Also at US distributors Magura Direct’s Interbike booth this year were Vaude bags. As someone who still hasn’t bested the 10 year old Vaude Splash that I use for commuting daily, it’s safe to say that I’m a fan. Recent mountain bike hall of fame inductee (and product developer, brand representative, and really nice person) Ruthie Matthes walked us through the line. Hit the jump! or else.
A family-owned company, Vaude are making a push to reduce the environmental impact of their products, going so far as to earn the respected Bluesign certification based on a cradle-to-grave analysis of some of their newer bags. The first is the expandable Gravit 10+3. The Gravit is a technical mountain pack which incorporates adjustable FLASH shoulder straps, a 10-13L capacity, and the rain cover required of every bag designed in Germany. Also available in black for us introverts. The $169 price reflects a slight premium for the materials used.
Also cool was the freeride-oriented Northshore 20. The more aggressive bag has moldable aluminum stays to allow for increased ventilation and comfort, plenty of lash points for helmets and armor, a soft electronics pocket with cable routing, some really neat hardware, and a rain cover. This $129 pack looked as though it could easily do double duty on the trail and in more casual settings and will probably win over riders who’ve never considered the brand.
