4 1/2 year Mule finally passed away peacefully at home after many happy hours being dragged through valleys, up and down hills, and occasionally being thrown roughly to the ground. Replacement pack required with following spec:

– 10-14 litres. Pref on the upper side of that range
– 3 litre bladder/easy fill/no slumping/easy to clean
– Well thought out interior, pump and tool pockets useful + side pockets for gels etc. Somewhere to stash phone/sunnies good
– Compressable (is that a word? It should be..), if there’s a second compartment to take rain jacket/extra layer that’s easy to get too, all the better but needs to be able to be packed down when not full
– Tough but not super heavy
– Long back preferred, don’t like NV mules but non NV a possibility
– Some strapping to take occasional armour would be useful, as would a helmet specific bit.
– Good adjustment on harness as I’m a lanky so and so.

Raptor 14 looks good. Had a look at one tonight but was the s/m and I want the long back one so prob have to wait for 2013 packs and pay list. Mule XV also in the running but just a bit small and HAWG a bit big.

I already use a charge Octane LR for night/short rides so this is more a day pack to take butties/tubes/pumps/spare kit/emergency badger etc.

Also looked at dakine apex (bit big). I’m sure there’s something perfect out there. Budget I suppose to £100 if it’s going to last another 4 years.

Real world experiences/recommendations appreciated. Ta.

Brand

I have a wingnut adventure for long days. Mighty comfortable. Loads of storage and bungees for compression.

Camelbak charge LR. Great pack, bigger then the octane meets your criteria.

I found the mule a little too small for big day rides when you have more crap to carry. My HAWG does the job nicely, its not much heavier than a mule empty, and you dont HAVE to fill it to capacity.

Osprey Talon II

This one

May fail the compressibility test, and the bladder is only 2 litre (carrying 3 litres is a bit ‘once a year’ though really) but otherwise a very well made, very stable bit of kit, not too long, not too small, swallows nearly everything, loads of little secret pockets.

Lezyne Great Divide – plenty large enough, well laid out and doesn’t feel obtrusive when wearing it…I’ve yet to have it fully stuffed and managed a few very big days out with it.

Not of the svelte build but it is very tough and durable.

Camelbak blowfish

Camelbak hawg!

Dakine Amp 12 or 18.

Only thing I’d change is the bite valve. Fiddly to twist on / off.

Ta all, good selection there shall do some googling..

This years lobo is very good

Anyone use a Mil Spec Mule at all?

Love my Deuters – much better than the Mule they replaced and the bladder is wide-mouth design so easy to clean.

I have a 2008 or so MULE NVIS that will probably need to be replaced this year. I’m leaning heavily towards the Osprey Zealot.

Evoc Enduro – all of the above, plus CE-certified back protection.

Delighted with mine, it’s excellent. Comes without a bladder mind (which makes it even more expensive), but room for a 3L.

Hawg nv hasn’t failed me yet!

I’ve got the M/L Raptor 14 and got it to replace an aging Mule.

Must prefer the Raptor, the rigid plastic backed bladder makes it a doddle to fit/remove from the pack when both are full, try doing that in a Mule 🙂

And love the magnetic bite valve.

Selling a Wingnut Enduro if interested

I run a Mule, but with a 1.5l bladder – consequently its ‘bigger’.

tbh I find I never need 3.0l, as there is always somewhere where you can refill and/or stop to buy.

I’ve got the new Osprey Raptor 14 2013 model and it’s great. The single zip to remove the bladder and the tube is just awesome as is the re-enforced bladder that makes getting it into a full pack a breeze. The tool pouch fulfils my OCD and the zipped hip pockets are very handy.

Love my Evoc CC16. Good even when not full, would recommend it.

Hawg NV here, great bit of kit – never needed to fill it to capacity yet but nice knowing it is there

My dakine nomad is a very good bag, well laid out inside with a good bladder. It has everything you want on the list from helmet pocket, fleece lined sunglasses pocket, 3l bladder and even some straps on the bottom for carrying leg armour.

Zealot is awesome. Much better than my raptor I also have. Tool wrap and compartment, zipped belt pockets and phone chest pocket plus the usual osprey extras

+1 for Dakine Nomad. Love mine.

Anything with a lowslung bladder.
Wingnut if you want it to fall apart.
Camelbak charge/ volt if you don’t want it to fall apart.
One day people will realise that carrying water as high as it is in some pack is just daft.

Just got a charge lr. The horizontal bladder is so good. If that is too small merlin are one of the few places to have the larger volt lr

Superfli, why is the Zealot so much better than the Raptor?

Another HAWG NV, they’re a good price at Merlin too.

Best bit of zealot over raptor is the toolkit pocket and bag. But it also has a handy phone pocket on shoulder strap and zipped waist pockets which my small raptor doesnt have. It can also carry full face lid if enduros go like that. Oh and it opens right out flat, if something has dropped to bottom

Yeah, the shoulder strap pockets look good, I’m looking at the big raptor which has the tool pouch too, think I need to pop to BikeTreks and fondle the goods

+1 for the zealot.
Still as good as new 1 year, and several crashs, on.

Mine unfortunately has mouse nibble holes in the mesh side pockets. Used to leave my ride snacks in there which mice seem to like!

Was about to go for the Zealot 10 but realised it doesn’t have those handy hip pockets! My Dakine Nomad has side pockets you can reach without taking the bag off. The Raptor series has them but they can’t take a full face helmet though.
I want 10L/3L bladder, full face carrying option, that brilliant lid lock, and a way of accessing energy gels/multi tool without having to take the bag off. Maybe I’ll sacrifice the side pockets…

Lezyne Great Divide does all that…but it is a ‘heavy’ and large bag…but is very very durable.

Actually my North Face Hammerhead does that as well…

I run a charge lr too…but I think there is the volt with 3l bladder and 13l capacity which should be just as good to carry butties etc

Having the bladder around the hips makes a MASSIVE difference IMO