Scott Trail Protect FR 16 Pack - Review

Nobody plans to crash. While the main purpose of a hydration pack is to provide fluid delivery during a long ride, as well as being a handy place for storing food, tools and spare clothing, Scott has integrated a back panel protector made from D3O, the same material commonly used for knee pads, into the back of this Trail Protect FR pack.



Construction

The gravity-oriented riding intentions of this pack are clear, not only from the back protector, but also from the addition of straps for stowing a helmet (full-face or XC lid), and knee or arm pads to the outside. That’s useful for long climbing transitions or riding the gondola. A big pack needs some decent straps to keep it in place, and the Trail Protect features a generously wide hip belt with a double Velcro buckle closure and twin buckle chest straps. They all ensure the pack doesn’t shift or slide about when throwing some shapes on the bike. The pack offers a wide range of adjustability and can be adjusted vertically to better cater for longer or shorter torsos.

Inside, it’s a well-appointed pack: there’s a pocket for everything. A dedicated zipped compartment for a hydration bladder (not included) plus a useful array of pockets for organising all the tools and essentials you might want to lug around on a ride. Outside, there are a couple of useful zipped pockets, one on the chest strap and another on the hip belt, two stretchy side pockets and a soft lined top pocket that is ideal for a mobile phone or GPS device. The front outside pocket is a bit tricky to get to because you have to first remove the helmet cover flap, and as a result, I didn’t use it much. If the 16-litre capacity is too large for your requirements, Scott offers a smaller, 12-litre version. I found the larger size about right for an all-day ride, some food, 2 or 3-litres of water and a rain jacket.




Issues

The Trail Protect pack doesn’t come with a hydration bladder, which seems a bit of an oversight, especially when you look at the price tag and compare it to other hydration packs that do come with a bladder. Of course, it does mean you’re free to use your own favoured bladder if you have one. There’s space for a 3-litre bladder in the zipped compartment.

The back panel will appeal to anyone wanting some extra protection when riding, but on some longer trail rides, the back panel can start to feel a bit uncomfortable. It's quite firm and presses into your back and is especially noticeable if wearing just a thin jersey. Add a couple more clothing layers and it’s not so bad. The D3O foam means it’s flexible and it does move with your body, but a bit more cushioning would go a long way to increasing the comfort.

While the pack is good at spreading the size and weight across your back, I found it tricky to get the waistband tensioned correctly, not helped by the combination of a large velcro strap and buckle clip that means it can’t be adjusted on the move. A simpler arrangement would probably be just as secure and allow easier adjustment on the move - and allow you to loosen the pack for the climbs and tension up for the descents. The high number of straps is a bit fiddly and it’s not a quick pack to put on and take off.


Pinkbike's Take:

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