Gear Review: West Slope PRO-180 Slim Chest Pack
First impressions on a new chest pack aimed at the action sports crowd.
The PRO-180 Slim Chest Pack from West Slope Gear.
Like a lot of mountain bikers, I had a Camelbak for a number of years to solve the issues of on-bike storage and water capacity for longer/hotter rides. Phone, wallet, keys, snacks, extra lights and so on would all go into the backpack with a 70 oz. bladder. It was functional, adequately durable, and kept things secured in zippered compartments. All the things you could ask of a hydration pack. But it was also well-loved (well used) and time to replace.
One evening while scrolling through Instagram I came upon an advertisement for West Slope Gear. They make chest packs aimed at the action sports community, with runners, mountain bikers, motorcyclists, and snowboarders appearing in their ad reels. So I ordered a pack (the 40 oz. hydration pack was sold out, so I can’t speak to that) and waited for it to show up.
Since the PRO-180 Slim arrived, I have worn it on 3 bike rides and a few laps on the dirt bike, so by no means is this a full or long-term review. But my initial impressions of this pack is that it is a well constructed pack with a quality finish and some thoughtful features. Despite the contact area front and back, the PRO-180 Slim pack is rather breathable. Riding in 80 degree weather for 1-2 hrs was comfortable. There is individual adjustment over the shoulders and one adjustable elastic around the ribs, so this can worn over padding and layers of outerwear. I did not experience excessive movement or shifting of the pack while riding it, which lets me focus on the ride. The elastic pouch on the back will hold the 40 oz. hydration pack, and I have a suspicion that it works as intended, but was unavailable when I ordered. Most notably, the front facing phone pocket allows you to capture footage on your phone with ease. West Slope provided a small foam block in the pocket to accommodate smaller phones from sitting too low.
Footage taken on an iPhone 13, 0.5 zoom while in the PRO-180 Slim.
While this chest pack allows you to grab some footage quickly and easily, it alone won’t replace a more dedicated camera setup for riders who enjoy creating a lot of content. The footage capabilities across a range of activities is slightly limited for 1 reason: body position. When running, snowboarding, or pedaling on flat ground, your torso is fairly upright, and provides a suitable camera angle. However, when riding mountain bikes/dirt bikes in the attack position (ie. descents, high-speed sections, over obstacles), the rider has their arms bent and chest forward, aiming the phone directly at the fork stem or gas tank. Because the phone lays against your chest while inside the pouch, there is no way to adjust the up/down angle without moving your whole body. Limitations of the iPhone also mean things like image stabilization and resolution won’t be able to match action cameras like GoPro and Insta360.
Just some of the many things you could fit in the front pocket.
The zippered storage pocket is accessible from either side, a nice design choice. It will also hold all your trinkets for your jaunt through the woods. The plastic snap for the phone pouch can be tricky to find sometimes, but during the 15 or so miles of trail I’ve covered, I have had no issue with the phone pocket falling down or becoming distracting.
The plastic screen protector does well to keep moisture and dirt off your screen, though it doesn’t respond well with any gloves.
Final thoughts for now:
At a retail price of $108 ($118 for grey, green, or tan color), the PRO-180 Slim pack is situated as a premium chest pack. For someone who simply wants some additional storage during rides without cluttering up their bike, there are more affordable options one could consider. As for comparative hydration packs, West Slope priced this competitively with offerings from USWE, Camelbak, or Klim. West Slopes 40 oz. hydration pack is smaller than the more prevalent 2L offerings from other brands. But the PRO-180 Slim does one thing that the competition doesn’t. This is a hydration pack that lets you capture POV footage without any additional investment in camera equipment AND carry 40 oz of water. I appreciate how simple it is to start recording and end up with something you can show your friends, or some extra clips for social media. I appreciate the option to carry more than just the 24 oz bottle on my bike. I plan to continue wearing this on rides, and seeing how it works on a motorcycle.
