Hip Pack Pro 3

The belt will stay velcroed with the clasp and doesn't get dirty easily even when it slipped through my inept hands hiking at Mount Lassen. The foam is exactly what it needs paired with the belt that it has an ergonomic feel when kept behind me, that when I stumbled upon three amusement parks in two days where I spent the time sprinting entirely throughout, I could not even feel the weight of my full pack. If I have it in front of me, after about an hour it would make me need to adjust my back, I recommend you keep it on your back as it seems intended for ease of travel. I got the black and green one, and to fit my Lumix S5 camera in there and the separated scope where they can be partitioned by the interior sling-pocket, and it has more than enough room for my wide 3"w×7.5"h Samsung phone (which cannot fit in the frontmost pocket; rather place nutrition bar sized items inside that). There is room for an about 8"w×5"h×1"d or approximate hand-sized water-bladder in the back pocket just before the foam. Personally however, I instead got a bottle I put all the way at the bottom of the bag horozontally. In the side belt pockets I can place a pack of alcohol wipes / napkins or my sanitizer, a medicine container, the keys on the key hook, mints. Be careful how you set it down if you have your camera equipment in there, it's only got the back foam that saves you from sweating because the air circulation is actually rather good. I would never get a sling pack or otherwise without this kind of breathable foam, and this was my first waist pack ever. Such a good choice. The frontmost pocket relies on the velcro and you can use the zippers to pull something out from the side of it, I noticed I have to make sure the zippers go all the way up again after or else they slip down and I could lose something. I jostled it good however and I have lost nothing. I wish for more colors. I love everything about this pack. I was originally going to get the bigger one but they were out of stock, but this one turns out to be just the right size for me putting weight in it for my body type: 20F, 5'6", ~135lbs. The one external mesh pocket with a tied-string strap, I think is better suited for small bottles just because of the shape of a person's back is curved and you'd be moving around.

[Took me several weeks to receive the pack and bladder!]

I wanted to love, and gush over this hip pack like so many others. I've used CameBaks my whole life of cycling (and that's a lot). My latest has been the race-bak which is small, very thin, and extremely light on my back. So, EVOC had a challenge to bring it. Having heard the hip packs are better for low-back issues, I felt this was worth the try; hence not hesitating to buy one of the most expensive packs of its type on the market.

First thing out of the gate was I immediately noticed there's only ONE BOTTLE POUCH and IT IS RIDICULOUSLY TIGHT even for a standard size bottle...like you gotta stop and fight with it tight! Though I'm not planning on carrying 1, let alone 2, water bottles I felt this was a very odd modification without much notice. I would have expected some type of "New Version" or "Updated" flag to alert buyers to see what and why. I'm still not sure why, but I have a suspicion that perhaps they addressed the #1 criticism which has been the waist size. And, to that, I can say THIS MODEL HAS PLENTY OF WAIST BAND LENGTH; I am a 35-26" and I have plenty of overlap that could easily support another few inches if needed. So, for those who've complained, this model will accommodate the larger waists!

Now, as for function...meh. Honestly, you wouldn't think you'd need to put so much effort and thought into throwing a few items into a pack and get riding. Alas, I almost felt like I needed an interactive app to help me lay things out in such a way to get them to fit. What am I carrying? Well, I just put the bladder in last night and that took more thought than I thought. The pouch, like everyone says is tight..but that's an understatement! Since I bought it separately, and it doesn't come with any retention, I elected to get a FIDLOCK tube holder...so, we'll see how that works. But, for me, having a tube across my waist is silly after decades of using a CamelBak tube over my shoulder. Nothing could be easier; whether cycling, hiking, climbing, or skiing...or even for a day trip around town. So...that said...I can't see me using this hip pack and bladder tube across my waist for anything but cycling!

The comfort IS very nice, I will say. However, for those who's "figure" resembles a telephone pole or maybe a large tree-trunk, don't expect this pack to stay high on your waist. It's gonna migrate its way to where it can't go no further. And no, why get a hip pack with suspenders!?

Finally, the pockets. The hip pockets are generous in size, without dividers or any retention inside other than a key strap. The problem with ALL of these nitpicks is I fully expect to use/access my hydration packs AS I'M CYCLING...NOT STOPPED for a rest break. Nothing about this pack makes that easy!! Those side pockets are big, but the mouth is so big that pulling one item out may lead to dumping other things out if you're not careful.

As for the "Tool Compartment"? Uh, not sure WHAT tools, but the interior elastic pockets are super tight. Yes, you can shove a multi-tool and tire irons in, but don't even consider anything wider or thicker like a tube. And, for those with a mini-pump...I seriously doubt it'll fit. For those who criticized that the phone pocket was too small, they fixed that issue...THEY TOOK AWAY THE PHONE POUCH ALTOGETHER!!! I have the iPhone 17 ProMax, so who cares...it's too big for that pocket from what others say. Ok then, where else to put it? Well, the MAIN compartment is pretty slim but the phone CAN go in there. I'm able to put a pump across the bottom and a TPU tube folded out below and behind the bladder, as well as a small first aid pouch and that's about it. But as for the phone, if you're like I am, you're concerned with any pressure on the screen or other items just waiting to scratch your expensive iToy as you enjoy bouncing down the trails! So...as of right now, my iPhone has nowhere safe to stay other than my front pocket...exactly where I DON'T want my phone!

In summary, the quality is as good as you would expect from a $100 pack, so you'll be fully satisfied. I love quality but I love function and perfect layout just as much. It does the job of bringing the weight (4lbs/1790gr with 1L of water) off of my shoulders, so hopefully that's a big benefit for my back health. Other than that, I'm sorry to say that the "on-the-trail" functionality is several giant steps backwards.

Would I return it if I got a 100% refund? Maybe. But it's too soon to tell, and by the time I tell, it'll be too late and the pack will be too used to return...let alone pay shipping. So, they got me and it's not the first "less than optimum" piece of gear I've ever bought...won't be the last.

Friend showed me this bag, looked great. Wife ordered it for Father's Day. Did not fit my waist. Emailed Evoc three times before I got a response. They do not provide return shipping labels. Had to pay $13 to return. No where does it state the size of the hip belt.

This is simply the best hip pack design on the market. Well organized, flexible and voluminous storage, options for a bottle or hydro pack. The closure system, even for a big guy is also far more comfortable than any other buckle on the market. Recently guided some shuttle laps with a bottle, multiple tubes and parts, far more than any normal person should carry, and the pack never sank, slipped or buzzed the tire. Can’t beat it, I regret not buying one sooner.