Looking at replacing my old mule.

Is it worth paying the extra and buying the mule NV ?

I bought a Mule NV last year to replace my 5 year old Mule.
The back panel looked like a great idea but made the bag heavy and it dug into my shoulder blades.
I replaced the NV with a North Face Hammerhead which has a mesh back panel but is lighter and narrower.
I also bought an Octane XCT for summer use and enduro racing. This is the hydration pack I’ve used the most as it is very lightweight and discourages me from taking loads of stuff on rides.

I was looking at the weights and the NV did seem to be quite a bit heavier.

Back panel seems to be problematic for shorter backs – Katie found it hit the back of her helmet. Good for communting, not great off road.

I’m not sure the weight is an issue? The first thing you’ll do with it is fill it with 3l of water, surely?

I have a mule NV, and very nice it is too. Quite how it differs from teh standard mule, i’m not sure.

Weight wouldnt be a problem, but I just wanted to see if the cost difference between the mule and mule nv is worth it….

The octane xc looks very nice.

Have the mule NV, and with the back panel in and a full 3l bladder, there’s not an awful lot of space left. dSLR camera + 50mm lens + thin fleece/waterproof would be a squeeze I reckon.
Just taken the back panel out of mine (fiddly back to front zip, but you can force it open with a fingernail), but I’ve not got round to trying it yet for comparison.

Difference is the back panel (which has mesh over a plastic panel with lumps on for want of a better description – intended to hold the bag off your back and give more ventilation) and a waterproof cover in a zipped compartment.

Personal preference but I’ve recently changed my mule to a mule nv and the nv is definately comfier, the cover is handy as well. I seem to be able to fit more in it as well.