The OGIO Flexform technology enables the bag to stand upright and open for easy access to all your gear; while the frame still flexes to conform when needed. A revolutionary flexible spine gives the bag its unique shape while keeping it extremely lightweight and durable. Check out the OGIO F5 Flex Form bag.
Nikwax TX.Direct
Check out this video from Luis Brown son of the founder of Nikwax. He talks about the importance of aftercare treatment for your technical garments like Nikwax’s TX.Direct.
UK Pro: POV Series
If you have a GoPro camera, then you probably also have a gaggle of mounts and accessories. If you are looking for a way to keep your gear organized and safe check out the POV series from UK Pro. It is specially designed to keep your POV camera and your accessories together and organized in one compact protective case. It keeps all your gear and accessories organized together and protected; its waterproof, dustproof and shockproof. Although I wouldn’t drop it out of an airplane I have sent mine skidding across the parking lot on several occasions and it has come out very much unscathed. The lanyard on the POV 30 (not pictured) allows me to clip my POV box onto whatever bag has the rest of my clothing and gear for whatever outdoor epic I am about to embark on. Then I can get the proper accessories for my camera sorted out at the trailhead or parking lot.
Using the POV box helps to avoid the alternative, no offense freezer bag, but you are better at keeping my short ribs from spoiling than organizing and protecting my gear.
If you think a few of these would look great on your shelves (and they would). Or you want to know where some shelves full of them are let us know
OGIO!!
We, at Pacific Rep Works, are proud to be teaming up with the folks at OGIO. OGIO has a history of making industry leading bags for golf and extreme sports like motocross and motorcycling. OGIO has a new line designed with the tri-athlete and cyclist in mind. Check out this review from Bicycling Magazine’s Michael Yozell on OGIO’s Endurance 9.0 Bag.
OGIO Endurance 9.0
EDITORIAL REVIEW
Ogio’s new line of sturdy, lightweight gear bags will please compulsive organizers, and save the day for the scatterbrained. The largest bag in Ogio’s Endurance line, the 9.0 gives each piece of gear a dedicated compartment, keeping you organized on any cycling (or triathlon, thanks to a waterproof wetsuit pocket) trip. There’s a padded sleeve for your helmet, a crush-proof pocket compartment for glasses, and your wetsuit stows on the bottom. There’s more organization under the front panel, with a reinforced pouch for your phone, small zippered pockets, a transparent sleeve for a packing list, and dedicated mesh panels for race-day nutrition. Insulated, zippered water bottle pockets mean you won’t risk dribbling Gatorade on your chamois, and muddy shoes are kept in their own pouch. All those pockets make for easy packing; simply surveying which are filled shows which gear you’ve packed, and what you still need to dig out of the closet. We also liked the contoured backpack straps for easy toting, as well as a hanger clip for packing the bag off the ground. Ogio’s Endurance line includes seven bags to suit any trip, from a day trip with the 1.0 to a week-long cycling adventure with the 9.0.
—Michael Yozell
For more from OGIO
Nikwax Waterproofs and Cleans Without the Nasty Chemicals
Nikwax has always been a leader in the world of being environmentally conscious. Check out this recent conversation KineticShift.com had with Nikwax’s North America Marketing Director, Heidi Allen.
Written by Peter Suciu on 26 February 2012
KineticShift: Is there a challenge to create a waterproof material that doesn’t use aerosols or fluorocarbons?
Heidi Allen: Some might say it’s challenging, but the most innovative people in the world never let a challenge get in their way. Nick Brown and the scientists at Nikwax have been making top of the line waterproofing products without aerosols or fluorocarbons since Nikwax was founded in 1978.
KS: How important are biodegradable products today? Is this a feature consumers are looking for, and if not how are you selling it to them?
HA: Making a biodegradable product is paramount, and it’s the responsible thing to do. One of the reasons we don’t use fluorocarbons is that they are persistent in humans and the environment. Some consumers are looking for biodegradable products, but we believe in doing things for the right reasons, not just to attract consumers. If people see the value in what you’re doing, they will support you.
KS: Is there any concern that biodegradable can suggest to consumers that the product isn’t durable?
HA: That can be a common perception. However, with more and more biodegradable products on the market, consumers are realizing that environmental responsibility does not equal a less effective product. In the case of Nikwax, we put our products through rigorous testing in order to make sure they exceed industry standards for durability. Our aim is to make outdoor products last longer, and we do so by starting with our own.
KS: Is there any issue about breathability so that fabric doesn’t feel like a plastic bag to the wearer?
HA: Nikwax products do not compromise breathability. As a matter of fact, it’s quite the opposite! Over time, all waterproof-breathable gear will lose it’s DWR, or durable water repellant finish. This DWR is what causes water to bead up on the surface of the fabric. Once the outer fabric loses it’s DWR, it becomes saturated with water, or “wets out”. Once the outer fabric is soaked, water vapor from the person wearing the item can no longer escape. That’s when the jacket will feel like a plastic bag. Nikwax products replenish the DWR, helping prevent the outer fabric from “wetting out”, and therefore allow water vapor to exit the jacket, keeping the user comfortable inside.
In addition to the above, our products do not “coat” the surface, they instead form a bond with the individual fibers. This leaves the spaces in between the fibers open, thereby not compromising the breathability of the material.
Our products are designed to work with waterproof-breathable membranes such as GORE-TEX, eVent, and the like.
KS: What sports and fitness trends are you making products for at present? Do snow sports have different attributes than say summer wear products?
HA: We make products that are appropriate for all kinds of activities. An extreme alpinist could use Nikwax products, but so could a weekend dog walker at the park. Our products are designed for anyone who wants to enjoy their time outdoors in maximum comfort.
For more from KineticShift and Nikwax
Nikwax BaseWash
If you’re anything like me you have a drawer full of synthetic performance base layers that have left cotton in the dust. Wicking layers do an excellent job keeping you dry and comfortable in all of our outdoor (and even indoor) activities. They only problem is the moisture those awesome garments wick away doesn’t always smell like sunshine and butterflies. Solution?
Nikwax BaseWash, it is a new product created specially for cleaning synthetic base-layers. It enhances the fabrics wicking properties, stopping them from stinking and helping them dry more quickly.
Benefits of Nikwax BaseWash
- BaseWash refreshes and removes odours
- Enhances and revitalises wicking properties
- Helps fabric to spread sweat and dry quickly, keeping you more comfortable in all conditions
- Increases breathability
- Performs better than household detergent at improving wicking and removing odour
- Easy to use – can be used in a washing machine
- WaterBased – environmentally friendly, biodegradable, non flammable, non hazardous. Does not contain fluorocarbons
For more on Nikwax BaseWash check this out.
Guide to Gifts for the Outdoor Lover
There are 15 days till Christmas, if you’ve still got some shopping to do check out the Examiner.com gift guide for the outdoor lover. It is a great selection of gifts under $75.
This is what they had to say about the Bidwell:
Overland Equipment Bidwell Bag
This one’s for the ladies. Overland Equipment makes high quality, durable and versatile bags and accessories. In fact the Bidwell Bag is so versatile that my wife takes it from the office directly to the trailhead. Frequently. $75
Macworld Loves the Cambridge
Pick up a copy of December’s Macworld to see their newest review of the Cambridge from Overland.
What’s the Best Carry-On Bag?
Check out Outside magazines Gear Girl’s review of Overland Equipments Nantucket Bag.
Q: WHAT’S THE BEST CARRY-ON TRAVEL LUGGAGE? Now that checking bags costs an arm and a leg, I’m having trouble staying organized on short work trips. Any tips for packing everything I need to work, exercise, and dine out?
A: I always envy the travelers with those sleek black suitcases that fit perfectly into the overhead compartment. That’s not me: My bag usually earns honors as the most likely to explode by the end of the week. It’s tough to fit a laptop, running gear, and presentable clothing into two microscopic carry-ons. But I’ve honed my system enough to know this: Your best bet is to get a big wallet and second carry-on item, and reserve your primary carry-on for clothes and shoes…
…I’ve also had great luck with Overland Equipment’s ballistic nylon Nantucket bag ($75). The Nantucket measures 21 1/4″ by 12 1/2″ by 6″, and it has one big compartment, a padded laptop sleeve, a mesh zippered compartment, and three interior pockets. I’ve squeezed my behemoth MacBook, a pashmina, pens that won’t explode mid-air, a notebook, a few energy bars, my toiletry bag, and phone into the Nantucket with no problems. If I buy lunch en route, there’s even a roomy exterior sleeve that won’t smoosh a sandwich. Best of all, it’s easy to lug around airports thanks to its padded shoulder strap and a flap that slips over the handle of my wheelie luggage.
—Stephanie Pearson
@OutsideGearGirl
You can check out the full review at Outside.
The Last Nikwax Knowledge Bomb
Dr. Nikwax is giving us one final knowledge bomb before going on to pursue bigger, better and hopefully just as dry things.
THIS month by the numbers
Here are a couple of fun facts for you:
So far this year, Nikwax NA has shipped 74,000 10 oz bottles of Tech Wash. That’s a pretty big number. But, the Godfather of the brand is still the big boss man – we’ve shipped over 82,000 bottles of TX.Direct (both formulations)!! WOH!
On another note, the tax-paying residents of Washington D.C. aren’t the ONLY ones without representation in our nation’s capital. Only 37 bottles of Nikwax have been shipped to non-chain stores in the DC area in the last 13 months!
But which are the states where you would be least likely to find Nikwax? Mississippi and Oklahoma. Looks like it’s time to start working on our southern drawl… 😉
Which states have the most? Well, Ontario and British Columbia are practically awash in our products, kicking Washington’s (at number 3) rear.
Now some Nikwax customer questions!!
Question: Will Tech Wash or Down Wash improve the water-repellancy of my jacket/garment?
Answer: Not exactly. Tech Wash and Down Wash will remove anything the might be masking or blocking the DWR, but they will not replace or reactivate something that isn’t there.
Question: My tent floor is leaking. Can I use TX.Direct to reseal the seams in my tent?
Answer:Nope. TX.Direct is designed to maintain a fabric’s ability to breathe. You want something that is water-tight no matter what and only a true sealant will do that.
Question: My jacket is really old. There really isn’t any reason to use Nikwax products… I may as well get a new one, right?
Answer:Nonsense, friend! Unless your jacket is physically coming apart (separated seams, de-lamination, rips, tears, holes and the like), you can always add a new DWR. Now, older garments tend not to remain waterproof as long… but that older jacket can make a great back-up or occasional-wear piece. That is, unless you already need a spare bedroom for all your gear…
Thanks for sticking with me for the LAST of my Knowledge Bombs.
Dr. Nikwax
a.k.a. Kelsey
pacificrepworks.com 
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