CamelBak Vantage 35 Review

The Camelbak Vantage 35 combines the new N.V.I.S. (pronounced "envious") back panel technology with the traditional hydration pack. The pack works best for longer day hikes, ski tours and ice climbing. If you go light, you can use it for backpacking (personally it's a bit small for me). Fully loaded, the pack rides great on the back.
The Vantage 35 comes with a 100 oz. CamelBak bladder and an insulated neoprene tube sleeve.

Camelbak Vantage 35 on the Slopes

As you can see, the Vantage 35 fits nicely on the back. It's a great size for longer ski tours and wears comfortably all day long. There are plenty of straps on the pack to help cinch the load into place. The belt and shoulder straps are well padded, yet firm so they stay in place.

Camelbak Vantage 35 Loaded with Gear

The Vantage 35 has a lot of exterior straps to hold gear on the outside of the pack. There are two ringed straps on the bottom of the pack to hold an ice axe or a sleeping pad. This pack can hold 2400 cubic inches of gear, so if you pack heavy (like me) you'll find yourself attaching gear to the outside.

Camelbak Vantage 35 Loaded with Even More Gear

I packed all my gear out for a photo session. The pack is full, but there's still room on the outside for a tripod, snowshoes and boots. Even when loaded up like this, the pack was very comfortable.

Zipper to Access Bottom of Pack

The Vantage 35 has a lower zipper pocket so you can access the gear at the bottom of the pack. The zipper has a long handle so it can be opened with gloves on.

Side and Front View

There are two adjustable straps on each side of the pack. This helps secure the load inside the pack and allows you to carry stuff on the outside. Each side has a neoprene stretch pocket. There are two elastic straps that are designed to hold trekking poles.

Back of Pack -- N.V.I.S Suspension System

N.V.I.S. stands for Next-generation Ventilated Integrated System. As you can see, there are three dense foam pads strategically placed, to allow for air flow. You can't see it, but there is a stiff plastic plate that the pads attach to. This provides a very stable and lightweight internal frame. I did a test hike with a 60 pound sand bag in the pack, and I was impressed how comfortably the Vantage 35 rode on my back.

Hip Pocket

The hip pocket is large enough to hold a GPS device,a Camera or a Fly Fishing reel. It's great to be able to have a place to store small items you need to get to without taking the backpack off.

Small Front Stash Pocket

The Vantage 35 has a small stash pocket on the front. When the main compartment is loaded, there's enough room in this pocket to store small flat stuff, like a hat, a chalk bag or gloves. The pocket has a clip to hold a key chain.

BOTTOM LINE: YEAR ROUND ALL ROUND HYDRATION PACK

Buy the Camelbak Vantage 35