I have been riding with the awesome Platypus Origin 5 Hydration pack lately and it is a great mid size hydration pack. I’ll go as far as saying it is the best multi-sport hydration pack I have ever used.
The Platypus Origin 5 is a great size for a long day out on the trails. It has 305in^3 storage for carrying gear and a 2 liter American made water reservoir. In that main pocket there is plenty of room for gear, I have tubes, tools, a pump, first aid kit and a windbreaker in there. The mesh pocket is perfect for a wallet and phone, along with a built in key holder.
The outside pocket is made out of stretchy material. It holds food, maps and more in a total convenient manner, nothing bounces around in the elastic pocket.
That pocket is deceptively large, I throw my extra layer in it without any problems.
The pack is made out of waterproof fabric with waterproof zippers and taped seams. No need to carry a rain cover! This really helps out on long days in bad weather.
The pack has two points to attach a blinky light, one on the bottom and one at the top.
The back is padded with a channel up the center to keep pressure off your spine. I have worn this on long days on the trail and it is crazy comfortable. On every other pack I own when you have a full water reservoir and the other sundries needed for a long day on the trail you need to crank the straps down on a pack. Not so with the Platypus Origin 5, they have the “cut” of the pack totally dialed in.
The shoulder straps are wide enough to remove pressure but not too big. They also have tons of features for routing and attaching the water tube.
And one of my FAVORITE features of the Platypus origin packs is the built in whistle on the shoulder strap. You never know when you’ll need a whistle…
The waist belt is a cool design in that it has stretchy pockets built in to it. Perfect for holding you iPhone, gels, maps, etc.
Because of the shape of the pack, whether it is packed full of gear or empty it does not move around at all when riding.
I love this pack, it is my new daypack for the rest of the summer! I have an Origin 22 that I use on long days in the winter or when I need to bring tons of water for my dog.
Get this pack if you need a multi-sport hydration pack that sacrifices nothing on the bike or on a hike.
The Originš 5 hydration pack provides five liters of dedicated gear storage to keep you going on half- or ultralight full-day excursions, plus a 2.0L Big Zip™ SL reservoir to keep you fueled along the way.
- Weatherproof Protection: Waterproof, 10,000mm-coated fabrics, welded, all-weather zippers and heat-taped seams.
- Integrated Hydration: Dedicated, easy-access compartment for included 2.0L Big Zip™ SL reservoir, options for top, bottom, left or right hose routing, lightweight reservoir suspension toggles, and locking hose clips.
- Clean Design: Precisely what you need and nothing you don’t to keep things light and simple.
- Refined Fit: BioCurve™ back panel, plus ergonomic shoulder straps with soft, stretch-woven surfaces and high and low shoulder strap attachment points for long and short torsos, respectively.
- Essential Features: On the go waist pockets – internal organizer – welded light loop/lash points – reflective detailing.