Evoc Glade Daypack 25L

The Evoc Glade Daypack 25L is an eye-catching and capacious backpack designed specifically for women. I'm not sure this really makes such a big difference when compared to unisex packs, but it certainly does the job.

Given its description as a 'bike all-rounder' and 'daypack for city excursions', I thought it would make an ideal pack for commuting, being spacious and, hopefully, comfy both on and off the bike. My initial impressions were that its design is biaised towards mountain biking as it features straps for attaching a full-face helmet plus a compartment for a hydration reservoir. I was also attracted by the bright yellow colour which, although not hi-vis, would make me more visible on the road. There is a black option if you prefer.

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The pack appears very well made, with quality fabric and zips that can withstand the rigours of daily use. The outer is made from a mixture of tough polyester and ripstop nylon, both polyurethane (PU) coated to make them water-resistant.

Huge attention to detail has gone into this pack – it has numerous pockets and compartments, plus internal zipped mesh pockets in both the roomy main compartment (with a handy key clip) and the smaller front compartment that is designed for tools. The latter also has a further five small pockets – you just need to remember where you've stashed everything! The shoulder straps are shaped – 'specially designed for the female anatomy' – and lightly padded, and you can slide the chest strap up or down to find the best position.

This is a well-thought-out backpack. Both the main and tool compartments unzip fully so you can open them right out, which I found useful for both packing and finding stuff. There's no need to pull everything out to get to something at the bottom – though this works best when you can lay the backpack down flat, otherwise things can fall out if you unzip too far.

You can fit a lot into its 25-litre capacity – the main compartment easily swallows a medium-sized (15in) laptop plus shoes and change of clothes for commuting, with space to spare, or will do duty for overnight bike trips. The vertical zipped pocket at the very front is handy for tickets/snacks. The small, zipped, fleece-lined pocket at the top is called a sunglasses pocket but is large enough to fit a great deal more. I find the zipped hip pocket very useful for items like keys and lip salve, but it'd be good to have one on both sides. The generously sized mesh side pockets are a bonus – all packs should have side pockets this deep. They can easily fit a light jacket, water bottle or compact umbrella. There is also a separate zipped hydration compartment that will fit a 3-litre bladder, which would appeal to mountain bikers.

The material is water-resistant thanks to its PU coating, and it shrugged off showers well, with the rain visibly beading. In heavier showers you'd need to use the rain cover to be certain to keep the contents dry.

Now for what doesn't work so well. The rain cover is inside a zipped pocket at the very base of the pack which is tricky to access, but once you've pulled it out of the tight space it stays in place thanks to a strap that passes under the shoulder straps and clips back on to the cover. The cover is black but does have a large reflective 'evoc' logo. The only other reflective on the pack is a tiny patch behind the rubber strip designed for clipping on a rear light, which will then obscure it.

>> Check out our guide to the best cycling rucksacks here

As well as the straps for attaching a full-face downhilling (DH) helmet (which are tucked away in a concealed pocket on the front) there is a roll-out net designed for normal lids inside yet another zipped compartment. I found it fiddly to clip into place and too small for my cross-country helmet, which actually fell out, so I just used the DH straps instead, which was much easier and they were more secure.

Also, the Glade is not as comfortable as I'd hoped, considering it shouts about its female-specific design. The back feels quite rigid thanks to the two rows of firm foam pads, and because it's very long – mine actually measures about 54cm – the top reaches the base of my neck, which niggles me when I tilt my head up to look ahead. When wearing the pack off the bike, the bottom bumps the top of my hips – and I'm fairly tall – though this wasn't an issue on the bike because it contours to my back in the riding position, and with the hip and chest straps fastened it stays in place well even with a full load.

As for the shoulder straps being female-specific, I didn't notice any difference from my non-gender-specific backpacks. Also, Evoc makes claims for the design giving great ventilation, saying it will keep your back dry. While the mesh webbing and foam pads do keep any pressure off your spine and allow for air flow, I've yet to find any backpack that doesn't give me a sweaty back on warm days or when riding hard.

In all, this is a quality backpack that performs well, but I'd definitely recommend trying it on before you buy to see how comfortable you find it. It's not cheap either.

Verdict

A generously proportioned women-specific pack with all the bells and whistles, but better suited to tall women