The rain lovers at Showers Pass have come up with a legitimately waterproof hip pack they call the RainSlinger. I strapped the pack on through a few torrential downpours, with delicate camera gear inside, and its waterproof label held true.
The RainSlinger consists of a single large pocket, a smaller pocket, and two connected belts. The first belt wraps around your waist and through a loop on the back panel of the bag, and the second wraps around the bag and attaches to the first. Both nylon belts are widely adjustable and reflective.
The waist belt has a massive range of adjustment on both sides, with elastic bands to hold the excess material out of your way.
With the bag cinched tight around your waist you can adjust how close and upright it sits by tightening the secondary adjustment straps on either side. This feature is helpful if you want to use the RainSlinger in a more aero position on XC or drop-bar bikes, or upright on a trail bike.
A small piece of padding at the rear midpoint is the only piece of material that will soak up much water. If you are carrying beer cans or larger tools you may want to place a jacket or pair of gloves between your gear and your back, as this padding won’t keep you from being poked uncomfortably by your cargo.
I loaded my phone, a Shower’s Pass Ultralight Wind jacket, and a wallet in the RainSlinger with heaps of room to spare. The bag definitely has space for more gear than I would want to carry in a hip-pack, which is a good problem to have.
The interior main cabin is made of a smooth material that should be easy to clean, which makes it a perfect bag for collecting mushrooms and other forest fruits.
- $69 (purchase directly online)
- Fully welded construction with a single side TPU coating
- Reflective accent is visible from all angles
- Comes with a red LED Beacon Light with 3 flashing modes
- Adjustable waist cinch
- Water-resistant zippers on the main compartment and outside pocket
- One internal stretch pocket
- Dimensions 11” x 6” x 3 .25”
From the hip
With enough gear for a 2-3 hour ride, the RainSlinger fits comfortably and doesn’t bounce around more than any other hip bag. You will want to pack wisely to keep things from poking your back, which is a fairly simple task.
The only complaint I have regarding design is that the waist belt material is both thin and narrow, and feels uncomfortable if you choose to wear it directly against your skin. I like to flop the front of my jersey over my hip pack belt to let more air move through my shirt, and with more than snacks, a phone, keys, and a wallet in the RainSlinger that was not a cozy option. Likely if you are looking for a waterproof hip pack you plan to wear it over a rain jacket, which will further displace the pressure of the belt.
I had a chance to ride through a few gnarly rainstorms with the RainSlinger, and all of my gear was dead-on dry when I arrived home. Showers Pass calls the zippers “water resistant,” but when the water is coming from tires and clouds, rather than a hose, I would call them waterproof.
I was riding in Denmark with the RainSlinger on and a friend mentioned how much he loved the Showers Pass name. “They really do pass, and that’s great,” he said with a particularly youthful joy as he snapped a picture of my hip pack. I had always thought that the company was named after a mountain pass called “Showers Pass.” Either way, I appreciated his interpretation.
We would like to thank Showers Pass for sending the RainSlinger for review.
