The Backcountry Hip Pack: On-Body Carry For Technical Trails
It’s not just bikepackers that need to carry things on the bike and we’re increasingly helping everyday riders and those riding a bit farther or more remote to carry their gear in more comfort. Hip packs are a staple of the mountain biking world and for those riders who don’t want to strap a pack to their bike or need a little extra capacity, we’ve developed the Backcountry Hip Pack.
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The Backcountry Hip Pack brings the best features of the Backcountry Series – innovative trail riding packs that are lightweight, durable and waterproof – to on-body carry to create a bag that’s secure and comfortable, no matter how hard the ride.
We’ve learned a lot about on-body comfort from our City Series, Racing Hydration Vest and Packables which has helped us design a secure attachment that’s also comfortable enough for the longest rides. With hip packs being secured by a single strap, balancing security and comfort is a real challenge – one that we believe we’ve found an elegant solution for.
The secret is a dual strap system – a wide, stretchy velcro strap for fit, with an additional security buckle over the top to secure the fit, without impacting the comfort of the padded velcro strap. The result is a pack that’s secure over the roughest terrain, without being restrictive or uncomfortable to wear over long rides. Should you be carrying a lighter load or just not want to use the additional strap, it’s easily removable. The strap is also backed up by an EVA padded back panel that borrows from our City Series bags for a breathable, fast drying and comfortable contact point.
An added benefit of a secure fit is a predictable impact on bike handling. A major factor behind the popularity of hip packs is the decreased weight and lower centre of gravity compared to backpacks – but it’s important to ensure that even a small weight won’t suddenly move when you’re riding a technical section of trail and throw your balance off. This is further aided by a combination of mesh and zippered pockets that help with organisation while also ensuring your belongings don’t move about too much.
As with all Backcountry packs, the bag is completely waterproof to ensure your valuables remain dry no matter the conditions. Lightweight breathable mesh, inspired by our racing vest helps keep things lightweight and comfortable and ensures the outside of the pack will dry quickly when things get mucky.
With the input of our community of testers and athletes, we’ve designed the hip pack around a universal size for the widest range of riders possible (comfortably fitting a 28–45-inch waist). We also developed a chain link zipper puller, capable of storing a chain quick link to make it easier to carry (and find) spares.
Another aspect our community was clear on was the need for quick access side pockets. Hip packs are about convenience and having to loosen or remove the pack to access your gear isn’t ideal. Two side pockets, one mesh and one zippered, make it easy to keep your essentials close to hand while riding.
Mountain biking is the ultimate adventure and expression of freedom that no other type of biking can give (at least according to our own Alice!), so we’ve created a pack that lets you be alone with your thoughts and the trails but is there when you need it. Bringing the best of our bikepacking expertise, it’s the perfect pack for mountain bikers seeking technical, functional, and comfortable gear.