Kriega USA Luggage Q&A

[Droptarotter]

Originally Posted by amanlikemike

.



To be honest, I've never even come close to busting a blood vessel draining every last drop of moisture out of a Hydro-3. The way the standard reservoir seats, along with the quality of the valves and the big bore tube makes taking on essential fluids while riding as relaxing as sipping on a perfectly mixed Martini by the pool.

OK, maybe not quite, but you get the picture.


Cheers,



Michael

Why not just use the Hydro-3 to contain that perfectly mixed Martini??

Cheers

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by Droptarotter

Why not just use the Hydro-3 to contain that perfectly mixed Martini??

Cheers

Funny you should suggest that... It may or may not be a fact that earlier this month my Mardi Gras survival pack* just happened to involve an R15 & Hydrapak locked and loaded with a coupla liters of Hemingway's favorite poison; the Papa Doble (Old New Orleans crystal rum, fresh grapefruit and lime juice, with a slug of maraschino liqueur and a few cubes of ice). Stayed cold and delicious all day. Helped keep the scurvy away for this Limey too. Bonus.

*(all in the name of R&D, of course)

[amanlikemike]

Well... looky what we have here!

Limited quantities of these handy little fellas will shortly be included in all orders from www.kriega.us. But seeing as it's you lot, I'll put a few to one side.

If you like the look of em, PM me your address and I'll mail one out FOC and ASAP. While stocks last and all that.


Happy Friday!



Michael

[VFR]

The choice between the Geigerrig & Kriega was a toss-up for me. I settled on the Kriega because the Geigerrig I wanted--500 or 700--didn't come in a 3 liter size & I already have a 2 liter unit. Another deciding factor for me was the valve. From the reviews, it seemed pretty sensitive. If you wear a dual sport or open face helmet, should be no problem but I wear a full face & getting the Camelbak valve in there with the chin curtain is not all that easy. I was envisioning a nice face wash every time I wanted a drink.

The exertion factor for me isn't as high on a motorcycle as on a bicycle & I have never had a problem getting hydrated, so I think I'll pass on the pressure wash....

[Balkan Boy]

We're getting sidetracked but here is why I wanted to match Kriega and Geiggerig.

I first bought a Geigerrig bladder because I needed a water filter and a bladder and there was an AdvRider discount for both. Nice thing about the air compartment is that it keeps the bladder rigid and not sloshing. That makes it easier to pack in non-dedicated luggage. I never tried their packs.

Then I found a used Hydro3 for sale that didn't come with a bladder and I wanted to match the two. I missed the sale, unfortunately, so I can't confirm the fit.
However, in minimalist mode, R25 will hold basic tools, a bladder, change of clothes and some food without being too bulky.

[VFR]

The Hydro 3 came today. Much better construction than the Camelbak--not even a contest. Very well built & nicely thought out unit. Now to fit it up with the jacket on & get ready for a trial run. The real run will be to Death Valley next month.

I'm thinking I will get the US-5. I found a stuff sack that is the same size so gave it a try & what I wanted to put in there will fit.

[traveltoad]

800+ miles this past weekend. Everything from long droning freeways to triple digit fire roads to rock ledges. The bags never moved... never got in the way... I even ran then about half full part of the time just to see and they were perfect!

[VFR]

I just ordered a US-5 to go with my Hydro-3. Wanted to get a Kube as well but they are out of stock.

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by VFR

I just ordered a US-5 to go with my Hydro-3. Wanted to get a Kube as well but they are out of stock.

Just saw your order, mate. Thanks for that. Apologies about the Kube Pocket being unavailable. It shouldn't have been, but my latest shipment got delayed by a couple of days. They'll back in stock on Thursday 28th. In the meantime, I have a couple of brand new and completely unused one in the office. I'll stick one in the mail (no shipping fee) to you right now and email over a link so you can settle up.

How does that sound?



Michael

[VFR]

Perfect!!! That should work well to hold an MP3 player & maybe a gas credit card.

I don't think I can add too much more to to the Hydra3....

Originally Posted by amanlikemike

Just saw your order, mate. Thanks for that. Apologies about the Kube Pocket being unavailable. It shouldn't have been, but my latest shipment got delayed by a couple of days. They'll back in stock on Thursday 28th. In the meantime, I have a couple of brand new and completely unused one in the office. I'll stick one in the mail (no shipping fee) to you right now and email over a link so you can settle up.

How does that sound?



Michael

[amanlikemike]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm just working my way through a BUNCH of PMs about the key fobs. Everyone who has messaged me so far will get one, just as soon as I can get 'em packed up and out the door.

Thanks for the response. Still a few left. I'll let you know when I'm out for now.


Cheers,



Michael

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by traveltoad

800+ miles this past weekend. Everything from long droning freeways to triple digit fire roads to rock ledges. The bags never moved... never got in the way... I even ran then about half full part of the time just to see and they were perfect!

Smiley time!

[amanlikemike]

Originally Posted by VFR

Perfect!!! That should work well to hold an MP3 player & maybe a gas credit card.

I don't think I can add too much more to to the Hydra3....

Great! Looking forward to the DV snaps.


Michael

[amanlikemike]

http://blog.kriega.us/kevin-schwantz-got-class/

Might be picking up a Hydro-3 for his dirt bike rides too.

[eakins]

As my Camelback sucked (it moved around too much when filled w/ water plus Camelback gives $ to anti-motorcycle groups) for ADV riding, I decided to get a R15 backpack, a Kube pocket (attaches to backpack front strap) for quick access to a digital camera and a Stash pocket to keep some important things organized.

All I can is WOW this is by far the best fitting and well thought out pack I've ever seen. The attention to detail is over the top! I went for the 15 to mostly hold water and a few items as I don't like a ton of weight on my shoulders when riding long days or when moving around riding off-road.
If you need something bigger and slightly longer on the back get the 20.

The bladder, when full, does take up some inner space, but there is still plenty of room for additional clothes, tools and food. There is a nice big open pocket at the bottom of the pack that would be ideal for some heavier items that need to sit lower.

The shoulder strap system and curved back pack hug your body perfectly and is designed for motorcycling. I put on my Klim jacket and it matched up great. I could tell there was weight in the pack the the strap design does a much getter job of evenly disturbing it compared to what a Camelback feels like. The chest clip is sized to use with gloves on.

The water bladder itself is the best design i've seen. The top fill port is a double roll over design (like a dry bag) and then an easy slide-on clip that holds it rock solid. It's big and easy to fill and clean if need be. This clip is then strapped inside the backpack, so it does not move around plus the lower inner pocket (for the bladder) itself has cinch down straps to keep it all tight & from shifting. Nice details in my book!

The most amazing feature of the bladder is it has a water-proof quick release for the hose line at the base connection. You leave the water line all in place and just pull out the bag alone to fill it, then click it back in place and strap it down. That feature rocks.

The water bite valve works great and the flow is well matched to what you can swallow. The valve itself has a 1/2 turn on and off feature plus it has a cover cap (with a lanyard so you don't loose it) so you can cover the cap and keep it from getting all covered in dirt. Once again a unique feature only a motorcyclist would understand and use.

The bag itself has water-proof zippers and material (but not seam sealed so it would leak some). It has a nice-sized front accessed pocket for wallets, thin cameras, their Stash bag etc. Then there is the main-body large pocket. The pack has 4 side load cinch straps, plus a waist strap too. Inside the main pocket cover is another smaller-item pocket done with a different see through white material. Then there is a key clip.

As you can tell, I'm loving this pack just from the features and the amazing fit. When the snow melts i'll get some seat time in, but I can tell know this is gonna be 1000 times better than the Camelback i'm using now.

Thanks, Bill

Here are some pics: