Race Face's New Stash Hip Belts - Pond Beaver 2020

It's been a busy Spring for Race Face, with the Canadian brand launching the T2 tailgate pad, the Stash Gear Bag, and two new hip belts, the Stash Quick Rip 1.5L and the Stash 3L Hip Bag. Both of the bags are simple at first glance, but there's a lot going on under the stealth black exteriors.

The smaller of the two hip bags retails for $67.99 USD, while the bigger version retails for $99.99 USD.







Stash Quick Rip 1.5L Tech Details

The Stash Quick Rip 1.5L bag is designed for rides where your pockets won't do the job, but most backpacks are overkill. Plus, didn't you hear that backpacks are so two years ago?

The smaller of Race Face's two hip bags fits a spare water bottle, a couple of bars or gummies and some essential repair gear. For most people, it's suited to the gear that you're likely going to want to carry on most rides. If you're looking for a bag that holds your mid-ride sandwich or a more in-depth range of tools for an alpine adventure, keep scrolling down to read about the Stash 3L Hip Bag.

There are two decent-sized pockets that could fit a large tube or small windbreaker on either side of the neoprene water bottle sleeve, and then a third padded, water-resistant pocket up against the back for carrying a phone. Race Face has used a 3D mesh backing for the section of the bag that is up against your lower back, which they say helps provide comfort and airflow.

A nice feature for a smaller bag is the two lower straps that remove some of the size limitations. Race Face suggests you use them to secure your knee pads, but you could also roll up a spare layer if it ends up being warmer than you expected once you get out riding. The straps tuck up neatly into the bag if you're not strapping anything extra onto the bag.

The Stash Quick Rip 1.5L bag has a 5cm wide stretchy one-sided soft elastic belt so that, while it feels secure, the bag doesn't feel constrictive against your waist. That being said, it is a bit irritating to only be able to tighten the bag from one side and if you're on the skinnier side, you're going to end up with the buckle way over on your right side.


Other details include waterproof zippers and a reflective logo.






Stash 3L Hip Bag Tech Details

There are lots of options for hydration on extended rides with the Stash 3L Hip Bag, starting with the 1.5L hydration bladder included in the main pocket. When riding with the bladder, you can poke the hose through the designated hole in the bag and then clip it onto your waist using the magnet. It's easy to remove the bladder entirely for shorter rides and there's a mesh holder with a security strap for an extra water bottle on the Stash 3L if that's how you prefer to roll. There is also an option to remove the magnetic clip if you choose not to ride with the hydration bladder, although that really just seems like a great way to lose it and never see it again.

Often, companies use hydration bladders from brands that specialize in hydration like Hydrapak or Platypus, but Race Face has chosen to source their own hydration bladder in this bag and it's less than impressive. While the hose does disconnect from the bag, it doesn't have a gasket to stop leakage when it's undone and it's such a fuss to twist it undone that it may as well be secured to the bag. The opening to pour water in is on the smaller side, but fine if you're filling up at a tap and not a mid-ride water fountain. That being said, many riders will choose to run their own hydration bladder or just carry a spare water bottle in the provided pocket.


There are five zippered pockets on the Stash 3L Hip Bag, so you can keep more than just your emergency cash in a safely zippered pocket when you're out riding. There's a pocket on each hip so you can have easy access to on-the-trail snacks without needing to twist the bag around to the front, a giant padded, water-resistant pocket right up against the back that fits a phone, and a pocket on either side of the main opening, a mesh one on the interior and a nylon one on the outside. Interestingly, the key clip is in the larger compartment, not one of the smaller pockets.

A cool feature is that the main opening on the Stash 3L bag folds out entirely to make what Race Race calls a "tool bench" for trailside repairs. That large flat piece of fabric, combined with the large mesh pocket inside the bag means that you're less likely to lose bits and pieces when you do have to swap out a derailleur hanger or change a flat mid-ride.

The Stash 3L Hip Bag has the same wide stretchy one-sided soft elastic belt that the Stash Quick Rip 1.5L has, waterproof zippers, and a reflective logo.

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