ThuleRail Hip Pack

I do both Mountain and Road cycling, using a Backpack and Rear-Pocketed Shirt, respectively. I intend to use this Waist Pack for Road Cycling, and it appears to be perfect for that, it has about the same amount of aerodynamic drag as a Rear-Pocketed Shirt, and no need to have two Water Bottle Cages. From inspection, I'm pretty sure the waist pack will also work for Mountain Bike, and that will lower my Center of Gravity, which helps stability, plus it is cooler. I have another waist pack, different brand, and cost about the same, and it sucks. The Thule waist pack is probably the best possible waist pack design out there.

Light, good enough to carry my bike tools and have a full pouch of water to last most of my long rides. Been wanting something like this for a while so glad I got it!

It feels like plastic

Adequate space for cell phone (Android GalaxyS20 with cover over it), ID, car FOB, few keys. Clips on and extra velcro, adjustable belt, snug, stays in place when jogging. Highly recommend.

The pack is extremely comfortable, adjustable and holds everything I need it to carry. I barely notice that I’m wearing it even with 2 bottles in the pack!

The media could not be loaded. I snagged the Thule Rail Hip Pack 2L on a 'Limited Time Deal' for $52.47 and the 0.5L version for $38.47. Being a long-time fan of Thule, I’ve purchased dozens of their products for our cars and storage needs over the years, including at least three backpacks, all of which have been exceptional.However, like many successful companies, Thule has a tendency to stick with a product design once it's proven successful, often neglecting updates that would keep up with changing needs. The main issue with these hip packs is that they were likely designed over a decade ago, and they haven’t kept up with the trend of larger smartphones.I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max with a filmmaker Smallrig case, and it’s simply impossible to fit my phone into the narrow front pocket designed specifically for phones. My phone, with the case, measures 7 inches long and 3 3/4 inches wide. As you can see from the pictures, it just doesn't fit into the 2L version’s phone pocket, and it certainly won't fit into the 0.5L version's pocket either. I didn’t even open the 0.5L version (so I can return it) because the pack itself is tiny—so tiny, in fact, that it fits entirely inside the 2L version, and I can close the zipper without any issue. I did read the dimensions before purchasing, but those measurements are for the outside of the packs, which wasn’t clear in the product descriptions.While my large phone does fit inside the main pocket of the 2L pack, the front pocket—designed specifically for phones—becomes pretty useless for its intended purpose. I now use it for my car key fob and house keys instead. One of the belt pockets in front of the bottle holders is handy for storing my AirPods Pro.Overall, I still recommend the 2L version, but I can’t recommend the 0.5L version due to its tiny size—unless, of course, you’re buying it for a child, an old flip phone, your driver's license, and a few bucks in cash. Forget about fitting a wallet unless it’s a really small one.

Just perfect

The build quality of this item is good. I bought it to carry epipens with me on all hikes. The one complaint - which may be a deal breaker for you - is that it's super hard to put water bottles back into the belt. I have to ask my partner to do it, and he sometimes can't find the right place. It's either that, or loosen the belt, rotate it, and put the bottle back. If this were easier, I'd love this thing. Also, the phone pocket is likely too small for your phone unless you have a mini sized one. My older iPhone 7 fits snuggly and anything larger won't fit.