The Patagonia Nine Trails Waist Pack is built from 210 Denier Cordura, treated with DWR, and includes a 1.5-liter hydration bladder with purchase.
The primary pocket on this waist pack is capable of carrying the bladder, a tube, some food, and a non-insulated layer, without feeling over-full. An exterior pocket, accessed by unzipping two short zippers and releasing some velcro, is lined with organizing mesh pockets for storing a basic trail tool kit including multi-tool, tire levers, CO2, and some energy bars.
Two expandable pockets on either side of the main pack allow for additional water bottle storage if the 1.5L bladder and on bike storage aren’t enough for your adventure. I personally found these extra pockets unnecessary. One additional pocket large enough for a phone or some energy bars is located on the lefthand side of the waist belt.
My only gripe with the Nine Trails Waist Pack 8L is with the hydration bladder. Considering the two stretch pockets on either side of the waist pack and the bottle cage on my bike, I already have the capacity to carry at least 1.5L in bottles, without the need of a cumbersome and slightly awkward drinking tube.
Additionally, the wraparound storage design for the drinking tube has a tendency to get caught on branches and generally can be annoying by brushing up against your arms, legs, and torso. After several rides, I removed the bladder, giving me more storage room in the primary pocket and no perceived deficit in water storage. I realize some people may prefer drinking from a hydration bladder, in which case this is one of the few waist packs with that feature included.
The Nine Trails waist pack retails for $119 at Patagonia.com, and is available in one size. The color I tested is called New Adobe. The pack, like all products from Patagonia, is backed by a warranty program that will repair or replace the pack due to any problems.
We would like to thank Patagonia for providing this pack for review.
