dhb Slice 25L Rucksack

The dhb Slice 25 litre rucksack is the beautiful offspring of a passionate tryst between commuter bag and hydration pack. Yes, I liked it.

A sleek profile and clever design means it tracks seamlessly with the rider without detracting from a frisky road bike's character en-route to the office or on day rides, while also doubling as a capable trail companion too. Ditch the (optional) hydration bladder, and it will entertain small tablet computers along with a change of clothes, shoes, lock, stationery and other bike/ridr/commuter essentials.

A hardy 600denier nylon/polyester mix mightn't set pulses racing but covers all the bases in terms of price, durability and weather proofing. Splashes of day glow and Scotchlite bring the otherwise ultra practical black to life in low light/under vehicle headlights and the sturdy LED tab is perfectly positioned for maximum effect when hunkered low on the drops. Thoughtfully, there's also a neon yellow rain cover secreted in the base that adds extra visibility on foggy days if you need it.

The outermost compartment is ideally given to mini pumps/Co2 inflators/patch kits/spare tubes and multi-tools. The next one in is fleece lined and a good place to stash smart phones, GPS units and other valuable gadgetry - ours managed a compact system camera with 18-55mm lens

Elasticated zipper tags open and close the smaller compartments easily wearing gloved hands but I much preferred the chunky rubberised affair that did the job for the main compartment. Flanked by a sleeve pouch for hydration bladder, there's plenty of room in here for commuter/ride essentials and a bit more. The side of the pack featrues mesh pockets with elasticated collars cater energy bars and other generic overspill.

Broad shoulder, sternum and waist straps with intelligent padding keep heavier loads under control, whether you're charging along bridlepath, powering up the climbs or snaking through those lines of stationary traffic on the way to work.

The waist staps feature nifty pockets for keys, change, mobile phone and cards hidden from artful dodgers, yet close to hand, while a labyrinth of similarly well-executed pockets optimise the 25 litre capacity. That's extra useful because not everyone uses rucksack waist belts, a fact recognised by dhb who've made the one on the Slice removable.

The Slice is designed to sit lower on your back with tailored padding adding even greater comfort, that lower position gives more efficient airflow without compromising over the shoulder checks, better still the Slice incorporates an air channel between your back and the main part of the pack so reducing the risk of finishing a ride with a wet back.

Torrential downpours and malicious attack from overhanging brambles have made negligible impression on fabric and contents over the past few weeks of testing, and I would expect it to survive several years of hard use before retirement.

Verdict

Innovative and well thought out rucksack that transcends road and mountain bike genres beautifully - an absolute bargain.