-suspension shredpacking or anyone on a smaller bike with limited tire clearance. The preorder for the first batch was just extended until the end of the year, with an expected delivery of March 2023.

Made in USA / $175 at Rogue Panda

In Conversation

Exchanges and ideas that caught our attention in the site’s conversation section…

Better Bear Bag Line

In their Editor’s Dozen favorite gearlist, Logan and Virginia posted about the Rock Sok bear bag kit. Readers were soon to point out recommendations for line that’s thinner, stronger, less prone to tangle, and more importantly, glides better across tree branches. Those include Lawson Reflective Ultraglide and Samson Zing-it Throw Line.

Around the Community

News from around the bikepacking world…

Tour de Chequamegon Diversity Grant Program

Our friend Dave Schlabowske helped support the Tour de Chequamegon diversity grant program this year, which was created and managed by Brooke Goudy and Devin Cowens with the goal of getting more people of color to visit and ride in the Wisconsin Northwoods on the guided Tour de Cheguamegon ride that happens each fall. As you can read about in this report, the first year was a huge success, and Brooke and Devin plan to continue and grow the program next year. The program is funded with profits from the Hungry Bear 100, a small gravel race in Cable, WI, that Dave organizes each spring, as well as through merchandise sales on his website. Grab a hoody or T-shirt at LifeAboveEight.com and learn more about the route here.

44 Bikes Talks Geometry

New Hampshire, USA-based 44 Bikes just published an in-depth look at bike geometry, handling, and performance of hardtail mountain bikes based on 31 years of riding and 10 years of building bikes. Head over to 44Bikes.com to dive into this interesting read.

Happy Birthday to our YouTube Channel!

Happy belated ninth birthday to our YouTube channel! Although it’s only been the BIKEPACKING.com channel for a little over two and a half years, Neil first launched his channel on December 13, 2013. If you’re not following his more recent work as our YouTube host, be sure to tune in and subscribe.

Mason Rider Roundup 2022

UK-based Mason Cycles has been busy posting their 2022 rider roundup series, which includes interviews with their supported riders to hear about their 2022 riding season and what’s in store for 2023. You can read the first one with Naomi Freireich here, and find the rest of the posts on the Mason blog.

Events Starting Soon

What to watch this weekend and bikepacking events starting soon…

The 03

Set in New Zealand, The 03 is 4,018 kilometers long and is the pinnacle of “type2 fun” self-supported multi-day navigation that are Brevets. There are 40,000 meters of climbing. It’s a no-frills “you are on your own” self-supported type affair. There is a grand depart next Tuesday and you can follow along live here.

Wish We Were Here

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

Taneika Duhaney (@msadventurer1): GranGarda

Of all the routes in the BIKEPACKING.com catalog, Matteo Minneli’s GranGarda tops my list. The prospect of riding the perimeter of the largest lake in the Italian Alps would be a welcome reprieve from bustling city life. Imagine biking through vineyards and olive groves, exploring medieval castles and fortresses, or basking in the sun while riding by pine forests—the epitome of rejuvenation. Hopefully, soon, I’ll get to check this 350-kilometer route off my list.

Weekly Social

Some things we found around the ‘gram and elsewhere. This week, some folks out braving this cold…

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