Off The Bike: New gear from MSR, Tepui, Polar & Altra Running

Last summer, Tepui introduced the Zipper Gimp system that allowed them to offer multiple (and swappable) tent tops for their car roof platform. Need a lightweight, breezy summer shell? No problem. Then swap to a thicker, warmer cover for foul weather. The design debuted on their Baja Series, which are also some of their most affordable units. Now that they’ve received their patent, though, look for the Zipper Gimp to spread across the entire lineup…

A special zipper and cord material is used to ensure they stay synced and firmly attached across the entire circumference of the tent. It was a harder project than you’d think, according to founder Evan Currid. We just interviewed him for The Build Cycle podcast, so make sure to subscribe here and stay tuned!

It’s no secret we’re fans of Altra shoes (I interviewed their founder, too), and now they’ve finally got something for those off season workouts. The new Altra HIIT XT shoe should make a lot of Crossfit folks happy thanks to a gym-specific shoe built around their Zero Drop and Foot Shaped design. And a grippy outsole, perfect for lateral movements, jumping, rope climbing, etc. Which means it’ll work perfectly well for the lunges, deadlifts and squats all us cyclists should be doing more of. It’ll retail for $100 and should hit stores in July 2017.

Headed out for a serious backcountry bikepacking trip? The new MSR Trailshot Filter will quickly fill your standard water bottle with clean water. It uses a one-handed pump and long hose to suction water through the filter and directly into your bottle, hydration pack bladder…or mouth. It meets U.S. EPA drinking water standards and NSF protocol P231 for removal of bacteria (99.9999%), protozoa (99.9%), and particulates. The best part? It weighs just 142g and retails for $50, and you can field clean the filters to keep using it.

The new Polar A370 fitness tracker builds in a continuous heart rate monitor and advanced sleep tracking to provide a complete picture of your efforts. Available in June for $179/€199 (pre-order available), it packs its tech into  waterproof case with interchangeable color bands ($25 each). The full color touch-screen display sits behind ultra clear glass. The heart rate sensor saves battery power by picking up your HR at rest in five minute intervals, but kicks into constant measurement when it senses workout-level activity. That data is then combined with your sleep quality to provide an overview inside the Polar Flow app. can also be used as a heart rate sensor with any other compatible Bluetooth devices or mobile app.

The A370 can also be connected to your mobile phone to track pace, distance and route via the phone’s GPS. The tracker’s accelerometer can also estimate running speed and distance when indoors on a treadmill or track. More tech info on Polar’s website here.