Gear Reviews: Backpack

Ripcord 2-liter Hydration Pack

Manufacturer: Outdoor Products

Reviewed by: DCall

Were it so that I could take on a 20-mile, three day weekend each week, I would be quite the happy camper. Unfortunately, this is not the case and I often find myself instead going on day-long excursions to satisfy the desire for time spent under the sky. As is well-known, dayhikes don't usually require a lot of gear, but, in Arizona, often do require quite a bit of water. Never having purchased a hydration pack that wasn't built into my pack, I was a little hesitant, hemming and hawing over issues of need versus want and the financial aspect, but I gave it a go anyways figuring that if the pack was a bust, at least I had given in to my temptations. My first impression was generally good. I paid roughly $26.50 (on sale) for the Outdoor Products Ripcord 2-liter Hydration Pack � with the green, rather than blue, trim� and was happy with the price versus look/feel/appearance of quality. Compared to the more well-known, respected � more expensive � CamelBaks, the Ripcord seems a bit bulky, but retains a lighter feel than pricier units of comparable size. Additionally, 760 cubic inches of space allows for carrying those necessities that cannot be left at home. Lots of nooks and crannies allow for organizing all the odds and ends without letting them shift around in the pack and it has a pouch specifically designed for mp3/CD/other types of music playing devices with a headphone access port. The reservoir hold two liters of fluid and on the 5+ daytrips I've taken with this pack I have experienced no leakage outside of accidentally squeezing the mouthpiece. Ah, but the mouthpiece! If anywhere, the mouthpiece has spacious room for improvement. A straight number, it has a bad habit of ending up dirty if I take the pack off for a minute and set it down. Admittedly, this is not a major issue, but take into account the minor irritation and wasted water from having the clean it off... I digress. The mouthpiece would be better suited if it had a 90-degree bend in it, partially, if not mostly, because it would make it easier to put into my mouth and drink from. The hose seems inordinately long compared to overall size of the pack, but it does allow for easy sharing of water with fellow hikers without having to remove the pack. I have heard horror stories from others that the entire Outdoor Products line if hydration packs have a propensity to leak at the connection points/seams, but I have seen none of this and cannot attest to any deficiencies in this area. I have never babied equipment and do not intend to start at any point soon. So it is that this pack has not been treated... well. It has been scrapped down rock faces, dropped off cliffs and (accidently) slammed in the trunk of my car twice. In these short 1.5 months since purchase, the pack has held up very well. In fact, it still looks rather new. it remains to be seen how well it will stand up to continued usage, but it's certainly off to a good start. One gripe I have with this unit has to do with the waist strap. With a 36 waist, I would certainly consider myself on the larger size, but the belt on this unit fits snugly � when fully extended. Anything thicker than a t-shirt is too bulky to fit under the strap. This is, of course, a rather subjective issue, but should be taken under consideration by bigger hikers looking at this product.