Platypus Tokul XC 5.0 7L Hydration Pack - 70 fl.oz.

This was a gift for my dad for Father's Day and he is happy with it so far. The only annoying thing is that the belt isn't long enough for him. He wouldn't be using it anyways since he will be wearing it cycling but it's sort of obnoxious when things don't fit like they should. He wears an XL, so it's not like he's super big.

The hydration hose is water-tight even when open, and the magnet on the shoulder strap to retain the mouthpiece is very convenient. The front compartment has a couple of mesh pouches, which is convenient for keeping things organized. It is not a huge compartment, but it can fit a wallet, phone, some snacks, and an extra layer if you really stuff it in.

It has been a while since I have had a hydration pack and really glad I got a new one. The storage pack is spacious enough to hold my tools, bike pump, and phone, with enough room for some snacks. And I love the 70 ounces of fluid that I now get for each ride. The mouthpiece is very durable and does not leak everywhere. I also like that I can disconnect the hose from the bottom of the reservoir.

All in all, great quality product and I would buy it again.

Overall this is a great little hydration pack. It has most everything I was looking for...2L of water for a nice 1-2 hour ride in the desert heat of S NV, room for my tools, pump, phone, spare tube, energy bar, etc. No real complaints so far, but I've only been using it for a couple of weeks. The only thing I can knock it for is that there is sometimes an off taste when I haven't used it in 8+ hours. I normally empty it when I'm done for the day, but occasionally if I know I'm going to use it again the next day, I'll just top it off and that is when I notice an off taste for the first few sucks. The other thing that I'm trying to get used to is latching the reservoir into the pack. I'm used to camelbak hydration packs where you just toss the reservoir into the 'envelope'. Well this has two little latch things (see photo) that keep the reservoir from falling to the bottom of the reservoir compartment. Not a huge deal, but it's taking me a little while to get used to it. Besides those two little issues, I'm satisfied with the pack.

I like Platypus' design, their hydration packs are made well and if you take care of them, they last. The straps are well padded and very adjustable and fit my smaller frame (5' 3" - ~120#). Basically, if you are looking for a nice 2L daypack, this one is great, and you can't beat the price.