Hydrapak Avila Review

Whether you’re looking for the perfect hydration pack for your long run or looking for a simple no frills pack for a day hike, the Hydrapak Avila is an excellent option.  I’ve been testing this pack out over the past 2 months on local hikes and long runs for my marathon training and it’s been one of my favorite hydration packs.  While some hydration packs have a pocket for phones, cameras, energy bars, toothbrushes, and almost anything you can think of, the Avila by Hydrapak has an outside zippered pocket and that’s it.  This might sound too minimalist for some, but if you are using it for activities where all you need is water, it’s perfect.  This pocket on the pack is big enough to stash a phone and an energy gel or bar and that’s about it.

The other option to stash clothing in the pack is to fold the top flap over a jacket or other piece of clothing and cinch down the buckles.  I found this to come in handy when I started to overheat on a 16 mile run and I needed a place to stash my jacket.  The pack itself is super compact and minimalist.  When running with this pack, I feel like there is pretty much nothing on my back.  The Avila weighs in at a featherweight 7 oz.  Some of the areas in which Hydrapak was able to shave some ounces include; reducing the fabric in the shoulder straps, using smaller buckles, taking off the hip belt, and not using a lot of materials on the back panel.  And while they were able to take a lot off this pack to reduce weight and bulk, the Avila has an excellent fit.  We had a female test this pack as well as myself and it fit both of us perfect.  One of the ways in which the pack gives you a nice fit is through the adjustable sternum strap.  This is the strap that will keep the backpack from moving from side to side while running.

The Avila uses Hydrapak’s own reservoir that is a little different than other hydration reservoir on the market.  The hydration reservoir fills from the top and when you get the right amount of fluid, you fold it over to get a tight seal.  After folding it over, you slide a piece of hard plastic across the reservoir to keep it come leaking.  The capacity for the reservoir in the Avila is 2 liters. For cleaning, Hydrapak makes one of the best hydration reservoirs on the market.  I like it because you can fold it inside out and clean the inside.  Since I often use energy liquids like Gatorade or Accelerade, there can be a lot of sugar residue that gets caught.  When you can fold it inside out, it’s super easy to clean.

All in all, the Hydrapak is one of my favorite running hydration packs, if not my favorite.  For more information on the Hydrapak Avila or other hydration packs, please visit Hydrapak.com

MSRP $44.99