Hi
Wondering if anyone has an option on the above and if so which one do you use?
Trying to decide between the above as I don't really want to buy both.
Thanks in advance
If it’s just a few litres then hip pack. Once your packing spare cloths and lunch then you need more space so back pack
If i had to choose one it would be back pack as i do days out
If you are happy with 1 bottle of water on the bike and just need to carry some tools, snacks, maybe a light folding rain jacket etc then I would vote for hip.* Once you start needing more water, or more clothing options or a proper lunch, full pack might be more comfy.
*actually my vote is neither, get everything you need on the bike, but that doesnt answer your quesiton.
Yeah it depends on the ride, really.
Couple of hours local there's a bottle, tube and pump on the bike and a minitool in my pocket.
Longer days out with a proper coat and sandwiches and flapjack and a map and a fluffy toy it's a full backpack.
I do have a hip pack too, but it's mostly used for running nowadays. 'Cos I don't have a bottle cage on my spine.
So based on that, actually, probably a pack.
I have a backpack (effectively a bladder carrier). I don't use a bladder, but it's nice to have the option. Usually, just a bottle on the bike suffices.
It's barely noticeable with a tube/tools etc. Room for a jacket if need be (bungee on the front of it). Quite happy with it.
Someone somewhere said that hip packs don't suit everyone (apparently they can slide down if you're not shapely enough)? Not sure if that's a thing/where I read that.
As with others here the unhelpful answer is it depends, but I actually have both and that maybe your answer too.
For short trips of a couple of hours, normal levels of hydration, say 1 litre, all on the bike, with 1 litre bottle in cage and One-up EDC loaded plus small saddle pack (ideal summer or quick loops). Phone in zip up short pocket.
If the weather looks either a) super hot (need more water) or b) might rain (more likely!) then hip pack as can put phone in it to keep it safer (in plastic bag too), coat, and snacks / gels and if that is the case I got a deal on a EVOC 3 Litre IIRC hip pack pro I think it is called with a 1.5 litre reservoir.
Whole day or more than the above then have a Camelbak something 2.5 Litre but to be honest use it very rarely as mostly have lunch stop planned mid day ride or coffee stops and hence 1.5 l does me (see above).
James
Hip pack for 95% of my rides. Usually, tools, pump, tube are kept on the bike. Gel/bar/light waterproof/glasses in the hip pack (and a second water bottle if hot or out longer than 2-3 hours)
Backpack for 5% - big days out, mixed, colder weather (where I want to carry a waterproof and a warm layer, potentially buff/hat/spare gloves) and needing to carry more food.
Depends partly on the bike. If I'm using the gravel bike or the HT, I'd potentially take a med frame bag and/or a small bar bag, maybe combined with a hip pack, rather than a backpack.
As said, depends entirely on what you need to carry. I don't know how people can seem to be able to carry a whole day's worth of kit and a waterproof and food in a bum bag.
If out on my own, I use a bum bag that carry a tools for my bike, some snacks and emergency food and it can also take 1.5l of water.
If I'm out with a group or coaching (or if the weather looks changeable and I need to carry a shower jacket) I have a backpack as it carries food, water, first aid, tools and jacket.
I've recently added a water bottle cage to my bike, so I shouldn't be shy of hydration...
As above - invest in a bigger bag for day long rides with a 3l bladder and room for clothes etc - stuff that could get you out of a mess if you're in the middle of nowhere etc.
A hip (bum) bag can be had for peanuts (think my Dakine one with a Fox bottle was only about £20 from Stif) so buy one of those as well for short rides.
Hip pack for short rides but I find they get uncomfortable after a while (and the more that's in there)
Above that and it's a wingnut pack (remember them ?!)
I'd virtually never do a long enough ride to want a full on backpack
As others have said, it depends on the ride and distance for me.
Short rides - Nothing. Water bottle on bike plus I have a Topeak multitool/chain tool that fits in the crank spindle for emergencies and just take my chances with not getting a puncture.
Medium rides - Camelbak Podium hip pack with bottle, snack, mini pump, tyre plug kit, tyre levers and spare tube.
Longer rides - Dakine Drafter 10L backpack with 2L bladder, more snacks, mini pump, tyre plug kit, tyre levers, spare tube and spare clothing layer.
That's on the MTB. On the gravel bike I have a bar bag so no need for a backpack.
Backpack 100% of the time for me on the MTB. Bottle on the bike for short rides, supplemented by bladder in backpack for longer ones or when riding with the kids. Wear it partly for the protection element: EVOC Trail Pro 10L with integrated back protector (better than nothing).
1-2 hour ride, bottle on bike,2-4 hours, small backpack full day, 14 litre backpack but all weather dependent
I hate backpacks - sweat inducing bastards!
Hip pack for anything up to a 50-60km mtb ride - bottle on the frame + another on the hip pack if needed.
Hip pack + frame bag for big days out if I need to carry extra bits.
Can I throw in the lightweight vest type too. Its a long time since I felt the need for a backpack, most of the time a bum bag suffices but if I need extra room I have light vest bag that has 1.5l bladder and space for snacks and a jacket too.
If you want to try an Osprey bumbag with bladder I have one you can have for a tenner plus postage, just drop me a message.
Gone EVOC hip pack - works much better for me - sometimes forget I am wearing it .
On a hot day a bum bag is more comfortable. 1,5 litres in the bag and 750ml in a bottle and you’re good. The evoc bum bag has room for 2 bottles in addition to the bladder.
if you’re going far from civilization, a bag with space for emergency items is probably sensible
I prefer a bag primarily for the ability to carry a decent size pump. I use an 18l Osprey with a rigid mesh back, might be called a Siskin, carries just enough stuff for all but serious adventures. Cinches down tight for lighter loads. If you're based in the Edinburgh/Tweed valley area I have a Dakine hip pack you can try out.
Above that and it's a wingnut pack (remember them ?!)
I still have one and still can't work out why there aren't more packs like it.
Hip pack easily for me. Only time I’d consider my old back pack is if it went on a massive ride with variable weather and needed sore clothes and a lot of food etc. most hip packs can comfortable carry decent amount of water plus spare tools snacks etc. I have used several and should be able to pick something good up for £30/40
started with a back pack and bladder.. when i was super unfit and needed all the water
a year in went to hip pack and 1.5? litres of water... the hip pack would never stay right on me, but was still better than the sweaty back pack
past couple of years a 700-750ml bottle and all tools on bike are enough for my 2-3.5 hour rides
if I'm out on a gravel ride.. 40-50 mile.. ill have a couple of water bottles, tools on bike again, AND a top tube bag with extras, tubes, snacks etc, maybe even a jacket on frame bag
It's hard to generalise. I mostly use a hip-pack these days, but quite a large one - Osprey Seral 7 - which also takes a 1.5L hydration reservoir, though I don't always use it. I carry a water bottle on the bike and a spare tube strapped under the saddle, so the hip-pack is mostly food, a very lightweight shell jacket plus an EDC pump and tools. I can also, if needed, just about manage an ultralight PrimaLoft jacket. Plus, obviously nutrition etc. I like wearing it, mostly because it leaves my back free and less sweaty.
For long rides - particularly in winter - where I might need more water and emergency kit, I use an Osprey 12-litre backpack.
I think riding with a hip-pack is a generally more pleasant experience, but you're more constrained as to what you can carry - also depends on the pack capacity obviously. It's subjective though, on the gravel bike I use a small-ish top tube bag, a saddle pack for tubes and multitool, tyre lever, pump mounted to bottle cage and two bottle cages/bidons and that's it.
Basically it depends on you.
The wingnut pack was a great idea, really poorly executed!
The quality of the fabric and the bag design was poor.. which is a shame cos I'd Love a decently made wingnut with a few separate dividers etc!
DrP
Got a seral 7 and I'm clearly not packing the right things...so those packing in plenty, what kit are you actually using so it all fits?
I only used hip packs for several years, but have recently moved back to a Mule for any longer rides. And when riding in real mountains, I like to be prepared, and don’t like to be constrained.
Having said that, I moved from a Camelbak Repack hip pack to a Seral 7. The Seral 7 holds a huge amount of gear if you don’t use the reservoir. But one of my bikes doesnt have a bottle cage, and I miss the ability to carry bottles in the Seral. I’ve stopped using reservoirs in my hip packs, because I just got fed up with the tube coming loose and flopping around catching in the rear wheel.
i did also experiment with frame mounted bags. And honestly, I still am moving between all 3 ways of doing things. What I don’t do is carry nothing on any ride. Even though I rarely have a flat - memories of having to wheel my bike home are burned too deep!
Has anyone used the Thule Rail O hip pack? I’m looking for something small for short rides (a few hours) and they seem to fit the bill. I don’t need to carry water or tons of stuff, I have a Dakine backpack and a water bottle on the frame for those kind of days. Just need something to hold a tool, small snack, phone, etc.
I’ve experimented with a cheap running one and know I want one, but I just want something better than my £3.99 Amazon special
Thanks for all the responses.
I ended up picking up an Osprey Katari 7 without reservoir which seemed to be light and comfortable and also give me enough space to carry the essentials I did try a few hip packs but not sure they are for me.
I still have one and still can't work out why there aren't more packs like it.
The LR stuff from camelbak seems to be the closest to it, I have an old charge 10 lr and the bladders width way around the back/hips as opposed to horizontal.
The latest variation seems to be the skyline or solstice lr.
I’m in a hot country so depending on my ride I’ll between an evoc hip pack to carry a power pack, phone , wallet and any thing that can’t be attached to the bike for round the block type stuff, and the charge for more longer stuff with perhaps a towel/food for breaks or a vest type for gravelly stuff where in likely to be travelling faster.
I also have a bottle mount that will take larger bottles of coke/water or usually Aquarius that I will buy en route via petrol stations, they are usually in the fridge.
(Aquarius has the stuff in that you sweat out so it’s easier to best grab than carry the tablet thingys.)
Water on my back is usually emergency or when I’m going where there is no supermarkets/petrol stations.
Rucksack- always. If it's summer then a small 27l one and if it's deep winter then sometimes a bigger one if I need to pack serious emergency kit.
Almost all my riding over the last 20 years has either been
- With the family, who I love dearly and want to keep safe
- Alone and/ or
- Big, remote and/ or scary weather (only in the UK sense of the words, but still)
So I tended to pack emergency gear.
I used to bring a backpack/bladder everywhere but always hated it. Heavy, uncomfortable and sweaty, and for me a bit unnecessary. I now just take a bottle and tube/pump on the bike, multitool/plugs/snacks in pockets. I want to get a small frame bag like the Evoc one to carry it all on the bike, currently my spare tube is tied on with string cause I've been too tight to buy a wrap strap thing.
I don't really do long or remote rides though so YMMV but I don't think I'll ever go back to bringing a pack. Even a hip pack seems like it'll be annoying and just move the weight and sweat to the lower back instead. I'd sooner fit a 2nd bottle cage.
As someone that starts warm and just gets hotter I have loved getting away from a back pack to a hip pack.
At the same time my rides have also got shorter due to family life with hardly any all day epics in the hills now or I will plan a figure of eight to restock at the van rather than take the bag.
The back pack just comes out for family rides now to carry everyone's stuff and are less vigorous (for now).
What kind of riding are you doing?
My evoc back pack has a back protector in it which provides some extra reassurance when riding interesting trails as I don't want to go breaking my back (again). It also allows me to carry some sensible emergency kit when out in the hills on my own.
For a gentle bumble near home on hot days, I just take a water bottle & phone.
I'm with Ceept as above. If doing some fairly challenging mtb riding then I'd rather have a decent backpack with a back protector (evoc) regardless of how hot it is. Added to that a backpack is going to spread the weight / impact of any pump / whatever you're carrying against your back compared to a bum bag.
Back pack - fanny packs look lame
The LR stuff from camelbak seems to be the closest to it, I have an old charge 10 lr and the bladders width way around the back/hips as opposed to horizontal.
Charge LR is what I use when I can't get away with just a bottle on the bike. I was blissfully unaware that Camelbak have moved away from that bladder style - that's a shame, it seemed the best of both worlds to me.
Usually just jersey back pockets.
If it's stuff I want access to while riding, then bum bag.
More stuff, saddle post bag.
I did my only ton ride with a rucksack on, it meant I had to take the ~9000 feet of climbing very easy, to allow for the lack of ventilation. If I knew then what I know now, this would never have been the answer!
I used to carry everything on the bike and/or in my pockets - that was until coffee shops decided £3.60 was the going rate for a cup of poor quality coffee.
I now use a very small hydration-type pack to accommodate a small flask, phone, tools and rain jacket, thus freeing-up both my bike and my pockets.
I absolutely prefer my current set-up (plus the fact that I’m probably about £15 a week better off).
I Own an old backpack with a 2L source Bladder, and a separate pocket for tools and gubbins but I don't think I've used it in about two years TBH, I really don't like having a sweaty back and will do my absolute best to carry stuff on the bike itself. I have a couple of 950ml/1L bottles that I use to try and carry about the same volume of liquid on the frame, I have a frame bag that I can use on the Gravel bike,
If I had to lash items/water to my body I'd choose a hip-pack, but I've not needed to recently, and so have yet to buy one.