Anyone use a CAMELBAK H.A.W.G.?

[mbarnatl]

I was wondering if anyone uses a CAMELBAK H.A.W.G. MAXIMUM GEAR HYDRATION SYSTEM ~ 3.O LITER/100 OZ backpack? What do you like and dis-like of this pack?

[granite]

That is my summer daypack. For me, 3 liters will carry me 15-20 miles with 3-4000 ft of elevation change without H20 reload. There is enough room for my lunch, snacks, small emergency kit, head lamp and camera. You might also be able to get in a phone and a GPS but you will be at its limit. If you aren't used to camelbacks, the tube cover is absolutely mandatory in winter since the tube will start freezing around 28 degrees F. When dealing with bladders, I have used and abused several brands, the camelback is the best one. Always buy the bladder with the valve, the valve is your insurance policy if you lose the mouthpiece (which you will).

My winter day pack, which is a 2 liter, I bought at Wal-Mart (Outdoor Products) I like a bit better for a couple of reasons. The tube is clipped on and not threaded through a piece of nylon. Also there are some compression straps on the bottom where I can attach a coat or pants that I am not using. My 3 liter camelback model is from a couple of years ago and they may have upgraded it to include these feature, I don't know.

I know camelback has a great name and some snob factor, but given the choice I always reach from my trusty well-used Wal-Mart pack, whose bladder I have replaced with a camelback.

[mbarnatl]

Is your CamelBak HAWG a civilian version or military version? I am more looking toward the military version.

[granite]

Civilian.

Christ, that thing costs $106! I bought mine off of some discount site for $30, but it was the model from the year before.

[granite]

One more thing, I forgot. On my camelback pack the sternum strap is positioned by a sliding apparatus. This does NOT keep the strap in place. This may be because I am female and my chest puts pressure on the strap to move northward, this may not happen to a man. I have solved this problem by securing the strap in position with two tiny safety pins. Hopefully camelback fixed this problem or it won't be a problem for you, but I find this problem to be an unnecessary annoyance.

[Rick]

This may be because I am female and my chest puts pressure on the strap to move northward, this may not happen to a man.

(standing sideways in front of mirror) I got pecks. Sort of....

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

[Sarge47]

The GI Joe T-shirt is gone!

[Rick]

Doesn't fit anymore. True story. I walked into a bar in a tiny little burg called Sherburne, New York. A guy about that size was standing at the end of the bar with a medium sized T shirt on and his Harley was parked at the end of the bar. Scouts honor!

[Sarge47]

True story, a couple of winters back I'm driving my Transit bus and pull into a Quad of dorms. The weather is -30 degrees wind chill & this student that bore a strange resemblance to the guy in the pic gets on with only a T-shirt over his chest and words that read "Fat People Are Hard To Kidnap!" I thought about it for awhile then started laughing...it's so true!

[Rick]

My new motto!!!! I love it. Old age does funny things to the body. My body is bigger and my brain cells are smaller. Go figure.

[Sarge47]

My new motto!!!! I love it. Old age does funny things to the body. My body is bigger and my brain cells are smaller. Go figure.

I hear dat! Same here!

[Rick]

I completely destroyed mbarnatl's thread. Sorry about that. Let me get him back on track.

The book Build the Perfect Survival Kit (I just finished it by the way that's why I'm referencing it) uses a Camelbak H.A.W.G. for a large survival kit. He sure loaded it down with five pouches added to the back, one underneath, one on top, and one on each side.

[Sarge47]

You got good taste in books, Rick! Gotta give you that. I saw that one but can't bring myself to pony up the $$$ for one of those packs with asessories.

[mbarnatl]

I completely destroyed mbarnatl's thread. Sorry about that. Let me get him back on track.

The book Build the Perfect Survival Kit (I just finished it by the way that's why I'm referencing it) uses a Camelbak H.A.W.G. for a large survival kit. He sure loaded it down with five pouches added to the back, one underneath, one on top, and one on each side.

No problem.

McCann, Mears, and Davenport all recommend the Military Camelbak H.A.W.G. I would like to know if anyone had one and what they thought of it? All of them used it for 1 - 3 day packs.

[mbarnatl]

You got good taste in books, Rick! Gotta give you that. I saw that one but can't bring myself to pony up the $$$ for one of those packs with asessories.

That is why I am trying to get more info on it. The cheapest I found it for the military version is $105.

[Rick]

I'm getting you down:

[url]http://www.camo-store.com/camelbak_-_military.htm[/ur

[Rick]

And better:

http://www.imsplus.com/ims16a.html

[granite]

Rick is an amateur.

[mbarnatl]

$99.95 for the last two links....do I hear any lower? implus had it last week at $115 ...they just must have lowered their price.

Thanks for the links.

[Rick]

Hey! I redeemed myself, thank you. You are forever indebted to us. Muhahahahahahaha.