This is my first Osprey pack, and while I am very happy with the pack itself (features, construction, design), the changes that were made to the normal Hydrapak bladder baffle me. The internal ribs, hard plastic hose guide and smaller than usual top opening all combine to make it nearly impossible to turn the bladder inside out - Hydrapak's primary selling point and the main reason I abandoned Camelbak. The internal ribs make for difficult cleaning. There's already a clip/loop to hang the bladder inside the pack, so I don't know why the hard plastic hose guide plate was added. I would have given this pack a glowing review if it had just shipped with a normal 2.5L Hydrapak reservoir with Osprey silkscreened onto it, but instead I'm getting rid of the supplied bladder (want it back?) and will purchase a Hydrapak bladder... which doesn't come in 2.5L so I have to either downsize to a 2 or try to cram in a 3... Grrr.

Ken

Newark, DE

The Viper 9 is a superb biking pack! This thing holds everything I need for quick bike ride after work or an all day adventure in the mountains. It's able to hold all of my bike supplies like extra tubes, small co2 pump, extra co2 cartridges, tire levers and tools. Plenty of room for snacks and other gear too. The hydration reservoir never feels bulky on my back and the magnetic clip on the bite valve is super convenient. The stash pocket on the front is great for stuffing in a jacket if the weather is questionable. I've used this pack for casual cruises and aggressive downhill rides at the resort. It's never let me down and I often forget I'm even wearing it!

digerati

Montana