Dakine Drafter 12L review

The Dakine Drafter 12L. Picture from Dakine.com

The Dakine Drafter is Dakine's interpretation of a versatile mid-sized backpack designed for all-day trail riding. Dakine might not be the first company that you think of when someone mentions hydration packs for mountain biking, but the Drafter does actually have some very thoughtful features that any mountain biker will appreciate. The main ones are the following:

• 12L main compartment
• 3L Hydrapak reservoir
• Separate bladder compartment
• Air Mesh back panel
• Helmet carrying pouch on the back

Main Compartment
The backpack features a roomy 12L main compartment with two zipped pockets on the outer flap, a fleece lined pocket on the inside of the pack, and a pump sleeve beside it that fits both a regular pump and a shock pump. This is actually a really nice feature if you ride a full suspension bike, since many of us carry a shock pump to adjust suspension during the ride. A lot of manufacturers makes pump sleeves that only has room for one pump, so seeing a sleeve that has room for both is a nice addition.

It is also possible to route a pair of headphones through a hole at the top of the main compartment. This is the same hole that the drinking tube goes through, and the idea seems to be that you can store your MP3-player in the fleece lined pocket and thereby keep it safe and scratch-free.

Except for this, the main compartment is an empty space that is ready to store all your items, and I have no doubt that you get all the 12 litres that you paid for. The main flap can also be zipped down fully and laid out vertically. A nice touch if you want to find something in a stuffed backpack.

Hydration
The water bladder lives in its own separate compartment against the user's back. The hydration system is a standard one from Hydrapak with a 3L/100oz. bladder and a standard-issue drinking tube with a bite-valve. The bladder is closed with a sliding cover that seems to be effective in keeping the water inside the bladder. No leaks so far. This is pretty much the standard Hydrapak experience, which means that you get your water without much fuzz or complications. What we would have liked to see however is a dustcap for the mouthpiece. It is much nicer to drink from a mouthpiece that isn't covered in mud and God knows what else, but this is more a general complaint against all hydration pack makers, rather than just Dakine/Hydrapak, although Hydrapak does sell an insulated tube with such a moutpiece cover, so it would be nice if they supplied this as a standard issue with all their bladders.

The only niggle with this part of the backpack is the velcro strap that is supposed to keep the bladder upright. We have experienced that this velcro strap has come loose and the bladder has sunk together inside the compartment. On Hydrapak's own backpacks the bladder is fastened with a plastic clip instead, and this is definitely what they should have used here too, instead of the sub-par velcro closure.

Outside
There are two features that stand out on the outside of the backpack. The first is the mesh cover between the backpack itself and the the wearer's back, and the second is the helmet carrying pouch.

The air mesh is simply a piece of mesh that sits between the wearer's back and the backpack and creates an airflow between them. This has actually been working great, and it is nice to have some airflow going on in an area that else would become hot and drenched in sweat. The backpanel is also contured, meaning that it has a rounded shape that creates an extra snug fit when you are riding and sitting curled over the handlebars, but it does become a bit weird and pointy when you are off the bike. There is also a gap between the air mesh and the backpack which looks a bit strange and hunchback-like, with a large space that is filled with nothing but emptiness, and that makes the backpack curve in an unusual way. Initially we were worried that this mesh panel would become uncomfortable after a while, but it has not caused any discomfort so far, so our fears appear to be unfounded.

The helmet carrying pouch on the rear fits either a XC or full-face helmet, according to Dakine. We are confident that this pouch can also be used to carry other items without voiding the warranty, but if you need to carry two helmets it is probably a nice feature for you. The fastening straps for the pouch does also perform double as compression straps, but with the unfortunate consequence that they extend over the zippers for the main compartment, which means that you have to unclip the pouch to get into the main compartment and that is a bit annoying as it adds another step to get your stuff.

The top of the backpack features a small fleece lined sunglasses pocket that surely works well for storing sunglasses. At the bottom of the pack there is two straps tucked in that can be used to carry body armour. At the front of the pack there is a chest and a hip strap that does everything you expect them to do, except for the chest strap buckle which also doubles as a whistle. This is a really clever feature that more backpacks should have. It might even be a real life safer if you fall into a ravine and need to call for help.

Summary
In summary, the Dakine Drafter 12L is a great backpack with some very smart features. We especially like the whistle and the air mesh, which we feel are the standout features of this product. There are however a few very minor annoyances such as the helmet pouch straps that crosses the main compartment zippers and the velcro fastening for the hydration bladder that comes loose. But if you are on the lookout for a backpack with good venting, smart looks and plenty of room, the Drafter would be a very sensible choice. The MSRP puts it pretty much in the middle of the price range for these products, so it is pretty decent value for money, and definitely worth a look if you are in the market for a new hydration pack.

The good

• Air mesh panel works great and actually keeps you cool and prevents a sweaty back
• Compact size that doesn't hit your helmet or snag your seat
• Chest and hip straps are broad, comfortable and keeps the pack in place
• Pump sleeve has room for both a regular pump and a shock pump
• The chest strap has buckle that also doubles a whistle. Very nice!

The average

• Not the cheapest backpack around with a €100/$110 MSRP
  

The bad

• The velcro strap that keeps the reservoir upright has a tendency to come loose
• Compression/helmet carry straps has to be released to open the backpack
• No dustcap on the mouthpiece