Whats the right backpack for me?

Having the right bag to carry your trail needs in might leave you in a quandary. For short rides you might not want to bring too much, and for long rides you might want to bring lots of spares – so it’s hard to find one bag to do it all.

We have been playing with a few new bags recently, here’s a quick look at three that might suit your riding. Lay out the items you normally choose to take on a ride, consider the amount of fluid you want to carry, and whether you like the bag up high or down on your hips. This should help you narrow down the choices from an almost saturated market.

Haglofs Gram Comp

This is one for the lightweight and long distance crowd. While it can carry 12L of gear, the ultra light is free from padding and weighs a scant 275g. To put that in perspective, that’s about 20% of the weight of some of the new backpacks in the same size that have built in back protection. Clearly not for the same user – but it really is light.

It’s best for light and bukly items like clothing, and wouldn’t be great if it was just filled with tools, CO2 canisters and bananas. There are some small pockets on the hips, but not the sort you need to keep tools and other essentials apart. You’d be best to wrap bits like this in your spare clothing. It can take a reservoir and port the tube over your left or right shoulder, but the reservoir isn’t supplied.

I’d happily bring this along on a trip where your regular rides might also include an all day epic, and it looks perfect for the bikepacking-curious rider who doesn’t want to invest in frame bags yet.

Price: $120

The North Face Enduro 13

Lucky 13 from the North Face is more on the line of 2010 Enduro – such as endurance riding, not baggy shorts and goggles. The 13 litre bag comes with 2 bottles and holsters, pointing at the running orientation of this bag. It’s built to keep weight low and stable on your hips, with a comfortable harness that meets in the middle of the chest.

A great multisport choice, it still has room for a reservoir, plus one large pocket for essentials, with hip pockets for snacks and things you need at hand (a GoPro for still shots fits very well) and a funny little pocket where the straps meet, for biscuits or other items.

This is another very stable bag that isn’t purely a MTB bag, but would do very nicely for those that enjoy their MTBing with some navigation, trail running, paddling and sleep deprivation at the same time.

Price: $110

Osprey Venom 13

Visually the biggest bag of the lot, the Osprey Venom has a similar capacity, at 13L. It has a generous main compartment that can hold a shock pump and mini pump in their own sleeves, with room for bulky items. There’s a pocket on top for eyewear or a small camera, and a front pocket that has two mesh pouches that are ideal for a multitool and other small items.

With three more external mesh pockets, a back pocket set for a reservoir (not included) and a helmet holder, this is a well-featured bag. Unlike the other two models, the focus is sitting on the shoulders, as the waist strap feels like and after thought, but it is removable too. It’s a very comfortable bag, but not designed for stability in gnar. But the quality is brilliant for the price.

Price: $75

Find out more here : cotswoldoutdoors.com/au/