This week’s review is another great product from Portland based PNW Components – their compact and comfortable Rover Hip Pack.
Made from super durable sailcloth material, with an air mesh padded back panel and a plethora of pockets for all your trail essentials; the PNW Rover Hip Pack is the ideal companion for off-road adventures in the forest, bike park or on gravel adventures.
I was an early adopter of the bar bag on my gravel and road pursuits ; embracing the feeling of carrying little in your pockets, and letting the bike take the load. On mountain bike adventures a bar bag is less suitable though, as they bounce around too enthusiastically; the solution is a hip pack.
A hip pack is different from a ‘bum bag’ – the latter is designed to sit around your hips, whereas this is really a ‘waist pack’ that is meant to sit higher up on top of your hip bones, around your waist. Perched on top of your hips it can comfortably carry a good load, much like a waist belt on a backpack.
The Rover Hip Pack has got a load of internal pockets to house all those ride essentials and snacks, and it comes with a removable bottle holder for extra hydration. A two-way adjustable hip belt allows you to achieve a close and comfortable fit, with bobbing and bouncing kept to a minimum. Fully loaded with a water bottle the pack was a little too weighty for my liking, but for the vast majority of loads featuring your ride essentials, the strapping system provides all the necessary stability.
Well made with well thought out features, available in four great colour schemes, and designed to go the distance; the Rover Hip Pack from PNW Components is a superb addition to your off-road carry – allowing you to pack the essentials for an enjoyable adventure.
