By popular demand from our BackpackingTV audience, it's time for another female-friendly backpack breakdown. Today is all about lightweight, low-volume hydration packs designed to support a full day on the trails. We'll cover the most popular women's hydration packs, and maybe one or two that you haven't come across yet. So read on to stay hydrated, healthy, and happy on all your day hiking adventures. These are the best day hiking hydration packs around. Lets dive into this 4 hydration pack comparison of the Osprey Tempest 20 vs Gregory Juno 24 vs Coulee 20 vs Osprey Sirrus 24!
Osprey Tempest 20 Hydration Pack Review
One of the most commonly-sold women's day packs on the market is the Osprey Tempest 20. It is appropriate for a range of round-trip adventures, but especially ones in which hydration is key. Along with a 20-liter storage capacity, it features compression straps to tighten up your load, and some gear attachments to accommodate things like trekking poles and a helmet. Interestingly, the hydration compartment is actually an external pouch.
So should a leak occur, your other belongings won't get quite as drenched. However, even though the compartmentalization is intuitive, because it's placed right behind your shoulders, it can be tricky to actually access the bladder when the bag is full. And the chamber ends up being way too narrow for a larger reservoir (i.e. 3L). So just be aware of that.
Osprey Tempest 20 Specifics
The Osprey Tempest 20 only weighs about 2 pounds (depending on the specific size) and retails for $160 (USD), but…that does not include an actual hydration bladder. You'll have to buy that separately (so budget for around $200 all-in).
Gregory Juno 24 Hydration Pack Review
The Gregory Juno 24 day pack also weighs in at just a smidge under 2 pounds. It retails for $140 (USD), and the water bladder is included. So right off the bat, this pack screams value. I carried the Gregory Juno 24 on a day trip through the mountains of Montana, with a generous 3 liters of water, plus my other day-hiking essentials, and was perfectly comfortable the whole time.
The pockets are plentiful on the Gregory Juno 24 and there are a few gear loops to help extend its 24L carrying capacity. The bladder slips in nice and easy, and also clips in to reduce the sloshiness as you move about the terrain. Something to watch out for is that you properly thread the screw-top lid that Gregory's bladder comes equipped with.
It's easy to misalign, especially if you're raring to get back on the trail, which will then lead to the always annoying leakage before you know it. But as a counterpoint, I find the nozzle's pop n' lock system to be more intuitive and leakproof when compared to the twisty-style found on some other bladders.
Mystery Ranch Coulee 20 Day Pack Review
The next rad day-hiking/hydration pack on the docket is one that you've heard us talk about before. The Mystery Ranch Coulee 20 is a little pricier for a hydration day pack ($180 USD, without the bladder) and a pinch heavier (2.6 pounds), but as is always the case with Mystery Ranch, this bag is comfy, well-designed, and built-to-last. Unlike the Tempest and the Juno, the Coulee 20 is more of a classic day-hiking backpack that can accommodate a water bladder, rather than a hydration pack with some extra storage space for basic hiking gear.
The tri-zip flay opening is an awesome set up, making it easy to access any gear at any time. The hip belt pockets are also on point, the yoke system is constructed to handle heavier loads, and it is adjustable for different torso lengths. While the back padding is super cushy, I have personally found it to be a bit on the warmer side. This is great if you're hiking in cooler temperatures, but something to be mindful of if heading out into the desert heat.
If you want to learn more about this day-hiking gem, check out our Mystery Ranch Coulee 20L Review and 30L Review.
Osprey Sirrus 24 Hydration Pack Review
Let's bring it back full circle back Osprey – consistently one of the best-selling backpack brands. The Osprey Sirrus 24 weighs in at 2.7 pounds (i.e. the heaviest on this list) and retails for $180 USD (*not including the bladder*), but it also has that slightly larger, 24L volume (tied with the Gregory Juno 24 but the Sirrus carries more externally), and it is clearly the most backpack-like backpack out of the four. It has the same robust frame and adjustable yoke system that we've seen on some of Osprey's other trekking bags.
There are nice deep external pockets for additional goodies and compression straps to manage the extra bulk, the use of buckles all the way up the sides is useful for bringing tripods and trekking poles along for the ride, and the breathability of the back panel and shoulder straps is the clear stand out of the lot.
Final Thoughts on Women's Hydration Day Packs
At the end of the day, it's hard to pick one best pack, but the value and performance of the Gregory Juno 24 is tough to argue against. If you're looking for a general bang-for-your-buck bag, then go with the Juno. If you're someone who is planning on doing some fast-packing/trail running/scrambling, then I think Osprey's Tempest 20 would be the way to go. And if you're doing a more rugged adventure, or carrying heavier loads, then the Mystery Ranch Coulee 20 or Osprey Sirrus 24 will be your gals.
I hope you found this backpack breakdown helpful. For more reviews across a wide spectrum of pack categories (as well as everything else you could think of from head to toe), pop on over to BackpackingTV.
Gear used in this review includes:
Backpacks: Osprey Tempest 20, Gregory Juno 24, Mystery Ranch Coulee 20, Osprey Sirrus 24
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