Sizable capacity hip pack, plus the optional bottle holder. Made in London, which partly explains the huge price tag.
- Brand: Wizard Works
- Product: Hobgob Hip Pack (and Quick Draw Bottle Pocket)
- Price: £199.00 pack (and £33.00 bottle pocket)
- From: Wizard Works
- Tested by: Aran Francis for 3 months
Based in London, Wizard Works hand make bags for bikepacking and commuting. I’ve been using their 4.8 litre hip pack, the Hobgob, for a few months now and – on the whole – I have a lot of praise for it.
As with most UK-handmade things, the Hobgob is far from cheap. Very far. The £200 price is genuinely reflected in the quality and design of the bag.
The outer fabric of the bag is 1000D Cordura polyester. A really tough material which I am confident will last an extremely long time indeed. The tough fabric does mean there is not much stretch to the bag, so the 4.8 litre capacity isn’t a negotiable figure. This is durability first and foremost.
Flaps over the smaller zip pocket provides good protection from the mud and a rubber ‘Aquaguard’ lining on the main zip helps keep the bag waterproof and the zip clean.
After overall build quality, the main standout aspect is that this bag feels like one of those products designed by someone that wants to use it themselves. The Hobgob features many nifty details which make life easier for the rider.
Inside the main pocket there are two mesh-like pockets for securing gear. I store a little electric pump and a very small (Tubolito) inner tube in one, with a multitool and a snack in the other. I now no longer have pumps and multitools rattling about off each other in my bag.
Similarly in the front pocket there are a set of loops for securing more things (CO2 cartridges, spare batteries, tyre levers etc). Once these storage loops and meshes are full, there is still plenty of room for a spare layer and a sandwich/burrito/M&S wrap in the main pocket and a phone or wallet in the smaller pocket.
If that still isn’t enough storage for you, there is an elastic cord around the bottom for securing a rain jacket or knee sleeves, which clips together with a nice quick release buckle. Yes, the jacket/sleeves will naturally be vulnerable to all the gunk that you kick up from the back wheel here, but it’s nice to have the option of self-sabotage.
For adjustment and comfort the Hobgob ticks all of the boxes it set out to do. The bag itself can be tightened with two tensioning straps. These straps are really needed for a bag of this size as without them it would be on the cumbersome and flappy side when empty. The magnetic Fidlock buckle is great: nice and easy to use but remains secure when in use.
The adjustment on the main waist strap is my only real criticism of the bag. I found that the strap didn’t do a great job of keeping tight throughout a day of riding and would need a few adjustments through the ride.. Comfort-wise there is typical and unproblematic cushioning that does a decent job at not irritating you on long rides.
The similarly spendy (£33.00) Quick Draw Bottle Pocket is an optional extra that I would actually recommend. It is a bit fiddly to take on and off the bag but once it is on it secures a bottle well giving no indication of insecurity whatsoever. It would have been nice to have a way of tightening or loosening this pocket to fit odd sized containers, but as it is the pocket fits most bottles securely without a problem.
Overall
The Wizard Works Hobgob is the product it needs to be for the priceit is. The sheer quality of fabrication as well as the design of the bag reflect this price. This thing should last a lifetime. The Hobgob offers facilities to securely stash and organise gear within the bag and works really well with the optional bottle pocket. Oh, and it looks cool too. Which it needs to, at £200!