Whether on your bike or your person, there are more ways than ever to carry your gear. For those who don’t mind the look of a fanny pack but still haven’t found the right one, there were a number of new options this year at Sea Otter. A few of those were from EVOC with their new Hip Pack Pro and Hip Pouch.
As the most basic option in their hip line up, the Hip Pouch 1L is just that. The pack doesn’t have any specific provisions for hydration but it does have a full liter of storage for anything else. The inside of the pack is built with mesh panels and apdding for a comfortable fit, while the pack uses a standard buckle out front to keep things snug.
If you want more room plus hydration, the new Hip Pack Pro could be the answer. Including two external bottle holsters, there’s also an option for an internal hydration bladder. To keep all that gear and water managed, the pack uses a system called the Venti Flap which allows the rider to cinch down on the load forward or backwards depending on whether you’re climbing or descending. Both of the Hip Pack options will be available later this Fall, for $60 or $120.
EVOC also has a new FR Lite Race 10 back pack which is a bit more minimal than the Stage 12. Fitted with their Liteshield back protector, the pack uses their Aero Flex waist band for comfort which according to EVOC is the most expensive material in all of their packs – but it allows for a super comfy waist belt that is also breathable. The FR Lite Race 10 will also be available later this fall.
For Dakine, their Hot Laps series will take car of your fanny/hip/enduro pack needs. The biggest pack is their Hot Laps 5L which includes a two liter Hydrapak reservoir with a magnetic hose clip for $70.
The Hot Laps 2L ditches the hydration reservoir in favor of a single bottle holster on the outside plus two liters of storage for $40.
And the Hot Laps Stealth offers just enough room to keep the essentials stashed away under your jersey for $35.
The Hot Laps Gripper is designed to hold a tube, two CO2 cartridges, and tire levers in a small package that straps anywhere on your bike for $22.
On the Bikepacking side of things, Ortlieb was showing off their new smaller set of bags with the Seat Pack M, Handlebar Pack S, Frame Pack Toptube, and Cockpit pack. Using the same waterproof fabric with welded construction, the bags are just one step smaller than the previous versions (which are still available) for a lighter pack weight. The Cockpit Pack uses an interesting construction that uses a rain gutter system around the zipper to ensure its waterproofing. Like a few of their other packs, the Toptube bag uses a Tizip zipper to ensure durability and ease of use, and will fit 4 liters of gear inside.
If you want to carry more gear but don’t have the mounts, Topeak may have the answer with their new Versa Cage. Intended for mounting to your fork legs, the Versa cage used three mechanical cable ties to clamp down to forks without three pack mounts. What if your fork does have the three pack mounts? You’re covered there too as you can remove the clamps and bolt it on as normal. The cage does not include the stuff sack, but does include the tie down straps to carry a wide range of objects on your fork.
If you already have the bag, Hydrapak has a few newer options for the bladder. Insead of using suction to get your water from the pouch, the Hydrapak Propel includes a hand pump to well, propel the water from the tube. This could be useful for a post-ride shower, giving your trail dog some water, or any number of uses. Pricing starts at $42 for a 2L bladder and Propel nozzle.
Hydrapak also has an improved insulated tube called the Fusion. While many of us think about insulated tubes to prevent it from freezing in the winter, Hydrapak says they also make a great upgrade for packs in the summer – so you don’t get that first swig of hot, stagnant water. Specifically designed for warm weather, the Hydrafusion tube runs $15.
Finally, for most of us, winter fat bike season is finally over which means it might be time to put way those fat bike wheels mounted with studded tires. Those studs can be pretty sharp which can make storage a hassle, unless you have a PUB fat bike wheel bag from Framed. Not only are the bags designed to fit full size fat bike wheels and tires, but the inside of the bag is reinforced so those studs don’t rip through the sides. Pretty smart.
