Camelbak Hydration Pack

8.3
8.3 score
[Editors rating (8.3)] = (Gearweare.net) score (8.3)/10

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Editor rating: 8.3 / 10
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Camelbak Hydration Pack Review Facts

The Camelbak Hydration Pack Hydrobak is a minimalist hydration pack created for cyclists. It is comfortable, lightweight, padded, and breathable, and it has a back panel of mesh material and straps that are comfortable to wear. There is one external pocket for accessories and buckles that are simple to adjust. Made of 210D nylon material, it is BPA-free and versatile for a variety of activities. Whether you need it for hiking, jogging, walking the dog, running, biking, or working outdoors, the Hydrobak will hold a water supply of 1.5 liters that is good for one to two hours of use.

There are a shut-off bit valve switch and an opening that has a wide mouth. The interior is insulated to keep your water cold, plus you can even add ice is desired. Refilling the bladder is easy as it does not have to be removed from the pack for this task. When wearing the product, you can be seen late at night or early in the morning with the reflective strip on the outside. This Camelbak item has a 4.3 rating out of 5.0 with buyers but also a few minor concerns from unhappy customers. Let's learn more.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Design is versatile, economical, and unisex
  • Water supply is good for one to two hours of use
  • BPA-free, frameless, ergonomic, and lightweight
  • Reflective accents and comfortable straps
  • Good for hiking, amusement parks, and festivals
  • For bike rides, marathon training, and work outdoors
  • Minimalist hydration pack for bicyclists
Cons
  • Can be hard to clean and fill; possibly leaks
  • Was smaller than expected said a few buyers
  • Lid might not close right; could be hard to get back in when full

Comfort

When you are wearing the Camelbak Hydrobak Pack it is comfortable and lightweight with the back panel of air mesh that is breathable. There is padding on the back of the item where it rests on the body, and the straps are comfortable to wear. It has a mesh harness that is ventilated and lightweight, and the buckles are simple to adjust for fit. There is plenty of this type of hydration pack available on the market from various makers, but this one is costlier because of its superior build and performance.

Flexibility

You will have much flexibility in what you can do with this hydration pack attached to you. It is good for both large and small body frames and types and will not weigh you down when jogging or running as a full pack will. There is one external pocket to house a variety of your personal items, plus the excellent design is ergonomic and versatile for a variety of activities.

Your motion range of tasks, chores, sports, and activities is maximized with this narrow profile model. You can keep your hands free for walks or taking the dog out daily. It gives you the freedom to do what you want and not have to carry a water bottle to remain hydrated when you are away from a source of clean fresh water.

Responsiveness

We see plenty of suggestions and remarks from customers in our researching of products that we like to pass along to our readers. These small details could be the very information that you need to sway you one way or another in buying or forgetting a product that you are contemplating on purchasing. We like to help with that process if we can.

This Hydrobak item can support some extra things you may want to bring along for hikes, runs or walks, such as a phone, keys, or energy bars for snacking. There is an external pocket that can hold these things, plus the inside compartment where the bladder is can house some things too. A few people claim that the pocket is too small for use, but we found more people who said it was. This is not going to have all the room of a regular backpack. You just want something that can give you the hydration and a few extras that you need for a few hours of your activity.

Another good point for this product is that you can tuck the drinking nozzle and line under a shoulder strap when wearing it to keep it from being in the way. The manufacturer states that this hydration pack is best used for biking, but a few people said that they had trouble with the drinking tube while trying to ride. It might be better and safer to use when you stop for breaks.

Stability

The Camelbak Hydration Pack has the new Crux design that allows 20% additional water for every sip you take. It has a shut-off bite valve switch and an opening that has a wide mouth. This allows not only water but also ice to be put inside the product. Cleaning is easier also with the wider mouth of the bladder. You do not have to remove the reservoir from the pack to refill it, and the water supply is good for one or two hours of use.

Removing the bladder for filling it seems to be a personal preference, as some people claimed it would be difficult to do this without removing it while others thought it was easy. Regular water remains cold even in the sun, and if you put ice cubes in the bladder with the water, you will have ice water for many hours. The inside is insulated to keep liquids cold for you longer.

Style

Made of 210D nylon material and offered in the colors of red or green, this is a hydration system that is both highly functional and economical. It is frameless, BPA-free, and fits torsos of 15 to 21 inches. The Hydrobak holds 1.5 liters of water at a time and weighs nine ounces when empty. The dimensions are 13 x 10.6 x 3.5 inches, plus the famous Camelbak logo is printed large on the outside of the product. Even with all of the negative comments and issues with this item, it still has a 4.3 rating with buyers online.

This is because even though there are several concerns from customers, not everyone had the same problems or comments. We mention the issues that we feel would be important in your decision-making of buying this item.

Support

Good for both women and men equally, this Camelbak Hydration Pack is made especially for use during daily rigors that you encounter each day. Whether you need it for a sport, activity, chore, or task that you do each day, it will provide you with the liquid you need to remain happy and healthy. It is constructed of 200 denier polyester material, so it is strong, durable, and long-lasting. The access port is for ease with cleaning and filling with water plus ice if you desire it.

Your small essentials can be stored in the zippered-secure pocket on the outside, and you can be seen in low-light areas with reflective accents. The reflective strip is perfect for others in the area to see you and know that you are there. Other gear can support this visibility such as headlamps or reflective clothing to keep you safe. It will certainly make sure that you are detected in the late evening or early morning by others.

Use

The Hydrobak is a minimalist hydration pack made for bicyclists since it only holds water that would last about two hours. Any type of activity that has you outdoors away from a source of clean fresh water is the perfect time to use this pack. It is good for fast and light missions, bike rides, and marathon training. Customers suggested that it is ideal for hiking, amusement parks, and festivals to remain hydrated and have a few necessities, such as money, keys, and a phone.

For those of you who must work outdoors and do not want to or cannot stop for hydration breaks, the Hydrobak is perfect. Sometimes work duties insist that you be out away from buildings or a source of water to keep hydrated, so this small to medium pack is fabulous for that.

Version

There are several similar Camelbak Hydration Packs on the market with slight differences among them. This model is most similar to the Camelbak Mil-Tac HydroBak Hydration Pack that has the same capacity and dimensions. However, the Mil-Tac Hydrobak is half the price of this product, has a few more reviews, and a poorer rating. The CamelBak Classic Crux Reservoir Hydration Pack is bigger than this model, holds more liquid, is half the price, has ¼ the reviews, and has a poorer rating.

The CamelBak Sabre does not compare at all with its poorer rating, very few reviews, larger size, and bigger capacity. When all qualities of these hydration packs are considered, the Hydrobak is smaller and lighter, has a better rating and more reviews sell at a higher price than its other family product counterparts.

Ease of Use

The most disturbing negative comment that we read from users is that they had hydration packs that leaked. If it is one thing that a water container must do, it is to hold the water excellently. The manufacturer claims in its product description that leaks are eliminated with the lever for off and on operations, and there are not any leaks with the mouthpiece. Plenty of customers agree with this online for the one they received. On the other hand, there are those that say the leaks are bad. They claim that the design is not good. When you try to refill the bladder, the lid will not close right, and it is hard to get back in the pack once it is full of water.

There were enough of these remarks to mention the problem in this review, but the majority of buyers said nothing about this. The maker states that refilling is easy with the ergonomic handle. Other users' comments include that the hydration pack is smaller than some people expected and that it is hard to clean and fill. If the design was truly flawed to the point of the pack leaking, it would stand to reason that this would be a major problem for every buyer. This is not the case.

Bottom Line

The dimensions of this hydration item are given in the product description, so its smaller size should not be a surprise to buyers. The wide mouth of the bladder ensures that it is easy to fill and clean, making those negative comments that it is not quite hard to believe. The mentioned leaks of this hydration pack are what should concern potential future buyers since the sole purpose of the product is to hold water until you need it.

Few people gave a bad rating for the Camelbak Hydrobak Pack for this to be a huge concern. They said that when refilling the bladder, they could not get the lid to go back on correctly. Even without the lid and in an upright position it still leaked for them. These buyers blamed the overall design of the product as if it was flawed somehow. Not enough details were given in any of the feedback to really pinpoint the problem or understand the issue. If it were a true flaw of the product design, surely more than just a handful of customers would be complaining about a leaking water bladder. Based on our research, we think that the Hydrobak is a recommendable item to keep the outdoor person hydrated for sports, activities, duties, tasks, and work.