Review: Evoc FR Trail 20L Pack

Without doubt Evoc make some of the finest mountain bike / snowsports backpacks on the market today. They are stylish practical and most importantly ridiculously comfortable when your riding a bike.

We have had the FR Trail bag from Evoc on test for a while and now the time has come to share some opinions of how we’ve got on...

You may be of the belief that Evoc make a whole range of colourful rucksacks that are “ok” if you’re into a bit of cycling at the weekends. You couldn’t really be much further from the truth.

Delve a little deeper you will find all the bags have a whole host of features that really take the bags up a notch in both the practicality and safety stakes over some of the other options out there.

First Impressions

When the bag first arrived at the desk my first impressions I was taken aback by quite how many zips and pockets there were. I knew it would take me a while to work out where everything should go and more importantly remember where it was when out on the trails and required in an emergency. I was blown away by the build quality.

The liteshield back protector was something that I hadn’t ever come across before and it certainly interested me as a great innovation into a rucksack.

I always feel a bit guilty that I don’t run as much protection as I could but almost 100% of the time I spend on a bike I carry a bag with me. The integrated liteshield back protector is one less thing to worry about.

It has a great waist belt and chest strap to make sure even when you’ve loaded up your bag with the full 20L it won’t be bouncing around when your riding.

It has a whole lot of promise and I couldn’t wait to see if it fulfills its potential on the trails.

Technology

The FR Trail is constructed in the majority from ripstop Nylon with a PU coating to give it some level of waterproofing.

The bag has a 20L capacity in the M/L size that we had on test. If you take the smaller S size you only get 18L and obviously if you use a L/XL, Evoc kindly squeak a bonus 2L of space to bring the total up to 22L.

The pack is fully compatible with hydration systems up to 3L with a designated pocket out of the main cavity of the bag that features a sensible hose routing to keep things tidy and working effectively. We were a little surprised for a bladder not to be included with the bag.

The FR trail features a versatile helmet carry pouch that is great if you are ever running with 2 helmets at an Enduro race or a red hot day and you still want the added protection from a full face. The pouch enables you to lock the helmet tight down and it won't rattle around when things get wild.

As I mentioned earlier the bag features an integrated but removable back protection system called Lightshield. This technology has its roots in the motorcycle industry. The best thing with the light shield protector is that it doesn’t feel like you have a piece of ply board strapped to your back which spine protection has a tendency to. The protector is flexible and bends to the contours of your spine to the level that almost forget the pack has a protector in.

I have used the pack both with and without the pad for the purpose of the test and I would say if anything it’s actually more comfortable with it inside as it gives the back of the rucksack some more shape.

There’s loads of adjustability with the straps to ensure it has the best fit on your back possible. The waist belt is also more sophisticated than average with its elastic neoprene construction that is held shut with Velcro and acts as a kidney belt. It also has a more recognizable webbing strap to keep things in place. This is one of the most comfortable waist belt arrangements I think I have ever used with any rucksack.

At the base of the bag there is a raincover pocket that encloses 2 straps that allow you to attach knee/elbow pads to the bottom of the bag out of the way as well as a rain cover that is of decent size. So much so you could put it to use over the top even when there’s a trail helmet in the carrier on the front.

The Ride

As a bag when out on the trails the FR trail is brilliant. It’s got loads of space for all tools, food, protective gear and quite possibly the kitchen sink if you really deem it necessary. It truly is a fantastic option for a daypack.

No matter how fast you enter the roughest terrain it won’t bounce around even thanks to all the highly adjustable and versatile straps .

The only thing I did begin to notice. When undertaking really steep trails as I tilted my head back to keep looking further down the trails I would catch the rear of my helmet at the top of the bag and consequently it would lift both my Urge All-M and Troy Lee D2 off my head slightly which was both uncomfortable and incredibly unnerving as all of a sudden my vision dropped to zero as I got an eyeful of chin guard in the case of the D2.

Obviously this will only be a problem with certain helmets and how steep the trails you usually ride. I must stress this was only a problem at the incredibly steep end of the spectrum which if I’m honest it’s a little more extreme than the terrain I’d normally meet on the average day long ride.

It’s not applicable for the vast majority of users out there but you are able to buy an additional “Camera Block” to go inside this bag that converts it into one of the most all singing all dancing camera bags going. I nearly always carry my camera gear while riding so this is a dream upgrade for me and I will no doubt be looking to buy this extra as soon as possible. You can get some more details on the Camera block here… www.evocsports.com/camera-block

The Bottom Line

The bag is absolutely awesome and I get the impression once you have used an Evoc bag once you will never want to go back. The build quality means it will last a life-time even with some crashes and mistreatment.

It is quite a lot of money. £129.95 to be precise. This is an awful lot when you consider it also doesn’t come with a bladder but I can’t insist on how much this backpack has impressed me.

My views went from “Expensive rucksack with some cool bike related features” when it first arrived with me to “Absolute riding necessity worth every penny” as I write this review.

If you ever see me out on the trails you will probably see the trusty Evoc FR Trail installed on my back.

The Evoc FR Trail offers unbelievable comfort and performance with the added piece of mind of an integrated lightshield back protector. There’s even enough space to pack the kitchen sink!

Angus McIntosh

For more information follow the link to Evoc’s site. Evoc are distributed in the UK by Silverfish UK.

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