Mountain Bike Hip Pack: Which One Is Best?
Mountain Bike Hip Pack
The mountain bike hip pack is becoming more popular. It is no longer associated with bum bags used by tourists for their traveler’s cheques and packets of mints.
Some mountain bikers love to ride with a full-on backpack. It means they have loads of room for extra clothing layers, tools, spares, camera equipment, water, snacks etc. But they can get a bit sweaty, and some riders feel they’re pretty restrictive. Therefore, they either carry nothing and hope for the best or ride with a mountain bike hip pack.
The mountain bike hip pack is ideal for those rides that are reasonably short, bike park sessions, or enduro races, as they are a perfect solution to carrying the essentials. I prefer to wear a mountain bike hip pack on fitness rides close to home. The one I use is just big enough while feeling like it’s almost not there, which is why I recommend getting a mountain bike hip pack.
In this post, I will go through some of the best mountain bike hip packs you can buy right now.
Camelbak Podium Flow Belt
The Camelbak Podium Flow Belt is a small mountain bike hip pack weighing just 181g. This makes it ideal for riders who don’t like to take too much with them on the trails.
I wasn’t sure if a hip pack would be suitable for me, so I didn’t want anything too expensive. The low price of the Camelbak Podium Flow Belt attracted me. It allowed me to see if I could get on without riding with a backpack, and I was pleasantly surprised.
The front of the pack has a slim pocket perfect for stashing snacks or a multi-tool with a secure zip. The main pocket is considerably larger. It has a key hook and two internal mesh pockets to organize your belongings. It is big enough to carry a spare inner tube, CO2 canister, wallet, and a snack. Officially, Camelbak says the pack offers 2L of gear storage. You may be able to squeeze in a very small mini pump and a packable jacket for emergencies.
The pack has a sleeve that securely holds the included 600ml water bottle. It is positioned at an angle, making it easy to grab when you need to take a sip, although putting it back on the move is tricky. The bottle has a cap covering the nozzle to ensure you don’t get a mouthful of mud when you need to guzzle some water.
The easily adjustable belt is designed to be secure and stable, measuring 1.5 inches wide. The pack is well-padded, and the padding wraps around your hips to ensure comfort. I have to say that unless you’ve packed it to a point when the zip is straining, you barely notice you’re wearing it.
The white stripe you see in the picture above is a reflective strip for improved visibility when riding at night. Also, there is a loop for hanging the pack to dry or when you are not using it.
Features
- Breathable Air Mesh: Stay cool and comfortable
- Adjustable Waist Buckle: For a customized, secure fit
- Secure, Easy Access Bottle Pocket: Drink and stow with ease over any terrain
- Includes 600mm water bottle with mud cap
- Integrated tool organisation
- Secure zipped pocket
- Reflective detail for low light visibility
Verdict
The Camelbak Podium Flow Belt is small and stable. It is ideal for riders who don’t want or need to carry too much stuff but has enough storage for most people’s summer rides. It is also a good option for traveling, as you never know if rental bikes will have a bottle cage available.
You will find that the Camelback Podium Flow Belt is versatile, lightweight, and convenient for most rides.
EVOC Hip Pack Race 3L
The EVOC Hip Pack Race 3L gets its name from its 3L of storage space. Its main pocket is well organized, containing a water bladder and enough room for extra clothing or a pump.
The front flap unzips to reveal additional compartments, perfect for spare inner tubes and a multi-tool. The waist strap has two extra pockets on either side of the pack (one mesh and one nylon). All of this means you have lots of room to carry stuff, even on a long ride.
If you intend on carrying heavy stuff, you will still find this mountain bike hip pack comfortable. It has three foam panels to isolate the bag from the lower spine. These pads sit under a mesh outer layer, allowing good airflow to reduce sw
Features
- Material: [body] PU Coated Nylon 210 D ripstop, [straps] 3D Air Mesh, [back padding] EVA
- Volume: 3l
- Pockets: tool, 2 hip belt, cell-phone
- Closure: zipper
- Dimensions: 11 x 7 x 3in
- 2l water bladder
Verdict
Overall, the organization, fabric, and retention materials are excellent. This mountain bike hip pack can hold a lot of gear. But, if you ride particularly rough terrain, the contents tend to dance around a bit more than in other hip packs.
Osprey Savu
The Osprey Savu is a bit bigger than the mountain bike hip packs I have talked about so far. It is a better option for mountain bikers than their Tempest or Talon packs.
It has 4 litres of storage space and it can hold 2 water bottles externally. The bottles are attached with a couple of circular holders. These are secure, but make it easy to get the bottles in and out of.
The Savu has room for a tool, tire levers, tire repair kit, a tube, a mini-pump, water, and a snack. It stores them in an organised way and has room left over for a few extra bit and pieces, such as, a packable jacket and your keys.
Venting on the back panel is especially good on this mountain bike hip pack. It has excellent airflow, and the angled straps make the pack comfortable for all-day wear.
Features
- Airmesh ventilated hipbelt
- AirScape™ extra-thick ridged-foam lumbar panel
- Angled padded bottle sleeves with retaining bungees
- Bottle-pockets snap in place or tuck away when not in use
- Dual zipped hipbelt pockets; Scratch-free sunglasses and electronics pockets
- Internal tool organisation and mesh pocket with key clip
- LED light attachment point; Reflective graphics
- Side compression straps
- Bottles not included
- Capacity: 4L; Weight: 0.37kg
Verdict
You will be very happy with riding with the Osprey Savu. It is a very comfortable alternative to wearing a full pack, while still being able to carry everything you need for big rides.
The Dakine Hot Laps 5L is a well-priced mountain bike hip pack with a surprising amount of storage space, even with the 2-litre water bladder inserted. The front pocket has room for a pump, a spare inner tube, your phone, and the usual small stuff you may like to carry. You can even attach your jacket to the straps on the bottom of the pack.
As I said before, the rear pocket is designed for the Hydrapak water bladder. This holds up to two liters of water and is included in the price.
The front pocket has several well-positioned dividers, and the smartphone pouch is lined with a thin fleece layer. There is a small pocket on the right hip fin made from a stretchy mesh, and is ideal for stashing a mid-ride snack. The left hip fin has a magnetic hose holder to keep it out of the way and to stop it from flapping about.
Compared to the other mountain bike hip packs on this page, the Dakine Hot Laps 5L is quite a budget item. Therefore, you will have to settle for cheaper materials and more basic zips. However, even with its simple construction, the Dakine Hot Laps 5L sits comfortably and is stable around your waist.
The one-sided buckle allows you to put it on quickly, and its simplicity means there is less faffing and makes for a cleaner hip strap with less stuff dangling around.
It has foam padding and mesh on the back, stopping it from absorbing sweat, but it isn’t particularly well-ventilat
Features
- 2L / 70oz Hydrapak bladder
- Phaser bite valve
- Breathable Air Flow backpanel
- Internal organizer pockets
- Side compression
Verdict
The Dakine Hot Laps 5L is a mountain bike hip pack with lots of storage space and a well-organized compartment layout. It sits securely and comfortably on your hips, too. However, it doesn’t provide the same comfort and stable fit as more expensive options when packed to capacity. But, if you are looking for maximum storage space for very little money and are willing to compromise slightly on comfort and stability, the Dakine Hot Laps 5L is a great option.
Which Mountain Bike Hip Pack Are You Going To buy?
All of the packs on this page are great options. Your choice just depends on your budget and personal preference. If you have any questions or thoughts on these items, please leave them in the comments section below.
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