Off to BPW tomorrow and taking my boy.
Whilst my Camelbak works OK for day today rides, tomorrow we'll need extra jackets, food, bits, stuff etc... My smallish one just doesn't work.
So need another that's a bit more substantial really.
Not sure what's good/bad etc.
Not as big as a full on rucksack, but bigger than a small Camelbak.
The new camelbak toro 8 or kudu 10 sounds like the bag you are looking for, they have a really comfortable integrated back Protector that can be used on its own.
In a sneaky stealth add I happen to have both for sale on eBay 😛
I'm having a struggle working out sizes and what a 22L or a 17L or even a 30L actually equates to in the real world. I guess it would be helpful to know what size mine is.. But it's a good 10+ years old so unlikely they make it nowdays.
I'm thinking 30L may be more practical though like the Evoc FR Tour 30.
I'd say mine is potentially one of these
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From what i can gather, mine is likely a 9L capacity then... So 17L being double would be about as small as i'd like to go here.
Personally for BPW I would just take a minimal amount of stuff in your pack. You end up back near the car at the end of every run, so I tend to just take minimal snacks, a multi tool and puncture repair and that's about it.
Personally for BPW I would just take a minimal amount of stuff in your pack. You end up back near the car at the end of every run, so I tend to just take minimal snacks, a multi tool and puncture repair and that’s about it.
We're not uplifting so will be sessioning most of the day at the top half. The climb from the fireroad up to the top is easier than the climb from the cafe to the trail split. So we won't be coming back down the mountain unless we have to, or to go home.
The Evoc Tour 30 is massive, I got one for exactly the same reasons you describe.
I could pack a change of kit, first aid kit, including a shelter and food for me and my lad. I only ever got the food out of the bag, but peace of mind that I was prepared!
It now lives on as my commuter bag and beach bag for strapping the towels to on summer holiday, the knee pads hooks at the bottom of the bag came in useful after all...
It is a big bag however.
Ah ok, didn't realise that. Might be worth popping in to halfords if you need it in a hurry, the one near me had a good range of camelbaks and Vaude packs in there last time I visited.
I have the Evoc trail FR (20l) and find it to be a good, comfortable pack. I would say that 20l is plenty of space. I can carry all my normal spares, snacks, spare gloves, jacket, buff etc all just shoved in with room to spare. Even discovered on a trip to Spain that a whole baguette fits with the zip still able to close! It tends to stay put on descents as well which is important to me. For reference I do mostly enduro / trail* style riding where I'm regularly out for 5 - 6 hours. I was tempted to go with one of the slightly smaller packs but wanted zip up side pockets rather than mesh and for the water to be in a separate section to the main body. The 30l+ packs must be pretty large.
* or whatever it's being called these days.
I have a 32 litre Shimano bag that I've used for bike packing, it's too big really for single day trips
30l is massive to bike with, I've an Osprey Stratos 36 and even slightly underpacked, there's no way I'd want to ride with it on, unless it was a bit of gentle touring.
Osprey are better than Camelbak in every way IME.
I have a 20L dakine something for kid rides. It's the right amount of space for jackets on/off, food etc without being unwieldly. Very durable too - easily outlasted the previous camelbak.
Definitely agree that 30l is too big for a mountain bike pack. I have the biggest KUDU 18 and it’s as big as you’d want to go. It also has straps and bits to support body armour, jackets and helmets on the outside of the bag so will take much more than the 18l if you think you need it.
I bought this, he accepted offer at £82 which i think is good value.
We'll see how large it comes up on the day when it arrives.
Not sure why folk think 30l sacks can't be used for MTBing. Admittedly I would go smaller when I can, but I've had no issues using a Deuter 30l sack for big days out in the alps. I find a big sack handy this time of year, for extra insulation, socks, etc., but admittedly not at a bike park.
but admittedly not at a bike park.
The bike park aspect is of no importance in this instance, it's more about the time out in the cold/wet/exposed and the need for things like multiple tubes as i've 2 youngies going with me, so they'll need food/lunch, tools, jackets, beanies, gloves, waters, snacks/jellies... etc.
Er, let them carry their own? IIRC they're not exactly nippers are they?
Perhaps combine a smaller pack with one of the small bikepacking saddlebags? e.g.
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/bikepacking-series/969-backloader
That's my plan for the chillier days. I find that bulking out the rucsac too much just rounds off the back section and makes it that bit sweatier to carry, which then has the effect of getting me colder when we stop.
Topeak do a widget to get round the dropper issue, though you'd still need decent tyre to pack clearance. DP Mount.
Er, let them carry their own? IIRC they’re not exactly nippers are they?
Errrrm the thing about being the parent is, you do nice things for kids, like helping them out with the lifting/carrying and often even the thinking, that's kinda being the grown up in the relationship. Maybe that makes me a bit of a pansy, but well, that's how i like to play the world.
Errrrm the thing about being the parent is, you do nice things for kids, like helping them out with the lifting/carrying and often even the thinking, that’s kinda being the grown up in the relationship.
My 13 year old daughter carries her own bag when we go into the mountains, I make sure she has all she needs in that bag in terms of food, waterproofs, snacks and everything else, but it's her bag, and she'd never moan about carrying it.
It's part of the her growing up, I'm quite happy about how grown up I am! 🙂
Seen 2 young lads on the Nevis uplift with huge bags a few times, lucky if their 10 years old, they manage 10 runs on the WC track, awesome to see!
My 13 year old daughter carries her own bag when we go into the mountains, I make sure she has all she needs in that bag in terms of food, waterproofs, snacks and everything else, but it’s her bag, and she’d never moan about carrying it.
It’s part of the her growing up, I’m quite happy about how grown up I am!
You win, congratulations.
Why thank you!