Overview:
Here we are in the “vest/chest style” era of mountain bike packs. This particular style of carrying system may be the hip-pack killer. Setups like these strike a nice balance between a full-blown backpack and much smaller hip packs. We’ve seen big players like Poc, with their Column pack, and Evoc, with the Hydro Pro, dominate the market. We’re excited to see Albek throw their hat in the ring by providing some great alternatives.
Albek’s H2O Haul range has 3 pack sizes to choose from, the 3, 4 and 8-litre options (pack capacity, not hydration bladder size). We’ve tested the two smaller options and have enjoyed the comfort and practicality that comes with them (3L $129.95 and 4L $149.95). They give you just that little bit more capacity than a hip pack but are still light and compact. Most importantly, though, they are significantly more secure than hip packs. We’ve found, at times, fully loaded hip packs are prone to bouncing around when jumping or riding rough trails.
Key Features:
Ergonomics and Comfort:
All packs in the Albek H20 Haul range use the same chest strap-only securing system. Albek’s X brace harness works great at keeping the pack snug even in the roughest terrain. It also has a large buckle that can be undone easily with one hand.
The shoulder straps are vented to keep things cool and lightweight. They also have a neat adjusting system, which we are big fans of. The straps loop through a buckle back onto themselves with two sturdy velcro surfaces. This adjustment system is one of the best we’ve seen. You don’t need the strap to pass through a self-tightening buckle, which we see on most packs. Often, you have to fiddle with these to get the strap at the right length; thankfully, this is not the case on the Albek packs.
The packs have an “Ergoflow” back panel, which promotes airflow as well as prevents the pack from sticking to you when you are sweaty. We found this to work well, although even the hint of a sweat patch is not totally avoidable on those scorching days. But is there any technology out there that can completely beat the Aussie heat?
Storage:
The 3L pack we tested has one main compartment where you will store the hydration bladder as well as your additional gear. This sizing option is a direct competitor to the hip pack market. It has just enough storage for snacks, spares and a 1.5L water bladder. You’d be hard-pressed to get a jacket in there. We found the 4L could take all the same accessories, a lightweight jacket, and a larger bladder capacity of 2L.
The 4L pack sees the addition of an extra pocket: a smaller external compartment on the front of the bag. Here is a two-pocket elastic mesh section to store all your spares for a flat and snacks. This means you can use the main larger pocket for the hydration bladder, jacket, or knee pads.
Both packs have an internal water/scratch-resistant pocket for your phone or GoPro. It’s a subtle but really useful feature.
Hydration Bladder:
Both the 3L and 4L packs come with a bladder, which is always pleasing to see. The 3L has a 1.5L bladder, and the 4L has a 2L bladder. The Albek bladders use a quick-release hose attachment, which makes refilling super easy. This means you don’t have to feed the hose out to get access. Albek has gone for a fold-and-slide securing system, which is simple but effective. It also means the opening for refilling spans the entire width of the bladder, which again makes things easy.
Flow’s Verdict:
We are big fans of the chest/ vest style of the pack, so we’re stoked to see another option on the market. Albek has ticked a lot of boxes with multiple size options, a comfortable fit, and a super easy attachment system. A big selling point is the price. When you compare them to other options on the market, you’ll see the value for money is great.
The 3L and 4L options we tested are great alternatives to hip packs, and we expect to see more of them on the trails.
