Review Title

By Rusty Shackelford Ranked #151 - Trail Running Hydration September 3, 2009

I have the blue model of this pack, the older version and its a great pack.

There is a main panel loading compartment, a zippered organizer compartment and a pocket on the waistbelt. Two side pockets are perfect for holding water bottles and there is an external pocket for dirty clothes or things you might need quick access to.

There are plenty of cinch straps to tighten things down and the durability is pretty good. I've scrambled up and down 40ft waterfalls, dragging my pack along and its holding up great - some surface abrasions that are mostly cosmetic. The padding on the back, shoulder straps and hip belts are ok, but I would have liked to see something thicker.

The hip belt is also a nuisance to tighten (see comment below), but overall this is a great pack. One thing I would like to know is what the center strap on the outside of the pack on the external pocket is for - I just can't seem to find a use for it. Maybe I'm supposed to stuff a jacket in there or something.

Summary:

Pros
1. Affordable if you know where to look, like SAC
2. Good design and durability
3. Comfortable if you've adjusted it correctly
4. DVIS panel gets decent airflow - but you're still going to sweat on anything above an easy hike

Cons
1. Waist belt a nuisance to cinch down
2. More padding would be nice
3. Hard to load in bladder when the pack is full (a semi panel-loading pocket for the bladder, as seen in the MULE would be nice)
4. The smaller organizer pocket opens from the bottom up - just weird. I would prefer something that opens from the top so things don't fall out.

By the way, I picked this up for $60 off SAC - what a steal.

View Details: CamelBak Vantage 30 Hydration Pack - 3L

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