Review on Thule Vital Hydration Pack: Stay Hydrated on the Go by David Plunkett

After filling the water bladder and trying the pack on, I immediately felt comfortable. The side waist panels wrapped around my body and didn't feel like they were cutting into my sides, unlike the typical attachment straps you see on other packs that do just that and make hiking uncomfortable. The back panel is breathable and allows the shoulders and neck to move and stretch freely. The magnetic strip attached to the hydration bladder works very well and keeps the hydration tube out of the way. The capacity of this backpack was the main feature I looked at. I used to use those giant 15 liter bags and wondered why I used them. I needed a bag to hold my wallet, keys, lip balm and other essentials and this bag did just that. Not too big but not too small for day trips either - just right. The only criticism I have of this backpack is the water bladder. This is definitely not the main feature of this backpack as it feels cheap and difficult to clean/dry. I replaced it with a 2.0L Gregory reservoir and transferred the magnetic stripe to the tube of the new reservoir. Overall I'd say this is the best water pack I've had - Camelbak, Osprey, Deuter and Kelty don't offer this level of good design.