Hydration packs are an essential for mountain bike riding.
Many gravel riders, particularly for longer events find a hydration pack critical as well. The ability to drink hands free on rough roads as well as carry more fluid than a pair of bottles, plus extra storage capacity makes lots of sense.
These kind of packs have been around since the late 1980’s with lots of brands and variations of the shoulder strap systems. We’ve tried a lot over the years. We’ve also found many uncomfortable, mostly because of movement while riding. What USWE terms, “the dancing monkey” effect.
USWE has been on the localcycling.com radar for some time. We were familiar with the brand from motor sports usage.
We picked the Outlander 3 liter as our test pack. The 3 liter indicates total storage while the hydration bladder is 1.5 liters. In general enough fluid for a couple of hours without a refill depending on weather. That time represents a typical ride on the nearby Shawnee Mission Park single track. The Outlander comes in several sizes up to a 9 liter pack (with a 3 liter bladder).
The Outlander 3 has a small external pouch that can be removed if needed. Perfect for flat kit and gels. Think race day when going fast and minimal at the Lawrence River Trail.
From the first ride we were amazed at the comfort difference between any of our prior packs. The NDM technology with it’s 4 point suspension distributed the load as well as eliminated the shifting.
Another feature we really liked was the fill system of the bladder. A unique ‘zip-lock’ style. No leaks and once practiced, easy to use.
The initial set-up of the straps takes a bit of time, but the pack comes with clear instructions, and once dialed in, stays put.
We chose the appropriately named Crazy Yellow color. It will definitely add to your visibility on dusty back roads.
We completely recommend this well designed pack.