Osprey vs Camelbak

[jimed43]

I had had 3-4 Camelbak's

Considering Osprey Raptor 10

Any thoughts?

 

[FurthurOnTheFly]

I really really liked the Osprey bags, but in the end just couldn't bring myself to drop the money, especially when I had to buy the bladder in addition anyway. All I needed was something simple and lightweight, so I ended up with an REI Flash 18, and I added the Osprey bladder to it. Super impressed with the Osprey bladder, leaps and bounds over the Camelback, and this set up has worked perfect for me and what I needed it for.

Whatever bag you end up with, be sure to get the Osprey Bladder.

 

[stankfoot]

while shopping for new pack i dropped the money on the osprey argon 85. i then got the osprey meridian for work. i would not hesitate to buy anything osprey. they are top notch.

 

[1911]

Osprey has a lifetime warranty; what is Camelbak's warranty like? I

only have one Osprey bag (without a bladder) but it is top-notch and I didn't consider it to be excessively expensive either.

 

[3konas]

Look at Gregory's too. I've been riding with the Miwok 18 for the last 5 months and I'm happy with it. Comfortable, breathes well, secure and I really like the sternum strap design they have, it stays put and doesn't work it's way up. My previous Gregory I've had for over 12yrs. It's a little worn out, coating is flaking off, zippers stick but no holes or tears and still very usable. I hope this pack last as long but I have my doubts, like the Osprey, the Miwoks straps and fasteners are small and appear fragile. I know I don't like the small fasteners with gloved hands. Maybe it's new technology and they will survive just fine, time will tell. I think Gregory packs are worth a look!

 

[NothingClever]

I have used / abused CamelBak products since 1995 but have recently started purchasing Osprey products. When I need a new hydration pack, Osprey will be the first brand I look to. Great products, IMO.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I'd say both are equal in quality and value. Our store sells several hundred of each, and warranties for either pack are rare. The new Antidote reservoir from Camelbak is a huge improvement over their previous Omega reservoir. The Osprey reservoir is an evolution of the Nalgene reservoir that's been around for a while. Osprey just tweaked it for improved flow and durability. Both work great.

My one complaint about Osprey packs is their complexity. They're super strappy, have lots of zippers, and widgets. Not very streamlined. To chase the value proposition, they try to add as many features as possible to their packs. In the end, they get a bit overdone. That said, some people love all those additional features.

I would caution against using the Viper series from Osprey. We sent them all back. They went a bit overboard making it stiff, so every one we sold came back with complaints of the pack being too rigid like a turtle shell.

FYI - I'm not the only one who thought Osprey packs were a bit too gadgety. The Euro market asked Osprey for more streamlined packs and those offerings will be available in January.

As for Camelbak, I think as long as you stay in this type of pack, Camelbak makes a great pack. Once you get into packs in the 30+ liter range, Osprey definitely owns that market. We sell a boat load of Camelbak Lobos and Mules.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I really really liked the Osprey bags, but in the end just couldn't bring myself to drop the money, especially when I had to buy the bladder in addition anyway. .

Almost all Osprey Hydraulics packs come with the 3 liter reservoir included. Their packs under 10 liters all come with the 2 liter reservoir.

 

[FurthurOnTheFly]

Almost all Osprey Hydraulics packs come with the 3 liter reservoir included. Their packs under 10 liters all come with the 2 liter reservoir.

Really? I could have sworn the one I was looking at last year from REI did not include one, and thats what pushed me over the edge. Maybe I read something wrong. At any rate, I'm happy with my purchase of the 'less gadgety' Flash.