Need to carry more beverage on your rides? Whether it’s for staying hydrated during, or post ride consumption, there were plenty of options on hand at Sea Otter. Above and below, Stashers makes insulated frame bags shaped to comfortably contain your favorite cans or bottles. Several sizes let you make the most of any size frame, or double up by stacking them.
The new Stashers v3.0 (shown here) gets 50% more insulation than the prior model, so your drinks will stay colder than ever, too. They’re made with waterproof tarpaulin and have tough waterproof zippers, so you could potentially even just pack ’em with ice. Or slip a thin ice pack in with the drinks, there’s room since the cans will fit with a Coozie on them. Velcro straps make it easy to put them on the top tube, downtube, handlebar or wherever else you’ve got a straight tube (and tire clearance).
There’s even a food-grade removable liner, so you could use it to bring your lunch or other snacks, then just wash it out when you get home. Retail from $34.99 to $44.99 for 2, 3 or 4 can size bags.
Fidlock keeps things hot
If insulation is of no importance, Fidlock’s UniConnector secures your drink with a BOA dial and cord, making it just about the fastest way to get to the beverage. How? Because the bike-mounted base is separate from the retention unit, which twists off in about 1/2 a second. Then, it just snaps back into place with magnets.
Another benefit? You can put it wherever you’re able to strap the base to your bike. It’s also good for securing anything that won’t flap around, making it a great bike packing tool, too.
Henty Enduro Packs upgraded again
Last year, Henty made a couple of much needed improvements to their Enduro Pack quasi-hip pack. Now, it’s v2.0 and gets two new colors…green and blue, which join the black and camo options.
It also gets a pocket made to hold cell phones, plus these small accessories straps to help you bundle more stuff onto Molle Webbing loops sewn into the back flap. Inside, all units now ship with a 3L Hydrapak Reservoir, but the biggest change is the ability to adjust the length of the back panel by 10cm to customize the fit for shorter and taller riders. Retail is $129.99, pretty decent considering all its features. Check them out at Henty.cc, and check our review of their sweet roll-up garment bag if you’re of the commuter shredder than enduro shredder.
USWE adds a hip pack, too
USWE takes a unique approach to hydration packs, which you’ll see below, but their new Zulo 2 Hydro hip pack is a little more normal. The back panel is mesh, and as a whole, the shape is more banana-like when you look at it splayed out and include the side panels leading into the straps. This helps it stay low on your hips and avoid bouncing around. Compression straps keep the stuff inside from bouncing around, too, including the 1.0L reservoir. Total capacity is 2.0L.
The new Outlander 9 (left, 9L) and 3 (right, 3L) are two ultralight hydration packs that use their criss-cross chest straps. The straps form an “L” shape, with the points meeting in the middle and connecting with a quick-release system. When climbing, open it up to keep things relaxed and breathing easy. When it’s time to descent, connect it and keep the pack from becoming a “dancing monkey”. The 9L model has more interior organization, but both feature a water-resistant phone pocket and include reservoirs (3L and 1.5L, respectively.
