Review on TETON Sports Oasis Hydration Backpack - 2-Liter Water Bladder for Backpacking, Hiking, Running, Cycling, and Climbing by Brian Campbell

I am rewriting my review of this product as my first impression was not very good and I have seen what many have complained about but here is the kicker. The biggest complaints about this product are the leaking water bladder, the strap isn't strong enough, the hose is difficult to drink from, and the zippers are flimsy and prone to breaking. I will be using this hydration pack for the R2R2R (look for it) so it's intense and I need a durable pack that isn't too big but has a hydration reservoir and enough pockets to go 46 miles. I have many packages and different brands, so I'm not a beginner. At first I thought the bladder was leaking at the hose connector at the bottom, see other reviews saying the same thing. The problem is that the hose wasn't screwed all the way in but had an o-ring on it so it's easy to fix. After screwing it up better than it came to me, it didn't leak at all. The other issue is the zips, people have complained that they break easily, I can foresee this will happen but I knew that and was careful and had no problems. Well what can happen is that there is a tendency to stuff pockets (this pack isn't big so if it's too small you need a bigger pack) like I started and when you zip on stuffed pockets attach, yes, I see that they tear easily. . Don't pack in more than he can handle and I think you'll be fine. Pros: (1) Fantastic sized backpack and good for a long day hike. (2) The drawstrings on the back feel comfortable, many pockets and good design. (3) The water bladder is easy to fill, unlike some of the better ones which are flush it's a lot harder to line up the threads where that one cap is and easy to fill. (4) The backpack sits comfortably on your back and the strap adjusts if needed, some of this size don't have one. (5) The price is great and I've researched them all so from what I see you can't beat it. Bad: (1) The big issue here is that others have stated that it's very difficult to pull water out of a hose. You have to squeeze it horizontally or it won't come out and pull the mouthpiece up to let the water in, but it's still very difficult compared to other chambers I've used. (Remember to drink a milkshake through a straw, it's so hard). It's bad enough that I can use one of my other bubbles, but the packaging itself is what I was aiming for. (2) The bladder strap inside is not very durable but I don't think it makes much of a difference, I haven't used it or affected its use. (3) Bubble seems cheap and not as good as my Osprey but I've tried dealing with it a bit and so far no leaks or problems. Not tested in the field yet, other than a short hike through the tester. Finally: my buddy bought the exact same pack so I double checked why mine was leaking in the first place and his wasn't. Currently we are both happy that he will handle our intense day trip that will test his limits. I'll update my review when I get back, but for now I'm happy with my purchase and have researched this pack thoroughly before embarking on a tour with it.