There are a lot of laptop and commuter-oriented bags on the market these days. However, the Gregory Vibe combines some of the best features of both the messenger bag style and daypack style into one super-functional design. This bag keeps your laptop totally secure and protected and it wears well to boot, making you feel good about hustling and taking chances on your bike commute. It features a large main compartment with a giant flap lid made from bomber TPU fabric. The whole bag is made from the stuff actually, reminding me of the days when messenger bags were first made from truck tarps.

Your machine (fits laptops up to 17 inches) seals inside an interior compartment, leaving room in the main compartment for your monkey suit or gym clothes. The whole thing cinches down and snugs to the body with very comfortable shoulder straps. No modern high-end commuter pack is complete without: being U-lock compatible, having a side stash pocket, including a front loop for a light, and having a zip closure and an overflow strap. If you prefer a traditional daypack style to a shoulder-style messenger bag, with the trusted quality of a brand name like Gregory, this is the bag for you. gregorypacks.com

I got my first pair of Julbo sunglasses about 22 years ago when I first started climbing mountains regularly. Made in France with renowned quality and lens technology, I’m sure I thought it was ok to throw them on my credit card as a freshman at Colorado State University. I remember thinking they were totally cool and expensive. I went through a couple pairs over the years, and I still have one I keep in a hiking pack as a backup.

Luckily, I have been reunited with the brand in the form of their winter goggles—one of the single most crucial pieces of equipment you will ever own. The new Orbiter goggle from Julbo features a double lens for insulation (anti-fog); and flash coatings on the spherical outer lens (anti-glare), which also helps with light filtration. They are available with either the high-end Camel or Zebra lens, both spherical, polarizing, and photochromic lenses with protection in optical categories 2 to 4. While they are large format with great peripheral vision, they also fit nicely inside a helmet. The other cool added feature on these goggles is the extender that stays attached to your helmet—snap them off and they are perfectly sized to your head for après ski. The Orbiter is available in four colors with two lens choices. Julbousa.com; $200US

You most likely know Karhu for their legendary mountaineering boots and skis, (particularly for the Finnish military) but probably not for their running shoes. That perception may be slightly misinformed however, given the company’s deep roots in the running and track world dating back to 1916.

In Finland, the company’s home country, the brand is legendary. And you know that three-stripe omnipresent Adidas logo?…that was actually the old Karhu logo, sold to the then-obscure German-based Adidas in 1951, for roughly the equivalent of 1600 Euros and a bottle of whiskey, leaving Karhu with its lesser known M logo you see today.

The current boasting point in running shoes was developed in the 1980’s, according to the company, and the technology has been shown, according to the company, to give runners a measurable advantage in forward momentum.

I can’t say for sure, but I think I feel something. The fulcrum_ride fits tightly, like a track shoe or a hockey skate, and do seem to give bit of a spring in the forward step. The light weight, mesh upper and street sole make for a smooth ride. The styling lends a little toward the Euro side; but hopefully people won’t notice too much when you buzz past them at the park.

You know you love it. A cold, cheap, crappy beer. Even the biggest beer snobs love a cold can of cheap beer on a hot summer night’s cruise. Yes, shit beer is back ladies and gentlemen, and is now available in trendy hipster dive bars nationwide. And we just had to know how they stack up. We tested these beers in an exclusive blind taste test and compared them against each other and against the American Lager standard, Budweiser, to see how these schwag beers compared. To simplify testing, we did not test any of the “light” versions of these beers. And here are our findings…

Olympia
“It’s the water”
Olympia rang in at under 10 bucks. “This is beer I would actually drink,” remarked one. With a resounding, “I love Olympia,” by another.

Price paid for 12 pack: $8.99
Taste: No, not really
After Taste: Yeah, there it is
Color: Golden
Head: Not bad

Although Olympia may be brewed by Pabst Brewing Company, it is definitely it’s own unique beer and flavor. It was one of the office favorites and received higher accolades than Bud when tasted side by side. Olympia rang in at under 10 bucks. “This is beer I would actually drink,” remarked one. With a resounding, “I love Olympia,” by another. It has an initial light and fruity taste similar to Hamm’s, a bit of a twang, and finishes with a slight metallic twinge. Since it’s inception in 1896 we doubt this beer has changed much. And why would it? In 2008 Olympia won the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Gold Medal in the “American-Style Lager or Premium Lager” category.

Schlitz
“Just the kiss of the hops”
Price paid for 12 pack: $9.49
Taste: Ummmm
After Taste: Not bad really
Color: Pale Gold
Head: Pretty frothy when poured wrong

While most people think that PBR is Milwaukee’s most famous beer, according to the can, Schlitz is actually “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” How official that ranking is was difficult to determine. And while this beer might not be as readily available, it could be worth seeking out as you cruise the isles looking for something cheap and palatable. According to our highly experienced beer tasters, Schlitz tastes both like PBR and like Coors. Is this good or bad? We’ll let you decide. Our final ranking: “It’s decent, but it’s no Hamm’s.”

Hamm’s
“The beer refreshing”
Price paid for 12 pack: $8.99
Taste: There’s a taste?
After Taste: There’s a taste?
Color: Urine
Head: Bubbly

Sure we may be biased based on our love for the drunken cartoon characters and beloved Hamm’s bear we used to see on the company’s TV commercials, but our consensus is that Hamm’s is one of the best cheap beers out there. We were shocked at its low price point relative to drinkability. Around since 1865, Hamm’s took a GABF Gold Medal in both 2007 and 2010 in the “American Style Lager” category. Need further proof? It was top pick in almost every blind taste test in the office. “It reminds me of how my uncle’s used to smell,” declared one staffer. And another, “It’s so good, there’s almost no taste to it whatsoever.” However, we believe the 1979 animated commercial sums it up best: “You can’t beat the bear for fun, and you can’t beat Hamm’s for great taste.”

Old Milwaukee
“America’s best tasting beer”
Price paid for 12 pack: $9.49
Taste: Sure
After Taste: Poignant
Color: Pale Morning Gold
Head: Yes please

Another fad beer seeing a resurgence in popularity, yet this is one slogan we had to take issue with. While “Old Mill” may be a classic and one that we all remember drinking in high school, we aren’t sure why. For the price, we would take an Olympia any day. It’s got an initial sour taste with a smooth middle and a malty finish. We believe the light version of this beer may be better, as it took a 2007 Gold Medal and a 2010 Silver Medal in the “American Style Lager Light” categories. According to our most seasoned beer taster: “Not much there, but I like a light tasting beer.”

Pabst Blue Ribbon
“Selected America’s best in 1893”
Price paid for 12 pack: $9.99
Taste: None
After Taste: None
Color: Very nice
Head: Some

There’s a reason why Pabst Blue Ribbon is so omnipresent on cruiser rides. It’s like McDonald’s: cheap, easy to find, and satisfying. But this popularity is no accident. PBR has been winning awards since 1893. Most recently it took Gold at the 2005 and 2006 GABF in the “American Style Lager” category. And our testers agreed. One simply declared, “I drink PBR.” It starts with a small bite and finishes light and clean with little aftertaste. Overall a great value (especially in 30 packs, our favorite), and a highly drinkable beer.

Budweiser
“King of beers”
Price paid for 12 pack: $11.99
Taste: Ok
After Taste: A little
Color: Golden Hue
Head: Not bad

We wanted to line up the King of Beers next to our selection of crap beer to see how this “premium lager” really stacked up. Is it worth the extra couple bucks per 12-pack? Our answer: definitely not. If you want a premium beer, drink a micro-brew. If you want a light, cold, schwag beer to qwuench your thirst and propel you on grueling cruiser rides, go for the cheap stuff.