When it comes to carrying gear while biking, there’s lots of options and lots of factors to consider. So much depends on whether you鈥檙e riding a hot lap, an all-day epic, if you have in-frame storage, or if you鈥檙e just riding gravel with some single-track connections. Our testers have done the leg work (pun intended)鈥攂iking up and down the West Coast on mountain bikes, across the Cascades on gravel bikes, embarking on multi-day adventures in the heat of the Utah high desert鈥攖o find the best solutions for your hip pack, riding pack/vest, and frame bag needs.

At a Glance

• Best On-Bike Storage:
• Best High-Capacity MTB Pack:
• Best Vest-Style Riding Pack:
• Best Hip Pack:
• Editor’s Favorite:
• How We Test
• Meet Our Lead Testers

Best On-Bike Storage

Mission Workshop On-Bike Storage System

Mission Workshop On-Bike Storage System

Pros and Cons
鈯� Easy to attach to bicycle frame
鈯� Easy access
鈯� Weather-resistant
鈯� Sold as a bundle or separately
鈯� Made in the USA
鈯� Universal size may not fit all frames
鈯� Expensive

Over the years, I have tried a variety of on-bike storage bags for both daily use and multi-day bike pack trips. My needs (in order of priority) are: durability, ease of access while riding, resistance to elements, and style. The on-bike storage system designed by Mission Workshop (Toro Handlebar Bag, Mission Saddle Bag, and Slice Frame Bag) meets all these criteria, including style. All three bags feature the X-PAC fabric (nylon face fabric with strategic fiber reinforcement, internal film, and backing taffeta), which is durable, water-resistant, and cleans up easily. The zippers were designed for ready access while pedaling, thanks to frame placement and wide zipper pulls, and the bags fit securely on most gravel and mountain bikes with no noticeable frame rubbing or wear. The bags have ample capacity for snacks, tools, phone, extra gloves, a light shell, and a spare tube.

Overall, I loved this system approach and was impressed with the quality and design. I may not need all three bags for every one of my gravel or dirt adventures, but I loved the ability to tailor my cargo carrying needs based on location, length of ride, and weather.

Best High-Capacity MTB Pack

CamelBak HAWG 20

Total Capacity: 20 L (3 L Bladder)
Weight: 1190 g

Pros and Cons
鈯� Well-designed storage pockets
鈯� Adjustability for different torso lengths
鈯� Bladder included
鈯� Expensive

CamelBak鈥檚 updated HAWG 20 is a comfortable, Mary Poppins鈥搇ike riding pack designed for long days and epic rides. The pack has 20 liters of capacity: 17 liters for cargo and a three-liter water bladder. The back panel has air channels for breathability, a vented mesh harness, a hip belt with zippered cargo pouches, a helmet carry, and an integrated tool roll. The back panel on the pack is adjustable for different torso lengths, and like most CamelBak packs, the sternum strap and harness allow for an individualized fit. It also includes a slot for the optional back protection panel (sold separately) for rowdy riders looking for extra protection.

I tested this bag on a four-day shoulder season mountain biking adventure on the White Rim Trail in Utah, where we encountered rain, snow, and mud, and was extremely impressed with the comfort and storage capacity. It easily allowed me to organize and stash everything I needed for long days on the bike in the elements.

Best Vest-Style Riding Pack

Nathan TrailMix 2.0 12 Liter Hydration Pack

Total Capacity: 12 L (1.5L Bladder)
Weight: 397 g

Pros and Cons
鈯� Lightweight and low profile
鈯� Bladder included
鈯� Lots of storage pockets for snacks
鈯� Hose is affixed to bladder

The best bike packs might not even be true bike packs. It only occurred to me last year to use running vests on mountain bike rides, and to my surprise, I loved it. The Nathan Trail Mix 2.0 is a sweet little vest-style pack. Its roll-top design maximizes storage, and it features a back zippered pocket with a 1.5-liter water bladder/hose, stretch mesh pockets on rear and front, and a bungee strap system on the back. If you prefer to remove the bladder, you can also stash 20-ounce flasks in any of the four front stretch and compress pockets. The pack was super breathable, easily adjustable, and was big enough to carry all the necessities as well as ample water for a one- to three-hour ride. For those who are not into fanny packs but want to add a little extra storage without a full-blown pack, the TrailMix is well worth a look.

Best Hip Pack

High Above The Venture

Total Capacity: ~2.2 L (No Bladder)
Weight: 282 g

Pros and Cons
鈯� Durable, stylish, high-quality pack
鈯� Sleek design
鈯� Not designed for a water bladder
鈯� Exterior quick-draws are an additional cost

The Venture, from Seattle-based High Above, is our go-to hip pack. This quietly stylish but thoughtfully designed item is another made-in-the-USA product. The Venture is 2.2 liters and crafted from robust Challenge Ecopak EPLX fabric, utilizes Fidlock buckles for a super secure and easy-to-use closure, and features three interior pockets as well as an external zippered pocket for organization. Additionally, you can deploy the included accessory straps to lash armor or a jacket to the Venture, and add two different water bottle types to the pack wings for longer rides via the bottle sleeve or quick-draw (the quick-draw model is $30 more). This bulletproof pack, with its compact design, easy-to-access opening, and removable Bottle Rocket, was designed with enduro racing in mind, but it鈥檚 perfectly sized for all the essentials for your average length mountain bike ride and then some.

Editor’s Favorite Riding Pack

EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3

Total Capacity: 4.5 L (1.5 L Bladder)

Weight: 308 g

Pros and Cons
鈯� Designed for water bottle storage or bladder usage
鈯� Unique waist belt keeps pack tight and secure
鈯� Affordable price point
鈯� Front pocket is difficult to close up when fully packed

The Hip Pack Pro 3 is a stylish and dialed-in pack that optimizes hydration and storage needs while prioritizing comfort. You can purchase the pack with or without the 1.5-liter bladder. For those who prefer a bottle鈥攐r those rides where 1.5 liters isn鈥檛 enough and you can鈥檛 fit a water bottle to your bike frame鈥攖here is a single bottle carrier sleeve adjacent to the main cargo pocket. The 3 liters of storage capacity is just enough for longer rides and offers well-designed compartments for quick access to the necessary tools, including front storage slots with zippered pockets and elasticized storage in the main compartment for multi-tools, spare tubes, and other necessities. There are also zippered pockets in the waist belt wings that are great for snacks. The waist belt itself is next-level in comfort and adjustability, thanks to its venting (which includes a mesh cover across the back pads to increase airflow) for the ups, as well as extra cinching for singletrack descents. This hip pack is everything you could want smashed into three liters of perfection: comfort, aesthetically appealing, and function all in one.

How We Test

• Number of Products Tested: 12
• Number of Testers: 3

Packs were selected with input from Pinkbike staff, mountain bike testers, and industry colleagues. Testing was mostly done in the vicinity of Hood River, Oregon, in the late summer through fall, with long-term testing pulled from Pinkbike staff feedback. All the testers are accomplished cyclists who spend a lot of time in the saddle riding, coaching, or racing.

The main trails where we tested in Hood River include the iconic Post Canyon system just on the outskirts of town. The Post Canyon system offers a vast network of forested trails, dropping 3,000 vertical feet from the top point, with a mix of jumps, drops, berms, and rocks. We also rode the 44 Trails system, which is about an hour south of town on the flanks of Mount Hood. The infamous Gifford Pinchot National Forest is just across the Columbia River on the Washington side, which also provided an abundance of testing opportunities.

Fall is the perfect time for testing in the Pacific Northwest, as the dry summer heat fades away and the moisture makes for some epic trail conditions. We encountered a variety of temperatures, from below freezing to uncomfortably sunny and hot.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Nikki Rohan has been mountain biking for over 20 years and testing mountain biking gear for Pinkbike for almost a decade. She resides in Hood River, Oregon, with her husband, three kids, two dogs, and a grumpy cat. She spent a chunk of time competing in enduro races in the PNW, as well as events like Trans BC, Trans Provence, Downieville Classic, Grinduro, and the occasional CX or gravel race. When she is not working or chasing her kids, you will find her on the local trails or exploring the endless forest roads.

Annick Chalier is a longtime Pacific Northwesterner. She has a passion for all things cycling and has been a mountain bike coach, raced road bikes professionally, raced cyclocross, and dabbled in some endurance mountain bike racing. Through the years of training for racing, mountain biking always remained the counterbalance to the structured intervals: a way to be creative and connect with nature, dance down the trail hootin鈥� and hollerin鈥� with friends, and find distance from the outside world by being focused on the moment with the bike.

Megan Barton started riding mountain bikes in 2017 after spending many years running silly long distances on trails. She has years of coaching for both Dirt Series and Brave Endeavours, a Hood River鈥揵ased program. When she鈥檚 not on two wheels, you can find her running, rafting, hiking, or working her day job as a nurse practitioner.

The post These Are the 5 Best Bike Packs for Every 国产吃瓜黑料 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

We鈥檙e minimalist travelers here at 国产吃瓜黑料鈥攚e don’t want any extra weight slowing us down as we explore the world. What we do like are practical gifts that make traveling easier, more convenient, and more fun. So our travel editors are revealing the items on their wish list this season鈥攁nd the gifts they’ll be giving to their favorite travelers.

I’m definitely adding that water bottle and the Hipcamp gift card to my wish list. 鈥擜lison Osius

1. Best Gadget

AirFly Pro ($55)

At first, I was skeptical of this tiny gadget. As a lightweight packer, I refuse to schlep more chargers or adapters than absolutely necessary to survive a long-haul flight. Yet this year, my husband, tech-savvy guy that he is, insisted we try the AirFly Pro Wireless Audio Transmitter/ Receiver on our trans-Atlantic trip to England. Usually, I just use the freebie headphones flight attendants hand out. But our vacation happened to fall during the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, which we watch obsessively, and I instantly became a convert to this gizmo: a pocket-sized, 15-gram transmitter that plugs into your seat-back audio jack and Bluetooths to any wireless headphones on the market.

We watched game after game on the plane鈥檚 live TV app, and time flew by. Since we had no cords to mess with, bathroom breaks were easy, and we streamed from two screens in tandem, each able to listen with both buds. The AirFly Pro has a nice 25-hour battery life as well, and now we never fly without it. This is the perfect stocking stuffer for any frequent flyer. 鈥�Patty Hodapp, senior contributing travel editor

2. Best Fanny Pack

Yeti Sidekick Dry 1L Gear Case ($40; strap is an additional $10)

Fanny packs, in theory, should make hands-free travel easier, right? Not always. My entire life I鈥檝e searched for the perfect pouch, only to be disappointed in the wild by their size, or lack of pockets, or uncomfy straps, or performance in poor weather. Enter the Yeti Sidekick Dry 1L Gear Case鈥攐fficially everything I need and more, available to use alone or with a strap.

The waterproof technology of the exterior has kept my stuff dry on brutally rainy trips in Iceland and Ireland, and is made from similar material to that of whitewater rafts, so it can take a beating. The case also floats if I accidentally drop it in water (been there, done that on a recent fly-fishing trip). And its internal mesh pockets ensure my passport, wallet, keys, phone, lip balm, and other gear stay organized.

I鈥檓 partial to the one-liter option because it鈥檚 the ideal size for me. But if you鈥檝e got a camera or bulky layers to protect, you may want the three or six liter. Don鈥檛 forget the Sideclick Strap (sold separately), which attaches to the bag so it doubles as a belt or sling. Now, you can carry your gear in comfort, worry free.鈥�P.H.

3. Best Personal Item

Longchamp Le Pliage Original M Travel Bag ($205)

I always try to carry on when I鈥檓 flying. This means that my personal item has to be incredibly efficient at holding a lot but must still fit under the seat. I have spent hours searching for the perfect backpack, but nothing has ever held as much as my nylon Longchamp tote bag does, or held up to wear and tear the same way. I jam this thing with shoes, my laptop, chargers, food, my dopp kit, you name it. The wide-top shape of the bag allows it to hold more than any other while I can still cram it under the seat. It easily attaches to my Away Carry On Suitcase, too.

The Longchamp has been on a lot of plane trips with me over the last 15 years and still looks great. It folds down to nothing when you aren鈥檛 using it and also makes a great beach, gym, or day bag once you get where you鈥檙e going. Be sure to order the shoulder strap with it, or you can to get the extract size, color, and straps you want, which is what I did. 鈥�Mary Turner, Senior Brand Director

4. Best Extra Layer

Patagonia鈥檚 Torrentshell 3L Rain Jacket ($179)

I have had a version of this Patagonia rain jacket for years, and I take it on every trip. The jacket is super lightweight and packs down to nothing. It鈥檚 great for rain protection or when you need an extra layer for warmth in cold or wind. I bought mine a size up so that I could easily layer underneath it. The Torrentshell comes in men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 versions. It lasts almost forever, too.鈥拟.罢.

5. Best Gift for Long-Haul Travelers

Resort Pass (from $25)

ResortPass, which allows you to pay a fee to use hotels for the day, is the perfect gift for travelers. Maybe there鈥檚 a hotel that you can鈥檛 afford, but you鈥檇 really love to spend a day there, or you have a long wait for your red-eye flight home from Hawaii after checking out of your Airbnb. This is where ResortPass becomes wonderfully handy. You can chill by a hotel pool instead of hanging out at the airport.

I searched for day passes in my hometown of Santa Fe and found some great deals, starting at $25, at beautiful properties. ResortPass partners with more than 1,700 hotels around the world and that list is constantly growing. It鈥檚 easy to purchase . How much I would have loved this in my backpacking days, when sometimes I just needed a little TLC and a hot shower . 鈥�M.T.

6. Best Day Spa for Travelers

Olympic Spa (gift cards from $100)

If you’re ever in Los Angeles鈥攆or a few days, overnight, or during a long layover鈥攖here’s an amazing women-only spa in Koreatown, and I鈥檝e been telling everyone about it, because it is that good. doesn’t look like much from the outside, and the website isn’t going to convince you. But let me testify: this is a spotless oasis that will leave you blissed out after a couple of hours. There are three pools (saltwater, mineral water, and cold plunge), three saunas (herbal steam, red clay, and ice, the last of which was novel but not that cold), an oxygen-therapy room with a charcoal ceiling, and鈥攎y favorite鈥攁 salt halotherapy room where the warmth thoroughly seeped into my bones.

All that would be enough, but a friend recommended the Goddess treatment ($220), and that put me over the edge: a masseuse scrubbed nearly every inch of my body, from my ears to between my toes; plied my muscles down to overcooked-noodle consistency; and moisturized me to a seal-like slickness. After I spent 105 minutes on the table, the masseuse had to guide my limbs into the bathrobe and slippers. I am returning the next chance I get. Somebody get me a . 鈥�Tasha Zemke, managing editor, 国产吃瓜黑料

7. Best Phone-Camera Accessory

Joby GorillaPod Mobile Mini Tripod ($17)

I work with 国产吃瓜黑料 Online鈥檚 astrotourism writer Stephanie Vermillion, and this past fall she recommended a tiny tripod that pairs well with smartphones. She uses her mini-tripod when shooting the northern lights and other dark-sky scenes that require long shutter-speed times with no vibrations. But honestly, I鈥檓 just tired of long-arming photos of myself and friends in beautiful places. I can tuck this accessory into my daypack鈥攊t鈥檚 about the size of a large iPhone, and weighs the same as two Hershey chocolate bars鈥攁nd then set it up, adjust its flexible legs, pop my phone into its rubber jaws, set the timer, and take a snap that鈥檚 not a blatant selfie. Just what I’m looking for. 鈥�T.Z.

8. Best Gift for Nervous Flyers

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 ($349)

Listening to music while flying helps lessen the anxiety I often feel, especially during takeoff, landing, and periods of turbulence. I was gifted these excellent noise-canceling headphones a few years ago, and they were comfortable over my ears and even looked cool, but, sad to say, I left them in the seat-back pocket on a leg to Paris. I’m going to have to replace them, but I have a plan to avoid paying full price: by going to Bose鈥檚 amazing , which sells returned products at a significant discount. The brand鈥檚 tech team fixes the defects, and you’d never know the items weren’t brand-new. You also still get a year warranty. The only catch is that the item you’re seeking may not be available immediately. I just checked the shop for headphones, and they’re sold out, but upon the click of a button, I鈥檒l be notified when the next pair comes up鈥攁nd you can believe I鈥檒l wait.聽鈥�T.Z.

9. Must-Have for Star Parties

BioLite HeadLamp 425 ($60)

I always travel with a headlamp, and not just for camping and being outdoors. Headlamps are tiny and easy to pack, and I鈥檝e stayed in cabins at the Red River Gorge or in Tahoe where the rooms were so dark I needed a light to find my socks. I still have the original Biolite 330 headlamp from when it was introduced five years ago at an affordable $50: it is super light (2.4 ounces), bright, and functional; is USB rechargeable; and has an integrated design that puts the lamp flush into the headband for simplicity and comfort. It also has a strobe light for rescues and red lights for night missions.

Compared to white lights, low-intensity red ones minimizes pupil dilation, allowing better night vision; red light is also less disruptive to wildlife. Red lights are essential for star gazing, and these days everyone is going to dark-sky parks and peering at the stars, meteors, and northern lights. Recently, looking for a headlamp for my stepsister as she went off to an astrophotography class in the Tucson desert, I picked the 425. 鈥�Alison Osius, senior editor, travel

10. Best Travel Pants

The prAna Koen Pant ($95)

When I went to Abu Dhabi to see my nephew graduate from high school, my luggage was delayed for three days out of a five-day trip. So I wore the same mahogany-colored Title IX capris nearly every day as well as on all my flights, and came back loving them more than ever, which is some testament. Sadly, I later lost those red pants. Yet I hit on a match: the Koen. I bought the Koen capris (two pairs), then the Koen shorts (also two pairs), and then the pants: my new fave travel pants and apparently fave anything pants, since I just wore them to the hospital for a finger surgery.

They are lightweight, silky, stretchy, and wrinkle free, and work for anything from hiking to around town. The front pockets are flat and unobtrusive, with hidden zippers, yet deep enough to hold a phone securely if you need a quick stow, like when juggling items in the airport. The pull-on waist is ideal for comfort and upright cat naps, since it lacks zips, snaps, or external ties. The Koen is overall sleek in its lines. I am psyched that it comes in regular, short and tall versions, and am getting the long ones for my older sister, who is taller than I am and travels 70 percent of the time for her work. Don’t tell her, because it鈥檚 a surprise.鈥�A.O.

11. Best Gift for Campers

HipCamp gift certificates (starting at $75)

Wasn鈥檛 it Clint Eastwood, he of The Eiger Sanction lore, who said, 鈥淚 would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth鈥�? No, wait, Steve McQueen. Point is, with digital for booking a campsite on Hipcamp, you can give that experience. A card ushers someone into an expanding community with sites across the country and in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. And these sites are not just for a tent in a grassy lot. They are for a yurt in the middle of a flowering meadow; they are for camping, glamping, RV spots, cabins, and canvas. The gift card never expires, nor will you ever run out of places.鈥�A.O.

12. Best Soak With a View

Mount Princeton Hot Springs聽 (gift cards from $50)

The old mining town of Leadville, Colorado, sits way up there at 10,000 feet, and it鈥檚 cold. Luckily within an hour you can reach any of half a dozen hot-springs resorts, some of the nicest in the state or anywhere, to warm your bones. My sister used to live in Leadville, and when I visited we often took our young sons and let them play and soak..and maybe even slow down a little. The mountain-ringed Mount Princeton Hot Springs, in Nathrop, has geothermal springs, an infinity pool, natural creekside pools, and a view of the Chalk Cliffs on the 14,197-foot peak the property is named for. It that work for day passes, lodging, and dining.鈥�A.O.

13. Best Water Bottle for Travel

Katadyn BeFree 0.6 L Water Filter Bottle ($40)

I sure could’ve used this lightweight collapsible filtered bottle last summer for mountain hiking. On one trip with an eight-mile approach followed by a day on a peak and then the dread march out, I filled my bottles time and time again from a stream near camp, thirsty and getting careless when my filtration system took time. (Luckily I got away with it, or rather without giardia, this time.) Filtering at a rate of up to two liters of water per minute, the Katadyn is a fast and light (two ounces) system that would also be perfect for the trail runners and bow hunters in my household who don’t want to carry heavy water bottles. I would like to take the Katadyn hiking and traveling, since it鈥檚 light, packable, and makes for safe drinking.鈥�A.O.

14. Best Reading App

Everand Subscription (from $12 per month)

Whether traveling by car or air, I always download a series of audiobooks from my Everand (formerly named Scribd) app before going. With a library of more than 1.5 million ebooks and audiobooks鈥攑lus a collection of magazines and podcasts鈥攖o choose from, I never run low on options. Often, I鈥檒l base my pick on the destination: Desert Solitaire for a trip to Moab or A Walk in the Woods for a hiking adventure in Maine. Every time I board a flight, I pop in my earbuds and am fully entertained until we land. Or, since I like to sleep on planes, I might set Everand鈥檚 sleep timer to 30 minutes, and drift off by the time we finish takeoff. I love the app so much that I鈥檓 getting a subscription for my 14-year-old stepdaughter this year, too. 鈥擜bigail Wise, Digital Director

The post 14 Best Gift Ideas for the Traveler in Your Life appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

You can save hundreds鈥攊f not thousands鈥攐f dollars on technical outdoor gear if you master just one simple aspect of gear maintenance: zipper care. Even just doing the bare minimum to maintain your zippers can add five or more years of life to backpacks, fancy Gore-Tex jackets, and pricey tents. And the longer you can go without having to replace these things, the more cash you’ll have in your pocket for more important things鈥攍ike gas money, plane tickets, and breakfast burritos.

Over the years, I鈥檝e interviewed hundreds of gear experts for this column, and zippers have come up dozens of times鈥攑articularly when speaking with repair specialists鈥攁s the most important individual detail on the pieces of gear they live on. It makes sense: Zippers are a major point of weakness on most gear, and they can break easily if they’re not used correctly. Repairing them is difficult to do at home and expensive to outsource. If an ember flies onto my rain jacket and burns a hole in the shoulder, I can repair it in minutes with some and/or one of my beloved . If I break a zipper, I usually just panic.

But while it鈥檚 important to respect zippers, it鈥檚 also important not to fear them. After all, they鈥檙e simple machines that have barely changed over the past 120 years. To help demystify them, I called three of the most reputable materials and components experts I know, and asked them to share their secrets.

Here鈥檚 what you need to know about zipper care, use, and maintenance to keep your gear going year after year.

The Experts

is currently the director of research development and design for BioSkin, which makes medical braces. Before that, he spent 20 years designing gear for the likes of Cascade Designs, REI, and military uniform company Massif, where he specifically focused on trims and zippers.

has been one of my most trusted鈥攁nd refreshingly candid鈥攎aterials sources for a decade now. He鈥檚 served as global director of product merchandising and design for Mountain Hardwear, and as a senior product manager for brands like The North Face and Simms. He is currently the Global Chief of Outdoor Product at global clothing sourcing company Asmara Group.

has been a lecturer at the Royal College of Art in London鈥攕pecializing in performance sportswear and design鈥攆or nearly 13 years. Ross is an academic through and through and knows an astonishing amount about the history and functionality of zippers.

A Brief Glossary

Tape: The cloth on either side of a zipper

Teeth: The rows of little knobs that come together to create the zipper chain

Pin: The pointy piece of metal or plastic at the bottom of one side of your zipper. This is the piece you have to slot into the little box at the bottom and line up to start the zip.

笔耻濒濒:听The floppy metal or plastic tab you grab with your fingers to slide your zipper up and down

Slider: The chunky piece of metal or plastic the zipper pull is attached to. The slider goes up and down along zipper tape. Its job is to connect or disconnect the teeth as you zip and unzip.

Pin box: The pin box is the little square at the bottom of the zipper that keeps the slider from falling off. You have to insert one side of the zipper tape (the side with the pin) into this box in order to start the zipper.

Zipper Buying Tips

Look for a 鈥淵KK鈥� on the zipper

All three of my experts specifically鈥攁nd sometimes begrudgingly鈥攁greed that YKK makes a fantastic zipper. This is a brand that can be trusted for quality.

鈥淵ou’re going to mitigate 80 percent of your headaches by going with YKK because they’ve just got it dialed,鈥� Fry said. 鈥淚t’s high quality. The execution is the same almost everywhere in the world. So whether you get a jacket that’s made in Indonesia, China, or Canada, it’s going to have the same quality of feel and behavior.鈥� Fry said. Put simply: If you buy a jacket with a generic zip rather than YKK brand, your chances of failure are higher.

Test the zipper before you buy聽

If you can, get the garment in hand and get a feel for the zipper before you pull the trigger on a purchase. The zipper action should be smooth. “It should feel like liquid,鈥� said Fry. And if it feels like it鈥檚 catching or halting? 鈥淭hen it’s probably non-branded and it’s going to break,鈥� he said.

Bigger is better

If you鈥檙e looking at two competing products and one has a larger main zipper, it will probably last longer. 鈥淏igger is always better, always, every time,鈥� Fry said. Every time you use a zipper, it wears off little bits of material. Smaller teeth fail faster because they have less material to spare, and the teeth deform or round off鈥攁nd stop catching鈥攁fter fewer uses.

The difference in the weight between a #5 zipper (a zipper with teeth that measure a five millimeters in diameter when closed鈥攖he kind you might expect to see on a lightweight rain jacket) and a #10 (the kind of zipper you’re probably used to seeing on your carry-on luggage) is remarkably insignificant. But that #10 zipper is going to last a great deal longer.

Best Zipping Practices

The best way to keep your zippers in good working order is to treat them with respect. Here are our experts’ tips.

Don鈥檛 use zippers to force something shut

One of the greatest sources of user error, particularly on luggage and backpacks, is trying to use the zipper itself to leverage a piece of gear closed. 鈥淭hey’re not meant to be the closure device,鈥� Fry said. Pulling a stubborn bag shut puts a lot of force on the slider and teeth. Zippers weren’t designed to withstand that force.

鈥淶ips work really well going one-dimensionally, so straight up and down,鈥� Ross explains. Any amount of curvature introduced into the system is going to make the zipper significantly more likely to fail. A light curve, like when I zip a sweatshirt over my tummy after I have joyfully eaten an entire large pizza, is going to make it about five percent more likely to fail. If I were to put a basketball under my sweatshirt and zip it closed, the zipper is much more likely to bust. So, if you spot a bulge in your pack, fix it before trying to zip it shut to help mitigate this problem.

Brute force will only make a stuck zipper worse

鈥淚f you’re feeling resistance [in your zip], the number one thing to do is to stop and examine it,鈥� Ross said. Zippers should run smoothly, so any type of resistance at all鈥攅ven just light sluggishness as you pull up or down鈥攊s worth looking at. While this sounds very straightforward, I have to admit it鈥檚 hard to follow. In my haste, I have injured many a zipper. Ross has, too. 鈥淚鈥檓 a bloke,鈥� Ross laughs. 鈥淚f I get resistance, I pull harder.鈥� But in this case, he recommends you do as he says鈥攏ot as he does. Yanking a zipper shut is more likely to break teeth or jerk the slider off the track. And just as getting stopped for a speeding ticket makes your commute a whole lot longer, breaking your zipper is going to add more to your packing time. Slow down, and do it right the first time.

Fry also highlighted the importance of using a soft hand when zipping. 鈥淩eally make sure you take the pressure off of the zipper so that the zipper slides easily,鈥� Fry said. 鈥淚f you’re struggling with the zipper, it’s probably going to break鈥攅ither that time or the next time you use it.鈥�

Take extra time to seat your zipper

Munter takes extra care to properly seat the pin of his zipper into the box every time he zips up a jacket. If you rush the seating or don鈥檛 get the pin in all the way, it significantly increases the chances that the teeth won鈥檛 come together in a uniform manner. That makes them more likely to warp. Little micro-warpings in the teeth often lead to unfixable problems in a zipper over time.

This extra thoughtfulness around engagement in the beginning of the zipping process goes for the slider, too. Munter likes to pinch the slider against the pin box and bring it below the pin before slotting the pin into place. This creates compression that will set the start of the zip up perfectly. 鈥淚f you start all good, then you’ll function well,鈥� Munter said.

Easy Maintenance Tricks to Make Your Zippers Last

Slowing down and respecting your zips isn’t the only way to keep them going strong. They also need a little TLC every once and a while. Here’s how to keep your zippers running smoothly for years to come.

Clean your zippers

鈥�Gunk gets in the way [of the teeth] and wears your zipper down,鈥� Munter said. Over time, dirt and grit gets clogs the spaces between the teeth, preventing them from sliding together. Dirt can also create abrasion, which chips away at your zipper teeth. The answer? Regular cleaning.

According to Munter, washing your zippers with water alone isn鈥檛 enough; to really get dirt and grime out of the tiny crevices, you鈥檒l need an emusifier, like a soap or detergent. While running a jacket through the wash after using it will take care of most of the grime, it is worth getting in there with a brush and soap if you absolutely hammer a jacket with dirt on, say, a climbing trip. If the zipper you want to clean is on a tent or large bag that you wouldn鈥檛 want to run through a washing machine, Munter recommends scrubbing your tent or pack with a brush and soapy water.

Size up (or pack less)

We鈥檝e already established that zippers are terrible compression devices. The best way to remedy this is by sizing up. For jackets, think about purchasing a size big enough to comfortably pile on layers underneath it, Ross said. As for packs and suitcases? If you find yourself aggressively zipping it closed, it鈥檚 not big enough. Pack less, or buy a bigger bag.

Wax your zippers

Fry learned an invaluable zipper care lesson when he worked at Simms and watched them wax the waterproof zips on waders.

鈥淪eems silly, but anytime you’ve got a big chunky zipper, a little bit of wax can go a long way,” Fry said. “You don’t need to have liquid lubricant stain your fabric, but a hard block of a candle wax [does the trick]. As you move the zipper slider up and down, it heats up and melts the wax into the base the teeth.”

You don’t need much: A single swipe along your zipper has the dual benefit of seriously lubricating the zipping process as well as keeping out sand and grit. Both will improve your zipper’s longevity for years to come.

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The answer to the question, 鈥�Are fanny packs still cool?鈥� will always be a resounding yes for me鈥擨鈥檓 Team Hip Pack all the way (though I am aware that others are not so sure). I鈥檒l still reach for a backpack when I鈥檓 going for a long hike or have my kid with me, but for most quick outings, I think a fanny pack is the way to go. But for such a ubiquitous piece of gear, they鈥檙e not all created equally.

What Features Make Up the Best Fanny Pack?

A good fanny pack should sit nicely against the body, not pull down (or ride up), pinch, or rub, and it should have the right features and capacity for whatever you plan to do with it. A nice size for everyday essentials is in the one to three-liter range, and for moderate day outings, three to five liters is typically enough volume. For whatever you like to do, here are the ten best fanny packs that get the job done鈥攁nd look good doing it.

Best for Everyday

Fj盲llr盲ven 鲍濒惫枚 Medium Hip Pack ($55)

Volume: 2 liters
Pockets: One main compartment and one security pocket

For carrying everyday essentials, the is the only fanny pack you鈥檇 ever need. It鈥檚 functional without feeling over-designed and comes in solid muted colors that will never go out of style. The unique shape lays comfortably against the body, and looks good worn crossbody or on the waist. The main compartment has a two-way zipper and an internal mesh sleeve for organization, and the zippered security pocket on the back keeps important items like cards or a passport safe. The durable material is waterproof enough should you get caught in the rain, and though the zipper isn鈥檛 watertight, there鈥檚 a storm flap for added protection. The 鲍濒惫枚 has enough room to carry what you need for a quick hike, running errands, or traveling through the airport, but if space is a concern, there鈥檚 a ($65).

Best for Travel

Cotopaxi Allpa X Hip Pack ($75)

Volume: 4 liters
Pockets: Two large compartments and one security pocket

The is a two-compartment fanny pack with multiple mesh internal pockets that makes organizing travel items a cinch. The discreet back panel security pocket is large enough for a passport, cards, and travel docs, while the butterfly-style opening (when unzipped, the pack lays out like a book) makes packing and finding your stuff more manageable. If you’re using it as part of a travel system, the strap tucks away from sight in the back panel, allowing it to double as a Dopp kit. Other four-liter packs can be bulky, but the Allpa has a comfortable dome-like shape with side-release buckles that compress it to fit the contents. It’s especially great for camera gear because of the fully padded internal pocket. It keeps small day-trip items close at hand, and it has major style points.

Best for Day Hikes

Patagonia Black Hole Waist Pack ($69)

Volume: 5 liters
Pockets: One main compartment and one front zippered pocket

For days on the trail when you want to give your shoulders a rest or it鈥檚 just too damn hot to wear a backpack, the has enough internal storage to carry hiking essentials, two mesh water bottle pockets. It鈥檚 more banana-shaped than rectangular, so it doesn鈥檛 bounce around or pull down on the hips when loaded (compression straps help keep it snug), and the waistband doesn鈥檛 loosen while hiking. The lumbar padding adds comfort with mesh fabric that keeps it breathable enough for all-season use. The main compartment has a double zipper so you can access each side of the pack, and the internal mesh sleeve prevents small items from spilling out. We loved the small exterior pocket for our phone. The Black Hole鈥檚 durable recycled polyester ripstop fabric is treated with a TPU-film laminate, which makes it highly weather resistant against everything but a heavy downpour.

Best for Watersports

Matador Freerain Hip Pack ($60)

Volume: 2 liters
Pockets: One main compartment and one front zippered pocket

The main zippered roll-top compartment on the is fully waterproof, making this ultralight fanny pack ideal for days on the water or being out in the rain. When rolled down, it has two liters of storage, but when left unrolled (and still secured by a zipper), you get almost double the extra space. I can stuff a lot into this fanny pack for a day of paddleboarding or hanging at the beach: a packable towel, goggles, phone, keys, cards, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a few snacks. The nylon fabric is durable and ultralight, the zippers are coated with sealant, and it compresses down into a mesh sack that takes up just a few inches of space. Adjustable straps snug the fit on the fly, and though the buckles are a little delicate, the tradeoff is that it weighs next to nothing.

Best for Dog Outings

Ruffwear Home Trail Hip Pack ($45)

Volume: 1.8 liters
Pockets: Two zippered pockets and one stash pocket on the back panel

Sometimes, I wear two fanny packs: one for my kid鈥檚 crap (not literally) and another for my dog鈥檚 crap (literally). I keep them each stashed with ready-to-go essentials to get out the door more quickly. Any small hip belt will work for carrying everything you need for a dog walk, but the has a few details that make it the best for dog owners who want a dedicated pack. It wears close to the body, so it doesn鈥檛 get in the way of active play, and the internal 鈥渕ess pocket鈥� inside the main compartment keeps smelly treats or a slobbery ball separated from everything else. There鈥檚 a small external mesh pocket for dog waste bags, a quick-access stash pocket on the back panel for your phone, and the small front pocket has enough room for keys and cards.

Best for Simplicity

Dakine Classic Hip Pack ($32)

Volume: Roughly 2.5 liters
Pockets: Two zippered pockets

is a simple and versatile pouch that鈥檚 best for when you want to travel light. This small basic pack has two zippered compartments with enough room to store everything you need to run a few errands or walk the dog. It鈥檚 lightweight and durable, with an adjustable waistband and heavy-duty buckle. The belt is a little thick for the size of the fanny pack, but it鈥檚 comfortable to wear and doesn鈥檛 look excessive when worn on the waist or crossbody. Plus, it comes in a ton of colors and patterns. If you want to lean into the traditional fanny pack style, the Classic is just that.

Best for Muddy Outings

Mountain Hardwear Road Side Waist Pack ($40)

Volume: 4 liters

Pockets: One main compartment and one front stash pocket

The hard-wearing is a no-frills fanny pack that鈥檚 durably constructed and holds a ton of stuff for its size. The main compartment has a small sleeve against the back panel for stashing a wallet or keeping other small items separate, but it鈥檚 essentially one big rectangular holder that makes packing items in easier (the double zippers help, too). The Road Side is large enough for a few aluminum cans, snacks, and even a couple of small clothing items. The smaller front pocket can hold sunglasses, keys, cards, and other little things you don鈥檛 want to dig around in the main pocket to find. The tough nylon fabric is easy to wipe clean, so there鈥檚 no worry if it gets covered in mud while you鈥檙e biking or at an outdoor festival. The belt and buckle tuck into a sleeve on the back panel, so it鈥檚 also pretty travel-friendly. One ding: the thin waistband isn鈥檛 the most comfortable for long days when the Road Side is packed to capacity.

Best for Wallet Replacement

Topo Designs Mini Quick Pack ($49)

Volume: 1.7 liters

Pockets: One main compartment and one exterior zippered pocket

While other fanny packs blend in, the Mini Quick Pack stands out in the bold, vibrant colors, with a hardy shell that makes it impervious to most weather. A smaller version of the popular seven-liter ($69), it鈥檚 got room to store essentials but not much more. The main compartment is fully padded, so it鈥檚 a good spot for sunnies and a phone; plus, there鈥檚 an internal hanging pocket suitable for Chapstick and a couple of cards. The front diagonal pocket features an internal key clip, and there are a handful of other attachment points on the outside, including two bottom compression straps that you can clip onto or use to stash a packable jacket. The long rectangular shape is a bit bulky, and the thick strap is a little overkill and doesn鈥檛 stow. But all the components are high-quality, and this maximalist fanny pack is sure to last for years.

Best for Parents

No Reception Club Sidekick ($75)

Volume: 3 liters

Pockets: One main compartment and diaper wipes back pocket

lets parents carry baby essentials without lugging around a cumbersome鈥攁nd often ugly鈥攄iaper bag. For baby-wearing, it鈥檚 much easier to strap a fanny pack around your waist than deal with backpack straps or an over-the-shoulder bag. The Sidekick can fit about six diapers, hand sanitizer, a backup onesie, and a few other small items like a pacifier or teething toy. It comes with an easy-to-wipe removable changing mat, and the back panel has a diaper wipe dispenser with magnetic closure so you can open it one-handed. The Sidekick is designed to pair with the ($235), a highly compartmentalized and stylish backpack that makes traveling with baby gear more organized.

Best for Hydration

Deuter Pulse 3 Hip Pack ($115)

Volume: 5 liters
Pockets: One main compartment, one zippered front pocket, and two small zippered mesh pockets

is best suited for hikers or mountain bikers who want quick access to water without stopping. The advantage of a hip pack with a reservoir is that you won鈥檛 have a clunky water bottle shifting around while you move鈥攁nd you鈥檒l probably stay more hydrated too). The 1.5-liter hydration bladder conforms perfectly to the shape of the hip pack, filling out the back panel and wings with enough water for a few hours of hiking. Even with a full bladder, the hip pack has enough room for food, a first aid kit, and other supplies, and there are mesh pockets in the front compartment to securely stash smaller items. The ventilated back panel has breathable mesh fabric and a soft spongy lumbar pad that鈥檚 noticeably comfortable on summer days, which is why the Pulse 3 has all but replaced my backpack for hot weather use.

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