Dakine Hot Laps 2L Review
As someone who grew up in the 90's, I was very into fanny packs in elementary school. That said, I was a little surprised when they became so popular for mountain biking. I thought they'd be too small and move around too much, but after reading a bunch of reviews and trying on several different models, I got the Dakine Hot Laps 2L for Christmas from Greyson. I've done quite a few rides with it, ranging from a short lap of a smooth flow trail to a 20 mile gravel/singletrack/road combo ride to a steep, rocky, and loose route. I'm really impressed!
Dakine Hot Laps 2L Bike Pack Review // tahoefabulous.com
When I was shopping, I knew that I wanted something without a bladder, ruling out the popular Osprey Packs Seral. I also knew that I wanted a way to hold a water bottle, so the low profile Dakine Hot Laps Stealth wouldn't work. The Dakine Hot Laps 2L was one of the few packs that met my criteria, and it had great reviews.
Now that I've worn the Dakine Hot Laps 2L on a half dozen rides, I think that I can give my review on the bag. Even when packed full, the bag doesn't bounce around when it's worn and tightened correctly. For shorter rides, I'll only use one water bottle, stored in the cage and not use the water bottle loop on the Hot Laps. In that situation, I center the bag in the middle of my back. If I am using the bottle holder, I orient it slightly to the side, so the heavy bottle is closer to the center of my back, which evens out the weight to reduce bounce and side to side sway.
Dakine Hot Laps 2L Review // tahofabulous.com
For comfort and stability, tighten the hip belt really tight on the downhills and loosen it on the climbs, if possible. I don't really like things tight around my waist, and I was worried that would be something I couldn't handle with a waist bag. The Hot Laps hasn't bugged me at all in that way, I think in part due to the fact the hip belt strap is wide, so it doesn't have the "cutting in" feeling that thinner straps do.
For its small size, the Dakine Hot Laps 2L can fit a fair amount of gear. I've maxed out the storage to fit a multi tool, tube, phone, snacks, and thin additional layer (the Patagonia Houdini, which packs really small) or tube, pump, tool, phone, and keys, depending on the ride. This isn't a pack to take if you're going very far or alone. I've generally used it on rides that are short, close to home, or with another person who is carrying most of the tools (thanks, Greyson!). If I'm going on a longer ride or going by myself, I stick with my 10 L CamelBak Solstice.
I also love that my back gets so much less sweaty when wearing this pack. i've worn it on a couple of hotter rides, and I was so glad not to have the sweaty, bulky pack on. I think the Dakine Hot Laps 2L is an awesome pack for a specific purpose - shorter and hotter rides when you don't want or need to pack a ton of stuff with you. I wouldn't have the Dakine Hot Laps as my only biking bag, but I'm glad I've added it to my gear closet.
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