Review on Skyline Bike Hydration Pack Compression Sports & Fitness by Mark Adlesh

I left backpacks in the dust a long time ago. They'll make you sweat, bang against your helmet on steep terrain, and hurt your back on long rides, especially with a traditional reservoir sitting between your shoulder blades. I switched to fanny packs that fit water bottles and decidedly preferred them as I vowed never to use a backpack again. However, for REALLY long trips, a bum bag just wasn't good enough. Not enough water supplies, not enough food supplies. I saw the Camelbak Skyline LR 10, read some good reviews about it (which doesn't say much on its own because some people really love backpacks and I hate them) and ordered one to try. I've been riding it for several months including a 4 day bike ride I just went on. Here's the bottom line: It's now my favorite body storage device. The pack sits SUPER low so there is no strain on your upper back and shoulders. The waist straps are very tight and carry most of the weight of the pack so even after 8-10 hours of riding on the shoulders and back it looks like nothing has been worn all day. This bag really looks like a full size bum bag except the straps keep it from sliding around (very handy on technical descents) and it can hold MUCH more than a bum bag. 3 liters of water lasts all day and you hardly feel any weight as EVERYTHING is on your hips/pelvis which are directly supported by your saddle. It has enough space for a full tool kit and a few hoses, as well as layers of clothing and groceries. It's not a huge backpack compared to something like a MULE, but it's the perfect size in my opinion. I really can't stress enough how perfect the weight distribution is in this pack. I've never liked carrying 3 liters of water, food, tools, etc. on my back so much. My only two criticisms: Firstly, the lap belts can sometimes be difficult to position in the right place and they can compress on the skin. But I've always been able to move them around (while riding) and position them in the right place, so it's not a permanent problem and there can be a problem with almost any lap belt that's too tight. Second, and this is quite picky, the bladder is quite inconvenient to fill and reinsert. This is a situation where it would be nice to have three hands. It's not interesting to try to squeeze water out of the filter with one hand and hold the bubble upright with the other hand to get filtered water. But that's probably a problem with any flexible camelbak bladder. Serious. Very impressive. Highly recommended and I hope Camelbak will continue to make this model.