A must have for the mountain or road traveller!

I used to think these things were silly, and never paid them much attention...until the summer of 05, when I started cycling every day, and started going on week long hiking trips, which I now go on twice a year.

The M.U.L.E camelback was well worth the money. When you go on long rides on a bicycle, your water bottles that are placed on rib holders on the bikes frame tend to get warm on a hot summers day. The M.U.L.E. pack that I got holds 100 ounces of water in its bladder. The drinking nozzle is easy to use and can be strapped down the side on one of the backpack straps in any number of areas. With mine I don't even usually have to take my hands off the handlebars, I can just look over to my left and drink from it. The best feature by far of this part of the M.U.L.E.'s hydration bladder is that the water stays COOL! I can go on a 30 mile roundtrip ride and never have to worry about drinking stale, sometimes lukewarm water, which is what happens to a water bottle that is exposed to the sun for that long of time (Even if you just fill it with ice).

I don't just use it for cycling. I've gone on two mountain climbing/hiking trips and am going on a third one in March. When we went over a rugged mountain to a campsite the first day, I didn't use it much, but after that each day, we were hiking over to a different lake or rock formation. The M.U.L.E. gives you the ability to take water with you without having to carry a water bottle in your hand, and when you’re negotiating granite boulders and fallen trees, you need to have both hands free for support as well as overall balance. The M.U.L.E. saved me in this area. Some of my friends weren't so lucky, and ended up putting their water bottles inside my pack...

...this leads us to the storage aspect of it. Despite its favorable small appearance, it can store a lot of stuff! The bladder is cylindrical in shape and is stowed away in a separate compartment that is closest to your back, away from the other one. I can fit a pair of jeans, a shirt, wallet, keys, a knife, couple pairs of socks, and a book all inside it and still not feel bulky or top-heavy. The back of it has the lumbar shaped vented pads to keep the pack itself from smothering your skin. This feature I think is called "turtle shell" but I'm not sure. The separate pads allow air to run through the spacing between your back and the pack. A truly great design! There several various smaller compartments on the pack that allows you to quickly access smaller items. I usually use these for my cell phone (in case I get in a jam bike riding and need someone to come and get me!) digital camera (for taking pictures of scenery and wildlife along my adventurous path) and any other small items like chap stick or tire repair kit as well as first aid kit supplies and an mp3 player. The smaller compartments on the back are stacked off of each other and are easily secured with a nimble strap system for a tighter fit. It has a cool mesh net on the farthest outer pouch that is also closed with a strap. I often put my gloves in that one. The M.U.L.E. also has straps that attach at the waist and chest for an additional snug fit. The straps are comfortable; you won't even notice you’re carrying anything!

Overall the M.U.L.E. is one of the best things I've ever bought, and in my opinion is well worth the money. Whether you’re cycling or on a day hike, you’re going to find it comes in extremely handy and useful!