Camelbak Motherlode

Discussion in 'Functional Gear & Equipment' started by mtbkski, Jun 26, 2009.


  1. mtbkski

    mtbkski Monkey++

    My betterhalf got this for me on Ebay. It was to big for anything I wanted at the time. But now, I love the darn thing.

    Amazon.com : Camelbak Motherlode 100 oz/3.1 Army Universal Camo : Hiking Hydration Packs : Sports & Outdoors
    [​IMG]
    It has just enough pockets inside it to make it easy to sort items so you can find them when you want them, without going hog wild.

    It is tough. I have been abusing Camelbak gear for years. And honestly have never worn anything out. I have given it away to friends and got myself new stuff, cause I wanted to try something else. But never had anything that I have considered unusable. They do produce one heck of a strong product. Guess that is why the military uses them too.

    It is comfortable. With my Tacticaltailor Combat Harness and this pack on, I am able to hike very comfortably. The belt helps to move the weight of the pack to your hips and not on your shoulders. The shoulder straps do spread the weight comfortably across your shoulders. The sternum straps help to keep the shoulder straps from falling off your shoulders and/or being pulled off in when moving quickly thru heavy brush.

    The bladder makes it easy to haul water, and like all Camelbaks. The bladder also works as a cushion against your back when totally filled. The mouth pieces of the Camelbaks work much better than any other I have tried. It is simple, yet it works.

    I would recommend this a great multi-day pack that you can count on.

    As mentioned above. Watch for them on E-Bay. My betterhalf got mine for around $60 with tags still hanging on it.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2015
  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Good write up. For those of us with not much in the way of shoulders, the sternum strap is an absolute necessity all the time, not just in brush. In the past, I've had to add some tape or banding to pull the shoulder straps closer together in the front, cross the straps in back to keep the pack as high as possible. Mostly, the best way for my scrawny carcass is with hip loading a pack frame, no matter how little the load. Still looking for a frame arrangement with a girth strap to keep it close on the back.
     
  3. mtbkski

    mtbkski Monkey++

    Frame Packs are the best choice for large loads going long ways. I use to do a lot of backpacking. And I could carry a 50lb load for a couple days without any problems with a good frame pack. Getting the weight on your hips is the way to go. No matter how cool those rucksack packs look on the movies when the S.E.A.L.'s are creeping along. Those smaller packs are only good for light loads for short distances. The wear and tear on your shoulders is amazing if you have to hike any distance.

    One way to find out how comfortable your pack is, is to just put it on in the morning on your day off and wear it all around the house while your doing whatever it is you want to do. Cleaning the firearms. Cleaning the house. Yard work. Watching TV. Don't take it off for any reason. (OK, it gets in the way when sitting on the toilet. You can take it off then) Oh, and make sure you have it loaded up good, so you have the weight on your shoulders all day. This test can be a real eye opener for some. That pack you love may not be that comfortable after wearing it a couple hours. Better to find that out now then when your on the run.
     
  4. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    8" cinder blocks on a pack frame will teach a lot about comfort and your own carrying capacity. Very quickly, you will graduate to 8X16X2 pavers stacked vertically edgewise and see that putting the heavy stuff higher and closer to your back will make the load easier to carry. A girth strap is a tremendous help. I've never seen a frame or ruck that comes with one; you have to get creative.
     
  5. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    While I have never used backpacks that much, I did start using them last year bowhunting, nothing like a all day hike to let you know what does, and does not work.

    Good review, thanks for the info.
     
  6. mage2

    mage2 Monkey+++

    would you be able to take some pictures of the inside?
    I am looking for a new backpack for a trip coming up
     
  7. mtbkski

    mtbkski Monkey++

    I'll dig it out of the car trunk tomorrow and get some pics for you.
     
  8. mage2

    mage2 Monkey+++

    i didnt mean to be any trouble.
    I just need to know how much space is on the inside
    i have a 10" laptop and a DSLR and a few lenses and some other crap that I always have with me. I am trying to find one bag that will hold everything I need at once.
    its a challenge
     
  9. mtbkski

    mtbkski Monkey++

    Front view of the Camelbak Motherlode.
    [​IMG]


    Side view. You can see the compression straps for the sides.
    Later you will see that I have a good bit in it, and look how tight
    I have the straps. Lots of room to expand. And yes, that is my
    Cold Steel Master Hunter hanging off the belt.
    [​IMG]


    You can see the padded arms, back and the belt. The belt is comfortable.
    Puts a lot of weight on the hips. Back isn't padded great. But with the
    bladder inside. It is very comfortable.
    [​IMG]


    Bottom of pack. Has straps for tent or sleeping bag. You can also see
    size of the front pocket. It is pretty big on its own.
    [​IMG]


    This pocket is just under the ZRT Patch. It is the smallest pack
    on the bag. It opens up to allow items you will want to get to
    often.
    [​IMG]


    Second Pocket or middle pocket. It is divided up to allow you to sort your small items that you may want to haul. The pocket on the top, is big enough for larger items. The pocket goes down the whole way beneath the smaller compartments that you can see. You can see the size of it
    in the other pictures.
    [​IMG]


    The main compartment. It is big and deep. You can see two full MRE's that I keep in it, beneath them is more stuff. I still have lots of room to add more stuff if I want or need too. It is one big pocket, and I have the bag compressed, so if you loosen the compression straps, it will expand even more.
    [​IMG]

    On the front side of the main pocket is this small mesh pocket.
    [​IMG]


    The backside of the main compartment has another pocket that is closed with a bungee and barrel lock. I have my medical supplies in there.
    [​IMG]
     
    melbo likes this.
  10. BAT1

    BAT1 Cowboys know no fear

    Nice pack. I just got a 5.11 Rush 72 pack and it has tons of organizers in it. I ordered it from
    www.lapolicegear.com for 137.00, and they have a 3 day pack on sale for 39.00 Good deals.
     
  11. gunbunny

    gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

    ... I've had the 5.11 RUSH 24 pack for the last year. I've been using it every day as my gym bag. It gets stuffed, pushed, thrown, crammed, frozen, thawed, blistered in the trunk of the car, and more. I've even used it as a carry-on for a week long business trip. I'm supprised that it still is in one piece. No seams have ripped yet, no torn packcloth. Although it may not look new, it is still fully functional. It probably just needs washed.

    There is also my wife's Osprey pack. She's been carrying it for the last three years, and still looks great. My wife is hard on equipment, so I made sure I got her something well made. The Osprey is the ticket for long term abuse. Unfortunetly, Osprey doesn't make their packs in the US of A anymore.
     
  12. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    Camelback is great stuff. Always enjoyed using their products. Still do.

    On a side note, CB also makes great work/tactical gloves (Impact CT-SW Motorsports), although they are not flame resistant and will melt on open flame...but I am not welding with them, so...

    And the inline filter for the bladder made by MSR is without a doubt a great addition to any Camelback. ;)
     
  13. Prepper Man

    Prepper Man Monkey+

    How does the quality compare to Maxpedition? I was looking at the Pygmy Falcon II, but also found this review interesting.

    PM
     
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