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Quick reality check before we get into it.
Same deal as last time. You're getting this because you said, "Sure, keep me posted." If you've since mastered hydration and moved on to greater things, the unsubscribe link is at the bottom, and we will not take it personally. We'll assume you're doing great.
For the rest of you…
The hike.
That's Nate up there. That green stuff is moss. It has been sitting on that ridge for roughly four hundred years, doing nothing, and it looked better than we did.
The plan was 4 miles, "back by lunch." The plan did not survive contact with the trail.
How it actually went:
Mile 1: Feeling strong. Someone said, "getting into a rhythm." Someone always says that.
Mile 2: Stopped to take that photo. Looked up. Realized the trail kept going. Up.
Mile 3: Reached for water. Water was at the bottom of the pack, under the sandwiches, half gone, lukewarm in a way that felt personal.
Mile 4: Passed by a chipmunk, a family with a toddler, a man in jeans and loafers, all of whom appeared to be having a better day. The lunch we were supposed to be back for: [eaten at 3:40 p.m., standing up, in the parking lot].
None of this was the mountain's fault. The mountain was doing exactly what mountains do. That's the good kind of hard. The kind you drive two hours for.
The bad kind of hard was, again, everything involving water.
We keep saying this, and we're going to keep saying it: getting a drink outside should not be the most complicated part of being outside.
What we've been building (a real update this time).
Last month we told you we were "starting to build something." Vague on purpose. We weren't ready.
We're a little more ready now.
Every prototype gets graded against the same five promises. Miss one, back on the bench. Here's where we are:
You can see how much water you have. No sloshing the pack around like a Magic 8-Ball. [STATUS = Check]
You can refill without unpacking your life. [STATUS = Check]
Cleaning it doesn't require a whisk, chopsticks, or a bent coat hanger. [STATUS = Check]
It doesn't leak into your spare socks. [STATUS = Check]
It's useful at camp, not just on the trail. [STATUS = Check]
What changed since last month: we went from a sketch and a lot of opinions to an AI mockup of the physical prototype. It came back with notes. Some of the notes were rude. All of them were useful.
What hasn't changed: no charging cable. No app. No "ecosystem." Just the dumb parts removed.
If you want to be in the small group that sees the next round first, and gets first crack when there's something to hold, put your name here:
If you're already on it, you're already on it. Sit tight.
Meanwhile, David has been keeping his head warm.
We told him it's beanie season. He said he had it handled.
This is how he had it handled.
We have tried to explain to him that a beanie is cheaper, goes outside, and doesn't come with a subscription to Hair Preview 2018. He was not listening. He was reading.
So we're going to let you settle it.
The beanie situation.
You may remember we overestimated how many hoodies two families need. That got sorted, thanks to a surprising number of you. Thank you. Truly.
We have now done the exact same thing with beanies.
So: 25% off the Fat Koi thermal knit beanie through October 31st with code BEAN25 at checkout.
It's a good beanie. Navy, waffle knit, cuffed, one small red FAT KOI tag that starts conversations but doesn't end them. It's the one in the first photo, if you look closely. It works on a ridge in the winter, and it works under a hair dryer, although we'd rather you didn't.
Every one that leaves the house is one fewer we have to explain at Thanksgiving, and every dollar goes straight into the next prototype.
No pressure. But it is getting cold. Ask David.
— David + Nate
P.S. If you've ever been passed on a trail by someone in loafers, reply and tell us. We're collecting these. For reasons.
P.P.S. The code is BEAN25. We put it here too because we know how email works.
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