Evoc Gear Backpack 90L review

The Evoc Gear Backpack 90L offers ample storage, with the ability to organise and stash plenty of kit ahead of carting it off to your next destination.

Thanks to the design, it’ll work for a variety of outdoor activities, including commuter cycling and mountain biking.

The main compartment is effectively split in two, thanks to a partition that’s held in place by Velcro, separating the top and bottom halves of the bag.

Remove the partition and you can boost the space for the main top-loading pocket.

The lower half is accessed through the side of the bag and features a self-contained pocket that’ll easily house winter mountain bike shoes, hiking boots or even snowboarding boots.

There’s a further zipped pocket on the front, complete with organiser sleeves, and a long pocket that stretches down one side of the bag, both of which are great for smaller items.

All pockets are lined with a water-resistant material, which is great on soggy days. However, because it’s all black, finding smaller items in the depths of the pack gets tricky.

Evoc has added padding throughout the sides of the bag to better protect the equipment inside. It still packs down flat for storage, though.

Evoc Gear Backpack 90L performance

Thanks to the double zip and because the top-loading flap of the main pocket folds down out of the way, accessing kit inside is easy enough.

Because it’s a backpack, though, kit is piled on top of itself, so it can take longer to find specific items compared to digging into an open suitcase.

I found the Velcro partition a little limiting in terms of capacity though, simply because it sits too high up, restricting how much you can get into the pocket.

If I had only a pair of mountain bike shoes inside the large side-loading pocket, it meant there was quite a bit of dead space.

Removing the partition expands the pocket and limits this issue, but accessing kit at the bottom of the pack isn’t as easy.

On days when I required less riding kit, I made full use of the side-loading pocket (and left the inner partition in place), shoving wet shoes and a damp riding pack in once my ride was done.

It’s always a plus when you can keep the really grotty items separate from your clean kit, so this is a real plus.

The pockets on the front and side are ideal for smaller items of clothing, or stashing tools and spares. Thanks to the robust water-resistant lining, I never worried about damaging the bag when stowing pedals, chain lube and sealant.

When loaded up with a few days’ worth of riding kit, the shoulder straps – which are reasonably well padded – coupled with the waist strap, make carrying the load comfortable enough.

It’s a shame you can’t reconfigure the straps into a different position though, simply because if you're travelling further afield, it becomes tricky to carry a smaller backpack as well as this.

The zips aren’t designed to be locked together and there’s no luggage tag included.

You can, however, pack this bag flat, which makes storing it easier when not in use. It’s really light too.

Evoc Gear Backpack 90L bottom line

The Evoc Gear Backpack 90L offers a decent way to get kit around when you’re on the move, but it’s best suited to days or weekends away, rather than anything long-haul.

Its adaptable interior means it can work for more than just mountain biking. There’s ample storage for a decent amount of kit that can be organised reasonably neatly thanks to the pockets dotted around the pack.

The fact that it’s light and packs down small when not in use is a bonus too.