SHARKMOUTH FLYHIKER Hiking Hydration Backpack Pack with 2.5L BPA Free Water Bladder, Lightweight and Comfortable for Short Day Hikes, Day Trips and Trails

Backpack appears to be of good quality, a little irked that I had to buy a bladder separately as I purchased this due to it including a bladder.

Sent back was cheaply made bladder was black no go for me needed a clearer carrier. Material wouldn’t hold up to heavy use and it’s too bulky of a design for running long distance. Replaced with https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HJTWG36/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 CamelBak and its WAY better-sometimes you really do get what you pay for and the CB was worth the extra.

Great for my job

I did the same thing that youre doing - spending an hour comparing this pack to the various other ones in the same price range. So, I took a chance on this one and Im extremely happy. Its a smaller backpack, but its made of that collapsable material that allows the pack to expand if you want to store more items in it. In fact, it has a few hidden compartments that make the pack the perfect size for a day worth of supplies (jacket, wallet, keys, snack, etc). Im using it as something that I can take with me while running and its the chest/waist straps that I like the best. Most other packs have the chest straps too high and a waist strap the same width as a car seatbelt. Not a concern with this pack as the straps are small enough that you can easily roll them/tie them up so they dont bother you.

This hydration backpack is perfect for hiking, biking, and running: light weight, comfortable, and a hydration bladder that holds enough water for a long hike or ride. Plus, the cute, bright colors make it fun to use. I’m very happy with my purchase.

The bite valve doesnt work consistently (as in, prevents you from hydrating when needed). To the companies credit, then sent me another one. Same issue. Other problem is that the chest strap attachments are to low to be useful. For example, the clip to hold the water tube is below a ring that might be used, for example, to clip on a GPS. And...that clip cannot slide up or down as is often necessary. On the plus side - super storage compartments, which is what was appealing to me. Net: this was designed by committee not by hiker - it has the parts, just not put together for use by a hiker, and it is being returned. PS I do about 15 to 40 miles a week on trails and snow.

I received the bag yesterday. The bag itself is great with good durable material. I cleaned the hydration bladder this morning and realized the bladder has a small cut in the material causing it to leak. Due to this I will have to order a replacement bladder.

Overall the bag is alright. I did notice that even with ice added, liquids didn’t really stay “cold” long at all. The bag kept anything from getting warm while I worked but it never stayed cooler than room temperature, which more or less defeated the purpose for me. I tested it out with two frozen bottle of water placed in the insulated section. Left it in a cool spot in the house for 4 hours. Came back to both thawed and approaching room temp.

I REALLY wanted to love this product, but it fell short in several important areas. THE GOOD: The pack is nice and feels like it could take a beating, and the zippers are good quality. The pockets are big enough to hold a pocket first-aid kit, snacks and a few more miscellaneous items, making it perfect for day hikes & day trips. The insulated pocket keeps your back from warming up the hydration bladder, and the insulated hose is nice. On top of that, its a nice looking little bag. I got the Jungle Green bag, which is actually dark grey, but I selected the color by picture rather than by description. I love the stormy-grey color with the black. The bladder was easy to fill, insert into the pack and clean. There was no noticeable taste on first use, although I did give it a good clean before using it for the first time. The hook on the strap means the hose is well secured and wont bounce loose while hiking or climbing. Ive read reviews about a sloshing problem with the bladder, but thats an easy fix. Once its filled, turn it upside-down so the air is by the hose output, suck the air out of the valve until you get water, and THEN place it in your pack. With no air to mix with the water, theres no sloshing sound (this should be standard practice with all hydration bladders.) THE BAD: *edit* Originally I posted a review about there being no height adjustment for the chest straps, which was a huge problem given my frame. As it turns out, what I thought were fixed connection points for the chest straps WERE actually adjustable. Mine were just horribly jammed and it took someone with stronger fingers and more patience than me to adjust the height of the chest strap. Once that was solved, the pack fit much better, and the chest strap was in a more comfortable/usable position. Although very aggravating to adjust, the chest strap height is no longer a problem, and the pack fits well! The waist strap is still fixed, but theres only so much you can expect at this price-point *end edit* I tested the bladder before my first hike and was pleased that there were no leaks. The problems didnt come until I was on the trail. The bite valve has a horrendous leak. When capped and pushed in, everything is fine. But once you pull out the valve, it leaks terribly, and I felt like I was drooling with every sip. I checked to make sure it was firmly inserted to the hose, and it was, and the water output itself was sealed unless I bit or squeezed it. The leak came from between the valve and the hyperboloid-shaped bit of plastic in front of the attachment point, and theres no way to fix that. Its just going to keep leaking, making drinking awkward as hell until I find a new bite valve. Update: I did end up getting a new bite-valve, and now that my fit issues and the bite valve problems are solved, this is a really solid pack. Ive used it on multiple day-hikes, a few road trips, an outdoor concert, a couple of day trips and once when I had the flu and didnt want to get out of bed to keep hydrated. Its still intact, functions great and can take a beating. Ive updated to four stars, but only because I had to replace the bite-valve immediately after buying it. Had it come with a functioning bite valve, this would have easily been a 5 star review.

I purchased this as a Christmas gift for my daughter who is a distance runner. She had done her research and felt that this was the best product on the market for her physical needs. She was thrilled to receive it and find that it was even lighter than she thought it would be. Very happy with this purchase.