Osprey Manta 25 Hydration Pack

When we had a look at three of the Osprey Raptor hydration packs, we obviously tested them as a mountain bike product.  However, there is another line of packs under the Hydraulic line-up, and that is the Manta series of hydration packs.  We thought it might be worth some time to compare the two lines of packs so that you, our dear readers, could have as much information as possible to make your purchasing decision an easy one. 

The Manta line ranges from the 1800CI (30L) Manta 30, the 1500CI (25L) 25 (featured here), and the smallest one, the 1200CI (20L) Manta 20 (all volumes noted for the M/L sizes).

I weighed the Manta 25 at 3.0lbs even.  The smaller capacity Raptor 18 (1100CI/18L) is 2lbs 12oz, so although that attests to the extra structure of the mesh back panel and the lightweight wire frame, it still is a small penalty considering the increased cargo room.

That is one of the main differences between the Manta and the Raptor packs.  The Raptors have the Airscape foam back panel and the Manta has the mesh Airspeed back panel.  As well, the Manta 25 has no accommodation for bike specific parts organization; no pump pouch or tool storage compartments, etc.

The Manta 25 also has a very handy and quite roomy waist belt storage pouches and a rain fly stored in the bottom of the pack.

I took the pack with me on a vacation to a mountain resort area where it was my only pack for the week.  My activities included several hours of riding and two family hikes where I supported the whole group with water, snacks, and emergency gear.

I also used it for an S24O bikepacking trip when my Talon 22 was being used by a friend.  The Manta is a pretty good pack for that application.

So what do I think about the Manta series VS. the Raptor series of packs?  Well, honestly it is no surprise that the Manta makes a better pack if your priorities are hiking based.  It has a loop for trekking poles and the mesh panel is actually better suited for a straighter back position.  I found that my backbone sometimes pushed through the mesh panel and touched the foam behind it, creating an annoying 'hot spot', when I was arched forward pedaling.  Sitting more upright or walking was very comfortable and I appreciated the nice ventilation that the mesh panel provided.

So would I use it as a dedicated MTB pack?  Likely not. You could get around the lack of dedicated tool storage by keeping your gear in a small, separate pouch and then just putting that in the pack.  No biggie. It really comes into it's own as a 'one pack for general use' - hiking, scrambling around, cycling, whatever.  The rain fly is a nice touch and the waist belt pouches are killer for cameras, snacks, etc. 

I keep a quiver of hydration packs from small ones like the Camelbak XLP to the bigger packs like the Osprey Raptor 18.  I find that one pack does not do it all, even for cycling.  But, the Manta makes a lot of sense for trips like my vacation where I desired one pack to cover the gamut of activities.  In that case I preferred the Manta 25 over the comparably sized Raptor 18.

Whatever you decide, there is a lot to like about the Hydraulic line of packs by Osprey.