Description of CamelBak Vantage 30 Hydration Pack - 3L:
Leaving extra layers at home because they won't fit in your hydration pack is lame. Getting a totally sweaty back because your pack's back panel has no ventilation is also not rad. CamelBak's Vantage 30 Hydration Pack takes care of both situations. The Vantage 30 Pack's D.V.I.S. Back Panel uses an independent pod suspension system to balance weight and promote crazy airflow. The large cargo bay holds your lunch and jacket or pant layers, and the three-liter water reservoir keeps you watered on the trail. Choose the medium Vantage Hydration Pack for your 18-20-inch torso length, or the large Vantage if your torso hangs out in the 20-22-inch range.
Bottom Line: CamelBak's Vantage 30 Hydration Pack prevents soggy back-sweat on your all-day hikes.
I was lucky enough to catch this on SAC and get an freakin amazing deal on this bag. When I got it I was surprised as to how much room is in this bag. You can take it on all day hikes and have a lot of room left. The back of the bag is designed in a way that makes me feel like I have a pillow with shoulder straps on me. I never realize how much weight I am carrying. I would say for a quick overnight trip, this bag is perfect. Mine came with a thermal covering on the camelbak tubing which was not shown in the picture. They must have known I was looking for a bag to take to Shasta. These guys are good.
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great pack for sweaty back and a lot of H2O 12-26-08
I have the orange pack and I definitely hated riding during the summer w/ my old pack and having a soaked back in a matter of minutes, the D.V.I.S. doesn't totally solve the problem but it helps a great deal, I could actually feel air moving on my back instead of just sweat.
It also holds mega amounts of water. I ride the Mah Dah Hey yearly and it's always a struggle to bring enough water but this pack totally covers that problem, you can throw an extra 3L hydration pack in the other pocket when you need it.
I have the blue model of this pack, the older version and its a great pack.
There is a main panel loading compartment, a zippered organizer compartment and a pocket on the waistbelt. Two side pockets are perfect for holding water bottles and there is an external pocket for dirty clothes or things you might need quick access to.
There are plenty of cinch straps to tighten things down and the durability is pretty good. I've scrambled up and down 40ft waterfalls, dragging my pack along and its holding up great - some surface abrasions that are mostly cosmetic. The padding on the back, shoulder straps and hip belts are ok, but I would have liked to see something thicker.
The hip belt is also a nuisance to tighten (see comment below), but overall this is a great pack. One thing I would like to know is what the center strap on the outside of the pack on the external pocket is for - I just can't seem to find a use for it. Maybe I'm supposed to stuff a jacket in there or something.
Summary:
Pros
1. Affordable if you know where to look, like SAC
2. Good design and durability
3. Comfortable if you've adjusted it correctly
4. DVIS panel gets decent airflow - but you're still going to sweat on anything above an easy hike
Cons
1. Waist belt a nuisance to cinch down
2. More padding would be nice
3. Hard to load in bladder when the pack is full (a semi panel-loading pocket for the bladder, as seen in the MULE would be nice)
4. The smaller organizer pocket opens from the bottom up - just weird. I would prefer something that opens from the top so things don't fall out.
By the way, I picked this up for $60 off SAC - what a steal.
