New New Things: Tank Bag Edition

July 29, 2016

Product development is in high gear at the moment. Bags. Apparel. It’s all happening.

Nomad Tank Bag

We got our new prototype of the Nomad tank bag last week. So stoked with where this bag is headed. We’re close. The next prototype will probably be the ‘golden sample’ for production. Introduction in Spring 2017 at the latest.

Inside the Nomad beavertail we added a Delorme InReach pocket. We also added a little clip (which will have a gate on it, even tho the one in the pic below does not) so you can clip your InReach, or any other device with a lanyard, so it doesn’t come flying out in a crash.

The beavertail.

On the outside of the beavertail, we have MOLLE webbing, so you can add MOLLE storage pouches, phone/ipad holders, or whatever MOLLE accessories you want.

It also comes with a removable map/phone case that’s totally 100% waterproof, with RF welded seams. The case also fits an ipad, and has a waterproof aux cable pass-through.

We get a lot of requests for concealed carry pockets. This pocket at the bottom of the nomad does double duty as a CC pocket OR as a hydration sleeve pocket. There’s a big velcro patche inside so you can attach a holster. We have a toy gun we use for testing.

If you prefer to put your handgun somewhere else, there are lots of mesh pockets under the beavertail and also inside the bag where it will fit.

The Nomad has two layers in addition to the beavertail. Here’s the top layer.

And the bottom layer. We added lots of storage pockets for small items like batteries, change, chapstick, contacts, headlamps, etc. In our advrider poll last year, the vast majority of items people reported storing in their tank bags were very small.

Here’s what the Nomad looks like fully expanded. Our goal was to divide the bag’s volume vertically in addition to horizontally.

The beavertail is a perfect spot to store a DSLR camera so it’s available on quick draw, but still protected if you drop the bike.

We added these webbing loops on both sides of the beavertail gussets so you can use two carabiners to connect the shoulder strap d-rings on your DSLR camera case to the beavertail, so nobody can abscond with it while you’re distracted. Camera snatching is a real thing, especially in a crowd. I’ve personally had one snatched, and nearly lost a second in a separate incident on a different trip.

At the bottom of the bag, there’s a long pocket that runs the entire length of the bag (same CC pocket mentioned above). This can be used as a hydration bladder sleeve, so you can store your water on the bike rather than on your back, if so desired. It fits a standard 2L bladder, or you can also squeeze in a 3L bladder (like in the pics below) if you want.

On the bottom compartment of the bag there’s a little zipper opening so you can access and attach the top of the hydration bladder, just like in a mountain biking pack, so the bladder won’t sag down as it empties.

When riding the hydration nozzle sits in a clip next to your left hand, for easy access.

The Nomad has stashable backpack straps. It pops off the bike and turns into a real hydration pack in seconds. Last winter in Africa I was really digging the straps, because the tank bag had my camera and valuables in it, plus water and snacks, so at borders or tourist things I could just take off the tank bag and be ready to roll. I wasn’t wearing a separate hydration pack on my back on that trip, so it really came in handy.

We’ll add some elastic bands on the backpack straps to hold the hydration nozzle in place over your shoulder, right where Andrew’s finger is in the pic below.

And lastly, the raincover. Nobody likes raincovers. We know this, and we’re also making another bag (the hatch/hood design, discussed below) that’s 100% waterproof without a raincover. On the Nomad though, we wanted to really feature it up, with all the storage and pockets etc, which means sewing not RF welding, which means a raincover. The raincover stashes in its own pocket at the top of the bag and is attached with a clip and tether. The raincover can be removed, and the pocket can be used for other things if desired.

Right now, on this proto, the raincover looks a lot like all the other raincovers on the market. We’re not too stoked on it. It’s a typical sewn-seam condom with taped seams, a boxy shape, and a clear top. In the next round we’ll experiment with a welded seam cover that’s a bit more form-fitted to the bag. Using construction like in the pic below. We selected some sample fabrics for the next proto. Not sure if this will work or not, it’s possible the welded cover will be too bulky, but we’ll see.

Hatch to Hood

The other tank bag prototype we’ve been working on is the Hatch. We got our first hatch proto and it actually looks really good, we’re stoked on it. Despite that, we’re seriously considering a change of direction for this bag (reasons discussed below).

 

The hatch would come with these cool removable internal organizer bags that contour to the inside of the bag.

They can also be mounted on the outside of the bag, using a single MOLLE stick (included with the bag). When it rains, put them inside.

The headlamp pocket works awesome! You can click on your headlamp from outside the bag and it illuminates the inside.

The hatch fits the same map pocket as the nomad, with a cell phone holder and an aux cable pass-through.

Despite really liking this first prototype, we’re considering moving away from the hatch, or at least putting it on the back burner. Here’s why.

1. Nobody on advrider seems exited about it. Lots of people have kayaks, and they’re concerned about the hatches gumming up etc, as they sometimes do on the floor of a kayak. We don’t actually share this concern in this application, but if people are worried about it, and are therefore negatively inclined, it might be a tough sell.
2. We’re having a hard time sourcing a reliable hatch. Our factory found one for this prototype, but the t-handle broke the second time we used it. Not a good sign.
3. The size of the hatch limits access to the bag. Larger items, like an ipad or a DSLR camera, wouldn’t fit.

So now we’re migrating from ‘The Hatch’ to ‘The Hood.’ Same bag, same features, still waterproof (not submersible waterproof, but waterproof for riding). The Hood is still in development, but would look something like this.

If we move forward with the hood rather than the hatch, we’ll still keep the hatch on the back burner for future development. The concept of a submersible-level waterproof tank bag without a roll-top closure is very appealing.

Enduro Pod

We’re also experimenting with a little ‘enduro pod’ concept, something that fits on any bike, is 100% waterproof, and holds a cell phone, wallet, keys, and not much else. Super minimalist, but it won’t get all up in your business when you’re standing on the pegs.

We like this little pod. We’re thinking of merging it with the ‘hood’ concept described above, and offering it in a smaller size with fewer features.

BMW MOA Rally

Ashley and I atttended the BMW MOA rally in Hamburg, NY (right outside Buffalo, NY) last week. What a great show! This may have been the busiest indoor show we’ve ever had. Met lots of awesome people, heard some great stories, and we had a total blast exploring Buffalo at night. Neither one of us had ever been to Buffalo, and we ended up meeting all these really interesting & eclectic people. It kind of reminded us of Portland!

Before the show opened:

After the show opened:

Every night after the show we stopped for a drink at a great bar called Eddie Brady’s Tavern. Friendliest little bar ever. Strong Jameson pours, epic wings, awesome owner.

And Raclettes, where we hung around with Hunter, who was dressed as a mime, but talked.

Marcin Sucholdoski: thanks for the loaner show bike! Hope you’re having a blast on the UTBDR!

BMW Atacama Bags

Earlier this week, BMW announced their new Atacama Soft Luggage. You may have noticed some similarities to our Backcountry kit.

This is something we’ve been developing with BMW over the last 18 months. Inside the Atacama bags, there’s a little hang tag with the Mosko Moto lizard. Very excited about this partnership. More on that in the next post!

The New New Things

July 11, 2016

June was a record month at Mosko! Thanks so much for the support!

Ashley and I are flying to New York tomorrow to attend the BMW Motorcycle Owners Association rally in Hamburg. We’re in booth Y9 in the indoor vendor area, so please come say ‘hi’ if you’re there!

Lots happening in product development right now. We’re turning our attention to the 2017 riding season. This post will focus on riding apparel, the next post will focus on bags.

Riding Apparel

Last month we switched to a new apparel factory. The factory we’d previously been working with in Vietnam was really big, and as a small customer, it seemed like we were always at the bottom of their priority list. Prototypes were taking months to complete, and they weren’t too excited about some of the out-of-the-box design ideas we wanted to experiment with. So we found a new factory that works with our friends at the S-Group, Trew Gear, and Cotopaxi. The new factory is located in Bangladesh instead of Vietnam, and they specialize in super-premium waterproof/breathable outerwear for the outdoor market. They’re a better fit for us size-wise, and and they’re much more growth-oriented than our prior factory.

Last week we got our hands on the latest prototypes and they look great. Obviously they still need work, but it finally feels like this project is back on track. We’re still anticipating a Spring 2017 launch.

A couple things to point out:

• The colors below are not the actual colors. We’re just working with what the mill had available.
• All the outerwear will be 20/20 waterproof/breathable.
• The light color panels in the pics below will be made from a highly abrasion resistant material we developed from scratch. The darker color will also be lighter-weight, to keep the overall weight and insulation of the jacket to a minimum.
• The outer hood is designed to be worn under your helmet, and will be removable.
• The cuffs and collar are being totally redesigned in the next round.

Sleeve vents

Huge chest vents. Right below the chest vent, a separate pocket.

The ‘dirt skirt,’ a way to keep wind/water from working its way up into the jacket from the bottom. This would be our answer to the zip-together feature a lot of moto kits offer, but which few riders actually use. The current version of the dirt skirt is way too tight, but in general, we like the concept.

Rear exhaust vents

The hood will be redesigned without a bill and a much tighter fit to make it helmet-compatible. This hood can be removed and zipped-onto the rain jacket (shown below) for use when you’re not on the bike.

In this version, we experimented with a Boa-type system (like on snowboard boots) integrated into the jacket to prevent flapping. Unfortunately, we weren’t all that crazy with how it works, so we’re removing it in the next round of samples. Tightening the Boa made the fabric bunch awkwardly under the arms, and we are also concerned about mechanical issues with the Boa itself, over the lifespan of the jacket. If we experience flapping with the new fabrics, we’ll re-evaluate a simpler cinch-system in a future prototype.

The pants were once again sized way too big for any of us to properly wear. That’s why they look so baggy in these pics. However we really liked the overall shape and cut, we just need to get the next round sized a little differently. The final pants will also come with a leather belt, which also works separately on your jeans, so it’s one less thing to pack. I’ve been wearing the belt prototype everyday for months, and I love it.

Two knee vents.

Two thigh vents and two side pockets, which will have a storm flap in the next iteration.

We’re adding some exhaust vents on the back of the leg as well in the next iteration.

For the inside of the leg, we’re debating between leather – which we all like – or maybe this new carbon fiber fabric that Andrew found. We did some heat tests on both. The results were actually pretty similar. The carbon fiber fabric is much lighter and thinner than leather, and it’s insanely abrasion resistant. I tried to rub a hole through it on a concrete surface and was totally unsuccessful. I literally could not wear a hole in it. Pretty amazing stuff.

For those who have been following this project since inception, you may recall that our kit will include a separate rain jacket and pant, even though the outer jacket and pant are 100% waterproof on their own. This separate rain jacket/pant pack down tiny, and can be left at home if you don’t anticipate rain. Riding in a multi-day deluge, rain has a tendency to find entry points over time (for example cuffs, partially-open zippers, collars, pockets, etc), so this is an extra waterproof layer for heavy downpours, to absolutely 100% ensure the water doesn’t reach your skin.

The rain jacket is an ‘inner’ jacket, so it’s protected by the outer jacket if you crash. The rain pants, on the other hand, are an over-pant, because it’s such a hassle to remove your boots and pants for a pant liner (like in the old BMW Rallye suits, for example). Our rain jacket/pant also work as standalone garments separate from the riding kit, so they can be worn around the campsite, into town, or wherever. Again these are not the actual colors show below, and as with the outerwear, the sizing on the pants is still way too baggy.

We’re adding thumb holes to the sleeves so the sleeves don’t catch when pulling the outer jacket on over the rain jacket.

The lengths of the inner and outer jacket are slightly mismatched, which will be fixed in the next version.

Originally we designed the rain jacket to zip or snap into the outer jacket – so they could be taken on/off together – but we’ve since scrapped that idea, making them totally separate jackets instead. The rain jacket is only necessary in a torrential, multi-day downpour. For short thunderstorms and normal rain, the outer jacket is all you need.

For those of us who prefer to ride with separate body armor (which includes everyone at Mosko), the entire internal armor liner on the jacket/pant is totally 100% removable. So the jacket/pants can be worn as a straightforward shell, with no liner, making the kit lighter, simpler, and cooler.

Touratech & NW Overland Rally

Two weekends ago we attended the Touratech/NW Overland Rally in Plain, WA, which was a total blast. Attendance seemed way up this year, and the weather was perfect. Ninkasi Brewing sponsored happy hours at our booth in the afternoon, which was awesome!

Nice clean install of the Scout panniers on a Honda CB500x with an aftermarket exhaust.

Good example of a double heat-shield install for the Reckless 80, on a WR250R.

Spencer Hill took one of the new Stinger 8 drybag out for a spin. This is an awesome standalone drybag for tools, tubes, fuel bottles, etc on a day ride.

Jesse Felker brought his camera drone. Looking forward to seeing the footage!

I got some new solar panels and a new power inverter for my camper from Overland Solar. Running the generator every night to keep my batteries topped-up at these events was getting really old. Now that I have them, I can’t believe I waited this long to pull the trigger!

ADVMoto Magazine

If you’ve received your July issue of ADVMoto magazine, you may have noticed our little catalog tucked in the middle. This was a neat experiment we did this year, sending our catalog along with the magazine. Because we only sell direct, we’re always looking for new ways to get our name out to a broader audience, since a lot of folks still haven’t heard of us. Right after the catalog dropped, we saw a nice spike in website traffic and orders that lasted for several days, which was cool!

Big thanks to Bill Dragoo for this nice mention of the Backcountry Pannier kit in his ‘project bike’ writeup.

We had our second-ever paid advertisement in this issue as well.

New Bags

We also have a new box of bag prototypes here that we’re playing with. Including the first version of ‘The Hatch’ tank bag prototype, which looks really cool. Plus the latest version of the Nomad, which is currently in transit form the factory.

Here’s a couple photos of the first prototype of The Hatch. More on this in the next post.

Hope to see some of you in New York this week!