Notably when temperatures rise, hip packs change into a reasonably engaging possibility for hauling your trip necessities. Maintaining most of your again uncovered works wonders for holding you cool, and with choices like Thule’s Rail 0 and Rail 2, you’ll be able to haul simply a necessary trailside package or a good bit of cargo and sufficient water for just a few hours of driving.
I’ve been driving the Rail 0 and Rail 2 packs since mid-March, and located every has its place; The Rail 0 is nice for individuals who don’t like driving with cumbersome gadgets of their pockets, and it might probably cover underneath a jacket simply. The Rail 2 provides extra cargo house and may haul two water bottles… though it will get rather less cozy as you add weight to it.
Thule Rail 0L
The Rail 0 is a slim, small pack that may haul just a few further gadgets or get every thing out of your pockets. With a 0.5L capability, it’s simply sufficiently big for the necessities, and never sufficiently big to get cumbersome or heavy.
For storage, the Rail 0L provides a full-size primary pocket with two smaller pockets, webbing loops, and a key clip inside. The pack additionally has a telephone pocket on the outer face and two small mesh pockets with hook-and-loop closures on the straps. To reinforce visibility the Rail 0 has reflective accents and an internet loop to connect a rear mild to the underside.
The Rail 0’s waist strap is a bit over 2” huge, which isn’t large however is sufficient to preserve this small pack comfy. The strap has loads of stretch to it, and a hook-and-loop panel and waist buckle preserve it cinched in.
Within the Rail 0, I’ve carried a multi-tool, tire plugger, spare plugs, a c02 cartridge, inflator head, and a few Skittles in the primary pocket. I additionally threw my smartphone within the outer pocket. There’s simply room in the primary pocket for a number of extra small gadgets, however as for layers, something lower than an ultra-compactable jacket would unlikely match.
Experience Impressions:
The primary few instances I wore the Rail 0 I hid it underneath the Patagonia Grime Roamer Storm jacket (evaluation coming quickly!) simply. I discover it fairly simple to entry your telephone or cargo with the pack nonetheless in your again. Even underneath the jacket, grabbing my telephone or some Skittles throughout a trip was no trouble.
I’ve had the Rail 0 pack since Spring, and all through my check rides, I’ve had no notable consolation points with the straps or again panel. Nothing is superb concerning the again air flow, as this pack doesn’t embrace a perforated panel like the larger Rail 2, however it leaves a small footprint.
My solely minor gripe is that Thule didn’t embrace a greater option to tuck away or bundle the surplus waist strap. Fortunately I solely have about 4-5” of strap left dangling, but when it had been any longer I’d give it a trim (these with bigger waists could not have a problem). One final element I preferred is the intense yellow inside material, which makes it simple to see contained in the pack.
The Rail 0 sells for $69.95 and is available in Darkish Slate Gray solely.
Thule Rail 2L
The Rail 2 is a bigger hip pack that may haul a good bit of cargo plus two water bottles. Its primary pocket provides a 2L capability, and it’s divided up into three smaller pockets and webbing loops inside. There’s additionally a key clip inside, exterior mesh aspect pockets on each straps and a smartphone pocket on the entrance of the pack.
The Rail 2 will get a perforated again panel for air flow and makes use of the identical stretchy waist strap because the Rail 0. Since it might probably carry a good bit of weight, the Rail 2 contains two cinch buckles at both aspect to comfortable it up. Different particulars embrace a prime carry deal with, a high-visibility yellow inside material, reflective accents, and an internet loop for a rear blinker mild.
Together with one or two water bottles, I carried a multi-tool, tire plugger, spare plugs, a c02 canister and inflator, some sweet, bug spray, and even my very packable Dainese AWA wind shell. I simply might have squeezed just a few extra small gadgets in the primary pocket, and I carried my telephone within the outer pocket.
One or two water bottles could be carried within the pockets on both aspect of the pack. When empty, the material bottle pockets fold down properly and nearly disappear.
Experience Impressions:
I’ve ridden the Rail 2 pack for as much as three-hour rides, primarily with one bottle however as soon as with two. All in all of the Rail 2 is pretty comfy, and I had no explicit points with any a part of it. That mentioned, it’s robust to disregard one thing cinched round your stomach when you trip, particularly as you add extra weight to the pack. I wore it fairly snugly, which did preserve it from shifting round fairly nicely whereas I descended.
With one full water bottle plus cargo, the burden continues to be cheap and the pack stays comfy. With two water bottles, nonetheless, the pack will get heavy and exhausting to disregard. Frankly, I can’t think about any hip pack feeling nice with the burden of two bottles added. A wider waist strap would possibly assist disperse the burden a bit higher, however with one bottle or none the strap is completely satisfactory.
I attempted to do a protracted trip with two water bottles within the pack however moved one onto my bike after half-hour of climbing. With the burden of two bottles, I discovered the pack placing strain on my stomach, and you need to preserve it fairly comfortable (even whereas climbing) to maintain two bottles from shifting round.
I’m having 50/50 success getting bottles again into the holders whereas driving. I’ve needed to cease a number of instances as a result of the bottle will get caught on the inside wall of the versatile pocket and gained’t slip in. Now with extra observe getting bottles again in would possibly get simpler, however initially, the soft-sided pockets had been a problem for me.
On two rides (with water bottles), the Rail 2’s waist strap loosened up on me whereas climbing. Throughout one trip the pack sagged down till it was resting on my butt, and on one other trip, it loosened as much as a lesser extent. On each events, one snug-up was sufficient to maintain the waist strap in place for the remainder of the trip… however not having to cease and repair it could be higher.
As for air flow, the Rail 2’s perforated again panel is nothing magical, however the footprint of the hip pack continues to be a lot smaller than any backpack. This pack continues to be a cooler possibility than having something in your again, however you’ll get sweaty beneath it.
On my first trip with the Rail 2, I wound up utilizing the highest carry deal with throughout a relaxation cease. It’s a pleasant addition to the pack that I discovered myself utilizing on nearly all my check rides.
Like on the Rail 0, Thule missed a chance to incorporate elastic loops to bundle up the surplus waist straps for the smaller waisted crowd. On me, each straps depart 6-7” of extra size dangling round, and it could be good to have them wrapped up or tucked away neatly.
MSRP for the Rail 2 is $99.95, and it is available in Darkish Slate Gray solely.
