Scott Trail Hipbelt FR’5 review

Scott's lightweight Trail Hipbelt FR'5 promises a solution for when you have too much kit for your pockets but not enough to warrant taking a backpack with you.

It features internal mesh sleeves and offers five litres of capacity, so there’s ample room for some food, tools and a light shell in this featherweight hip pack.

There's even a loop so that you can carry your knee pads.

Scott Trail Hipbelt FR'5 details

Internally, the main pocket features a couple of half-width mesh sleeves, and one deeper full-width sleeve, but otherwise is uninterrupted.

I just managed to squeeze a 254mm-long pump into the pocket, angled from corner to corner.

With a pump stored, there was still room for a thin jacket, multi-tool, snacks and inner tube if necessary.

There are two hip pockets: an easily opened zipped one big enough for a tube, and a Velcro-closed one, which doubles as a bottle carrier. However, I needed to use the compression strap to ensure a secure hold of a bottle.

I like the sleeve pocket at the back of the pack. It's handy for safe phone storage, and the material is baffled to give extra volume. Two loops underneath allow knee pads or elbow pads to be carried.

The waistband relies on Velcro to secure it, with no back-up clip. The Velcro is fairly fine in terms of its little hooks. I’d suggest keeping this clean to ensure longevity of performance.

Elastic wings attach the body of the pack to the waistband, adding comfort. Its broad construction aids stability on rougher trails.

Scott Trail Hipbelt FR'5 performance

The material is fairly weatherproof, so kit stays dry on splashy rides, but prolonged rain will seep in.

The rip-stop material cleans up easily with a brush and hose, but if you pick the white version of the hip pack, be aware that it might not look so crisp after winter use.

I found the broad waistband a little bulky when leant forward on cross-country bikes, and riders with a broader waist may find the band doesn’t sit nicely between hip and stomach.

While I had no issue with the strap undoing, I found my 31in waist as slim as it could go – much thinner and there may not be enough Velcro overlap for a secure hold.

The back panel is flexible, so it hugs your lower back nicely. It’s not quite as well ventilated as some of the best hip packs for mountain biking, but it’s also not a sweat soak.

Its thin and flexible nature aids comfort – it feels natural against the back – but harder items can just about be felt through the back if it’s not packed with care.

Scott Trail Hipbelt FR'5 bottom line

The Trail Hipbelt FR'5 accomplishes its aim of providing ample storage for rides when you have too much kit to fit in your pockets, but a backpack would be overkill.

Its five-litre capacity means there's plenty of room, the internal mesh sleeves are useful and material quality is good if not entirely waterproof.

The waistband is broad and of decent quality and it's a bonus to have a method of carrying your knee or elbow pads.

However, the limited sizing options could be an issue for riders with thinner waists and you'll need to pack carefully to avoid feeling pointy objects through the material.