Victory Chimp Out There Hip Pack/Sling Bag

The Out There Hip Pack from Victory Chimp is a whopper that’ll swallow six litres of kit. It’s loaded with pockets and features and is a fun and customisable option for bikepacking or trail riding that won’t break the bank. Although this pack’s design echoes one of my favourite hip-packs, its design and finish are nowhere near as nuanced, and I found the bottle holster awkward and inefficient.

Victory Chimp Out There Hip Pack/Sling Bag – Technical details

Constructed from tough 100D Cordura with a 210D Ripstop nylon waterproof lining and YKK Aquaguard zips, this pack is designed to take on the elements, and, in this multicolour colourway, looks pretty out there!

At full capacity, it’ll hold six litres of kit, which is substantial to say the least. The main body of the pack has a big mesh separator and key loop to help keep kit organised, and externally there’s a zipped front pocket large enough to squeeze in an iPhone 14. At the rear there’s a large hidden pocket. As this is mooted as a riding hip-pack and a sling bag for urban, er, everyday use, this pocket is probably designed for the safety and quick access to your wallet or phone. There is also a hydration port should you wish to try and fit a bladder, or you could use it for a headphone port if you haven’t adopted the use of Bluetooth earbuds, that is. Externally, you can stash an extra layer or possibly some lightweight pads to the underside of the pack using the quick-release cargo net, which has small reflective material tabs for some nighttime visibility

Perforated mesh padding covers the rear and wings, designed to aid moisture movement, but it is thin, so it’ll be interesting how comfy this is fully loaded. The wide wings look like they’ll provide a decent amount of stability and comfort and feature MOLLE-style webbing to attach a bottle holster for extra hydration or other small accessories.

A magnetic Fidlock buckle takes care of closure, and there is tons of belt webbing to adjust fit, but I’d like to have seen a loop for reining in the excess webbing. Small side tensioning straps let you tailor the bag if it’s not fully loaded to reduce everything moving around.

That big fuzzy patch on the front of the pack does serve a purpose, and it’s for a bit of fun! Available separately are two patch sets that will set you back an extra £12.50. These 70mm-wide Velcro patches let you customise your pack to whatever vibe you want to create. A bit of fun or just a gimmick, I’ll let you decide, but without one in place, this area may attract unwanted mud or debris.

Fear not, if this multi-colour design doesn’t float your boat, then you can pick from black and olive green.

They say “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, so I can’t finish without mentioning that the Out There pack does share a staggering amount of similarities to Wizard Works Oglah and Hobgob Hip-packs, but without the nuanced attention to detail and finishing. But I’ll leave that there…for now.

Victory Chimp Out There Hip Pack/Sling Bag – Performance

The Out There Hip-Pack certainly holds a ton of kit. I packed in loads of completely unnecessary kit to fill it for test rides. For someone bikepacking or for a big day out on the MTB, its capacity is a dream, but for regular gravel and MTB rides it’s quite possibly a little overkill. Two and a half to three litres is the sweet spot for me, especially if the pack has external straps/cords for an extra layer – which this does. The adjustment buckles at the sides of this pack go some way to cinching it in, but even at half capacity I found stuff does rattle and move around a bit. I like my hip-packs welded in place with no movement.

Its tough construction will certainly take some abuse, but I can’t say how water-resistant it is as it’s been so hot and dry for so long; if the waterproof zips are anything to go by, it’s a safe bet that it’ll do a decent job.

Considering that the padding is quite thin, it felt comfy in use; my back did get a bit sweaty, but riding in the current boiling temperatures, I’d say most packs would struggle.

The wide wings and Fidlock magnetic buckle ensure a really secure fit, although it’s a bit fiddly in use. I found that being a bit tough with it was the best way to release the buckle. Adjustment of the webbing strap is also a bit of a faff, with no quick way to release tension, and the amount of excess strap was annoying and needed to be wrapped around itself, so the addition of an elasticated band would go some way to neatening things up.

I didn’t use the audio/hydration port, but I can see how it could be really useful to the right rider. Talking of hydration, the option to carry an extra water bottle using a bottle holster is a must for me. Unfortunately, the Victory Chimp bottle holster is this pack’s biggest letdown. It’s way too roomy for a standard 625ml bottle, as it rattles around, and the elastic strap used to secure it in place at the bottle spout is too slack, meaning it falls off, only staying in place when using a 750ml bottle. The two press-button straps used to secure the holster to either wing of this pack are rudimentary at best. The whole holster bumped and flapped around when I was riding technical trails – bloody annoying; an additional lower MOLLE line of webbing at the bottom of each wing may help with stability. It’s a good thing it’s removable.

That snazzy patch thing area may well be a bit of fun, but as expected, without a patch in place it picked up dirt and debris as soon as I put the pack face down.

As I couldn’t access either of the two external zipped pockets on the move, they are almost a redundant feature for me. But I do like the bungee cord at the bottom for stashing an extra layer, and the quick release is great, but anything stashed there is going to get filthy in wet weather. But wait, haven’t I seen this before…

As I mentioned earlier, this pack seems to have taken some cues from Wizard Works Oglah and Hobgob packs. It’s a very similar design, although nowhere as finessed, and the Oglah’s bottle pocket is fantastic and secure… and works!

Victory Chimp Out There Hip Pack/Sling Bag – Verdict

There are a ton of bike-specific hip-packs on the market. It just depends on what you want from yours.

The Rapha Trail Hip-pack £70 is a great option. With a 3L capacity for kit and two built-in mesh bottle pockets tucked behind the compression straps, it’s a really comfortable and secure pack to ride with, and the external drawcord is better placed at the top to stash a jacket or extra layer, which also helps protect it from getting dirty. For a little bit extra, it’s a better investment if the size is right for you.

Handmade in its London studio, Wizard Works kit commands a premium, but it’s very, very good. The Oglah Hip-Pack I previously mentioned is an excellent pack; it’s soon to be discontinued, so get in quick as it’s £107. I reviewed its successor, the Snagla, recently, and at £130 with the bottle pockets it’s spendy. But it’s fully waterproof, has a super easy roll-top entry so you can keep filling it with kit, and a capacity of 3.5 Litres. The simple elastic cord used to secure the packs doubles as a place to stash an extra layer.

If you’re up for fun styling and all of the capacity, Victory Chimp’s Out There Hip Pack/ Sling Bag is a wise choice, but it’s one that’s left with plenty of room for improvement. The bottle holster could do with a bit of a rethink. However, this neat pack is absolutely rammed with features, so it’s primed to please a wide range of riders of different riding styles, especially if you like to carry everything and the kitchen sink.