CAMELBAK CHASE 8L VEST WITH FUSION RESERVOIR

£140 www.camelbak.co.uk

We raved about CamelBak’s 4l Chase ‘vest’ when we reviewed it back in 2021 and, so far, the bigger version hasn’t disappointed. The bulk of the pack is made from light but tough ‘DimensionPolyant LS07’ sailcloth fabric. This adds a bit of weatherproofing, but don’t expect the contents to stay completely dry in a downpour. There’s enough space inside to carry kit for a big day out on the trails.

The main pack has a decent-sized front pocket with mesh organisers, which is great for stowing tools securely. Behind this is a stash-style overflow pocket, which relies on stretch from the mesh panels and the connected shoulder straps to keep the contents secure, as it doesn’t have a zip. We’ve ridden with a jacket stowed here for months now and it’s stayed put. It’s also a handy place to wedge pads or food on long pedals. A larger main pocket will happily house a mini pump, spares and provisions.

There’s also a dedicated compartment for CamelBak’s new 2l Fusion bladder, which is easy to fill and has the best lockable mouthpiece available anywhere. Further storage can be found on the broad shoulder straps, where you can easily stash your phone inside the zipped pocket or, like us, use it to hold a tyre plug kit and multi-tool for quick repairs. The stash-style pocket on the other strap is great for snacks

Alongside those wide, load-spreading shoulder straps, two chest straps help ensure that, just like the smaller 4l version, this bigger bag is incredibly stable while riding, even when fully laden. It’s really comfortable, too, but you do need to pack carefully. That’s mainly down to the soft, malleable back panel. Because this isn’t as firm as on some packs, stuffing awkward-shaped items in carelessly can leave the Chase 8L bulging and feeling a little uncomfortable. Pack properly, though, and this isn’t an issue. The back panel isn’t massively airy so can get quite sweaty. On the plus side, the pack isn’t as long as many, so that sweat patch won’t be as big.

While there’s no knocking the comfort, fit or stability of this pack, our one niggle is that the securing loop for the bladder broke after just a few rides (as it did on another sample we saw). Thankfully, the bladder is reinforced so it doesn’t just slump to the bottom of the bag, which means we’ll (just about) forgive CamelBak for this. Rob

A great pack that’s stable, comfortable and well-thought out. One minor niggle aside, we really like using the Chase 8L