Shimano Unzen 10

Given the breadth of products and accessories produced by Shimano and its subsidiaries, it seemed only logical that at some point they’d add a cycling pack range to their line-up. That time has arrived, and after several years of R&D the Unzen pack and a range of other bags are hitting your local bike shop. Whilst the 12-litre Rokko is designed for either MTB or urban use, the Unzen series (named after a volcanic mountain range in Southern Japan) is specifically designed for the dirt. Available in six, 10, and 15-litre sizes, we’ve been putting some serious trail time into the Unzen 10, which retails for $129 including the two-litre bladder.

Shimano products are known for their high quality manufacturing, and the Unzen bag is no exception. Fabrics, zips, buckles and stitching are all excellent and should see you through years of regular riding without issue. At a claimed 570g excluding the bladder (ours was actually 556g) it’s also incredibly lightweight. The pack body itself has been very well designed, with two zippered external pockets (one with padding for valuables and the other with a key clip and organiser) as well as quick access pockets on the ‘hip’ belt for gels and whatnot. The main compartment can be accessed from either side via full-length zips; it also contains organiser sleeves and pockets to keep your tools and tubes from consolidating at the bottom of the bag. There are large zipper pulls so big, gloved hands won’t struggle to get to the goodies within.

The main panel of the Unzen is made from a stretch material allowing you to over-stuff the bag should you ever need, although the 10-litre capacity is more than ample for the average two to three-hour ride—even the Unzen 6 would be plenty big enough for most people who don’t need to carry extra clothing or protective equipment. Handily, the bladder (licensed from Hydrapak) resides in its own compartment accessed by another full length zip, so it’s relatively quick and easy to fill or remove the bladder without disturbing the other contents of your pack. The hose feeds through a sleeve in either of the shoulder straps to keep things neat, and despite the high level of internal organisation and complexity, the overall external appearance of the Unzen is one of streamlined simplicity; big ups to Shimano for making a bag that doesn’t have crap hanging off it everywhere.

X-Factor

The harness itself also shows a great deal of thought; there’s perforated foam in the shoulder straps to increase airflow, and the length of the shoulder yoke can be adjusted (inside the pack) so that the bag doesn’t ride too high on tall people, nor too low on those who are smaller of stature. A few other brands have used similar types of adjustment in the past, and it’s a great feature which makes the pack much more comfortable over a wide range of body shapes and sizes.

Most striking, however, is the way the shoulder straps attach in the centre of the wearer’s body, rather than having a traditional shoulder and sternum-strap setup—it’s called this their Rider-Fit X harness. Shimano claims this system provides more freedom of movement (as well as ventilation) to the arms and shoulders, in addition to providing greater stability, as tensioning of the shoulder straps pulls the bag into the body rather than up towards the shoulders. They also suggest it makes the harness much more unisex (i.e. female friendly) as the shoulder straps don’t go over the centre of the pectoralis muscles. Although not common, we’ve seen this type of harness used before, particularly for runners, where constant arm movement can cause nasty chaffing around the armpits and neck.

Out on the trail, we didn’t find the Rider-Fit X harness offered a clear benefit. Compared to running, even on demanding technical terrain, the shoulder and arm position of a cyclist is relatively static. We’ve never had cause to think a properly fitted and adjusted traditional harness was in any way restricting movement or causing discomfort. We also didn’t notice any difference in the level of ventilation to the armpit area when using the Unzen, as claimed by Shimano. None of this is to say that the pack was in any way uncomfortable, just that it was not noticeably better or worse than a more familiar harness arrangement. As for being bust-friendly, the women we got to try the X Harness found it to be a bit of an anti-bra, with the straps too wide through the centre chest to be particularly comfortable.

On flowing trails and climbing, the Unzen 10 was very stable; it has a particularly body-hugging fit. The adjustable length shoulder yoke also makes it easy to keep the bag out of the way of your helmet regardless of rider size. On fast and rough downhills there’s a distinct tendency for the pack to bounce around, both up and sideways; despite claims to the contrary, you simply can’t keep a backpack in place in these conditions without a hip belt, and the Unzen doesn’t have one. We’d love to see Shimano add a removable hip belt for future production – there if you need it, gone if you don’t – as this very simple addition would make the Unzen range far more versatile.

As it stands the Unzen 10 represents good value for money, is very well made, the layout is simple and practical, it’s comfortable and stable for most riding situations, and it’s different enough to be a welcome addition to the range of hydration packs currently available on the market.

Shimano Australia 1300 731 077 / www.shimano.com