Summer Gear Essentials

 

By Berne Broudy

Beat the heat, have more fun, and look good doing it with this must-have stuff.

 

 

Yeti SB100 XC Bike

The most fun and capable bike you can ride for a marathon trail race or epic ride, this new 100mm travel Yeti is a speedy and agile climber. But knobby rubber, wide bars, slacker-than-typical geometry, and Yeti’s switch infinity suspension (use of an auxiliary shock behind the seat tube to give the suspension a bottomless feel) make it ride more like an enduro bike than an XC bike on descents. The Fox Step Cast 34 fork is light and stiff. Starting at $5,999

 

 

Rinse Kit Lux

Take a shower, clean your bike or de-mud your dog on-the-go with Rinse Kit Lux. Its portable tank holds three gallons of pressurized water (spray lasts up to 9 minutes) and fills from any faucet or hose. Remove the pressure chamber, and the soft case can also double as a cooler. A cigarette-lighter compatible plug-in ensures you’ll have hot water anytime you want it. $160 for the Rinse Kit; $70 for the heater

 

 

Duer Performance Denim

Designed for bike commuting but nice enough for coffee dates or concert going, these jeans are stretchier, lighter, and more durable than traditional denim. The Coolmax-treated material wicks moisture, whether you’re sprinting between gates at LAX or pushing up the final climb to the office. A shirt gripper inside the waistband (men’s only) and a crotch gusset keeps you looking put together without restricting movement. For men and women, $119-$129

 

 

Velocio Ultralight Bib Shorts

If we had to describe the perfect bibs for long summer rides, they’d be supportive not sausage casing, light not revealing, cool and breathable. Velocio’s Ultralight bibs, made from Swiss Lycra, fit the bill. The shorts are 30 percent lighter than the company’s Signature Bib, and a fabric treatment dissipates heat when you’re sandwiched between the pavement and the sun. Women score the biggest win with these bibs—stretchy shoulder straps let the bibs pull down like shorts so you can use the bathroom without undressing. $220

 

 

Saxx Cannon Ball Shorts

If you’re used to wearing a Speedo to swim laps or race triathlons, you might feel a lack of support when lounging in board shorts poolside or at the beach. Saxx’s Cannon Ball shorts puts the “BallPark” pouch that makes men love Saxx underwear into boardshort-style swim trunks. The quick dry mesh liner is “semi-compression” and prevents chafing. Shorts come in 7”and 9” lengths and eight colors. $70

 

 

VanDoIt

A two-wheel or four-wheel drive adventure-ready van built for cyclists, Vandoit is easy to live in at races or on vacations. It’s tall enough to stand up inside, with an adjustable lifted queen-sized bed over a slide that holds four bikes and an integrated bike stand. A mini air compressor, hot shower/bike wash and modular kitchen unit with sink, stove and storage turn the customized hi-top Ford Transit into a house on wheels. Solar panels and a battery bank power the fridge/freezer, big screen TV, thumping sound system and heating/cooling unit. Starting at $48,000

 

 

Traeger Ranger Pellet Grill

This portable wood-fire grill fits right on your tailgate or campsite table and has a spacious grill and super precise temperature control. Fill the eight-pound capacity hopper with your choice of wood pellets—maple, cherry, hickory or pecan—for added flavors to your food. A built-in temperature probe and digital gauge lets you cook meat and veggies to perfection. The Ranger comes with a cast-iron griddle that works equally well for searing steak or frying an egg. $400

 

 

Dometic CFX28 Cooler

There’s no need to stop for ice when your cooler plugs into your car. And it’s not just for #vanlife. Ultra-efficient AC/DC Dometics come in a variety of sizes to chill drinks, snacks and meals where you want them—in your car at the end of your run or ride. The digital temperature display adjusts to -7 degrees F and lets you know how cold it is inside, as well as the chill level you’ve chosen. Dometic’s CFX28 runs on solar, cigarette lighter or plugged into the wall, and holds up to 43 cans. $750

 

 

Kuat Hi/Lo Coupler and Pivot Swingarm

A hitch rack is the easiest way to load your bike on your car, but it can hit your bumper, ride too high, drag on your driveway and interfere with opening the rear hatch. Kuat has a solution: Its Hi/Lo 2” Coupler raises or lowers your rack two inches, and moves your hitch rack 7-10” away from your car. Mount any hitch rack on the Pivot Swingarm, and when you want to open your hatchback or flip down your tailgate, just release a lever and the rack rotates 90 degrees to the side and out of the way. $49/$295

 

 

Nemo Stargazer Recliner Luxury Chair

The most comfy camp chair we’ve used, the Stargaze Luxury has a high back and supportive neck pillow. The chair hangs from a collapsible frame and reclines on sliding straps when you lean back, for post ride chilling, picnicking, reading or, yes, stargazing. When it’s time to pack up, the sling chair decouples and the frame folds up into the included bag in seconds. $220

 

 

Coola Mineral Sport SPF 50 Organic Sunscreen Stick

Coola’s “farm to face” sunscreens use potent natural and organic ingredients to block UVA and UVB rays while conditioning your skin. Non-nano zinc oxide combines with antioxidants like algae and red raspberry seed oil to boost this sunscreen’s effectiveness without parabens, GMOs, and oxybenzone. Though it’s mineral-based, the Sport SPF 50 goes on clear, it’s reef-friendly, and waterproof for 80 minutes. The 1 oz. stick slips easily into a jersey pocket for reapply on the ride. Also available in a tinted option. $26

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