Video: Seth // Edit: Curtis // Words: Daniel
In the Berm Peak ecosystem, which is actually a really small operation, we receive a large number of products for review over the course of a year. A lot of them just happen to show up completely unannounced. Other times, I’ll get an email asking if we want to check something out, and then, I’ll decide if it’s a good fit or not and accept or politely decline. Other times, I’ll see something interesting and just order it, or if I have a contact at the company, I’ll see if they want to send something over to check out.
I turn down a lot of products. A LOT. For every one thing that makes it into a video, there are probably ten or more that don’t. Many of them aren’t that unique or special. Many aren’t something that we think our audience, as a whole, would be interested in. And, a lot of them are just not the best fit for a video. For instance, we can’t dedicate a week to testing a single product that gets two minutes of video time in a product video like the one here, especially if it isn’t truly unique or special.
For me, it’s a fine balance. We could have countless random sub-$1,000 e-bikes, phone holders, frame protectors, lights, and other gadgets here in no time, but just because it exists, doesn’t mean it will do any of us — everyone here reading this included — any favors. I am always trying to find cool products that we are excited about and would actually use, are popular or new, have lofty marketing claims that should be validated or debunked, or are straight up entertaining. We aim to either provide people with useful information or, at the very least, add some humor.
Every product here had a bit of a journey to make it in this week’s video, so I thought it may be interesting to break down how each of these ended up in front of the camera. Maybe it will inspire some others to send in some interesting products. And, get the ideas flowing. In the near future, I’ll be asking for more products from you, our supporters on Substack, to do a user-submitted mystery products video just like we did a couple of months ago. Without further ado, here are this week’s products…
Fluidlogic GPR-50 Hydration System - $479
Fluidlogic’s PR team reached out on our contact form and asked if we would be interested in checking out “the world’s first intelligent hydration pack, designed specifically for recreational (and professional) mountain bikers, dirt bikers, and other two-wheeled adventurers. The forthcoming wearable hydration system is equipped with FluidLogic’s Active Hydration™️ sweat loss technology, using personalized, cutting-edge water dosing technology to provide on-demand hydration tailored to your needs, boosting performance and slashing recovery time.”
While that claim is pretty over the top, just like the price, the pack looked well-thought-out, the company is legit, and I truly didn’t know of another intelligent hydration system. It was worth checking out. As someone who has chronically found myself dehydrated at the end of any ride over a couple of hours, I was ready for my life to be changed.
Soon after the pack arrived and before Seth or I had checked it out, I saw an incredible video from our friend Dario over at Pinkbike with him giving it a go. At that point, it was apparent to me that the product may have missed the mark for the mountain bike audience, but as we delved into it, its purpose and practicality for motocross or quad racing, snowmobiling, and other similar sports really started to become apparent. For us, it’s entertaining and helped create an incredible thumbnail, but for someone twisting a throttle who can’t easily take their hands off the bar and is using a full-face helmet, it’s something that could certainly be worth the investment.
Trail Boss USA 3-Piece Handle w/ Six Heads - $827
Trail Boss tools are handmade in Bellingham, Washington, and Bellingham is, in my opinion, the best place in America for mountain biking…there’s no comparison (apologies for the self-proclaimed “MTB capitals and meccas”). There are countless trails of all levels of difficulty, from beginner cruises to trails that make anything that most people have ever considered to be “steep” seem like a greenway.
