The North Face Flight Training Pack 12
The best backpack for trail running of 2021
Hydration Packs
Optimal hydration is essential for continued performance on long treks. Find the best hydration pack for your light and fast trail days with expert advice from Backpacker.
Latest in Hydration Packs
Member Deal of the Week: Hydro Flask Journey Series 20 Hydration Pack
Score big savings on great pack for hot-weather hikes.
Ultimate Direction Signature Series Adventure Vest 5.0
Most customizable pack
The Best Hydration Packs for Backpackers
Keep your H20 handy with these handy water carriers.
CamelBak Franconia LR 24 / Sundowner LR 22
This full-featured pack let us carry big loads in comfort.
Osprey Skarab 24 / Skimmer 22
This roomy option is a sweet deal for bargain hunters.
Columbia Shadow Falls
This all-around pack performed well in every category.
Gregory Citro 30 / Juno 30
The biggest pack in the test also has one of the best-performing hydration systems.
Platypus Duthie A.M. 15
A taut, trampoline-style backpanel provides best-in-test ventilation.
Cotopaxi Veloz 6
The test’s best trail running pack boasts smart pocket design.
Hydration through Hell: How the CamelBak changed the way we drink
Thanks to a 100-degree bike ride and some innovation push from desert-stationed soldiers, the CamelBak permanently changed the course of hydration history.
Salomon Agile 12 Set
Thanks to a form-hugging fit, the Salomon Agile 12 Set is the next best thing to wearing no pack at all.
CamelBak Pursuit 24 LR
The unique lumbar reservoir spreads water weight low across the hip shelf for improved stability.
Osprey Syncro 15
In hot temps, this pack kept us coolest, thanks to max airflow across the back.
Marmot Aquifer 22
A drybag-style closure makes this pack the most functionally waterproof.
Dakine Drafter 12L
Plentiful pockets will please the most obsessive organizers.
Bergans of Norway Rondane 12
A unique strap configuration obliterates pack sway and jiggle. Plus: great price.
Arc’teryx Chilcotin 20
Its triangular shape creates a snug, lumbar-hugging fit that eliminates all jostling—even while trail-running or mountain biking.
CamelBak Fourteener 24 Daypack Review
A hydration pack made for big days.