Osprey Raptor hydration packs

Raptor 10If you asked the endurance racing crowd or if you surveyed the bikepacking group, the folks that spend hours and days crossing remote sections of the countryside, as to what backpack/hydration pack was a favorite among them, the Osprey Talon 22 would be at the top of the list.  It is lauded for its comfort, design, and construction.  In the world of hiking, multi-sport and mountaineering, Osprey is well known.  It turns out that Osprey has been making packs for some time now and in 2009, celebrated 35 years in the business.

Now, in addition to more types of packs than you can imagine, they have added a new line of hydration packs under the Hydraulic banner. Called the Raptor series, they are pointed directly at mountain bikers although they could apply to a multi-sport application.

We have been using three sizes of the Raptor packs; the Raptor 6, Raptor 10, and Raptor 18, covering the small to large end of the range.  There also is a Raptor 14 that we did not try.

Raptor 6

Volumes and Weights
US and International weight and volume specifications

Size	cu. in.	liter	lbs/oz	kg.
One Size	360	6	1/9	.70

Dimensions
Dimensions are shown as length (height) x width x depth
In: 17.3 x 7.1 x 5.9
Cm: 44 x 18 x 15

Raptor 10

Volumes and Weights
US and International weight and volume specifications

Size	cu. in.	liter	lbs/oz	kg.
S/M	520	8	1/9	0.71
M/L	600	10	1/11	0.76

Dimensions
Dimensions are shown as length (height) x width x depth
46 x 21 x 19 cm
18 x 8.25 x 7.50 inches

Raptor 18

Volumes and Weights
US and International weight and volume specifications

Size	cu. in.	liter	lbs/oz	kg.
S/M	980	16	1/13	0.81
M/L	1100	18	1/15	0.89

Dimensions
Dimensions are shown as length (height) x width x depth
46 x 25 x 25 cm 
18 x 10 x 10 inches

Let us take a look at what Osprey has to offer in the Raptor line of hydration packs.  To begin with, the packs are constructed with a lightweight 70x140D nylon fabric and have the nice touches that come from an experienced manufacturer - adjustable straps, effective zipper pulls, a sleek profile.  But, there are some design features that set them apart beyond the way they are made, mainly in the Nalgene bladder and the way it breaks the mold of the normal hydration pack set-up.  If you have ever struggled with removing, refilling, and then re-inserting the bladder into a fully stuffed pack, you know what a wiggly, squirmy task that can be.  The Hydraform reservoir and the Hydralock system seek to change all that. 

(Manta pack shown here)HydraForm™ Reservoir

The reservoir design sandwiches an anatomically shaped molded plastic sheet between a layer of nylon fabric and the reservoir back. This forces the reservoir to conform to the back’s complex shape, even when full. The result is a more precise, stable and comfortable fit. Additionally, this reservoir has a rigid handle/spine that stabilizes the load of the water while also serving as a more convenient design to slide the reservoir into the pack.

HydraLock™

The HydraLock™ internal frame provides a dedicated space for the reservoir, so that cargo volume is not affected by a full reservoir. It effectively squeezes the reservoir, supplying hydraulic pressure to increase the flow and minimize water motion. It also provides a perfect anchor point for the vertical spine of the reservoir, preventing lateral instability and locking the water load in the overall pack structure. The reservoir is further compressed at the top end with load lifter straps. This keeps the pack stabilized during recurring and unexpected motion.

As well, the Airscape back panel keeps the pack stable and flat on your back.  None of the packs exhibited the dreaded 'water balloon' syndrome where the filled hydration pack turns into a rounded and wiggly sausage shaped thing.

Other features include hip/side pockets on the waist strap, tool storage compartments, key clips, and a very effective bite valve on the HydraForm reservoir that delivers quite a bit of water flow and did not seem to drip all over me.  The bite valve also turns 'off' by rotating the valve inline with the hose and has a handy magnet catch that mates with the sternum strap at the buckle and keeps the hose at the ready.

So, what works very well and what needs some tweaking? 

The good:

• The packs ride close to the back and are very stable during technical and demanding riding conditions.  Moving fast and flying low?  The packs do not get in the way.
• HydraForm and HydraLock are an effective duo and make for an eezy-peezy reservoir fill and re-insertion.
• The packs are attractive and look to be very well thought out.  The zipper hoods, the fasteners, the grab handle on the top of the packs, the adjustable straps...they do not look or feel cheaply made.
• They are backed by an established company with a great track record and name in the pack business.
• The shove-it feature of the big marsupial pouch on the Raptor 18 is most excellent for shed layers of clothing and what not.  When not used, it compresses down to a slim pack profile.
• For a small pack, the Raptor 6 holds a fair amount for the typical after work ride or the 2 hour weekend jaunt.  The stretch pouch will hold a windbreaker or arm/leg warmers, etc, but not too much else.  
• The Lid Lock feature, a rubber oval piece attached to a bungee, allows you to attach a helmet to the upper section of the pack.  Although it takes a bit of finagling to get it through a helmet's shell, once there it does a nice job of keeping a helmet together with your pack when you are transporting your stuff or whatever.

The not so good:

• The structure in the HydraForm and HydraPack systems adds weight to the pack.  Not a big deal unless you are really counting calories, but you will begin at a grams disadvantage compared to something like the Camelbak Octane 18X we tested recently. 
• I struggled with getting the Raptor 6 to fit me well in that I often got a 'hot spot' in the mid-low back. This seldom happened with the Raptor 18 which was very comfy so I suspect the smaller pack was either overwhelmed by the internal shapings of the HydraForm/HydraLock system and could not bend to fit well or the one size fits all version of the Raptor 6 just was not true for me.  In the next go round, the Raptor 6 will come in a shorter or longer version like the bigger siblings.  I do wonder if a bit more 'pre-shaping' of the plastic pieces in the pack to fit a hunched over riding position would not be a good idea.  I wanted the packs to fit more around the low back rather than perched across it.  I am also very slim in profile, so I noticed the 'too flat' back panel more than a broader person might.
• Why two pump slots in the storage compartment?  NOTE:  I learned that this is intended for a shock pump, a nice touch if you choose to carry one.
• No good place to store a multi tool.  The pouches that would hold the tool are too deep and the tool just falls to the bottom requiring a fishing trip. I would like to see a dedicated multi-tool pouch with a flap sewn in above the mesh pouch and in between the two pump slots.
• I love waist belt/hip level storage pouches and all these packs have them.  The bad part is that there are no closures on the pouches so don't put anything in there you don't mind losing.  I lost a very nice, full gel flask out on a normal trail ride.  Kinda like tossing a ten dollar bill out there and riding off.  I was not happy as I was counting on that gel for the ride to come. Also, when the pack is being worn, they are difficult to open with gloved hands as you cannot feel the opening in the pouch.  More fishing.  Worst of both worlds...hard to open when riding and still easy to lose items out of it.
• No rain cover is included, but is available separately.

Impressions On The Raptor 10: by Guitar Ted

While Grannygear was bopping around with the big and small hydration packs, I was testing the Raptor 10, which falls in between the 18 and the 6 in size. Would the Raptor 10 be the "Goldilocks" choice, the "just right" size? Maybe for some riders it would be, but let's take a look at what I found to be the positives and negatives of the pack.

Features: The Raptor 10 shares all the main features that Grannygear detailed already with the Raptor 6 and 18 packs. The Raptor 10 is also the first pack in the Hydraulic Series to hold a three liter bladder. That may or may not make a difference to you, but I like the extra liquid carrying capacity myself. The Raptor 10 also has a bigger pouch with other smaller pockets sewn in to the front/upper part of this larger area. There is a top accessed pocket that is separate and water proof where things like a mp3 player or cell phone would fit with ease. This pocket has a "duck bill" cover over the zipper with a slotted tab on one side to allow the passage of a head phone cable, or a light cable in the case of an external battery pack. Nice touch. There is also a stretchy fabric pouch on the outside of the pack where something could be stowed like wet gloves, a light, packable jacket, or arm warmers. This is secured by a web with a buckle. The outer part of this pouch has some decorative design with some minimal reflective pin striping, which I am told really pops at night. (My riding buddies comment!)

The pack also features a slash pocket which is zippered on the left side. This essentially opens up the interior of the "flap" that forms the outer half of the larger interior pouch I described above. There is a key tether in here, and maybe this would be a good pouch for maps, or other very flat items. Of course, the HydraForm reservoir goes in its very own pocket next to your back. Finally, the waist belt features two mesh covered pockets at the "wings", which can be easily accessed while riding.

Finally, there is the LidLock on the upper back part of the pack, which is an elastic cord attached to a rubberized oval shaped "hook" which you fish through a vent on your helmet to secure your skidlid while not riding. It works fine, but it is kind of a novelty in my eyes.

Okay, let's get to the nitty gritty...........

The Good:

• The HydraForm bladder is awesome! Finally there is a bladder that is easily handled, filled, and stuffed into a loaded hydration pack. If this were the only thing the Raptor 10 did well, I would still be impressed. Plus, the drink tube and bite valve are worthy of mention too. I liked the 90 degree shut off feature of the bite valve which prevents drippage while transporting the pack between rides.
• The packs straps and waist belt are comfortable, and easily adjusted. The sternum strap features a magnetic "parking place" for the bite valve which has a magnet at the end of the drink tube to attract it to. Nice! No more fiddling with where to park the bite valve, nor any reason to have it flipping around, if you don't want it to.
• The Raptor 10 is stable and unobtrusive. It fit me well, although being a "thick" guy, I am probably at the limits of who it would fit at the large end of the scale. Still, I feel there are no compromises with how it fit me and in how it felt while riding a bicycle.
• The pack is easy to get on and off. The zipper pulls are easy to operate, even with a gloved hand, (for me anyway), and the buckles are not too fussy to operate, although I would put in a vote for bigger release tabs which would make releasing the belts that much easier.
• The construction of the pack looks clean and the materials look like quality stuff. It gives off the air of something I would be able to rely on for a long time. The graphics are subtle and I like the green color of the pack I received for this review. (Other colors are available)

The Not So Good:

• I, like Grannygear, wonder why there are two pump pockets, or what appear to be two pump pockets, at least (For an answer to this, see note above in Grannygears' review). The inner pockets are all too deep for small items, like a multi tool, bits of chain links, or other small tid bits that mountain bikers like to pack on long rides. The slash pocket in the "lid" of the main pocket becomes almost useless if you have a lot stuffed into the main compartment. Pockets are kind of a personal thing, but definitely- there needs to be some shallow, easily accessed pockets for smaller items.
• The wing pockets have no closure mechanism, and like Grannygear, I felt they were useless for anything other than a place to put spent gel wrappers. (And even then, you may inadvertently litter!) I like wing pockets and if Osprey can improve this feature it would up the "value factor" tremendously.
• The slot for a blinky light is laser cut into some thin fabric at the lower back. I would like to see something a bit more substantial here, like maybe a thicker rubber patch with slots, or a fabric that holds its shape. Putting on and taking off a blinky is a bit tough as it is now, and I felt like I was about to rip the fabric at times by attaching the light I use. 
• The LidLock is a bit goofy, and unnecessary, I think. Make the back pocket with the buckle a bit more stretchy and I could just slide my helmet in there, or use the stretchier pocket to hold other like sized bulky items, like an outer shell for instance.

Comments

[dennis]

I wonder if Osprey would send you the Manta series for you to review. The Manta has the same reservoir as the raptor but geared for the