Got a new hydro-pack on the way!

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Several weeks ago I got a very nice hydration bladder for my adventure pack; an MSR 2.5L Hydromedary... fits in my Mountainsmith Approach 3 like it was made for it.  In hind-sight, I realize I could have gone with the largest, 3L size, as there's room in my pack for the slighly larger bladder.

However, most of my hiking is shorter stuff, just for exercise, taking my wife's dog out, etc.  So, I wanted something smaller that I could keep loaded and just grab and go any time.  So, after a lot of research, I now have this in the mail:

http://www.amazon.com/Tactical-Hydration-Back-Pack-OD/dp/B000AMC45M/ref=sr_1_17?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1346885992&sr=1-17

It got some good reviews, and for the price, it's hard to beat.  I'm going to put my 2.5L bladder in it, and eventually get the larger 3L size for my Mountainsmith.  The molle strapping on the back will be nice too, so I can put my MaxPed double sheath on it for a torch and a SAK.

[AimlessWanderer]

Just chucking this in Paul ... I've personally not been one for bladders before, but I have recently found the Source Liquitainers to be very good. I managed to get a good deal on some (ended up with WAY more than I'll ever need) and have found them to be really rather good 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Just chucking this in Paul ... I've personally not been one for bladders before, but I have recently found the Source Liquitainers to be very good. I managed to get a good deal on some (ended up with WAY more than I'll ever need) and have found them to be really rather good 

Thanks!  I'll check it out.   

It's funny, because for a long time I resisted using bladders.  I thought they'd be too fragile and the last thing I want is the stuff inside my pack getting soaked.  I've read lots of reports complaining about leaking or burst bladders... 

Since I found the MSR one, though, I'm a convert.  Not only does it allow me to carry more water and access it more easily, it also puts the weight much closer to my center of gravity to help me stay balanced. 

This little one I just ordered is going to be for short exercise hikes and walking my wife's poodle, so I don't have to take my full-on adventure pack with me every time.  I love my Mountainsmith; it's an awesome pack.  I've never had a pack that carries a load as well as it does, and I've overloaded it many times.  (Kind of makes me look like one of those medieval traveling peddlers, with all the stuff hanging off of it.)  But, even for me, Mr. Over-prepared, I don't want to have to always carry all the stuff that lives in it.

[AimlessWanderer]

The Liquitainers are essentially a collapsible bottle - a bladder with a drinks bottle top. I do prefer a bottle as I don't like the drinks hoses on bladders for some reason, plus I like to store my water in side pockets so if they do break they can't splash into the improvised dry bag (such as a survival bag) which is keeping my gear dry in the main compartment. Collapsible means they don't take up more room than they have to, theyll stash quite easily in a jacket pocket when empty, and also stops the "slop" of having water in a rigid vessel. I also don't like having all my water in one container, so if one fails/leaks/bursts I still have water

For me they're the best of both worlds, but for others they may well be the worst of both worlds - just thought I'd flag them up though as they're worth looking at.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Haven't had a chance to check them out yet, but I will.   

My wife recently got a couple of the nice collapsible Platypus bottles, and I liked them enough to get a couple for myself; two of the 2L ones.

The pack arrived today, much earlier than I anticipated, but they sent it UPS 2nd day, which explains why they charged me $11 shipping...   

Overall, it's very nice.  Larger than I expected, and better built with much better quality materials than I expected.  The bladder it has is a cheapie though, so I'm not sure if I'll use it yet or not.  The drinking hose is insulated, which is a nice touch, but it's threaded through one of the metal d-rings on the shoulder strap, so I can't get it out because the bite-valve is too large!  (I wonder how they got it in in the first place though, so there must be some way of getting it out.)  So, filling the bladder is going to be a bothersome process...   

Other than that, it seems like a nice sturdy pack so far.  Once my back is better (the Dr. I saw at my health provider this morning said no hiking or other strenuous activity for at least a week), I'll take it out and see how it does.

[Mr. Whippy]

I like hydration packs as well.  The one downside is cold weather.  They have a problem of freezing up in the tube, unless insulated and routed properly.  I'm very partial to camelbak products.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Well, I got the pack, and it's pretty nice considering what I paid for it.  I've seen the same pack under different names from various sellers for up to twice as much as what I paid for it.

The waist strap on it was a joke... wouldn't fit anyone bigger than a midget, so I took it off and cobbled together a longer one for it that works perfectly.  There is also a 'mystery strap' in the bladder compartment that I couldn't figure out any use for; no buckles or fasteners of any kind on it, and no counter part to it anywhere else in the bladder compartment.  So I sewed some velcro on it and threaded it through the handle slot at the top of the bladder, so when the water level starts to decline, the whole bladder doesn't bunch up in the bottom of the pack. 

I also put my MaxPed double sheath on the molle straps on the back, and have my modded Vic Hunter and one of my AA Quarks with an HCRI head in it.  I was actually so surprised with the pack that I went ahead and put all my PSK gear in it from the fanny pack I had used when I built it.  After all that stuff, I still have room for snacks, a jacket, and some clean clothes in it, even with the bladder full.

So far, a nice little pack.  I'll take and post some pics of it tomorrow if anyone is interested.

[wave180]

Where are the pictures???

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I'll take and post some tonight!

[stealth007s]

I just saw this thread just now and read it. The link in your initial post showed that the bag was no longer available. What is the bag comparable to? It looks the right size for a bug-out bag. Looking forward to the pictures. 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I just saw this thread just now and read it. The link in your initial post showed that the bag was no longer available. What is the bag comparable to? It looks the right size for a bug-out bag. Looking forward to the pictures. 

(Image removed from quote.)

I was just thinking about getting pics up for this actually.  It's a pretty common design.  I've seen the exact same pack under different names on Amazon.  I'd say the closest name brand pack I know of that I could compare it to would be a Camelback Mule.  It's not a perfect analogy, and there's probably a CB model that's more similar, but it's the only one I can think of off the top of my head.

I'll take a few pics now, and post them ASAP.  I'll crosspost them in the Survival Kit thread I started too, because I'm currently using it as a day-hiking and survival kit bag.

Edit: here's the pics.

This is just the back of the bag itself.  It's got my MaxPed Double Sheath on the molle straps; I currently have a Leatherman S2 and a Quark AA Regular with a neutral emitter in it.



Here's the underside of the bag.  This pic is from a few days ago, when I took my daughter on a little hike; the stick is a little hiking stick I made for her with my SAK.


Here's a side-view that show the expansion pocket opened.


This is my current load-out for the bag:

[stealth007s]

Looks GREAT!¡! I especially like the pink bunny in the first image 
 

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Looks GREAT!¡! I especially like the pink bunny in the first image 
 

Thanks!   That's my daughter's...    She left it in my room after her nap this afternoon; I thought it'd be fun to throw it in for a laugh.

[Gareth]

Looks GREAT!¡! I especially like the pink bunny in the first image 
 

Thanks!   That's my daughter's...    She left it in my room after her nap this afternoon; I thought it'd be fun to throw it in for a laugh.

yeah, yeah "That's my daughter's" we've heard it all before.  it can get scary camping out in the big bad woods can't it.

 

Good looking bag mate.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Looks GREAT!¡! I especially like the pink bunny in the first image 
 

Thanks!   That's my daughter's...    She left it in my room after her nap this afternoon; I thought it'd be fun to throw it in for a laugh.

yeah, yeah "That's my daughter's" we've heard it all before.  it can get scary camping out in the big bad woods can't it.

 

Good looking bag mate.

Thanks Gareth!  I have to admit though, after using this for day hikes and the like for a while now, I'm jonesing pretty bad now for an Osprey Manta...  those are sweet hydro packs!