Photos of bag in use by TJ Kearns

There’s almost nothing that makes me happier than riding without a pack strapped to my back. However, I don’t get to experience that blissful sensation very often since I almost always carry a camera. And yes, I’ve tried stowing my camera on the bike using custom handlebar packs, stem bags, and DIY solutions. But after killing a couple of high-end DSLRs by rattling them to death, I can confidently say that carrying a camera on the bike is not a wise solution.

Thinking back to the aughts and early 2010s when I was schlepping my DSLR in various Osprey backpacks—and later the Mission Workshop Hauser—makes me grimace, facepalm, and sigh, frankly. Fortunately, hip packs have come a long way, and they’re not nearly as miserable to wear on long rides as a full backpack. The new High Above Venture3d is the latest in a class of mid-sized hip packs that fit a smaller mirrorless camera and other such items. I put a couple hundred miles on it for this review.

In a nutshell, the Venture3d is what I’d consider a middleweight hip pack. It’s not the biggest hip pack available, but it’s far from the smallest. I’d put it in line with the Oveja Negra Royale and the Randi Jo pack, two of my favorites in the category. The Venture3d weighs 357 grams (12.6 ounces) and offers about 2.5L of carrying capacity via a main compartment and a few organizer pockets, including a zippered sleeve with a key clip, two internal stretch pockets, a phone sleeve, and dual stretchy wing pockets.

The typical haul I’ve been toting in the Venture3d includes my Fuji X100V camera in a small padded cube, a 40cc Wolf Tooth Encase Pump with a plugger tool, my trusty SpurCycle Tool, a sunglasses case, a wallet, and my Bose earbuds… and sometimes my phone. All that fits comfortably with a little room to spare. Still, I’d consider that a worthy load for this pack. It carries it well, which can be attributed to the angled bottom and closed-cell foam wings, but it doesn’t have side compression straps to cinch the load in like some others I’ve tried.

The High Above Venture3D Hip Pack is a high-end little number, and the brand doesn’t claim otherwise—at 200 bucks, it’s undeniably expensive. Because of that, it’s not for everyone, and that’s okay; the original Venture pack remains in the lineup for $60 less, and there are plenty of other hip packs available at lower price points. However, it’s clear the Venture3d was made a cut above, featuring premium materials, a clean design, and the latest and greatest buckles from Fidlock.

The most significant differentiator—and how it got its name—is the Venture3d’s custom-designed Carbon3D lattice back panel. It’s 3D-printed, which the brand claims offers superior breathability and more ergonomic support. I’m usually a little skeptical of 3D printing, which sometimes seems to be done for the sake of tech, however, I was impressed with the pack’s squishy back panel. It has a surprisingly plush feel, and it pretty much does what the brand claims. It breathes fairly well and is very comfortable. It’s a hip pack I often forgot was there. Even when carrying a camera, there were a couple of occasions out on the trail when I had to reach back to double-check that it was still in tow.

The back panel also has a nice tacky quality that isn’t at all slippery and keeps the Venture3d from sliding down. As a result, you don’t have to winch the belt down super tight in order to keep it secure—something I’ve had to do with other hip packs in the past when carrying a heavier load. This is a huge upside that I think is unique to this pack.

The Venture3d’s shell is constructed from tough Challenge UltraWeave 400x fabric, lined with 210D nylon ripstop. It’s stitched, and with a no-roll lid design, it’s certainly not waterproof, but the origami-fold design doesn’t let water roll in. And, speaking from experience, the fabric does a decent job at keeping water out during passing showers. Just the other day, I found myself caught out in an afternoon thunderstorm and got soaked—shoes, shorts, shirt, everything—and my camera and the padded case remained dry. That said, I could tell moisture was starting to leach through the liner fabric inside the lid. I imagine a multi-hour downpour would result in wet contents.

Aesthetics and construction aside, usability is where this pack shines. The space and pocket arrangement are well thought out and very user-friendly. The stretch wing pockets are perfect for stashing snacks—one has an overlapping top, which is designed to keep small things like keys from flying out. The other is open at the top but still keeps items like bars and snacks secure.

The fold-over flap design is clean and simple and allows for very quick access, which is great for running and gunning with a camera. I’ll admit that the Fidlock “V-Buckle 25 Sewable” on the lid took a few rides to get used to. It almost seems like it’s upside down based on the Fidlock logotype orientation; and the pull tab has to be lifted up and out instead of downward. This seemed counterintuitive to me at first. However, if the parts were swapped, the dangly end would be oriented upward and would probably get in the way. Plus, the sewn-on side of the buckle would be exposed to mud and grit at the bottom of the pack. After a while, the pull-up motion became second nature. It doesn’t take too much effort to release the buckle, and then it’s quickly out of the way, allowing you to fold the lid and grab the camera in a very quick-draw motion. If the bag isn’t relatively full, the flap release buckle can be a little more finicky and require two hands to release—one to hold the lid in place and one to disengage the buckle.

When closing, you simply position the buckle in the right spot, and the magnets find each other and lock it closed. On dozens of rough singletrack rides, I never had it release by accident or fail to close on the fly.

The belt buckle is a little more fiddly. It’s secure and comfortable, and I haven’t had any issues with it, but it’s not as easy to release, especially when you have the webbing tight. It requires two hands, and you have to compress the buckle and then pull the tab to disengage the clasp. This is a little easier if you loosen the belt before decoupling the buckle. Otherwise, the webbing belt is fairly straightforward. It has sliders on both sides that are easy to angle and release slack in order to spin the pack around to the front and grab what you need, be it a camera or a snack.

• Model/Size Tested: High Above Venture3d Hip Pack
• Actual Weight: 357 grams (12.6 ounces)
• Place of Manufacture: Washington, USA
• Price: $200
• Manufacturer’s Details: High Above