Dakine Session 8L Hydration Pack

Nothing beats riding without a pack but for the rides that are a little bit longer than you can stretch it, or if you're not the type to strap a tube and stick a shot block to your frame, you might have to use some sort of pack. Enter the Dakine session 8L pack which gives you enough room for some basic gear and almost 70 oz in the bladder.

I've had this pack for a year now and it has held up to the general abuse of riding. A couple of cool features has helped it replace my old, larger backpack. First off, the breathable shoulder straps and a slick, raised foam pad that takes the pack off your back.  This brings some fresh air to your back and prevents a river of sweat from working its way south down your crack.

Next the pockets and straps. I'm glad that the pack isn't loaded with exterior straps galore or cargo pockets bulging off the sides.  If that's what you need, look elsewhere. Here the pockets carry just enough of what I need which ends up being my multi-tool, compact pump, tube, snack bar and phone. 

While the pack is comfortable, the strap placement across your waist feels a bit odd since the compact nature of the pack raises the straps above the waist and can rub against the ribs.  I've gotten used to it but it was noticeable at first and again speaks to the minimalist nature of design as backpacks that rest on your waist can help distribute the weight of a heavier pack off just your shoulders.

As a budget minded enthusiast, the price is on the reasonable end of things and the styling is good.

If you are pretty good at carrying just the bare essentials, the breathable Dakine Session 8L "looks like" a pretty good bet.