Osprey Packs Skarab 18 Hydration Pack

I went for a hike and ran out of water. I was miserable. So, I looked for a means to carry more water and found this pack. It’s great. I have the 2.5-liter bladder and even full I don’t really feel the weight. I do realize I’m wearing a pack, but it doesn’t feel any heaver full than it does at the end of a hike when it’s empty.In the small pocket I carry trail mix, my car key and a compass. In the larger pocket I carry a first aid kit, a jacket, and a headlamp. In the mesh pocket on the left I keep a drying towel and a pocketknife. In the right mesh pocket, I carry two Epipens. Both pockets are easily reachable while wearing the pack. A very important necessity for the Epipen.My only complaint is minor and it’s that there aren’t bands to secure the excess strap after making the sizing adjustment. I wish there was a way to hold the excess strap in place.

Used this for the first time at a music festival. My friend that I went with had a smaller no-name one that she got because it was "pretty". Needless to say, while hers was prettier, it also failed after the first night (bladder sprung a leak at the hose hook-up point), ruining all the items in her bag. I did my research, as well as talked with some friends who are avid outdoorsy types, and went with the Osprey. More expensive than most, but extremely durable and well-built. That goes for not just the bladder + hose/bite-valve, but also the pack, as the stitching in the pack is extremely strong. I was throwing this thing around for 3 days straight with no problems. Only weakness would be the bite-valve; go ahead and get an extra silicone nozzle just in case since that is an obvious wear-and-tear consumable, as it would suck bad if/when that fails when you are out-and-about with it. Also, the bite valve is extremely difficult to take apart and clean as it is so tight-fitting, but it is possible. Look at YT vids on how to do this.

I love my Osprey hydration backpack. It holds a ton of water. I hike daily. I am very happy with the quality. I later bought the Osprey Shuttle rolling luggage. I love it as well.

UPDATE: Buy an extra bite valve. My 10-year-old's bite valve developed a hole after only the second use. I don't know if this is because he was biting too hard, or if it was a defect. Other than that, we still love the pack. I added a clip-on whistle/compass for extra safety while on hikes.This is a great little daypack for a good price. I bought this for my 10-year-old son, who is too big for the kid sized hydration daypacks, but too small for an adult pack. This little pack is just the right size to fit a soft insulated lunch, sunglasses, a small camera, a rain poncho, sunscreen, a notebook, and a few smaller items. I took off one star because it does not include the ability to clip on a helmet, light, or trekking poles (the reason for 4 stars instead of 5).I really like that this pack included the hydration pack and the magnet to keep the mouthpiece in place. The hydration pack is held in place with a clasp so it doesn't slide down the pack. I really like how the hydration pack operates, too. It's much easier to fill and clean than my Camelback, which is tricky to dry and clean out. This hydration pack does not include a bulky plastic piece to feel lumpy against your back, either. The hydration pack is a 2.5 L pack, which is plenty for a day hike. There are also two pockets for water bottles, and a small interior pocket for storing a phone, camera, and keys (with a key clip).

Great for hiking!

Great pack, and there's more useful space available than I expected. The zippers can be tough since they are given quite a bit of protection from the overlaying protective flaps, but it's minor and I'm quite happy with the rest.26 miles of hard mountain biking resulted in a pretty dry back, not perfect, but far better than most.I'd buy it again.

Wow! Osprey nailed it with the Scarab 18. Perfect size bag, quality hydration system, quality zippers and seam construction, super comfortable in its design. Exactly what you need and no extra superfluous crap.

I have COPD and carry liquid oxygen with me all the time. I used regular backpacks until my shoulders started to ache due to the stress of the weight on my rotator cuff. Got this one with wide, padded shoulder straps and chest strap to take pressure off shoulders. It works like a charm!