I’ve always been a little envious of trek7ks sleek Osprey Raptor hydration pack so I was excited to get an Osprey of my very own – the womens Verve 10 to be exact. This low-profile pack is full of features any girl would want.
Beginning with the storage compartments, there are three pockets (besides the hydration sleeve) to carry all the necessities for up to a half day of riding. The main compartment has a ton of room and I’ve been using it for everyday ride essentials like a spare tube, mini pump, tool, ID and a couple energy gels. Loosening the outer straps expands the space so you can store a jacket or legwarmers, a bottle of sunscreen, a trail journal, or even a small lunch. Even with all the room for storage, my favorite storage spot is actually the small stretchable pocket on the shoulder strap. I always have an energy gel in there which is super convenient. With my old pack I used to postpone eating a gel because I was too lazy to stop and take the pack off to get it out; now I eat on the go and keep my energy levels up the whole ride.
The Osprey Verve 10 can obviously hold a lot of stuff and plenty of water too. The 100 oz. fluid reservoir is ideal for hot summer rides here in the south. The reservoir is easy to fill and the rigid back spine makes it easy to slip in and out of the dedicated sleeve. The bite valve is intuitive and perhaps my favorite feature is the magnetic bite valve holder on the chest strap. I don’t have to take my eyes off the trail for a second to put it back in place. When I’m racing I can use every second I can get!
As for fit, the Osprey Verve 10 is super easy to adjust. The pack stays put and remains centered without noticeable shifting in turns or when I get low on climbs. That’s definitely a plus in my book. I always laugh when I see someone riding with the bottom of their hydration pack slung over to one side of their body. Those straps are there for a reason! The waist and chest straps on the Verve could use some excess length management though; a simple belt loop would be ideal for keeping the dangling straps off my legs when riding.
Though this pack has more carrying capacity than I need for most of my rides, because it’s so lightweight I end up using it all the time, even in races. On days when Im exploring new trails and want to take more stuff along with me it works just as well. Ill probably get some extra use out of the pack this summer hiking or maybe even trail running – the Osprey Verve is a definitely a great multi-sport pack. And with Ospreys All Mighty Guarantee to repair any product for any reason as long as I own it, I know it will last through all my trail adventures.
Thanks to the folks at Osprey for providing the Verve 10 pack for review.
