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Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bladders > CamelBak Stoaway 100 > Owner Review by Csilla Tabor

CAMELBAK STOAWAY 100
BY CSILLA TABOR
OWNER REVIEW
November 13, 2010

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Csilla Tabor
EMAIL: ejjelicsillag AT yahoo DOT com
AGE: 26
LOCATION: Fernandina Beach, Florida, United States
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 10" (1.78 m)
WEIGHT: 160 lb (72.60 kg)

I have been camping and hiking for most of my life, mainly in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, Hungary, and Romania. Most of my backpacking experience is on one- to four-night trips. I have slimmed down my pack considerably since my Girl Scout days, but I still would not call myself an ultralight hiker. On more recent trips, during which I have backpacked solo or with one or two others, I lightened my load to around 15 pounds (7 kilograms). I'm currently preparing to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail with a light (15 pound [7 kilogram] base weight) pack.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: CamelBak
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.camelbak.com
MSRP: US$40.00
Listed Weight: N/A
Measured Weight: 14 oz (397 g)
Features: (as listed on product website)
100 oz (3 L) OMEGA HydroTanium Reservoir with Lifetime Warranty
Convenient external fill port design for easy filling
4 point D-ring attachment system for securing to exterior of pack

FIELD USE

My pack has been through about 45 days in the field and has performed very well. I've owned this particular model for about three years, but it has the same features as the model Camelbak currently sells. Most of its use took place on day trips in Ohio. I've also taken it on a week-long backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. The average daily mileage of these trips is about ten miles (16.1 kilometers).

IMAGE 1
Hydration pack with insulated tube


Although it is listed as a winter hydration pack on the CamelBak website, I've used it primarily in warm to hot weather (55-85 F, 13-30 C). I like to fill it most of the way, then put it in the freezer overnight. The insulated pack and tube keep water cold for up to a day or two. The insulation both keeps the water cold and keeps any potential condensation from reaching other gear and getting it wet. I like to use it as a complement to water bottles I also carry when hiking, since it keeps water cold longer and I can still rely on the water in it to be refreshing after the water bottles are emptied.

IMAGE 2
Insulated tube with cap


The pack is fairly large in size due to its 100 fl oz capacity, but fits perfectly in the hydration sleeves of both my day pack and my larger pack. The downfall of the insulated tube and its large cap, however, is that they do not fit through the holes in my packs designated for them. I therefore have had to leave an opening in the zipper to allow them to come through.

The overall construction of the pack is very solid. The only issue I've had with it is that I pulled the blue rubber mouthpiece off on accident once while drinking. However, this problem was easily fixed by sliding the mouthpiece back into the insulated tube, and I had no issues with leaking afterward.

IMAGE 3
Back of pack with tube stowed


The pack includes some extra features, some of which I find useful and some of which I've never used. It has a large mouth that makes it easy to fill, even in awkward set-ups like low refill spots in creeks. The large mouth also makes for easy cleaning. There is a sturdy handle at the top of the pack that is useful for carrying, and the pack can also be hung from this handle in camp. On the back of the pack is a large pocket with a hook-and-loop closure in which I can stow the tube (hence the Stoaway name), making it much sleeker and easier to pack when not in use. The only feature I have not used at all are the four D-ring attachments on the front of the pack. They are intended to secure the hydration pack to the outside of a backpack. However, since I've always carried it in a sleeve inside my packs, I have not had need for these rings.

SUMMARY

The CamelBak Stoaway 100 is sturdy and well-insulated. It fits well into standard hydration sleeves in a variety of packs.

THINGS I LIKE

Insulation on both the pack and the tube to keep water cold in warm weather
Large mouth for easy filling and cleaning
Handle for carrying and hanging in camp
Pocket for stowing drinking tube

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

D-rings for attaching to the outside of a pack are an unnecessary feature to me
Insulated tube and cap do not fit through holes in some packs designed for other hydration systems

SIGNATURE

Happy hiking!
~Csilla Tabor~

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

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