David Lintern is impressed with the Cotopaxi Kapai 3L hip pack praising the ease of use of this brace of colourful, carbon neutral hip packs.
I’m raving about 2 colourful and well-made products from Cotopaxi. The Cotopaxi Kapai 3L is an easy win as a running (see: jogging!) pack.
David Lintern recommends
Beautifully designed and well made with an eye to environmental impact, the Kapai comes with me on every longer run.- 100% recycled
- well made
- good value
- none
| Quick Specs |
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| Price: US$45 | £40 (available from Cotopaxi) Weight: 209g Pros: Well made, superb fit, good value, 100% recycled (Kapai) Cons: Tarak – back system lacks a little firmness for a climbing orientated pack, small for intended purpose. Kapai – none Materials: 100% remnant Features: zip pockets, padded internal sleeve Sizes: 1 size Unisex uk.cotopaxi.com |
It’s made of 100% remnant fabrics, and the larger zipped inner is divided in two by a piece of foam padding. There’s a large, zippered front pocket. Overall, it’s capacious enough for a squeezy water bottle, a phone, headphones, sunnies and snacks. You can even jam a thin layer in there. There’s a grab loop on top and the belt is wide, comfortable with a massive, easily adjustable buckle (the pull to hips to tighten variety). I was sceptical about the large, oval shaped flat back panel but in practice this sits perfectly at the base of the spine, with no chafing or bouncing around even when loaded.
Because of the brand’s commitment to using recycled fabric, every Tarak and Kapai is a unique colour way, and the brand are a B Corporation and certified climate neutral. Both items are beautifully designed and well made with an eye to environmental impact. Although I’d love to see a bigger, burlier 35L ‘all mountain’ version, the Tarak is still my daily carry at the moment – the fit is that true. The Kapai comes on every longer run, too.
Testing Conditions
David used both pack and hip pack over winter and spring of 2024-5 for local walks, runs and a little skiiing in the Cairngorms National Park, in all weathers. He’s a size medium with a short back relative to his 5’8”.
