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I need to move beyond what I can stuff in my fanny pack. The back pack has to have room to carry gear for a long day trip and a fair amount of water. I was looking at them and there is so many I want some opinons about what is good and what is not so good.
What is everyones favorite hydro/back pack?
I dont happen to ride in any areas that have a store in the middle of the woods like some folks.

I have a CamelBak, 70 ounce, with no backpack. It is the only one I have ever had, but the few times I used it, it worked great in my opinion.

I use a camelbak MULE. The great thing about it is the straps are easy to adjust when on. It easily fits over the chest protector too. I adjust the straps to the max, put it on over the chest protector, then pull the tabs on each strap until it is riding the right height on my back. Taking it off is just a reverse process. It will carry quite a bit too. I use it skiing as well.

I use the same one. 70 oz of water and enough pockets and d-rings for me to carry what I need or strap onto the thing. As much as the talk about how good the system is at keeping the water cold, it doesn't. Throw some ice cubes in the thing and it will stay cold for some time.

Mark

I've got a generic hydro system (70oz) and it works pretty good. Cold water with Ice Cubes to start with will keep it cool thru a good part of the day. I've got enough room in the pockets on mine to stuff a few tools and stay overnight in the woods items.

-Maurice

I've got a Camelbak Lobo, 70oz, which works well under the chest protector and has a small and medium pocket. Like mentioned above, Camelbak also has a larger 100oz Mule which a buddy of mine uses. If we keep having this hot TX summer (the rain's been helping lately), I'm thinking of also getting a Mule for the really hot months. I've also got a better fender bag than the stock Kawi bag from dirt-bike-gear.com, made of ballistic nylon.

-G

I've got a 3L camelbak copie made by Kookaburra. It has the large mouth for easy cleaning. It has a pocket big enough for a packet of smoke, wallet, gps, keys and mobile phone. I keep my bladder in the freezer to store it to stop mould. I use a bent plastic coated coat hanger to hold the bladder open while it dries so the left over water doesn't cause the walls to freeze together. The night before the ride I will 1/4 fill it and freeze it, when I get to where I'm riding I will top it up with water. It stays cold all day too.

Camelbak Peak Bagger

100oz of beverage of choice

And room for more crap than you should ever carry on a bike ride

Thanks everyone.
I think I have a good idea of what is the preferred brand of backpack. Camelback!

Think about getting a slim backpack just for water and roostpack to mount on the front of the CP for tools/snack/keys etc. They balance each other out so the CP isn't getting pulled down in back and you can reach the tools etc. without wresting the backpack off. The only negative is the roostpack does block airflow through the CP in hot weather. And you have to spend more $$ for two.

MSR makes a nice one 3 or 4 zipped compartments and it just attaches to the CP with zip ties.

The way a Camelbak straps onaround your torso it does not pull the chest protector down in back

I used to carry a Moose water bottle strapped to my chest proctector. Here's the problem strapping ANYTHING to a chest protector: You need equal weight front and real. The water attached dircectly to my check protector pulled it back and the front of the protector rode high and choked me. Plus my gut stuck out from under it more. Also the dang CP got so heavy, it was hard to put on and off. Better to have each item; water, tools, zipped comartments, roost packs, etc mounted seperate so the protector can be put on and off easy.

Wibby reminds me: The MULE has a waist strap like the fanny pack does. So it goes on like a backpack over your shoulders AND attaches around your gut. That thing is stable and will stay there no matter what the crash.

I have the MULE as well as the Peak Bagger, they both have straps at the waist and one up across the chest

I bought a TUSK hydro system. It's pretty nice with a insulating pouch it slide into, big mouth for ice and has an extra pouch for grits, lighter and such. Just a good all around system IMHO.

skipro3 wrote:I use a camelbak MULE. The great thing about it is the straps are easy to adjust when on. It easily fits over the chest protector too. I adjust the straps to the max, put it on over the chest protector, then pull the tabs on each strap until it is riding the right height on my back. Taking it off is just a reverse process. It will carry quite a bit too. I use it skiing as well.

I have the same one and so far so good.
Don't know it's there and hold alot of stuff.

i need a pak. but i need one that fits over my "female chest protector." :o)

any suggestions?

I had a MSR hydro belt then switched to a Camelbak which I really liked.
Few years ago my friend gave me a small hydro backpack that I thought I wouldn't like. I've tried backpacks but they're to damn heavy, bulky, and shift their weight.
I gave this little backpack a try and LOVE the damn thing!!!

Holds 70 oz, has two large zipper pouches, a couple small zipper pouches and some web pouches. Small enough you don't know it's there but large enough to carry items. It mounts like a backpack with a strap in the front on the waist.

If you can find something like this I highly recommend it.

+1 on the Camelbak MULE. I use it for Mt Biking too. Plenty of spots for tools, phone, keys, and oh yeah loads of water.

I use a MSR pack with a 70 oz CamelBak bladder in it. I cut the straps off and attatched it directly to my CP. I made a loop to run down from the front of my CP and attach it to the buckle on my riding pants.
Works fine for me.

KarlP wrote:I use a MSR pack with a 70 oz CamelBak bladder in it. I cut the straps off and attatched it directly to my CP. I made a loop to run down from the front of my CP and attach it to the buckle on my riding pants.
Works fine for me.

That don't pull down on your CP ??

I tried that and with the thing empty it pulled the CP into my neck...