The Dakine Hot Laps Stealth waist bag is a slimline waist pack for cyclists for the bare minimum of kit. This ‘under jersey’ pack is unobtrusive, comfortable and roomy considering it’s lack of bulk. It’s a great addition for those days when you don’t need a pack but do need a snack.
Dakine says their Hot Laps Stealth pack is designed for days when you don’t want to wear a pack but still need to take some gear, just enough to stop you having to walk home from the trails. It is pretty small, we’d say less than a litre of storage but we haven’t measured and it features one main pocket with internal storage pockets and elastic straps. There are also two hip pockets, one zippered and one not, some fleece lining to keep phones scratch free and a stash pocket on the front.
The bag is supposed to be worn under a jersey and could be a good option to replace the likes of Specialized SWAT bibs or a Race Face Stash vest. The bag lies flat on your back and the breathable Polygiene rear panel is soft enough not to rub and slightly padded to help prevent anything pointy objects poking you in the back.
At most we fitted an oversized iPhone, a couple of snack bars, tyre levers, regular sized multi-tool and a small pump in ours comfortably, plus some zip ties and a quick link in the stuff pocket at the front. That front pocket is meant for a tube but I attach that to my bike with a Louri frame strap. I packed enough to see me through any emergency and plenty of snacks to complement the short length of ride, I mostly used the Hot Laps Stealth bag when going out for just an hour or so with a water bottle on the bike.
The bag is pretty much unnoticeable when you are wearing it, it does feel a little strange at first but you soon forget its there and with the jersey able to move around normally it’s less sweaty than wearing a larger bum bag outside a jersey. The outer edges and seams of the bag are also wrapped in a soft material ensuring there is nothing to rub or annoy skin, altough this is looking a little worn already after a few months use.
Dakine report that the rear panel is made with an anti-microbial Polygiene material, ours doesn’t smell at all after a lot of use, we have washed it periodically though just to keep things fresh. I also wore the pack over my jersey from time to time, mostly for ease of access without bearing my midriff! It works well over clothing and coats too.
Position the pack correctly on the waist and it sits nicely into the small of the back. Wide, triangle waist straps help keep the pack in place and it stays pretty still without any unwanted movement up or down or side to side. I'd like to see a little more stretch in the webbing waistbelt for ultimate fine-tuning, fit and comfort scores!
The Dakine Hot Laps Stealth waist pack is a great addition to any biking wardrobe and at £30, it won’t break the bank either, it’s small, light, secure and importantly comfortable to wear. It's also more versatile than bibs with storage or a similar vest that you have to unpack and wash after each ride. If you’d rather have more storage or water check out the range of ‘Hot Laps’ packs for a 2L version without water, a 5L waist pack with 2L bladder and a 1.5L version with a side pocket to hold a water bottle.
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