Mountain Hardwear Fluid 10 Review
The Mountain Hardwear Fluid 10 is the perfect pack for those looking for a good all around 1-6 hour activity pack. We tested this pack during mid distance trail runs, 10-15 mile hikes, road rides on the bike, and tooling around town. Weighing in at 1 lb. 4 oz., the Fluid 10 allows for plenty weight to be added with up to a 3 liter bladder, while also having room for two water bottles, snacks, and extra clothes that you may need on your adventures. Your valuables, such as a digital camera, sunglasses, or cell phone, can easily be stashed in the fleece lined pocket near the top that keeps your goods well protected from potential scratches. The shoulder straps on the Fluid 10 are lined with a stretch breathable fabric that doesn’t rub your shoulders wrong, which can be an issue for some while out on longer trips. The one complaint we found on the bag was when we would put our 3 liter bladder into its separate hydration pocket the load lifter straps seemed to get in the way and it was a tight squeeze. Filling your bladder when it is alread placed in the bag would easily avoid this, however, we are not a big fan of this because of the potential for water spillage. Once the bladder was secure, we liked the added feature of the load lifter straps, something you don’t always see on smaller packs
When checking out smaller hydration packs similar to the the Fluid 10, many of the hydration packs tend to blend together. However, true to Mountain Hardwear’s heritage, you can tell they have paid close attention to the small details for this pack. For instance, the pack has reflective accents all over the back of the pack to enhance visibility. In addition, there is tubing on the zipper pulls which allows for an easy zip and unzip. There are 2 mesh hip pockets to stash bars and gels, and a ventilation system on the frame to help regulate your body temperature while exerting yourself. Overall, we were very pleased with the Mountain Hardwear Fluid 10 and give the pack our stamp of approval. For more information, please visit MountainHardwear.com
