The Ocean Shipment Is Here

June 29, 2015

Inventory Status

The ocean shipment we’ve been waiting on landed at the warehouse last week.

We’re checking everything into inventory now, which means all the backorders – Reckless, Duffles, Panniers, and MOLLEs – should ship next week.  Once an order ships, it generally takes a few days to get the individual tracking numbers back from the warehouse, and then we have to get those tracking numbers sorted out and emailed to customers.

In the meantime, as some of you have noticed, we are really backed up on website emails and order status inquiries.  Really apologize for that situation.  A proper computer system and some additional support for Nicole will solve the email-overload and order tracking issues, but neither of those can happen in the next few weeks.  Really appreciate your continued patience.  We will get this stuff sorted out in the future.  For now, our main priority is getting the orders shipped.

Tool Roll

Last week we got a first look at the second prototype of our new hanging tool roll.  It’s sweet! The top clips on your mirror or handlebars, and it unfurls like this:

The top panel has several little pockets for screws, patches, etc.

The bottom panel is setup like a traditional tool roll.

The tool roll rolls up and fits inside the center “bucket,” which also has some tool storage loops in it for larger items as well.

Here’s what it looks like all rolled up.

Tank Bag

On the latest tank bag prototype, we installed the new magnetic clips and they work great!

It’s so easy to bend the bag back to get access to the fuel opening.  Just pull the little tabs on the side of the clips and they release.

We’re also working on sketches of two new tank bags as well, one of which is a fully waterproof roll-top drybag, and the other is a more traditional “toaster-style” tank bag, which fill fit on the same mounting harness as the bag above.

New Wedge/Frame

Lee has started working on 3D models of our new wedge/frame design, which will be injection molded instead of milled.  With injection molding we can have the final bag assembly done at the factory instead of at our warehouse, which will save a big hassle, and some money too.

NW Overland & Touratech Rally

I just rolled back into town from the Touratech Rally.  Another awesome show for Mosko.  However my truck broke down about 3 miles from the event – the high pressure oil pump blew up – leaving me stranded there on the side of the road for 10 hours waiting on a tow truck.  Thanks to some nice folks at the rally who helped with trailer retrieval and rides, and a stroke of luck in finding a retired diesel mechanic nearby who is capable of doing the repair, everything worked out in the end.  I came home on my BMW, and will go back to retrieve the truck and camper later this week.

Some pics from the weekend:

Found a swimming hole on the Wenatchee River near the rally to escape the mid-day heat.

Spent the nights sleeping halfway inside the mechanics shop.

Albin & Alice, the married diesel repair team.

John came by and showed off this cool MOLLE connection system he made for the wedge mounts when he’s not using his panniers.

Dogs that ride: love it.

Hung out with Kurt & Martha from Black Dog Cycle Works.  Thanks for the steak and rum!!

With the truck still waiting on parts in Plain, I loaded up my BMW with the Backcountry 25 pannier prototypes – now that we have the panniers in stock, I can finally get the prototypes dirty – and headed back toward the Gorge.  Stopped for the night at this awesome camp spot on the Tieton River, just outside of Naches, WA.

In Other News

Here’s what our weekly Mosko meetings look like now.  That’s Dusty on Skype at the end of the table on the boxes of latches.

Walter stopped by the shop in White Salmon and got his GS all setup with Backcountry 35s.

Got this cool pic of the Reckless 40L mounted on a Hodaka.

Happy 4th!!