Hydrapak have upped their game to produce this tough but lightweight pack that doesn’t quite scrape in under the budget barrier any more but still performs well.
We easily found homes for everything in the multitude of pockets but there aren’t any that can be accessed on the move.
The mesh-backed shoulder straps have Hypalon reinforcement – the same semi-rigid, strong material that CamelBak use to anchor their harness.
As a result, the Big Sur copes far better with heavy loads than we expected it to, even though the removable waist strap offers little in the way of load bearing.
There’s a Hydratunes port for running your headphone cable safely out of harm’s way but no soft pocket for the MP3 player.
The pack comes with Hydrapak’s slide-top bladder, complete with an incontinent bite valve that’s all too easy to knock open while riding.