CamelBak MULE On-Bike

CamelBak MULE On-Bike Bikepacking Collection ready to hit the trails

Already a winner of a Eurobike Award in the Apparel and Accessories category, the CamelBak MULE On-Bike collection is now available.

This is a new collection for CamelBak and they say it’s “built for the long-haul”. CamelBak are well known for their hydration systems, I’ve used them off-road and they always deliver. This new collection allows bike-packers to carry extra kit as well as hydration.

The new line is made up of five different packs: two saddle-packs, a frame-pack, stem-pack and a handlebar-pack. Everything is made from robust IPX5 Waterproof rated nylon, with plenty of attachments. The IPX5 Waterproof rating means it has “protection against low-pressure jets (6.3mm) of directed water from any angle (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects)“.

Saddle-pack

The saddle-packs are available in a nine or one litre capacity, both with an anti-sway design. That will be useful when the nine litre version is fully loaded. Although I’ve yet to go bike-packing, I’ve seen some serious swaying from overloaded saddle-packs, so this will be an advantage.

The nine litre pack has extra external straps that allow you to compress the contents. Attachment is via a strap on the seat-post, than can be fitted in three different positions. Two straps are then passed over your saddle rails and secured under the pack. On top is a bungee strap than can used to stash small items.

Frame-pack

The frame-pack comes in two sizes and attaches via straps to the seat, top and down-tubes. The straps can be moved and attached how and where you like, depending on your frame. The sides un-zip and allow you to carry a two litre Quick Stow reservoir. While this will limit your storage, being able to carry extra water, could be what you need for your journey.

The two sizes allow the frame pack to be used on different frames. The small will fit XS/S frames as well as many mountain bike frames. The Small pack dimensions are 40x18x5cm. The Large size will fit most medium sized frames (54cm+) and up; large pack dimensions are 48x18x5cm.

The Quick Stow reservoir is 100% BPA, BPS and BPF free. It has a Big Bite valve and is compatible with Lifestraw filters; if you want to drink from a ditch!

Handlebar-pack

The twelve litre handlebar pack uses a roll-top closure with a pop-stud closure, so no zips to break. Inside it’s one large compartment, but there are two external pockets. One is a small zipped pocket, while the other is an open-topped mesh pocket. There’s an aluminium stabiliser on the back that attaches to your handlebars via two velcro straps. This can be easily removed, handy if you need to carry the bag off the bike.

In addition there are two small bungee straps at the back, top and bottom. I assume these can be used to keep the bag from rattling around. In addition there are two plastic straps that can also be used for attaching to the bars. On the front two straps allow you to compress the bag. These also allow you to extra items like a tent poles or sleeping mat.

Stem pack

Lastly we have the Stem-pack, which look like they could be attached anywhere for extra storage. While they will fit a bottle, like CamelBak’s Podium range, they will be perfect for snacks or keys. The top has a cinch-closure, so you can pull it tight to keep the contents from jumping out. There are multiple mounting points and two straps to allow you to fine-tune the fit. Another small bungee sits at the bottom, which should keep it from swaying around.

I’m not a bikepacker!

I have to hold up my hands and admit I’ve yet to try bikepacking. Many years ago I did do a little touring, with front and rear panniers, full of clothing, tent, sleeping bag, etc. Riding with this sort of minimalist set-up could be appealing for lightweight credit-card touring. Carrying minimal kit, but staying in hotels or hostels and using a fast bike might just tempt me back. Now that I have a set of CamelBak MULE On-Bike kit to try, I think a raid across the Channel to France might have to be on the books for the summer. Check out the CamelBak MULE On-Bike page and see what you think.