High Above Nova Hip Pack
MSRP:
- Base pack: $90
- Extra Bottle Rocket: $15
- Buckle upgrades: $15–30
Blister’s Measured Weight:
- Base pack: 226 g
- Extra Bottle Rocket: 34 g
Test Locations: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia
Test Duration: 4 months
- Dimensions: 9″ x 3″ x 5.25′” (LxWxH)
- Lightweight waterproof X-Pac material
- Integrated water bottle pocket with sleek Fidlock buckle to fold away when not in use
- Heavy duty nylon webbing
- Three interior pockets
- YKK Aquaguard #8 zippers for unrivaled weatherproofing and durability
- Internal key clip
- Extra-Long para-cord zipper pulls for ease of entry
- ETC straps to hold a jacket, knee pads, or your favorite local burrito
Intro
High Above has made a name for themselves by making extra-burly hip packs, all sewn in Bellingham, Washington. Their Lookout pack was one of the first products I ever reviewed for Blister, and it’s remained in regular use for years since. But while I like the Lookout a lot, I could imagine a few welcome refinements to the design. So when the newer Nova pack popped up and looked like it addressed those — and did so at a lower price point — I was pretty intrigued. Having now spent most of the summer with the Nova, it’s a winner.
Design, Materials, & Storage
The basic design of the Nova shares a lot of similarities with the Lookout. Their stated dimensions (9’’ x 3‘’ x 5.25’’) are identical, and both are constructed with the same extra-burly X-Pac material for the main body of the pack. As with the Lookout, the Nova uses a lightly padded mesh panel where it contacts your back, with a ripstop nylon backer to hold it all together.
The Nova uses a big YKK #8 zipper with double pulls for the pocket, with extra long paracord to make them easy to use, even with gloves on. Those big pulls even make it fairly easy to reach behind your back and open the pack without taking it off, which is a nice touch.
Inside, the Nova’s lone pocket features a pair of dividers to help keep things organized; one across the back panel of the pack is full width and works well for a cell phone or mini pump, and the one on the front panel is split in half for smaller items. There’s also a stout metal key clip inside the main pocket, and a pair of paracord loops sewn into the top of the pack for High Above’s ETC straps. In short, those are paracord loops with a plastic hook and sliding toggle that you can attach to the loops on the top of the pack and use to strap a jacket, folding saw, burrito, or other roughly cylindrical item on top of the pack. They work great but do require you to install and remove them as needed — I wouldn’t trust them to stay on the pack without something strapped into them.
If you’ve read this far and are thinking “that all sounds like the Lookout,” you’re right. The differences crop up in the finer details. Unlike the Lookout, the Nova has a single pocket, forgoing the smaller secondary pocket on the front of the pack. This doesn’t change the overall pack volume much; rather, the Nova just doesn’t have a separate pocket for less-frequently accessed items. I do like that feature on the Lookout, primarily for storing the ETC straps, and I did lose one from the Nova, presumably when I went into the pack to retrieve something else. Thankfully, High Above sells replacements for $5 per pair.
The other major difference between the Nova and Lookout is the water bottle holsters: the Lookout has provisions for High Above’s “Bottle Rockets” (removable strap-on beverage sleeves) on either side of the pack; the Nova features a built-in bottle holster that straps flat against the side of the pack on the right hip with a clever Fidlock closure when not in use, and a provision for an optional Bottle Rocket on the left.
While the Bottle Rockets work great, they’re a little bit less stable than a fully sewn-in option, which lead me to write the following in my Lookout review:
“The Lookout’s Bottle Rocket holds a bottle or can very well, but due to the removable strap that mounts it, it can rotate a bit relative to the body of the pack. It’s not a big deal, but since the Bottle Rocket is light and unobtrusive when empty, I think I’d rather see it permanently sewn to the pack for more stability. One sewn Bottle Rocket + one removable Bottle Rocket could be a great middle ground.”
So basically I’m going to take full credit for the layout of the Nova. High Above, you’re welcome.
In all seriousness though, the layout of the Nova is indeed great. The integrated bottle holder is super unobtrusive and folds flat against the pack if you don’t want it, but holds a bottle (or beer can) very securely without much movement. The Bottle Rocket works well for holding a second beverage, and the little bit of motion you get from it isn’t a big deal, particularly with a second beverage on the opposite side of the pack to act as a counterbalance. And the Bottle Rocket has the advantage of being fully enclosed at the bottom (the right-side holster just has a strap to stop the bottle from sliding out the bottom) so it also works well for holding gloves or other smaller items that you want to be able to access quickly.
High Above also offers a couple of options for upgraded buckles on the Nova, but I’ve been testing it with the basic standard version, and haven’t seen any real need to upgrade. It’s done its job, hasn’t come loose on me, and has otherwise been trouble-free.
On The Trail
At least for my own preferences, the Nova is big enough and can carry enough for all but the absolute biggest of epics. I tend to prefer to travel light when I can, and the Nova’s got room for a pump, multi-tool, tube, a few small spares, tire plug kit, a few snacks, my keys, a jacket (strapped on top), and two water bottles. And it does that while being small enough that it feels unobtrusive and doesn’t flop around badly if you’ve got half that much stuff in it.
In particular, I find the water bottle holder layout to be excellent. The built-in one holds a bottle steady very well; the Bottle Rocket does pretty well if there’s a second bottle on the other side, so I just make a point of drinking that one first and I’m all set. The Nova’s been comfortable to wear all day, stays put nicely, is nearly waterproof (a little moisture can eventually soak through the back side of the pack if you’re in a deluge for hours at a time), and has held up great to near daily use for most of the summer. If you’re not a carry-the-kitchen-sink sort, it’s a great way to pack what you need with a minimum of weight and bulk. It has just enough features and organization to be easy to use without feeling like it’s too complex or has all the interior space filled with dividers upon dividers. It’s thoughtfully done, extremely burly, and made right in Bellingham. I’m a big fan.
Bottom Line
High Above has been making nice, super-burly packs for a while now, and while the Nova isn’t a wild departure from the Lookout (which High Above still offers as well), it’s a nice take on the same recipe with a tweaked feature set that does an especially good job of carrying two beverages, has enough storage and organization for everyday use, and costs a bit less to boot. And based on how well my extremely well-used Lookout is still holding up, I’ve got the highest expectations for the Nova on that front, too. It’s the pack that’s come with me on the majority of my rides this season, and I expect it’ll continue to fill that role for me for years to come.