Cycling hip packs

A free back

Hip packs have largely replaced backpacks in mountain biking, for one simple reason: they shift the weight from your shoulders to your hips, leaving your back free. You sweat less, can move your upper body more easily through corners, and have no extra weight following your movement if you fall. It has become the go-to option for a two- to three-hour ride.

The capacities

• 0.8 to 1.5 L : just the essentials — inner tube, tyre lever, multi-tool, phone. The racing belt you forget you’re wearing as you ride.
• 3 L : the best-selling size. Enough room for a windproof jacket, food and a hydration bladder or bottle.
• 5 to 6 L : for long rides or winter, when you need to carry extra layers. Beyond that, a backpack becomes more comfortable again.

With a hydration bladder, a bottle or neither

Three approaches. An integrated hydration bladder (1 to 2 L) holds the most water and lets you drink without taking your hands off the handlebars. A bottle holder on the hip pack is easier to clean and refill on the go, and many models come with a bottle. The without water leaves all the space for gear if you already have two bottles on the frame. Bladders and valves can be replaced separately.

Stability: the only criterion that really matters

A hip pack that slips around your waist or bounces over every bump spoils the ride. What keeps it in place is the width of the belt, whether it has lower-back padding and a strap you can adjust with one hand while riding. A well-designed pack sits snug around the hips, not the waist — it’s the adjustment most people get wrong on their first try.

The e-MTB versions

Some ranges include an e-bike, with a compartment designed for a spare battery or charger. That’s bulky and heavy, so it needs to sit low and close to the body — exactly what a properly adjusted hip pack does.

To find out more: How to ride without a backpack on your MTB

See also: Backpacks and hydration packs · Hydration bladders and luggage spares · Cycling water bottles