EVOC Hydro Pro 6 Hydration Vest Review

We often think of mountain bike hydration packs as having evolved into two distinctly different camps: the hip pack and the full hydration pack. However the hydration vest proves that evolution has not stopped, and there is a good reason to make room for a third option. Never mind cutting off the top half of a hydration pack to make a hip pack; cutting the bottom half might be the best move.

Key Specifications of the EVOC Pro 6 Hydration Vest

Most people don’t need an introduction to EVOC as a brand. They have been making great bags and mountain bike gear for years. The EVOC Hydro Pro 6 Hydration Vest is their latest version of the hydration vest.

There aren’t a ton of features to cover here. It’s a simple piece of equipment. The vest has:

• a 1.5 L bladder (included)
• Two nutrition compartments for snacks – one on each belt
• Two other pockets with zips
• A main bag and a small zipped pocket

On the track

I really like full-size hydration packs on long trips where you need to pack everything in case of emergency: rain jacket, tools, pump, snacks, and anything else. As we know, they are not always the most comfortable to drag around all day.

Hip bags they’re great because they’re more comfortable, less sweaty, and generally bounce around less than a full-size backpack (but not always). The bad thing about hip packs is that they can be difficult to adapt to everything you need and many of them don’t stay where they need to and bounce around in descents.

EVOC’s Hydro Pro 6 combines the best attributes of these two but in a different design. It has a slim profile, so it’s not the best pack if you’re trying to stuff a lot of stuff into something. There is room for a small packable layer inside, plus the 1.5L bladder, some small tools and snacks can be placed on your shoulders.

With the slim design and high profile, the EVOC Hydro Pro 6 is easy to forget on rides, both uphill and downhill. Vests like this handle the weight of water and other carry-ons better than any other type of pack in my experience. The only drawback is that sweat accumulates under the vest.

The hose easily attaches and detaches to the magnetic dock for him across the chest, making hydration simple and efficient. There are pockets on the straps for quick snack access. I’ve seen a lot of gravel riders use these types of packs on long courses. This makes sense, considering that the bumpiness of a gravel ride can make it difficult to access a bottle in the frame in motion, and you may need to pack a few more things than a three-pocket mesh allows.

The pros and cons of the EVOC Hydro Pro 6

Pros

• Includes reservoir (not all bags)
• Comfortable fit that is better than most full-size hydration packs
• Light
• Easy access to snacks and main bag
• Easy to hydrate in the saddle

cons

• The pocket layout on the straps can be confusing

Basically

The EVOC Hydro Pro 6 hydration vest is a great pack option for riders who want a light pack that won’t move around and has easy access to water and snacks.