Coming in February: Dakine’s Enduro Hip Pack
Those of us who have been riding since before Camelbak kicked off the era of the hydration pack will remember (perhaps fondly, perhaps not) the reign of the bumbag. Known by various names across the Anglosphere, in a mountain bike context the hip pack (memorably re-christened the Ass Satchel by a now-defunct US mountain bike magazine) proved popular thanks to its low, stable position and sweat-minimising compact footprint. Granted, water had to be carried on the bike, but that was a time when two sets of bottle bosses were expected on all frames and a third envied.
Since hydration packs took over, the bumbag has largely been relegated to tourist duty. Of course, no day in the sun lasts forever- and we are starting to sense a backlash against big packs. Last month we shared Specialized’s smuggler’s undies. Today we have Dakine’s Enduro Hip Pack.
The Enduro Hip Pack has a claimed 9L capacity, which should be plenty for most fair-weather outings. Between main compartment organisation and a pair of wing pockets, finding a place for everything should be a cinch. In an age of £100+ hydration packs, the US$50 price (which should translate somewhere under £40) makes for a pleasant change of pace. Not into camo? Solid black and Hood (a topographic map print of Oregon’s Mt. Hood with green accents) will also be offered.
Is it time to revisit the bumbag? Come February, we’ll be able to vote with our… pocketbooks.
Much as I love not having a sweaty rucksack on my back, I never found bum bags particularly stable. The more you stuffed into them, the more they bounced up and down. Also, I rejoiced when hydration packs came along, since it meant easier/cleaner drinking. I’ll sit and watch this from the sidelines, but if they do become fashionable I might bite 🙂
The bumbag never went away! I’ve been keeping the fanny-pack-fire burning for 20 years. I’m so hip (pun intended).
> “Those of us who have been riding since before Camelbak kicked off the era of the hydration pack will remember (perhaps fondly, perhaps not) the reign of the bumbag.”
Somewhere at the back of a dark dusty drawer I have the evolutionary missing-link: a Camelbak bum bag!
Seemed like a good idea at the time.
I ditched my Camelbak a couple of years ago in favour of a hip pack. I wouldn’t go back.
No sweaty back and low stable weight, means no sore back after a few hours.
have been using an osprey talon 8 for about a year now. carries two bottles and all my junk. don’t find it any more bouncy than a pack ( and i had a wingnut before this ). advantages significantly outweigh the disadvantages for me.
So does it actually carry any sort of hydration device? Or am I totally missing the point?
I ride with a Camelbak bumbag, as my dodgy shoulder hurts if I use a regular rucksack style ones.
It also stops muck going up my back.
Bumbags were fine, for light things like some food and a jacket but started to dig in when anything heavier was added.
Of course, we didn’t used to have enduro-specific bumbags in the olden days 🙂
I’ve been using an inov8 one for a few years that has a water bladder that wraps around the waist. Lovely and stable.
Used to use a North Face one with 2 bottle holders; it doubled up for lightweight treks as well. That said my Sigg bottles still have the dents in them from when I came flying off above Lower Gorple many years ago. I’ll stick with the Camelbak thanks.
I’ve been looking at ordering one of these, http://www.trakke.co.uk/product/banana , from trakke for shorter rides as they seem a good size for just carrying a pump, tube, and phone.
I like this….old idea! I always ‘reluctantly’ faff with my Ergon pack for those 1.5 – 2 hr sessions as it’s just a load of extra material flapping about, this would fit the bill. xmas list me thinks….
I have a camelback bumbag somewhere in the garage, gave me gut ache and was never comfortable. Fluro Cosmic Trail corner-shoulder bags were better.
Bum bag in the summer and back pack in the winter works fine for me.
Long rides – hydration pack. Short rides – jersey pockets!!
I for one welcome our new bumbag overlords
Have an ancient Karrimor one, fits in multitool, pump and tube, tenner for the pub and holds water bottles out of the direct line of spray. Works great for evening night rides.
Could probably fit it all in pockets but it’s easier to pick up the one thing and go.
+1 for inov8. Stable, comfy and surprisingly spacious. I’ve got one that holds a wee bottle instead of a bladder.
After I’d punctured on a ride in California in 1992 a kind female rider who stopped to help told me that she had a pump in her “fanny pack”. I think that she thought that I was having some sort of fit as I was unable to speak for several minutes.