High Sierra Wahoo Hydration Pack Review
Background and design:
When you're on the trail for the day, two of the last things you want to worry about are having enough space to pack what you need and having to find a place to refill your dihydrogen monoxide stock.
Available through Amazon
here, this was another Woot! purchase for me. I chose this bag because I was looking for a larger reservoir after having to stop too frequently to refill my much smaller CamelBak pouch while adventuring.
The bag itself is rated at 14 Liters and can hold a 2 Liter water reservoir. It's not overly large at 18.25"x 9.25"x 7" and weighs in at just under 2 pounds without the bladder.
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| The Wahoo in all of its awesome |
One of the many great features of this pack is the pockets on both sides of the waistband, shown above. The pockets are large enough to hold an energy bar or other small items, and the padding on the inside of the waistband is thick enough to keep what you have stored from poking you too much. In addition to the waistband, a chest strap is also included to prevent your load from shifting around.
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| The 2-liter reservoir |
I am a fan of the High Sierra reservoir design; the top opens all of the way for easy filling and cleaning. And this model comes with a tube insulator, which I have found makes a huge difference, that keeps you from having to suffer through a full tube's worth of sun-heated water.
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| High Sierra's reservoir retention methods |
Another fantastic feature of this pack is the multiple methods to hang your reservoir. It includes a hook, carabiner, and two hook-and-loop straps to secure your water pouch, making it compatible with other brands of water reservoirs if you are so inclined.
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| Tire pump slot? |
This pack is so chock-full of features, I'm not even sure what this slot is for... let me know in the comments. I've just been using it to hold my writing pens while I ride.
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| Front pocket |
In addition to the nicely sized main compartment, there is a front pocket that easily fits most, if not all, of your everyday carry accessories. And the lanyard hook makes it easy to get to your keys in a hurry.
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| A spot for a flasher |
While I plan to use this pack plenty on short hikes, it is clear that it was made with biking in mind. The above pictured leather strap is perfectly placed to clip on a red flasher for riding at night.
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| Doing what it does best |
The most attractive feature, by far, about this bag to me is that it is designed to hold a standard-sized helmet without compromising any of its functionality as a backpack and hydration pack. The helmet is held steady in place by adjustable clips, and the compartment can be compressed when not in use.
The Brass of it:
Pros- Bike-friendly with a large hydration bladder and a place to stow your helmet when it's not on your head.
Cons- I'll report back as soon as I come across any.
Summation:
If you're looking for a bike-friendly adventure bag, you'll be hard-pressed to find better than the Wahoo. Its many features and smaller size make it the perfect companion for day hikes and bikes combined. The 2 Liter hydration bladder provides enough water to keep you going through the warmest of those South Texas days, and the added feature of having a place to put your helmet instead of leaving it with your bike makes it all the better.
Do you have a favorite adventure bag? Let us know in the comments.
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Dustin, your review is very helpful in saving the newbie a great expense with the newbie trial and error in selecting the best equipment.
ReplyDeleteMy go to bag for day hikes and mountain biking has been the Camelbak Blowfish. The cool feature, it has a zipper that expands the pack so more goodies can be packed.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should have a face-off between the two bags. ;-)
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