Dakine Shuttle Hydro-Pack Review

At times I like to just go out and ride without the worry of packing everything: tools, spare clothes and so forth. However there's one thing that I always need on a ride whatever the length and that's water, there's not that many packs that are tailored this way for the FR market until recently. Dakine stormed into the scene around 2003 as a relative newcomer to biking, bringing with them superbly designed packs which held up to the rigours of freeride usage unlike some, which shall remain nameless. Their range is very impressive, catering for pretty much every mountain biking discipline and price range. The shuttle is at the cheaper and smaller end of the spectrum coming in at £35.00, the quality of the bag though is far higher than the price may suggest. The bag comes in numerous colour combinations, of which I went for the digital camouflage one. The design is a simple affair but well made, featuring reinforced stitching in specific areas and the entire bag is made of 630-denier nylon. So it’s not going to fall apart hopefully after some use. It's not toughest bag I've used but it will hold up for the usage it's designed for. The straps are nice and wide and lightly padded, they are also anatomically curved so they don't chafe or dig in, the chest straps glide on internal plastic rails so are fully adjustable and the hose can be routed on the left or the right strap and is firmly held down with a clip to stop it flapping around when not being used. The main compartment houses the 2-litre reservoir, leaving little room for anything else, but a mini pump. The top features a zippered fleece lined sunglasses compartment, also good for a phone. Underneath of that there is a very large pocket sadly with no way to close it though, which causes an issue with what do with it. You risk putting stuff in it with the possibility of it falling out, though it's not difficult to stick a piece of Velcro to either side so it does close. Ironically on the top of that pocket there is a zipped one, which can hold a multi-tool and a spare tube albeit just, if you wanted to. On the top of the zipped pocket it features a traditional bungee cord system though I don't like it on a pack anyway, like this it’s great for holding a waterproof or would be if you could fit one under it. The cords don’t stretch enough and there’s not enough length on them. If I pulled them any tighter to stretch them, I would risk ripping them out of their mounting loops. Its an easy enough job to rethread it with longer bungee cord but that’s added hassle. The reservoir is a good quality affair and is £20 on its own. It is treated to inhibit mould and bacteria-growth and all parts are replaceable should anything happen to it, also it doesn’t leak. The unit itself is well made with two punched holes for hanging it to dry and a big fill hole with a lip for holding it, it is however too small to get a hand in there to clean it out. The pack overall is great if you just want it to hold water and the very bare essentials, it sits well on the upper back its very well ventilated with close cell foam padding shaped to lift the pack off of your back so it doesn't get too hot. It features a chest strap and removable sternum straps held on by velcro tabs, so there is very little chance of this bag moving when it's on your back and it feels really comfortable too. I’ve been using the pack since January and overall I'm pretty happy with it, bar the small complaints I've listed above, the only other two little issues I have with it is firstly the reservoir as nearly all are is a pain to clean and dry. The second minor issue is that the right strap has pulled a little and this is especially prevalent when it’s fully loaded. So just be careful with how much you put in it. In conclusion then, the pack's not designed for a day out on the trails, it's designed for when you want to session the local quarry or woods without lugging everything with you, except the kitchen sink. The bag also has a lifetime warranty as all Dakine bags do which is testament itself to their durability. For short rides I'd fully recommend it, for anything longer than a few hours, look at the Drafter or the Apex which are the two bigger packs and judging by the quality of the Shuttle, I would recommend them if you need something larger. © 2008 Review by Johnathan Clark