Adventure Ride Essentials – Check out our trusted reviews and seasoned opinions on everything from gravel tire recommendations to clothing and gear for gravel riding and adventure bikepacking. It’s all in adventure ride essentials from Off-Piste Mag.
Whether you set out for a ride in the rain or get caught out by a surprise squall, cold, wet feet are hard to escape. We’ve all been there. And it’s never fun. Short of not riding, it’s difficult to guarantee dry feet when cycling in cold, wet weather. Overboots and waterproof winter riding shoes help. Fenders help too, but… Read More
Merino — Breathable. Lightweight. Warm Wool has been part of the adventurer’s layering kit for a very long time. So long in fact, it’s sometimes associated with an old school vibe. Turns out though that wool’s natural temperature regulation, sweat-wicking and odor fighting qualities are difficult to match with modern synthetics. Add into the mix the naturally soft and resilient… Read More
GoSun 10 Watt Portable Solar Panel Phone, GPS unit, satelite communicator, camera gear, headlamp, the list goes on. Carrying electronics in the backcountry is the norm these days. Keeping them charged over the course of a multi-day backcountry trip, however, is a project of its own. Portable batteries are an obvious solution and are great for a single device for… Read More
The boom in gravel riding and adventure cycling has brought with it a fresh take on cycling clothing — jerseys and shorts that offer all the performance of technical cycling kit with a clean, simple take on the look and feel. You no longer have to settle for the race team or over-stylized cycling jersey that has dominated riding apparel… Read More
Cloudburst Rain Jacket We’ve all heard the phrase; “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” And of all the ways to endure bad weather, few avtivities highlight bad clothing as quickly as cycling in the rain. Riding a bike with any real effort puts waterproof, breathable claims to a serious test. It’s one thing to throw on… Read More
Go Tubeless or Go Home If you aren’t using tubeless tires on your adventure gravel bike, you should be. Imagine bombing down gravel descents and across rough ground without concern for flats. Going tubeless is the key to reducing tire issues on adventurous rides. Tubeless lets you run lower tire pressure without fear of pinch flats and essentially eliminates routine… Read More
All the Mobility and Pockets You Need – Showers Pass Apex Bike Shorts There’s no better way to declare your bike nerd factor than to show up for a ride clad from head to toe in tight-fitting Lycra shorts and a jersey. I wear my fair share of Lycra — it’s incredibly good for mobility and comfort on the bike…. Read More
Castelli Entrata Cycling Vest – Windproof Front, Breathable Back Cycling vests are essential gear for shoulder season rides – or any cool weather riding, really. A good vest balances breathability and wind resistance. It lets you control your temp on climbs and blocks cold wind on descents. With GORE Windstopper® across the front and stretch breathable material across the back, the Castelli… Read More
Adventure Bike Gravel Tires Reviewed So many choices, so little time. Choosing the best gravel tire is a bit like picking the right shoes for the day. It’s all about the terrain and surfaces that are on the agenda. When talking adventure riding, maximum volume and width is a key consideration. Tread is important too. But volume is directly related to overall… Read More
GORE SHAKEDRY GORE set the standard to which waterproof, breathable outerwear is measured, and their latest innovation, GORE SHAKEDRY™, takes everything GORE-TEX is known for to a higher level of performance – waterproofness, breathability and lightweight construction. SHAKEDRY’s distinct design uses a GORE-TEX membrane as the face fabric and a 100% polyamide fabric as a backer. What does that mean?… Read More
Outdoor Research Helium Jacket – Ultralight, Packable Rain Jacket The wet weather has arrived. It’s not quite ski season, so full-on GORE-TEX ski wear is not really necessary. But if you want to head for the hills during shoulder season, you need some sort of waterproof jacket. The Outdoor Research Helium jacket sets a high standard for ultralight rain jackets,… Read More
Camelbak Chase Bike Vest Review One of the big limiting factors when setting out on an extended adventure ride is water carrying capacity. It takes a lot of water to stay hydrated on a 100+ mile ride. The obvious solution is a hydration pack. But when traveling light is your goal, most hydration packs are overkill. The Camelbak Chase bike… Read More
Club Ride Mountain Surf Shorts – Adventure Ride Ready Adventure pedaling season here in the Pacific Northwest runs nearly year-round. Come late March, big miles and long hours in the saddle are the norm. Big miles require quality bike shorts. Bib shorts might be the style of choice for roadies and endurance riders, but coming from the mountain bike world,… Read More
Wacaco Nanopresso – Portable Espresso Maker Strong coffee and adventure go hand in hand. When traveling and backcountry trips require packing your own coffee making supplies, you can go as basic as a cone filter or upgrade to the popular Aeropress. Both methods offer a solid approach to brewing a stout cup of coffee with its own merits. For those who… Read More
Portable Chargers for the Backcountry Electronics in the backcountry are part of life. Apps like Gaia (GPS), Strava, Avenza and Ride turn our phones into worthy gps and map tracking tools for adventure in any season. However, keeping electronics fully charged and ready to go on a multi-day backcountry trip requires back-up power. There are many portable chargers and storage batteries… Read More
