First Impression: Hydrapak Laguna
A “hydration pack” is an essential part of our ride. Not only does it carry our water, but other things such as tools, tubes, pads, etc… whatever is needed for our long/short ride. We want it to be comfortable and able to accommodate the things we want to bring.
I first used the Laguna during the Tour de Tryptophan. On this day, I rode several loops, at least 20 miles.
There were a few notable things with the Laguna:
– Comfortable
o it was well padded in both the contact area (shoulder and back)
– Sweat wicking
o Good air-flow between my back and the bag
o The sweat dried quickly
– Cargo room
o I was able to bring ample of gear for this 24hr event.
– Ease of using the reservoir
o With its wide opening, replenishing the water was very easy.
The Pack: The Laguna is a good sized hydration pack. Its normal volume is 500 cubic inches however it has a 360º zipper which expands the pack to 800 cubic inches. Those days where you want to carry more things on your ride – not a problem. I would say that’s versatility when you can easily convert the Laguna into a full–sized day–pack.
It’s primarily constructed of nylon material. The shoulder and sternum straps are reinforced with Hypalon material. The backing and shoulder straps of the Laguna bears ample padding. It’s covered in a mesh material, the closed cell foam padding make the straps both ventilated and comfortable. This is the main difference from 2008 vs 2009.
The straps also allow for either left/right hose placement. The Laguna has a total of five pockets (including the reservoir sleeve). The reservoir goes into a top–loading pocket/sleeve; independent from the main cargo. There are also cargo straps for pads (knee/elbow) and a helmet carrier.
You like listening to music while riding but tired of the messy earphone wires? No problem. The Laguna is built with Hydratunes. It’s a dedicated port that allows you to route earphone chords into one of the gadget pockets internally.
The Reservoir:
o 100 oz – plenty water for all day riding.
o Wide top opening – easy to fill
o Reversible – easy to clean and can be dried quickly
o Removable hose
o Round bite valve – comfortable and can be placed in your mouth in any angle
Specs from Hydrapak:
o fluid capacity 100 fl. oz. / 3.0 l.
o empty pack weight 2 lb.4 oz. / 1.02 kg.
o gear volume 500–800 cu. In. / 8.2 – 13.1 L
Features:
o New Hypalon reinforced section on shoulder strap and new wrap–around sternum
o New suspension padded back with airflow channel.
o 360º zipper expands capacity to 800 cu. In./13.1 L.
o Built–in mesh net for helmet storage.
o One–finger–opening utility pocket for quick access.
o Reflective light loop
Color: Charcoal
MSRP $89.99
The Laguna pack is built with the rider in mind. Total comfort and plenty of cargo space for a short or an all day epic ride. It is also ideal for any outdoorsmen, snowboarder, hiker…
The Laguna is trail approved by MtnBikeRiders.com. To see more of Hydrapak’s line of products, visit www.hydrapak.com