User Review: CamelBak Vantage 30

I received the Vantage 30 as a gift and was able to give it a try on a short 2 mile day hike the other day. This was my test hike for my normal 5-12 mile day hikes.

I loaded it down intentionally with a change of clothes, water in the reservoir, my DSLR camera in the top pocket and some other items. I will tell you that this is a very nice pack. I had purchased an Osprey Talon 33 pack last year and it was not what I had expected and the hip belt did not allow enough adjustment for larger people like me.

It was a large size but the Osprey's hip belt only went to a about a 36 waist size comfortably which I thought was a little odd and disappointing. Also the Osprey did not have a stay of any kind for support and this made it no better than my old rucksack-enough bashing on the Osprey.

The Camelbak Vantage 30 has many pockets. The hip belt pockets are large enough for a Garmin or a cliff bar without squishing it. What is really great is the top pocket. Someone was thinking about photography here! You can put an SLR camera in the pocket lens down and it rides perfectly and securely.

The metal stay is in a horse shoe fashion and offers good support. You could probably put much more weight in the pack than what's recommended with the really comfortable shoulder straps, hip belt and sternum strap.

The D.V.I.S. backpanel even with me wearing my R4 fleece jacket kept me from sweating too much - This backpanel conforms to your back better than others I have seen and still offers exceptional ventilation.

I am looking forward to more longer hikes with this very well constructed pack. I just wish people would begin to realize that Camelbak has packs that can compete and beat some of the more premier brands out there like Deuter, Osprey, Lowe Alpine.