Sam Rice

After two months of hard use on a bikepacking trip through the Andes in Peru, Sam Rice and Tom Norman share their feedback on a pair of NEMO sleeping pads designed to be the warmest, most insulating ultralight pads on the market. Did they withstand the rigors of the journey and live up to the duo’s high expectations? Find out in their NEMO Tensor Extreme Conditions Sleeping Pad review here…

Sea to Summit’s popular Spark sleeping bag line has been revamped for 2024, boasting improved warmth, comfort, and durability. Sam Rice put the Spark -1°C (30°F) through its paces during a two-month expedition across the frigid Peruvian Andes. Read his detailed Sea to Summit Spark -1C review here…

In our latest Field Trip, Sam Rice and Bec Norman go behind the scenes at Apidura in London. From its Tour Divide origins to becoming B Corp certified, Apidura has helped revolutionize sustainable bikepacking gear. Join Sam and Bec as they explore Apidura’s commitment to longevity, dive into their innovative Revive program, and uncover how they’re reshaping industry standards…

Launched today, The Bikepacking Cookbook is a digital cookbook born out of a desire to inspire people to eat better food on bikepacking trips. The multi-year project features 26 trail-tested recipes, dozens of tips and tricks, and heaps of inspiration to transform bikepacking meals from campsite calamities to trailside triumphs. Find an introduction to the new book and a free recipe here…

After living and route building in the north of Thailand for the better part of a year, Sam Rice ventures south to Bangkok to meet three of the city’s most prominent bikepacking brands. Read on for his impressions of Buffalo Bags, Bicycle Boy Clubhouse, and Conquer Bags, featuring immersive photo galleries and a look at what each brand brings to the Thai bikepacking scene…

With Chiang Mai’s smoky season in full swing and the air pollution score soaring, Sam Rice escaped to southern Thailand aboard his Curve GMX+ in search of long gravel roads, coconut trees, and clean air. In this review, he shares his thoughts on Curve’s new Carbon Walmer Bar. Find his impressions following three months of riding here…

After three years of teasing, Tailfin has entered the frame bag market with a range of nine fully waterproof partial frame bags. In this review, Sam Rice shares his in-depth thoughts following six months of regular use. As we’ve come to expect from the innovative UK brand, there’s far more to these bags than initially meets the eye…

In this 13-minute video, Sam Rice and Bec Norman re-ride a portion of the 400-kilometer Lanna Kingdom bikepacking route a year after its launch to explore the social and ethical impact of building a bikepacking route in rural Thailand. Watch as they reconnect with local friends, meet riders, and enjoy some of the route’s boundless natural and cultural beauty here…

In our latest Field Trip, Sam Rice and Bec Norman take us behind the scenes at Tailfin. Since its Kickstarter launch in 2016, Tailfin has grown from a basement passion project to one of the most innovative brands in bikepacking. Read on as Sam and Bec shed light on Tailfin’s origin story, dive deep into their product design philosophy, and reveal how their innovative fusion of hardware and soft goods sets them apart…

Since 2020, our friends at Pizza Gravel in Berlin have been hosting weekly rides that connect the city’s best slices via an ever-changing network of hidden dirt tracks and trails. Sam Rice joined the eclectic international group for a Thursday evening ride earlier this summer, and he shares this look at the beautiful community that’s developed around a shared love of pizza and bikes…

Following their recent tour of New Zealand’s legendary Old Ghost Road, Sam Rice and Becky Norman put together this ride report with some thoughts on riding the challenging track on fully loaded bikepacking rigs and a sweeping gallery of photos from the beautiful South Island. Find it all here…