Grouptest
Hip packs
We’ve tested 11 of the latest MTB bumbags to see which is the top choice for comfort, stability and functionality
It’s become increasingly popular to stash everything from spare tubes, pumps and multi-tools to food and drink on your bike, thanks to storage solutions such as ‘enduro’ straps, hidden frame compartments and tools that slot into steerer tubes or pumps. While there’s only so much stuff you can realistically strap to your frame or store inside it, this does free up space in your pack, or reduce the size of the bag you need, which is why hip packs (bumbags, in ’80s speak) have become increasingly popular.
They promise enough space to store the essentials, without the bulk and subsequent sweaty back of a full-on backpack. But not all hip packs are created equal. We get excited when we find a nicely made, comfortable and stable design that doesn’t dig in, bounce around on rough trails or try to overtake us on steep descents and then spin around like a hula hoop while we’re attempting to flick it back into place.
Here, we’ve tested a wide selection of packs, from lighter-weight options to high-volume bags complete with hydration bladders, so they should have you covered, whether you want one for short sprints or long-distance epics. We filled them with our usual all-day-ride stuff, including tubes, pumps, snacks, tools and emergency supplies, and wore them while riding a wide variety of terrain in Scotland’s Tweed Valley.
This included trails with high-speed sections and super-tech features, to see whether they stayed put or bounced around/became uncomfortable, and also daily rides and commutes, to see how user-friendly they are. We went into this test with high expectations, given that hip packs have been around for long enough for them to rival a good backpack for stability, comfort and capacity – these being our top criteria for a bag that’s worth your cash.
MEET THE TESTER
SARAH BEDFORD
Sarah’s been riding MTBs for 20 years, across the UK and abroad, and knows that carrying the appropriate kit – including nutrition and hydration – is crucial. Her love for tackling massive descents and ascents on all types of trails in the Tweed Valley makes her the perfect person to put these hip packs through their paces.
Jargon
HYDRATION
If your bike doesn’t have (enough) water-carrying capacity, your hip pack purchase will be swayed by whether you want one with a bottle sleeve (make sure it doesn’t dig into your back/ sides) or bladder (if it’s full, can you fit anything else in the pack?).
BREATHABILITY
Well-placed padding on the rear of the pack doesn’t only improve comfort, but can also create zones for air circulation. Many brands use mesh padding, which not only helps sweat escape, but also lightens the pack’s construction.
HIP STRAP
Some packs use simple, skinny belts. Others have wide, padded straps or stretchy Velcro beneath the main adjustable section, enhancing comfort and stability. Being able to adjust the strap length easily is essential for a good, close fit.
CAPACITY
Don’t just look at the total volume of a pack, but also how items can be distributed within it. Some look and feel substantial, but the space inside isn’t that usable. Keeping the load close to your body will help minimise how much it moves around.
DETAILS
BACK PANEL
To boost comfort, many designs have extra padding around the hips, with gaps to allow airflow, which also avoids putting pressure on the spine and sensitive sacroiliac joints.
KEY CLIP
Securing your keys to an internal clip is a great idea, but it needs to be in a suitable location, or you may end up not using it.
SIDE POCKETS
Quick and easy access to those on-the-go essentials is a key feature. Side pockets can also make a pack more comfortable, because the padding of the belt generally has to extend further round, so it rests over your hip bones.
WEIGHT
The lighter the better, as long as there’s no compromise in terms of comfort, features or durability. Some of the top brands have patented fabric technology, designs and padding that make for a lighter pack, but these come at a price.
EXTERNAL STORAGE
With limited internal capacity for carrying extra layers or a waterproof, some packs have a bungee cord or deployable straps so you can stow extra items externally.
STABILITY
The most important feature of a pack’s design for off-road riding is its ability to stay in place on the roughest of tracks. We can forgive a little movement, but can’t accept a pack spinning around our waist and ruining a good run.
ION TRAZE 3
£85.99 www.boards-more.com
Weight 530g (377g without bladder) | Capacity 3l (inc. 2l bladder)
The Traze 3 is a mid-sized pack with one main pocket, which also houses the included 2l bladder, with a handy magnetic hose clip. With the reservoir full, the bag will just about do up, but we couldn’t fit our tool roll or much else in. It also makes it uncomfortable to wear. Three rows of webbing loops on the exterior provide a place to attach a rear light and anchor the external deployable straps for securing a jacket, and it has zipped pockets on the sides and rear. Despite having some good features, when it came to what’s really important, the ION pack didn’t impress us at all. On climbs we had to continuously retighten the webbing belt because it kept loosening, and the stability of the pack, despite pulling it uncomfortably tight, was poor. By the end of each descent – regardless of how tame or technical it was – the pack had lifted repeatedly and spun a full 180 degrees around our hips.
RACE FACE STASH 3L
£84.95 www.silverfish-uk.com
Weight 458g (340g without bladder) | Capacity 3l (inc. 1.5l bladder)
This pack’s key selling point is that the main pocket folds out to make a trailside ‘tool bench’. The concept of being able to fully open a pack to reveal compartments for tools/ spares and offer a space to lay out your stuff is great. But we feel Race Face have missed the brief, by only providing two open internal pockets for tools, rather than more organiser compartments. The 1.5l bladder occupies a large portion of the available internal space when full, although there is just about enough room to squeeze in a jacket. Open mesh pockets on the sides are useful for stowing on-the-go essentials, and the bag has a wide, thick padded waist belt with a stretchy hip band, which is comfy to wear, but feels bulky and hot. When riding rough, steppy trails, there was excessive movement as the pack spun around our waist, even with the strap cinched up tight. For its size, weight and price tag, the Stash falls short of expectations.
RACE FACE STASH QUICK RIP
£59.95 www.silverfish-uk.com
Weight 233g (without bottle) | Capacity 1.5l
Race Face’s Quick Rip pack has a central neoprene bottle sleeve flanked by two decent-sized pockets. They’ve prioritised comfort, with a thick padded belt that feels soft against your body. However, the stretchy elastic waistband doesn’t provide enough tension to always keep the bag in place. We found the pack swivelled around when riding rough trails and had an annoying tendency to jump when riding over small steps and rocks, making our bottle hit us in the back. Bottles are easy to remove from the sleeve, but it then closes (unlike on the Osprey and CamelBak bags, where the bottle compartment stays open), making it difficult to replace them one-handed. The water-resistant pocket next to the back panel is useful for a phone, and two webbing straps can be pulled out from the pack’s base to attach knee pads or a jacket. Overall, we felt this pack is better suited to walking than mountain biking.
LEATT CORE 1.5
£79.99 www.hotlines-uk.com
Weight 610g (470g without bladder) | Capacity 3l (inc. 1.5l bladder)
Despite its middling 3l capacity, the Core 1.5 is 90g heavier than the largest pack on test. This is largely down to the thickness and density of its back panel; were Leatt to reduce its depth, we think it would still provide adequate comfort, structure and airflow, while lowering overall weight. As it is, the considerable heft of the pack when full, which is concentrated directly behind you, is likely the reason for its tendency to lift more than the others on test. This isn’t helped by how fiddly it is to adjust the tension of the waistband, with the buckles being hidden under the zipped mesh side pockets. We like the way the front compartment folds open via two zips, to give easier access to the multiple internal pockets and storage areas. However, with the bladder full, there’s limited space left for storing tools and spares. A strong spring clip secures the hose tightly and makes it awkward to clip in, too.
CAMELBAK PODIUM FLOW 4
£55 (includes bottle) www.camelbak.co.uk
Weight 325g (237g without bottle) | Capacity 4l
A minimalist, lightweight option, this comes with a 620ml CamelBak Podium Dirt Series bottle, which fits in a central sleeve. The padded back panel is separated from the rest of the pack by a lightly cushioned zone, allowing for maximum ventilation. There are two well-sized main pockets with sleeves for separating tools, plus an outer pocket, big enough for a smartphone. These pockets flatten and therefore grip the contents, but this makes removing and replacing items difficult. Overall comfort was reduced when carrying a full bottle because it pressed on the centre of our back. We also found replacing the bottle on the move trickier than with the comparable Osprey Savu. On the plus side, the pack remained stable without swivelling. We also liked the bottle’s self-sealing design and protective cap. Wider-hipped riders may find that the length of pump they can carry in the loop at the base of the pack is limited.
RAPHA MTB TRAIL
£65 www.rapha.cc
Weight 298g (without bottles) | Capacity 3l
Rapha’s first hip pack has their trademark minimalist and stylish look, and it’s lightweight, too. The back panel has slim, well-positioned padding, making for a comfortable fit. In contrast, the unpadded belt tended to dig in a little, but does tighten enough so the pack stays put over rough ground. The front pocket contains a key clip and fitted our phone, while the main compartment, with a waterproof zip, is reasonably spacious and has an internal band to secure items. There are two shallow open-mesh pockets on the sides; Rapha say these are intended for bottles, but we found them too shallow to secure our 620ml bottle, which fell out on rough terrain. The bungee on top of the pack for quickly stashing a jacket is a nice touch. Overall, we were left disappointed with what could have been a great pack, had they given us zipped side compartments and deeper bottle pockets.
THULE RAIL 4
£89.99 www.freewheel.co.uk
Weight 523g (382g without bladder) | Capacity 4l (inc. 1.5l bladder)
Thule may be better known for their roof racks, but this tidily-designed mid-sized pack works well, staying snugly in place over bumpy ground. When full, the bladder leaves you with limited storage in the main compartment, but the wide, zipped opening and bright, pocketed interior help you see and organise your kit inside. The magnetic sheath that holds the hose securely on top of the hip belt is a great feature. You also get a microfibre-lined phone pocket and a generously-padded Velcro-flap compartment. The small side pockets are zipless, though. We like the super-comfy, stretch-mesh, Velcro-fastening hip belt with webbing clip strap. Riders with narrow hips may struggle to cinch the waistband up properly tight, but this isn’t a major issue, as the pack doesn’t budge over rough terrain. We feel the padding could be stripped back in places to lighten this relatively heavy design.
OSPREY SAVU 2
Weight 261g (without bottle) | Capacity 2l
The key feature of this minimalist pack is its central angled and padded bottle sleeve. This holds its shape well, making bottle retrieval and replacement a breeze, and also keeping it secure. Plus it’s big enough to fit a 750ml bidon. The breathable-mesh and webbing belt draws the flexible pack against the body to ensure it remains stable over repeated high-speed steps and drops. However, we did find that on steep, rocky trails it rotated a bit when our water bottle was full. Access to the main compartment is via right- and left-hand zips, which can be opened and closed one-handed, and the right side contains an angled mesh sleeve that’s perfect for a smartphone. The Savu uses Osprey’s AirScape back panel, made from a breathable air-mesh material. Despite its small size, it’s a surprisingly functional and comfortable pack with a snug fit, at a reasonable price.
PATAGONIA DIRT ROAMER WAIST
Weight 245g (without bottles) | Capacity 3l
This second-generation Dirt Roamer pack is superlight and flexible, wrapping securely around your hips. It’s made from a one-piece air-mesh material with a woven construction, which provides light padding while maximising breathability. The 3l capacity is distributed so that the pack is balanced over rough terrain, thanks to two spacious zipped side pockets and two elasticated openmesh bottle sleeves. There’s a front zipped pocket, which is ideal for a small phone and conceals a key clip, while the main compartment has two mesh sleeves. Deployable carry straps clip to well-placed loops at the front of the pack, so a rolled-up jacket can be secured without hanging below the bag. Compared to the CamelBak and Osprey Savu 2, this feels so light it’s almost like riding without a pack. The quality construction and user-friendly design make it ideal for rides when you don’t need to carry much.
EVOC PRO 3
£110 (with 1.5l bladder) www.zyrofisher.co.uk
Weight 578g (478g without bladder) | Capacity 3L (inc. 1.5l bladder)
Chock-full of features, this pack oozes quality. You won’t go thirsty as it has two bottle carriers as well as a 1.5l bladder, and there’s storage aplenty, including generous zipped hip pockets (one with a key clip). The front flap folds out flat to reveal three mesh compartments plus a pocket so you can organise tools and spares. We used this flap to store our phone, too. The main compartment is spacious, even when the bladder is full, and we like the way the hose attaches to the hip belt with a small yet strong magnet. A clever feature is EVOC’s ‘Venti Flap’ straps – loosen them for climbing comfort, cinch them in tight for descending stability. Lightweight, specifically-placed and formed pads give superb comfort and also allow air circulation. All in all, the Pro 3 is a robust, well-designed pack, which just pips the Osprey in terms of comfort, thanks to its wide, stretchy hip belt.
OSPREY SERAL 7
Weight 518g (382g without bladder) | Capacity 7l (inc. 1.5l bladder)
It was a close call between this pack and the EVOC, but the Osprey takes the win for its balanced weight distribution and good shape when fully loaded. While the Seral 7 is the largest-capacity bag in this test, it actually felt less bulky to wear than several of the other larger packs that weigh less. We put this down to its low-profile design and good bladder position, which help keep the contents stable. Despite having significantly more storage than others here, lots of great features and being constructed to Osprey’s usual high standards, it’s competitively priced, too. The most impressive aspect of this pack is the ‘ErgoPull’ closure system – being able to easily adjust the angled hip belt as water and snacks run out over the course of a day is great, and means the Seral 7 always fits well. It comes with Osprey’s BPA-free 1.5l lumbar reservoir, housed in a sleeve within the main compartment. Even when full, there’s plenty of space for spare layers. We like the magnetic hose clip, too. Easy-access side pockets give ample room for snacks and oft-used items, and there are two spacious main compartments, the front one of which features internal pockets and a key clip. The Seral 7 is one of the most stable and comfortable bags here, making it our firm favourite, and although it can lift slightly when charging over large steps and drops, it settles back in place.
SARAH SAYS
“BODY SHAPES ARE UNIQUE, SO FIND THE PACK THAT SUITS YOUR NEEDS AND BODY AND YOU’RE ONTO A WINNER. FOR US, THE SERAL 7 EASILY TOOK THE CROWN FOR SHEER FIT AND COMFORT”