Acre Hauser 12 month review

My Hauser is nearing its first birthday so it must be time for a catch up.

I bought my Hauser back in January. For the full low down check my previous post here, but in summary I'd had my eye on Acre and its parent company Mission Workshop for a while and eventually bit the bullet and bought the 14litre Hauser to use both as a mountain bike hydration pack and a day pack / everyday carry. So how has this all American, Californian got on in a slightly wetter, muddier Sheffield.

The Hauser is designed and marketed squarely as a mountain bike backpack for use on the trails. That's great but at £175 I need my bags to do more. In the last 12 months it's been used for work, to carry groceries and as every day carry on a three week tour of Japan. It's been used on walks, buses, planes and obviously bikes and overall I've loved it.

It's subtle, yet stylish, small enough to be used every day but big enough to carry work essentials. I'd also be lying if I said the exclusivity wasn't a minor plus point. In the year I've been using the Hauser I'm yet to see another one.

Yet is it as good as it price tag might suggest. 

So the positives and there's plenty of them.

Build quality
First up has to be build quality, after a year of tough use the Hauser still looks as good as it did on day one. No snags, no wear marks, no sign that this backpack has had some serious action.

The internal lining doesn't have any marks on it either and even on the bottom of the pack where it's constantly getting put down there are no abrasion marks. So it's definitely tough.

No scuffing to see here

The ripstop nylon's diamond pattern gives a classy look and is easy to wipe clean. Living in northern England rain is a constant threat and so one thing I do insist on is a bag that can live up to the elements. I'm happy to say I've had no problems with the Hauser. Even in heavy snow and torrential rain the contents has stayed dry at all times.

Features
One of the best features has to be the tool roll. It slots in to the front pocket perfectly and negates the need for lots of pockets for pumps, inner tubes etc. It also means you can swap essential maintenance equipment quickly between bags.

My tool roll with a few of the commuter essentials

Out on the trail it also means you've got somewhere to put tools and parts while you fix your bike. One point to consider though, if you aren't carrying a lot in the main compartment a heavy tool roll in the outer pocket can shift the weight balance slightly and pull the bag out of shape. Simple solution, put the tool roll in the main compartment when you're not carrying much.

The top closes in two ways. It simply folds over and fastens with two clasps or you can roll the top over and use a velcro strap to fasten it down. Initially I was concerned about the velcro but it still looks fresh and works perfectly after a year.

An internal pocket in the main compartment wouldn't have gone a miss but the small side pocket is really handy and easily accessed for phones and wallets.

The side pocket is perfect for easy access to phone and wallet

Comfort
Early on I found the Hauser's shoulder straps to be quite light weight. On occasions I found it uncomfortable on the shoulders / neck when I was carrying heavier loads. However using the sternum strap (not something I always do) solved this and generally it's been a very comfortable backpack.

I also removed the waist belt as this I didn't feel it was necessary. The belt is a simple webbing strap and really just serves to stop the pack moving about rather than supporting any of the weight. Occasionally on steep and rocky drops the bag has moved about but generally I've found the Sternum strap plenty to hold it in place and the waist strap is folded up in the tool roll, just in case.

Versatility
The Hauser comes in two sizes, 10 and 14 litre. I chose the bigger of the two and I'm glad I did. As a daily carry the Hauser was perfect size for carrying all the necessities to work while not feeling too big when carrying lighter loads.

On day trips around Japan it easily took the daily essentials (camera, jacket, water, etc) while never screaming tourist or attracting attention.

The Hauser ready for a busy day in Tokyo

That is the Hauser blending in a bit too well at the amazing Inari Gates

And that's one of the big appeals of the Hauser for me. Although it's designed primarily for mountain biking it doesn't look like it is. There's no gaudy graphics or big logos. The pack blends in perfectly in all surroundings (including the Inari gates.)

A few small niggles.
Having a key loop would be great, especially for everyday use, as would pulls on the zippers to make it easier when wearing gloves (only the toll roll pocket has one.) For the price of this bag I'd expect both of these as standard.

Also a small pocket in the main compartment would be a major benefit. As regular readers will know, I'm a big fan of minimalist, however I think the Hauser is one internal pocket away from perfect.

Also to fully waterproof the pack you need to roll the top down, which you can't do if the bag is too full. A way of sealing the bag without the roll top would be another benefit.

I might be being picky but another small issue for me is if you start a ride with the top folded over (not fully waterproof) and it starts to rain heavily then you need to stop and roll the top over to make it fully waterproof. Perhaps this is just an indication of where it was designed (California) and how little rain they get.

These are small complaints admittedly, but changes that would lift the Hauser to the next level and ensure it really justifies its price tag.

Out on the trail in the Hauser's natural habitat

Conclusion
The Hauser is super cool but it's not cheap, expect to pay approximately £165 - £175 in the UK with the 10 litre version only coming in £10 cheaper. What you get for your money is an extremely well made, cleverly designed backpack. It has a weight to the material and construction that you simply don't get with more traditional mountain bike backpacks. It also has an exclusivity you won't find with many other backpacks. Since I bought mine Acre has released more colours including a black camo and bright orange. As someone who has too many black rucksacks  I have to say the orange looks fantastic.  All in, if you can get past the price which I obviously did, the Hauser is a great minimalist backpack and you won't be disappointed., whatever you plan on using it for.

Score: 8/10
Price: £175
www.acre-supply.com

Going AWOL with Specialized

The AWOL is unapologertically designed to be Specialized offering in the bike packing, do anything category of bike. 

Bikepacking and as it used to be know touring are not new concepts, take your bike and everything you need on your bike and go on an adventure. It doesn't matter if its for a day or a year as long as its an adventure. However over the past couple of years there seems to have been a very conscious shift by a portion of the cycling community to move away from target driven mileage (how fast, what heart rate, how far?) to just riding for the sake of riding and bikes like the AWOL perfectly encompass this attitiude. This is exactly what appealed to me when I took delivery of my Specialized AWOL Comp, back in November 2014.

The AWOL is not alone in this market place, there are a number of like-minded cycles out there including the Surly Trucker, Kinesis Decade ATR and Salsa's Vaya. All very similar but with their own twist. If you're after lovely titanium framework then the Kinesis is your bike, if you want something a little bit different with some lovely design touches its the Surly. For me the Big S won on the basis of how flexible the drive train and tyre options are. It comes with a fairly standard SRAM 2x10 drive train but want single speed? done. Belt drive? No problem. Hub gears? it's all possible. For me it was the most future proof of all the bikes, in that I could make it what I want and there's very little I couldn't do with it. If you need more proof check out Eric's awesome Alfine Di2, Gates belt drive equipped Peacock Nuke AWOL. Its equally flexible with its wheels and tryes, coming with 700x38 but it can run up to a 2.0 mountain bike tyre.

Anyway after a lot of debating I took the plunge and bought a AWOL Comp in November 2014, however due to a broken hand and a hectic Christmas schedule I've only managed a handful of short rides.

So what are my initial impressions? First of all its big, really big. Mine is an XL and while the rear triangle sits very similar to my Kinesis Racelight T, the front end is tall, as you can see from the photo below. And yes before you all start I know these photos break all the rules of bike photography, non drive side, pedals all over the shop but I was tired the light was fading fast and ....you get the idea.

There a lot of spacers under the stem and I've swapped a few out to drop the stem slightly. In terms of ride and comfort this hasn't made much difference but it has made the handing slightly less vague. On early rides I found the steering to feel a little detached but lowering the stem has put a little more weight over the front and made all the difference.  

I've heard talk of sitting in these bikes not on them and that's definitely true of the AWOL, its a really nice relaxed, comfortable ride but one where you still feel you're riding a responsive, modern bike. A very clever design.

As mentioned the rides have been limited to a maximum of an hour so far but with the plan that as soon as the weather picks up and the next few weeks of hectic commitments die down I've got some serious one-to-one time planned with the AWOL. However I've recently got some additional time on the bike, with heavy snow the AWOL has been thrown in to commuting duties, due in no small part to the Schwalbe 38c spiked ice tyres someone with a crystal ball bought me for Christmas.

With the disk brakes, relaxed geometry and decent tyre clearance its performed flawlessly. Although the additional weight over my usia Kinesis commuter bike is easily noted. The eagle-eyed among you will also have noted the Tubus front and rear racks that have appeared. You'll definitely be seeing a lot more of these in the future.

So to sum up, I'm a little bit smitten with the AWOL, it does everything very well and while my mountain bike is better off road and my light weight road bike is better faster on the road the AWOL has so many bases covered that its rapidly becoming my go to bike. Its also got one special factor, its fun to ride, it has that feeling that only certain bikes have that makes you want to do another lap of the block when you get home, just because you can. Whether my AWOL will ever get used for a huge expedition like many of them remains to be seen but I can guarantee it will see a lot of use regardless of how far from home it goes.

www.specialized.com

Berghaus Octans 25 Review

Berghaus Octans 25
25 litre capacity daypack
£60 RRP
www.berghaus.com
Time owned: Two years

I bought the Octans 25 when I was looking for a lightweight pack which would be suitable for day hikes but wouldn't feel over the top if I just wanted something to throw a jacket and camera in for an evening stroll.

Any regular readers of this blog will know I'm a big fan of simple, minimalist designs and that's what attracted me to the Octans.

First impressions were good, the black and grey is subtle and stylish, its well made and has nice touches like the whistle on the sternum buckle. The Octans is also definitely lightweight, the material while feeling well made is not heavy duty, there's no semi-rigid structure to the back of the bag like many packs and the shoulder straps lack padding.

Over the last 16 months the Octans has been used extensively in all conditions from rain, wind, sun, snow and even a stag do. So I'm now at a point where I can give a real opinion on the Berghaus Octans.

The Octans in use

First thing to say is the Octans is really comfy on all day hikes, sure I do get a sweaty back in warm temperatures but to be honest I've never found a backpack that doesn't.

The main compartment is practical with good access and a pocket at the rear for a hydration bladder, which incidentally you'll need to buy separately. If you decide against using a bladder the rear pocket is useful to partition some of the contents, especially maps and small items.

Main compartment with hydration sleeve 

The Octans 25 also has four zipper pockets and three external net pockets. Two of the four zipped pockets are on the waist straps and are made of mesh. In dry weather they're great for keys, snacks etc but in anything other than dry weather they're not much use. The other two zipped pockets are in the lid. Another mesh pocket on top of the lid and a slightly more substantial one on the underside of the lid. Both are useful although only the underneath pocket is at all water proof.

The right waist pocket

The top mesh pocket

As mentioned, on the outside of the pack there are three open mesh pockets. These are perfect for putting a water bottle in but that's about as far as they're use really goes. They're not big enough to hold anything substantial and the pocket doesn't have much elastic so anything in the pocket isn't held in particularly tightly.

Another downside is the lightweight material meaning there is little waterproofing. Light rain isn't a problem but anything heavier will see the content of your pack getting wet. To solve this I this I ordered a 14 litre Alpkit Airlok Xtra dry bag to use as a liner and this dry bag now permanently lives in the Octans just in case.

Octans 25 with 14 litre Alpkit Airlok Xtra dry bag

So how would I summarise the Octans 25? If you want a pack to use for longer trekking or carry heavier loads then I'd definitely look at something more substantial. However for a simple go to bag when you just want to carry basic supplies for a single day walk the Octans 25 is a really accomplished performer and has proved itself time and time again.

Acre Hauser - First Impressions

I've been admiring the steady stream of products coming out of San Francisco based Mission Workshops for a long time. Their selection of back packs and messenger bags are stylish, practical and offer something different to those people who want (and can afford) the option. Their range particularly caught my eye because of their clever and beautifully executed designs.

Acre is the mountain bike division of Mission Workshops and its Hauser trail pack has been on the market for a while now. The Hauser is available in two sizes, 10 and 14 litres and four colours, blue, grey, camouflage and black. While my keenness for minimalist made the 10L a tempting prospect the more practical 14L got the vote. 

Lets deal with the elephant in the room right now, these packs aren't cheap, most UK retailer seem to range between £175 and £195. That's a lot of money for a pack that's going to get thrown around, covered in mud and possibly crashed in. I was lucky to find that Urban Cyclery were offering 15% off with free p&p, at least bringing it a little closer to the opposition.

So when my Hauser arrived I was nervous, was this going to be money well spent, a simlar sized /spec Camelbak Mule NV is available for £70-£80 and comes with a reservoir included (which the Hauser doesn't.) I needn't have been concerned, as soon as it came out the bag it was clear this looks a quality piece of equipment.

One of the defining 'features' is it's lack of visual features, if that makes sense. All the Acre / Mission Workshop bags have a certain utilitarian style about them and the Hauser is no different. With no bright colours and few visible logos the Hauser is subdued in its design and all the better for it. The ripstop nylon material looks and feels high quality and has a subtle diamond patterning within it. Acre claim the Hauser is 'weatherproof' and while at this stage I haven't had the chance to prove or disprove this I can certainly believe it.

Finding a backpack to suit my needs can be tricky, I don't like my bag to have too many pockets. I don't want to spend all my time hunting through pockets trying to find my keys or the charger for my phone. However there is a happy medium, too few pockets just means everything rolls around in the main compartment. After an initial look it seems the Hauser is in danger of challenging the fabled happy medium. The main compartment effectively takes up the whole of the main part of the trail pack. There are no internal pockets but there are enough on the outside to address this while the main compartment is plenty big enough to fit the necessary paraphernalia for a day ride including, jacket, camera, lunch etc.

Closing the main pocket can be done in two ways, either by simply folding over the top flap or if you want to make it even more resistant to rain simply roll the top over. Time will only tell whether the velcro that holds the flap is up to the job once its covered in mud and opened and closed hundreds of times.

The main external pocket runs straight down the middle of the bag and hides one of Acre's little design gems, the tool roll. The roll comes with every Hauser pack as standard and has three pockets, plenty big enough to fit the tools and spares necessary for a days riding. As well as storing everything in a organised and central place the roll means you've got somewhere to put your tools while working on your bike out on the trails. An added bonus is the ability to easily swap your tools between bags and backpacks.

On the right-hand side of the bag is a vertical pocket with enough room to put phones, spare gloves and the like in and at the top of the bag is a similar sized pocket. The final external pocket is at the bottom of the bag and hides the cargo straps. While these are designed to carry body armour they're equally useful for carrying your jacket or sleeping bag.

Of course it wouldn't be a trail pack without provision for a drinks reservoir and the seperate pocket on the back fits a three-litre reservoir although as mentioned, the Hauser doesn't come with one included. You can also run the drinking hose on either side to suit you.

Other features include a removable waist belt and traps on the outside to carry a cycling helmet, useful for when you need to go shopping on your way home and a mesh back panel. I'll admit I'm sceptical of any claims for back panels, all that I've used leave you sweaty to some degree so I will of course be paying particular attention to this area.

As said, there is no doubt the Hauser is an expensive option and the 10L only comes in £10 cheaper than the 14L seen here so there's only minimal savings to be had there. The only thing that will prove whether it is money well spent is putting the miles in and testing it. Even then the debate on whether it is 'worth' the cost may be a personal decision. For me the Hauser needs to excel as a riding pack both on the trails and around town as well as performing equally well when hiking or going to the shops. It's a big ask for Acre's Hauser to live up to the price but I'm quietly confident it can deliver.

Acre's website is www.acre-supply.com

Vibram KSO Evo review - Nearly

This should be a review of my new Vibram KSO Evos. The first of a new generation of Vibram's Five Fingers that supposedly offer lighter weight and more feel.

However you'll notice there isn't a review here instead there's a bit of a blank space.....

I can show you a picture of the Evos......

I can say they indeed appear to be lighter and more flexible than previous models I've tried, I can even tell you they come with a neat little bag to keep them in. However what I can't tell you is much more than that.

I currently have two pairs of Vibrams, a pair of KSO Treks and a pair of Spyridons. Both in size 46 and both are a perfect fit. I've done countless miles of running and walking in them and never had as much as a hot spot or pressure point let alone a blister.

So when ordering the Evos from the Vibram website I had no reason to think anything more than my usual size 46 would be needed. Unfortunately it seems the KSO Evo has different sizing to previous VFFs.

Even out of the box the Evos look small, whether its just a trick of the eye I don't know but as soon as I put them on my feet I knew there was a problem. My VFFs have always been super comfy but straight away my left big toe was touching the end of its toe pocket in the Evos. After five minutes of trying to persuade myself they would stretch and bed in I came to the inevitable conclusion, I was going to have to send them back.

After checking they were indeed size 46 I put them next to my KSO Trek's and the problem was immediately obvious. 

The new Evos are approx half an inch shorter in length than the older Trek model, standing them next to my Spyridons told the same story. For me the whole point of them is the comfort and feel they give, if they're causing pain this is going to be a no go. 

Be warned if you're planning on getting a pair of the Evo's I'd highly recommend trying them before you buy.

At this point I must apologise for not getting a photo of the difference between the two shoes. I put the Evos back in the box while I looked up how to send them back and before I knew it the wife had sealed and sent them. You can't blame her for being efficient.

I bought the Evos direct from the Vibram website so they have had to be sent all the way back to Italy, not ideal. Note to self: next time go to my local barefoot shop and buy them there. Now I'm waiting on the roomier version to arrive.

I'm not sure why Vibram have felt the need to change the sizing of their shoe, its very frustrating to not be able to trust the sizing when you buy. Surely a size 46 is a size 46 no matter what shoes it is. I understand some shoes may have a sightly different fit but not to the extent that they a considerably too short and don't fit. 

I'm hoping it won't be too long a wait for the larger size 47s and of course there will be a detailed review as soon as I've had chance to put some miles under them. Just as long as they fit this time.

Finding my way

Ok, here's the deal. I decided to take a break from this blog, while I enjoyed writing about life barefoot in Sheffield I just felt there was room for more.
I love trail running and barefoot shoes, but...... I love the outdoors even more. Anything, running, hiking, camping and especially cycling it doesn't matter.
The thing that hooked me on barefoot shoes in the first place was the connection with the world under your feet. Barefoot shoes remove that insulating layer, that numbing feeling, the padding between you and the world around you. And for me that is the very reason we look for adventure in the first place? To remove the padding of everyday life and make us feel more connected with the world around us.
So with this in mind I've taken the decision to expand the scope of this blog.
Yes I'll still be covering hiking and trail running and yes I'll still be doing most of it in barefoot shoes but now I'll also be featuring and reviewing a much wider range of outdoor equipment and adventures including some cycling adventures.
I hope the blog not only continues to entertain those people who have enjoyed the blog but attracts those people for who life isn't about how quickly you complete your run but where the trail takes you and how much fun you have on the way.
Just remember, the race may be long and hard but ultimately it's only with yourself. So go out and just enjoy yourself.

Kinder Land

I've not had a lot of time for blogging or outdoor adventures lately. A three hour daily round trip to work combined with the stresses of work have made for limited time for getting out and about let alone writing about them.

So with the wife away for the weekend and nothing planned for my Sunday it seemed the ideal opportunity for a trip to Kinder Scout. While it may not be a peak it is the highest point in the Peak District and synonymous with the English 'right to roam' and mass trespass of 1932.

However, despite its history there are times you have to wonder what you're doing.

Stood up on the bleak edge of Kinder Plateau this afternoon was one such moment. With the wind gusting at 60mph, rain stinging and the visibility down to 25 feet  it was certainly more of an endurance test rather than a pleasurable walk.

In fact the camera only came out on one occasion. Truth be told I really didn't fancy digging through my rucksack in to the drybag to get my camera out and then have to fight to keep the lens dry long enough to get a picture of the grey mist.

As you can see from this picture as I descended towards the top of Jacobs Ladder the conditions weren't great. However the mist parted long enough to remind me for a second quite how amazing the scenery in the Dark Peak can be.

I used my Goretex Merrell Gloves on this walk and while they proved surefooted on all but the slipperiest Peat bog they did mean soaked feet thanks in no small measure to my previous issues. I'm still on the hunt for a 'waterproof' minimalist shoes that can take the Merrell's place as my standard all weather option for walking and hiking. Answers on a postcard please...........