lumbar protection panel to deliver a hybrid pack that will appeal to many.
Henty is a Tasmanian company that’s been producing travel and commuter bags for more than 5 years now, and this seems to be their first product aimed at the mountain biking market.
The Enduro pack is a 5-litre capacity pack that sits low on a shoulder harness, with a wide waist belt – It’s rumored to take design inspiration from military webbing, which is obvious by comparison.
Sits low and stable on your back.
Very breathable back and shoulder mesh.
Hydration bladders up to 3 litres.
For me, this finally takes a middle position between taping a minimal kit to your bike and carrying a full pack. I always carry tubes, a pump, a few small spares and multi tool, as well as water. I usually also stash my phone, wallet, and keys. The Henty Enduro is perfectly proportioned to carry this amount of gear.
Finer details are taken care of too, like the adjustable straps on the waist and chest bands, which all have velcro and elastic loops so you can secure any webbing tails to keep it as clean and functional as possible.
Fitting the pack as low as possible on your back works great, so the weight is sitting on your hips. Because of the wide lumbar pad, it sits nice and tight against your lower back. The shoulder harness keeps it even more secure, so while riding it doesn’t move about nearly as much as a regular pack – This is most apparent while changing direction at speed, you’ll no longer be thrown off balance by your pack swinging sideways.
Overall I found it to be incredibly comfortable, through a combination of less movement, less sweat build up, and more stable.
Included loops on the back panel and shoulder straps allow a few options for routing the water bladder hose, including a vertical tab if you need to attach a magnetic hose clip. The chest strap is adjustable vertically on rails too, for a perfect fit.
Made from 500D Cordura nylon, it’s basically as tough as you’ll ever need. Although I’ve only spent a few weeks with it so far, I can tell from the build quality and materials I’ll be using it for a few more years yet.
The lumbar protection panel is a nice feature that adds a safety functionality That might not be the biggest selling point but it’s certainly a welcome addition – Anyone who’s taken a tumble onto their lower back will understand the pain.
It’s obvious the Enduro is easy to use, as it only has a few zips and buckles to contend with. Webbing straps on the exterior might allow adding accessories, and there are some velcro strips for your favourite patches. My one gripe would be that the main bag is closed with a webbing buckle, but it’s not adjustable. I’d like to have a few inches of webbing so I could fit my wind jacket in there without really stuffing it.
On the back panel, there are some elastic loops that I found held my gear really well, but I still worry that something’s going to come loose and get left on the trail – I would have preferred a few small zippered pockets but I haven’t lost anything yet.
While there’s more to the Enduro than first meets the eye, it remains a functional piece of equipment that delivers a solid set of basic features without wasting space or weight.
The Henty Enduro Backpack is available online directly from Henty.
Disclaimer: Henty provided an Enduro Backpack for review. This has no influence on the opinions presented in this review.
Have you tried the Henty Enduro Backpack? Got any questions or comments? Let us know by commenting below.
Summary Priced as low as $110, the Henty Enduro lumbar pack is a great minimalist pack for serious mountain biking. It carries all the essentials without wasting space, built with hard wearing fabrics, and light enough to be seriously competitive.
Scott is a Tassie local who rediscovered bushwalking in his late 20's, and now aims to explore his entire home state. He's also into mountain biking and kayaking. Scott is part of The Bushwalking Blog's review team.