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That websites seems way out of date though.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.

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.