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VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive2023 VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive - rolled.jpg

VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive

7
by George Hill
Tue, Jul 23, 2024 15:45
1
£18.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Simple but effective ride pouch that keeps everything safe and secure in your jersey pocket
Simple and easy to use
Flexibility in sizing
Not the cheapest
Weight: 
53g
Contact: 
www.velopac.cc
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive is a useful pouch that keeps out rain, is flexible enough to adjust to different amounts of content, and has a useful pocket on the outside to keep things separate if needed. It's a simple piece of kit, but it does what it's meant to effectively – keep kit safe and dry during a ride.

Buy now: VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive for £15 from VeloPac

It's effectively a mini drybag, with a rolltop closure secured with a clip either side. In my opinion this is a superior system than the simple zip you get on several other ride pouches. It provides a lot more flexibility in how it is used and what you can fit within it.

If you have something small inside you can easily just roll the bag a couple more times before closing it, so there's less room for items to move about; or if you need to fit in more you just reduce the number of rolls. If the bag isn't full it does deform a bit when out of your pocket, but it works fine, it just looks a bit weird.

2023 VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive - in hand.jpg

As for what I managed to fit in – on a typical ride I used it for my iPhone 14 Pro, keys, wallet and earbud case. On occasion I used it for a repair kit and found it would easily take a road tube, mini-pump, CO2 inflator, tyre levers and multi-tool.

> Cycling emergency essentials: 10 things you should take with you on every ride

Where it would be risky putting some things next to each other (keys and iPhone, I'm looking at you), VeloPac has provided a decent sized pocket at the front which lets you separate the worst offenders.

2023 VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive - with contents.jpg

Though it's not fully waterproof, and the zip on the pocket is only water resistant, I used it on some fairly wet days in a pocket and nothing came through. It's lined and padded but only IP64 rated, which means you can't chuck it in the bath and expect it to stay dry, but in terms of it keeping everything dry in a jacket pocket you should be fine.

It's not the cheapest at £18, but it is good quality. Lara reviewed VeloPac's Util Drybag a couple of years ago, and that's now £7.50 and has a higher waterproof rating, though it doesn't have any padding, or the separate pocket at the front.

The Two Wheel Gear The Wet Sack I reviewed a couple of years ago is larger and less suited to jersey pockets than the RidePac Util Pro, but it's £2 cheaper, and genuinely waterproof.

> 15 easy ways to carry stuff on your bike

Overall, the RidePac Util Pro is a simple way to keep things dry and secure in your jersey pocket, and while there is no doubt that it's expensive compared with others on the market, it does everything it needs to well.

Buy now: VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive for £15 from VeloPac

Verdict

Simple but effective ride pouch that keeps everything safe and secure in your jersey pocket

road.cc test report

Make and model: VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive

Size tested: One Size

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

From VeloPac: "RidePac Útil Pro is a compact pocket friendly pouch to carry ride essentials safely protected from the elements.

"Útil (pronounced: oo.teel) is Spanish for 'useful' & in English simply short for 'utility' which is what our new RidePac Útil Pro is all about! This pouch is made from a durable, lightweight, waterproof ripstop outer fabric. A simple & functional glove friendly roll top closure allows easy access to the main lined & padded compartment to keep rain & dirt out. The outer zip pocket is perfectly sized to accept credit cards, cash, keys etc for secure but quick access at the café stop!

"When we designed the Útil Pro, versatility was a key requirement to produce a simple, super-handy multi-use pouch for the cyclist. The wide roll top ensures easy access & the elastic webbing strap provides a flatter form factor once filled with contents. Alternatively, it can be used to carry your essentials (spare tubes, tyre levers, mini tool, Co2 inflator, repair kit etc).

"Útil Pro is designed to fit most cycle jersey pockets but also can be securely strapped under a saddle or to the bike frame if you also purchase one of our super handy Útil straps."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

VeloPac lists:

Durable Waterproof Ripstop Outer Fabric

Padded & Lined main compartment

Bound seams

Outer 'valuables' pocket with water resistant zip

IP64 – Light rain-proof (NOT submersible)

'BigMouth' Rolltop Closure

Quick Release Fastener

Elastic webbing strap

Colour: Olive Green

Wipe Clean Surface

Capacity: 0.4L

Weight: 52 grams

Outer Dimensions: 200mm x 120mm (folded)

Inner Dimensions: 190mm x 110 (main compartment)

Fits Most Cycle Jersey Pockets

Mounts Under the Saddle or to a Bike Frame Using Útil Strap System

Holds All Sizes of Smartphone

Accepts 1 x MTB/GRAVEL Inner Tube Plus Tyre Levers, C02 Cartridge & Mini tool

Accepts 2 x 20/25mm ROAD Inner Tubes Plus Tyre Levers, C02 Cartridge & Mini Tool

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Well made – zips and strap seem robust and the material is difficult to rip or cut.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Does everything I needed it to – kept everything dry and secure in a jersey pocket.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

It's a good piece of kit but it is expensive.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It's not a complicated concept but it does what it needs to.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The separate pocket to keep things apart.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing really, though a higher waterproof rating would be nice, for the money.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's quite expensive – VeloPac's unpadded but more waterproof Util Drybag is over a tenner less, though it doesn't have the separation pocket at the front, and Two Wheel Gear's The Wet Sack is also more waterproof, and £2 cheaper, though larger and less suited to jersey pockets.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's a simple concept – a small bag to put stuff in for your ride – and it works well, making prepping for rides a little easier, especially if you ride with a repair kit in your jersey pocket rather than in a saddle bag. It's good – if a bit pricey.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: CAAD13  My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,

VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive 2024
VeloPac RidePac Util Pro Olive
VeloPac 2024
velopac
George Hill

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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1 comments

Avatar
jaymack | 5 months ago
1 like

You can buy a 1 ltr roll-top dry bag from Amazon for £6.49, a pack of four 1 ltr roll-top dry bags will cost you £17.49. A simillar 1 ltr bag is available from johnbullclothing.com for a whopping £5.99 - it's even olive green like the one in the above article. Any of these would scrunch down perfectly well into a jersey pocket. Simillar items are usually available from Millets, Blacks or my personal favourite - alpkit.com. Spending £18.00 on a item such as this is just plain daft. 

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