As a lifestyle brand, Dakine’s portfolio includes a huge range of hip packs. With the Hot Laps series, the American manufacturer also offers a bike-specific line, which is particularly popular in the U.S.A. At € 70, the Dakine Hot Laps 5L is the cheapest waist pack with a hydration bladder in this test and also one of the biggest.

Price: € 69.95 (incl. 2-litre bladder) | Weight: 326 g (+132 g bladder) | Volume: 5 litres

When unpacking the Dakine Hot Laps, straight away you realise that the “5L” extension in the Hot Laps name is not just a bold claim. This pack is actually huge. Even with the full 2-litre water bladder in the rear compartment, there’s still enough room in the front compartment for a pump, a spare inner tube, a smartphone and the usual small bits. And if you need one, you can even attach a jacket to the straps on the bottom of the bag. Alternatively, you can fill the water bladder a little less and store the jacket inside the bum bag to protect it from mud and dust.

The color of the Dakine Hot Laps 5L is called “Electric Mint”. Personally, we would have gone for plain and simple black, like last year’s model.
The rear compartment holds the 2-litre bladder, which is included in the price
The front compartment is divided in many well-dimensioned partitions.

As mentioned before, the Hot Laps 5L has two main compartments. The rear one is designed for the Hydrapak drinking bladder, which works flawlessly and can hold up to two litres of water – and is included in the price. Unfortunately, a quick-release hose connector would be too expensive for a fanny pack in this price range. Also, the hose can only be threaded from the right to the left of the pack and attached to the left side of the hip belt. While the front compartment features a number of well dimensioned and cleverly positioned dividers, the smartphone pouch is lined with a thin fleece layer. The right hip fin has a mini pocket made of stretch mesh, but the odd shape only allows for small bits like a bar wrapper. On the left hip fin there’s just a magnetic hose holder.

The simple compression straps on the sides work flawlessly.
On the bottom of the pack you can attach a jacket or even a pair of knee pads. If you don’t fill the drinking bladder completely, there’s plenty of room for a jacket inside the pack.
The Dakine Hot Laps 5L offers a perfect fit and good level of comfort. While it’s one of the warmest bum bags in test, the back padding doesn’t absorb sweat.

In terms of quality, with the Hot Laps 5 L you’ll have to settle for cheaper materials and more basic zippers – which is fair enough considering the price point. Despite its simple construction, the Dakine Hot Laps 5L is surprisingly comfortable and offers a stable fit – especially when it’s half loaded. If you take advantage of the full storage capacity, you’ll push the construction to its limits and compromise a bit on comfort and stability. The one-sided, fixed buckle adjustment is simple but works efficiently. The buckle allows for quick fitting and at the same time makes for a cleaner hip strap, with less stuff dangling around. Compared to other models in this test, the HotLaps 5 L feels rather warm. However, the foam profiles and mesh on the back prevent it from absorbing sweat.

Comfort

  1. uncomfortable
  2. unobtrusive

Stability

  1. low
  2. high

Compartment Layout

  1. poor
  2. excellent

Climate

  1. unpleasant
  2. pleasant

Ease of Use

  1. fiddly
  2. straight forward

Price/Performance

  1. poor
  2. very good

Conclusions

The Dakine Hot Laps has plenty of storage space and a great compartment layout. It sits firmly on the hips and feels incredibly comfortable. At full load, however, the simple construction doesn’t provide the same level of comfort and stable fit as our Best in Test. And while the quality of the materials is average, the pack still makes a very solid impression. And at € 70 (hydration bladder included) it’s a whopping 50 € cheaper than our test winner and thus one of the hot tips for all riders who are after maximum space for little money and are willing to compromise slightly on comfort and stability.

Tops

  • Generally good wearing comfort and stable fit
  • Lots of storage space
  • Cheapest bum bag with a bladder included in the price
  • Back padding doesn't absorb sweat

Flops

  • Quite warm
  • Simple construction
  • The bladder hose can’t be removed

For more information head to dakine-shop.de

The test field

Click here for an overview of the best MTB hip pack in test

All hip packs in review: Bedrock Bags Greysill Hip Pack (Click for review) | Bontrager Rapid Pack (Click for review) | CamelBak Podium Flow (Click for review) | CamelBak Repack LR 4 (Click for review) | Dakine Hot Laps 5L | Dakine Hot Laps 2L (Click for review) | Dakine Hot Laps Stealth (Click for review) | Deuter Pulse 3 (Click for review) | Deuter Pulse 2 (Click for review) | EVOC HIP PACK PRO 3l (Click for review) | EVOC HIP PACK RACE 3l (Click for review) | EVOC HIP POUCH 1l (Click for review) | EVOC RACE BELT (Click for review) | High Above Cascadia (Click for review) | High Above Lookout (Click for review) | High Above Das Radpack (Click for review) | ION Hipbag Traze 3 (Click for review) | Leatt Hydration Core 2.0 (Click for review) | Mavic XA 3L Belt (Click for review) | Mavic Crossride Belt (Click for review) | Mavic Deemax Belt (Click for review) | Race Face Rip Strip (Click for review) | SOURCE Hipster 1.5L (Click for review) | SOURCE Hipster Ultra 5L (Click for review)


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Words: Photos: Andreas Maschke, Christoph Bayer