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

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.

Vibram KSO Trek Sport Rated

No piece of footwear splits opinion quite like Vibram’s FiveFingers.

There's no getting away from it, Vibram's FiveFingers (VFFs) are definitely eye catching. The first thing I found, even before I bought my first pair was they polarise opinion. People either love or hate them, there's little middle ground.

After dipping my toe in the barefoot pool I decided to take the plunge and go all in with the infamous FiveFingers. My primary need at the time was for a walking / hiking shoe and after reviewing the Vibram range the additional grip and slightly thicker sole of the Trek Sport seemed to offer what I needed.

My first piece of advice for anyone new to the FiveFingers is go and try some on before you buy. Vibram has a very good sizing chart on their website (available here) but there's no substitute for actually putting them on your feet. Partly because not everyone will like the feel of having your toes in pockets. It’s worth trying before you buy.

The Trek Sports were comfy from the start and my usual size 46 were a perfect fit. As with any barefoot shoe there can be a bedding in period and I did suffer some minor discomfort in the early days of wearing them. The instep of my feet felt strained and my feet ached when I took them off after three / four hours of wearing. This wasn't bad enough to make me take them off and within a couple of weeks wearing them for between one and two hours the problems were history.

The mesh upper does a good job of letting your feet breathe while keeping stones and gravel out of the shoe. I’ve worn these shoes all day in +30C with high humidity and they've never felt uncomfortable. They do get a bit sweaty when they’re worn regularly with no socks but not any more than a normal pair of trainers would. They can also be thrown in the washing machine if they get too stinky.

The Trek Sport has a heavier tread pattern than the almost non-existent tread on the KSO. This gives a sure footed feeling with stones, rocks and other trail debris rarely having any great impact. You can feel it’s all there it just takes the sting out of it.

I've used my VFFs for a variety of uses including hiking in the peak district, beach visits, walking the dog and general shopping / coffee drinking duties. They've even had outings in the snow. Through all the different conditions the grip levels have always been limpet like. This feeling is increased because of the ability to use your toes to grip far more than you can in a 'normal' pair of trainers. Anyone concerned that other VFFs might not offer them the versatility they need should look no further. These really are the do anything shoe in the Vibram line-up.

As with all VFFs there's an art to getting them on and it takes a little time to master. My advice, slide your foot in while getting your big toe and second toe in position. It should only take a little rearranging to get the other toes in position. Once you've done this then hook your heel in to the shoe and fasten them up.

As an everyday shoe the black Trek Sports can often go unnoticed, especially when worn with jeans or cargo trousers. I wore mine to see the bank manager on Saturday and they largely went unnoticed. And if some one does notice them i find a quick twitch of the toes usually guarantees a horrified look. 

I’ve now got two pairs of VFFs having recently invested in a pair of Spyridons for trail running duties (first impressions to follow soon). The comparison is interesting, the green and black Spyridons feeling much more sporty in their construction and focus while the Trek Sport definitely taking the position of the more versatile shoe.

Following the success of the Trek Sport a pair of KSOs maybe the next Vibram shoe to find their way in to my shoe rack. My understanding is the soles are thinner and offer even more barefoot feeling so I can't wait to get my hands on a pair.

Verdict

There’s no getting away from the fact you will get attention with these shoes and you will have people staring and pointing. If you don't like that you might be best looking elsewhere. On the basis I didn't feel the need to draw even more attention to my new shoes I opted for the black version of the Trek Sport.

The feeling given by the Trek Sport is like no shoe I've ever worn. You know you're wearing a shoe but the amount of feedback you get from not just the terrain but also just the process of walking in the FiveFingers really adds to the sensation. It sounds corny but I found the Trek Sport added a whole new dimension to any walk or run. You actually feel what the ground beneath you is doing. A sensation that is increased by the air flow offered by the Trek Sport's mesh upper construction. 

This feeling combined with the subtle styling and versatility of the Trek Sport mean they are the first shoe in the bag for any holiday or trip away. Interestingly they are also my first choice of shoe after a long day in my work shoes. With tired, aching feet the last thing you want to do is put another pairs of shoes on but the comfort and breath-ability of the Trek Sport make them my preferred choice to relax in.

A couple of minor downsides, the treads seem to wear quicker than a lot of shoes. This is probably down to the soft compound rubber they're made from. Can you have it all, plenty of grip and long lasting? They're also trickier to get on than other VFFs I've tried. Apart from these minor points, I'm sold. Tough, comfy and great performance. 

When I suggest the Trek Sport are the everyday choice it makes them sound dull and boring, however they're anything but. The Trek Sport are my VFF of choice for a majority of the time, they offer the feel and flexibility with the ability to go anywhere and do what ever I need.

Score 8.5/10

Merrell Barefoot Train Embark Glove Gore-Tex Review

The Merrell Barefoot Train Embark Glove Gore-Tex  (phew) were my first foray in to the world of bareform shoes. As I've explained before it came from a need for a particular type of shoe rather than a desire to go bareform. I've now been using them for nearly a year so here are my thoughts.

I wanted a shoe that was tough enough to use for long walks across the moors, comfy enough to use all day, looked good enough to wear to go for coffee in and most importantly were light weight. I didn’t want a traditional multi-sport shoe such as Merrell’s Chameleon. They're just too much like moon boots for me.

After seeing the Merrell Trail Glove in a local outdoor shop I went home and scoured the Merrell website (www.merrell.com) for something similar that fitted my needs.

While I liked the Trail Glove the focus of a running show concerned me, I’ve suffered from running related injuries for several years and tarnished by my physio's horror stories of the dangers of walking in traditional padded running shoes I wanted something designed to walk in.

The Train Embark were the obvious choice. While the Train Embark and Trail share the same Vibram sole the Train has a more substantial upper body with tough synthetic leather and mesh upper body with the all-important Gore-Tex layer.

I chose the awesomely tangerine Castle Rock / Dark Cheddar (orange and grey) colour way in my usual size 46 and they were a great fit from the start. Although they should be for the price, £125 isn't cheap.

Castle Rock / Dark Cheddar Train Embarks

Everything you read about starting out on the barefoot journey suggests short distances at first so I restricted the Train Embarks to a few trips to the shops and walking the dog for the first ten days.

However I've never been one for rules or advice so after less than two weeks of ownership I took them on a road trip from Arizona to California and the Train Embark took everything in their stride. Three hour hike around the edge of the Grand Canyon – Check, walking in Yosemite – Check, sight-seeing on the Vegas strip or chilling out in San Francisco – Check. I was over the moon that I’d found a shoe that did it all.

One of my fears when I ordered the Train Embarks was the sole would be too thin and I’d feel every stone and imperfection. I was soon relieved that the tough 4mm sole manages a careful balance of letting you feel the trail beneath you while protecting the foot perfectly. It is worth noting the Merrells are at the thicker end of 'barefoot' soles.

It wasn't all rosy in the first few weeks though. Despite the claim that the footbed is treated with an Aegis antimicrobial solution after two weeks of use I was getting complaints from Mrs T about the pong eminating from the tangerine terrors. A switch to trainer socks soon solved this and while it goes against many people's concept of wearing barefoot shoes for me it makes them a much more usable everyday shoe. Also by being selective and choosing very thin socks I don't feel I'm losing any of the feedback.

My other slight negativity is the difficulty in getting them on. Once on your feet they're like a good set of slippers but getting them on can be... frustrating. This is due in main to the stiff upper body and the lacing system which can restrict access slightly.

As you'll gather the first six months of ownership were generally very positive until me and the Merrells had a major falling out. On a trip to the coast I noticed the rubber toe bumper on the front was coming away from the main body of the shoe. As it was only a small split I wore them the next day for a gentle walk on the beach and it all went wrong. The front of the shoe effectively disintegrated. with all the rubber covering on the upper shoe peeling off and the sole and bumper becoming detached. This happened on both shoes as well which makes me think it maybe a manufacturing defect. 

Needless to say I wasn't impressed but to give Merrell their dues they eventually replaced the shoes. Only problem being the orange version were no longer available so i had to settle for the Black and Blue option. In my opinion they look far better in the orange but it appears this colour has been discontinued. 

Not as eye-catching in the Black / Olympia Blue

The new Black versions have now had six months of use including several walks on the very same beach and so far are still in great condition. So I'm happy to put it down to experience.

Interesting though the uppers on the black version seem to be constructed from a different material and I have to say don't feel like they fit as well as the orange ones did. They feel roomier and a looser fit. I certainly haven't been won over as easily as I was with the originals.



Conclusion
The Train Embarks have been fantastic as a do anything, go anywhere shoe. Wearing them everyday they look great and have become my shoe of choice for any out door adventures. The Gore-Tex lining does what you'd expect and means the only way water is coming in is if you stand in water that's deeper than the height of the shoe.

The orange version were amazingly comfy but as mentioned the black ones don't feel as snug as their brighter counter parts. 

Of course I can't ignore the fact the original pair fell apart but I've currently no fears with the newer replacements. They've been worn every day for six months for a large number of different tasks including in deep snow and mud and they're still fully water tight, solidly built and looking good as you can see in the photos below.

Currently Merrell's website is only showing one size of Train Embarks as being available (8.5 UK). If they are discontinuing the range totally it will be a real shame. These shoes are a little bit of development and a couple of colour choices away from being a fantastic trail shoe.

The score has to be a 7 / 10