The Radavist

Summer means something different for mountain bikers in Los Angeles. Unless you’re in Malibu, it’s not a great time of year to ride. Travis is not in Malibu, but he’s got ten products that will make the season more palatable.

For those riders and racers who don’t like hydration packs but need to carry extra water, Hydration vests make a lot of sense. They don’t get as hot, since they ventilate better, and vests like Evoc’s HYDRO PRO, utilize a series of small pockets to hold your essentials. These vests come in 1.5 or 3L capacities, feature two 150ml mesh pockets on the shoulder straps for gels, snacks, or your keys, and more.

Further convenient features:
-HYDRATION BLADDER 1,5 included
-Mesh ventilation
-Body Hugging system for better fit
-Compression straps that prevent the load from jumping around inside the pack
-AIRO FLEX belts for flexible, yet firm fit
-Compartment for hydration bladders up to 1.5 litres
-Clip to attach hydration system hose
-Height-adjustable chest strap with clip to attach hydration system hose

Retail is $115 at your local Evoc dealer.

For bicycle tours and endurance races, backpacks are a great way to carry water. The problem is, they can get heavy very quickly, and tend to move around a lot while riding in rough terrain. If you’re carrying all your gear on your bike and only need to carry your water on your back, that solves some problems but a backpack will still sit much further off your back. Hydration vests solve this problem but many have a reduced water bladder capacity. PeDALED’s answer is the Odyssey Hydro Vest, which combines a 1.5L bladder with a cooler bag to keep your water and your core temperature cool.

Features:
-Adjustable shoulder straps/fit
-Front closure with 2 buckles, adjustable in both height and width
-Reflective bands and logo on the back
-Large mesh pocket on the back, 2 in the front to carry soft flasks or food
-3 zippered pockets
-Insulated cooler bag
-1.5-liter hydration bladder with hose

See more at PeDALED.

When you ask Jon from Skratch why their “Lemons and Limes” flavored drink mix is pluralized, he’ll tell you because it takes more than one lemon and one lime to make it. Now, the concept of sports drinks or hydration mixes containing fruit shouldn’t be that foreign to most of you, but the reality is, a lot don’t. Instead, they’ll contain “natural” flavors, which may be natural, but in reality aren’t fruit.

I love raspberries and the Skratch Raspberry mix is a favorite of mine, but it always tasted a bit different than my other raspberry flavored drink mixes. It wasn’t as overpowering. The main reason being, Skratch is actually made from raspberries and my *gasp* other mix is from other “natural” flavors.

As I quit using other hydration mixes, the actual, real, raspberry mix tastes worlds better and the other mixes started to taste like ass. Coincidentally, that’s where “natural” raspberry flavoring comes from. Ass. A beaver’s ass. No shit. Well, yes, shit. Well…

Castoreum is an all-natural additive used in perfumes and food flavoring. It’s the anal gland of our flat-tailed friend, the beaver. You’ll actually find it e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. In fact, unless it says “raspberries” in the ingredients, you’re *definitely drinking beaver ass. Pucker up baby!

I know this sounds like an advertisement. It’s not. I buy my Skratch from my local shop and have never taken a dime from them to say any of this. I just don’t want you sucking down the butthole of a beaver when you hydrate.

Drink Skratch, don’t drink beaver butt.

*maybe not definitely, but most likely