I’m all about action and adventure; you name it, we love to go hiking, biking and climbing. It’s important to stay hydrated during these types of activities but I’m personally not a huge fan of carrying a water bottle and prefer a hydration system instead.
Here is my open and honest review.
I tested the Crave Outdoors Hydration Pack by putting it through its paces on a local run. Even though the bladder is BPA free, I would certainly suggest washing it out prior to use to avoid the plastic taste you get with new products. After washing the bladder I found it to be very easy to fill up under our bathroom sink.
It did take a fair amount of fiddling around to get the straps perfectly positioned, but once done, it was quite comfortable and I really liked how light it felt, even with the full bladder weight. At least you should only need to make the adjustments one time.
Features
- Multi-use: great for hiking, cycling, festivals and general travel
- 1.5 liter BPA free hydration bladder
- Water-resistant outer material – important so your dry goods don’t get wet if you get stuck in a light rain shower
- No-questions-asked Money Back Guarantee
- Multi-point adjustable rip nylon straps
- External netting to store a jacket or flip flops
- Large opening for easy filling
Storage
There are a few pockets incorporated into the shoulder straps where you can store a small snack, like a health bar or an energy shot along with your keys and a place to keep some cash or a credit card.
As you can see, my first generation Moto X fits (very snug). If you have an iPhone or later model android, you are out of luck and will need to keep it in the main compartment.
Technical Specifications
Material
Waterproof 600D/PVC polyester
Capacity/Volume
1.5 liters of water in hydration bag + approx 2 liters of additional internal capacity
Weight
454g (16oz) with empty bladder
Dimensions
43.2cm x 5.1cm x 25.4cm (17″ x 2″ x 10″)
Colors Available
Blue, Red, Green
Number of Pockets
4 in the front, 2 inside pack (includes bladder pocket)
What Could be Improved?
Due to the setup of the straps, it is a hard to get a perfectly snug fit on your back. The strap buckles are also difficult to adjust and could be replaced with a much simpler system. It would also be better if there were two sizes available (perhaps a child and adult version).
The front-facing pockets need to be able to accommodate a five-inch or bigger phone. Currently, only a four-inch phone will fit. It would also be nice to have a small, zip-up pocket inside the main compartment to store valuables such as a wallet.
Final Say
This is a great buy if you are looking for a decent hydration pack for under $50. If they can make some of the small improvements mentioned it will be an even better buy!
Grab yours on Amazon
Lisette Paras