As a guy that doesn't do a ton of legitimate backpacking, and prefers the basecamp/car camp along with day hiking, I will oftentimes get asked..."Hey what kind of pack do you use for those extended day hikes?"
Great question and I've used at least a dozen different packs over the years. My day hikes range a lot and can be as short as an intense 2 hours, or as long as 13 to 15 hours if I am tackling long distances or high ascents. My most recent 14er, which was a few years ago (sigh) on Quandry Peak in Colorado is an example of a mid distance (to me) hike. It took be about 6 hours and was rather uncomfortable as conditions for late September were not superb with very low temperatures and high winds.
So let's dig in on my pack choice for the hike along with why it's my go to for most of my adventures.
As you may guess from the title, I went with my tried and true CamelBak Octane 18X Hydration Pack, which you can also see in the upper part of this post. Yes, mine is also red and I will snap a photo of it tonight when I get home and attach it to the bottom of this review. Mine is a bit older version and well loved. I believe it's 7 years old now. It has a few issues that I'll get into later on, but overall I have not found a better overall daypack.
So onto Quandry Peak...
At just under 7 hours for a round trip hike, and hitting an elevation of 14,265...it's a beast for a non-athletic guy from the midwest. I wanted something light, duh, but also a pack that can handle a bladder. Check on both of those as it weighs in at 0.99lbs and can accept a 100 ounce bladder. Having proper hydration is important, and you want the weight to be as centered as possible. Along with the low temperatures, you don't want to have to get a water bottle out every time you need a sip. I had the pack at the expanded size to accommodate extra clothing, which I put on after the first mile or so of sub 20F wind chill. On a side note I have used this for trail running in my past life when I need hydration, but don't want some bulky pack flopping around.
CamelBak Octane 18X Hydration Pack
So what else can I say here? My pack has held up well and it has been on hundreds of hikes, anywhere from 100F days in the midwest summer heat, to 0F hikes on Quandry or Longs Peak. Amazingly sturdy and adaptable nylon construction. So what about the drawbacks? Well I've had to do a little surgery over the years to keep my pack operational. This would include sewing and then gluing the fabric attached to the zipper to the pack. Essentially I had some separation of the zipper portion from the pack portion. A few stitches along with glue and I'm back in the game. Also, the zipper doesn't fully track now, so the best I can get it open is maybe 75%. Fine, I can manage, but I suppose there is some disappointment there. Outside of those two relatively minor things, I can't find much to fault here. For the size, the low weight is incredible. The expandability and zipper pocket options are great -and fully functional. If you need a pack for hiking, or potential zombie/solar flare event, I would suggest you check out the very functional and well made CamelBak Octane 18X Hydration Pack
.Price: $98, depending on the color and availability
Available from Amazon
Update...picture of my rig below!
