Evoc Hydro Pro 6

The Evoc Hydro Pro 6 is a small volume hydration pack that includes a 1.5 liter hydration bladder and has a total volume of 6 liters with a retail price of 200 Canuck dollars. It's like a little mini pack that sits high on the rider’s back and has enough pockets for snacks, basic tools and space for a layer. A full flip out zippered front panel opens the pack and reveals the bladder pouch, a small mesh zippered compartment and key hook. Good sized chest pockets with dual access are found on each of the straps.

Most rides in the shoulder seasons I carry a lightweight layer, snacks, tools and an emergency blanket, and had no problem fitting that all in the Hydro Pro 6. There is a dedicated key hook and a small zippered mesh storage pocket on the inside of the front flap, big enough to hold cards or keys, but not large enough for a phone of today’s dimensions. When the bag is opened the front folds open, so any contents that aren’t contained in pockets are pretty loose and unsecured. The straps feature two decent sized zippered chest pockets and a second set of quick access pockets layered under the zipped pocket. The quick access pockets have open flaps and are more suited for quick snack grabs.

The zippered pockets are large enough to hold most phones, but I found that design a bit limiting for the larger-breasted population, since the straps are supposed to lie relatively flat against the body. For men and some women this is probably not an issue, but for anyone with a reasonable change in curvature over the front of the body, I found the flat object + round object interface a bit awkward and uncomfortable. Instead, I got into the habit of stashing my phone in the central bag compartment along with the water bladder if I didn’t have another workable clothing pocket.

The bag material is nice and light, and easily washes or wipes down. The wide straps are very comfortable and easily adjustable, with elastic bands under the arms to fit a wide range of body types. I had no chafing or rubbing issues. Two chest straps (one with a magnet to hold the hydration hose) keep the bag nice and snug and make for an adjustable fit. I had no issues with the bag sliding around or up my back and on long or chunky descents, it stayed put. I like how easily accessible my snacks are with the strap pockets, because snacks are life. No more spinning my hip pack around to access the goods. It’s a simple reach and grab, which is easily done one-handed since the pockets are held fairly taut by being part of the shoulder straps. If you like to wear jerseys that have stash pockets at the back, the Hydro Pro should still allow access to those pockets for most riders (except maybe shorter folks) since it sits so high on the back.

Filling the hydration bladder is easy, and, if you’re lazy or 'efficient' like me and don’t like taking the bladder or the hose out of the bag to fill it, the sliding closure tab is designed so the bladder can only be closed in the correct orientation – the cord isn’t long enough to flip the wrong way. I appreciate these little design details to help circumvent accidental spills. The bladder material is nice, doesn’t impart a gross plastic flavour, and the hydration hose has a convenient magnetic docking station. The magnetic dock on the chest strap is surprisingly strong, and very accessible. I found the Hydro Pro easier to access and drink out of than a bottle, and the hose reliably snapped back into place while riding.

I did get a bit sweaty under the pack, and it felt like it added about the same amount of insulation as an extra layer, but greater air flow between the bag or straps and the rider’s body would probably result in more movement and bouncing around of the bag. My biggest complaint with most packs is the bouncing and movement, so I would personally choose stability at the expense of a bit more sweat.

I used the Hydro Pro 6 for mountain biking, hiking and skate skiing. It’s a very versatile pack for any activity where you require a small amount of space, some water and want to keep it light. Its more endurance and cardio focussed and doesn’t have the room you might want for multiple layers during the winter. I reached for this bag when heading for longer rides where the bottle on my bike wasn’t enough. The one and a half liter bladder has been enough for me so far. If I really feel like I need more, I can add a bottle to the bike that’s a 3 bottle equivalent. For shorter rides I will still opt for a hip pack and frame bottle because of the warmth the bag adds and the phone storage issue.

The Evoc Hydro Pro 6 is an excellent and comfortable minimalistic hydration solution with thoughtful design. I really like that it works well for other activities, I prefer my gear to show its value all year long. My only complaint about this bag is that it doesn’t have an interior pocket big enough to hold a phone, for people (with boobs) the strap pockets don’t work as well for. I think this is the type of issue that could be easily identifiable with a wider diversity of testers during the design stages.