10 Large Hydration Packs
By Jon Sharp

Staying hydrated is one of the most important aspects of any exercise—especially an exercise that takes you outside in the heat, like mountain biking. Ever been to Moab in the summer? It can be pretty tough to keep going if you don't have enough water. Enter the hydration pack. Once CamelBak made the hydration pack popular, bike manufacturers stopped worrying so much about water bottle mounts on bikes—freeing them up to do strange and innovative things with their frames. Mountain bikers, for their part, realized they could carry more water and gear to take them further from civilization and deeper into the wild.

In this review, we focused on just that sort of pack: the pack that has enough room for food, a rain jacket/windbreaker, lots of water, tools, spare tubes, and sometimes music (in case you want to bring some civilization with you). If you're looking for something in particular, we listed size, price, and weight first so you can narrow this review down to your own needs. Please note that weights posted are the manufacturers’ claimed weights. Click here for a detailed chart of features.

With that, let's get started. You might want to get something to drink before we begin… unless, of course, that's the reason you’re here. If so, just relax and pace yourself—taking frequent trips to the sink for water. After all, we don't want anyone passed out in front of their computer with visions of water putting them in a dazed stupor. Ready? Good.

View Chart of Features

CamelBak M.U.L.E.
Deuter Hydro EXP 8
Nalgene Radius 3.0
GoLite Tailwind
Wingnut Hyper 3.0
DAKINE Nomad
Ultimate Direction Teocalli
JanSport Diablo
Platypus Mega
Hydrapak Big Sur
Conclusion

CamelBak M.U.L.E.
Price: $79.99
Weight: 1.5 lbs
Cargo: 439 cu in
At the heart of every CamelBak is its famous bite valve and reservoir. The CamelBak bite valve is the simplest in this review. This design has been around for many years with little modification. It is easy to use, has lots of flow, and doesn't leak. In short, it works very well. The bite valve on the M.U.L.E. is their Ergo HydroLock, meaning it is angled with a shut-off valve. The reservoir itself has a large opening and hardly any taste. The opening, however, was more difficult to twist open than the other packs—most likely due to the rubber gasket used to seal it closed.

The M.U.L.E. comes with a 100 oz bladder and has a cargo volume of 439 cu. in. The polyurethane bladder features HydroGuard—FDA approved silver ions embedded into the reservoir and tube. This cuts down on the growth of bacteria and fungus (two things you definitely don't want reproducing in your reservoir). The M.U.L.E. has a separate zippered section for the reservoir and three additional zippered pockets. The middle-sized pocket has internal organizers and a key-chain clip. Connecting the two smaller pockets with the large main pocket are two expandable mesh pouches. Over the top of these runs a reflective elastic bungee cinch strap. This area is great for stuffing extra gear like a rain jacket. The back panel features CamelBak's Air Director ventilated back. By placing raised pads in certain areas along the sides of the back, CamelBak claims greater airflow and increased cooling on the back. Unfortunately, when the pack is full, this makes little difference as the pack deforms to a round shape—placing the center channel smack against the wearer's back.

Overall, we found the pack to be very well constructed and fairly comfortable. CamelBak has been in the business a long time, as the originator of the hydration pack, and makes a great product. The bite valve is still one of the best on the market—and that, alone, is worth quite a bit. Throw in the other well thought out features and you have a great pack—one which drew few, if any, complaints from our testers.

CamelBak Products, Inc.
webmaster@camelbak.com

Buy M.U.L.E. (Mule)
[^] back to list

Deuter Hydro EXP 8
Price: $79.00
Weight: l.96 lbs.
Cargo: 488 + 122 cu. in. (expandable)
Deuter's polyethylene Source reservoir is called the Streamer, and the EXP 8 comes with the 3 liter version. The inner surface of this bladder has a film that is very slick (to prevent gunk from forming) and taste-free. Sliding off a plastic clip opens the bladder. Once off, the entire top of the reservoir is the opening, allowing for easy cleaning and filling. Opening and closing of the bladder was simple and we never experienced problems with leaks. The angled bite valve is the most "mechanical" of this test. It is comfortable and flow is great, but it wasn't always easy to find the right place to bite—and with this valve, that made a difference.

The Hydro EXP 8 uses Deuter's AirStripes system for the back panel. It is very similar to the CamelBak M.U.L.E. only it has one main channel up the center. The foam padding itself, however, had smaller channels built in for more airflow. Deuter doesn't really claim that the wind will blow through, but more that your back will be able to breathe a bit more. The waist strap is secured by mesh "wings" that are also fitted with small pockets—large enough to stash some keys or lip balm—that are accessible without taking off the pack. There is a main compartment that is expandable (by way of a zippered baffle). The Hydro EXP 8 also has an expandable mesh pocket for a helmet or jacket, and there is a small zippered pocket on the outside of that mesh section. One feature that we really liked was a separate pump pocket in the main pocket. This made it always easy to find the pump quickly. The port for the hydration tube to pass from the main pocket to the shoulder strap is, essentially, a Velcro flap, which keeps everything in place but opens wide for passing the bite-valve through.

The Hydro EXP 8 has many great features. It expands in many ways to make it quite versatile on both medium to long rides. The bladder is taste-free, though the bite valve takes some getting used to. This pack wasn't as comfortable as some of the others (though not uncomfortable, by any means), but allowed for better air circulation than most.

Deuter USA
info@deuterusa.com
877.384.9252
[^] back to list

Nalgene Radius 3.0
Price: $60.00
Weight: 2.01 lbs.
Cargo: 459 cu. in.
Nalgene—and their parent company, Nalge Nunc International—is responsible for more reservoirs (in this review) than any other single manufacturer. Their TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) bladders are taste-free with large openings and, in the case of the bladder found on the Radius 3.0, have quick-connects allowing you to remove the reservoir from the pack without removing the hydration tube. The Bite Me bite valve is comfortable to use, doesn't leak, and has a manual shut off for safe transportation. All of our testers really liked the Nalgene reservoirs.

The Radius pack has an EVA molded polyester back with air channels. The Shoulder straps are a very loose mesh—great for keeping your shoulders cool. There are three pockets: one main pocket running the entire length of the pack and two smaller ones that are about half as long as the pack. All the pockets on the pack open vertically, which makes for easy access to everything in the pocket. There is also a bungee on the outside of the pack.

One thing we noticed about the Radius 3.0 was that it had less room than it appeared to have. Once the bladder was full and we started stuffing other items in it, it seemed a bit tighter than some of the other packs. If Nalgene designed it so the pockets could expand a bit more (so the bladder didn't take up all of the room), the Radius would be a little better for long hauls. As it sits, it is better suited for shorter excursions.

Nalge Nunc International Corporation
mailto:nnics@nalgenunc.com
[^] back to list

GoLite Tailwind
Price: $79.99
Weight: 1.38 lbs.
Cargo: 650 cu. in.
As with all GoLite equipment, the Tailwind is designed to be as light as possible—without sacrificing quality and function. There is one main zippered compartment that has an insulated sleeve for the reservoir. The zipper is long, making access to this pocket a breeze. There are three external expandable mesh pockets. The largest of these is connected to an external bungee system. There is an elastic band on either side of the pack for holding a pump (together with the smaller mesh pockets). There are no 3-D pads holding the pack off your back, but the entire back and shoulder straps are made of an Air Foam Mesh that is stretchable and claims to aid in airflow. Although it probably didn't cool as well as many of the other packs, the Tailwind was the most comfortable pack of the bunch.

The bladder that comes with the Tailwind is made by TFO, which is owned by the same parent company that owns Nalgene. The similarity between these reservoirs is readily apparent. The bite valve is the same Bite Me valve used on the Nalgene bladders, though the finish isn't quite as nice. The bladder itself is made of the same TPE material, though the drinking tube doesn't have a quick-connect. Also, the opening isn't as large as on the Nalgene. Overall, though, the reservoir is taste-free and the bite valve works well. There is a lock on the bite valve to prevent unwanted leaking during transportation.

The Tailwind is one of the lightest packs in this review, and definitely the most comfortable. What it lacks is an adjustable sternum strap and more pockets for organizing—the trade-off for saving weight.

GoLite
info@golite.com
[^] back to list

Wingnut Hyper 3.0
Price: $90.00 (before extra $20.00 100oz bladder)
Weight: 1.06 lbs.
Cargo: 800 cu. in.
The lightest pack in this review is the Hyper 3.0 by Wingnut. The Hyper 3.0 is also by far the most unique design of the bunch. (This pack is the big brother of the Hyper 1.5 we reviewed earlier.) Wingnut uses waterproof laminated zippers and sailcloth with their packs—a nice feature for keeping your gear dry even if you can't be. Like the Hyper 1.5, the 3.0 is designed to sit low at the hips. Wingnut believes that carrying the weight of your pack at such a low position is a lot easier on the back. In practice we found it took a much longer ride before back fatigue set in.

Besides a very large main compartment, there are medium-sized wing pockets and mesh pouches on top of these wing pockets. These mesh pockets are quite large—large enough to shove a shoe in each side—and have a cinch cord at the opening. Unlike other side pockets on other packs, these sit far enough around your middle that it is possible to get in and out of them easily without having to remove or adjust the pack. This is great for carrying tools and snacks and other essential items. There is also a very long/large bungee on the back for securing extra things like a jacket, or a wild boar.

Among the really handy features we found with this pack is a whistle built in to the sternum strap. For those adventure racers among you, you'll love being able to leave a whistle off your list of items to pack. Another nicety is the mesh pouch built on to the left shoulder strap. I found this had ample room for my cell phone—it never came close to falling out—keeping it close by in case I was expecting a phone call.

The $20 bladder they sent with the pack is probably TFO's cheapest offering. The bite valve is just fine (built on the Bite Me technology found on Nalgene and TFO reservoirs) but the fill opening is essentially the same size as a soda bottle. Not handy for anything, and impossible for ice cubes. When purchasing this pack, consider getting a different reservoir from a difference source. Another annoyance was that the pack felt flimsy and cheap in some regards—lacking the refinement of some parts that some of the other brands had. This is to cut the weight down on the pack,—less features means less weight. The zippers, for instance, didn't have very good pulls on them which made grabbing them with gloves on difficult. The straps and webbing were also quite thin (I'm sure, adding to the light weight), but sometimes felt flimsy. That being said, it was quite comfortable and held up very well to all our abuse.

Wingnut
info@wingnutgear.com
[^] back to list

DAKINE Nomad
Price: $84.95
Weight: 2.4 lbs.
Cargo: 1100 cu. in.
Although the Nomad is the largest pack in this review it didn't feel overly large or bulky compared to the other packs. There are enough ways to cinch down the pack that, little or big, the pack is never bigger than it has to be, and is always stable. Another thing that sets the Nomad apart is its built-in organizers. Every zippered pocket zips all the way down to the base—providing ready access to all contents. Most pockets feature either elastic straps for securing the load or mesh zippered pockets. The space between the outer pocket and the main body of the pack expands enough to hold a helmet, but has straps enough to secure it when empty. Another nice feature is the fleece-lined sunglasses pocket. There are additional straps to accommodate body armor, when not in use.

The back of the pack is compression molded EVA with air channels. One thing I liked about this back panel was its reluctance to deform when the pack was loaded. By maintaining the designed shape it was more comfortable and did a better job of letting airflow through.

The bladder is a Nalgene—complete with a quick-connect tube and Bite Me valve. This is a great bladder. The only problem we had on our pack was the drinking tube was too short. Because of this, we couldn't drink out of it while looking forward—an important part of drinking and riding at the same time. Make sure to verify the tube length before heading out on a long ride.

The Nomad is a large pack that is both well built and very well designed. We really appreciated how this pack lent itself to a more-organized load. There were a great many well thought-out design features (like the compression straps that are set up opposite on each side, so they could be extended and clipped together in the middle to strap on very large items) that made this pack quite versatile. Even after a few months of use, we continued to find small features here and there that make this pack so useful. The DAKINE Nomad can handle greater loads and was still quite comfortable.

DAKINE
info@dakine.com

Buy Nomad
[^] back to list

Ultimate Direction Teocalli
Price: $84.95
Weight: 2 lbs.
Cargo: 600 + 400 cu. in.
Like other manufacturers in this review, Ultimate Direction is striving to create a bite valve that can compete with CamelBak. Their answer is the Kicker Valve—which looks like a valve surrounded by a plastic shroud. To activate the valve, simply pull on it to move it to the extended position. Once in that position, flow is great and it isn't even necessary to bite. To close it (which is necessary to prevent constant dripping), simply push it to a 40 degree angle and it snaps shut again. Our testers had a few problems with this valve. The first was that we couldn't leave it open while riding without a leaky, drippy mess. Another was that closing it isn't hands-free. With most valves, when you're finished, you can simply allow it to fall out of your mouth. With the Kicker Valve, we had to hold the tube and kick it closed with our mouth. Sometimes when closing, it would squirt out a small jet of water (many times into the tester’s face). Other times, the pressure of sucking hard on the valve, while drinking, would actually move it into the closed position—not a great outcome if you're super thirsty.

The reservoir itself has a roll-top closure, meaning that when it is open, you have an enormous opening for ice cubes or cleaning. There is a baffle in the reservoir which helps it keep its shape when completely full. Unlike most other packs, when completely full, the Teocalli didn't turn into a cylinder. The bladder is volume indexed for easier filling (and mixing with energy drinks). We also found the reservoir to be taste-free.

The Teocalli is essentially two packs in one. There is the main pack, and an extra compartment that fastens onto the outside for extra long hauls. Both the inner and outer packs feature reflective bungee cords (and other reflective tabs) for stashing extra gear. Both also feature four-way stretch side panels so they can expand to fit even larger loads. The main part of the pack also features small zippered pockets and mesh gel flask pockets on the "wings" of the pack where the waist strap joins the pack. These pockets are very small—only useful for small items like keys and energy gel. The reservoir pocket is separate and zips open from the back of the pack. The Teocalli also features raised 3-D pads to aid in air flow. Another great feature found on the Teocalli that wasn't found on any other pack in the review was a removable rain cover. This is a great feature for those rides that might take you through bad weather. We felt that what this pack lacked was a mid-sized pocket to keep things a little more organized. Also, though the stretch side panels can expand for larger loads, they don't compress—nor is there a way to compress the pack—when they are nearly empty. The Teocalli is a good pack that is better suited to longer hauls.

Ultimate Direction International
tlampman@americanrec.com
[^] back to list

JanSport Diablo
Price: $69.90
Weight: 1.63 lbs.
Cargo: 800 cu. in.
When JanSport chose to team up with Nalgene for the bladder in their hydration packs, they decided to take it a step further. Together, they came up with the Water Tower reservoir. By shaping the reservoir like a, uh, water tower, JanSport claims more consistent water flow throughout the drinking cycle. It comes with the same great quick-connect connection so you can remove the bladder without removing the drinking tube. The valve is a very nice version of Nalgene's Bite Me valve—very comfortable and effective.

One of the more interesting features of this pack are the two small pockets at the base of the shoulder straps. Their main purpose is to give you a place to stash the bite valve—thus keeping it clean and keeping it out of the way. I also found it a handy place to stash an energy gel (though, it's a tight fit) or lip balm. There are two large mesh pockets on the back of the pack, as well as a medium-sized and a very large pocket. Inside the large pocket is a mesh pocket to hold your favorite digital music player (complete with a small port through which your headphones can exit the pack). The back of the pack is padded air-mesh (without 3-D pads).

We found this pack to be quite comfortable and very roomy. The bladder is fantastic. Our only complaint with the pack was the general lack of a way to cinch the load down. Like the Teocalli, this pack does best when stuffed, but tends to rattle around a bit with smaller loads. Another feature that would be nice would be a bungee system. There are times when your pack is full and you need to pack one extra item, or shed that jacket you needed before the sun came up, and a bungee cord can be a life-saver (or at least a nice convenience).

JanSport

Buy Diablo
[^] back to list

Platypus Mega
Price: $59.95
Weight: 1.41 lbs.
Cargo: 455 cu. in.
Somehow the folks at Platypus have created their own bite valve that looks similar to, and works as well as, CamelBak's bite valve—all without infringing on any copyrights. At the heart of the Platypus Mega is their polyethylene lined Big Zip II reservoir. The concept behind it is the resealable plastic sandwich bags you buy at the grocery store. In fact, a super robust version of that sealing system is found at the top of the big zip. The advantage is an easy-to-use, super-wide opening that seals tight when closed. Their reservoir feels a lot more like hard plastic than rubber, which makes it kind of crinkly and noisy outside of the pack. The taste, however, is as good as the best in this review. Even after weeks of sitting stagnant in the bladder of the Mega, the water tasted cool and clean. Although our test sample came with a 100 oz bladder, the standard Platypus Mega is stocked with a 70 oz bladder.

The reservoir pocket on this pack has a small opening at the top. This made for a very tight fit for our 100 oz reservoir. Although the 70 oz should fit better, we found it easier to leave the bladder in the pack during refilling, rather than trying to stuff it back in when it was full. The main pocket also has a fairly small opening at the top of the pack. There was a small zippered pocket inside the main pocket, but not big enough to hold much more than a wallet and keys. Finding items in the Mega wasn't as easy as it should be. On the outside, there is an expandable panel with a huge mesh pocket. Not only is this good for holding extra items in a pinch, but it can even expand to hold a pair of shoes or a helmet. When not in use, everything cinches down tight keeping the load snug so it doesn't rattle around too much. Like the Wingnut, the Mega came with a whistle built in to the sternum strap.

We found the Platypus Mega to be a comfortable pack with a great reservoir. Although there aren't many frills with this pack, there are a few items that are well thought out. One of which is the silver-colored internal pockets. By making them silver, it is easier to find your gear in low-light conditions. It is unfortunate that it doesn't come with a larger reservoir and that the pockets don't open further. Construction was top notch and the finish was excellent. It was, however, lighter than many packs in this review, and a good deal for the money.

Platypus
[^] back to list

Hydrapak Big Sur
Price: $69.95
Weight: 1.25 lbs.
Cargo: 450 cu. in.
One thing that is readily apparent when looking at the Big Sur is that Hydrapak put a lot of thought into it. There are simple things, like a hook-and-loop patch on the drinking tube, and another on the pack that can be moved around to suit your needs, but keeps the drinking tube always where you need it. There's the expandable reservoir pocket so that when the bladder is full, it doesn't take away from the cargo capacity of the pack. And, like the JanSport, there's even a place for your favorite portable music player.

The Big Sur has a large main pocket (with two smaller organizer pockets inside), a medium pocket, and a smaller pocket complete with a fleece pouch to keep your cell phone safe and secure. In similar fashion to the M.U.L.E., the smaller pocket is separated from the rest of the pack by an expandable mesh pouch (with bungee) which can be cinched down tight when not in use. The 3-D molded back is interesting in that, instead of a center channel for air flow (which often doesn't work due to the round nature of a full pack), Hydrapak aligns the many channels in a horizontal fashion. This means that even when the pack is bulging and round, there are spaces for letting air flow—though the channels aren't very deep. In the end, we found this design to be more comfortable than most other packs with raised pads.

The polyurethane reservoir in the Hydrapack has a roll-top closure similar to the Ultimate Directions reservoir, though the material is entirely different. This is, in fact, the only bladder in this review that can be reversed and run through a dishwasher making it the easiest to clean of the bunch. Like Ultimate Direction, Hydrapak has graduated marks on the bladder. Although the drinking tube has a quick-connect, beware: I found out the hard way that, unlike the quick-connect found on some Nalgene reservoirs, this one doesn’t seal. Therefore, this bladder cannot be filled when not attached to the drinking tube. The bite valve, at first appearance, seems to be similar to the Bite Me valve (by Nalgene) so common in this review. It's important to note, however, that the flow on this valve was the best in this review and it took less effort to activate it than all but the CamelBak and Platypus bite valves.

Unfortunately, not all is perfect with the Big Sur. When fresh water (fresh as in clean, not fresh as opposed to sea water—though that helps, too) is used, we found the taste to be just fine. Unlike most other reservoirs in this review, however, once the water sat for a day or two in the bladder, it began to taste like rubber—and the taste is quite pronounced.

Hydrapak Inc.
info@hydrapak.com
[^] back to list

Conclusion
At the end of a large review like this, more likely than not, you're expecting a winner. And, as usual, that isn't an easy task. To make it easier on ourselves, we decided to pick a winner in a few different categories:

Best Value (aka: Best Bang for your Buck or BBB): CamelBak M.U.L.E.
Although not the cheapest in this comparison, it is easy to find this pack on sale—often as low as $55 (at time of writing). With all the features and the great bite valve and bladder, it is hard to pass this one by. CamelBak has been in the hydration pack business longer than most and it shows. If you can't find this one on sale, buy the Platypus Mega. It is great pack at a great price—only with fewer features than the M.U.L.E and some of the others.

Greatest Capacity (aka: I'm afraid to leave home without that, or that, or that either, or …): DAKINE Nomad
It is definitely heavy, and not the cheapest (though not the most expensive, either), but it holds the most. And it does so without adding much bulk. The Nomad packs down small when its capacity isn't being utilized, and expands to epic proportions when needed for your epic rides. It also is the best organized—with more dividers and pockets for whatever stuff you think you need to have on that ride. Just make sure to check out the length of the drinking tube before cutting off the tags.

Best bladder (aka: reservoir): Deuter's Source reservoir
Although we really liked the Nalgene bladder, the Source had a wider opening that was super easy to use. The Source reservoir did a great job of keeping the water tasting fresh after days and weeks of sitting idle. Unfortunately, it didn't come with the best bite valve. If you try it and can live with the mechanical valve, this might just be the bladder for you. (Another option, and you didn't hear it from us, is to buy a different valve and put it on the Source reservoir.)

Best bite valve (aka bite valve): Hydrapak Easyflo valve
Although the bladder made the water taste like rubber if it sat too long, the valve was the best in this test. That's right, folks, we liked this bite valve BETTER than the CamelBak valve. It's about time that someone came out with a valve that challenges CamelBak, and Hydrapak's finally done it. If you are meticulous about cleaning out your reservoir and changing the water frequently, this is the reservoir for you.

Most innovative (aka: what is that guy wearing?): Wingnut Hyper 3.0
There are two main things we liked about this pack: First, its position on your hips instead of your mid to upper back. Secondly, we loved the huge pockets on the wings. This pack was also the lightest of the bunch, though not the smallest in cargo space, making it good for short hauls or epic adventures. Unfortunately, the pack seemed cheap in some ways, despite being the most expensive (and that without a bladder). This was probably due to the light materials used to pare down the weight. If you are looking for the lightest, this is probably your pack.

Most comfortable (aka: ahhhh): GoLite Tailwind
Even though it wasn't as adjustable, nor was it the lightest, every time we had to strap this one on, we were relieved. It somehow just dissipated the load better on my back and conformed to my shape. I'm certain it isn't the best at cooling, and it doesn't hold the most, but for a fairly light-weight pack (4th lightest in this review), we definitely found this to be the most comfortable.

Best overall hydration pack (aka: the winner): ???
No pack is perfect, and especially, no pack is perfect for everyone. C’mon, I don’t even know you, how am I supposed to pick the perfect pack for you. Sadly, though, if the Hydrapak had a more palatable bladder, it might just have made this list. However, your best bet is to look at the ones we liked the best and choose it based on your needs. If you ride mostly downhill or freeride, the DAKINE Nomad is probably your best choice. Are you looking for an ultralight, but spacious pack? You ought to spend the extra dough for the Wingnut (just get a different bladder), or the slightly heavier GoLite Tailwind. Looking for something small? Well, we’ll have to cover those packs in a different review. In the mean time, try and go on some longer rides, will ya?

[^] top

View Chart of Features

Shop for large Hydration Packs
Shop for small Hydration Packs

Jon Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com who doesn't like things reproducing in his bladder.