RRP $279.99

I’ve often wondered why there aren’t many hydration options made to fit in a frame bag, keeping the weight off your back and on the bike, without the need to squeeze large drink bottles in the front triangle.

Last year, Camelbak launched their M.U.L.E.® Frame Pack with Quick Stow™ 2L Bike Reservoir. At a glance, the bag is well-designed, utilising recycled, lightweight, and durable fabrics with a firm spine, which provides rigidity and stability to the system when loaded. Full-length, water-resistant zips down either side provide easy access to both compartments, even while riding. The load is secured to the frame using soft Velcro straps at multiple mounting points along the length of the bag. The straps can be easily adjusted to avoid clashing with other items on the bike. The ‘Large’ sized pack fits snugly into the front of my 54cm gravel bike.

The drive-side compartment houses the Quick Stow 2l reservoir. It’s drinking hose squeezes out from the front end through a small opening, and there’s plenty of hose length on offer, allowing you to secure its velcro-strapped hose clip wherever you’d like for easy access.

The non-driveside compartment is advertised as waterproof. It’s somewhat shallower (maybe 10mm deep) than the bladder side, but it has enough volume for slim accessories – a knife, spork, toothbrush kit, or even a collapsible kettle would fit. However, there’s not a great deal of depth for much else, particularly when the adjacent bladder is full.

For me, when I’m planning a trip of any sort, options are key, and the flexibility to fine-tune my baggage to suit where I’m heading, how long I’ll have between resupplies, and whether or not I’m carrying over night gear all have a bearing on what kit I’ll pack. Having the M.U.L.E. Frame Pack strapped on and the bladder filled to its 2l capacity, combined with an additional drink bottle on the bike, gives me enough hydration for a pretty hearty day out while keeping weight off my back. If I were going longer, I’d add a CamelBak Chase Vest or a similar hydration pack and head into the wild without worrying about running out of water.

Loading the bladder into the bag is a bit niggly when it’s full, and it takes some patience to get the hook to secure the bladder in place. The easiest way I found was to lay the bike on its side and fit the bladder that way, rather than battling gravity while loading, when the bike is vertical.

CamelBak uses ECOPAK™ sailcloth for the bulk of the M.U.L.E. pack. This fabric is made from 100% recycled fibre and film, mainly from plastic bottles. It features a PFAS-free DWR coating that boasts an IPX5 waterproof rating.

The 2l bladder differs from CamelBak’s regular bike offerings, featuring a cap that’s not dissimilar to their Podium bottles, just a bit smaller. There’s a handle across the top edge and a loop for the hook to help secure it in the frame pack. The hose uses the same watertight, clip-in style we find on other Camelbak bladders. With a removable hose and a podium-style sipper, the bladder can be used in any bag to carry extra hydration when not in the pack.

I’ve taken the Frame Pack on several missions, some have been 3-4 hour blats around my local loops with the bladder fitted, but a majority of the test hours were over 5 days on the bike around the ‘Ride 35’ route (read about that elsewhere in this issue) where I used the pack purely for storage, leaving the bladder at home.

Mounting the bag was a cinch, and I was stoked how cleanly it integrated with my bike. Plenty of strap mounting points meant whatever else I had strapped to the bike could be avoided. There is plenty of drinking hose length, so even on the largest bike with the tallest of riders, there shouldn’t be any issues getting a drink.

My first ride was a great test of the pack’s waterproof ability. Rain threatened as I left home, but as I drove towards my destination, weather maps showed the threatening front should pass before I arrived. Parking the car and heading out, the weather looked good, but I figured I’d be smart to pack my jacket.. I’m glad I did. On the first climb, I was hit by a coastal squall and rode in torrential rain for the next 3.5 hours, which wasn’t what I expected! The fabric of the pack appears to be waterproof and the zippers appear to be quite resistant to water, although after a few hours there was a small amount of water in the bottom of the bag, it would have been under a teaspoon, but it was there and did make things in the bag slightly damp. I found the drinking hose a little challenging to unclip single-handedly from the handlebar mount, although I’d rather it be secure than risk the hose popping out and getting caught in the front wheel.

Removing the weight of hydration from my back was welcome, but it highlighted something I hadn’t considered before. To drink from the mouthpiece you need to suck a lot more that when sipping from a regular hydration backpack. Two things are at play: one, you’re fighting gravity the whole time to get the liquid through the tube, and two, wearing a backpack with a bladder helps pressurise the system, meaning you’ve got a little assistance to move the fluid through the tube. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s worth noting. The zippers haven’t freed up like I was hoping they might, and they’re still reasonably stiff to open and close, even more so when you add in some grimy weather and grit.

While it has some quirks, I’ve found the frame bag to be hardwearing and versatile. I’ve put it through a decent amount of abuse now, most of the time, without the use of the bladder – but it’s good to know I have it for when temps again rise come summertime