The Oil Slick - Mini

Some bags light up. This one just looks expensive. 🌈

The Oil Slick Mini is iridescent from every angle — an oil-slick shell that shifts green to purple to gold as you move through the lights, finished with rainbow hardware that catches every strobe. It's the pack you wear when you want people to ask where you got it, not when you want to be spotted from across a field. Small enough that it doesn't swallow your outfit, big enough to carry 1.5L of water, your phone, your ID and whatever else has to survive until sunrise. Hands free. Nobody holding your drink. No queueing at the water station at 3am. 💜

Why you'll love it

• It shifts colour as you move. The iridescent finish and rainbow hardware do what LEDs do, without a single battery.
• It's genuinely small. 10.5 x 9 x 3.5 inches and about a pound empty — it sits on your back, not on your whole outfit.
• Your stuff stays dry. A leak-proof, removable 1.5L bladder sits behind three zip pockets, so a full water carry and your phone aren't sharing a compartment.
• Vegan leather straps. Fully adjustable, and they don't dig in after hour six.
• It cleans up. The bladder pulls out and hand-washes, so it doesn't start smelling like last festival.

Oil Slick Mini specifications

Will it get into your festival?

Most events publish a maximum bag size, and the numbers differ from festival to festival — so check yours before you travel rather than trusting a general answer. What you need for that check is right here: the Oil Slick Mini measures 10.5 in (H) x 9 in (W) x 3.5 in (D).

Our Coachella bag policy guide works through one event's rules in full, and rave vs hiking hydration packs explains why some festivals limit compartment count rather than size.

Taking it to Burning Man?

Black Rock City has no bag policy and no pocket limit, so the zip pockets are an asset rather than a problem — playa guides actively recommend a combined hydration pack and backpack. Worth reading the Burning Man hydration guide first, including what a wearable pack does and doesn't cover out there.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Oil Slick Mini have a chest strap?

No. The mini line has adjustable vegan leather shoulder straps only — there's no sternum or chest strap across the front. The Drippy LED hydration packs do include a chest strap, so that's the difference to know if you want one for a run or a long day on your feet.

How much water does the Oil Slick Mini hold?

1.5 litres, which is about 50 oz. In practice that's roughly a set-and-a-half at a festival before you'll want a refill. What you actually need across a day depends on heat and effort — more in how much water you need at a festival.

Does the Oil Slick Mini light up?

No. This is not an LED pack and it has no batteries. The iridescent shell and rainbow hardware reflect the lights around you rather than producing their own. If you want a pack that actually glows in a dark venue, that's the LED hydration packs range.

Will it leak in my bag?

The bladder is leak-proof and seals at the fill opening, and it lives in its own compartment separate from the three zip pockets, so your phone and cards aren't sitting against it. The usual cause of a wet bag is an incompletely closed fill cap — seal it firmly and invert the pack once before you pack it to check.

How do I clean the hydration bladder?

Pull the bladder out — it's fully removable — and hand-wash it with warm water and mild soap, then hang it open to dry completely before storing. Do not put it in a dishwasher or washing machine. The pack itself is spot-clean only. Full method in how to clean a hydration bladder.

What size person does it fit?

The vegan leather shoulder straps are fully adjustable, so it fits a wide range of body types and layers over a jacket. We haven't published a chest-size range yet because we'd rather measure it properly than estimate.

How is this different from the other minis?

Identical build, different finish. The Oil Slick has an iridescent shell that shifts colour as you move. The Reflective Mini has a reflective shield that flares rainbow when a strobe or laser hits it — more dramatic under a light show, plainer in daylight. The Cheetah Mini is rainbow fake fur with real texture, the loudest of the three in daylight.

Pairs well with

• The Reflective, Mini — same build, reflective finish
• The Cheetah - Mini — same build, rainbow fake fur
• Clear Sparkles LED Hydration Pack — if you want glitter and lights
• All rave & festival hydration packs

Guides worth reading first

• What to bring to your first rave
• Hydration packs for Burning Man
• How to clean a hydration bladder