Wirecutter

This pack is great for taking on a quick hike or throwing into your suitcase for some hands-free carrying capacity while traveling—but it won’t hold a lot and won’t keep your gear dry in the rain.

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Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack Review | Pack Hacker

OutdoorGearLab

The Deuter Pulse 3 5L is an excellent compact hip pack with a somewhat unorthodox approach. While almost all of our test packs have an oblong, rectangular, or oval shape, the Pulse is square. While this may seem like a simple aesthetic move by Deuter, we also find it rather sensible. It creates a more compact storage area that occupies less horizontal space on your back with the weight nicely centered. Additionally, two pockets on the hip wings can fit snacks or other quick-access items and are big enough to hold some modern smartphones. We found the Pulse to have a comfortable fit, with large hip-cradling wings that provide a stable and secure hold on rough and rocky trails. It also boasts an impressively low weight among options with hydration systems. The quick-connect hose system is another huge bonus as it allows for much easier filling and cleaning of the bladder. 
Despite its unique and sensible shape, the Pulse can't compete with the top options in our review. The moderate-sized 5-liter storage area has enough space for a 2-3-hour ride, but it isn't quite big enough to pack substantial amounts of food or extra clothing. The hose attachment system is a little clunky, and it takes some force to reattach the hose to the clip on the waistband. When packed full, the pack doesn't hold its shape as well as some others and can be a little round against the back. However, these issues are relatively minor, and if you like the look and layout of this pack, it's a great compact option to have on hand for short to medium-length rides. 

The Deuter Pulse 3 5L is an excellent compact hip pack with a somewhat unorthodox approach. While almost all of our test packs have an oblong, rectangular, or oval shape, the Pulse is square. While this may seem like a simple aesthetic move by Deuter, we also find it rather sensible. It creates a more compact storage area that occupies less horizontal space on your back with the weight nicely centered. Additionally, two pockets on the hip wings can fit snacks or other quick-access items and are big enough to hold some modern smartphones. We found the Pulse to have a comfortable fit, with large hip-cradling wings that provide a stable and secure hold on rough and rocky trails. It also boasts an impressively low weight among options with hydration systems. The quick-connect hose system is another huge bonus as it allows for much easier filling and cleaning of the bladder. 
Despite its unique and sensible shape, the Pulse can't compete with the top options in our review. The moderate-sized 5-liter storage area has enough space for a 2-3-hour ride, but it isn't quite big enough to pack substantial amounts of food or extra clothing. The hose attachment system is a little clunky, and it takes some force to reattach the hose to the clip on the waistband. When packed full, the pack doesn't hold its shape as well as some others and can be a little round against the back. However, these issues are relatively minor, and if you like the look and layout of this pack, it's a great compact option to have on hand for short to medium-length rides. 
Read more: Deuter Pulse 3 5L review

The EVOC Hip Pouch 1L is a tremendous choice for riders seeking a simple, minimalist hip pack. This small, 1-liter pack is a high-quality piece that is the closest thing to wearing nothing at all. It has space for snacks and all of your essential repair items such as a tube, multi-tool, and CO2 cartridges, and can also fit a compact mini-pump. The Hip Pouch is well-organized, featuring two pockets on the pack's wings for smaller items like keys, a snack, or a GPS unit. Perhaps the most impressive aspect is the extremely comfortable and low-profile fit, thanks, in no small part, to how light this bag is. Even when loaded with gear, it sits close to your body and has a very slim and slender feel on the trail. The backing is exceptionally comfortable as well, with channels to promote airflow. 
The Hip Pouch has two main downsides. First, it does not have the ability to carry water. As a result, you will need to rely on a water bottle cage on your bike. This bag was clearly designed for quick laps and short rides that don't require lots of water, but a single bottle on the bike may not be sufficient for riders in hot climates. Second, with only 1-liter of storage capacity, you're obviously limited in what you can carry. It is important to keep in mind the intended application of this pack &mdash; it is designed for quick laps carrying the bare minimum. If you like to carry a sandwich and a windbreaker when you ride, you'll be better off looking elsewhere. 

The EVOC Hip Pouch 1L is a tremendous choice for riders seeking a simple, minimalist hip pack. This small, 1-liter pack is a high-quality piece that is the closest thing to wearing nothing at all. It has space for snacks and all of your essential repair items such as a tube, multi-tool, and CO2 cartridges, and can also fit a compact mini-pump. The Hip Pouch is well-organized, featuring two pockets on the pack's wings for smaller items like keys, a snack, or a GPS unit. Perhaps the most impressive aspect is the extremely comfortable and low-profile fit, thanks, in no small part, to how light this bag is. Even when loaded with gear, it sits close to your body and has a very slim and slender feel on the trail. The backing is exceptionally comfortable as well, with channels to promote airflow. 
The Hip Pouch has two main downsides. First, it lacks the ability to carry water, which means you'll need to rely on a water bottle cage on your bike. This bag was clearly designed for short rides. A single bottle on the bike may not be sufficient for riders in hot climates. Second, its 1L storage capacity means you're limited in what you can carry. It is important to keep in mind the intended application of this pack &mdash; it is designed for quick laps carrying the bare minimum. If you like to carry a sandwich and a windbreaker when you ride, you'll be better off looking to a different model. 

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amazon.co.uk

This fanny pack has enough storage to replace a small shoulder bag, is durable and water-resistant, and fits a wide range of waist sizes, though its large capacity can make it uncomfortable when fully loaded.

When you are going out for a quick ride after work or maybe sneaking in a hot lap between errands, the Bontrager Rapid Pack is a no-brainer. This hip pack offers just enough space for the essentials, including a multi-tool, tube, energy bar, and some CO2 cartridges or a tiny pump. It doesn't have a bladder system and only fits one bottle, but that helps make it impressively lightweight, slim, and stable on the back. The limited storage capacity also helps keep it light and very comfortable on the trail, making it a perfect option for short and sweet rides. The simplicity of the design is beautiful, and the lack of bells and whistles is quite refreshing. Oh yeah, this hip pack also comes at an attractive price point.
Since the Rapid Pack is designed for quick rides carrying just the essentials, it stands to reason that it is not the best choice for bigger trips or hot days where you need a ton of water. You will struggle to fit enough supplies in this pack to cover you for a half-day ride, even if you have a bottle cage on your bike. This pack is best-suited as a secondary pack for short rides, assuming you have a larger, roomier hip pack or backpack for those epics.
Read the full review: Bontrager Rapid Pack

When you are going out for a quick ride after work or maybe sneaking in a hot lap between errands, the Bontrager Rapid Pack is a no-brainer. This hip pack offers just enough space for the essentials, including a multi-tool, tube, energy bar, and some CO2 cartridges or a tiny pump. It doesn't have a bladder system and only fits one bottle, but that helps make it impressively lightweight, slim, and stable on the back. The limited storage capacity also helps keep it light and very comfortable on the trail, making it a perfect option for short and sweet rides. The simplicity of the design is beautiful, and the lack of bells and whistles is quite refreshing. Oh yeah, this hip pack also comes at an attractive price point.
The Rapid Pack is designed for quick rides carrying just the essentials. It's not the pack you want for bigger trips or hot days where you need a ton of water. You will struggle to fit enough supplies in this pack to cover you for a half-day ride, even if you have a bottle cage on your bike. This pack is best-suited as a secondary pack for short rides, assuming you have a larger, roomier hip pack or backpack for those epics.
Read the full review: Bontrager Rapid Pack

powerreviews

The EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3L is our tester's favorite for delivering the very best blend of comfort, fit, storage, and hydration. The hydraulic bladder system with quick-connect system makes filling and cleaning the bladder a breeze. In addition to the bladder, this pack also has two slots for water bottles. As a result, you can carry lots of water or choose between a bladder or bottles. The Hip Pack Pro has a fair amount of storage and can carry the necessary snacks and tools for most sub-4-hour rides. The comfort and fit aspect, however, is what we really find outstanding. The waist system features two wide overlapping elasticized bands that conform to the body exceptionally well and keep it very stable through rough terrain. The back panel also has a dialed ventilation system to help you stay cool.
We love the Hip Pack Pro but we don't feel it is perfect. It is one of the most expensive hip packs in our review and is the heaviest model we tested. It also offers only a moderate amount of storage. If you need a pack for huge rides and want the ability to carry a couple extra layers of clothing, we would recommend looking elsewhere. Otherwise, we feel this is the best mountain bike hip pack on the market.

The EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3L is in a class of its own.  While it is the top model in our Best Mountain Bike Hip Pack review, hikers may also appreciate it.  It comes with a number of amazing perks, including storage for both a bladder and bottles.  The pockets are burly and well thought out.  It is very comfortable and fits well.  The ventilation is top-notch.
With all those pros, the Hip Pack Pro is much more complex and expensive than the other models listed here.  It may be overkill for your needs.  If you fully load it up, it is quite heavy, which some people may not find comfortable.  Despite its high cost, there is not all that much storage which means you will still need to tie extra layers, after shedding them, to your waist.  But all those cons aside, it is by far our favorite hip pack for biking, and many hikers may love it as well. 
Read more: EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3L review

The EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3L is our tester's favorite for delivering the very best blend of comfort, fit, storage, and hydration. The hydraulic bladder system with quick-connect system makes filling and cleaning the bladder a breeze. In addition to the bladder, this pack also has two slots for water bottles. As a result, you can carry lots of water or choose between a bladder or bottles. The Hip Pack Pro has a fair amount of storage and can carry the necessary snacks and tools for most sub-4-hour rides. The comfort and fit aspect, however, is what we really find outstanding. The waist system features two wide overlapping elasticized bands that conform to the body exceptionally well and keep it very stable through rough terrain. The back panel also has a dialed ventilation system to help you stay cool.
We love the Hip Pack Pro, but it's not perfect. For starters, it's pricey, and it's also heavy and offers only a moderate storage capacity. If you need a pack for huge rides and want the ability to carry a couple extra layers of clothing, we would recommend looking elsewhere. Otherwise, we feel this is the best mountain bike hip pack on the market.
Read more: EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3L review

Hip Pack Comparison