Best Hydration Pack for Mountain Biking

When you are mountain biking and racing up and down mountains, you might forget to keep hydrated. However, staying hydrated is vital when you are doing extreme physical activity such as mountain biking.

You could rig and mount a bunch of water bottles to your bike, but usually, they get in the way and fall off. So, a much better option that is a high-quality hydration pack.

However, there are literally thousands of hydration packs on the market to buy, so finding the right one can be challenging. However, this article reviews five of the best hydration packs for mountain biking to get you started in your search. So let’s get right to it and look at some of the best options you have to choose from.

​Best Hydration Pack For Mountain Biking: Reviews

Thule Vital MTB Hydration Pack

Thule is a high-end brand known for producing some of the most functional and durable sports and exercise equipment, among many other types of products. This hydration pack is relatively expensive, but we are big fans of the old saying, you get what you pay for, and what you get is comfort, functionality, and long-lasting durability.

First, this is a two-in-one system with a large water reservoir that can hold 1.75 liters of water and a few storage compartments that together can hold around 3 liters of goods. Therefore, you can stay hydrated while biking and take along your other essential goods and gear.

In addition, the side pockets are very easy to access, and you don’t have to take the bag off to get into them. Finally, this pack has a low center of gravity, which allows you to stay balanced and allows for excellent weight distribution.

There is also a magnetic hose return system, so you never have to worry about the hose flopping around and getting in your way. Also, there is a valve on the front, so no water leaks out unless you suck on it.

While this hydration pack is extremely durable, one of the most significant benefits is that the materials are very well ventilated, which means that your back gets a good deal of airflow. Moreover, the materials used to make this hydration pack are incredibly lightweight, so they won’t weigh you down too much.

​CamelBak ​MTB Hydration Pack

Suppose you are looking for a very small and lightweight hydration pack that will keep you hydrated on relatively short rides and isn’t too expensive. If that’s the case, this is an excellent option from CamelBak.

However, what should be said is that the water reservoir is only 1.5 liters. Now 1.5 liters is fine for a 2, 3, or 4-hour ride, but it certainly won’t do well for an all-day ride.

On the other hand, the benefit of a small system is that it is also lightweight; when it’s empty, you will barely notice it on your body. In this sense, it’s very comfortable and ideal for biking.

On a side note, although this hydration is is small and lightweight, it has a Big Bite™ valve that delivers 20% more water per sip. In addition, the HydroLock™ valve shuts the water off, ensuring that it is leak-free.

The materials that hold the pack are exceptionally well ventilated so that your back never gets too hot and sweaty. Moreover, the lightweight, breathable, and adjustable mesh shoulder straps help make things more comfortable.

Finally, we like how this product is pretty durable. On that note, it also comes with a full lifetime guarantee in the event there are defects.

Unfortunately, this hydration pack does not have much storage. However, it does have several small, zippered pockets for things like your keys, wallet, and other small essentials.

​Leatt DBX MTB Hydration Pack

This is another high-end hydration pack that has a very large water reservoir. It is made with durable materials, is very comfortable, and looks stylish. However, we must point out that this is the most expensive unit on our list. Although it’s not cheap, it excels in almost all aspects, and it has several sport-related features and extras.

One of the most impressive things about this hydration pack is that it comes with a 2-liter water reservoir, which should be enough for about half-a-day or long-distance rides.

Moreover, this hydration pack also has a 3-liter storage compartment to store your most important essentials. There are mesh pockets on the shoulder straps. In addition, there’s a dry bag for your phone.

This hydration pack’s quality materials should last for many years. Although this pack is durable, it is also very lightweight with excellent ventilation, particularly in the shoulder straps. The shoulder straps are made out of mesh, making them highly breathable so you won’t get too hot.

In terms of overall comfort, durability, size, and functionality, this has to be one of the best overall hydration packs for mountain biking, if you don’t mind paying the price.

​Henty Enduro Backpack

This is yet another relatively high-end and expensive hydration pack. This Henty Enduro can hold a whopping 3 liters of water, making it the largest unit on our list regarding water storage. It is durable, comfortable, and more. This pack is ideal for long mountain biking journeys, potentially for the whole day.

However, although the Henty Enduro can hold 3 liters of water, it does not have much extra storage space. Instead, there are small pockets around the waist strap, making it kind of like a quick access tool belt. It enables you to store small items like phones, wallets, and keys, but there is no single compartment that can hold larger items.

In addition, the Henty Enduro comes with lumbar, hip, and kidney impact protection, so it will never bang into your back and cause pain. This has to be one of the hydration packs out there regarding its ergonomic design and overall comfort.

Moreover, this hydration pack’s materials are lightweight, with your back getting a lot of ventilation. The shoulder straps are well-padded and soft, as well as adjustable, although not quite as breathable as the mesh shoulder straps on other products we looked at. Finally,  there’s an adjustable chest strap for added support.

Zofow ​Cycling Hydration Pack

This is a relatively affordable combination backpack and hydration pack for active people. The backpack is about as large as any other standard-size backpack, with a 15-liter compartment and various smaller compartments to store all of your essentials.

Therefore, this is an ideal pack for an all-day journey. In addition, this model features a 2 -liter water reservoir, which is quite large, although not massive. Therefore, this pack can be used for all-day journeys based on the reservoir size alone. However, you will likely need to refill it about halfway through the day.

In addition, the hydration pack is insulated, which means that water stays cold, so you don’t have to drink water that has been baking in a hot plastic bag.

Zofow designed this hydration pack to be ergonomically friendly, as it has large and well-padded straps and a padded back panel to help keep you comfortable. However, this hydration backpack is big, which means it’s heavy, and the outer materials aren’t very breathable. In addition, there may be some durability concerns, but this is still the most budget-friendly option on the list today.

Buyer’s Guide

Before buying a hydration pack for mountain biking, you should be aware of a few purchasing factors:

Reservoir Size

Perhaps the most important thing is how large the water reservoir is. These generally ranged from 1 liter to 4 liters in size. Generally speaking, a 1-2 liter reservoir is ideal for a half-day bike ride, whereas for a full-day outing, you may want something larger unless you’ll be able to refill along the way.

Storage Capacity

Good hydration packs should be able to do more than just store water, as you can see from our reviews today. Most of them have additional storage capacity for your goods. For example, if you plan on going for a full-day bike ride, you will want a good deal of storage capacity for all of your essentials and maybe energy bars for consumption along the way.

Weight

Keep in mind that water and your essentials can get pretty heavy, so the backpack itself should be as lightweight as possible. However, keep in mind that the lighter the bag is, generally speaking, the less durable it will be. So try to go for a good mix of lightweight durability.

Adjustability and Support

You should get well-padded shoulder straps to prevent your shoulders from hurting. Moreover, an adjustable chest strap doesn’t hurt either. Some models feature lumbar support as well as impact protection.

Breathability

Finally, remember that you can get hot when mountain biking, so the backpack should be as breathable as possible.

Related read: What to Wear When Mountain Biking?

​C​onclusion

After going through these five products, we think that the Henty Enduro Backpack is the best hydration pack on our list. It may be the most expensive, but it is also the largest, most comfortable, durable, and stylish pack we’ve seen in a long while.