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While at € 30 the Deuter Pulse 2 is the cheapest hip bag in test, it doesn’t compromise on quality. Does it sound like a Best Buy Tip? The answer is no. Unfortunately, the Pulse 2 has one major flaw – it’s not designed for cyclists… and you can tell.

Especially in German-speaking countries, Deuter is well known for its cycling backpacks. Having said that, all of their hip bags were designed for more general multisport purpose. In other words, the Pulse 3 is not a bike-specific fanny pack. Still, it has many of the features associated with that and is therefore fit to face its bike-specific competitors.

According to Mavic, the Deemax Belt can carry a lot more than most minimalist race belts that fit under a jersey. Supposedly, it can take a pump and a spare inner tube at the same time. In practice, however, you should resist the temptation to follow the manufacturer’s suggestions.

If you don’t need a full-sized waist pack and want to streamline your mid-ride essentials down to a few tools, Dakine’s Hot Laps Stealth is an excellent option to carry under the jersey – and it even has a dedicated phone pouch.

If the compact dimensions of the SOURCE Hipster put you off from getting one, you should read on. Its successor goes by the name of Hipster Ultra 5l. The new version is very similar but has a lot more volume.