Given its size, it is very stable and I preferred using it over a pack of similar size. Venti Strap- a neat feature that when pulled, the pack is brought tight against the small of the back to keep it more secure on demanding downhill sections. Built for speed as well as simplicity, the waistpack uses a body-hugging Biostretch waistbelt to keep loads stable, alongside an AirScape back panel and StraightJacket compression for added comfort and ventilation. It might seem odd to talk about style when it comes to fanny packs but it does vary significantly from one pack to the other. Enduro is BACK | UK Gravity Enduro Series round 1, Innerleithen photo story, AirScape mesh covered accordion foam backpanel for comfort and fit, Twin 570ml BPA free Hydraulics bottles included. Buy Osprey Hydration Packs from Chain Reaction Cycles, the Worlds Largest Online Bike Store. The squeeze bottles were easy to access and drink from while riding, provided the terrain wasn't too extreme. The minimalist design and outstanding ventilation make the Osprey Savu the pick of the bunch. Did you know that you could shop on our www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en website? This is not as easy as sucking water out of a bladder through a tube, and the water bottles maintain their size and shape even when empty, unlike water bladders that shrink down to almost no volume when emptied. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. Since you are looking at alternatives to rucksacks, it goes without saying that any fanny pack you choose should be comfortable on the bike. One of three lumbar-style, "fanny", packs in our test selection, we found the. Fanny packs tend to be more comfortable than a backpack since your back is free to breathe. Hydration is provided by a pair of dedicated water bottles that have a flattened profile, which helps them sit comfortably in their holsters on either side of the pack. The nylon webbing is adjustable from both sides to dial in the fit to your liking. They are BPA free which is good news for your health and have nice soft nozzles that are nice to drink from. We did find the water bottles to be very easy to use and drink from. The pack is held in place with a pair of lightweight mesh covered foam wings and a relatively narrow nylon band secured by a buckle. 
It has everything you would want in a mini pack; a decent sized main compartment for your smartphone and a smaller front compartment for essentials. |, Plenty of storage for kit and water, well made and very adjustable, Can bounce about excessively and uncomfortably when riding, Best mountain bike helmets for trail riding, 8 tips for staying motivated on the trails. Its reasonably secure when worn like this, but I still found that over rough terrain the pack wanted to flap about. Just unscrew the top, fill the bottle, and screw the top back on. Applied in cart. 
Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Once Id got the tension right they worked well keeping everything from falling out, but if they become too slack then its possible for the bottle to get thrown free, such as during jumps or really rough ground. Osprey are known for their quality riding packs, amongst other disciplines, and their Talon 6 branches out into the bum bag/fanny pack market as a more catchily-titled Lumbar Pack. Dispensing with all the bells and whistles (pun intended), the clean lines make this pack one of the more stylish fanny packs around. 
Whilst there is no scope for a hydration bladder, the two 600ml water bottle holders have been carefully designed to provide easy on-bike access and can even be folded neatly away when not in use. The pack definitely works best when worn quite high up on the hips, the tapered shape then holds more firmly against your body. These are great for keeping things like your phone and nutrition close at hand. The primary storage is in the large main compartment which sits between the two water bottles against the back in the center of the pack. The pack's wide hip straps wrap around the waist, and the one-inch wide nylon webbing is then secured with a plastic buckle on the front. I have an earlier generation of Ospreys AirScape on a mountain biking lumbar pack and the Talon 6 version is a noticeable improvement. (LogOut/ PatagoniaUltralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack. Got feedback? There are also a couple of buckled compression straps centered on the outermost part of the pack that can be used to attach larger items to the outside. which pretty much nails it bar the trail running. Each Osprey Hydraulics Pack bottle holds 20 oz of water, for a total storage capacity of 40 oz, or 1.14 liters. 
This was especially noticeable when moving my body position backwards and forwards repeatedly or breathing very deeply, such as during technical climbs. 
For cycling, the best fanny packs have smaller external compartments that are easy to access. A bladder holds the liquid and can be drunk using a long, flexible straw. We check out the @. The two 20-oz included Osprey Hydraulics Pack bottles make up all the water storage of the Talon 6, giving it the least capacity of any pack in our test selection. For these types of activities, where your back is kept in a straight position, we found the pack to be quite comfortable. Are you sure you want to remove the following product from the cart? Filling the included Osprey Hydraulics Pack bottles of the Talon 6 is about as easy as it gets. Im a cycling enthusiast, and the founder and chief editor of Bike Push. The new waistband design fixes any excessive movement on the hips and the hose is always where you need it. I never felt them move or lost a bottle on a ride, even when crashing over the bars! No additional costs for oversized packages, You have 1 year + 2 days to return your items, Just contact us and well take care of you, We donate 1% of all online retail sales to a different partner each month. Ben Plenge has been rocking through the West Country slop to see if theres room in his heart for such things. This pack carries the essentials comfortably for activities where your back is primarily in an upright position. If Im not working on this website, then Im out on the bike clocking up the miles. Ive gone and done it. These straps are also used to compress the load slightly, as are a couple of adjustable straps on each side of the hip belt that further tightens down the load. There are two main ways to store fluids in a fanny pack. Although the strap is pretty small, I found that the bag stayed very still on my hips throughout my time testing it. The other method of carrying fluids is using an integrated hydration bladder. There are endless possibilities when it comes to carrying equipment. The waist belt tightens with a twin forward pull that is much easier to adjust to the correct tension without twisting the pack on your body though it can leave two longish tails to tuck away. They have stood the test of time against all odds. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. Currently Refined by Category: Bags & Packs, WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR CHRISTY SPORTS EMAILS*, Free standard shipping on orders of $50 or more. Mega Deals : Nukeproof Womens Clothing Clearout Sale. Summer sale 40% off select styles! (LogOut/ Privacy | Cookies | Terms, A lumbar style pack that is incredibly lightweight and great for day hikes. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. The deep pad that sits against the back is well ventilated and comfortable. 
The Talon 6 offers six liters of storage capacity, which we feel is a lot for this style of pack. One of the benefits of using a lumbar pack is that it generally puts less pack in contact with your skin compared to carrying a back pack and as a result can be more comfortable in hot weather. The reviewer will often keep the sample after reviewing it for both hygiene reasons and more often theyre in no fit state to return! It may be better suited to hiking, but that didn't stop us from taking it out to ride repeatedly. Additionally, it is constructed with high-quality Bluesign-approved recycled high-tenacity Nylon and a PFC-free Durable Water Repellent coating. There are two bottles to fill, so that adds a step, but that's just being nit-picky. You have to snug it up a bit tighter before dropping in and then I would usually back it off a little for the climb back up. Dimensions: H21 x W25 x D15cm; Capacity: 6 litres; Weight: 420g approx. Compared to a backpack, ventilation is less of an issue. The storage compartments are all relatively basic; there aren't any organization pockets to keep things like mountain bike tools from bouncing all around. Are Fanny Packs Comfortable To Wear When Cycling? Contact us to book an Appointment. Your email address exceeds our limit. Besides walking I used the Talon 6 for XC rollerski training and off-road riding and again it proved to be excellent stable, comfortable and that lovely forget youre wearing it experience. What Effect Does Total System Weight Have on eBike Range? Find a showroom near you, Extra 10% off select clearance styles! Hydration is achieved through a 2L bladder that is sold separately but you can easily fit a bottle in the main compartment if you are looking to save costs. Aero Flex the nylon fabric waist belt transfers weight efficiently without losing flexibility. The bottles are held in padded sleeves, one on either side of the main storage compartment, which is dedicated to that purpose. Theyre held in place with elasticated loops that hook over the spout of the bottle. Ospreys Talon 6 Lumbar Pack is very much at the larger end of the waist pack category and is built for comfort and convenience. Here we take a look at the best bike fanny packs and walk through the features to look out for when choosing the right one for you. They can still carry all the equipment they need and stay hydrated without worrying about a sweaty and uncomfortable back. It seems to us that the pack was designed around this body position as the intended uses listed above would also suggest. Please use a shorter email address to sign up. One answer to this is to wear it underneath your jersey or jacket, which became my preferred approach this winter. Disclaimer CGR reviewers are never paid to provide a review and the website does not take advertising. More important is sweat absorption with some fanny packs excelling at staying dry no matter how hard you are working. It features two main compartments with a combined total of 6 litres of storage, 2 x 570ml water bottles that sit in holsters either side of the storage, and a pair of mesh pockets on the waist straps for bars and bits and bobs. Judged on the heated debate on cycling forums, wearing a hip pack on a road bike is a divisive subject. Bike vests are also a popular choice for carrying fluids and tend to distribute the load better than fanny packs but storage space is limited. It is not often that wearing a fanny pack can also make you feel good about yourself but you can with the CotopaxiBataan Fanny Pack. This main compartment is approximately 8x6x4 inches. 
While you can't exactly fit your hand in there, you can reach in with your fingers and get a sponge most of the way to the bottom. The traditional method uses pouches to hold water bottles, usually two. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Most people are familiar with CamelBak products. We're an established family-owned and run business based on the south side of Brisbane. Each bottle sleeve has a small bungee at the top that is designed to cinch around the bottle, and the loose end can be looped over the nozzle on top of the bottle to further secure it in place. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks! With this pack staying hydrated is not an issue. A cleaning brush with a longer handle is the ideal way to clean these bottles and makes life easier. 
How can we improve GearLab? Not only is it extremely bright and colorful but each pack is made from leftover fabric and offcuts that would otherwise fill up landfills. The flow rate of the nozzles on the tops of the bottles was a little harder to quantify than the hydration bladders and their bite valves. Ospreys Talon 6 is designed primarily as a walking and running pack, but the fact it combines a respectable six litres of kit storage plus two 600ml water bottles without getting your back sweaty makes it an interesting option for mountain bikers. 
Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Not a pack for all-day cycling but one that would great for cycling to the shops when your pockets dont cut it. Receive free emails straight to your inbox each week. All I need now is a tube and a banana taped to my top tube, goggles with my open face lid and I will be, Full Enduro. Smaller waist packs have been a favourite of fell runners long before the running hydration vest packs came along although for all but the most minimal kit requirement races the later have pretty much taken over. Comprising of a main pack with an additional front slip pocket, two spacious side pockets on the waist belt wings, two bottle holders and Ospreys signature Talon foam compression panels you can pack a fair bit into the Talon 6. For a broader range including expedition gear, visit our other store: Be the first to know about new products, offers and receive useful articles: Patagonia Women's Nine Trails Short Sleeve Running Top- Quick-Dry T-Shirt, Patagonia Women's Capilene Lightweight Quick-Dry T-Shirt, Patagonia Women's Capilene Cool Trail T-Shirt - Lightweight Quick Dry Wicking Shirt, Patagonia Women's Capilene Cool Trail Long Sleeve Shirt - Lightweight Quick Dry Wicking Shirt, Osprey Katari 1.5 Litre Mens Mountain Biking Hydration Pack, Osprey Kitsuma 1.5 Litre Women's Mountain Biking Hydration Pack, Patagonia Men's Baggies 5 Inch Lightweight Quick Drying Board Shorts, Osprey Kitsuma 3 Litre Women's Mountain Biking Hydration Pack, Osprey Talon 6 Litre Lumbar Trail Running Pack, Osprey Tempest Women's 6 Litre Lumbar Pack, Osprey Kitsuma 7 Litre Women's Mountain Biking Hydration Pack, Osprey Katari 7 Litre Mens Mountain Biking Hydration Pack. It also has little features like the non-scratch pocket and the fold away bottle holders that make it such a well-executed pack for cyclists. Much like Ospreys conventional range of mountain bike backpacks, the Talon 6 is really well made, with plenty of tough ripstop nylon material used throughout. Cleaning the Osprey Hydraulics water bottle with a sponge. After years of mocking mates who took the bum-bag plunge years ago, I have gone and got myself a bum bag. 
With their AirScape back-panel creating a more breathable body contact area and a Biostretch waist-belt to keep loads stable without restricting movement. This contender fell towards the bottom of the spectrum regarding ease of drinking. In terms of storage, there are two convenient zipped compartments on the wings and one large main compartment at the back of the pack that will easily hold a rain jacket and a puncture repair kit. The amount of storage you need depends on the type of riding your do. All trademarks property of their respective owners Matt Walker Out of Snowshoe with a Broken Knee Cap and Hand. Riders that boldly choose to ditch the rucksack and try a fanny pack rarely look back. We tested the Osprey Talon 6 on both day hikes and mountain bike rides. Is It Ok To Wear A Hip Pack With A Road Bike? and choose Next Day Delivery at the checkout. 
The Talon 6 is a luxurious waist pack and by far and away the most comfortable I have carried in this size. We did find that as the weight of the pack decreased, as we emptied our water bottles, the comfort level of the pack increased. It is worth noting that I wore the bag just above my hips rather than on my waist and I felt it was both comfier and more stable when positioned here. So what can you pack into the Talon 6 realistically? Extra external compartments on the wings of the pack are great for quick access to essentials without having to stop. Keep hydration close at hand with the user-friendly Osprey Talon 6 Waistpack that lets you pack all your essentials and features an AirSpace back panel which provides ventilation and support for long-lasting comfort. Summer sale going on now - 40% off select items! And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. When bent at the waist, we found the pack to feel top heavy, leaning off of our back putting extra pressure on our stomach and making for a relatively uncomfortable riding experience. Competitors that topped the comfort charts and offer a bigger sized pack include the Platypus Duthie A.M., our Editors' Choice winner, as well as the Osprey Syncro 12 and Deuter Compact EXP. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support, Lightweight, inexpensive, good for hiking, bottles easy to fill and clean, surprising amount of storage, Uncomfortable for mountain biking, limited water storage capacity. The over-the-sink hang test didn't work for the water bottles, so real-world testing was the only way to see how they worked. 
Taking a drink is as simple as reaching behind you and pulling a bottle out of its sleeve before putting it up to your mouth, pulling the nozzle open with your teeth and squeezing water out of it. If I tightened up the straps to reduce that happening then they became really rather constrictive and uncomfortable across my gut. Turning their attention from motos to mountain bikes, the USWE Zulo 6L Waist Belt has a minimalist design that manages to somehow hide an abundance of organizational pockets for neatly carrying gear. That being said, there is plenty of room to carry a light jacket, extra layers, first aid, food, as well as mountain biking paraphernalia. selected Other top scorers for storage are the Platypus Duthie A.M. and Gregory Nano 18 H2O. Nukeproof Add Four Limited Edition Frame Kits With Shock Options. The front slip pocket contains a key clip which is useful but I feel would be better placed in a side pocket. (LogOut/ 
To be fair, waist packs like this have lost a lot of their stigma, as more and more people adopt them as a way to ride without the restrictions of a back pack. There are far better options of trail runners Osprey themselves have their Duro range that has recently been revamped with an improved Waist pack the Duro Dyna Belt that is likely far more suited to your trail running needs if youre not opting for a hydration vest. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. We feel that the Talon 6 is best suited to shorter length day hikes due to the 6-liter storage capacity and limited water carrying capability. Best Bike Fanny Packs Waist Storage Guide, 4. No ads. They also take a bit of a knack to undo on the move. 
If you are only doing short rides then it makes sense to look for a smaller fanny pack that has enough storage for some gels and tools. I tried the Talon 6 on a few occasions for trail running but unless you skipped the bottles altogether it just bounced too much for comfort. CamelBak Repack LR 4 Hydration Pack (Best Hydration System), 5. In addition to two external water bottle holders, there is also the option of a bladder. 
One of the nice things about water bottles is that there is no difficult-to-clean hose or bite valve that is likely to hold onto and hide bacteria. There is no internal hydration bladder but the two side water bottle holders are easily accessible. Pack Light sells the lightest and most compact adventure and travel gear from the world's best outdoor brands! With keys in the front pocket I was reluctant to place either sunglasses or a phone in there for risk of scratching them. At a retail price of $75.00, we feel that the Osprey Talon 6 is a good value for the right consumer. Power is also put in the hands of the seamstress making the packs and the upshot is that no two are the same. Whilst storage is important, the most important thing to consider is how the bag sits when you are riding, particularly when you are riding down rough trails. When using the bungees to secure the bottles in the pack you also have the additional step of unhooking the bungee from around the nozzle to remove it. 
The AirScape back-panel aids breathability a little but the reality is that anything worn tight against your body is going to limit evaporation of sweat significantly so dont expect miracles but it certainly improves over just a plain back-panel with its die cut pattern of grooves allowing some circulation of air as you move.
It has everything you would want in a mini pack; a decent sized main compartment for your smartphone and a smaller front compartment for essentials. |, Plenty of storage for kit and water, well made and very adjustable, Can bounce about excessively and uncomfortably when riding, Best mountain bike helmets for trail riding, 8 tips for staying motivated on the trails. Its reasonably secure when worn like this, but I still found that over rough terrain the pack wanted to flap about. Just unscrew the top, fill the bottle, and screw the top back on. Applied in cart. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Once Id got the tension right they worked well keeping everything from falling out, but if they become too slack then its possible for the bottle to get thrown free, such as during jumps or really rough ground. Osprey are known for their quality riding packs, amongst other disciplines, and their Talon 6 branches out into the bum bag/fanny pack market as a more catchily-titled Lumbar Pack. Dispensing with all the bells and whistles (pun intended), the clean lines make this pack one of the more stylish fanny packs around. Whilst there is no scope for a hydration bladder, the two 600ml water bottle holders have been carefully designed to provide easy on-bike access and can even be folded neatly away when not in use. The pack definitely works best when worn quite high up on the hips, the tapered shape then holds more firmly against your body. These are great for keeping things like your phone and nutrition close at hand. The primary storage is in the large main compartment which sits between the two water bottles against the back in the center of the pack. The pack's wide hip straps wrap around the waist, and the one-inch wide nylon webbing is then secured with a plastic buckle on the front. I have an earlier generation of Ospreys AirScape on a mountain biking lumbar pack and the Talon 6 version is a noticeable improvement. (LogOut/ PatagoniaUltralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack. Got feedback? There are also a couple of buckled compression straps centered on the outermost part of the pack that can be used to attach larger items to the outside. which pretty much nails it bar the trail running. Each Osprey Hydraulics Pack bottle holds 20 oz of water, for a total storage capacity of 40 oz, or 1.14 liters. This was especially noticeable when moving my body position backwards and forwards repeatedly or breathing very deeply, such as during technical climbs. For cycling, the best fanny packs have smaller external compartments that are easy to access. A bladder holds the liquid and can be drunk using a long, flexible straw. We check out the @. The two 20-oz included Osprey Hydraulics Pack bottles make up all the water storage of the Talon 6, giving it the least capacity of any pack in our test selection. For these types of activities, where your back is kept in a straight position, we found the pack to be quite comfortable. Are you sure you want to remove the following product from the cart? Filling the included Osprey Hydraulics Pack bottles of the Talon 6 is about as easy as it gets. Im a cycling enthusiast, and the founder and chief editor of Bike Push. The new waistband design fixes any excessive movement on the hips and the hose is always where you need it. I never felt them move or lost a bottle on a ride, even when crashing over the bars! No additional costs for oversized packages, You have 1 year + 2 days to return your items, Just contact us and well take care of you, We donate 1% of all online retail sales to a different partner each month. Ben Plenge has been rocking through the West Country slop to see if theres room in his heart for such things. This pack carries the essentials comfortably for activities where your back is primarily in an upright position. If Im not working on this website, then Im out on the bike clocking up the miles. Ive gone and done it. These straps are also used to compress the load slightly, as are a couple of adjustable straps on each side of the hip belt that further tightens down the load. There are two main ways to store fluids in a fanny pack. Although the strap is pretty small, I found that the bag stayed very still on my hips throughout my time testing it. The other method of carrying fluids is using an integrated hydration bladder. There are endless possibilities when it comes to carrying equipment. The waist belt tightens with a twin forward pull that is much easier to adjust to the correct tension without twisting the pack on your body though it can leave two longish tails to tuck away. They have stood the test of time against all odds. You've been subscribed to our newsletter. Currently Refined by Category: Bags & Packs, WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR CHRISTY SPORTS EMAILS*, Free standard shipping on orders of $50 or more. Mega Deals : Nukeproof Womens Clothing Clearout Sale. Summer sale 40% off select styles! (LogOut/ Privacy | Cookies | Terms, A lumbar style pack that is incredibly lightweight and great for day hikes. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. The deep pad that sits against the back is well ventilated and comfortable. The Talon 6 offers six liters of storage capacity, which we feel is a lot for this style of pack. One of the benefits of using a lumbar pack is that it generally puts less pack in contact with your skin compared to carrying a back pack and as a result can be more comfortable in hot weather. The reviewer will often keep the sample after reviewing it for both hygiene reasons and more often theyre in no fit state to return! It may be better suited to hiking, but that didn't stop us from taking it out to ride repeatedly. Additionally, it is constructed with high-quality Bluesign-approved recycled high-tenacity Nylon and a PFC-free Durable Water Repellent coating. There are two bottles to fill, so that adds a step, but that's just being nit-picky. You have to snug it up a bit tighter before dropping in and then I would usually back it off a little for the climb back up. Dimensions: H21 x W25 x D15cm; Capacity: 6 litres; Weight: 420g approx. Compared to a backpack, ventilation is less of an issue. The storage compartments are all relatively basic; there aren't any organization pockets to keep things like mountain bike tools from bouncing all around. Are Fanny Packs Comfortable To Wear When Cycling? Contact us to book an Appointment. Your email address exceeds our limit. Besides walking I used the Talon 6 for XC rollerski training and off-road riding and again it proved to be excellent stable, comfortable and that lovely forget youre wearing it experience. What Effect Does Total System Weight Have on eBike Range? Find a showroom near you, Extra 10% off select clearance styles! Hydration is achieved through a 2L bladder that is sold separately but you can easily fit a bottle in the main compartment if you are looking to save costs. Aero Flex the nylon fabric waist belt transfers weight efficiently without losing flexibility. The bottles are held in padded sleeves, one on either side of the main storage compartment, which is dedicated to that purpose. Theyre held in place with elasticated loops that hook over the spout of the bottle. Ospreys Talon 6 Lumbar Pack is very much at the larger end of the waist pack category and is built for comfort and convenience. Here we take a look at the best bike fanny packs and walk through the features to look out for when choosing the right one for you. They can still carry all the equipment they need and stay hydrated without worrying about a sweaty and uncomfortable back. It seems to us that the pack was designed around this body position as the intended uses listed above would also suggest. Please use a shorter email address to sign up. One answer to this is to wear it underneath your jersey or jacket, which became my preferred approach this winter. Disclaimer CGR reviewers are never paid to provide a review and the website does not take advertising. More important is sweat absorption with some fanny packs excelling at staying dry no matter how hard you are working. It features two main compartments with a combined total of 6 litres of storage, 2 x 570ml water bottles that sit in holsters either side of the storage, and a pair of mesh pockets on the waist straps for bars and bits and bobs. Judged on the heated debate on cycling forums, wearing a hip pack on a road bike is a divisive subject. Bike vests are also a popular choice for carrying fluids and tend to distribute the load better than fanny packs but storage space is limited. It is not often that wearing a fanny pack can also make you feel good about yourself but you can with the CotopaxiBataan Fanny Pack. This main compartment is approximately 8x6x4 inches. While you can't exactly fit your hand in there, you can reach in with your fingers and get a sponge most of the way to the bottom. The traditional method uses pouches to hold water bottles, usually two. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Most people are familiar with CamelBak products. We're an established family-owned and run business based on the south side of Brisbane. Each bottle sleeve has a small bungee at the top that is designed to cinch around the bottle, and the loose end can be looped over the nozzle on top of the bottle to further secure it in place. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks! With this pack staying hydrated is not an issue. A cleaning brush with a longer handle is the ideal way to clean these bottles and makes life easier. How can we improve GearLab? Not only is it extremely bright and colorful but each pack is made from leftover fabric and offcuts that would otherwise fill up landfills. The flow rate of the nozzles on the tops of the bottles was a little harder to quantify than the hydration bladders and their bite valves. Ospreys Talon 6 is designed primarily as a walking and running pack, but the fact it combines a respectable six litres of kit storage plus two 600ml water bottles without getting your back sweaty makes it an interesting option for mountain bikers. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Not a pack for all-day cycling but one that would great for cycling to the shops when your pockets dont cut it. Receive free emails straight to your inbox each week. All I need now is a tube and a banana taped to my top tube, goggles with my open face lid and I will be, Full Enduro. Smaller waist packs have been a favourite of fell runners long before the running hydration vest packs came along although for all but the most minimal kit requirement races the later have pretty much taken over. Comprising of a main pack with an additional front slip pocket, two spacious side pockets on the waist belt wings, two bottle holders and Ospreys signature Talon foam compression panels you can pack a fair bit into the Talon 6. For a broader range including expedition gear, visit our other store: Be the first to know about new products, offers and receive useful articles: Patagonia Women's Nine Trails Short Sleeve Running Top- Quick-Dry T-Shirt, Patagonia Women's Capilene Lightweight Quick-Dry T-Shirt, Patagonia Women's Capilene Cool Trail T-Shirt - Lightweight Quick Dry Wicking Shirt, Patagonia Women's Capilene Cool Trail Long Sleeve Shirt - Lightweight Quick Dry Wicking Shirt, Osprey Katari 1.5 Litre Mens Mountain Biking Hydration Pack, Osprey Kitsuma 1.5 Litre Women's Mountain Biking Hydration Pack, Patagonia Men's Baggies 5 Inch Lightweight Quick Drying Board Shorts, Osprey Kitsuma 3 Litre Women's Mountain Biking Hydration Pack, Osprey Talon 6 Litre Lumbar Trail Running Pack, Osprey Tempest Women's 6 Litre Lumbar Pack, Osprey Kitsuma 7 Litre Women's Mountain Biking Hydration Pack, Osprey Katari 7 Litre Mens Mountain Biking Hydration Pack. It also has little features like the non-scratch pocket and the fold away bottle holders that make it such a well-executed pack for cyclists. Much like Ospreys conventional range of mountain bike backpacks, the Talon 6 is really well made, with plenty of tough ripstop nylon material used throughout. Cleaning the Osprey Hydraulics water bottle with a sponge. After years of mocking mates who took the bum-bag plunge years ago, I have gone and got myself a bum bag. With their AirScape back-panel creating a more breathable body contact area and a Biostretch waist-belt to keep loads stable without restricting movement. This contender fell towards the bottom of the spectrum regarding ease of drinking. In terms of storage, there are two convenient zipped compartments on the wings and one large main compartment at the back of the pack that will easily hold a rain jacket and a puncture repair kit. The amount of storage you need depends on the type of riding your do. All trademarks property of their respective owners Matt Walker Out of Snowshoe with a Broken Knee Cap and Hand. Riders that boldly choose to ditch the rucksack and try a fanny pack rarely look back. We tested the Osprey Talon 6 on both day hikes and mountain bike rides. Is It Ok To Wear A Hip Pack With A Road Bike? and choose Next Day Delivery at the checkout. The Talon 6 is a luxurious waist pack and by far and away the most comfortable I have carried in this size. We did find that as the weight of the pack decreased, as we emptied our water bottles, the comfort level of the pack increased. It is worth noting that I wore the bag just above my hips rather than on my waist and I felt it was both comfier and more stable when positioned here. So what can you pack into the Talon 6 realistically? Extra external compartments on the wings of the pack are great for quick access to essentials without having to stop. Keep hydration close at hand with the user-friendly Osprey Talon 6 Waistpack that lets you pack all your essentials and features an AirSpace back panel which provides ventilation and support for long-lasting comfort. Summer sale going on now - 40% off select items! And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. When bent at the waist, we found the pack to feel top heavy, leaning off of our back putting extra pressure on our stomach and making for a relatively uncomfortable riding experience. Competitors that topped the comfort charts and offer a bigger sized pack include the Platypus Duthie A.M., our Editors' Choice winner, as well as the Osprey Syncro 12 and Deuter Compact EXP. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support, Lightweight, inexpensive, good for hiking, bottles easy to fill and clean, surprising amount of storage, Uncomfortable for mountain biking, limited water storage capacity. The over-the-sink hang test didn't work for the water bottles, so real-world testing was the only way to see how they worked. Taking a drink is as simple as reaching behind you and pulling a bottle out of its sleeve before putting it up to your mouth, pulling the nozzle open with your teeth and squeezing water out of it. If I tightened up the straps to reduce that happening then they became really rather constrictive and uncomfortable across my gut. Turning their attention from motos to mountain bikes, the USWE Zulo 6L Waist Belt has a minimalist design that manages to somehow hide an abundance of organizational pockets for neatly carrying gear. That being said, there is plenty of room to carry a light jacket, extra layers, first aid, food, as well as mountain biking paraphernalia. selected Other top scorers for storage are the Platypus Duthie A.M. and Gregory Nano 18 H2O. Nukeproof Add Four Limited Edition Frame Kits With Shock Options. The front slip pocket contains a key clip which is useful but I feel would be better placed in a side pocket. (LogOut/ To be fair, waist packs like this have lost a lot of their stigma, as more and more people adopt them as a way to ride without the restrictions of a back pack. There are far better options of trail runners Osprey themselves have their Duro range that has recently been revamped with an improved Waist pack the Duro Dyna Belt that is likely far more suited to your trail running needs if youre not opting for a hydration vest. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. We feel that the Talon 6 is best suited to shorter length day hikes due to the 6-liter storage capacity and limited water carrying capability. Best Bike Fanny Packs Waist Storage Guide, 4. No ads. They also take a bit of a knack to undo on the move. If you are only doing short rides then it makes sense to look for a smaller fanny pack that has enough storage for some gels and tools. I tried the Talon 6 on a few occasions for trail running but unless you skipped the bottles altogether it just bounced too much for comfort. CamelBak Repack LR 4 Hydration Pack (Best Hydration System), 5. In addition to two external water bottle holders, there is also the option of a bladder. One of the nice things about water bottles is that there is no difficult-to-clean hose or bite valve that is likely to hold onto and hide bacteria. There is no internal hydration bladder but the two side water bottle holders are easily accessible. Pack Light sells the lightest and most compact adventure and travel gear from the world's best outdoor brands! With keys in the front pocket I was reluctant to place either sunglasses or a phone in there for risk of scratching them. At a retail price of $75.00, we feel that the Osprey Talon 6 is a good value for the right consumer. Power is also put in the hands of the seamstress making the packs and the upshot is that no two are the same. Whilst storage is important, the most important thing to consider is how the bag sits when you are riding, particularly when you are riding down rough trails. When using the bungees to secure the bottles in the pack you also have the additional step of unhooking the bungee from around the nozzle to remove it. The AirScape back-panel aids breathability a little but the reality is that anything worn tight against your body is going to limit evaporation of sweat significantly so dont expect miracles but it certainly improves over just a plain back-panel with its die cut pattern of grooves allowing some circulation of air as you move.