You are here

Traveler's Gear Box: CamelBak's Octane 22 LR Multisport Daypack

Share

CamelBak's Octane 22 LR carries its 3 liters of water low on your hips.

More and more outdoor gear companies are trying to cover more and more bases these days, moving beyond their core product in a bid to grab a larger share of the market.

CamelBak was founded in 1989 and quickly made its name on hydration systems for hikers and backpackers, and remains king of that hill. It has moved beyond systems for hikers and backpackers, too, creating products for mountain bikers, road bikers, paddlers, the military, and runners. And it has a range of water bottles, filtration systems, cleaning products, and even winter-specific products in the form of daypacks.

Those products go beyond just hydration bladders and hoses, as the company realized the need to create packs to carry those systems. And if you look at the company's website or its product manuals, you'll see a lot of product.

A product that caught my eye at the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show back in August was the Octane 22 LR, a 1,160-cubic-inch daypack that carries a 100-ounce bladder. That's a lot of water for a dayhike, unless you're out from sun-up until after sun down. Or you're hiking in Death Valley National Park on a mid-August day.

The focal point of the Octane 22 (MSRP $130) is the bladder, which goes from hip to hip, as opposed to neck to waist. While this can provide some lumbar support when the bladder is full, it also can lower your center of balance put a little stress on your frame due to the water riding so low on your back.

The pound-and-a-half (empty) Octane 22 -- 1.9 liter storage volume, 3-liter bladder -- has two main pockets, one that runs top to bottom and a second outer pouch that covers about half of the pack. There is a small zippered mesh pocket inside the main pocket for keys and your wallet, another that can be accessed from the top of the pack without opening the main pocket, and mesh zippered pockets on each side of the hip belt, which are perfect for holding munchies and, in a squeeze, a GPS unit.

Safety-wise, there's even a small whistle attached to the left shoulder strap. And you can rig up straps on the back to carry some light additional gear, if needed.

The somewhat shallow size could be a negative if you're planning a full day in the outback, but for half-days this could be just what you need.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.