back to news and reviews

Posted by

Water is heavy. If you don’t know already, I can tell you that a litre weighs 1kg, so you generally don’t want to be carrying more than you really have to. In most cases, a water bottle combined with a filter will provide a plentiful supply throughout the day but what about once you stop for the night? You may not be close to a river, stream, lake or handy puddle. You might have passed your last accessible water source three miles back and the prospect of retracing your steps every hour to replenish your supply doesn’t fill you with joy.

It’s even got a handy gauge so you know how much is left in it.


My solution has always been a foldable water pouch which I fill when that last opportunity presents itself. Once filled, I’ll look for an ingenious way to carry it which I often fail to find, so in most instances I simply stuff the thing in my jersey pocket or down the front of my jacket. This rather haphazard way of transporting water generally works okay for shorter distances but isn’t ideal when camp is more than a few miles away. My solution? Use a larger pouch!

Roll it up, fold it up and stick it in your bag.


I know what you’re thinking – if you’re already struggling to carry a two litre pouch why are you now using one double the size? It’s a fair question and the answer is ‘shape not size’. That might sound cryptic but it’s not meant to, so I’ll explain. The four litre HydraPak Seeker may be double the volume of my other pouches but its rectangular shape and reinforced lashing points mean it’s much easier to strap securely to a bike. When full, it measures roughly 29cm long x 22cm wide x 5cm deep. There are two internal baffles which help it maintain its shape even if not full. Now add the the aforementioned lashing points and you’ve got something of a shape and size that will very happily sit on top of a saddle-bag or bar-roll. The addition of a strap or two will hold it in place securely and without causing any real disruption to your set-up.

Very much a low profile rectangle which will partially contour to other shapes like your saddle-bag.


When not in use it can be rolled / folded and is easily lost in any available gap. At 126g, it’s not as light as some but the additional capacity, wide mouth top and heavy duty TPU material comes at a price but you’ll have to decide for yourself if those additional grams are a price worth paying.

Reinforced lashing points allow you to securely attach it to a bike or a tree.


The material appears to be robust, the lash points seem securely attached,  the lid doesn’t leak or drip and it’s all backed up with a lifetime guarantee with regard to manufacture or materials. HydraPak also offer an hydration tube for the Seeker and an accessory kit which even includes a shower-head for those who indulge in that kind of thing. Two and three litre versions are also available but they’re a different shape the the four litre version and only feature two lashing points but who knows, you might have a cunning plan for which they’d be perfect?

HydraPak Seeker from an outdoor shop near you or on-line for around £20.

3 Comments

  1. Jack says:

    How does it affect the taste, Stu? I've got an Ortlieb water bag and the water comes ot really plasticky tasting. Not a big deal, esp if you're cooking with it, but I'd like to find a bladder that imparts less of a plastic flavour to the water.

  2. I can't say that there isn't some taste but it's no worse than some and far less than others. There's little smell which seems to be a good indicator.

  3. Unknown says:

    I've been using one in my sea kayak for 2 years. 3000km. Strapped to the floor below my knees. Durable and brilliant.

Leave a Reply to Bearbonesnorm Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may also be interested in

Book Club … Bikepacking Scotland by Markus Stitz.

Despite generally returning home with a debilitating injury, I’ve always enjoyed my trips to Scotland. It’s a vast place with many ‘honey pots’ but even more little known and largely hidden corners. Once you add the very sensible approach to access and wild-camping, plus the large number of bothies scattered across the land, then it’s […]

Read Full Article

Book Club … Bikepacking Wales by Emma Kingston.

Someone suggested that I was the wrong person to review this book. At first, I was a little unsure as to the reasons behind that statement, after all, I’ve been riding the hills and valleys of Wales for twenty years. I’ve mapped out numerous routes across the largely green and pleasant land and have gained […]

Read Full Article

Inclusive – at what cost?

Last week, someone told me that, in certain circles Bear Bones is viewed as being ‘less than inclusive’. Had they said ‘full of weirdos’ or ‘a bit odd’, then I’d have readily agreed but lacking inclusiveness? No. Have these people not seen how the forum welcomes everyone with open arms or how for the last […]

Read Full Article

Shopping cart0
There are no products in the cart!
Continue shopping