When announced that it was teaming up with to create a line of bike accessories for cyclists who want to keep their electronics safe on the go, it seemed like a meeting of the minds of two eminently style-conscious brands.听

A number of products鈥攆rom a mini messenger bag to a tech organizer鈥攁re available for a limited time in select Apple stores and on starting today, and we were able to put some of them through the wringer before they hit shelves. Our verdict? The two brands turned out some pretty聽damn good-looking gear, with great features and a handful of flaws.听

Convertible tote backpack ($150)

Rapha says it designed to handle the demands of your daily bike commute聽while also being stylish and large enough for overnight travel. The pack鈥檚聽measurements (3 by 15 by 12 inches) pale in comparison to what聽a Manhattan bike messenger might lug around, but聽I was able to fit my lunch, a 40-ounce water bottle, and two hardbound books in the main compartment, while my laptop fit snugly into the raised sleeve, and pens and notebooks went into聽two internal zip pockets.

DWR treatment and AguaGuard zips kept聽the contents dry during a torrential early-summer thunderstorm, and the down-filled padding added comfort, although it provided little assurance that my MacBook would survive unscathed if I hit the deck.

Indeed, there聽were a few areas of the bag that seemed to favor style over function鈥攏amely, the straps. It would have been nice to see some of that down padding used there, as they began to chafe after a few miles of riding. Also, the magnetic clasps that hold the straps together when in tote mode look clean but can come undone when in motion. Nothing catastrophic, but for the money I鈥檇 have liked something a little burlier.

In all, it鈥檚 a great-looking, comfortable pack if you鈥檙e spending a weekend night on the town and need some space for your stuff, but for daily use it lacks the simple functionality of something like .

Mini messenger bag ($130)

Rapha聽creative director聽Alex Valdman聽says that the company designed the to help its photographers shoot while on the move. It can certainly hold a camera and a couple of lenses, but it鈥檚 also one of the cleanest-looking, most functional handlebar bags I鈥檝e ever used. On a recent gravel ride, I easily fit my iPhone, my wallet, a spare tube, a cycling cap, and a couple of gels in the front pocket, where they stayed bone-dry for 50 wet and muddy miles, thanks to the same DWR treatment and AguaGuard zips used on聽the backpack. The magnetic clasps and durable straps kept the bag secured to the front of my bike, with almost no shifting around over rough terrain, and the over-the-shoulder strap easily clipped to the bag when I made the obligatory midride coffee stop.

Despite its svelte looks, the bag鈥檚 massive storage area easily holds a rain jacket, a聽water bottle, a multitool, and a few other knicknacks. Accessing it while the bag is on the bike is tough, as聽the clasps block the zipper, but with such a sizable front pocket, essentials are within easy reach.

MacBook sleeve ($70)

Paired with the backpack, the adds an extra layer of security when riding through city traffic. It鈥檚 made with the same down padding and rainproofing, and it accommodated my aging 13-inch MacBook Pro nicely. (There are also 12- and 15-inch sleeves available.)聽One user-friendly feature it lacks is a carry handle, but I guess that鈥檚 what the pack is for.听

Aside from聽the padding and fashion colors (the sleeve and other products come in blue, black, and yellow, with pink聽and gray accents), there is very little to distinguish this聽sleeve from the dozens of others on the market, and聽$70 is a lot to聽invest聽in something that鈥檚 going to sit inside a drawer or a bag most of the time.

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Of all聽the聽gear I鈥檝e covered over the years, I may have the most knowledge about stuff that helps you answer nature鈥檚 call outside. Having battled both giardia and norovirus on river trips, not to mention losing 40 pounds to waterborne illnesses during a six-month stay in South America, I can dig an eight-inch deep cathole in seconds and have my squatting technique down to a science.

But I鈥檓 a decidedly low-tech woods pooper鈥擨鈥檒l admit to using rocks as trowels. So I called on the expertise of three people with a combined 50-plus years of teaching clients and students how to go to the bathroom outside. Here are their best tips.

Make a Shit Kit

Saylor Flett, who has been teaching outdoor recreation and leadership at聽 for more than a decade, always, regardless of activity, puts together a very simple but very important set of products in a Ziploc that he calls a 鈥渟hit kit.鈥� This kit includes a travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer, twice as much toilet paper as he plans to use, and a couple tablets of Pepto-Bismol. Bringing what seems like way too much toilet paper is a smart bet鈥攔unning out is disastrous, and TP doesn鈥檛 have much of a weight penalty.

Use a Trowel

If you鈥檙e going to dig a cathole to poop in, a good rule of thumb is to make it a minimum of six inches deep and wider than you might expect. 鈥淚t is much better to have way too big of a hole than too small of a hole,鈥� says Jared Spaulding, a instructor for more than 15 years. While you can dig a hole with flat rocks or just about any sturdy stick, Spaulding suggests that beginners start with an inexpensive orange ($9), which his students use. 鈥淭he chance of burying your waste appropriately is better if you have a decent digging utensil,鈥� Spaulding says.

Supplement Your WAG Bag

If you have no choice but to pack out your feces鈥攍ike when climbing a big wall in Yosemite鈥攜ou鈥檒l need to bring WAG bags (short for Waste Alleviation and Gelling, an old brand name). Flett prefers the budget-friendly ($4). While all WAG bags have everything you need to take care of business, including TP and a moist towelette, Flett suggests bringing extra toilet paper and a Tupperware to quarantine the bag after it has been used. While one bag per person per day is ideal, if you鈥檙e bold and comfortable with your adventure partner, you can get by with one bag per two people per day by sharing.

Rent a Groover

While it might be tempting to buy a groover鈥攖he brilliant system of a toilet seat attached to an ammo can鈥攐r its fancy cousin, the ($205) to save dough on rentals over time, it鈥檚 not necessary. Rental companies will clean the groovers between trips. 鈥淵ou start with a clean system, fill it with feces, and deliver it back to the company to deal with,鈥� Flett says. 鈥淎t the end of a long trip, that is worth all of the money in the world.鈥�

Wash Those Hands

It sounds simple enough, but keep a couple things in mind: You should be 200 feet from water, as even biodegradable soap can be bad for streams. I personally stick with ($18) because it can pull triple duty as dish soap and toothpaste. Spaulding suggests opening the tops of your soap and water bottles before doing your business to minimize the likelihood that you鈥檒l contaminate them.

Bring a Plastic Bag (or Several)

Please pack your TP out. Even if it鈥檚 the biodegradable stuff, it doesn鈥檛 break down fast enough to avoid a disgusting eyesore and health hazard for people coming through the area after you. Spaulding uses bread bags to carry his used toilet paper, but I prefer Ziplocs because I trust the closure to hold something in that I really don鈥檛 want spilling out into my pack.

Get a pStyle

When I asked advice from field scientist and guide Dana Flett (sister of Saylor), she responded with a ringing endorsement of the ($13), which projects pee out rather than down. 鈥淚 am loyal to the pStyle because it is small, rigid, and easy to use,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淚 am a field scientist and always take it with me while working,鈥� Flett says. 鈥淚 work in meadow and wetland systems with very few places to hide, and it allows me to pee near co-workers without showing them all of my goods. It鈥檚 also good for climbing as I don鈥檛 have to take my harness off and can aim away instead of dribbling down a route that someone else will soon be ascending.鈥�

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Last year, a good friend of mine caught chronic giardiasis. The diarrhea that resulted was unpredictable, frequently sending聽him scrambling for a bathroom. For most of the year, that meant his dating life was totally on hold and聽he couldn鈥檛 travel. Already a thin guy, the resulting weightloss聽caused him to look visibly ill. To him, the worst part was the embarrassment all this caused, all from a聽parasite he caught on a camping trip here in California.

Which is why I want to address a story that ran last week.听, Ethan Linck rehashed an eight-year-old study that found that contaminants in backcountry water sources are exceedingly rare. Using that evidence, he聽argued that you don鈥檛 need to clean water on camping trips in the U.S. and Canada. 鈥淭he idea that most wilderness water sources are inherently unsafe is baseless dogma, unsupported by any epidemiological evidence,鈥� Linck聽claims. He goes on to suggest that the outdoor recreation industry has pushed sales of water filters in order to sell campers on added complication they don鈥檛 need. He聽says he long ago聽stopped purifying his own drinking water while camping.

: 鈥淭here is no good epidemiologic evidence that North American wilderness waters are inherently unsafe for consumption,鈥� author Thomas R. Welch argues. The study聽tested a water source in a high-use area in the聽Sierra Nevada mountains, in central California鈥攖he kind of place you鈥檇 expect to find聽contaminants.听Researchers found聽only trace amounts of giardia there: one would have to drink more than seven liters of the water to get sick, they said. In other, less frequently used areas, the study found no harmful bacteria or protozoa.

There are a few very obvious problems with all this:

1. While it's聽correct that there is little scientific evidence of significant pathogens in wilderness water sources in the U.S. and Canada, there鈥檚 also very little scientific study on the subject. The聽most thorough research cited by Welch appears to have been conducted two decades ago by the editors of Backpacker 尘补驳补锄颈苍别.听
2. Not all backcountry water sources are created equal. Welch鈥檚 work relies on water testing conducted only in a single highly-protected mountain range in a single highly-regulated state鈥斅燙alifornia's Sierra Nevada. Do studies conducted there translate to Minnesota鈥檚 Boundary Waters, or Georgia鈥檚 Okefenokee Swamp? To suggest that they might is ridiculous. It's also worth noting that pathogen levels are constantly in flux鈥攙ariables like rainfall, temperature, season, and animal behavior all play a role. The level of pathogens recorded at a single water source will vary month-to-month and year-to-year.听
3. The study makes no account for how different people recreate outdoors and how they define that recreation. 鈥淏ackcountry鈥� may mean the High Sierra to Linck, Welch, and me, but something else entirely to a Cub Scout troop on the East Coast. As Welch details in his study,聽water sources adjacent to a sewer outlet have plenty of documented cases of spreading pathogens.
4. Linck鈥檚 assumption that cleaning backcountry water requires a 鈥�$99.95 microfilter pump鈥� is simply wrong. Cheaper, simpler methods can聽actually be聽more effective, and don鈥檛 place a heavy financial or weight penalty on the user. Simple chlorine dioxide tablets will kill any protozoa, bacteria, cyst, or virus you鈥檒l find in North America, and . Boiling water is free, if you have a stove, and 100 percent effective.
5. The low rates of infection reported by Welch鈥檚 study don鈥檛 control for whether or not any water purification methods were used聽by the study聽group. As Linck argues, virtually every backpacker is using a purification method of some kind, so the reported infection rates are misleading in this context. The low rates of infection reported could actually be a strong argument for the use of purification techniques and products.听

Together, those issues create a highly misleading and arguably irresponsible conclusion. There is not sufficient scientific evidence to tell people not to filter their water鈥攐nly enough to prove that some water sources in the Sierra Nevada may be safe to drink without treatment.听

The irresponsibility of the don鈥檛-filter argument is exacerbated by two things:

1. While most giardia,聽 e. coli, cyrptosporideum, and waterborne pathogens induce聽fairly minor illnesses in adults, the effects can be much more severe if聽the infected person suffers from immunosuppression, is very young or old, or, as with my friend, is simply unlucky. In children, for instance, 聽giardiasis can may lead to symptoms as severe as delayed physical and mental growth, slow development, and malnutrition.
2. Effective treatment options are affordable and easy to use. Use an expensive filter because you're short on time or like cleaner tasting water鈥攃heaper methods will keep you just as healthy.听

Both Welch and Linck argue that the failure to wash hands after taking a poo is聽responsible for more infections than drinking unpurified water. But while that is an argument for taking some hand sanitizer along, it is not an argument against water treatment.

The next time you go camping, you should do both.

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When it comes to choosing sports drinks, the debate is hot and heavy. Options abound, from electrolyte-charged powders and tablets to bottled alternatives ranging from sugar-filled to calorie-free. Some fat-adapted athletes are even pouring (made from medium-chain triglycerides or fat molecules) into water bottles and downing the stuff midrace to prompt their bodies to burn fat as fuel.

The stakes are high. Choose the wrong drink, and you could end up keeled over with a bout of GI distress or bonking with just a few miles left in your race.

What鈥檚 the right call? That really depends on the type of workout you鈥檙e doing and whether your drink is supposed to boost performance or just maintain hydration. We talked to experts to clear up the confusion and help you develop a bonkproof hydration strategy. Ultimately, you鈥檒l need to listen closely to your body and experiment to find which flavor combos and methods work best. Use these guidelines as a starting point for your next endurance challenge.

Electrolyte-Only Mixes

What They Are: Electrolyte tablets, powders, or waters聽that contain minimal carbs and calories. Typically, these solutions contain only sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, though some also contain caffeine.

When to Use Them: Take a few swigs during to keep your body primed for the duration of your effort. If the weather is exceptionally warm, up your intake to replenish the extra minerals you鈥檙e sweating out.

A Note of Caution: If your workout will last longer than 90 minutes, bring along other fuel that includes calories and macros, says Tara Whiton, an ultrarunner and PhD candidate in East Tennessee State University鈥檚 sport physiology and performance department. Whiton still uses electrolyte-only drinks to make sure she鈥檚 properly hydrated during big runs, but she gets her actual fuel from nonelectrolyte chews and gels that provide a hit of glucose. (Plus, they take Whiton鈥檚 mind off the physical act of running as she chews.)

Low-Carbohydrate Mixes

What They Are: A powder or tablet that dissolves in water and offers some fuel in the form of smaller amounts of carbohydrates. They鈥檙e meant to be paired with other forms of midrace nutrition.

When to Use Them: For efforts longer than 90 minutes, turn to these mixes as part of your overall fueling strategy. They鈥檙e perfect for those who need variety between liquid and solid nutrition options. , a California-based hydration beverage company, spearheads the school of thought that a lower-carb mix is ideal for moving fluids from the gut and into the bloodstream, allowing for quicker hydration and better nutrient absorption. 鈥淭he typical sports drink has a carbohydrate concentration higher than what occurs naturally in blood, so the body鈥檚 physiological response is to pull water from the vascular system to dilute the substance,鈥� explains Ben Capron, a spokesperson for OSMO. In other words, the company believes the average drink could dehydrate you. A solution like OSMO, however, which has just nine grams of carbohydrate per mix, more closely matches the carb concentration of blood, negating dehydration risk and possibly improving your system鈥檚 ability to digest the other fuel you鈥檙e using. offers a similar powder that clocks in at 11 grams of carbs per serving.

A Note of Caution: Due to the low carb count of these mixes, you鈥檒l need to take in fuel from other sources for longer or harder efforts. Alternate swigs of these solutions with bites of easy-to-digest foods throughout your race for max nutrition.

Low-Calorie Beverages

What They Are: These drinks, often marketed as flavored waters,聽replace glucose (read: fuel) with fake sugars to keep the calorie count low.

When to Use Them: Never. Athletes need carbs, so unless you鈥檙e getting your fuel from another source or only doing a short workout, these drinks are going to leave you feeling weak after 90 minutes. The takeaway? 鈥�I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 a place for artificial sweeteners in endurance sports,鈥� says Whiton.

A Note of Caution: 鈥淎rtificial sweeteners can actually pull water into the gut,鈥� says Curry. Hello,聽stomach upset.

Carbohydrate + Electrolyte Mixes

What They Are: You鈥檒l find these on just about every marathon and triathlon course, and for good reason鈥攜ou get fluids, carbs, and electrolytes in one convenient gulp. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e specially formulated to deliver 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, which is what most people need,鈥� Curry says.

When to Use Them: Choose a sports drink like this if you鈥檒l be running or riding a near-marathon distance or time. Athletes vary in exactly how much fuel they need and how much their stomachs can tolerate, so Whiton advocates buying a powdered mix versus a premade beverage. That allows you to tailor the specific ratio to your personal needs by adjusting the mix-to-water ratio.

A Note of Caution: If you need to take in more than 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour for an especially hard or long effort, look for a drink that uses more than one type of sugar, ideally glucose or maltodextrin plus either fructose or sucrose, says Whiton. Your body is limited in how much glucose it can absorb and use at one time, but fructose relies on a slightly different transport system to move sugar from the gut and into the bloodstream, allowing you to circumvent the glucose roadblock. By consuming a glucose-fructose combo, 聽that you use your fuel more efficiently.

Carbohydrates + Protein + Electrolytes Drinks

What They Are: Bottled drinks that replace some of the carbohydrate-derived calories in a typical sports drink with protein.

When to Use Them: When you鈥檙e going long and slow. Try these mixes when your endurance event will last longer or cover more distance than a marathon. Although protein may take too long to break down to shave seconds off your time, 鈥渢here鈥檚 some evidence that ingesting branched-chain amino acids鈥攖he building blocks of protein鈥攃an help improve mental focus in long endurance events,鈥� says Whiton. The other advantage of adding protein is that it may help with muscle repair once you finish. When you work out, about 15 percent of your energy comes from the nutrient, says Whiton. Usually that energy is derived from your body breaking down muscle鈥攕omething no athlete wants. Whiton says if you add protein to your drink mix, you might be able to avert the breakdown of muscles鈥攐r at least spur on the rebuilding process afterward.

A Note of Caution: Protein is a slow-moving fuel. Adding too much could result in real gastric misery, so be sure to test your approach on easier efforts and start with small amounts before ramping up.

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Admit it: There are plenty of times when your into-the-wild adventures involve electronic devices. For car campers to preppers, the Kalisaya provides聽portable solar power to keep those devices running at a full charge.

Designed by Israeli-American startup Kalisaya, the聽KaliPAK 401聽uses a quartet of collapsible solar panels to deliver 384 watt hours and 26 ampere-hours of on-demand energy. Translation: it can charge an iPhone more than 120 times or power seven nights’ worth of continuous LED lighting when fully charged. Inclement weather isn’t a problem, as the device comes with a waterproof backpack that accomodates powercords for a rainy-day recharge.

The KaliPAK isn’t the only portable solar generator around, but it is the first to come with a dedicated mobile app. Connect your smartphone to the tool via Bluetooth to monitor the KaliPAK’s reserves, as well as all connected devices’ energy use.

The Kalisaya KaliPAK 401 Kickstarter campaign had raised over $150,000 at the time of this writing. The company has pledged to donate one out of every 50 units produced to聽President Barack Obama’s , which aims to boost electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa.

$298,听

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Unless you’re a backpacker studying abroad, life on the road entails more than just throwing a pair of underwear and a fleece into a ragged duffel.

Modern nomads, folks who do all their work on the road thanks to the ubiquity of WiFi,聽need to pack for business meetings, trips to the tropics, and last-minute summit bids. In short, this means mastering the art of having all the essentials without knowing exactly where you might end up.

So we took some , a growing group of borderless travelers who eschew most possessions but remain connected to the Internet. You might be surprised how few items you need on the road, says Philippa Young, a guerrilla filmmaker with , a team of multimedia storytellers who travel the world. “It’s only when you completely lose a bag that you realize how little you need to survive. I stay on the minimizing curve, but I’ll also throw in a luxury (like a coffee grinder and beans) now and again to keep things interesting.鈥�

While we don’t suggest you abandon all your luggage, these gear tips will get you through just about anything鈥攚hether it’s a week-long business trip or months-long, drop-everything adventure.

Lightweight Running Shoes

Unless you’re training, a loud pair of technical trail shoes will be overkill while traveling. Try a minimalist style like the , in a dark color like black or grey, which looks good with just about anything and packs down small.

Blazer

All hail the blazer, a panacea for when you need to look sharp but are short on clothing. It can easily be worn with jeans and a white T-shirt or over a lightweight, solid-colored dress. Try a linen cotton , which designs minimalist, neutral clothing.

Rain Shell

A is a must, as is a that can be worn over a sweater (of which you need no more than one or two). We like Patagonia’s , which is perfect for fast-and-light, rainy trips. Stick with the black colorway.

Tech

You’re not a technomad if you don’t carry a few gadgets. Buy a universal adapter such as the , which works in 150 countries. For those working long days off the grid, an extra phone battery such as the , compatible with iPhone, HTC One and Samsung Galaxy, can be essential. Conveniently, it doubles as a phone case. Books won’t let you pack light: opt for an e-reader like the or . A read-later app like or means you can catch up on your reading list even when you’re offline.

The Practical Stuff

hold dirty laundry, wet clothes, liquids that are liable to explode,