The VeloPac RidePac Echelon is essentially a simple travel wallet that has become more and more useful the more I’ve used it. It keeps everything important securely in one place, has useful compartments to keep everything organised, and is weatherproof.
Ever forget where you've put your bank cards, phone, keys while out on the bike? You know they're there somewhere, but after riding around for a few hours you can't remember where... keys might be in your right jersey pocket, cards in the left, phone in the saddle bag... maybe... And if you do find what you want and pull it out, what else comes out too? In the past few years I’ve managed to lose two debit cards and smashed a phone screen when pulling stuff out of jersey pockets.
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VeloPac's RidePac aims to fix all that – a cycling travel case that keeps everything safe in one soft, weatherproof and protective package.
We've tested a few RidePacs on road.cc – most recently the RidePac Lite – a cheaper, if not lighter, model. RidePacs come in various different designs, fabrics and sizes, ranging from Lite and Mini cases at £20 to leather ones at £50.
Echelon refers to the print on this particular RidePac. It's made with a robust softshell material which both protects what's inside and also reduces any chance of awkward shaped keys or coins jabbing into your back when riding.
Around half of the edges of the pack VeloPac has used a highly grippy material which helps to stop the pack from flying out of a jersey pocket, and the other half is a zip with bound seams, which provides a decent barrier to water. The zip has a large and easy-to-grip tag, making it simple to use even with full-finger winter gloves.
Inside, there's a zip-pocket, a small pouch, a larger main compartment and a phone slip. The inside of the phone slip and zip-pocket are lined with a fleecy material which protects the contents from getting damaged or scratched.
The most that I managed to fit inside was three cards, an iPhone, portable charger, charging cable, keys, £5 in coins, and a spare CO2 canister. Being able to fit this much in, while also keeping it well separated and organised, is really useful.
On the road I didn't find a jersey pocket that it didn't fit in comfortably, including lightweight jerseys with smaller pockets. Putting it away and taking it out was easy, despite the edges being designed to minimise the risk of accidentally losing it; it doesn't impact on taking it out of the pocket.
> Emergency essentials: 10 things to carry with you every ride
Having the ability to only open the case halfway is also a surprisingly good design decision, as it means things can't fall out easily, like Neil found with the Altuvita Elements case last year.
Value
The RidePac is a great solution to a problem that a lot of cyclists have, and although the £33 RRP is a bit steep, compared to some competitors it's not bad value. The Altuvita Elements case promises broadly the same qualities at £5 more, and as Neil mentions in his review, some of the claims are not necessarily accurate. And Silca's Borsa Americano, which also seems to offer the same qualities, is £45.
You can spend less: the See.Sense Phone Pouch is £10 cheaper, but it isn't as large and doesn't offer the same level of waterproofing; Muc-Off's Essentials Case is £15, but Pat was concerned about the zip damaging his phone.
A Sticky Pod is less than half the price, though, at £15.99.
Conclusion
When I first started using this pack I thought it would just be an expensive version of a plastic bag, but in reality I now wouldn't go back. Its weatherproofing has kept everything well protected and dry, the ability to organise your stuff is really useful, and there's no danger of losing anything. It's great!
Verdict
Impressive piece of kit that allows you to carry all valuables in one place securely and protected against the elements
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
Make and model: VeloPac RidePac Echelon
Size tested: 100mm x 190mm
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?
It's a case for your valuables and other small objects that you may need to take with you on a ride.
VeloPac says, 'RidePac is a handy & stylish solution to carry all your ride essentials safely protected from the elements.'
This is an accurate description of what it does – it doesn't need to do anything complicated, but elements like the inner pockets and grippy sides mean it does it well.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
VeloPac lists:
Softshell waterproof main fabric
Soft padded micro-fibre lining bonded to outer fabric
Special grippy side gusset panel
Waterproof inner materials
Bound seams
Water resistant zipper
VeloPac zip puller
Phone slip pocket accepts all phones up to & including i-phone6 plus
Large, secure inner zip pocket for keys, coins etc.
Credit card/racing licence holder
Fits most cycling jersey/jacket pockets
Dimensions 100mm x 190mm
Attractive digitally printed designs
MADE IN BRITAIN
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Really well made with strong stitching, a robust zip, and nice touches like the extra long zip tag to make it easy to use with full-finger gloves.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Thick softshell sides, strong stitching throughout and it being weather resistant suggest it's unlikely to need replacing quickly.
Rate the product for value:
6/10
Compared to most others on the market, this is a fairly good price.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well, I could fit in everything that was needed and it sat comfortably in my pocket.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The fleecy inner to prevent scratches on phones is a small but really nice touch.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing in particular.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
The Altuvita Elements case promises the same broad qualities at £5 more, but as Neil mentions in his review, some of the claims are not necessarily accurate. You can pick up the See.Sense Phone Pouch for £10 less, but it's smaller and doesn't offer the same level of waterproofing. Silca's Borsa Americano, which seems to offer the same kind of qualities, is £45.
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 really useful bit of kit that you might not think about until you start using it. It does what's required in a fuss-free way. It sounds silly for something that is basically just a travel wallet, but it just works really well.
Age: 32 Height: 6 ft Weight:
I usually ride: CAAD13 My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo
I've been riding for: Under 5 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, mtb,
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