After years of carting a very heavy backpack on the Mtb, its time to lighten up. What hip packs are people using? I am looking at the Evoc pro 3L and the Camelbak Repack. Any more I should consider?
There was a review in the mag recently I think and a decent thread here.
I've got the Evoc hip pack pro, decent pack - just be aware with a full bladder there's not a huge amount of room for other stuff. However you can use it with a couple of bottles instead which leaves the interior space free.
Well, I have been thinking about buying one recently. And then realised I had a 3L OMM running hip pack. Cost £25. It's a very simple pack, I take a few spares, a 500ml bladder bottle, and a snack. Does the job for short rides. Doubt I'll pay at least twice that now for something with a bit of extra space.
Osprey do options for a bladder or for bottles. The bladder options include the bladder, which makes them good value compared to EVOC.
I have a 7l one, with 1.5l bladder. It's great. Big enough for pump, tools, food and a jacket.
Osprey Seral 7 works for me. For some reason not included in the STW test, but comfortable and well designed. There have been a few threads on this in the past six months or so.
eg:
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/hydration-waist-pack/
I have the Osprey Seral 7 too, I've been very impressed with it, had an early Camelback Repack before and the osprey is a much nicer pack.
I have the repack and replaced it with the Evoc Pro 3L, main reason was to carry two bottles instead of a bladder, really comfortable and supported, and loads of room, not fitted a bladder though, as after years of use i just prefer a simple bottle.
I was given the Thule from the mag review as a birthday present - like it a lot so far, the hose grabber magnets and easy phone access are great.
I've two dakine ones, one that fits a bottle and one a bladder. Both great and can be found cheap.
Some people love them, some hate them. I think its a body shape thing.
I love my Dakine. Generally no water carrying for me, although there are loops to attach one bottle. Even my "big" rides usually have a water resupply, even if I'm going out all day and have lunch with me etc.
I am looking at the Evoc pro 3L
just bought one of these for short / good weather rides, only used it once so far but impressed.
wasn't bothered by having a bladder as will carry a 750ml bottle on the bike, but wanted the option to carry another small bottle for longer short rides (if that makes sense) or if it's really warm.
without the bladder you can easily fit everything you need in the pack - in mine i had a thin windproof jacket, tube, mini pump, all the tools i needed, phone and couple of snacks and there was still some space to spare.
fits well and nice and secure / doesn't bounce about too much even when carrying spare bottle (great without). the side vent tab system is a bit of gimmick and would of been better without. only point to mention is that if your a bit of a fat knacker like myself, the waist band belt is on the shorter side (but it does stretch)
edit - tredz are selling them for c £60 at the moment
Dakine Hot Laps for me. Managed to pick one up for £20. Used to solely ride with a full camelbak but this was the best thing I done. Plenty of room for my car keys, some tools and a small snack. 2 drink holders. Great for 3-4 hours or so out on the trails.
I’ve just bought a Dakine Hot Laps 5. Used it once. Initial thoughts:
The waist strap is a tiny bit short, but I’m a fat bigger.
The hydration bladder, the tube is a bit short, I’m a lanky, fat biffer. The magnet clip is a faff, you need to twist it into the holder. I much prefer the older Osprey ones, two flat magnets are so much easier. The outlet port on the bladder is a quarter of the way up the side, which means you can’t get the last of the water out.
Good compartments, plenty of storage space, cinches down well and doesn’t move. Because I’m a fat biffer.
I have an Osprey Serial 7 that I use for longer rides and bike packing when I want to take extra water and a Savu 5 for more regular rides.
Both are comfortable to wear and hold enough in the way of tools, spares and snacks for most situations.
I've used a Camelbak Repack for the last few years, with the bladder. It's my main pack for anything local under a couple of hours, or when I don't need to carry anything more than a multitool, phone, and windproof.
Had an osprey before but it had been bounced off the scenery once too often. Bought the evoc. In retrospect I think I would have preferred another osprey.
I've had the Evoc pro 3l for a couple of years now and can't think of anything negative to say about it.
I started the previous thread referenced above and after all the advice I bought an Osprey Seral 4. I just can't get on with it. It's fine as a bum bag but as a hydration pack it's poor. There is no port for the bladder tube so it has to poke through the zip entry which means loading has to be careful. The bladder is a poor fit, the bite valve constantly pings off the magnetic keeper. Only good news was I got it very cheap but still a waste of money. I have gone back to a bottle and running hip pack.
I still like the idea but will read these comments more carefully before I spend more money.
the evoc one is great.
Just for a bit of variety I have a Patagonia one which is great. Not the small one in the recent mag review, much bigger than that. Will take a bladder (but never use it) and lots of room for all the tools you could need and a rain jacket and phone.
Osprey Seral 7 for me - works well for me for my solo rides, but if I'm out riding with others I tend to carry a wee bit more kit and it isn't great as my 'wee bit more' it too much.
Got a tool roll with enough bits to fix majority of any issues on my bike, space for phone, keys, couple of bags of sweets (I need to sort my eating out!) and the 1.5 litres of water - fits well on me but if I've been working hard or manage to shift some winds (at least I think that is what it happening), the bag can slip down a bit. Not a major issue until the ground gets lumpy and I can feel the bag bouncing...a quick pull on the strap fixes it, but I haven't worked out what is happening for it to slip down (have checked the waist belt and it hasn't managed to get adjusted and slackened off).
Glad I've got it, but also suspect I've not spent enough money on the 'right' kit so the stuff I'm using is bulkier than others are using as in a couple of the threads I think a few people were mentioning hey were using it for all-day rides and I'm unsure what kit they carry for an all-dayer but I can't see it including a jacket in case it turns bad.
I keep toying with a big hip pack because I too am a sucker for conformist fashion - and I keep going back to my running vest.
There's a reason everyone but mtbers stopped using bladders for most things - they're hard to fill on the go and inflexible. With bottles I can carry a filter bottle, varieties of carb / electrolyte mix, they're replaceable and easier to fix, much easier to wash and keep clean and healthy, no hoses to 'manage'.
I have a water bottle on the frame and saddle bag for shorter rides. If I could get a second bottle in my frame I'd see no need for any more storage except for all day epics; but in the absence I think a small hip pack (I'd love to hear if a dakine hotlaps stealth holds a small bottle well).
Those big bulky osprey / evoc / Thule hip packs just strike me as a solution looking for a problem. Access is difficult compared to a vest as well - realistically you're taking it off to get most things out, which means you're stopping. With a vest you have almost anything to hand in front and side pockets. I can even pull a waterproof out of the top kangaroo pouch over my head and put it over the whole thing without getting off my bike or stopping riding. Even better, you can still use your jersey pockets which would be covered up by a hip pack.
Not to mention they're bloody heavy. Spent £1500 on bling carbon wheels? My running pack is 150g. Your Evoc is 480 before you even put a bladder in it, and it was cheaper.
Not sold.
I’m unsure what kit they carry for an all-dayer but I can’t see it including a jacket in case it turns bad.
I've got a "take it incase it might rain" coat from decathalon, stuffs into its own pocket to about the size of a tennis ball. does the trick for waterproofness and keeping a bit more of your own body heat in.
I'm sure it was about £20.
Camelbak Repack
I've got one of these.
Pros; Capacity is good (with the bladder removed) I can get pretty much everything I need for a decent day out, included a pretty bulky waterproof at a push. It sits nicely and doesn't move about. the straps have side pockets which you can store snacks and reach them (with some practice) on the move. Plenty of pockets and separated storage to stop things rattling around. you can cinch it up good and tight and it stays there - unlike some other hip packs I've used where the straps often come undone after a while
Cons: The bladder takes up most of the space if you use it, My bike has a downtube storage hole, so some stuff that I would normally carry is in there. The straps are possibly too short (they may be longer now I think) so if you're over about a 36" waist, you'd struggle to do it up. If I'm being super picky it could do with having a separate soft lined pocket for you phone, otherwise it just bangs around with everything else in there.
My fancy hydro pack is now regulated to "Very Serious" days in the saddle, which I rarely do. The Repack is pretty much my go to from a couple of hours to four to five hour rides.
@continuity, biggest reason I moved to hip pack was a backpack would be uncomfortable over time in shoulder s and back, and unusable if wearing armour.
Biggest issue with hip packs is to make sure you pack them with safety in mind for any falls.
Not sold.
No one has to be though, there's so many options now, everyone can pretty much have a system that suits them perfectly , from old-skool packs and bladders (still really popular) to bottles and few pocket tools and everything in between.
Osprey Seral 7 again. Great pack, good size and the straps on the back compress it nicely when it’s not full.
The bladder itself is good but I prefer the Camelbak valve and magnetic clip - so I kept the bladder but swapped the valve and clip (standard after market items.
And now a tip - the Alpkit double ended bar bags make great covers for your Seral when riding a muddy day in Les Gets. Lap the clips round each other to close the end rather than trying to roll the bag conventionally.
Another vote for the Alpkit Vora
@nickc I mean people pay for NFTs of cat gifs, so in some ways whatever, fine; but in others no: it's a crap fad.
Everyone's main justification for it is "oh but I don't want to carry so much heavy shit" - except they then they buy somewhere towards a kilo of hip pack and stuff it full of just the same stuff they couldn't do without before except now they have to take it off 5 times a ride.
fnah
it’s a crap fad.
Cool, says the man who likes to ride around in a converted fly-fishing vest. 😁
I’ve got a “take it incase it might rain” coat from decathalon, stuffs into its own pocket to about the size of a tennis ball
Thanks for that...I'm off to have a nosey as that could help a lot.
There’s a reason everyone but mtbers stopped using bladders for most things – they’re hard to fill on the go and inflexible.
I abandoned bottles as found them fine until they got manky then I just didn't enjoy using them - and given how close I am to some trails, that tends to be the norm after 10 minutes of riding.
Way back in the day we all rode with bumbags...I'm fine with that concept now but happier than I can carry water in the same solution.
First time around in the 90s, hip packs were bouncy and nobody had thought about bladders.
There’s a reason everyone but mtbers stopped using bladders for most things – they’re hard to fill on the go and inflexible.
This is literally the opposite of my thoughts about bladders. They are light and conform into the space they are placed. Bottles are rigid, hard, and heavier. They don't pack well together.
Hard to fill? What? Only if you've had a few whoopsies in the hand assembly explosives factory.
I do have an emphasis on carrying water though, since I'm a sweaty giffer that goes through quite alot.
Despite being a sceptic, I got the Hotlaps 5 after a STW PSA. It has a 2.0l bladder which is enough for most of my rides. I rationalised my kit a little, so I carry less with the same repair capability.
The biggest surprise was actually how much less sweaty and cooler I was. This is actually enough that my water consumption has dropped. Wasn't expecting that.
A dishwasher does wonders for keeping bottles nice.
How would you get water whilst out on a ride from a stream then? Can't imagine what kind of faff I'd need to fill a hip pack bladder. You'd need to remove the hose, unpack your hip pack, take the bladder out, get some kind of filter, pump the water into the pack, put it all back together...
As to the 'light' - that hotlaps weighs nearly half a kilo with the bladder in. A carbon bottle cage on the other hand... 😉
How would you get water whilst out on a ride from a stream then?
That doesn't sound like the sort of thing you'd need to do on the sort of ride where most people use smaller packs. A bit like people saying electric cars are rubbish because they need to tow a caravan from Scotland to France in 16 hours flat.
A dishwasher does wonders for keeping bottles nice.
So do you have a dishwasher handy for every time you ride through a slurry filled farmyard? That must weigh more than a hip pack 🙂
As per purist. I don't make a habit of drinking from streams because, uh; taps and 2-3 litre capacity bladders.
YMMV.
I'm not sure I mentioned anything about weight. TBH, at 92kg I'm not particularly a weight weeny, competing or moving fast enough to worry about it. I bought the hotlaps because it was a cheap experiment.
Dishwasher (as pointed out above) is absolutely no use whilst out riding with a manky bottle and mouthpiece...bottles work for some, bladders work for some.
However, I'd suggest a dishwasher isn't actually a benefit to using a bottle in this discussion. 😉
I use an osprey savu 5 with a bottle on my frame. Generally only use it during the summer as a way of staying cooler/less sweaty.
Come autumn/winter, I’ll be using a backpack again, as I prefer to use a bladder and like having room for layers - especially if a pub visit has been forecast.
I've got an Osprey Seral 7 too. It's my first hip pack and I'm just a few weeks in. Previously I put everything in a camelbak skyline. My intention was to carry tools and a bottle on the bike, then jacket, snacks and more water (I drink a lot of water) in the hip pack. I drink the pack water first so that's where I take the weight out first.
I quite like it but I'm not 100% there, because of how it just hangs that bit low down my arse, and/or it pulls my shorts down a bit. These could just be teething probs, or I could be that bodyshape, whatever that is (fat?). Jury remains out. Oneup tools and pump on bike however - definite win.
Frame bottles just dont work on a mtb in winter - covered in crud, even the ones with lids. In the summer its (literally) hit and miss with sheep shit etc. Ive always found my Osprey Talon 6 with bottles to be better but they are still a bit of a faff to remove/replace on the fly plus it slips down on bouncy trails. Always preferred bladders but a bulky pack gives me a sweaty back and is overkill on most rides. Cant see how a running vest would work for me - even when I ran trail marathons I would always wear an ultralight pack, the vests just felt constricting.
so in the light of that(and because I have a Thule account!) Ive just ordered a Rail 4 to check out whether the Retract hose works. Should be here tomorrow so hopefully this will become my goto pack. If not expect to see it in the classifieds and it will be back to the Talon
I bought an original Specialized Fannypak but used to find the constant jiggling against my stomach on bumpy rides of over an hour gave me bad diorrhea.
`If you want a hip pack that doesn't bounce around like a kangaroo on speed & can carry some kit then there's only one choice really. It's Wingnut - this is their smallest:
https://www.roughrideguide.co.uk/Wingnut-Hyper-1.8
Funny how the Osprey Seral is the most-popular by far here, despite not being as "cool" as EVOC or whatever.
I've got on very well with mine, but I tend to just use the Camelbak Podium Flow for my quick rides now.
Cheap here, get after it...
https://www.merlincycles.com/camelbak-podium-flow-belt-137759.html
BTW it's fannypack, not hip pack.
That websites seems way out of date though. No stock August 2020??
chakaping
BTW it’s fannypack, not hip pack
But..but..but...that's an americanism. The UK version should be arsepack shurly?
Anyway, They're meant to sit on your hips not your arse so I'll stick with hip pack.
I've water bottle(s) on frame. At which point my 1990's Lowe Alpine in suitably dodgy purple and green colour is superb. Just big enough for pump, tools, buff and wondrpoof.
I've got one of these too (3rd on the thread I see and therefore the winner):
https://alpkit.com/products/vora-6-waist-pack. Currently £28 and a nice bit of kit.
I guess I'm a convert. I'm more or less okay with bottles on the frame. It can mean slowing or stopping for a drink but that happens anyway. And in winter everything tends to get covered in an even layer of shite not just bottles.
Seems to strap on tight enough. What I most like is just spinning it round your waist for access, not having to take the thing off completely to look at a phone or whatever.
But..but..but…that’s an americanism. The UK version should be arsepack shurly?
It's mildly amusing and annoys some people, so it's fannypack.
Bumbag + a basic "y" harness for me.
Russian potatoe sack (pillow case) inside for improptu carries of coats etc.
Bottle on frame and 500ml bladder thing from lidl in bumbag.
Seems to work, great with nothing on my back.
Pics later.
BTW it’s fannypack, not hip pack.
C'est une banane, pour porter ma gourde (and my gilet when it gets too warm)
Dakine hotlaps stealth for bare essentials and a bottle for rides from the front door, the 2l version for longer rides. The gilet is a squeeze using the stealth.
Not so stealth ad, I’ve just popped a Camelbak Repack LR4 in the classifieds if you wanted one at a very reasonable
price…
As you were.
I've an Osprey Savu 4. Fits my waist perfectly and doesn't shift around. You have to stop to take it off to access the pouches. Even getting drink bottles back in their allocated slots is a nightmare.
It has its place. But I have a cycling rucksack with a 2l bladder, room to stuff a 1.5-2l bottle of water from the shop in the helmet holding area, and space for a small bottle each side on the waist strap (like a lumbar pack). A couple of frame bags, and a 750ml bottle on the frame. I still have to buy water on my rides because I guzzle so much.
End of the day, it's water carrying that's critical to me, and the rucksack beats the lumbar pack for that purpose. I'm in a mountainous, Sub-tropical area with higher than expected UV all year round.
I’ve nothing to compare it to, but I’m getting on well with my Osprey Seral 7 that I bought a few weeks ago following advice on here.
And under £50 with a bladder makes it an absolute bargain IMO
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16118562/osprey-seral-7-hydration-pack-16118562
Some Lowe thing (Space Case?) and a bottle on the frame works for me.
[img] 
[/img]
The bag can take a small bottle on either side but I generally don't bother for rides under three hours.
Picked up a Dakine hotlaps 5L couple of months back from Stiff Cycles always had aback pack (camelbak) & i love it. I'm a bit on the large side & so the tube is a bit short, so i just bought a longer piece of food grade pipe of Ebay & i couldn't get on with The magnet clip so just changed that for a spare Camelbak. Plus you cut all your trail essentials down to what you need no more kitchen sink ......
I ordered about five different types a few years back and sent them all back except a Sierra Designs one, which IMO was far better than all the rest. I still love it. No bladder but you can sort this out yourself, it does have bottle carry pockets though but I always put my bottles on the bike.