who here uses a wingnut bag?

thinking of getting one in time for the WRT.

cheers!

I do – it’s much more comfortable (IMO) than my previous camel back. The camel back always felt like it was sitting ‘on top’ of my back, and would wobble around. The W-N sits ‘around’ the waist, and feels more stable.

DrP

i did for 8yrs.
fantastic bit of kit.
2 big side pockets for food, and not having to remove it to access them is ace.
3ltr bladder fitted nice too.

where can you buy them from?

Another user here – I much prefer it to a conventional pack.

http://www.roughrideguide.co.uk/Hyper-3.0-colour-option-of-all-black-or-red-black.html

Great pack, definately recommended by me

Same views here, had it for a few years and much prefer it to previous camelbaks. I think a few other bags have moved on a bit since I got it and like clothing it is best to try before you buy if possible. Saying that I doubt you would regret switching to a wingnut.

Excellent, so much more comfy.

Definitely one of the best things I have ever bought. In this case all the hype is true – you really do forget it is there until you need it. Any trace of backache from my (good) old Camelbak Mule was eliminated.

I can only think of a few minor drawbacks:

Straps are so minimalist that they twist a lot when you put the pack on.

The bladder is not included, so you need to add one to the price.

Otherwise, just go for it, I don’t know anyone who has regretted it.

Yep – user here… and on the last WRT and this years MnB. It replaced an OMM sack for riding and like others above I really like the lower weight and less sweaty back – mine takes a good sized bladder and the two big wing pockets swallow a lot of kit. The two side mesh pockets work as rubbish bins for wrappers etc. on longer rides.

I’ve got one, it’s huge and comfortable and awesome.
I don’t use it (or the bike) enough at the moment though.

zips are poor 😐

I have the 3.0. It’s a really comfortable and roomy pack but I found the materials a bit lacking on my two compared to previous camelbaks. The blather pocket is wearing quickly near the zip and the inner coating it wearing off. Wonder what I’m doing wrong but I fill a bladder, put it in and wear it on my back. Not sure how I can get that wrong.

blather pocket

is that a pocket for keeping all the conversation topics you’ll need for the ride in?

had an issue with the waist strap starting to come adrift, which i stitched back up myself, and have wear to the material as above. i’ve seen other packs with the waist strap issue, and considering that’s where the weight is supposed to be captured it doesn’t strike me that the design of the belt attachment is terribly good. there just doesn’t seem to be very much holding it on. it’s a nice bit of kit in use TBF, and i’ll be gutted when it finally gives up, but i have the feeling that if camelbak or osprey for instance decided they wanted to make something similar then wingnut would disappear pretty quickly.

Haglöfs Ace packs do a similar sort of job in that they sit low on your back. Not as light or as large as Wingnuts, but having killed the waist strap on a Hyper 2.5, I think there’s a flaw with the way the waist-strap/pocket area is constructed.

To be fair, mine was replaced under warranty, but from memory, the waist-belt is stitched to the pockets rather than being a continuous length of webbing, which created a weak spot which eventually tore.

Very comfortable though and that was with a lot of use.

I find the 2.5 better than the 3 simply because on the 2.5 there’s nothing resting against your back. Old injury meant I always tried not to wear a pack (not easy when you’re guiding for a living) bought a 2.5 and never looked back.

One thing … don’t try to wear it like a normal pack. Try and make sure all the weight/load is carried through the bag and on the hips. The shoulder straps can be really lose then, so there’s no weight being carried by your shoulders/ back. It might feel odd when you’re just stood there but once you’re riding you won’t feel a thing 😉

still s8tannorm – is that effectively a waist bag then? What size bladder do you use?

Mine is the 3.0. Comfortable and much more stable than Deuter or Camelbak packs. Four years old and unlike others here – experienced no excessive wear or failure on mine. Works well, but I do like the look of the new Camelbak with the horizontally-orientated bladder.

@cinnamon girl
exactly like a big bum bag with shoulder straps to stabilise it.

Bladder wise I use this in the 2.5
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=26970

And in my enduro I use the 3 litre version
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=26969

I’ve changed the pipes and bite valves to Camelbak versions though.

flatfish – many thanks. I have a 3.0 but am curious as to how much you can get in the 2.5 once the bladder is in there!

Due to shoulder injury, am having to use a large waistbag but do miss using a bladder.

I’ve got a 2.5 and can fit a fair lot in with a full bladder – spare tube, chunky multitool, snacks, waterproof and plenty more with room to spare!

infidel – thanks, sounding good. 🙂

I have a 2.5 [and just to be contrary] I’m not keen

My mountain Morph pump won’t fit in it
A 3l bladder is a squeeze and when it’s in the hose isn’t long enough
The Hydrapak bladder listed above is good but too small for long days
There isn’t a key clip

as you can see, these are serious issues 🙂

I’m going back to my Mule and HAWG

I have an MPS Alpha pack which I tend to wear as a Hyper 2.5 most of the time. Yes, it won’t take a full 3L bladder in ‘small’ mode (the large 20-odd L section will), the pockets aren’t ‘cycle specific’ and it’s lacking various bells and whistles (actually it has a whistle built in to the sternum strap…), but as a simple, working design it’s hard to fault.

Things I’d like? Armour straps, a dedicated pump pocket, D-rings at the waist strap (so I can wear things on the waist strap without them moving round). Maybe a glasses pocket. Nothing earth-shattering…

I have also ridden a fully laden Enduro sack on a three day bivvy trip and regularly loaded my MPS up for commuting with a days clothes, books and riding tools – very comfy.

As said above, wear it slung nice and low!

jota180:

If you are thinking of selling your 2.5 can I have first refusal please?

Thanks!

boriselbrus(AT)yahoo.com

err……….. maybe 🙂

I’ll let you know [my son may want it]

There isn’t a key clip

Actually that is the one thing that lets it down.
As for the pump I prefer to keep it attached to the bike along with the tools as I prefer to have squidgy things to fall on rather than hard things.

I like mine and did approaching 4,000 miles with it during June and July last year. I could not get tall stuff in it as it is short which was occasionally an issue I had to work round. All-in-all I like it.

I have a 2.5 and like it a lot.
Positives:
– no sweaty back
– no shoulder niggles (I fell on my back snowboarding and get niggly pain when using a rucksack for too long)
– you know that feeling of riding without a pack on? it’s halfway towards that
– you don’t have to take your pack off to grab a tool/ food/ wallet/ camera
– more than big enough for a day’s riding

Negatives:
– people will take the mick because you’re wearing a bumbag
– you have to tie the waist strap really tight if you’re going over rough stuff or doing any jumping, otherwise it can jiggle about and upset your balance
– the pocket for the bladder isn’t massive

I’ve got 3!Only problem I can forsee is not wanting to ever go back to convetional packs.I can’t believe camelback/osprey/saline hav’nt ripped them off wholesale.

I have had 3, originally got one from USA from the owner which was the adventure pack, got a 3 ltr one and then a 2.5, two out of the three sold on and 3ltr one passed onto daughter who swapped in USA for an Osprey Talon.

Good idea and work better than camel backs and Ospreys but do not overfill, spend time getting the setup correct and carry the weight through the hips.
Ipersonally would suggest the ergon bd1 bags are better if you have spine or shoulder issuse they carry the weight better and are more stable.

Wingnut is good but nor great they work to a point but the size of the 2.5 means pumps can be hard to fit and if you are broadish then the straps can dig in.

I have a 3.0 and ride for approx 10 hours a week.

Good – Pack is light, sits low which helps in several ways, leaves a large area of back free to sweat…. nice, never rides up and hits the back of your helmet when riding down steep techy stuff, wrap around design is soooo practical, you can access both zipped side pockets plus both mesh pockets, these are big enough to house food, multi tool, phone etc with no problems. Pack size itself is good, I get a mountain morpth, shock pump, jacket, hat and gloves plus tools etc. I rode the SDW with enough kit for 2 days and nights in it.
Bad – No compartment, this is no problem to me but I know some like it, bladder tube routing and length are not great nor is the bite valve.

Basically I have tried pretty much every make out there and i find the Wingnut the best for me. as mentioned, if Osprey were to put their mind to it I think the perfect pack would be a realality.

To be fair I have a co2 thingy instead if a pump and a tiny airbone pump as a back up. Plenty of room see….!!!

To be fair I have a co2 thingy instead if a pump and a tiny airbone pump as a back up. Plenty of room see….!!!

I squeeze a Blackburn Mammoth 2-stage pump into the side pocket. Nah worries! 😀

I’ve a 3L and other than zips which have been poor since day 1 really like it.

3L here, it’s a great bag made even better by replacing the fashion-over-function water resistant zips with proper chunky non water resistant ones when the former inevitably wear out

Be aware that if you get one, people will assume you’re from Surrey.

Other than that they seem great.

rider 175 at hit the north has one. no idea what it was filled with for a semi-urban 2 hour XC race but it was as full as it could have been.

made even better by replacing the fashion-over-function water resistant zips with proper chunky non water resistant ones when the former inevitably wear out

Where did you get this done?
I tried a few places and no one wanted to/could do it.