High Above Supernatural Pack: First Ride Review
The High Above Supernatural Pack is a new venture for the storied bag company out of Seattle, Washington. With the majority of their product being bike-oriented wearables, High Above took their focus on on-body storage to the next level with this high capacity hydropack. While there’s much more in-depth testing to come, here’s a first ride review of the High Above Supernatural Pack…
PUBLISHED Jan 31, 2025
Launching today, the High Above Supernatural pack is the company’s first foray into hydropacks. With a focus on hip packs and other small, bike-oriented products, High Above has been manufacturing high quality outdoor gear for almost 15 years in the pacific northwest and have gained a wealth of experience in what bikers—and outdoor folk of any kind—want and need in their on-body gear. With that, it’s no surprise the company has ventured down the increasingly popular path of hydration transportation.
Serving as both a system for extra storage and a two-liter bladder system, the Supernatural pack is as much a tool for bringing along material necessities as it is water. While striking a balance in load distribution is key, the Supernatural doesn’t let users get too carried away. It has just four liters of cargo capacity, pockets for storage on the front of the shoulder straps, and an external elastic drawstring for securing jackets, helmets, or anything else you might feel comfortable strapping to the back of a hydration pack. The system is designed to hit the perfect medium of allowing for a lot more storage without the burden of something that ultimately might weigh you down.
While there are no shortage of ways in which you can shoulder a load these days, hydration packs have long been a popular manner by which to carry water. They are getting smaller, however. With the explosion in popularity of competitive gravel and ultra-running events, more minimal hydration vests have become a pretty normal sight on the trails here in Pisgah, just as they were in my home in Florida. That said, there is still some debate about the best ways to go about carrying water. One of the biggest critiques of the system is—water is heavy! It will invariably be the heaviest part of whatever bikepacking load you carry (unless you’re packing a cast iron pan and full cooking set). Transferring that heavy, sloshing load to one’s back might seem redundant when the capable, tireless frame of a bike can handle the extra weight.
That said, performance considerations aside, there are a myriad of instances when even the non-competitive among us might find it useful to shoulder our water. For example, my new Ritchey P-29er, while extraordinarily capable, doesn’t have a ton of internal triangle space. I’m often forced to choose between one large one 1L bottle, or two smaller bottles. For long hot days, especially if I were to run a frame bag, that just isn’t going to cut it. I’d be forced to refill frequently, especially on hot and humid days, so something like the High Above Supernatural Pack would work incredibly well for big efforts with limited stops. I also appreciate the external storage, especially the elasticated pockets on both straps providing an easy place to stash a phone, snacks, or anything else I need at hand. It’s a well-thought out product that should serve much anyone with goals big or small.

Though my use of the High Above Supernatural Pack has been limited, I’m excited to test it to its fullest potential over the coming months. So, far the fit has been pretty comfortable—even with a full load— as the pack’s size ensures that it sits well above the small of one’s back. Primarily resting between the shoulder blades and kept in place by a solid and secure strap system, you can tell High Above put a fair bit of thought into the fit and function of the Supernatural.
Made in the USA, pricing for the single size Supernatural Pack—with bladder and hose included—comes in at $240 USD. Offered in two, distinct, stylish colors, the water-resistant pack has plenty of extra bits and bobs, like a zippered internal pocket and an included magnetic hose guide.
Pros
- Extremely light at 565 grams
- External storage is a big plus
- Comfortable
- Easy access to a phone through the front pocket
- Multi-strap system is secure yet out of the way
Cons
- That tactical look
- Only one size
For more on the High Above Supernatural Pack, vist HighAbove.net.
Further Reading
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