Check Out: Waterproof Shoes, A Clever Hip Pack, Wireless Dropper Post, & More

 How’d you manage to break your L4???

 Handmade in the US. That's the premium to "keeping it local". Didn't work out well for Kitsbow, hope these guys fair better.

The Osprey hip pack without the bladder is great as well!

I really don't see why people don't add pockets on the side of the strap, it's such a great idea.

 He did say that it was handmade in the US, so that tacks on price I’m sure. Bottle orientation-wise, I feel the same though. Maybe they might throw you off a little bit, but I’d rather take that over this as that doesn’t look too comfortable.

 @pinkbert, I'd say center-mounted bottles are the best - the Bontrager Rapid pack is one of my favorites for that reason. And with the Tsuga, the bulge isn't really that noticeable, due to the wider hip strap. It's not going to be for everyone, but I thought it was a clever option.

 It's called bikeflation. $130 is the new $80...

To your point, How do average riders, weighing anywhere from 150 - 220lbs, feel "imbalanced" from 600g of water?

 Yep, and by the time you’re ready for the downhill ideally the bottle is much lighter. Also the hammock idea is an option on most any hip patch with the addition of some small bungees.

 @mikekazimer: It's an interesting design but I've yet to purchase a cycling bottle that doesn't leak at least a little bit. Curious to see if that becomes an issue with this pack. Since the water bottle will constantly be on its side, it seems like it will be constantly leaking at least a small amount of water onto one's back/hip pack.

 @NRZ: yeah the camelback repack had em. And I miss 'em. Perfect for soft goods like snacks. You don't want to fall on your side with a multi tool in there.

 @mikekazimer: Also a big fan of the bontrager rapid pack! Super comfortable too.

 @mikekazimer: Damn, I might have to give something like the Bontrager a try. Two separate compartments is nice for organization. Centering the heaviest item is likely a benefit too. Can't fit pumps but frame storage can. Wish a someone would take some of the little details found across a variety of brands and models and just make one dope bag that covers it all.

 I think cause they left a word out of the name. It should have read Tsuga High Pivot Pro Hip Pack

 Agreed. That pack would cost around $6-$10 max being made in Vietnam. Assuming the US is triple that it's still quite overpriced.

 @NRZ: Here's something interesting to note: it says "handmade in North Carolina" but does not tout the "Made in the USA" label anywhere that I could find. That label has strict FTC requirements about materials used and the where the labor took place, whereas North Carolina does not have any laws about this. But, there are even exceptions where you can say materials are not US-sourced, but still use the modified label

If they're so proud of it being made in the USA, why does it not have that label? If it does not have one, you could actually point out that it's possible that maybe they're not being as truthful about how much of that bag is actually handmade in North Carolina. You could have bulk products shipped from China (stitched by hand in china), stitch on a few things, and claim it's "Handmade in NC."

 @Sdberre: Are you talking just material cost? Even at just $15/hour, you'd have to be real quick at cutting fabric and stitching to make that US estimate work. It is more than I'd likely spend, and all my bottles leak when sideways but I'm sure the COGS+labor is a bit higher than you think.

 @Chondog94: have you tried camelback podium water bottles? Mine has like 3 closure systems, the rubber cap to keep out dirt, then the nozzle is self sealing so you need to squeeze the bottle to drink. Finally the valve, if you seal it there is virtually no chance of spilling. Using it for years now, never had a leak while transporting them, even when full.

 I'll never understand why you'd want bottles over the hip packs that hold a bladder and drinking hose. Even during modestly technical climbing bits, I can reach down and easily grab a drink while continuing the slow, uphill battle. Sure, cleaning the bladder takes about 1 minute longer than rinsing a bottle, but its just so convenient!

 @NRZ: Osprey is the best. I have an savu2 that holds one bottle for shorter rides and a savu5 that holds two bottles for longer rides. And my kids school backpacks are Osprey as well. They have a very legit lifetime warranty.

 Its $130 because its made by hand in N/A by people who make a living wage, out of high quality fabric, and without cutting corners. f*cked up business practices by massive corporations have completely destroyed our perception of what fair cost of quality soft goods is.

 @mikekazimer: The reason and maybe not a factor, but I do not want waterbottle directly in inline with my spine. Thinking of the section of the bottle where your top and bottle screw together and the damage that could happen with heavy impact there against the back.

For people defending this price....if we can't manufacture stuff state side for a reasonable price then that's a much larger issue than just hip packs. It simply doesn't justify 3X the cost of other comparable options.

 @mikekazimer: What's the point of riding if your bulge isn't noticeable?

 @bohdibruh: Those people walk around at that weight all day every day, you add any noticeable amount of weight to a different part of your body and you'll feel it. Especially with a bottle where it sloshes around.

 @huvudvind: I have no problem with local goods costing more. 4x more if actually reflecting the true value is a problem with the system, not just with peoples perception though.

Second, "livable" in the US is a joke. Those folks are not making a "livable" wage by anyones standards besides the same millionaires who created this shitty system and you know it. Folks making no more than a livable wage are making enough to stay alive and show up for work the next day. I highly doubt every employee helping to make these bags owns home, has a solid retirement plan and savings and solid access to healthcare.

While I agree its f*cked up business practices by shitty corporations that put us in this predicament, I think its more about how much these corps have limited small businesses ability to compete vs altering peoples perception of value, though that is a thing, just not the only thing. I have been and continue to patronize many smaller "local" brands and shops. I do notice I may pay even twice as much for some shit and still see enough value in it. But a $200 hip pack? For what? To match my cotopaxi vest I just picked up from REI after visiting the Rivian dealership?

You talk about a fair cost but it's way beyond that. Fair will not keep your business competitive enough. Doesn't seem to be possible but a lot of business owners seem to think folks will and should go broke supporting them to make up for their poor and difficult business idea.

And just an observation I think is kinda f*cked up. We've established it's a 130-$200 bag. Fair or not, only so many people can afford that. So, what interest should I have in supporting the company who depends on and caters towards those high corporate salaries? The same ones that work against them.

Main thing for me is I'm sick of the convo constantly being spun around and pointed back on the consumers like they're the evil or stupid ones for complaining about a $200 bag. I'm down to pay for local, not down to pay extra just cuz they said local and handmade or inclusive or sustainable or organic or whatever buzzword they decided to include in their ad.

 @nickfranko: I think to have the "Made in USA" label...you need to use at least 50% US sourced materials. There are flashlights that have the Made in USA stickers on the box...but I bet that the PCB and emitter are from China.

 @huvudvind: Hats off - you get it!!

 @shredmonkey303: there again you need bungees no need for them here

 @Sdberre: lol but then resold for the same cost of this one. Buy Local Buy once.

 @nickfranko: I have watch them make them in Boone NC. Also just because you say you mountain bike doesn’t mean you are truthful about it.

 @huvudvind: well said

 @bohdibruh: I absolutely can not stand my hot laps pack when its loaded with a full water bottle.

 @pinkbert: Good points, I agree with a lot of what you say. There is a lot of nuance that I think is impossible to communicate through pinkbike comments, or even to completely understand. My intent was not to point blame at consumers. But I also don't think blame falls entirely (maybe partially) on Tsuga.

Its a difficult problem to solve. sewing is so hard to automate. Is it okay to buy a $40 bag if it was made at the expense of human wellbeing? Does manufacturing in third world countries help lift them out of poverty? I know I don't have answers to these questions. I agree Tsuga could probably optimize for cost more, and that handmade in the usa can sometimes be used as an excuse for people to overcharge.

Ultimately I don't think handmade in the usa is just a buzzword in this case. It has real positive effects on peoples lives and justifies a final cost that is higher than a mass manufactured alternative. Could the price be brought down by a simpler construction and greater economies of scale? Probably, and I would love to see more people making shit in the usa that is optimized for simple functionality and price.

- A broke kid who sews a lot.

 @huvudvind: let’s not forget that the market will naturally sort good ideas or products from bad ones. If people think this is too expensive, they won’t buy it. In reaction to that, the manufacturer will either find ways to make the price lower or they’ll stop offering it and focus on products that do sell.
You can buy wheels for a couple hundred bucks or easily spend >$2k if you have the money to afford it and see value in those pricier options. The market tends to offer options for people with vastly different needs and budgets. As a result, we’re all better off because we can usually get what serves us best.

 @twonsarelli: Idk i thought the "free market" meant I could take what ever I wanted from the grocery store.

 @huvudvind: well i doubt that a self-checkout machine will call you out for it or chase you out of the store

 @huvudvind: Yeah, ya know, I think the price of the bag isn't all that crazy after thinking about some more about it. And the $50 bags totally had an impact on how I perceived that price and the company. Not just small business owners but almost everyone in this country needs to be paid more.

I know I'm kind of shifting the goal posts but Wolf tooth for example is USA made. but they still depend on cheap labor. Paying someone 17/hr in the US to produce these components is still kinda trashy. Whether someone is struggling to get by in China to make my bag or in the US is irrelevant to me.

Not you, but a lot of ignorant jabronis just spew "huurr duuur USA made lOcaL, at least child labor didn't make it". And I'm like yeah, we paid that pregnant American mom to do it instead, how nice now her kid can eat rice in their cardboard box if she is lucky.

 @ChirsS: buy bye

 The new Evoc 3l race is definitely my favorite. Hot laps is good but floppy when loaded . I have a custom one that’s only good for short rides and have used an evoc 3l race since 2018 and loved it until I bought my wife the new Evoc with the wider belt and better hydration hose and double side bottle holders and it holds all my junk and snacks and doesn’t make me sweat to death in the desert. Allot to ask from a hip pack but the newest Evoc has figured allot of stuff out.

 @abtcup: 50% in what? Weight? Volume? Cost? Without more details, 50% doesn't mean anything.

 @pinkbert: yeah boy! Some of the smartest things written on PinkBike, maybe ever!

 @TsugaUSA: But you don’t!

 @mikekazimer: Bontrager Rapid is still my favorite of all time for streamlined setup....tucks up well, never moves, I've had the same one for 5+ years and compliments bikes like Spec that have a bit of storage + can handle a bottle. I used it back in 2019 for the BC Bike Race and shorter enduro races.

 @pinkbert: nope, $130 for that hip pack is overpriced. www.buckproducts.com has some nice offerings that fit the more local niche, and while simpler are significantly less expensive and high quality while made by a few people. They also do custom. Being a business is hard, but you don't have to charge outrageous prices and you should be called out when you do.

In my opinion it's up to the consumer to NOT buy underpriced, cheap labor, often low quality goods. However, it's not up to the consumer to buy overpriced stuff for any reason.

Sewing might be hard to automate, but it's not particularly difficult to do and create a high quality product. Materials are cheap, it's relatively easy especially if you have a production line, and as Buck Products states, it's a saturated market so you should prepare to be competitive. If you have a truly good product and let people know about it you can afford to pay people decently.

 @pinkbert: there is some truth to what you say, but it is not as simplistic as “some guy becoming a millionaire while not paying enough for the employees to buy a home, have decent medical plan and a a meaningful savings account”. As a small business owner, the wage required to provide this for all our employees would put us out of business in a month. We love to hate on the “big corporate businesses” that are taking over every aspect of business, including the bike industry, but you can’t provide the lifestyle you say all should have unless you have massive revenues to provide that. When you become large enough you get massive discounts on health plans that are not doable for a small business. I love small businesses and the customer care and service that comes with that if it is a well run business. Unfortunately, I think the giants of business (Amazon, Walmart and the Venture Capital companies that are buying up the bike business) will continue to grab a larger share of the business pie because they can pay a higher wage and provide a higher benifit package for employees.

For what it’s worth, we provide profit sharing and paid vacations for all our employees but cannot afford an insurance plan. Being a business owner does not mean automatic riches even if you run it well. There is a lot of risk and far more hours per week than most are willing to take on. In bad economies, such as now, you will be taking 5-6 figures a month from your savings to keep the doors open. Or, you can just fire everyone, which is not an option for us.

 @twonsarelli: Have you been to the new self-checkouts with cameras above the scanner? It flags the attendant if anything seems out of place.

 dispersed.bike makes one that's $100 custom-made in USA using solar power and in his van...

 @endoguru: I feel like a lot of the resistance to universal health care in the US is due to big businesses who worry about how many of their employees would go out on their own/found competitors if they didn't have to depend on the company for a decent health plan to cover their families.

 @chize: this is an interesting take that i've not heard or considered. company health plans tend to be quite expensive, sometimes more expensive than a hypothetical aggregate for comparable individual plans for the same people would be. currently, insurance companies are required to rebate corporate clients if they don't exceed a certain percentage of premiums paid out for claims. I think it is 85% but I might be wrong. I would think corporations would love to let the taxpayers shoulder the burden of insurance costs.

 I can't imagine paying 175.00$ Canadian for a hip pack.

 @huvudvind: I would venture an educated guess that those who made this bag, cannot afford this bag.

 @PACNW-MTB: they probably get one for free or at least employee discount

 @NRZ: the bladder in mine went yuck.
I’ve switched to running a 1 litre soft bottle. That way I just use it to refill the bottle on my bike. I think the straw makes me drink too much too soon.

Osprey can fit a small bike bottle in the same configuration internally. I’ve done that with a frozen one. Then just switch bottle on frame later in the ride.

 Yeah Ive had too many bottles leak while sitting laying sideways over the years to go with that solution

 Can confirm, Fidlock bottles leak like a sieve.

 @MegaStoke: I was thrilled when I realised the cap was the same as the one on another bottle that I’d bought for £2.99

 @MegaStoke: Weird. Been riding with one for three years. Not a drop of leak. Seriously.

 @Chuckolicious: same here. 2 years and going strong, no leaks.

 Bottles are made to leak. Its part of the design so if you run one over they pop. Other than price my fidlock bottle has been good to me though.

 @RonSauce: I have around a dozen bottles in the house at the moment. The only ones that leak when sideways are the 2 Fidlocks. The Camelbak, several different Elites, SIS, cheap Chinese collapsables and some Cannondale thing are absolutely fine lying sideways. OTOH my Fidlocks will leak all over my kit before even getting to the trails if I’m not careful

 @mashrv1: if I put it sideways and put pressure on it the bottle will for sure leak, just like every other bike bottle. I didn't spend $50 on a fidlock bottle to throw it in a bag though so its a real non-issue for me.

 I've got 3 and they are all fine, including the one held horizontally on my frame.

 @RonSauce: zero pressure required with mine. Lying on the kitchen worktop, in the bottle cage, whatever, it’s gonna leak. Mates bottle with a different lid (but still Fidlock) also leaks. The £2.99 bottle I mentioned earlier, also leaked.
They do seem to use various different lids across the range, so might just be luck of the draw. For some they’ve clearly just picked the cheapest one from the catalogue though.

 I have a specific turn on a local trail that does just this almost everytime. It's a tiny creek runoff through a corner. It always splashes my rearward foot. Maybe it splashes more than my toe but not much. I end up with one foot with a wet toes. Not an issue at all in the summer since it's hot here. My winter cycling boots are waterproof and mid tops so fine there too. Sometimes the shoulder seasons I end up with one freezing foot by the end of the ride. Common maybe not but definitely not never.

 Hugh advantage of waterproof shoes is that when water gets in it can’t drain out so you have a shoe full of water…

 Are you sure they're waterproof? There's nothing on them that suggests they are.

 @georgiamtbiker: sounds like something better addressed with a little digging than with a new shoe.

 They have a better version: www.fizik.com/us_en/terra-nanuq-gtx.html

 I heard that archer components was working on this, but the wireless transmission through the frame was proving to be an issue.

 @plustiresaintdead: Needs a..... wire antenna extending thought the frame.

 Cuz they cost double that post-pandemic!

 I found them hard to fit to my Dub and 30mm cranks.

 @sherbet: you just gotta press harder

 because some people have out of spec frames and think more expensiver BB's will solve the problem

 @CSharp: Err, hello: www.bike-discount.de/en/shimano-xt-bb-mt801-hollowtech-ii-bottom-bracket

 @sherbet: isn't it 29.99999mm?

 Because the Maxhit bbs and headsets are serviceable!
You get spare seals included and can but more if needed.
Look after them and they won’t need replacing.

And by design they gave bigger and more durable bearings too.
So in the long term…

 @Jonesey23: How do you add more preload to the bearing as the races/balls wear in? CK uses a threaded and collared endcap so you can add in more preload as everything wears. I do not see anything similar in this system.

 @sherbet: That depends on the cranks you use. CK's collared endcap is on their hubs, not BBs... no one has a preload built into the BB itself

 @Jonesey23: That's a fair point, cheers man.

 @harrybel: LOL, yes - only if you're in Europe. This can't be sold and delivered to North America! Pre-pandemic prices in Canada was around $25-$26 in LBS's. Post-pandemic $45-$60!!! People using supplier stock distribution as an excuse for jacking up the prices when a lot of the LBS's already had these same BB's in stock for several years.

 @CSharp: As a guy from a shop, literally none of our pre-pandemic stock lasted for more than a few months. Can also say an XT BB absolutely was not $25CAD in 2019, closer to 35/40. They have gone up in price since, which absolutely sucks, but that's a lot of hyperbole in your post.

 @sherbet: I actually bought a few of those MT800 for $25-$30 just right before and during the pandemic, locally. I do call the shops to see if they're available if I see the price online. So, I'm not just throwing things out there. Yeah, some shops don't stock a whole lot and some just run out because they're busy and run out fast. Right now, I just go back to the older version with the bigger ball bearings. The MT800 ball bearings are tiny and they do wear out faster. Lucky I had a few brand new older BB's I bought as backups. The Shimano BB's last quite a long time as long as you don't get them soaked in the creeks.

 @CSharp: I work in one of the larger shops in this country, and our BB stock was entirely burned out within weeks for Hollowtech items. I seriously cannot stress strongly enough how many people were coming in to get bike tunes and part upgrades during Covid.

 Absolutely true. Waterproof socks don't get the credit they deserve!

 Is there a brand of waterproof socks you'd recommend? I see stuff from $15 amazon socks to $100 goretex socks and everything in-between...

 @jaydubmah: Showers Pass showerspass.com/collections/waterproof-socks

 @jaydubmah: I have tried seal skinz with mixed results but the best ones I find on ebay .They are ex military gortex socks for about 15 pounds although they do.take some drying out when you wash them.

 Foot --> Wool Sock --> Plastic shopping bag --> Sam Hill 5.10 impact. DUN

 @rideronthestorm1: Thanks for the tips! Same to you as well @labiker9 . Cheers

 I prefer the waterproof shoe approach personally. My waterproof socks seem to let more air through them so I get wind chill when riding in cold conditions. Plus my waterproof shoes I don't have to change my socks back at the van. They were a game changer for winter riding for me. I don't find them to be excessively heavy or hot, but then again I only usually wear them when it's cold out - if its just wet then I'll reach for my normal shoes plus the seal skinz

 Or lower the price of bikes?

 The Park Tool background is a real workshop. We use it on an almost daily basis as a video/photo backdrop and of course to work on bikes.

 ^ This. The #1 thing I want to know about an optical HRM is how it compares to a chest strap for accuracy.

 @n734535, well, I'm approaching it the way many riders who are curious about heart rate monitors would, so I think my experiences will be useful.

 @barcolounger: not that you asked me, but my Garmin Forerunner 55 is within ~3 bpm when it counts (130 - 180 bpm) and is much more reliable in very cold and very dry weather.

 @mikekazimer: if you’re not cross-referencing a second rectal HRM, for the sake of accuracy comparison, is it even a review?

 @mikekazimer: Fair point

 If you want a thorough review, as always, head over to DCR: www.dcrainmaker.com/2023/07/coros-heart-rate-monitor-optical-band-in-depth-review.html

 @mikekazimer: I rarely eat pizza. Also I'm vegan. Some colleagues at my food reviewing publication are pizza connoisseurs. Not me. I'm going to approach this pepperoni pizza review from the pov of someone who has no frame of reference and doesn't particularly care for meat. Or cheese. Stay tuned!

Hold the phone -- turns out that pepperoni pizza was ok! You might like it. Or maybe not. You're welcome.

 The Enduro MaxHit stuff is really nice. The stuff that I've had the chance to play with has been super high quality, and the concept makes so much sense.

 Lol, good luck.

 The issue with expensive stuff with a lifetime guarantee is neither means high quality. Also you need to keep your bike for a lifetime to benefit.

 Wheels MFG Angular Contact Bearing sets are much cheaper and the 4 that I've installed have never needed service.

 @kingbike2: while this is true I do tend to get through a bottom bracket every year. I will easily keep a bike for at least 5 years so the financial benefit is there. Finally, bigger bearings can take bigger hits so this BB Huck's!

 @CamNeelyCantWheelie: I've read up on these bearings and they sound good but as mentioned in my previous post I think bigger balls suit my riding style ( by balls I'm mean ball bearings).

 that was how the old Magura bluetooth dropper worked. Half second delay, I would have hated it but a buddy loved the fact it was wireless in order to mount in an older bike without any dropper routing.

 I'm sure we were all planning on taking it scuba diving.

 @huvudvind: U.K. rain and mud I practically scuba diving.

 Does that brand of boxer briefs also have a model with a "cashew hammock"?

Asking for a friend.

 I hope they keep it cable actuated only. It's working, it's affordable and it's a great option when your wireless dropper fails.

 @rick26: If they make a wireless one, I doubt they would cease making one of their most popular products. Companies have to expand their lines in order to grow, I encourage oneup to keep making more and more excellent products!

 @Chondog94: still awaiting a OneUp Bashguard with an air tag holder.