Canyon paired up with French mountaineering company Millet to co-develop their first cycling hydration vest, dubbed the Sharp. It’s a lightweight expandable pack with 3L of storage, including many easy access pockets, plus a 2L HydraPak reservoir inside developed to be quick & easy to refill mid-race. As ultra-distance riders, bikepackers, and especially gravel riders look to carry more water, snacks & spare clothes on their backs, light hydration vests are becoming more popular.
So we strapped the new Canyon x Millet Sharp 3L vest on to test it out at The Traka.
Canyon x Millet SHARP 3L lightweight hydration vest
Canyon wanted to create a hydration pack for gravel riders to “stay hydrated at race pace” – that’s where the S.H.A.R.P. name comes from. So instead of starting from scratch, they decided to collaborate with alpine gear maker Millet who already produce dozens of lightweight packs and vests for adventure athletes like trail runners, climbers, and skiers. But to create a “cutting-edge race pack” specifically for cyclists, the Canyon team had a number of ideas how they would refine the perfect on-bike hydration vest.
The result is the Canyon x Millet Sharp 3L hydration vest collab. A vest that is “super light, breathable, comfortable and ultra-functional, packed with neat features and equipped with a 2L hydrapak reservoir“.
Canyon says that this is only the “beginning of a promising collaboration between Canyon and Millet“, suggesting we’ll see more technical gear to come out of the collaboration, even in the very near future.
and paves the way for future innovative releases, blending the best of both brands. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks.
Tech details
Storage
- main pack features a magnetic closure flap pocket and an external zippered pocket
- HydraPak integration includes a loop to secure the bladder when closed, plus a 2nd loop to hold the bladder when open for quick & easy refills without removing it from the pack
- only cut for hydration hose routing on the right side (top or bottom routing)
- large expandable lower mesh pass-through pocket where you can easily stuff a jacket while riding or temporarily stuff an extra bottle or snacks you pick up in a feedzone
- large stretch mesh chest pockets on each side of the vest
- 1 zippered phone pocket on the left chest with nylon backing to keep your phone from getting wet from your sweat (not a waterproof pocket
Construction & Fit
- designed to sit high on the rider’s back, not to interfere with conventional jersey pockets
- backpack made: Robic 100/200D PFC-free ripstop nylon with DWR treatment
- back & vest: stretchy Power Net, of a foam mesh sandwich between light mesh and soft, wicking polyamide next to your body
- main pack features a magnetic closure flap pocket and an external zippered pocket
- available in two sizes S/M or L/XL
- unisex fit with 2 adjustable position chest straps with magnetic buckles, plus side bungees to dial in a close fit
- 450g claimed weight (with bladder)
- made in Vietnam
Riding Canyon Millet Sharp Vest at The Traka
I first rode with the new Canyon x Millet Sharp vest for the Traka 100 a few weeks ago, a very rainy and muddy 5 hours out on the bike for me. It was cool enough that I didn’t necessarily need so much extra food & water, but it did mean that I didn’t need to stop at the feed station to refuel, and could keep on spinning the pedals through the muck.
The highlight of the hydration vest is that for the most part, I forgot that I was wearing it, even starting out with 1.5L of water and a bunch of snacks inside. On its own, my L/XL vest weighs just 328g plus 126g for the 2L HydraPak bladder and full-length hose (total 454g). I pretty much stuck to drinking from the hose for clean water to balance the sports drink in the muddy bottles on my bike. And then I just used the chest pockets while riding.
The zippered chest pocket is reasonably easy to get my phone in & out, but my iPhone 15 is pretty much the max phone size it can accommodate. (And I had to keep remembering that’s where I stashed my phone when I wanted to take a rainy photo.) As someone who sweats a lot though, I appreciate the pocket’s backing, which kept my screen (or camera lenses) from getting sweaty. But it is not a waterproof pocket. It’s open mesh to the outside, so my phone still got plenty wet in the heavy rain.
Fit & First Impressions
The two sizes available lean very much towards the thinnest cyclists. I am certainly larger than average for an endurance cyclist at 185cm tall, 85kg, and with a 102cm chest. But I am very close to the size limit possible with the L/XL. I ride with the lower strap as loose as possible, and it is already so snug that I cannot position it all the way to the bottom of its adjustable slides.
My lasting thoughts are that while I did sweat more with the Canyon x Millet Sharp 3L vest on vs. not wearing it, the extra water carrying was certainly worth it. And the Power Net fabric did dry quite quickly. The other point though is that the white mesh collects dust and mud. And it isn’t really easy to get 100% clean again after riding in really nasty conditions. I don’t mind the light-colored backpack, but wish the shoulder straps were any color other than white.
Since I first tried it out, I’ve kept reaching for the Sharp when I want a light & breathable hydration vest that combines extra water storage with a stable fit for rough off-road riding and a lot more storage options for extra food and spare clothing.
Canyon x Millet Sharp 3L vest – Pricing, options & availability
The Canyon x Millet Sharp 3L hydration vest comes only in white, which is really about half black and half a mixture of white and light gray. The vest sells for 170€ including a 2L HydraPak bladder, and comes in two size (S/M & L/XL). You can get it now directly from Canyon or Millet, and soon also via Canyon’s own app.
